Joshua 3:8
in Joshua 3Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the waters, stand in the Jordan.’”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, ye shall stand still in the Jordan.
KJV
And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.
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This verse in Joshua 3
Commentary
7 notes on this verseSome have observed that it was at the banks of Jordan that God began to magnify Joshua, and at the same place he began to magnify our Lord Jesus as Mediator; for John was baptizing at Bethabara, the house of passage, and there it was that when our Saviour was baptized it was proclaimed concerning him, This is my beloved Son.
This site's exposition
This day will I begin
on Joshua 3:7-8
Joshua 1:5 gave him the promise in these exact words, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee, and this verse says the public proof of it starts today. Joshua 4:14 reports the result in the same vocabulary, that the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel and they feared him as they feared Moses all his days. The instrument is a river, which is what accredited Moses at the sea, and Joshua's own part in it is to tell priests to stand still in the water.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 6.231-32 · Written before 253.
proposed
And he commands the priests to go before the people with the ark of the covenant.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
): Thou shalt command the priests, that is, "Thou shalt make known to them the divine command in this matter, and take care that they observe it, to stand still at the brink of Jordan while the waters part, that it may appear to be at the presence of the Lord, of the mighty God of Jacob, that Jordan is driven back, " Ps. cxiv.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
The brink - Hebrew. to the extremity, so far as the river then spread itself, which was now more than ordinary, ver. 15. In Jordan - Within the waters of Jordan, in the first entrance into the river; Where they stood for a season, 'till the river was divided, and then they went into the midst of it, and there abode 'till all the people were passed over.
quarantine:anchor (2026-07-29) — cites-ver-15-anchored-8-8
And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the Lord,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Ye shall stand still in Jordan - The priests proceeded first with the ark, and entered into the bed of the river the course of which was immediately arrested, the waters collecting above the place where the priests stood, while the stream fell off towards the Dead Sea; so that the whole channel below where the priests were standing became dry.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאַתָּ֗ה | veatah | and you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| תְּצַוֶּה֙ | tetzaveh | you will command | H6680 → | 494 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים | hakohanim | the priests | H3548 → | 750 times |
| נֹשְׂאֵ֥י | noseei | [the] bearers of | H5375 → | 656 times |
| אֲרֽוֹן־ | ʾaron- | [the] ark of | H727 → | 202 times |
| הַבְּרִ֖ית | haberit | the covenant | H1285 → | 284 times |
| לֵאמֹ֑ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| כְּבֹאֲכֶ֗ם | kevoakhem | when come you | H935 → | 2568 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | to | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| קְצֵה֙ | ketzeh | [the] edge of | H7097 → | 97 times |
| מֵ֣י | mei | [the] waters of | H4325 → | 581 times |
| הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן | haiyarden | the Jordan | H3383 → | 182 times |
| בַּיַּרְדֵּ֖ן | baiyarden | in the Jordan | H3383 → | 182 times |
| תַּעֲמֹֽדוּ׃ פ | taamodu | you will stand still | H5975 → | 521 times |
וְאַתָּ֗הand you
veatahH859 →1094 times
תְּצַוֶּה֙you will command
tetzavehH6680 →494 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔יםthe priests
hakohanimH3548 →750 times
נֹשְׂאֵ֥י[the] bearers of
noseeiH5375 →656 times
אֲרֽוֹן־[the] ark of
ʾaron-H727 →202 times
הַבְּרִ֖יתthe covenant
haberitH1285 →284 times
לֵאמֹ֑ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
כְּבֹאֲכֶ֗םwhen come you
kevoakhemH935 →2568 times
עַד־to
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
קְצֵה֙[the] edge of
ketzehH7097 →97 times
מֵ֣י[the] waters of
meiH4325 →581 times
הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ןthe Jordan
haiyardenH3383 →182 times
בַּיַּרְדֵּ֖ןin the Jordan
baiyardenH3383 →182 times
תַּעֲמֹֽדוּ׃ פyou will stand still
taamoduH5975 →521 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Joshua 3:17The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed over the dry ground, until the entire nation…
it leads to
- Exodus 14:29
But the Israelites had walked through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left.
- Exodus 14:22
and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left.
- Psalms 66:6
He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the waters on foot; there we rejoiced in Him.
- Isaiah 25:8
He will swallow up death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face and remove the disgrace of His people from the whole earth. For the LORD has spoken.
- Exodus 14:29
Through
Joshua 3:3and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, you are to set out from your positions and follow it.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 31:9
So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.
- Deuteronomy 31:9
Through
Nehemiah 13:22Then I instructed the Levites to purify themselves and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this as well, O my God, and show me mercy according…
it leads to
- Nehemiah 12:30
After the priests and Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.
- Nehemiah 13:14
Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out my deeds of loving devotion for the house of my God and for its services.
- Nehemiah 13:31
I also arranged for contributions of wood at the appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, with favor.
- Nehemiah 12:30
About Joshua
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 6.231-32.