Joshua 4:10
in Joshua 4Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until the people had completed everything the LORD had commanded Joshua to tell them, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried across,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For the priests that bare the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan, until everything was finished that Jehovah commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.
KJV
For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until every thing was finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.
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This verse in Joshua 4
Commentary
8 notes on this verseAnd the people hasted and passed over - How very natural is this circumstance! The people seeing the waters divided, and Jordan running back, might be apprehensive that it would soon resume its wonted course; and this would naturally lead them to hasten to get over, with as much speed as possible. The circumstance itself thus marked is a proof that the relater was an eyewitness of this miraculous passage.
This site's exposition
the priests who carried the ark
on Joshua 4:10-11
The priests hold the middle of the channel until every word is done, while the people hurry across. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown read the haste as weakness beside the priests’ steadiness. Clarke reads it as natural in a riverbed with the water piled upstream, the mark of an eyewitness.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
It seems to me the words "the people hastened to cross" were not added idly by the Holy Spirit. For this reason, I also think that when we come to baptism for salvation and receive the sacraments of the Word of God, we should not do it idly or negligently, but we should hurriedly press on all the way until we cross over everything.For to cross over everything is to accomplish all the things that are commanded. Therefore let us hasten to cross, that is, to fulfill at the beginning, what is written: "Blessed are the poor in spirit."
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
), which is also said to be what Moses commanded. We read not of any particular commands that Moses gave to Joshua about this matter: the thing was altogether new to him.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Some understand this of the twelve men that carried the stones, but it seems rather to be meant of the body of the people; for, though an account was given of their passing over (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Hasted - That is, passed over with haste, an argument of their fear, or weakness of their faith; as on the contrary, the priests are commended that they stood firm, and settled in their minds, as well as in the posture of their bodies.
For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan,....
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The unfaltering confidence of the priests contrasts strikingly with the conduct of the people, who "hasted and passed over." Their faith, like that of many of God's people, was, through the weakness of nature, blended with fears.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Until the the completion of everything. This is as we learn in Masches Sotah, 34a: While they were standing in the Jordan, Yehoshua said to them, “You must know the purpose for which you are crossing the Jordan.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
And it was when all the people had finished crossing and the Ark crossed. The Ark did not cross as the others did, but in the manner explained below: 3 Verse.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
27 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֞ים | vehakohanim | and the priests | H3548 → | 750 times |
| נֹשְׂאֵ֣י | noseei | [the] bearers of | H5375 → | 656 times |
| הָאָר֗וֹן | haaron | the ark | H727 → | 202 times |
| עֹמְדִים֮ | ʾomedim | [were] standing | H5975 → | 521 times |
| בְּת֣וֹךְ | betokh | in [the] middle of | H8432 → | 418 times |
| הַיַּרְדֵּן֒ | haiyarden | the Jordan | H3383 → | 182 times |
| עַ֣ד | ʾad | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| תֹּ֣ם | tom | was finished | H8552 → | 63 times |
| כָּֽל־ | kal- | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַ֠דָּבָר | hadavor | <the> thing | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| צִוָּ֨ה | tzivah | he had commanded | H6680 → | 494 times |
| יְהוָ֤ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ | yehoshua' | Joshua | H3091 → | 218 times |
| לְדַבֵּ֣ר | ledaber | to speak | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הָעָ֔ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| כְּכֹ֛ל | kekhol | according to all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| צִוָּ֥ה | tzivah | he had commanded | H6680 → | 494 times |
| מֹשֶׁ֖ה | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ | yehoshua' | Joshua | H3091 → | 218 times |
| וַיְמַהֲר֥וּ | vaymaharu | and they hurried | H4116 → | 68 times |
| הָעָ֖ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| וַֽיַּעֲבֹֽרוּ׃ | vaiyaavoru | and they passed over | H5674 → | 556 times |
וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֞יםand the priests
vehakohanimH3548 →750 times
נֹשְׂאֵ֣י[the] bearers of
noseeiH5375 →656 times
הָאָר֗וֹןthe ark
haaronH727 →202 times
עֹמְדִים֮[were] standing
ʾomedimH5975 →521 times
בְּת֣וֹךְin [the] middle of
betokhH8432 →418 times
הַיַּרְדֵּן֒the Jordan
haiyardenH3383 →182 times
עַ֣דuntil
ʾadH5704 →1261 times
תֹּ֣םwas finished
tomH8552 →63 times
כָּֽל־every
kal-H3605 →5413 times
הַ֠דָּבָר<the> thing
hadavorH1697 →1440 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
צִוָּ֨הhe had commanded
tzivahH6680 →494 times
יְהוָ֤הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙Joshua
yehoshua'H3091 →218 times
לְדַבֵּ֣רto speak
ledaberH1696 →1141 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הָעָ֔םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
כְּכֹ֛לaccording to all
kekholH3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁר־that
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
צִוָּ֥הhe had commanded
tzivahH6680 →494 times
מֹשֶׁ֖הMoses
moshehH4872 →765 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַJoshua
yehoshua'H3091 →218 times
וַיְמַהֲר֥וּand they hurried
vaymaharuH4116 →68 times
הָעָ֖םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
וַֽיַּעֲבֹֽרוּ׃and they passed over
vaiyaavoruH5674 →556 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
Isaiah 28:16So this is what the Lord GOD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken.
it leads to
- Psalms 118:22
The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
- Acts 4:11–12
This Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’
- 1 Peter 2:6–8
For it stands in Scripture: “See, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”
- Luke 20:17–18
But Jesus looked directly at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?
- Romans 9:33
as it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”
- Psalms 118:22
Through
Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
it leads to
- Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men,
- Ephesians 5:16
redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
- Colossians 3:23
Through
2 Corinthians 6:2For He says: “In the time of favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is the time of favor; now is the day of salvation!
it leads to
- Isaiah 49:8
This is what the LORD says: “In the time of favor I will answer You, and in the day of salvation I will help You; I will keep You and appoint You to be…
- Isaiah 49:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Joshua
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 5.1.