Joshua 4:13
in Joshua 4About 40,000 troops armed for battle crossed over before the LORD into the plains of Jericho.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
about forty thousand ready armed for war passed over before Jehovah unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.
KJV
About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the Lord unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.
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This verse in Joshua 4
Commentary
9 notes on this verseAbout forty thousand prepared for war,.... Accoutred with proper armour to defend themselves, and their brethren, and annoy their enemies: this is to be understood of such a number of the above mentioned tribes; otherwise the number of all Israel that went over Jordan, even armed or fighting men, besides women and children, were five hundred thousand or more.
This site's exposition
The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh
on Joshua 4:12-13
They cross first and armed under the bargain of Numbers 32:16-32, restated at 1:12-15. The muster of Numbers 26 puts Reuben, Gad and half Manasseh near a hundred and ten thousand, so the 40,000 are a portion. Clarke reckons the rest stayed to guard the families.
This site's exposition
into the plains of Jericho
Barnes and Jamieson, Fausset and Brown both put the plain at about seven miles broad between the river and the hills. Barnes adds that palms covered much of it in Joshua's day, which is why Deuteronomy 34:3 calls Jericho the city of palm trees. Jericho stood on this plain.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Let us learn from Paul, who explains who those "girded" ones are. Hear what he himself says: "Therefore, let your loins be girded with truth." You see, therefore, that Paul knew the girded ones, those who were encircled by the belt of truth. So truth also ought to be our belt, if we have preserved the sacrament of this army and belt.
To be sure, it is not enough for you in the sight of people to seem to preserve the truth. For certainly it is possible to deceive humans and to seem truthful. But in doing so you are not girded about "with truth," unless also "in the sight of the Lord" you have preserved truth, that is, not only the things people hear from your voice but also the things God examines in your heart. Let nothing false be on the tongue; let nothing counterfeit be in the heart, as the prophet says about such things, "Those who speak peace with their neighbor but have evil in their hearts." Therefore the one who wishes to be "girded in the sight of the Lord" and to proceed to capture Jericho ought to be apart from all these things, because when we cross over the Jordan River, we cross over to battles and wars.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Before the Lord - Either, 1. before the ark, or, 2. in the presence of God who observed whether they would keep their covenant made with their brethren, or not.
And Joshua had lately reminded them of their promise, ch. i. It was fit that those who had the first settlement should be the first in the encounter of difficulties, the rather because they had not the incumbrance of families with them as the other tribes had, and they were all chose men, and fit for service, ready armed.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The plains of Jericho, consisting of the higher terrace of the Jordan valley, are almost seven miles broad. The mountains of Judaea here recede somewhat from the river, and leave a level and fertile space, which, at the time of Joshua’s invasion, was principally occupied by a forest of palms. Hence, the name “city of palms,” Deu 34:3.
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)
proposed
to the plains of Jericho--That part of the Arabah or Ghor, on the west, is about seven miles broad from the Jordan to the mountain entrance at Wady-Kelt. Though now desert, this valley was in ancient times richly covered with wood.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כְּאַרְבָּעִ֥ים | kearbaim | about forty | H705 → | 136 times |
| אֶ֖לֶף | ʾelef | thousand | H505 → | 505 times |
| חֲלוּצֵ֣י | chalutzei | <the> armed [men] of | H2502 → | 44 times |
| הַצָּבָ֑א | hatzava' | <the> war | H6635 → | 485 times |
| עָבְר֞וּ | ʾaveru | they passed over | H5674 → | 556 times |
| לִפְנֵ֤י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה | lamilchamah | for <the> battle | H4421 → | 320 times |
| אֶ֖ל | ʾel | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| עַֽרְב֥וֹת | arvot | [the] plains of | H6160 → | 61 times |
| יְרִיחֽוֹ׃ ס | yericho | Jericho | H3405 → | 57 times |
כְּאַרְבָּעִ֥יםabout forty
kearbaimH705 →136 times
אֶ֖לֶףthousand
ʾelefH505 →505 times
חֲלוּצֵ֣י<the> armed [men] of
chalutzeiH2502 →44 times
הַצָּבָ֑א<the> war
hatzava'H6635 →485 times
עָבְר֞וּthey passed over
ʾaveruH5674 →556 times
לִפְנֵ֤י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לַמִּלְחָמָ֔הfor <the> battle
lamilchamahH4421 →320 times
אֶ֖לto
ʾelH413 →5510 times
עַֽרְב֥וֹת[the] plains of
arvotH6160 →61 times
יְרִיחֽוֹ׃ סJericho
yerichoH3405 →57 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
Ephesians 6:11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 10:4
The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
- Romans 13:12
The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. So let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
- Ephesians 6:13
Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:8
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of our hope of salvation.
- 1 Peter 5:8
Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
- 2 Corinthians 10:4
Through
Jeremiah 39:5But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They seized him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 38:23
All your wives and children will be brought out to the Chaldeans. And you yourself will not escape their grasp, for you will be seized by the king of Babylon, and this city will…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Kings 23:33
And Pharaoh Neco imprisoned Jehoahaz at Riblah in the land of Hamath so that he could not reign in Jerusalem, and he imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents of silver and…
- Joshua 5:10
On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while the Israelites were camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they kept the Passover.
- Jeremiah 38:23
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Joshua
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 5.2.