Joshua 4:18
in Joshua 4When the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up out of the Jordan and their feet touched the dry land, the waters of the Jordan returned to their course and overflowed all the banks as before.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of Jehovah were come up out of the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up unto the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned unto their place, and went over all its banks, as aforetime.
KJV
And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.
⋯
This verse in Joshua 4
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThe waters of Jordan returned unto their place - It is particularly remarked by the sacred historian, that as soon as the soles of the priests’ feet touched the water, the stream of the Jordan was cut off, Jos 3:15, and the course of the river continued to be inverted all the time they continued in its channel; and that as soon as the soles of their feet had touched the dry land, on their return from the bed of the river, the waters immediately resumed their natural course.
This site's exposition
Command the priests who carry the ark of the Testimony
on Joshua 4:16-18
The chest is called “the ark of the Testimony” here and the ark of the covenant elsewhere, the names Exodus 25:16 and 25:22 give it. The water answers to the priests’ feet both ways, cut off at 3:15 and returned at verse 18.
This site's exposition
overflowed all the banks as before
As before points back to 3:15, and Barnes reads the sudden return of the water as the writer's proof that the crossing was a miracle. Henry draws a figure from it. When the ark leaves a place, its defence leaves too.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
After they had crossed over the Jordan, the waters returned to their place and overflowed all its banks as before. For the mystical Jordan also increases when the full number of the faithful enters in. Accordingly, we read, "Lift up your eyes and see that …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord were come up out of the midst of Jordan,....
Some observe here, by way of allusion, that when the ark, and the priests that bore it, are removed from any place, the flood-gates are drawn up, the defence has departed, and an inundation of judgments is to be expected shortly. Those that are unchurched will soon be undone. The glory has departed if the ark is taken.
The words behind it
25 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַ֠יְהִי | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| כַּעֲל֨וֹת | kaalot | just as came up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| הַכֹּהֲנִ֜ים | hakohanim | the priests | H3548 → | 750 times |
| נֹשְׂאֵ֨י | noseei | [the] bearers of | H5375 → | 656 times |
| אֲר֤וֹן | ʾaron | [the] ark of | H727 → | 202 times |
| בְּרִית־ | berit- | [the] covenant of | H1285 → | 284 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| מִתּ֣וֹךְ | mitokh | from [the] middle of | H8432 → | 418 times |
| הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן | haiyarden | the Jordan | H3383 → | 182 times |
| נִתְּק֗וּ | niteku | they were drawn out | H5423 → | 27 times |
| כַּפּוֹת֙ | kapot | [the] soles of | H3709 → | 192 times |
| רַגְלֵ֣י | raglei | [the] feet of | H7272 → | 247 times |
| הַכֹּהֲנִ֔ים | hakohanim | the priests | H3548 → | 750 times |
| אֶ֖ל | ʾel | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הֶחָרָבָ֑ה | hecharavah | the dry ground | H2724 → | 8 times |
| וַיָּשֻׁ֤בוּ | vaiyashuvu | and they returned | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| מֵֽי־ | mei- | [the] waters of | H4325 → | 581 times |
| הַיַּרְדֵּן֙ | haiyarden | the Jordan | H3383 → | 182 times |
| לִמְקוֹמָ֔ם | limkomam | to place their | H4725 → | 401 times |
| וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ | vaiyelekhu | and they went | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| כִתְמוֹל־ | khitmol- | as yesterday | H8543 → | 23 times |
| שִׁלְשׁ֖וֹם | shilshom | three days ago | H8032 → | 24 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| גְּדוֹתָֽיו׃ | gedotav | banks its | H1415 → |
וַ֠יְהִיand it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
כַּעֲל֨וֹתjust as came up
kaalotH5927 →890 times
הַכֹּהֲנִ֜יםthe priests
hakohanimH3548 →750 times
נֹשְׂאֵ֨י[the] bearers of
noseeiH5375 →656 times
אֲר֤וֹן[the] ark of
ʾaronH727 →202 times
בְּרִית־[the] covenant of
berit-H1285 →284 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
מִתּ֣וֹךְfrom [the] middle of
mitokhH8432 →418 times
הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ןthe Jordan
haiyardenH3383 →182 times
נִתְּק֗וּthey were drawn out
nitekuH5423 →27 times
כַּפּוֹת֙[the] soles of
kapotH3709 →192 times
רַגְלֵ֣י[the] feet of
ragleiH7272 →247 times
הַכֹּהֲנִ֔יםthe priests
hakohanimH3548 →750 times
אֶ֖לto
ʾelH413 →5510 times
הֶחָרָבָ֑הthe dry ground
hecharavahH2724 →8 times
וַיָּשֻׁ֤בוּand they returned
vaiyashuvuH7725 →1056 times
מֵֽי־[the] waters of
mei-H4325 →581 times
הַיַּרְדֵּן֙the Jordan
haiyardenH3383 →182 times
לִמְקוֹמָ֔םto place their
limkomamH4725 →401 times
וַיֵּלְכ֥וּand they went
vaiyelekhuH1980 →1546 times
כִתְמוֹל־as yesterday
khitmol-H8543 →23 times
שִׁלְשׁ֖וֹםthree days ago
shilshomH8032 →24 times
עַל־over
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
גְּדוֹתָֽיו׃banks its
gedotavH1415 →
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 3:15Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge,
it leads to
- Jeremiah 12:5
“If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in a peaceful land, how will you do in the thickets…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 49:19
Behold, one will come up like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan to the watered pasture. For in an instant I will chase Edom from her land. Who is the chosen one…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Chronicles 12:15
These are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks, and they put to flight all those in the valleys, both to the east and…
- Jeremiah 12:5
Through
Isaiah 8:8It will pour into Judah, swirling and sweeping over it, reaching up to the neck; its spreading streams will cover your entire land, O Immanuel!
it leads to
- Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.
- Matthew 1:23
“Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means, “God with us”).
- Isaiah 7:14
Through
1 Chronicles 12:15These are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks, and they put to flight all those in the valleys, both to the east and…
it leads to
- Joshua 3:15
Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge,
- Joshua 3:15
Through
Joshua 3:13When the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD—the Lord of all the earth—touch down in the waters of the Jordan, its flowing waters will be cut off and will…
it leads to
- Exodus 15:8
At the blast of Your nostrils the waters piled up; like a wall the currents stood firm; the depths congealed in the heart of the sea.
- Psalms 78:13
He split the sea and brought them through; He set the waters upright like a wall.
- Exodus 15:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
On this chapter
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; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Procopius of Gaza, COMMENTARY ON JOSHUA 4.18.