Joshua 4:19
in Joshua 4On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, on the east border of Jericho.
KJV
And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.
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This verse in Joshua 4
Commentary
8 notes on this verseAnd when do they come to the crossing of the Jordan? For I have noted that this also has been indicated, so that even the time might be distinguished, and with good reason. "On the tenth," it says, "of the first month." That is also the day on which the mystery of the lamb was prefigured in Egypt. On the tenth of the first month, these things were celebrated in Egypt; on the tenth of the first month, they go into the land of promise.
This site's exposition
the tenth day of the first
on Joshua 4:19-20
The date carries weight: the tenth day of the first month is the day Exodus 12:3 set for choosing the passover lamb. Israel keeps the passover in the land at 5:10. Having left Egypt on the fifteenth, they enter forty years less five days after the exit.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
And the people came up out of Jordan,.... The channel of it, to the shore: on the tenth day of the first month; the month Nisan or Abib, which from the time of Israel's coming out of Egypt was appointed the first month of the year, Exo 12:2; on the fifteenth of which month they came out of Egypt, having kept the passover on the fourteenth at even; so that their coming out of Egypt, to their entrance into Canaan, was just forty years, wanting five days.
3 ), because he would have their entrance into Canaan Graced and sanctified with that religious feast, and would have them then to be reminded of their deliverance out of Egypt, that, comparing them together, God might be glorified as the Alpha and Omega of their bliss.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens
The first month - Namely, of Nisan, which wanted but five days of forty years from the time of their coming out of Egypt, which was on the fifteenth day of this month. So punctual is God in the performing of his word, whether promised or threatened.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Gilgal, mentioned here by anticipation (compare Jos 5:9), the modern Jiljulieh (Conder), was on rising ground (compare Jos 5:3), and, according to Josephus, nearly five miles from the river, and consequently about two from the city itself. The site of the camp was no doubt fortified by Joshua, as it constituted for some time the abiding foothold in Canaan, from where he sallied forth to subdue the country. It was also the place of safety where the ark, and no doubt also the women, children, cattle, and other property of the people were left.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month--that is, the month Nisan, four days before the passover, and the very day when the paschal lamb required to be set apart, the providence of God having arranged that the entrance into the promised land should be at the feast. and encamped in Gilgal--The name is here given by anticipation (see on Jos 5:9).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
On the tenth day of the first month - As the Israelites left Egypt on the fifteenth day of the first month, A.M. 2513, (see Exodus 14:1-31), and they entered into Canaan the tenth of the first month, A.M. 2553, it is evident that forty years, wanting five days, had elapsed from the time of their exodus from Egypt to their entrance into the promised inheritance. Encamped in Gilgal - That is, in the place that was afterwards called Gilgal, see Jos 5:9; for here the name is given it by anticipation. In Hebrew, גל gal signifies to roll; and the doubling of the root, גלגל galgal or gilgal, signifies rolling round and round, or rolling off or away, because, in circumcising the children that had been born in the wilderness, Joshua rolled away, rolled off completely, the reproach of the people. From this time Gilgal became a place of considerable eminence in the sacred history. 1. It was the place where the Israelitish camp rested the first night of their entering into that land which had been promised to their fathers from the days of Abraham. 2. It was the place in which Joshua circumcised all the people who had been born in the wilderness, during the forty years of their wandering, after they left Egypt. 3. It was the place in which Joshua had what we might term his fortified camp, and to which he and his army constantly returned after each of their expeditions against the inhabitants of the land. 4. It appears to have been the place where all the women, children, cattle, and goods, etc., were lodged, probably during the whole of the Canaanitish war. 5. It was the place where they celebrated the first passover they kept in the promised land. 6. It was the place where Saul, the first king of Israel, was proclaimed. 7. There the manna ceased to fall. And, 8. There the ark was fixed till, after the conquest of the country, it was removed to Shiloh. […]
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהָעָ֗ם | vehaam | and the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| עָלוּ֙ | ʾalu | they went up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן | haiyarden | the Jordan | H3383 → | 182 times |
| בֶּעָשׂ֖וֹר | beasor | on the ten | H6218 → | |
| לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ | lachodesh | of the month | H2320 → | |
| הָרִאשׁ֑וֹן | harishon | <the> first | H7223 → | 182 times |
| וַֽיַּחֲנוּ֙ | vaiyachanu | and they encamped | H2583 → | 143 times |
| בַּגִּלְגָּ֔ל | bagilgal | at <the> Gilgal | H1537 → | 41 times |
| בִּקְצֵ֖ה | biktzeh | on [the] edge of | H7097 → | 97 times |
| מִזְרַ֥ח | mizrach | [the] east of | H4217 → | 74 times |
| יְרִיחֽוֹ׃ | yericho | Jericho | H3405 → | 57 times |
וְהָעָ֗םand the people
vehaamH5971 →1873 times
עָלוּ֙they went up
ʾaluH5927 →890 times
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ןthe Jordan
haiyardenH3383 →182 times
בֶּעָשׂ֖וֹרon the ten
beasorH6218 →
לַחֹ֣דֶשׁof the month
lachodeshH2320 →
הָרִאשׁ֑וֹן<the> first
harishonH7223 →182 times
וַֽיַּחֲנוּ֙and they encamped
vaiyachanuH2583 →143 times
בַּגִּלְגָּ֔לat <the> Gilgal
bagilgalH1537 →41 times
בִּקְצֵ֖הon [the] edge of
biktzehH7097 →97 times
מִזְרַ֥ח[the] east of
mizrachH4217 →74 times
יְרִיחֽוֹ׃Jericho
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
Micah 6:5My people, remember what Balak king of Moab counseled and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may acknowledge the righteousness of the LORD.’”
it leads to
- Joshua 5:9–10
Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So that place has been called Gilgal to this day.
- Numbers 25:1
While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab,
- Judges 5:11
the voices of the singers at the watering places. There they shall recount the righteous acts of the LORD, the righteous deeds of His villagers in Israel. Then the people of the LORD went…
- 2 Peter 2:15
They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.
- Deuteronomy 16:3
You must not eat leavened bread with it; for seven days you are to eat with it unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, because you left the land of Egypt in haste—so that you…
- Joshua 5:9–10
Through
Joshua 5:9Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So that place has been called Gilgal to this day.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 17:26
David asked the men who were standing with him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he…
- Genesis 34:14
“We cannot do such a thing,” they said. “To give our sister to an uncircumcised man would be a disgrace to us.
- 1 Samuel 17:26
Through
Joshua 10:43Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.
it leads to
- Joshua 10:15
Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.
- Joshua 10:15
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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About Joshua
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PlaceJordan valley near JerichoGilgalIsrael's first Canaan camp where the stones were set and the reproach rolled away (Josh 4-5); later a corrupted shrine the prophet…
- PlaceJordan valleyJerichoThe city of palms whose walls fell flat at the seventh trumpet-circuit; Rahab's city, later rebuilt under a curse, and the road do…
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; 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 4.4.