KJV King James Version
And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
Joshua 3:6
And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
And he said to the priests, “Take the ark of the covenant and go on ahead of the people.” So they carried the ark of the covenant and went ahead of them.
WEB World English Bible
Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people.” They took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
ASV American Standard Version
And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
And Joshua speaketh unto the priests, saying, ‘Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people;’ and they take up the ark of the covenant, and go before the people.
Surrounding context — Joshua 3
3 And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.
4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed [this] way heretofore.
5 And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.
6 And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
7 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, [so] I will be with thee.
8 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.
9 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God.
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
וַיֹּ֤אמֶרH559 · a.marto sayיְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙H3091 · ye.ho.shu.aJoshuaאֶל־H413 · elto(wards)הַכֹּהֲנִ֣יםH3548 · ko.henpriestלֵאמֹ֔רH559 · a.marto sayשְׂאוּ֙H5375 · na.sato lift: raiseאֶת־H853 · et[Obj.]אֲר֣וֹןH727 · a.ronarkהַבְּרִ֔יתH1285 · be.ritcovenantוְעִבְר֖וּH5674 · a.varto passלִפְנֵ֣יH6440 · pa.nehface: beforeהָעָ֑םH5971 · ampeopleוַיִּשְׂאוּ֙H5375 · na.sato lift: raiseאֶת־H853 · et[Obj.]אֲר֣וֹןH727 · a.ronarkהַבְּרִ֔יתH1285 · be.ritcovenantוַיֵּלְכ֖וּH1980 · ha.lakhto go: wentלִפְנֵ֥יH6440 · pa.nehface: beforeהָעָֽם׃ סH5971 · ampeople
Cross-references
John 14:2-3In my Father’s house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.Numbers 10:33And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days’ journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them.Numbers 14:15Now [if] thou shalt kill [all] this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying,Joshua 3:3And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.Micah 2:13The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.Hebrews 6:20Whither the forerunner is for us entered, [even] Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
Compare classic commentaries on Joshua 3:6
Put Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Calvin, Wesley, Barnes, Jamieson–Fausset–Brown, Aquinas’ Catena and other public-domain sources beside the passage.
Compare commentaries →