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Bible in Basic English

Joshua 4:5

And he said to them, Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of Jordan, and let every one of you take up a stone on his back, one for every tribe of the children of Israel:

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Instruction;   Pillar;   Stones;   Token;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Jordan, the River;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Stone;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - God;   Jericho;   Joshua;   Quarry;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Jordan ;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Stone;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Conquest of Canaan;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Emmaus;   Images;   Joshua (2);   Joshua, Book of;   Shoulder;   Sign;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Ark of the Covenant;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
and said to them, “Go across to the ark of the Lord your God in the middle of the Jordan. Each of you lift a stone onto his shoulder, one for each of the Israelite tribes,
Hebrew Names Version
and Yehoshua said to them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Yarden, and take up every man of you a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Yisra'el;
King James Version
And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
Lexham English Bible
And Joshua said to them, "Cross over before the ark of Yahweh your God to the middle of the Jordan, and each one of you lift up a stone on your shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites,
English Standard Version
And Joshua said to them, "Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel,
New Century Version
and said to them, "Go out into the river where the Ark of the Lord your God is. Each of you bring back one rock, one for each tribe of Israel, and carry it on your shoulder.
New English Translation
Joshua told them, "Go in front of the ark of the Lord your God to the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to put a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the Israelite tribes.
Amplified Bible
and Joshua said to them, "Cross over again to the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel,
New American Standard Bible
and Joshua said to them, "Cross again to the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Ioshua said vnto them, Go ouer before the Arke of the Lorde your God, euen through the middes of Iorden, and take vp euery man of you a stone vpon his shoulder acccording vnto the nomber of the tribes of the children of Israel,
Legacy Standard Bible
and Joshua said to them, "Cross again before the ark of Yahweh your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you carry a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel,
Contemporary English Version
and told them: Go to the middle of the riverbed where the sacred chest is, and pick up a large rock. Carry it on your shoulder to our camp. There are twelve of you, so there will be one rock for each tribe.
Complete Jewish Bible
and said to them, "Go on ahead of the ark of Adonai your God into the riverbed of the Yarden. Then, each of you take a stone on his shoulder, corresponding to the number of tribes of the people of Isra'el.
Darby Translation
and Joshua said to them, Pass before the ark of Jehovah your God into the midst of the Jordan, and lift up each of you a stone [and put it] upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel,
Easy-to-Read Version
He said to them, "Go out into the river where the Holy Box of the Lord your God is. Each of you must find one rock. There will be one rock for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. Carry that rock on your shoulder.
George Lamsa Translation
And Joshua said to them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel;
Good News Translation
and he told them, "Go into the Jordan ahead of the Covenant Box of the Lord your God. Each one of you take a stone on your shoulder, one for each of the tribes of Israel.
Literal Translation
And Joshua said to them, Cross over before the ark of Jehovah your God to the middle of the Jordan, and each man of you lift up one stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
& sayde vnto the: Go youre waye ouer before the Arke of the LORDE youre God in the myddes of Iordane, & take euery man a stone vpon his shulder, after the nombre of the trybes of ye children of Israel,
American Standard Version
and Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of Jehovah your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel;
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Iosuah sayde vnto them: Get you before the arke of the Lorde your God, euen through the middes of Iordane, and take vp euery man of you a stone vpon his shoulder, accordyng vnto the number of the tribes of the chyldren of Israel,
JPS Old Testament (1917)
and Joshua said unto them: 'Pass on before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel;
King James Version (1611)
And Ioshua said vnto them, Passe ouer before the Arke of the Lord your God into the mids of Iordan, and take ye vp euery man of you a stone vpon his shoulder, according vnto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
said to them, Advance before me in the presence of the Lord into the midst of Jordan, and each having taken up a stone from thence, let him carry it on his shoulders, according to the number of the twelve tribes of Israel:
English Revised Version
and Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
Berean Standard Bible
and said to them, "Cross over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of Israel,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and he seide to hem, Go ye bifore the arke of youre Lord God to the myddis of Jordan, and bere ye fro thennus in youre schuldris ech man o stoon, bi the noumbre of the sones of Israel,
Young's Literal Translation
and Joshua saith to them, `Pass over before the ark of Jehovah your God unto the midst of the Jordan and lift up for you each, one stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel,
Update Bible Version
and Joshua said to them, Pass over before the ark of Yahweh your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up every man of you a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel;
Webster's Bible Translation
And Joshua said to them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
World English Bible
and Joshua said to them, Pass over before the ark of Yahweh your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up every man of you a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel;
New King James Version
and Joshua said to them: "Cross over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel,
New Living Translation
He told them, "Go into the middle of the Jordan, in front of the Ark of the Lord your God. Each of you must pick up one stone and carry it out on your shoulder—twelve stones in all, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel.
New Life Bible
And Joshua said to them, "Go into the middle of the Jordan in front of the special box of the agreement of the Lord your God. Each of you take a stone on his shoulder, one for each of the twelve family groups of Israel.
New Revised Standard
Joshua said to them, "Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, one for each of the tribes of the Israelites,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and Joshua said unto them: Pass ye over, before the ark of Yahweh your God, into the midst of the Jordan, - and lift ye up, each man one stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel:
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to them: Go before the ark of the Lord your God to the midst of the Jordan, and carry from thence every man a stone on your shoulders, according to the number of the children of Israel,
Revised Standard Version
and Joshua said to them, "Pass on before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
and Joshua said to them, "Cross again to the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel.

Contextual Overview

1 Now when all the nation had come to the other side of Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 Take twelve men from the people, a man for every tribe, 3 And say to them, Take up from the middle of Jordan, from the place where the feet of the priests were resting, twelve stones, and take them over with you and put them down in the place where you take your rest tonight. 4 So Joshua sent for the twelve men, whom he had ready, one man out of every tribe of the children of Israel, 5 And he said to them, Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of Jordan, and let every one of you take up a stone on his back, one for every tribe of the children of Israel: 6 So that this may be a sign among you; when your children say to you in time to come, What is the reason for these stones? 7 Then you will say to them, Because the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the Lord's agreement; when it went over Jordan the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones will be a sign for the children of Israel, keeping it in their memory for ever. 8 So the children of Israel did as Joshua gave them orders, and took twelve stones from the middle of Jordan, as the Lord had said to Joshua, one for every tribe of the children of Israel; these they took across with them to their night's resting-place and put them down there. 9 And Joshua put up twelve stones in the middle of Jordan, where the feet of the priests who took up the ark of the agreement had been placed: and there they are to this day.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Genesis 31:46 - Gather Deuteronomy 9:1 - to pass Joshua 22:10 - built

Cross-References

Genesis 4:10
And he said, What have you done? the voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the earth.
Genesis 4:11
And now you are cursed from the earth, whose mouth is open to take your brother's blood from your hand;
Genesis 31:2
And Jacob saw that Laban's feeling for him was no longer what it had been before.
Genesis 31:5
And he said to them, It is clear to me that your father's feeling is no longer what it was to me; but the God of my father has been with me
Numbers 16:15
Then Moses was very angry, and said to the Lord, Give no attention to their offering: not one of their asses have I taken, or done wrong to any of them.
Job 5:2
For wrath is the cause of death to the foolish, and he who has no wisdom comes to his end through passion.
Psalms 20:3
May he keep all your offerings in mind, and be pleased with the fat of your burned offerings; (Selah.)
Matthew 20:15
Have I not the right to do as seems good to me in my house? or is your eye evil, because I am good?
Acts 13:45
But when the Jews saw such a great number of people, they were full of envy and said evil words against Paul's preaching.
Hebrews 11:4
By faith Abel made a better offering to God than Cain, and he had witness through it of his righteousness, God giving his approval of his offering: and his voice still comes to us through it though he is dead.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Joshua said unto them,.... The twelve men:

pass ye over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of Jordan; that is, they were to go back to Jordan again, which they had passed over, and go into the midst of it, where were the priests bearing the ark; for it is not to be imagined that the ark went along with them, or followed them, they going before it; but they went where that was, just before it, from whence they were to take the stones, as next directed:

and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder; by which it appears they were large stones they were to take, not what they could carry in their hands, but what they were obliged to take upon their shoulders:

according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel; who had that day passed over Jordan, of which these stones were to be a memorial.


 
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