Lectionary Calendar
Friday, July 18th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
Attention!
For 10¢ a day you can enjoy StudyLight.org ads
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Contemporary English Version

Joshua 3:6

Then Joshua turned to the priests and said, "Take the chest and cross the Jordan River ahead of us." So the priests picked up the chest by its carrying poles and went on ahead.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ark;   Tabernacle;   Scofield Reference Index - Miracles;   Thompson Chain Reference - Leaders;   Miracles;   Priests;   Religious;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Ark of the Covenant;   Jordan, the River;   Priests;  

Dictionaries:

- Easton Bible Dictionary - Ark;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Pentateuch;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Presence of God;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Jericho;   Joshua;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Ark;   Journeyings of israel from egypt to canaan;   Lachish;   Priest;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Conquest of Canaan;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ark of the Covenant;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Ark of the covenant;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Ark of the Covenant;   Priest;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then he said to the priests, “Carry 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.
Hebrew Names Version
Yehoshua spoke to the Kohanim, 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.
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.
Lexham English Bible
And Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over ahead of the people." And they took up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people.
English Standard Version
And Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on before the people." So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.
New Century Version
Joshua said to the priests, "Take the Ark of the Agreement and go ahead of the people." So the priests lifted the Ark and carried it ahead of the people.
New English Translation
Joshua told the priests, "Pick up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people." So they picked up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people.
Amplified Bible
Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over [the river] ahead of the people." So they took up the ark of the covenant and went on ahead of the people.
New American Standard Bible
And Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, "Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over ahead of the people." So they took up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Also Ioshua spake vnto the Priestes, saying, Take vp the Arke of the couenant, and goe ouer before the people: so they tooke vp the Arke of the couenant, & went before the people.
Legacy Standard Bible
And Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, "Carry the ark of the covenant and cross over ahead of the people." So they carried the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people.
Complete Jewish Bible
Then Y'hoshua said to the cohanim, "Take the ark for the covenant, and go on ahead of the people." They took the ark for the covenant and went ahead of the people.
Darby Translation
And Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and go over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then Joshua said to the priests, "Take the Box of the Agreement and go across the river in front of the people." So the priests lifted the Box and carried it in front of the people.
George Lamsa Translation
And Joshua said to the priests, 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.
Good News Translation
Then he told the priests to take the Covenant Box and go with it ahead of the people. They did as he said.
Literal Translation
And Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant and go before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And vnto the prestes he sayde: Beare ye the Arke of ye couenaut, and go before the people. Then bare they the Arke, and wente before the people.
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.
Bible in Basic English
Then Joshua said to the priests, Take up the ark of the agreement and go over in front of the people. So they took up the ark of the agreement and went in front of the people.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Iosuah spake vnto the priestes, saying: Take vp the arke of the couenaunt, and go ouer before the people. And they toke vp the arke of the testament, and went before the people.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Joshua spoke unto the priests, saying: 'Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass on before the people.' And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
King James Version (1611)
And Ioshua spake vnto the Priests, saying, Take vp the Arke of the Couenant, and passe ouer before the people. And they tooke vp the Arke of the Couenant, and went before the people.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Joshua said to the priests, Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and go before the people: and the priests took up the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and went before the people.
English Revised 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.
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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Josue seide to the preestis, Take ye the arke of the boond of pees `of the Lord, and go ye bifor the puple. Whiche filliden the heestis, and tooken the arke, and yeden bifor hem.
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.
Update Bible Version
And Joshua spoke to 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.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Joshua spoke to 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.
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.
New King James Version
Then Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, "Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over before the people." So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.
New Living Translation
In the morning Joshua said to the priests, "Lift up the Ark of the Covenant and lead the people across the river." And so they started out and went ahead of the people.
New Life Bible
Joshua said to the religious leaders, "Take up the special box of the agreement and cross over in front of the people." So they took up the special box of the agreement and went in front of the people.
New Revised Standard
To the priests Joshua said, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass on in front of the people." So they took up the ark of the covenant and went in front of the people.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take ye up the ark of the covenant, and pass on before the people. So they took up the ark of the covenant, and went on before the people.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to the priests: Take up the ark of the covenant, and go before the people. And they obeyed his commands, and took it up, and walked before them.
Revised Standard Version
And Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass on before the people." And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
THE MESSAGE
Joshua instructed the priests, "Take up the Chest of the Covenant and step out before the people." So they took it up and processed before the people.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
And Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, "Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over ahead of the people." So they took up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people.

Contextual Overview

1 Early the next morning, Joshua and the Israelites packed up and left Acacia. They went to the Jordan River and camped there that night. 2 Two days later their leaders went through the camp, 3shouting, "When you see some of the priests carrying the sacred chest, you'll know it is time to cross to the other side. You've never been there before, and you won't know the way, unless you follow the chest. But don't get too close! Stay about half a mile back." 5 Joshua told the people, "Make yourselves acceptable to worship the Lord , because he is going to do some amazing things for us." 6 Then Joshua turned to the priests and said, "Take the chest and cross the Jordan River ahead of us." So the priests picked up the chest by its carrying poles and went on ahead.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Take up: Joshua 3:3, Numbers 14:15, Numbers 10:33, Micah 2:13, John 14:2, John 14:3, Hebrews 6:20

Reciprocal: Numbers 4:33 - under the hand Deuteronomy 9:1 - to pass Joshua 3:14 - bearing the ark Joshua 6:6 - Take up the ark Joshua 8:33 - priests 2 Samuel 15:24 - bearing 1 Kings 8:3 - the priests took up 2 Chronicles 5:4 - the Levites Acts 7:45 - Jesus

Cross-References

Genesis 3:1
The snake was sneakier than any of the other wild animals that the Lord God had made. One day it came to the woman and asked, "Did God tell you not to eat fruit from any tree in the garden?"
Genesis 3:2
The woman answered, "God said we could eat fruit from any tree in the garden,
Genesis 3:12
"It was the woman you put here with me," the man said. "She gave me some of the fruit, and I ate it."
Genesis 3:14
So the Lord God said to the snake: "Because of what you have done, you will be the only animal to suffer this curse— For as long as you live, you will crawl on your stomach and eat dirt.
Genesis 3:15
You and this woman will hate each other; your descendants and hers will always be enemies. One of hers will strike you on the head, and you will strike him on the heel."
Genesis 3:17
The Lord said to the man, "You listened to your wife and ate fruit from that tree. And so, the ground will be under a curse because of what you did. As long as you live, you will have to struggle to grow enough food.
Genesis 3:19
You will have to sweat to earn a living; you were made out of soil, and you will once again turn into soil."
Genesis 39:7
and Potiphar's wife soon noticed him. She asked him to make love to her,
Joshua 7:21
While we were in Jericho, I saw a beautiful Babylonian robe, two hundred pieces of silver, and a gold bar that weighed the same as fifty pieces of gold. I wanted them for myself, so I took them. I dug a hole under my tent and hid the silver, the gold, and the robe." Joshua had some people run to Achan's tent, where they found the silver, the gold, and the robe.
2 Samuel 11:2
Late one afternoon, David got up from a nap and was walking around on the flat roof of his palace. A beautiful young woman was down below in her courtyard, bathing as her religion required. David happened to see her, and he sent one of his servants to find out who she was. The servant came back and told David, "Her name is Bathsheba. She is the daughter of Eliam, and she is the wife of Uriah the Hittite." David sent some messengers to bring her to his palace. She came to him, and he slept with her. Then she returned home.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Joshua spoke unto the priests,.... On the morrow, that is, on the tenth day of the month, the day on which they went over Jordan:

saying, take up the ark of the covenant; in which the law was put, which was the covenant between God and the people, from whence the ark had this name; and in which it was typical of Christ, in whom both the law, the covenant of works, was fulfilled, and with whom the covenant of grace was made; who is the Mediator; surety, and messenger of it, and in whom all the blessings and promises of it are, and with whom it is, and will be kept for evermore: the ark, the priests were ordered to take up and bear on their shoulders; for no other way might they carry it; these typified the ministers of Christ who bear his name, his Gospel in the world, see Acts 9:15;

and pass over before the people; over the river Jordan, to direct them in the way through it, and encourage them to follow them:

and they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people; from the place where they had lodged the night before to the brink of the river.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They took up - i. e. on the day following. The course of events is anticipated.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Joshua 3:6. Spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark — It is remarkable that the priests, not the Levites, whose ordinary business it was were employed to carry the ark on this occasion. Calmet conjectures that this was because it was probably carried without being wrapped up in its curtains, as it always was when the Levites carried it. Though it was the business of the Levites, the sons of Kohath, to carry the ark; yet on certain occasions the priests alone performed this office.

1. In the present case.

2. When they encompassed Jericho, Joshua 6:6.

3. When it was carried to the war against the Philistines by the priests, the sons of Eli, 2 Samuel 15:25.

4. When David sent it back to Jerusalem, at the time he was obliged to fly from it, through the rebellion of his son Absalom, 2 Samuel 15:25; and,

5. At the time that it was taken out of the tabernacle, to be deposited in the temple; see 1 Kings 8:6-11. These were the most solemn occasions, and on such alone, we may presume, the priests performed this office instead of the Levites.

In all their former marches the ark was carried in the centre of this immense camp; (see the scheme at the end of Numbers 2:2 of the book of Numbers;) but now it was to proceed at the head of the army, and to go before them, and at such a distance, about three quarters of a mile, that the whole camp might see it as their guide.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile