Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, July 1st, 2025
the Week of Proper 8 / Ordinary 13
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Read the Bible

New Living Translation

Joshua 3:4

Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you. Stay about half a mile behind them, keeping a clear distance between you and the Ark. Make sure you don't come any closer."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Tabernacle;   Scofield Reference Index - Miracles;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Jordan, the River;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ark of the Covenant;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Sabbath Day's Journey;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Sabbath;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Joshua, the Book of;   Presence of God;   Sabbath Day's Journey;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Jericho;   Joshua;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Sabbath ;   Travel (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Ark of God;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Ark;   Journeyings of israel from egypt to canaan;   Lachish;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Sabbath-Day's Journey;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Here;   Sabbath Day's Journey;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Sabbath;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between yourselves and the ark. Don’t go near it, so that you can see the way to go, for you haven’t traveled this way before.”
Hebrew Names Version
Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: don't come near to it, that you may know the way by which you must go; for you have not passed this way heretofore.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
But there will be a distance between you and it of about two thousand cubits in measurement. Do not come near it, so that you may know the way that you must go, for you have not passed on this way before."
English Standard Version
Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before."
New Century Version
That way you will know which way to go since you have never been here before. But do not follow too closely. Stay about a thousand yards behind the Ark."
New English Translation
But stay about three thousand feet behind it. Keep your distance so you can see which way you should go, for you have not traveled this way before."
Amplified Bible
"However, there shall be a distance between you and it of about 2,000 cubits (3,000 ft.) by measurement. Do not come near it, so that you may [be able to see the ark and] know the way you are to go, for you have not passed this way before."
New American Standard Bible
"However, there shall be a distance between you and it of about two thousand cubits by measurement. Do not come near it, so that you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Yet there shalbe a space betweene you and it, about two thousande cubites by measure: ye shall not come neere vnto it, that ye may knowe the way, by the which ye shall goe: for ye haue not gone this way in times past.
Legacy Standard Bible
However, there shall be between you and it a distance of about 2,000 cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before."
Complete Jewish Bible
But keep a distance between yourelves and it of about a thousand yards — don't come any closer, so that you will understand which way to go, because you haven't gone this way before."
Darby Translation
yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Ye shall not come near it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go; for ye have not passed this way heretofore.
Easy-to-Read Version
But do not follow too closely. Stay about 1000 yards behind them. You have not been here before, but if you follow them, you will know where to go."
George Lamsa Translation
And there shall be a space between you and the ark, about two thousand cubits by measure; you shall not come near to it, that you may know the way by which you shall go; for you have not passed this way before.
Good News Translation
You have never been here before, so they will show you the way to go. But do not get near the Covenant Box; stay about half a mile behind it."
Literal Translation
Only, keep a distance between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. You shall not come near it, so that you may know the way in which you are to go. For you have not crossed over this way yesterday and the day before.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
(but so, that there be rowme betwene you and it by two thousande cubites, & that ye come not nye it) yt ye maye knowe what waye ye shulde go: for ye neuer wente that waye afore.
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
But let there be a space between you and it of about two thousand cubits: come no nearer to it, so that you may see the way you have to go, for you have not been over this way before.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
So yet that there shalbe a space betweene you and it, about two thousand cubites by measure: And ye shall not come nye vnto it, that ye may know the way by whiche ye must go: for ye haue not gone this way in times past.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.'
King James Version (1611)
Yet there shalbe a space betweene you and it, about two thousand cubites by measure: come not neere vnto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must goe: for yee haue not passed this way heretofore.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
But let there be a distance between you and it; ye shall stand as much as two thousand cubits from it. Do not draw nigh to it, that ye may know the way which ye are to go; for ye have not gone the way before.
English Revised Version
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.
Berean Standard Bible
But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between yourselves and the ark. Do not go near it, so that you can see the way to go, since you have never traveled this way before."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and a space of twey thousynde cubitis be bitwixe you and the arke, that ye moun se fer, and knowe bi what weie ye schulen entre, for ye `yeden not bifore bi it; and be ye war, that ye neiye not to the arke.
Young's Literal Translation
only, a distance is between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure; ye do not come near unto it, so that ye know the way in which ye go, for ye have not passed over in the way heretofore.'
Update Bible Version
Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: don't come near to it, that you may know the way by which you must go; for you haven't passed this way before.
Webster's Bible Translation
Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near to it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed [this] way heretofore.
World English Bible
Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: don't come near to it, that you may know the way by which you must go; for you have not passed this way heretofore.
New King James Version
Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before."
New Life Bible
Then you may know the way to go, for you have not passed this way before. But stay about 1,000 long steps away from it. Do not come near it."
New Revised Standard
so that you may know the way you should go, for you have not passed this way before. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, a distance of about two thousand cubits; do not come any nearer to it."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Yet shall there be, a distance, between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure, - do not come near unto it that ye may get to know the way by which ye must go, for ye have not passed this way, heretofore.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And let there be between you and the ark the space of two thousand cubits: that you may see it afar off, and know which way you must go: for you have not gone this way before: and take care you come not near the ark.
Revised Standard Version
that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, a distance of about two thousand cubits; do not come near it."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"However, there shall be between you and it a distance of about 2,000 cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before."

Contextual Overview

1 Early the next morning Joshua and all the Israelites left Acacia Grove and arrived at the banks of the Jordan River, where they camped before crossing. 2 Three days later the Israelite officers went through the camp, 3 giving these instructions to the people: "When you see the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God, move out from your positions and follow them. 4 Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you. Stay about half a mile behind them, keeping a clear distance between you and the Ark. Make sure you don't come any closer." 5 Then Joshua told the people, "Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders among you." 6 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.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

a space: Exodus 3:5, Exodus 19:12, Psalms 89:7, Hebrews 12:28, Hebrews 12:29

heretofore: Heb. since yesterday and the third day, Genesis 31:2, Exodus 4:10, 1 Chronicles 11:2, Isaiah 30:33, *marg.

Reciprocal: Exodus 19:23 - Set bounds Numbers 2:2 - far off Deuteronomy 19:4 - in time past Isaiah 42:16 - lead

Cross-References

Genesis 3:13
Then the Lord God asked the woman, "What have you done?" "The serpent deceived me," she replied. "That's why I ate it."
Deuteronomy 29:19
"Those who hear the warnings of this curse should not congratulate themselves, thinking, ‘I am safe, even though I am following the desires of my own stubborn heart.' This would lead to utter ruin!
2 Kings 1:4
Now, therefore, this is what the Lord says: You will never leave the bed you are lying on; you will surely die.'" So Elijah went to deliver the message.
2 Kings 1:6
They replied, "A man came up to us and told us to go back to the king and give him this message. ‘This is what the Lord says: Is there no God in Israel? Why are you sending men to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether you will recover? Therefore, because you have done this, you will never leave the bed you are lying on; you will surely die.'"
2 Kings 1:16
And Elijah said to the king, "This is what the Lord says: Why did you send messengers to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether you will recover? Is there no God in Israel to answer your question? Therefore, because you have done this, you will never leave the bed you are lying on; you will surely die."
2 Kings 8:10
And Elisha replied, "Go and tell him, ‘You will surely recover.' But actually the Lord has shown me that he will surely die!"
Psalms 10:11
The wicked think, "God isn't watching us! He has closed his eyes and won't even see what we do!"
2 Corinthians 2:11
so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes.
2 Corinthians 11:3
But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.
1 Timothy 2:14
And it was not Adam who was deceived by Satan. The woman was deceived, and sin was the result.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Yet there shall be a space between you and it,.... The ark; the Keri or marginal reading is, "between you and them"; the priests that bear it: hence sprung a fiction among the Jews, that there were two arks, the ark of the Shechinah or divine Majesty, and the ark of Joseph, in which his bones were put, which went together q; which Jarchi, Kimchi, and Abarbinel take notice of, but has no foundation in the text:

about two thousand cubits by measure; by a certain well known measure, that of a common cubit; for the "caph" we render "about" is a note of truth, reality, and certainty, and designs the exact precise measure here given: this difference was to be observed, partly in reverence to the ark, the symbol of the divine Presence; Christ is to be reverenced by his people, and so his word and ordinances; and there is a reverence and respect due to his ministers and priests that bear the ark; as also that they might the better see the ark and go after it, as Ben Gersom; or the way in which they should go, as is suggested in the following clause; and likewise have the better view of the greatness of the miracle, as Abarbinel; the dividing of the waters of Jordan as soon as the ark came to it, and while it was in it: the Jews conclude from hence that this was the measure of ground they may go on a sabbath day, and no further, called a sabbath day's journey, Acts 1:12;

come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go; over Jordan into Canaan's land; for being at some distance from them they could better discern that and the way he directed them to walk in: Christ the antitype of the ark is the way to the heavenly Canaan, and his ministers point out the right way of salvation by him, in the ministration of the word, by attending to which the way is seen and known in which men must go:

for ye have not passed [this] way heretofore; a path indeed untrodden by any; neither they nor any other ever went into Canaan the way they were now going, through the river Jordan as on dry land: the way to heaven by Christ is only revealed in the Gospel, and only trodden by believers in him, and especially the way to glory through Jordan's river; or death is an untrodden path, which, though the way of all flesh, is a trackless path, and gone through, but once, and those who pass it have never before gone that way.

q T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 13. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The ark, which was since the making of the covenant the special shrine and seat of God’s presence, went before to show the people that God, through its medium, was their leader. They were to follow at a distance that they might the better observe and mark how the miracle was accomplished. This they would do to the greatest advantage while coming down the heights, the ark going on before them into the ravine.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Joshua 3:4. About two thousand cubits — This distance they were to keep,

1. For the greater respect, because the presence of the ark was the symbol and pledge of the Divine presence.

2. That the ark, which was to be their pilot over these waters, might be the more conspicuous which it could not have been had the people crowded upon it.


 
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