Joshua 3:12
New International Version
Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.

New Living Translation
Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.

English Standard Version
Now therefore take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each tribe a man.

Berean Standard Bible
Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.

King James Bible
Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.

New King James Version
Now therefore, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from every tribe.

New American Standard Bible
Now then, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe.

NASB 1995
“Now then, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe.

NASB 1977
“Now then, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe.

Legacy Standard Bible
So now, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe.

Amplified Bible
So now take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from each tribe.

Christian Standard Bible
Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Now choose 12 men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe.

American Standard Version
Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, for every tribe a man.

English Revised Version
Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, for every tribe a man.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Choose one man from each of the 12 tribes of Israel.

Good News Translation
Now choose twelve men, one from each of the tribes of Israel.

International Standard Version
So take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from each tribe.

Majority Standard Bible
Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.

NET Bible
Now select for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one per tribe.

New Heart English Bible
Now therefore take twelve men from the children of Israel, one man for each tribe.

Webster's Bible Translation
Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.

World English Bible
Now therefore take twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, for every tribe a man.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and now, take for yourselves twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, one man—one man for a tribe;

Young's Literal Translation
and now, take for you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, one man -- one man for a tribe;

Smith's Literal Translation
And now take to you twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man, one man to a tribe.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Prepare ye twelve men of the tribes of Israel, one of every tribe.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Prepare twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.

New American Bible
Now choose twelve men, one from each of the tribes of Israel.

New Revised Standard Version
So now select twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Now therefore take twelve men from all the tribes of Israel, a man out of each tribe.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Therefore take to you twelve men from all the tribes of Israel, one man from each tribe
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, for every tribe a man.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Choose for yourselves twelve men of the sons of Israel, one of each tribe.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Crossing the Jordan
11Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go ahead of you into the Jordan. 12Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 13When the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD—the Lord of all the earth—touch down in the waters of the Jordan, its flowing waters will be cut off and will stand up in a heap.”…

Cross References
Exodus 24:4
And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Early the next morning he got up and built an altar at the base of the mountain, along with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.

Numbers 1:4-16
And one man from each tribe, the head of each family, must be there with you. / These are the names of the men who are to assist you: From the tribe of Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur; / from Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai; ...

Numbers 13:2-4
“Send out for yourself men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each of their fathers’ tribes send one man who is a leader among them.” / So at the command of the LORD, Moses sent them out from the Wilderness of Paran. All the men were leaders of the Israelites, / and these were their names: From the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zaccur;

Deuteronomy 1:23
The plan seemed good to me, so I selected twelve men from among you, one from each tribe.

Deuteronomy 31:9
So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.

1 Kings 18:31
And Elijah took twelve stones, one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come and said, “Israel shall be your name.”

1 Chronicles 27:16-22
These officers were in charge of the tribes of Israel: Over the Reubenites was Eliezer son of Zichri; over the Simeonites was Shephatiah son of Maacah; / over Levi was Hashabiah son of Kemuel; over Aaron was Zadok; / over Judah was Elihu, one of David’s brothers; over Issachar was Omri son of Michael; ...

Ezra 6:17
For the dedication of the house of God they offered a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and a sin offering for all Israel of twelve male goats, one for each tribe of Israel.

Nehemiah 7:6-7
These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles carried away to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar its king. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town, / accompanied by Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. This is the count of the men of Israel:

Isaiah 66:21
“And I will select some of them as priests and Levites,” says the LORD.

Matthew 10:2-4
These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; / Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; / Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.

Matthew 19:28
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Luke 6:13-16
When daylight came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated as apostles: / Simon, whom He named Peter, and his brother Andrew; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; / Matthew and Thomas; James son of Alphaeus and Simon called the Zealot; ...

Luke 22:30
so that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

John 6:70-71
Jesus answered them, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” / He was speaking about Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. For although Judas was one of the Twelve, he was later to betray Jesus.


Treasury of Scripture

Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.

Joshua 4:2,9
Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man, …

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Joshua 3
1. Joshua come to Jordan
2. The officers instruct the people for their passage
7. The Lord encourages Joshua
9. Joshua encourages the people
14. The water of Jordan are divided














Now choose twelve men
This phrase marks a significant moment of preparation and selection. The number twelve is symbolic throughout the Bible, often representing completeness or the people of God, as seen in the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles. The Hebrew root for "choose" (בָּחַר, bachar) implies a careful selection, indicating that these men were chosen for a specific and divine purpose. This act of choosing reflects God's sovereignty and the importance of leadership and representation among His people.

from the tribes of Israel
The mention of "tribes of Israel" emphasizes the unity and collective identity of the Israelites. Each tribe had its unique characteristics and roles, yet they were all part of God's covenant community. Historically, the tribes were descendants of the twelve sons of Jacob, and their mention here underscores the continuity of God's promises from the patriarchs to the present generation. This selection from each tribe signifies inclusivity and the shared responsibility in the unfolding of God's plan.

one from each tribe
This phrase reinforces the idea of equal representation and participation among the tribes. It highlights the importance of unity and cooperation in achieving God's purposes. The act of selecting one man from each tribe ensures that all tribes have a stake in the miraculous crossing of the Jordan River, fostering a sense of communal involvement and accountability. This also prefigures the New Testament concept of the body of Christ, where each member has a unique role yet contributes to the whole.

(12) Take you twelve men.--These were selected beforehand and kept in readiness, that there might be no delay in the work which they had to do (Joshua 4:3).

Verse 12. - Take you twelve men. Joshua commands the election of twelve men previous to the passage of the Jordan, and in pursuance of the command he had already (Joshua 4:2; cf. note on ver. 2) received from God. The reason for which they were to be chosen was probably not communicated to the Israelites till after the passage had taken place. Masius thinks that it would make the narrative clearer, "si proximum is versiculum sequeretur." But see note on Joshua 4:1.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Now
וְעַתָּ֗ה (wə·‘at·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 6258: At this time

choose
קְח֤וּ (qə·ḥū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 3947: To take

twelve
שְׁנֵ֣י (šə·nê)
Number - mdc
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)

men
אִ֔ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

from the tribes
מִשִּׁבְטֵ֖י (miš·šiḇ·ṭê)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 7626: Rod, staff, club, scepter, tribe

of Israel,
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

one
אֶחָ֥ד (’e·ḥāḏ)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

from each tribe.
לַשָּֽׁבֶט׃ (laš·šā·ḇeṭ)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7626: Rod, staff, club, scepter, tribe


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OT History: Joshua 3:12 Now therefore take twelve men out (Josh. Jos)
Joshua 3:11
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