Joshua 4:10 Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until the people had completed everything the LORD had commanded Joshua to tell them, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried across,

◄ Joshua 4:10 ►

New International Version
Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the LORD had commanded Joshua was done by the people, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried over,

New Living Translation
The priests who were carrying the Ark stood in the middle of the river until all of the LORD’s commands that Moses had given to Joshua were carried out. Meanwhile, the people hurried across the riverbed.

English Standard Version
For the priests bearing the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to tell the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people passed over in haste.

Berean Standard Bible
Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until the people had completed everything the LORD had commanded Joshua to tell them, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried across,

King James Bible
For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until every thing was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.

New King James Version
So the priests who bore the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the LORD had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua; and the people hurried and crossed over.

New American Standard Bible
For the priests who carried the ark were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything was completed that the LORD had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. And the people hurried and crossed;

NASB 1995
For the priests who carried the ark were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything was completed that the LORD had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. And the people hurried and crossed;

NASB 1977
For the priests who carried the ark were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything was completed that the LORD had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. And the people hurried and crossed;

Legacy Standard Bible
Now the priests who carried the ark were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything was completed that Yahweh had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. And the people hurried and crossed.

Amplified Bible
For the priests who carried the ark were standing in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the LORD had commanded Joshua to tell the people, in accordance with everything that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people hurried and crossed [the dry riverbed];

Christian Standard Bible
The priests carrying the ark continued standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything was completed that the LORD had commanded Joshua to tell the people, in keeping with all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people hurried across,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The priests carrying the ark continued standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything was completed that the LORD had commanded Joshua to tell the people, in keeping with all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people hurried across,

American Standard Version
For the priests that bare the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan, until everything was finished that Jehovah commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.

English Revised Version
For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until every thing was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan. They stood there until everything the LORD had ordered Joshua to tell the people had been carried out. This was as Moses had told Joshua. The people hurried to the other side.

Good News Translation
The priests stood in the middle of the Jordan until everything had been done that the LORD ordered Joshua to tell the people to do. This is what Moses had commanded. The people hurried across the river.

International Standard Version
The priests who were carrying the ark stood in the middle of the Jordan River until everything had been done in accordance with what the LORD had commanded Joshua to speak to the people and with everything that Moses had commanded Joshua. So the people hurried and crossed over.

Majority Standard Bible
Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until the people had completed everything the LORD had commanded Joshua to tell them, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried across,

NET Bible
Now the priests carrying the ark of the covenant were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the Lord had commanded Joshua to tell the people was accomplished, in accordance with all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people went across quickly,

New Heart English Bible
For the priests who bore the ark stood in the middle of the Jordan, until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua; and the people hurried and passed over.

Webster's Bible Translation
For the priests who bore the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until every thing was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.

World English Bible
For the priests who bore the ark stood in the middle of the Jordan until everything was finished that Yahweh commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua; and the people hurried and passed over.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And the priests carrying the Ark are standing in the midst of the Jordan until the completion of the whole thing which YHWH commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua, and the people hurry and pass over.

Young's Literal Translation
And the priests bearing the ark are standing in the midst of the Jordan till the completion of the whole thing which Jehovah commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua, and the people haste and pass over.

Smith's Literal Translation
And the priests lifting up the ark standing in the midst of Jordan, till all was finished which Jehovah commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all which Moses commanded Joshua: and the people will haste and will pass through.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
Now the priests that carried the ark, stood in the midst of the Jordan till all things were accomplished which the Lord had commanded Josue to speak to the people, and Moses had said to him. And the people made haste and passed over.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Now the priests who were carrying the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan, until everything was accomplished which the Lord had instructed Joshua to speak to the people and which Moses had said to him. And the people hurried, and they passed over.

New American Bible
The priests carrying the ark stood in the Jordan riverbed until everything had been done that the LORD had commanded Joshua to tell the people, just as Moses had commanded Joshua. The people crossed over quickly,

New Revised Standard Version
The priests who bore the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan, until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to tell the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people crossed over in haste.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And the priests who bore the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to tell to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua; and the people made haste and passed over.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the Priests who were carrying the ark were standing within the Jordan until all the words were finished that LORD JEHOVAH had commanded Yeshua to speak to the people, just as Moshe had commanded Yeshua; and the people hurried and they crossed over

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And the priests that bore the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan, until every thing was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua; and the people hastened and passed over.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the priests that bore the ark of the covenant stood in Jordan, until Joshua had finished all that the Lord commanded him to report to the people; and the people hasted and passed over.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Twelve Stones from the Jordan
…9Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant stood. And the stones are there to this day. 10Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until the people had completed everything the LORD had commanded Joshua to tell them, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried across, 11and after everyone had finished crossing, the priests with the ark of the LORD crossed in the sight of the people.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Joshua 3:17
The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed over the dry ground, until the entire nation had crossed the Jordan.

Joshua 6:12-13
Joshua got up early the next morning, and the priests took the ark of the LORD. / And the seven priests carrying seven rams’ horns kept marching ahead of the ark of the LORD and blowing the horns. The armed troops went in front of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the LORD, while the horns kept sounding.

Exodus 14:29
But the Israelites had walked through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left.

1 Kings 8:3-4
When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the priests took up the ark, / and they brought up the ark of the LORD and the Tent of Meeting with all its sacred furnishings. So the priests and Levites carried them up.

2 Chronicles 5:7-8
Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, beneath the wings of the cherubim. / For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed the ark and its poles.

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.

Numbers 4:15
When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all their equipment, as soon as the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites shall come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy objects, or they will die. These are the transportation duties of the Kohathites regarding the Tent of Meeting.

1 Samuel 4:4
So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the LORD of Hosts, who sits enthroned between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

2 Samuel 6:13
When those carrying the ark of the LORD had advanced six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.

1 Chronicles 15:15
And the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the LORD.

Hebrews 9:4
containing the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. Inside the ark were the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.

Acts 7:44
Our fathers had the tabernacle of the Testimony with them in the wilderness. It was constructed exactly as God had directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.

Matthew 3:17
And a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!”

Mark 1:11
And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”

Luke 3:22
and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”

Treasury of Scripture

For the priests which bore the ark stood in the middle of Jordan, until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hurried and passed over.

stood in the midst

Joshua 3:13,16,17
And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap…

Isaiah 28:16
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

Moses

Numbers 27:21-23
And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the LORD: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation…

Deuteronomy 31:9
And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and unto all the elders of Israel.

hasted

Exodus 12:39
And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual.

Psalm 119:60
I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.

Proverbs 27:1
Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

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Joshua 4

1. Twelve men are appointed to take twelve memorial stones from Jordan
9. Twelve other stones are set up in the midst of Jordan
10. The people pass over
14. God magnifies Joshua
15. The priests commanded to come out of Jordan
20. The twelve stones are pitched in Gilgal

Berean Study Bible

Now the priests carrying the ark
The priests, chosen from the tribe of Levi, were tasked with the sacred duty of carrying the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark, a symbol of God's presence and covenant with Israel, was central to the Israelites' worship and identity. The Hebrew word for "ark" (אָרוֹן, aron) signifies a chest or box, but in this context, it represents the divine throne of God among His people. The priests' role underscores the importance of spiritual leadership and obedience in fulfilling God's commands.

remained standing in the middle of the Jordan
The act of standing in the middle of the Jordan River is significant both physically and spiritually. The Hebrew word for "standing" (עָמַד, amad) implies a firm, resolute position. This steadfastness symbolizes faith and trust in God's power to hold back the waters, allowing the Israelites to cross on dry ground. The Jordan River, often a symbol of transition and change, marks a pivotal moment in Israel's journey to the Promised Land.

until everything the LORD had commanded Joshua was done by the people
This phrase highlights the importance of complete obedience to God's commands. The Hebrew word for "commanded" (צִוָּה, tzavah) conveys a sense of authoritative instruction. Joshua, as Moses' successor, was entrusted with leading the people according to God's directives. The people's compliance reflects their trust in Joshua's leadership and their commitment to the covenant relationship with God.

just as Moses had directed Joshua
Moses, the great leader and prophet, had prepared Joshua for this moment. The continuity of leadership from Moses to Joshua is crucial, as it ensures the fulfillment of God's promises to Israel. The Hebrew word for "directed" (צִוָּה, tzavah) is the same as "commanded," emphasizing the divine authority behind Moses' instructions. This transition of leadership underscores the importance of mentorship and the passing on of faith and responsibility to the next generation.

The people hurried across
The urgency with which the people crossed the Jordan reflects their eagerness to enter the Promised Land and their faith in God's provision. The Hebrew word for "hurried" (מָהַר, mahar) suggests a swift, eager movement. This haste is not born of fear but of anticipation and trust in God's promises. The crossing of the Jordan is a fulfillment of God's covenant and a testament to His faithfulness, encouraging believers to move forward in faith and obedience.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(10) According to all that Moses commanded Joshua.--It would seem that the passage of Jordan had been made the subject of some directions by Moses, though nothing is written concerning the manner of it in the Pentateuch. It is noticeable that if Israel had gone into the land when Moses brought them to the frontier at Kadesh-barnea, in the second year of the Exodus, they would have had no occasion to pass the Jordan at all. When the route was changed we cannot say, unless the compassing of the land of Edom (Numbers 21), when they left Kadesh the second time, because they were not permitted to cross that territory, marks the decision. If so, the fact suggests some interesting reflections.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 10. - For. Rather, and. This verse does not give a reason for the last. The priests which bare the ark stood. This must have been a majestic sight. While the people "hasted" to cross, either that they might effect the passage during the day, or, more probably, Because they crossed in fear and trembling, partly in spite of, and partly because of, the miraculous interposition on their behalf, the priests bearing the ark of God, the visible symbol of His presence, stood solemnly still at the brink of the river, nor did they stir until every one of that mighty host had passed over. Then, when all had safely crossed, the ark of God was borne across the bed of the river, and as soon as the soles of the priests touched the highest point that the waters had reached on the other side, they returned to their place, and all was as it had been before. Well might the Israelites erect a double memorial of a scene so wonderful as this! All that Moses commanded Joshua (Deuteronomy 31:23). And the people hasted and passed over. "Unde et ego arbitror, quia nobis quoque venientibus ad baptismum salutarem, et suscipientibus sacramenta Verbi Dei, non otiose, nec segnitur res gerenda est, sed festinandum est, et perurgendum" (Orig., Hom. 5.).

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Now the priests
וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֞ים (wə·hak·kō·hă·nîm)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3548: Priest

who carried
נֹשְׂאֵ֣י (nō·śə·’ê)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

the ark
הָאָר֗וֹן (hā·’ā·rō·wn)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 727: A chest, ark

remained standing
עֹמְדִים֮ (‘ō·mə·ḏîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations

in the middle
בְּת֣וֹךְ (bə·ṯō·wḵ)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre

of the Jordan
הַיַּרְדֵּן֒ (hay·yar·dên)
Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3383: Jordan -- the principal river of Palestine

until
עַ֣ד (‘aḏ)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

the people
הָעָ֔ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

had completed
תֹּ֣ם (tōm)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 8552: To be complete or finished

everything
כָּֽל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the LORD
יְהוָ֤ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

had commanded
צִוָּ֨ה (ṣiw·wāh)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6680: To lay charge (upon), give charge (to), command, order

Joshua
יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ (yə·hō·wō·šu·a‘)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3091: Joshua -- 'the LORD is salvation', Moses' successor, also the name of a number of Israelites

to tell
לְדַבֵּ֣ר (lə·ḏab·bêr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

them,
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

just as
כְּכֹ֛ל (kə·ḵōl)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

Moses
מֹשֶׁ֖ה (mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver

had directed
צִוָּ֥ה (ṣiw·wāh)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6680: To lay charge (upon), give charge (to), command, order

Joshua.
יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ (yə·hō·wō·šu·a‘)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3091: Joshua -- 'the LORD is salvation', Moses' successor, also the name of a number of Israelites

The people
הָעָ֖ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

hurried
וַיְמַהֲר֥וּ (way·ma·hă·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 4116: To be liquid, flow easily, to hurry, promptly

across,
וַֽיַּעֲבֹֽרוּ׃ (way·ya·‘ă·ḇō·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on

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OT History: Joshua 4:10 For the priests who bore the ark (Josh. Jos)