Joshua

Joshua 3:14–17

¹⁴So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of them.

¹⁵Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, ¹⁶the flowing water stood still. It backed up as far upstream as Adam, a city in the area of Zarethan, while the water flowing toward the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea^c) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. ¹⁷The 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.

Footnotes

c 3:16 That is, the Dead Sea

Read all of Joshua 3

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Joshua 3:14

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So	וַיְהִ֗י	way·hî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
when the people	הָעָם֙	hā·‘ām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
broke camp	בִּנְסֹ֤עַ	bin·sō·a‘	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5265 pull out or up, set out, journey
to cross	לַעֲבֹ֖ר	la·‘ă·ḇōr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5674 pass over, through, by, pass on
the Jordan	הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן	hay·yar·dên	Article; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3383 Jordan
the priests	וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֗ים	wə·hak·kō·hă·nîm	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H3548 priest
carried	נֹֽשְׂאֵ֛י	nō·śə·’ê	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H5375 lift, take, carry
the ark	הָאָר֥וֹן	hā·’ā·rō·wn	Article; Noun - common singular	H727 chest, ark
of the covenant	הַבְּרִ֖ית	hab·bə·rîṯ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H1285 covenant
ahead of	לִפְנֵ֥י	lip̄·nê	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before

Joshua 3:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Now the Jordan	הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן	hay·yar·dên	Article; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3383 Jordan
overflows	מָלֵא֙	mā·lê	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H4390 be full, fill
its banks	גְּדוֹתָ֔יו	gə·ḏō·w·ṯāw	Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H1415 bank of river
throughout	כֹּ֖ל	kōl	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the harvest	קָצִֽיר׃	qā·ṣîr	Noun - masculine singular	H7105 harvesting, harvest
season	יְמֵ֥י	yə·mê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H3117 day
But as soon as the priests	הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙	hak·kō·hă·nîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H3548 priest
carrying	נֹשְׂאֵ֤י	nō·śə·’ê	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H5375 lift, take, carry
the ark	הָֽאָרוֹן֙	hā·’ā·rō·wn	Article; Noun - common singular	H727 chest, ark
reached	וּכְב֞וֹא	ū·ḵə·ḇō·w	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H935 come in, come, go in, go
the Jordan	וְהַיַּרְדֵּ֗ן	wə·hay·yar·dên	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3383 Jordan
their feet	וְרַגְלֵ֤י	wə·raḡ·lê	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine dual construct	H7272 foot
touched	נִטְבְּל֖וּ	niṭ·bə·lū	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural	H2881 dip
the water’s	הַמָּ֑יִם	ham·mā·yim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
edge	בִּקְצֵ֣ה	biq·ṣêh	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H7097 end, extremity

Joshua 3:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
the flowing	הַיֹּרְדִ֨ים	hay·yō·rə·ḏîm	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H3381 come or go down, descend
water	הַמַּיִם֩	ham·ma·yim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
stood still	וַיַּעַמְד֡וּ	way·ya·‘am·ḏū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5975 take one's stand, stand
It backed up	קָ֣מוּ	qā·mū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
as far upstream	הַרְחֵ֨ק	har·ḥêq	Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute	H7368 be, or become, far, distant
as Adam	בָאָדָם	ḇå̄·ʾå̄·ḏå̄m	Preposition-m; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H121 man, mankind
a city	הָעִיר֙	hā·‘îr	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H5892 excitement
in the area	מִצַּ֣ד	miṣ·ṣaḏ	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H6654 side
of Zarethan	צָֽרְתָ֔ן	ṣā·rə·ṯān	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H6891 Tsarethan
while the water flowing	וְהַיֹּרְדִ֗ים	wə·hay·yō·rə·ḏîm	Conjunctive waw, Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H3381 come or go down, descend
toward	עַ֣ל	‘al	Preposition	H5921 height
the Sea	יָ֧ם	yām	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3220 sea
of the Arabah	הָעֲרָבָ֛ה	hā·‘ă·rā·ḇāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H6160 desert-plain, steppe
the Salt Sea	יָם־	yām-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3220 sea
was completely	תַּ֣מּוּ	tam·mū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H8552 be complete, finished
cut off	נִכְרָ֑תוּ	niḵ·rā·ṯū	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural	H3772 cut off, cut down
So the people	וְהָעָ֥ם	wə·hā·‘ām	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
crossed over	עָבְר֖וּ	‘ā·ḇə·rū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H5674 pass over, through, by, pass on
opposite	נֶ֥גֶד	ne·ḡeḏ	Preposition	H5048 what is conspicuous or in front
Jericho	יְרִיחֽוֹ׃	yə·rî·ḥōw	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3405 Jericho

Joshua 3:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The priests	הַכֹּהֲנִ֡ים	hak·kō·hă·nîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H3548 priest
carrying	נֹ֠שְׂאֵי	nō·śə·’ê	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H5375 lift, take, carry
the ark	הָאָר֨וֹן	hā·’ā·rō·wn	Article; Noun - common singular	H727 chest, ark
of the covenant	בְּרִית־	bə·rîṯ-	Noun - feminine singular construct	H1285 covenant
of the LORD	יְהוָ֜ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
stood	וַיַּעַמְד֣וּ	way·ya·‘am·ḏū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5975 take one's stand, stand
firm	הָכֵ֑ן	hā·ḵên	Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute	H3559 be firm
on dry ground	בֶּחָֽרָבָ֛ה	be·ḥā·rā·ḇāh	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H2724 dry ground
in the middle	בְּת֥וֹךְ	bə·ṯō·wḵ	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H8432 midst
of the Jordan	הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן	hay·yar·dên	Article; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3383 Jordan
while all	וְכָל־	wə·ḵāl	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
Israel	יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל	yiś·rā·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel
crossed over	עֹֽבְרִים֙	‘ō·ḇə·rîm	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H5674 pass over, through, by, pass on
the dry ground	בֶּחָ֣רָבָ֔ה	be·ḥā·rā·ḇāh	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H2724 dry ground
until	עַ֤ד	‘aḏ	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
the entire	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
nation	הַגּ֔וֹי	hag·gō·w	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1471 nation, people
had crossed	לַעֲבֹ֖ר	la·‘ă·ḇōr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5674 pass over, through, by, pass on
the Jordan	הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃	hay·yar·dên	Article; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3383 Jordan