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Friday, July 25th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Wycliffe Bible

Joshua 3:6

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.

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.
Contemporary English Version
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.
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.
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 Therfor Josue roos bi nyyt, and mouede tentis; and thei yeden out of Sechym, and camen to Jordan, he and alle the sones of Israel, and dwelliden there thre daies. 2 And whanne tho daies weren passid, crieris yeden thorouy the myddis of tentis, 3 and bigunnen to crie, Whanne ye seen the arke of boond of pees of youre Lord God, and the preestis of the generacioun of Leuy berynge it, also rise ye, and sue the biforgoeris; 4 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. 5 And Josue seide to the puple, Be ye halewid, for to morew the Lord schal make merueilis among you. 6 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.

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
But and the serpent was feller than alle lyuynge beestis of erthe, whiche the Lord God hadde maad. Which serpent seide to the womman, Why comaundide God to you, that ye schulden not ete of ech tre of paradis?
Genesis 3:2
To whom the womman answerde, We eten of the fruyt of trees that ben in paradis;
Genesis 3:12
And Adam seide, The womman which thou yauest felowe to me, yaf me of the tre, and Y eet.
Genesis 3:14
And the Lord God seide to the serpent, For thou didist this, thou schalt be cursid among alle lyuynge thingis and vnresonable beestis of erthe; thou schalt go on thi brest, and thou schalt ete erthe in alle daies of thi liif;
Genesis 3:15
Y schal sette enemytees bitwixe thee and the womman, and bitwixe thi seed and hir seed; sche schal breke thin heed, and thou schalt sette aspies to hir heele.
Genesis 3:17
Sothely God seyde to Adam, For thou herdist the voys of thi wijf, and hast ete of the tree, of which Y comaundide to thee that thou schuldist not ete, the erthe schal be cursid in thi werk; in traueylis thou schalt ete therof in alle daies of thi lijf;
Genesis 3:19
in swoot of thi cheer thou schalt ete thi breed, til thou turne ayen in to the erthe of which thou art takun; for thou art dust, and thou schalt turne ayen in to dust.
Genesis 6:2
the sones of God seiyen the douytris of men that thei weren faire, and token wyues to hem of alle whiche thei hadden chose.
Genesis 39:7
And so aftir many daies the ladi castide hir iyen in to Joseph, and seide, Slepe thou with me;
Joshua 7:21
for among the spuylis Y siy a reed mentil ful good, and two hundrid siclis of siluer, and a goldun reule of fifti siclis; and Y coueytide, and took awei, and hidde in the erthe, ayens the myddis of my tabernacle; and Y hilide the siluer with erthe doluun.

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.


 
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