Joshua 4:13 kjv
About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the LORD unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.
Joshua 4:13 nkjv
About forty thousand prepared for war crossed over before the LORD for battle, to the plains of Jericho.
Joshua 4:13 niv
About forty thousand armed for battle crossed over before the LORD to the plains of Jericho for war.
Joshua 4:13 esv
About 40,000 ready for war passed over before the LORD for battle, to the plains of Jericho.
Joshua 4:13 nlt
These armed men ? about 40,000 strong ? were ready for battle, and the LORD was with them as they crossed over to the plains of Jericho.
Joshua 4 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 32:20-22 | "If you will do this, if you will take up arms...before the Lord to war..." | Moses' condition for trans-Jordanian tribes. |
| Deut 3:18-20 | "All your men of valor, shall pass over armed before your brothers..." | Moses' command reiterated. |
| Josh 1:12-15 | "The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh...go over before your brothers armed..." | Joshua's reaffirmation of the command. |
| Josh 22:1-4 | "Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites...'You have kept all that Moses...commanded...'" | Joshua commends their faithfulness and dismisses them. |
| Num 10:35-36 | "Whenever the ark set out, Moses said, 'Arise, O Lord, let your enemies be scattered!'" | Divine leading in battle (Ark as symbol). |
| Deut 31:6, 8 | "Be strong...for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you...He will not leave you..." | God's promised presence and leadership in conflict. |
| Josh 3:10-11, 13-17 | "The ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you..." | Ark's role in the Jordan crossing, symbolizing God's leading. |
| Exod 13:21-22 | "The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud...and by night in a pillar of fire..." | God's prior physical guidance of Israel. |
| Judg 1:1-2 | "Who shall go up for us first against the Canaanites to fight against them?" | Asking for God's directive for battle leader. |
| 1 Sam 7:9-10 | "Samuel cried to the Lord for Israel...the Lord thundered with a loud thunder..." | God fighting for His people in battle. |
| Eph 6:10-17 | "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." | Spiritual readiness for battle, symbolic of physical. |
| 2 Tim 2:3-4 | "Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus...avoids civilian affairs." | Discipline and readiness for spiritual conflict. |
| 1 Cor 12:12-27 | "For as the body is one and has many members...so also is Christ." | Unity and cooperation within God's people. |
| Rom 12:4-5 | "For just as each of us has one body with many members..." | Unity and corporate action among believers. |
| Deut 9:1-3 | "Know therefore today that it is the Lord your God who goes over before you..." | God actively conquering on Israel's behalf. |
| Josh 10:42 | "Joshua conquered all these kings and their land at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel." | Emphasizes God's active role in the conquest. |
| Josh 5:10 | "While the sons of Israel camped at Gilgal, they observed the Passover..." | Gilgal as the staging point for the conquest. |
| Jer 3:2 | "As an Arab in the wilderness you wait for men...like a thief waits." | "Plains" (עֲרָבָה) can refer to arid, desert-like areas, historically near Jericho. |
| Gen 13:10-11 | "Like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as you go toward Zoar." | Reference to the lushness of the Jordan plain, where Jericho was. |
| Heb 4:1-11 | "Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall..." | The Promised Land as a type of spiritual rest. |
| 1 John 4:4 | "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." | Believers equipped to overcome spiritual adversaries. |
| 1 John 5:4 | "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory..." | Victory through faith, applicable to physical and spiritual conquests. |
Joshua 4 verses
Joshua 4 13 Meaning
Joshua 4:13 describes a significant event immediately after the miraculous crossing of the Jordan River. It highlights the approximately forty thousand fighting men from the trans-Jordanian tribes—Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh—who, equipped for warfare, passed over before the Lord into the promised land. Their specific destination was the plains of Jericho, signifying their commitment to the impending battles and the conquest of Canaan as directed by God, fulfilling a prior vow to Moses and Joshua. This verse emphasizes their readiness, their active participation, and the divine oversight of the entire military endeavor.
Joshua 4 13 Context
Joshua 4:13 is situated directly after the miraculous crossing of the Jordan River by the entire Israelite nation. Chapters 3 and 4 serve as a pivot point in the book of Joshua, transitioning Israel from the wilderness wandering to the beginning of the conquest of Canaan. Chapter 3 details the miraculous parting of the Jordan as the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant stepped into the floodwaters, highlighting God's power and confirming Joshua's leadership. Chapter 4 continues by describing the erection of two sets of memorial stones – twelve from the riverbed placed at Gilgal (the first campsite in Canaan) and twelve in the Jordan itself – designed to be a permanent testimony of God's mighty deed for future generations. Verse 13 then zooms in on a specific contingent of Israel's military force, emphasizing their fulfillment of a crucial agreement made years earlier. Historically, these tribes (Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh) had requested their inheritance east of the Jordan, and Moses granted it on the condition that their fighting men would first accompany the other tribes to help conquer Canaan before returning to their lands (Num 32; Deut 3). Thus, the verse signifies the immediate commitment to and unified beginning of the long-awaited conquest, underscoring Israel's obedience and God's faithfulness in bringing them into the land.
Joshua 4 13 Word analysis
- About forty thousand (
וַחֲמִשִּׁים אֶלֶף֙- wachamishshim eleph):- This numerical value indicates a substantial, dedicated fighting force. While the full tribal registers might suggest higher numbers of able-bodied men (Num 26:7, 18, 34 for Reuben, Gad, Manasseh total around 110,000 in the wilderness census), "forty thousand" represents a significant, yet disciplined and designated, contingent for this vanguard action. It demonstrates a concrete commitment to their vow without implying that every single fighting man from these tribes crossed for the initial wave of conquest.
- prepared for war (
חֲלוּצֵ֣י צָבָ֔א- chalutzei tzava):- Chalutzei comes from the root
חלץ(ḥ-l-ṣ), meaning "to draw out, loosen, make ready, arm oneself, deliver." It conveys a sense of being equipped, armed, stripped down for action, or acting as an advance guard. It is not just any army personnel, but those specifically designated and ready for immediate engagement. - Tzava means "army, host."
- Together, this phrase vividly paints a picture of disciplined, well-armed, and dedicated troops, highlighting their professional readiness for combat rather than merely being men eligible for military service. They were positioned to spearhead the attack.
- Chalutzei comes from the root
- passed over (
עָֽבְר֥וּ- averu):- From the verb
עבר(avar), meaning "to cross over, pass through." This word is central to chapters 3 and 4, depicting the Israelites' movement from one side of the Jordan to the other. Its use here for the "forty thousand" emphasizes their active participation in this momentous, divinely orchestrated crossing, not just being spectators.
- From the verb
- before the Lord (
לִפְנֵי יְהוָ֖ה- lifnei YHWH):- This phrase indicates their actions were under God's direct observation, approval, and leadership. It signifies that this military undertaking was not merely a human endeavor but a divinely commissioned holy war, with God himself at the forefront (symbolized by the Ark of the Covenant, which had passed before them). It implies divine sanction and ultimate victory, echoing God's promise to go before them.
- unto battle (
לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה- lamiLCHamah):מלחמה(milchamah) is the standard Hebrew word for "war" or "battle." Its direct statement here leaves no ambiguity regarding the purpose of their crossing. It was a military campaign mandated by God for the taking of the Promised Land, not a migratory movement.
- to the plains of Jericho (
אֶל־עַֽרְב֖וֹת יְרֵחֽוֹ׃- el arboth Yerichov):עַרְב֖וֹת(arboth) refers to "plains" or "arid steppes." In this context, it designates the flat, often fertile, region immediately west of the Jordan River where the ancient city of Jericho was located. Jericho was the strategically vital first target, blocking access to the central highlands of Canaan.יְרֵחֽוֹ(Yerichov) is Jericho. Its immediate mention pinpoints the first major objective of the conquest, highlighting the tactical reality alongside the spiritual and historical significance.
Joshua 4 13 Bonus section
The "forty thousand" represents a considerable but strategic portion of the Reubenite, Gadite, and half-Manassite men of fighting age (see Num 26:7, 18, 34 where their combined registered men were well over 100,000). This suggests either that only the most dedicated or strategically necessary force was sent as the vanguard, or that it comprised those most fully "prepared for war" in a specialized sense. This dedicated contingent crossing the Jordan first underscores their strong leadership in battle and commitment to their word, reflecting God's call for faithful action from all His people. The "plains of Jericho" served as a crucial strategic choke point for entry into central Canaan, emphasizing the wisdom of divine direction in their military campaign.
Joshua 4 13 Commentary
Joshua 4:13 serves as a testament to the fidelity of the trans-Jordanian tribes, fulfilling their solemn pledge to Moses and Joshua. Their action underscored the vital unity of all twelve tribes under God's command as they embarked on the conquest of Canaan. The sight of forty thousand fully equipped warriors marching "before the Lord" into the plains of Jericho powerfully symbolized divine authority and providential leading for the entire undertaking. This passage showcases obedience as a prerequisite for divine empowerment and corporate success, illustrating that God's covenant promises are realized through responsive human action guided by His presence. It reinforces the theme that the battles for the Promised Land were indeed God's battles, fought under His banner and for His purposes, setting the stage for the dramatic fall of Jericho and the subsequent stages of the conquest.