Joshua 4:18
New International Version
And the priests came up out of the river carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD. No sooner had they set their feet on the dry ground than the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and ran at flood stage as before.

New Living Translation
As soon as the priests carrying the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant came up out of the riverbed and their feet were on high ground, the water of the Jordan returned and overflowed its banks as before.

English Standard Version
And when the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up from the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up on dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks, as before.

Berean Standard Bible
When the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up out of the Jordan and their feet touched the dry land, the waters of the Jordan returned to their course and overflowed all the banks as before.

King James Bible
And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.

New King James Version
And it came to pass, when the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD had come from the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet touched the dry land, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks as before.

New American Standard Bible
It came about when the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD had come up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up to the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks as before.

NASB 1995
It came about when the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD had come up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up to the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks as before.

NASB 1977
And it came about when the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD had come up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up to the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks as before.

Legacy Standard Bible
So it happened when the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of Yahweh had come up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up to the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and went over all its banks as before.

Amplified Bible
When the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD had come up from the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of their feet were raised up to the dry land, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and flowed over all its banks as before.

Christian Standard Bible
When the priests carrying the ark of the LORD’s covenant came up from the middle of the Jordan, and their feet stepped out on solid ground, the water of the Jordan resumed its course, flowing over all the banks as before.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When the priests carrying the ark of the LORD’s covenant came up from the middle of the Jordan, and their feet stepped out on solid ground, the waters of the Jordan resumed their course, flowing over all the banks as before.

American Standard Version
And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of Jehovah were come up out of the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned unto their place, and went over all its banks, as aforetime.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And when the Priests who carried the ark of the covenant of LORD JEHOVAH came up from within the Jordan, the sole of the feet of the Priests were set on dry land and the waters of Jordan returned to their place, and they ran like the former time over all the banks of the Jordan

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And it came to pass when the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord were gone up out of Jordan, and set their feet upon the land, that the water of Jordan returned impetuously to its place, and went as before over all its banks.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when they that carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, were come up, and began to tread on the dry ground, the waters returned into the channel, and ran as they were wont before.

English Revised Version
And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry ground, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and went over all its banks, as aforetime.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The priests who carried the ark of the LORD's promise came out of the middle of the Jordan. When their feet stepped onto dry land, the water of the Jordan returned to its seasonal flood level.

Good News Translation
and when the priests reached the riverbank, the river began flowing once more and flooded its banks again.

International Standard Version
As soon as the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD had come up from the middle of the Jordan River, and the soles of the priests' feet came up to dry ground, the water of the Jordan River returned to normal, covering its banks as it had done so before.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And it came to pass, as the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up out of the midst of the Jordan, as soon as the soles of the priests' feet were drawn up unto the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned unto their place, and went over all its banks, as aforetime.

Literal Standard Version
And it comes to pass, in the coming up of the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of YHWH out of the midst of the Jordan—the soles of the feet of the priests have been drawn up into the dry ground—and the waters of the Jordan return to their place, and go over all its banks as before.

Majority Standard Bible
When the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up out of the Jordan and their feet touched the dry land, the waters of the Jordan returned to their course and overflowed all the banks as before.

New American Bible
and when the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD had come up from the Jordan riverbed, as the soles of their feet regained the dry ground, the waters of the Jordan resumed their course and as before overflowed all its banks.

NET Bible
The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up from the middle of the Jordan, and as soon as they set foot on dry land, the water of the Jordan flowed again and returned to flood stage.

New Revised Standard Version
When the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet touched dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks, as before.

New Heart English Bible
It happened, when the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD had come up out of the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up to the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks, as before.

Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass, when the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD had come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up upon the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned to their place, and flowed over all its banks, as they did before.

World English Bible
When the priests who bore the ark of Yahweh’s covenant had come up out of the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet had been lifted up to the dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks, as before.

Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass, in the coming up of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of the midst of the Jordan -- the soles of the feet of the priests have been drawn up into the dry ground -- and the waters of the Jordan turn back to their place, and go as heretofore over all its banks.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Twelve Stones from the Jordan
17So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up from the Jordan.” 18 When the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up out of the Jordan and their feet touched the dry land, the waters of the Jordan returned to their course and overflowed all the banks as before.

Cross References
Exodus 14:27
So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea returned to its normal state. As the Egyptians were retreating, the LORD swept them into the sea.

Joshua 4:17
So Joshua commanded the priests, "Come up from the Jordan."

Joshua 4:19
On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho.

1 Chronicles 12:15
These are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks, and they put to flight all those in the valleys, both to the east and to the west.


Treasury of Scripture

And it came to pass, when the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD were come up out of the middle of Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up to the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned to their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.

the soles

Joshua 3:13,15
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…

lifted up [heb] plucked up

Exodus 14:26-28
And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen…

and flowed [heb] went

Joshua 3:15
And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)

1 Chronicles 12:15
These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflown all his banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east, and toward the west.

Isaiah 8:8
And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.

Jump to Previous
Ark Banks Bare Bore Covenant Drawn Dry Jordan Lifted Middle Midst Priests Soles Soon Waters
Jump to Next
Ark Banks Bare Bore Covenant Drawn Dry Jordan Lifted Middle Midst Priests Soles Soon Waters
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














Verse 18. - When the priests ... were come up. There is a difference of reading here. The Masorites read as our version. The Hebrew text implies that the waters began to flow from the very moment that the priests' feet left the channel of the Jordan. Were lifted up. The original is more vivid, and marks the authentic sources from which this history is derived. Were plucked up, i.e., out of the soft adhesive mud in the channel of the river. The construction of the original is a constructio praegnans. They dragged their feet out of the mud, and planted them on dry ground.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When the priests
הַכֹּהֲנִ֜ים (hak·kō·hă·nîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3548: Priest

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

the ark
אֲר֤וֹן (’ă·rō·wn)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 727: A chest, ark

of the covenant
בְּרִית־ (bə·rîṯ-)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 1285: A covenant

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

came up
כַּעֲל֨וֹת (ka·‘ă·lō·wṯ)
Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

out
מִתּ֣וֹךְ (mit·tō·wḵ)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre

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

and their
הַכֹּהֲנִ֔ים (hak·kō·hă·nîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3548: Priest

feet
כַּפּוֹת֙ (kap·pō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 3709: Hollow or flat of the hand, palm, sole (of the foot), a pan

touched
נִתְּק֗וּ (nit·tə·qū)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5423: To pull, draw, or tear away, apart, or off

the dry land,
הֶחָרָבָ֑ה (he·ḥā·rā·ḇāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2724: Dry ground

the waters
מֵֽי־ (mê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

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

returned
וַיָּשֻׁ֤בוּ (way·yā·šu·ḇū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

to their course
לִמְקוֹמָ֔ם (lim·qō·w·mām)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 4725: A standing, a spot, a condition

and overflowed
וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ (way·yê·lə·ḵū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

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

the banks
גְּדוֹתָֽיו׃ (gə·ḏō·w·ṯāw)
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1415: A border of a, river

as before.
כִתְמוֹל־ (ḵiṯ·mō·wl-)
Preposition-k | Adverb
Strong's 8543: Ago, a, time since, yesterday, day before yesterday


Links
Joshua 4:18 NIV
Joshua 4:18 NLT
Joshua 4:18 ESV
Joshua 4:18 NASB
Joshua 4:18 KJV

Joshua 4:18 BibleApps.com
Joshua 4:18 Biblia Paralela
Joshua 4:18 Chinese Bible
Joshua 4:18 French Bible
Joshua 4:18 Catholic Bible

OT History: Joshua 4:18 It happened when the priests who bore (Josh. Jos)
Joshua 4:17
Top of Page
Top of Page