Joshua 4:11

11 As soon as all the people had finished crossing, the LORD's chest crossed over. The priests then moved to the front of the people.

Joshua 4:11 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 4:11

And it came to pass, when the people were clean passed over,
&c.] Every one of them, as in ( Joshua 3:17 ) ( 4:1 ) ;

that the ark of the Lord passed over, and the priests, in the presence
of the people;
that is, the priests bearing the ark came out of the midst of Jordan in the sight of all the people, who were on the banks of it, on the other side, where they had been stationed during the passage of the people; though this motion of them was not until they received an order for it, of which there is an after mention. The Septuagint version reads, "and the stones before them"; see ( Joshua 4:8 ) .

Joshua 4:11 In-Context

9 Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan where the feet of the priests had stood while carrying the covenant chest. They are still there today.

10 Meanwhile, the priests carrying the chest were standing in the middle of the Jordan. They stood there until every command that the LORD had ordered Joshua to tell the people had been carried out. This was exactly what Moses had commanded Joshua. The people crossed over quickly.

11 As soon as all the people had finished crossing, the LORD's chest crossed over. The priests then moved to the front of the people.

12 The people of Reuben, the people of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh crossed over, organized for war ahead of the Israelites, exactly as Moses had told them.

13 Approximately forty thousand armed for war crossed over in the LORD's presence to the plains of Jericho, ready for battle.