Joshua 4:11

11 As soon as they did, the ark of the LORD and the priests also went across to the other side. The people were watching them.

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 piled up the 12 stones that had been in the middle of the river. They had been right where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are still there to this very day.

10 The priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan River. They stayed there until the people had done everything the LORD had commanded Joshua. It was just as Moses had directed Joshua. All of the people went across quickly.

11 As soon as they did, the ark of the LORD and the priests also went across to the other side. The people were watching them.

12 Among the people who went across the river were men from the tribes of Reuben and Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh. The men were armed. They went across ahead of the rest of the people of Israel. It was just as Moses had directed them.

13 There were about 40,000 of them. All of them were ready for battle. They went across in front of the ark of the Lord. They went to the flatlands around Jericho. They were prepared to go to war.