Joshua 3:12

12 Now therefore take twelve men out of the tribes of Yisra'el, for every tribe a man.

Joshua 3:12 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 3:12

Now therefore take ye twelve men
For what end and purpose is not mentioned. Abarbinel is of opinion, that they were chosen and appointed, that every man might pitch upon and take a place for his tribe to encamp in, when they came on the other side Jordan: whether this was Joshua's view or no is not certain; however, the use he made of these, thus provided by divine direction, is related ( Joshua 4:2-4 ) ;

and these were to be taken out of the tribes of Israel, out of every
tribe a man;
Levi not reckoned, having no part in the land; and so we find that tribe left out in other accounts, when there was a choice of twelve men out of each of the tribes, ( Numbers 13:4 ) ( 34:19 ) .

Joshua 3:12 In-Context

10 Yehoshua said, Hereby you shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Kana`ani, and the Hittite, and the Hivvi, and the Perizzi, and the Girgashi, and the Amori, and the Yevusi.

11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the eretz passes over before you into the Yarden.

12 Now therefore take twelve men out of the tribes of Yisra'el, for every tribe a man.

13 It shall come to pass, when the soles of the feet of the Kohanim who bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the eretz, shall rest in the waters of the Yarden, that the waters of the Yarden shall be cut off, even the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand in one heap.

14 It happened, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over the Yarden, the Kohanim who bore the ark of the covenant being before the people;