Joshua 3:12

12 "Now then, ¹take for yourselves twelve * men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each * tribe.

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 Joshua said, "By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will assuredly dispossess from before you the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, and the Jebusite.

11 "Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over ahead of you into the Jordan.

12 "Now then, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe.

13 "It shall come about when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD , the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, and the waters which are flowing down from above will stand in one heap."

14 So when the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant before the people,

Cross References

• 1. Joshua 4:2