Joshua 1:11

“Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you will cross the Jordan to go in and take possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.’”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Joshua directs the officers of the people to issue a command to the Israelite camp at the moment immediately preceding their scheduled crossing of the Jordan River.

The words — עִבְרוּ ('ivRu) means pass or go through, and הָכִינוּ (haKhinu) means prepare, structuring the order as simultaneous movement and logistical readiness.

The thread — The crossing motif aligns with Deuteronomy 9:1, where Israel confronts greater nations upon entering the land, while the three-day timeline parallels the urgent directives in 2 Kings 20:5 and the third-day pattern noted in Hosea 6:2.

Why it lands — The text demands practical preparation and immediate forward movement in response to a fixed divine schedule, treating obedience as a concrete act of readiness rather than a passive expectation.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

עִבְר֣וּ׀'iv.Rupass בְּקֶ֣רֶבbe./Ke.revin/ [the] midst of הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֗הha./ma.cha.Nehthe/ camp וְצַוּ֤וּve./tza.Vuand/ command אֶת־'et-<obj.>הָעָם֙ha./'Amthe/ people לֵאמֹ֔רle./Mor<to>/ saying הָכִ֥ינוּha.Khi.nuprepareלָכֶ֖םla./Khemfor <the>/ yourselvesצֵידָ֑הtzei.Dahfood כִּ֞יkifor בְּע֣וֹד׀be./'odin/ yet שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁתshe.Lo.shetthree יָמִ֗יםya.Mimdays אַתֶּם֙'a.Temyou עֹֽבְרִים֙'oe.Rim[are] about to pass over אֶת־'et-<obj.>הַיַּרְדֵּ֣ןhai./yar.Denthe/ Jordan הַזֶּ֔הha./Zeh<the>/ this לָבוֹא֙la./Vo'to/ go לָרֶ֣שֶׁתla./Re.shetto/ take possession of אֶת־'et-<obj.>הָאָ֔רֶץha./'A.retzthe/ land אֲשֶׁר֙'a.Sherwhich יְהוָ֣הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם'e.lo.hei./KhemGod/ your נֹתֵ֥ןno.Ten[is] about to giveלָכֶ֖םla./Khemto <the>/ youלְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃ סle./rish.Ta/hto/ take possession of/ it

King James Version

Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the Lord your God giveth you to possess it.

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 9:1 Hear, O Israel: Today you are about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities fortified to the heavens.
2 Kings 20:5 “Go back and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people that this is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: ‘I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. I will surely heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the house of the LORD.
Hosea 6:2 After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His presence.
Deuteronomy 11:31 For you are about to cross the Jordan to enter and possess the land that the LORD your God is giving you. When you take possession of it and settle in it,
Joshua 3:2 After three days the officers went through the camp
Exodus 19:11 and be prepared by the third day, for on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

Places named

Jordan