Joshua 3:12

Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — God speaks through Joshua to Israel’s leaders as the camp halts at the Jordan River. The command is issued immediately before the priests prepare to carry the ark into the water.

The words — קְח֤וּ (qəḥû) means "take" or "choose," and שְׁנֵ֣י עָשָׂ֣ר (šənê ʿāśār) literally reads "two ten" for twelve. The phrase מִשִּׁבְטֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (miššibṭê yiśrāʾēl) specifies selection "from the tribes of Israel."

The thread — The same twelve men are later identified in Joshua 4:2 and 4:4 after the river crossing narrative concludes. Joshua 4:9 records the placement of twelve stones as a subsequent memorial.

Why it lands — The text records a precise numerical command given before a divine intervention. It requires readers to observe that organized human obedience precedes supernatural action.

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

וְעַתָּ֗הve./'a.Tahand/ therefore קְח֤וּke.Chutakeלָכֶם֙la./Khemfor <the>/ yourselvesשְׁנֵ֣יshe.Neitwo [plus]עָשָׂ֣ר'a.Sarten אִ֔ישׁ'Ishman מִשִּׁבְטֵ֖יmi./shiv.Teifrom/ [the] tribes of יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElIsrael אִישׁ־'ish-a man אֶחָ֥ד'e.Chadone אִישׁ־'ish-a man אֶחָ֖ד'e.Chadone לַשָּֽׁבֶט׃la./Sha.vetto the/ tribe

King James Version

Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.

Cross-references

Joshua 4:2 “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe,
Joshua 4:4 So Joshua summoned the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe,
Joshua 4:9 Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant stood. And the stones are there to this day.