Bible Strands
Joshua 4:11
and after everyone had finished crossing, the priests with the ark of the LORD crossed in the sight of the people.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator records the final phase of the Jordan crossing, occurring immediately after the Israelite tribes complete their passage while the priests remain stationed in the riverbed.
The words — The Hebrew verbs תָּם (tam) and עָבַר (avar) literally render "it had finished" and "passed over," marking the sequential departure of the crowd followed by the clergy.
The thread — This movement sequence directly follows the priestly stand in the Jordan at Joshua 3:8 and Joshua 3:17, and immediately precedes the priests' emergence in Joshua 4:18.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to note the visible, orderly transition from the people's passage to the priests' departure, establishing a commanded sequence tied to the ark's presence.
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
King James Version
And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the Lord passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.
Cross-references
- Joshua 3:8 Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the waters, stand in the Jordan.’”
- Joshua 3:17 The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed over the dry ground, until the entire nation had crossed the Jordan.
- Joshua 4:18 When the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up out of the Jordan and their feet touched the dry land, the waters of the Jordan returned to their course and overflowed all the banks as before.