Bible Strands
Joshua 4:2
“Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The LORD speaks to Joshua immediately after the entire nation finishes crossing the Jordan. He instructs Joshua to select twelve men, one from each tribe, to carry out the next phase of the crossing narrative.
The words — The command opens with קְח֤וּ (ke.Chu), meaning "take," and specifies אִישׁ\־ אֶחָ֥ד ('ish- 'e.Chad), meaning "a man one." These terms establish the precise numerical and tribal parameters for the selection.
The thread — This selection pattern matches the command in Joshua 3:12 to choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel. It also aligns with the tribal representation mandates in Numbers 1:4 and Numbers 13:2 for leadership and reconnaissance.
Why it lands — The text requires the immediate assembly of organized tribal representatives before any commemorative action takes place. It asks the reader to follow the structural pattern of collective representation that governs Israel's covenant actions.
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
Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
Cross-references
- Joshua 3:12 Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.
- Numbers 1:4 And one man from each tribe, the head of each family, must be there with you.
- Numbers 13:2 “Send out for yourself men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each of their fathers’ tribes send one man who is a leader among them.”
- Numbers 34:18 Appoint one leader from each tribe to distribute the land.
- Deuteronomy 1:23 The plan seemed good to me, so I selected twelve men from among you, one from each tribe.
- 1 Kings 18:31 And Elijah took twelve stones, one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come and said, “Israel shall be your name.”
- Matthew 10:1 And calling His twelve disciples to Him, Jesus gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could drive them out and heal every disease and sickness.