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Joshua 4:17 — Word Study

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WLCוַיְצַ֣ו יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ אֶת־ הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים לֵאמֹ֑ר עֲל֖וּ מִן־ הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃

BSASo JoshuaYᵉhôwshûwaʻ [the leader, God's appointed commander] commandedtsâvâh [to give orders, to appoint] the priestskôhên [spiritual leaders, mediators between God and people] Come upʻâlâh [to ascend, to rise] frommin [out of, away from] the JordanYardên [the river]

Word
Listen & take awayJoshua 4
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 17 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (hai.yar.Den) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Joshua 4:17quick helps
In a sentenceJoshua gives a command to the priests to rise from the river.
Who is speakingJoshua, the appointed leader of Israel.
Where we areIn the context of the Israelites crossing the Jordan River.
The hard wordצָוָה
Take awayJoshua's command is direct and authoritative.
5 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectיְהֹושֻׁעַ verbצָוָה The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Joshua 4:17

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Crossing of the Jordangenerated

16“Command the priests who carry the ark of the Testimony to come up from the Jordan.”
17So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up from the Jordan.”
18When 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.
19On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho.

Joshua 4:17 describes a pivotal moment as the Israelites are commanded by Joshua to rise from the Jordan River after crossing. This event marks a significant step in their journey into the Promised Land, illustrating God's guidance and the importance of obedience to His commands. The surrounding verses highlight the miraculous nature of their crossing and the establishment of their new home.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 8:16–18“Come out of the ark, you and your wife, along with your sons and their wives.
2Daniel 3:26Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the blazing fiery furnace and called out, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire,
3Acts 16:23–35And after striking them with many blows, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to guard them securely.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word צָוָה, vay.Tzavgenerated

The verb צָוָה (tsavah) means to command or give orders. It is derived from a primitive root and is primarily used in the Piel form, indicating an authoritative action, such as appointing or charging someone with a task. This word emphasizes the leader's role in directing the priests to fulfill their responsibilities.

In this verse, Joshua's command reflects his authority as the leader of the Israelites. The use of the Piel form suggests a strong, intentional directive, underscoring the importance of the priests' actions in the context of the crossing.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb וַיְצַ֣ו (vay.Tzav), and he commanded, governs the entire clause, with the subject יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ (ye.ho.Shu.a') directly following. This structure emphasizes the action of commanding as central to the sentence.

The command is followed by a direct quotation, which includes an imperative verb עֲל֖וּ ('a.Lu), come up, indicating the action required of the priests. This direct speech format enhances the urgency and clarity of Joshua's command.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates צָוָה as ἐνετείλατο (enetēlato), which also means 'he commanded'. This choice reflects a consistent understanding of authority and directive speech, aligning with the Hebrew meaning.

The use of a similar verb in Greek shows continuity in the concept of leadership and command from the Hebrew text, reinforcing the importance of Joshua's role in guiding the Israelites.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Joshua 4:17 shows Joshua commanding the priests to come up from the Jordan River. This command is significant as it marks the moment when the priests, who carried the ark, were to rise from the water after the Israelites had crossed. It highlights the leadership of Joshua and the importance of the priests in the community.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Joshua's command signify?

Joshua's command signifies the transition of the Israelites from the Jordan River to the Promised Land, emphasizing obedience to God's instructions.

Why are the priests mentioned in this verse?

The priests are mentioned because they played a crucial role in carrying the ark of the covenant, which represented God's presence among the people.

What does the Jordan River represent in this context?

The Jordan River represents a barrier that the Israelites had to cross to enter the Promised Land, symbolizing God's deliverance and guidance.

How does this command relate to the overall narrative of Joshua?

This command is part of the broader narrative of Joshua leading the Israelites into the Promised Land, showcasing his leadership and the fulfillment of God's promises.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does it mean to you that Joshua commanded the priests to come up from the Jordan?
  2. How can you apply the concept of obedience to God's commands in your own life?
  3. In what ways do you see leadership reflected in the actions of Joshua?
  4. How do the roles of spiritual leaders impact your faith community today?

Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Joshua 4:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Joshua therefore commanded the priests,.... In obedience to the Lord, and sent them an order: saying; as follows: come ye up out of Jordan; from the midst of the river to the bank of it, which was properly an ascent.

Read John Gill on Joshua 4 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying, No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on Joshua 4 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The priests staid contentedly in the river, till God by Joshua called them out.

Read Matthew Poole on Joshua 4 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Joshua 4:17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan.Ver. 17. Come ye up out of Jordan.] Now that all the people are in safety; and stand upon the bank to behold the last act of this great miracle.

Read John Trapp on Joshua 4 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

. — Joshua 4:1-24.[This chapter, more than many others, affords us a noticeable example of the style of the Hebrew historian.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Joshua 4 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up from the Jordan.”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, “Come up out of the Jordan!”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up from the Jordan.”

NETBNew English Translation2006

So Joshua instructed the priests, “Come up from the Jordan!”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of the Jordan.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Ioshua therefore commanded the Priests, saying, Come ye vp out of Iorden.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And Joshua commanded the priests, saying, Come up out of the Jordan.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And Joshua commandeth the priests, saying, 'Come ye up out of the Jordan.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And Joshua commands the priests, saying, “Come up out of the Jordan.”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And Joshua commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of the Jordan.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

So, Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And he commanded them, saying: Come ye up out of the Jordan.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

So Joshua told the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

So Joshua gave orders to the priests, saying, Come up now out of Jordan.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וַandclauseverbיְצַ֣וhe.commandedsubjectיְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַJoshuanoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseהַtheכֹּהֲנִ֖יםpriestsprepositional phrase · prepositionalלֵ(cmp)clauseverbאמֹ֑רsayingclauseverbעֲל֖וּcome.upprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִןfromnoun phraseהַtheיַּרְדֵּֽןJordan

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely in this verse, with 7 of the 8 words matched. The Septuagint's translation maintains the essential meaning of the Hebrew, reflecting the command given by Joshua.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וַיְצַ֣ו יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ אֶת־ הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים לֵאמֹ֑ר עֲל֖וּ מִן־ הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיְצַ֣וἐνετείλατοיְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַἰησοῦςהַכֹּהֲנִ֖יםἱερεῦσινלֵאמֹ֑רλέγωνעֲל֖וּἔκβητεמִן־ἐκהַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃ιορδάνου

7 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Joshua 4:17צָוָהand he command he commandeצָוָהיְהוֹשׁוּעַJoshuaJoshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַאֵתthe object the object markאֵתכֹּהֵןthe prieststhe priestsכֹּהֵןאָמַרsayingsayingאָמַרעָלָהcome upcome upעָלָהמִן־fromfromמִן־יַרְדֵןthe Jordanthe JordanיַרְדֵןיהוהThe LordThe Lordיהוהאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתיָרַדto go downto go downיָרַדכָּהַןto ministeto ministerכָּהַןמֵןstringstringמֵןמֹשֶׁהMosesMosesמֹשֶׁהמִצְוָהcommandmencommandmentמִצְוָהנוּןNunNunנוּןיְהוֹצָדָקJehozadakJehozadakיְהוֹצָדָקמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁאֶלְעָזָרEleazarEleazarאֶלְעָזָרצָדוֹקZadokZadokצָדוֹקכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהעֹלָהburnt offeburnt offeringעֹלָהיְאֹרstreamstreamיְאֹררָחַקto removeto removeרָחַקיָתַרto remainto remainיָתַר
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Joshua 4:17

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and he commanded Joshua the object marker the priests saying come up from the Jordan
וַיְצַ֣וvay.Tzav and he commanded H6680 Verb · Piel · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
494× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To command or give orders, as seen in the Bible when God gives charge to his people. It can also mean to appoint or ordain someone for a task. This word is used in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
to give orders, to appoint
Tyndale gloss
to command
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צָוָה (tsavah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to command or give orders. It is built from a primitive root and primarily used in the Piel form, indicating actions like appointing or charging someone with a task. The entries highlight its various applications, including laying charges and sending messengers. There are no noted disagreements among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[צָוָה] 485 vb. Pi. lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6680 צָוָה Pi. lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6680 tsavah tsaw-vaw'

a primitive root; (intensively) to constitute,

enjoin:--appoint, (for-)bid, (give a) charge, (give a, give

in, send with) command(-er, -ment), send a messenger, put,

(set) in order.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צָוָה (tsa.vah) — to command.

1) to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order

1a)(Piel)

1a1) to lay charge upon

1a2) to give charge to, give command to

1a3) to give charge unto

1a4) to give charge over, appoint

1a5) to give charge, command

1a6) to charge, command

1a7) to charge, commission

1a8) to command, appoint, ordain (of divine act)

1b) (Pual) to be commanded

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Piel · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vpw3ms
and he commanded Joshua the object marker the priests saying come up from the Jordan
יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַye.ho.Shu.a' Joshua H3091 Noun proper masculine
218× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Joshua was a leader in the Bible, first mentioned in Ezra 2:2, who helped the Israelites return from exile. His name means Jehovah is salvation, and he is also known as Jeshua in some parts of the Bible. He was a key figure in the conquest of Canaan.
Amplified meaning
the leader, God's appointed commander
Tyndale gloss
Joshua
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יְהוֹשׁוּעַ (*Yhowshuwa`*) refers to Joshua, the successor of Moses and leader of the Israelites. It encompasses various figures, including a resident of Beth-shemesh, a high priest after the restoration, and a governor of Jerusalem under Josiah. The name means 'Jehovah is salvation' and appears in different contexts throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יְהוֹשׁוּעַ, יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, and (later) יֵשׁוּעַ, n.pr.m. (& loc., v. 9 infr.) (י׳ is salvation or י׳ is opulence)

Moses’ successor, son of Nun

a Bethshemite

h.p. after the restoration, son of Jehozadak

governor of Jerusalem under Josiah

head of one of the classes of priests

a Levitical family-name of frequent occurrence

father of a builder at the wall

a Judaite family-name

n.pr.loc. in south of Judah

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3091 יְהוֹשׁוּעַ, יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, and (later) יֵשׁוּעַ . Moses’ successor, son of Nun

. a Bethshemite

. h. p. after the restoration, son of Jehozadak

. governor of Jerusalem under Josiah

. head of one of the classes of priests

. a Levitical family-name of frequent occurrence

. father of a builder at the wall

. a Judaite family-name

. n. pr. loc. in south of Judah

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3091 Yhowshuwa` yeh-ho-shoo'-ah

or Yhowshua {yeh-ho-shoo'-ah}; from 3068 and 3467;

Jehovah-saved; Jehoshua (i.e. Joshua), the Jewish

leader:--Jehoshua, Jehoshuah, Joshua. Compare 1954, 3442.

see HEBREW for 03068

see HEBREW for 03467

see HEBREW for 01954

see HEBREW for 03442

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהוֹשׁוּעַ (ye.ho.shu.a) — Joshua.

A man of the tribe of Ephraim living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness and Israel before the Monarchy, first mentioned at Exo.17.9;

son of: Nun (H5126); also called Hoshea (KJV: Oshea) at Num.13.8; Jeshua at Neh.8.17;

§ Joshua or Jehoshua = "Jehovah is salvation"

1) son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan

2) a resident of Beth-shemesh on whose land the Ark of the Covenant came to a stop after the Philistines returned it

3) son of Jehozadak and high priest after the restoration

4) governor of Jerusalem under king Josiah who gave his name to a gate of the city of Jerusalem

יְהוֹשׁוּעַ (ye.ho.shu.a) — Joshua.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.6.14

§ Joshua or Jehoshua = "Jehovah is salvation"

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Joshua

Jehovah is his help, or Jehovah the Saviour. The son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim, the successor of Moses as the leader of Israel. He is called Jehoshua in Num. 13:16 (A.V.), and Jesus in Acts 7:45 and Heb. 4:8 (R.V., Joshua).

He was born in Egypt, and was probably of the age of Caleb, with whom he is generally associated. He shared in all the events of the Exodus, and held the place of commander of the host of the Israelites at their great battle against the Amalekites in Rephidim (Ex. 17:8-16). He became Moses’ minister or servant, and accompanied him part of the way when he ascended Mount Sinai to receive the two tables (

(saviour, or whose help is Jehovah). His name appears in the various forms of HOSHEAHOSHEA, OSHEA, JEHOSHUA, JESHUA and JESUS. The son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim. (1 Chronicles 7:27) (B.C. 1530-1420.) He was nearly forty years old when he shared in the hurried triumph of the exodus. He is mentioned first in connection with the fight against Amalek at Rephidim, when he was chosen by Moses to lead the Israelites. (Exodus 17:9) Soon afterward he was one of the twelve chiefs who were sent, (Numbers 13:17) to explore the land of Canaan, and one of the two, ch. (Numbers 14:6) who gave an encouraging report of their journey. Moses, shortly before his death, was directed, (

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. The son of Nun, a distinguished leader of the Hebrews, and the successor of Moses. His name at first was Oshea, Nu 13:8,16; and in the New Testament he is called Jesus, Ac 7:45 Heb 4:8. Both the names, Joshua and Jesus, signify savior, deliverer. See JESUS. Joshua led Israel over the Jordan, and took possession of the promised land; he conquered the Canaanites, and then distributed the country among the tribes. He is first mentioned as the leader of Israel against the Amalekites at Rephidim,

Ex 17:8-16. See also Nu 14:6. At the passage over Jordan he was eighty-four years of age; and after about twenty-six years employed…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

a savior; a deliverer

and he commanded Joshua the object marker the priests saying come up from the Jordan
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he commanded Joshua the object marker the priests saying come up from the Jordan
הַכֹּהֲנִ֖יםha.ko.ha.Nim the priests H3548 Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
750× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, a priest is a person who serves God and leads others in worship, like the Levitical priests in Exodus. They were responsible for making sacrifices and following God's laws. This term is also used to describe Jesus as a priest-king.
Amplified meaning
spiritual leaders, mediators between God and people
Tyndale gloss
priest
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּהֵן (kohen) means 'priest' and is derived from the active participle of a related root. It encompasses various types of priests, including Levitical, Aaronic, and even pagan priests, as well as chief rulers or principal officers. The term is used in contexts referring to both Jewish and non-Jewish priestly roles.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּהֵן 750 n.m. priest

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3548 כֹּהֵן priest

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3548 kohen ko-hane'

active participle of 3547; literally, one officiating, a

priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a

layman):--chief ruler, X own, priest, prince, principal

officer.

see HEBREW for 03547

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּהֵן (ko.hen) — priest.

1) priest, principal officer or chief ruler

1a) priest-king (Melchizedek, Messiah)

1b) pagan priests

1c) priests of Jehovah

1d) Levitical priests

1e) Zadokite priests

1f) Aaronic priests

1g) the high priest

Aramaic equivalent: ka.hen (כָּהֵן "priest" H3549)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-mp — Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
HTd/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- First notice of persons acting as

Ge 4:3,4

- During patriarchal age heads of families acted as

Ge 8:20; 12:8; 35:7

- After the exodus young men (first-born) deputed to act as

Ex 24:5; 19:22

- The sons of Aaron appointed as, by perpetual statute

Ex 29:9; 40:15

- All except seed of Aaron excluded from being

Nu 3:10; 16:40; 18:7

- Sanctified by God for the office

Ex 29:44

- Publicly consecrated

Ex 28:3; Nu 3:3

- CEREMONIES AT CONSECRATION OF

. Washing in water

and he commanded Joshua the object marker the priests saying come up from the Jordan
לֵאמֹ֑רle.Mor saying H559 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Vqcc — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he commanded Joshua the object marker the priests saying come up from the Jordan
עֲל֖וּ'a.Lu come up H5927 Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine plural
890× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To ascend means to go up or rise, like the smoke from an altar going up to God, as described in many Bible passages, including Leviticus and Psalms.
Amplified meaning
to ascend, to rise
Tyndale gloss
to ascend: rise
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עָלָה (alah) means 'to ascend' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including going up, climbing, and rising in various contexts such as personal, natural, and spiritual. It can refer to actions involving people, animals, vegetation, and even thoughts, and includes nuances of being exalted or offering sacrifices. The word is built from a primitive root and appears in various grammatical forms, indicating different aspects of ascent or elevation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָלָה 890 vb. go up, ascend, climb

Qal

of persons, go up, ascend, in local relations

go up, in personal relations

of animals, go or come up

of vegetation, spring up, grow, shoot forth

of natural phenom., go up, rise

of inanimate things, instead of passive construction

of thoughts

come up before God, arrogance

go up, extend, of boundary

excel

Niph.

be brought up

be taken up

pass., be taken up, away

reflex., take oneself away from, get up from

reflex.: take oneself away

be exalted, of God

Hiph.

bring up persons

in personal relations

bring up animals

cause to ascend

mentally

offer a present; bring up tithe to

exalt

cause to ascend (in flame), offer sacrifice

Hoph.

be carried away

be taken up into, inserted in

be offered

Hithp. lift oneself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5927 עָלָה go up, ascend, climb .. of persons, go up, ascend, in local relations

. go up, in personal relations

. of animals, go or come up

. of vegetation, spring up, grow, shoot forth

. of natural phenom., go up, rise

. of inanimate things, instead of passive construction

. of thoughts

. come up before God, arrogance

. go up, extend, of boundary

. excel

. . . be brought up

. be taken up

. . pass., be taken up, away

. reflex., take oneself away from, get up from

. reflex.: take oneself away

. be exalted, of God

. . bring up persons

. in personal relations

. bring up animals

. cause to ascend

. mentally

. offer a present; bring up tithe to

. exalt

. cause to ascend (in flame), offer sacrifice

. . be carried away

. be taken up into, inserted in

. be offered

. lift oneself

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5927 `alah aw-law'

a primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or

actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary

and secondary, literal and figurative (as follow):--arise

(up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up),

bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, + shew, climb

(up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart,

exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up);

grow (over) increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light,

(make) up, X mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, + perfect,

prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise

(up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring

(up), stir up, take away (up), work.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָלָה (a.lah) — to ascend: rise.

: rise/go

1) to go up, ascend, climb

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go up, ascend

1a2) to meet, visit, follow, depart, withdraw, retreat

1a3) to go up, come up (of animals)

1a4) to spring up, grow, shoot forth (of vegetation)

1a5) to go up, go up over, rise (of natural phenomenon)

1a6) to come up (before God)

1a7) to go up, go up over, extend (of boundary)

1a8) to excel, be superior to

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be taken up, be brought up, be taken away

1b2) to take oneself away

1b3) to be exalted

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to bring up, cause to ascend or climb, cause to go up

1c2) to bring up, bring against, take away

1c3) to bring up, draw up, train

1c4) to cause to ascend

1c5) to rouse, stir up (mentally)

1c6) to offer, bring up (of gifts)

1c7) to exalt

1c8) to cause to ascend, offer

1d) (Hophal)

1d1) to be carried away, be led up

1d2) to be taken up into, be inserted in

1d3) to be offered

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2mp — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine plural
HVqv2mp
and he commanded Joshua the object marker the priests saying come up from the Jordan
מִן־min- from H4480 Preposition
1,189× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a portion or part of something, and is often used to show the relationship between things, like from or out of something.
Amplified meaning
out of, away from
Tyndale gloss
from
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מִן־ (*min*) is a preposition meaning 'from' or 'out of,' indicating separation or origin. It covers various uses, including temporal references, comparisons, and causal relationships. Additionally, it can denote a portion when used as a noun מֵן (*men*). The entries highlight its versatility in expressing different nuances of separation and position.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִן־, and מִ, before יְ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not

with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal

from, against

מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from

of position, off, on the side of, on

Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex

Partitively

Of time—

as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since

as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after

towards, to

(וְעַד) עַד … מִן from … even to

In comparisons, beyond, above

מן is prefixed to an infin.:

with causal force, from, on account of, through

after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.

with a temporal force, since, after

Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that

In compounds:

base

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4480a מִן־, מִ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not . with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal . from, against

. מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from

. of position, off, on the side of, on

. Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex

. Partitively

. Of time— . as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since

. as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after

. towards, to

. (וְעַד) עַד … מִן from … even to

. In comparisons, beyond, above

. מן is prefixed to an infin.: . with causal force, from, on account of, through

. after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.

. with a temporal force, since, after

. Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4480 min min

or minniy {min-nee'}; or minney (constructive plural)

{min-nay'}; (Isaiah 30:11); for 4482; properly, a part of;

hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses (as

follows):--above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason

of), from (among), in, X neither, X nor, (out) of, over,

since, X then, through, X whether, with.

see HEBREW for 04482

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִן־ (min) — from.

prep

1) from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than

1a) from (expressing separation), off, on the side of

1b) out of

1b1) (with verbs of proceeding, removing, expelling)

1b2) (of material from which something is made)

1b3) (of source or origin)

1c) out of, some of, from (partitively)

1d) from, since, after (of time)

1e) than, more than (in comparison)

1f) from...even to, both...and, either...or

1g) than, more than, too much for (in comparisons)

1h) from, on account of, through, because (with infinitive)

conj

2) that

Aramaic equivalent: min (מִן־ "from" H4481)

מֵן (men) — portion.

n.m.

portion

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and he commanded Joshua the object marker the priests saying come up from the Jordan
הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃hai.yar.Den the Jordan H3383 Particle · noun proper
182× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Jordan River, which runs from Lebanon to the Dead Sea, is a key location in the Bible, including in the stories of Jesus and the Israelites.
Amplified meaning
the river
Tyndale gloss
Jordan
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יַרְדֵן (Yarden) refers to the Jordan River, named for its meaning 'descender.' It is the main river in Palestine, flowing approximately 200 miles from Anti-Lebanon to the Dead Sea. The entries consistently identify it as a geographical feature without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יַרְדֵן 182 n.pr.fl. Jordan

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3383 יַרְדֵן Jordan

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3383 Yarden yar-dane'

from 3381; a descender; Jarden, the principal river of

Palestine:--Jordan.

see HEBREW for 03381

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יַרְדֵּן (yar.den) — Jordan.

Jordan = "descender"

the river of Palestine running from the roots of Anti-Lebanon to the Dead Sea a distance of approx 200 miles (320 km)

Also named: Iordanēs (Ἰορδάνης "Jordan" G2446)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-proper — Particle · noun proper
HTd/Npl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

jor'-dan (yarden, "flowing downward"; 'Iordanes):

1. Source:

The Jordan river proper begins at the junction of four streams (the Bareighit, the Hasbany, the Leddan, and the Banias), in the upper part of the plain of Lake Huleh. The Bareighit receives its supply of water from the hills on the West, which separate the valley from the river Litany, and is the least important of the four. The Hasbany is the longest of the four (40 miles), issuing from a great fountain at the western foot of Mt. Hermon near Hasbeiya, 1,700 ft. above the sea, and descends 1,500 ft. in its course to the plain. The Leddan is the largest of the four streams, issuing in several fountains at the foot of the mound Tell el-kady (Dan, or Laish) at an elevation of 505 ft. above the sea. The Banias issues from a celebrated fountain near the town of Banias, which is identified as the Caesarea Philippi associated with the…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Jordan

Heb. Yarden, “the descender;” Arab. Nahr-esh-Sheriah, “the watering-place” the chief river of Palestine. It flows from north to south down a deep valley in the centre of the country. The name descender is significant of the fact that there is along its whole course a descent to its banks; or it may simply denote the rapidity with which it “descends” to the Dead Sea.

It originates in the snows of Hermon, which feed its perennial fountains. Two sources are generally spoken of. (1.) From the western base of a hill on which once stood the city of Dan, the northern border-city of Palestine, there gushes forth a considerable fountain called the Leddan, which is the largest fountain in Syria and the principal source of the Jordan. (2.) Beside the ruins of Banias, the ancient Caesarea Philippi and the yet more ancient Panium, is a lofty cliff of limestone, at the base of which…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(the descender), the one river of Palestine, has a course of little more than 200 miles, from the roots of Anti-Lebanon to the head of the Dead Sea. (136 miles in a straight line. --Schaff.) It is the river of the "great plain" of Palestine --the "descender," if not "the river of God" in the book of Psalms, at least that of his chosen people throughout their history. There were fords over against Jericho, to which point the men of Jericho pursued the spies. (Joshua 2:7) comp. Judg 3:28 Higher up where the fords or passages of Bethbarah, where Gideon lay in wait for the Midianites, (Judges 7:24) and where the men of Gilead slew the Ephraimites. ch. (Judges 12:6) These fords…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The chief river of Palestine, running from north to south, and dividing the Holy Land into two parts, of which the larger and more important lay on the west. There are two small streams, each of which claims to be its source. One of these, near Banias, anciently Caesarea Philippi, issues from a large cave in a rocky mountain side, and flows several miles towards the south-west, where it is joined by the second and larger stream, which originates in a fountain at Tellel-Kady, three miles west of Banias. But besides these, there is a third and longer stream, which rises beyond the northern limit of Palestine, near Hasbeia on the west side of mount Hermon, flows twenty-four miles to the south, and unites with the other streams before they enter the "waters of Merom," now lake Huleh, the Jordan flows about nine miles south-ward to the sea of Tiberias, through which its clear and smooth…

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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