11
And it came about,וַיְהִיwhenכַּאֲשֶׁרallכָּלthe peopleהָעָםhad finishedתַּםcrossing,לַעֲבוֹרthat the arkאֲרוֹןof YHWHיְהוָהand the priestsוְהַכֹּהֲנִיםcrossedוַיַּעֲבֹרbeforeלִפְנֵיthe people.הָעָם
Joshua 4:11
Study it in the app“And it came about, when all the people had finished crossing, that the ark of YHWH and the priests crossed before the people.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Joshua 4:11, word by word
- And it came aboutיְהִיyehi
happen
For something to occur or take place; many stories open with this word.
Where else “yehi” appears- the peopleעָםam
crowd
The people gathered in a place: the crowd, or the troops that go out to war.
Where else “am” appears- had finishedתַּםtam
end
To be over, reach its close.
Where else “tam” appears- crossingעֲבוֹרavor
pass
To get over a river, or go through a land.
Where else “avor” appears- that the arkאֲרוֹןaron
ark
The sacred chest of the covenant, which held the tablets.
Where else “aron” appears- of YHWHיְהוָהyehva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yehva” appears- and the priestsכֹּהֲנִיםkohanim
priest
One who serves in the sanctuary and offers for the people.
Where else “kohanim” appears- beforeפְנֵיfene
before
Literally "to the face of": in sight of someone, or on account of something.
Where else “fene” appears
The context
10The priests carrying the ark were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything was completed that YHWH had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. And the people hurried and crossed.
11 · This verse (above)
12The sons of Reuben, the sons of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh crossed in battle formation before the sons of Israel, just as Moses had spoken to them.