About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the LORD unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.
Parallel translations
- WEB About forty thousand men, ready and armed for war passed over before Yahweh to battle, to the plains of Jericho.
- BSB About 40,000 troops armed for battle crossed over before the LORD into the plains of Jericho.
- NKJV About forty thousand prepared for war crossed over before the Lord for battle, to the plains of Jericho.
- NASB about forty thousand equipped for war, crossed for battle before the Lord to the desert plains of Jericho.
- NLT These armed men—about 40,000 strong—were ready for battle, and the Lord was with them as they crossed over to the plains of Jericho.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
About forty thousand armed men from the eastern tribes crossed over to fight at the plains of Jericho. They went 'before Yahweh,' marching under His command into battle.
Overview
This fighting force was a portion of the larger nation, sent ahead as a vanguard to honor their commitment. The phrase 'before Yahweh' frames the conquest as God's war, not merely Israel's. The army's readiness reminds us that obedience to God often calls for disciplined, costly action on behalf of others.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Eph 6:11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
- Jer 39:5But the Chaldeans’ army pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he gave judgment upon him.
- Jer 52:8But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him.
- 2 Kgs 25:5And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him.
- Josh 5:10And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.
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Christ at the center
Joshua — the same name as Jesus, 'the LORD saves' — leads God's people into their inheritance, a shadow of the greater Joshua who brings us into the true rest and the promised land that remains.
How Joshua 4:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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