“Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe,
Parallel translations
- WEB “Take twelve men out of the people, a man out of every tribe,
- KJV Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
- NKJV “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe,
- NASB “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe,
- NLT “Now choose twelve men, one from each tribe.
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
God commands that twelve men, one from each tribe, be chosen for a task. Every tribe is to share in commemorating God's mighty act.
Overview
The selection of twelve men corresponds to the twelve tribes, ensuring the whole covenant people are represented in the memorial. This continues the theme of national unity under God. The careful inclusion of each tribe reflects God's intent that all His people remember and pass on the testimony of His saving power.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Josh 3:12Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.
- 1 Kgs 18:31And 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.”
- Matt 10:1–5And 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.
- Num 34:18Appoint one leader from each tribe to distribute the land.
- Deut 1:23The plan seemed good to me, so I selected twelve men from among you, one from each tribe.
- Num 1:4–15And one man from each tribe, the head of each family, must be there with you.
- Num 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.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 4:2 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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