Joshua 4:16 Made Simple

KJV ORIGINAL

Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of Jordan.

Close to the original. Clear modern English.

✦ MADE SIMPLE

Tell the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant to come up out of the Jordan River.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

God is instructing Joshua to have the priests carrying the sacred ark leave the Jordan River.

📚 Historical Context

This occurs after the Israelites had crossed the Jordan River on dry ground, similar to their Red Sea crossing. The priests carrying the ark of the covenant had been standing in the riverbed while all the people crossed over into the Promised Land. Now that everyone was safely across, God was telling Joshua it was time for the priests to come up from the river.

Explore Similar Verses

2 Chronicles 5:5

They carried up the ark of the covenant, along with the tent of meeting and all the sacred items that were inside the tent. The priests and Levites were the ones who carried all these things up.

2 Chronicles 5:7

The priests carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its designated place in the temple—into the inner sanctuary, the most holy place, positioning it under the wings of the cherubim.

2 Chronicles 23:1

In the seventh year, Jehoiada gathered his courage and made an agreement with five military commanders: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri.

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