The Meaning of Joshua 3:13 Explained

Joshua 3:13

KJV: And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.

YLT: and it hath been, at the resting of the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of Jehovah, Lord of all the earth, in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan are cut off -- the waters which are coming down from above -- and they stand -- one heap.'

Darby: And it shall come to pass, when the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of Jehovah, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan, the waters flowing down from above, shall be cut off, and shall stand up in a heap.

ASV: And it shall come to pass, when the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of Jehovah, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, even the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand in one heap.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles  of the feet  of the priests  that bear  the ark  of the LORD,  the Lord  of all the earth,  shall rest  in the waters  of Jordan,  [that] the waters  of Jordan  shall be cut off  [from] the waters  that come down  from above;  and they shall stand  upon an  heap. 

What does Joshua 3:13 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 3:1-17 - The Jordan Safely Crossed
For three days the host faced that swollen river. It was enough to appall them, except that, like Abraham, they dared to behold it in the light of the divine promise. Every method was adopted to impress on them that the river was cleft by and for the Ark. The distance between the people and the advancing priests was purposely widened that there might be no doubt about the miracle. Whenever we step out on the unknown path, the Ark of the Covenant, which symbolizes Christ, precedes, Isaiah 52:12.
The waters far up the stream were arrested and formed themselves into a vast lake. The bed of the river became dry for miles. The priests stood still till all Israel was safely over. Not only the leaders and priests, but the rank and file. Each of the blood-bought is dear to God. They shall not come into judgment, John 5:24. [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 3

1  Joshua come to Jordan
2  The officers instruct the people for their passage
7  The Lord encourages Joshua
9  Joshua encourages the people
14  The water of Jordan are divided

What do the individual words in Joshua 3:13 mean?

And it shall come to pass as soon as shall rest the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of Yahweh the Lord of all the earth in the waters of the Jordan the waters of the Jordan [that] shall be cut off the waters that come down from upstream and they shall stand as heap a
וְהָיָ֡ה כְּנ֣וֹחַ כַּפּ֣וֹת רַגְלֵ֣י הַכֹּהֲנִ֡ים נֹשְׂאֵי֩ אֲר֨וֹן יְהוָ֜ה אֲד֤וֹן כָּל־ הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ בְּמֵ֣י הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן מֵ֤י הַיַּרְדֵּן֙ יִכָּ֣רֵת֔וּן הַמַּ֥יִם הַיֹּרְדִ֖ים מִלְמָ֑עְלָה וְיַעַמְד֖וּ נֵ֥ד אֶחָֽד

וְהָיָ֡ה  And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כְּנ֣וֹחַ  as  soon  as  shall  rest 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: נוּחַ 
Sense: to rest.
כַּפּ֣וֹת  the  soles 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: כַּף  
Sense: palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand.
רַגְלֵ֣י  of  the  feet 
Parse: Noun, fdc
Root: רֶגֶל  
Sense: foot.
הַכֹּהֲנִ֡ים  of  the  priests 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
נֹשְׂאֵי֩  who  bear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
אֲר֨וֹן  the  ark 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: אֲרֹון  
Sense: chest, ark.
יְהוָ֜ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֲד֤וֹן  the  Lord 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֲדֹנָי  
Sense: my lord, lord.
כָּל־  of  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָאָ֙רֶץ֙  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
בְּמֵ֣י  in  the  waters 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן  of  the  Jordan 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יַרְדֵּן  
Sense: the river of Palestine running from the roots of Anti-Lebanon to the Dead Sea a distance of approx 200 miles (320 km).
מֵ֤י  the  waters 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
הַיַּרְדֵּן֙  of  the  Jordan 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יַרְדֵּן  
Sense: the river of Palestine running from the roots of Anti-Lebanon to the Dead Sea a distance of approx 200 miles (320 km).
יִכָּ֣רֵת֔וּן  [that]  shall  be  cut  off 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
הַמַּ֥יִם  the  waters 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
הַיֹּרְדִ֖ים  that  come  down 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
מִלְמָ֑עְלָה  from  upstream 
Parse: Preposition-m, Preposition-l, Adverb, third person feminine singular
Root: מַעַל 
Sense: higher part, upper part adv.
וְיַעַמְד֖וּ  and  they  shall  stand 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
נֵ֥ד  as  heap 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֵד  
Sense: heap.