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Joshua 6:12 — Word Study

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WLCוַיַּשְׁכֵּ֥ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ בַּבֹּ֑קֶר וַיִּשְׂא֥וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים אֶת־ אֲר֥וֹן יְהוָֽה׃

BSAJoshuaYᵉhôwshûwaʻ [the leader] got up earlyshâkam [rose before day, at the break of day] the next morningbôqer [the time of new beginnings] and the priestskôhên [the spiritual leaders, Levites] tooknâsâʼ [lifted, bore] the arkʼârôwn [the sacred chest, box of the covenant] of the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah]

Word
Listen & take awayJoshua 6
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 12 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (Yah.weh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Joshua 6:12quick helps
In a sentenceJoshua rises early to lead the priests as they carry the ark of the LORD.
Who is speakingJoshua, the leader of the Israelites.
Where we areThe context is the preparation for the conquest of Jericho.
The hard wordיַּשְׁכֵּ֥ם
Take awayThe act of rising early signifies readiness and dedication.
3 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectיְהֹושֻׁעַ verbשָׁכַם The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Joshua 6:12

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Conquest of Jerichogenerated

11So he had the ark of the LORD carried around the city, circling it once. And the people returned to the camp and spent the night there.
12Joshua got up early the next morning, and the priests took the ark of the LORD.
13And the seven priests carrying seven rams’ horns kept marching ahead of the ark of the LORD and blowing the horns. The armed troops went in front of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the LORD, while the horns kept sounding.
14So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

Joshua 6:12 describes the moment when Joshua, having already strategized the approach to Jericho, rises early to fulfill God's command. This verse highlights the importance of obedience and leadership as the Israelites prepare to carry the ark of the LORD around the city, a significant act in their conquest of Canaan.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Joshua 3:1Early the next morning Joshua got up and left Shittim with all the Israelites. They went as far as the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over.
2Genesis 22:3So Abraham got up early the next morning, saddled his donkey, and took along two of his servants and his son Isaac. He split the wood for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had designated.
3Joshua 6:6–8So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said, “Take up the ark of the covenant and have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark of the LORD.”
4Deuteronomy 31:25he gave this command to the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD:
5John 2:5–8His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word יַּשְׁכֵּ֥ם, vai.yash.Kemgenerated

The verb שָׁכַם (shakam) means to rise or start early. It is a denominative form derived from a root meaning to incline or load up, indicating a sense of readiness. The parsing as a Hiphil form suggests an intentional action of rising early, emphasizing Joshua's commitment to his duties.

In this verse, Joshua's early rising signifies his leadership and dedication to God's commands. The act of getting up early is often associated with preparation and the beginning of significant events, underscoring the importance of being proactive in fulfilling divine instructions.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

All translations agree on the essential meaning of the verse.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb יַּשְׁכֵּ֥ם (he rose early) governs the main clause, with two phrases following: a prepositional phrase indicating the time of day and a noun phrase describing the subject. The structure emphasizes Joshua's action as the starting point of the events that follow.

The second verb יִּשְׂא֥וּ (they lifted) introduces the action of the priests, creating a connection between Joshua's leadership and the subsequent actions of the priests.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יַּשְׁכֵּ֥ם as ἀνέστη (anestē), meaning 'he arose.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, emphasizing the act of rising.

The translation reflects a straightforward rendering without significant interpretive shifts, maintaining the focus on Joshua's early rising.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Joshua 6:12 tells us that Joshua got up early the next morning, showing his readiness to lead. The priests then took the ark of the LORD, an important act in their preparation for the battle of Jericho.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Why did Joshua get up early?

Joshua rose early to prepare for the significant task of leading the Israelites in the conquest of Jericho.

What does the ark of the LORD represent?

The ark of the LORD represents God's presence among His people and the covenant between God and Israel.

How does this verse reflect Joshua's leadership?

This verse shows Joshua's commitment and diligence as a leader, prioritizing obedience to God's commands.

What can we learn from Joshua's actions?

Joshua's early rising teaches the importance of preparation and dedication in fulfilling responsibilities.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How can I demonstrate commitment and readiness in my own responsibilities?
  2. What does it mean to me that Joshua rose early to fulfill God's command?
  3. In what areas of my life do I need to be more proactive like Joshua?
  4. How can I better recognize and honor God's presence in my daily actions?

Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Joshua 6:12 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Joshua rose early in the morning,.... Of the second day; to take care of, direct, and prepare everything for another procession on that day; so active and diligent was he to do the will and work

Read John Gill on Joshua 6 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. Joshua rose early in the morning. The second day's procession seems to have taken place in the morning.

Read Robert Jamieson on Joshua 6 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Joshua 6:12 And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.Ver. 12. And Joshua rose early in the morning.] A little sleep served his turn: - “Oυχρηπαννυχιονευδεινβουληφορονανδρα” - Homer

Read John Trapp on Joshua 6 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Joshua got up early the next morning, and the priests took the ark of the LORD.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up Yahweh’s ark.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Joshua got up early the next morning, and the priests took the ark of the LORD.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Bright and early the next morning Joshua had the priests pick up the ark of the Lord.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of Jehovah.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And Ioshua rose early in the morning, and the Priestes bare the Arke of the Lord:

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests carried the ark of Jehovah.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And Joshua riseth early in the morning, and the priests bear the ark of Jehovah,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And Joshua rises early in the morning, and the priests carry the Ark of YHWH,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Then Joshua got up early in the morning, and the priests picked up the ark of Yahweh.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And Josue rising before day, the priests took the ark of the Lord,

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Joshua got up early in the morning, and the priests picked up the Ark of the Lord.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And early in the morning Joshua got up, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וַandclauseverbיַּשְׁכֵּ֥םhe.rose.earlysubjectיְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַJoshuaprepositional phrase · prepositionalבַּinnoun phrasetheבֹּ֑קֶרmorningוַandclauseverbיִּשְׂא֥וּthey.liftednoun phrase · subjectהַtheכֹּהֲנִ֖יםpriestsnoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseאֲר֥וֹןthe.arkיְהוָֽהof.Yahweh

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording for this verse, with 7 of the 8 words matched. The Septuagint's word order and articles differ, but the essential elements remain consistent.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֥ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ בַּבֹּ֑קֶר וַיִּשְׂא֥וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים אֶת־ אֲר֥וֹן יְהוָֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֥םἀνέστηיְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַἰησοῦςבַּבֹּ֑קֶרπρωίוַיִּשְׂא֥וּἦρανהַכֹּהֲנִ֖יםἱερεῖςאֲר֥וֹןκιβωτὸνיְהוָֽה׃κυρίου

7 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Joshua 6:12שָׁכַםand he roseand he rose earשָׁכַםיְהוֹשׁוּעַJoshuaJoshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַבֹּ֫קֶרin the mornin the morningבֹּ֫קֶרנָשָׂאand they liand they liftedנָשָׂאכֹּהֵןthe prieststhe priestsכֹּהֵןאֵתthe object the object markאֵתאֲרוֹן[the] ark o[the] ark ofאֲרוֹןיהוהYahwehYahwehיהוהשְׁכֶםshouldershoulderשְׁכֶםיהוהThe LordThe Lordיהוהבָּקַרto enquireto enquireבָּקַראוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתאָרָהto pluckto pluckאָרָההָיָהto beto beהָיָהאֵבfruitfruitאֵבאָבַדto perishto perishאָבַדכָּהַןto ministeto ministerכָּהַןבֹּ֫קֶרmorningmorningבֹּ֫קֶרמָחֳרָתmorrowmorrowמָחֳרָתנוּןNunNunנוּןיְהוֹצָדָקJehozadakJehozadakיְהוֹצָדָקשָׁכַםto riseto riseשָׁכַםעֶ֫רֶבeveningeveningעֶ֫רֶבכְּלִמָּהshameshameכְּלִמָּהמָשָׁלproverbproverbמָשָׁלאֶלְעָזָרEleazarEleazarאֶלְעָזָר
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Joshua 6:12

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and he rose early Joshua in the morning and they lifted the priests the object marker [the] ark of Yahweh
וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֥םvai.yash.Kem and he rose early H7925 Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
65× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to rise or start early, like loading up a burden. It is used in Genesis to describe early morning activities.
Amplified meaning
rose before day, at the break of day
Tyndale gloss
to rise
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁכַם (shakam) is a verb that means to rise or start early. It is a denominative form derived from a root meaning to incline or load up. The entries indicate its use primarily in the Hiphil form, suggesting actions like getting up early or making an early start.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁכַם] 65 vb. Hiph. denom. start, rise, early

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7925 שָׁכַם vb. Hiph. denom. start, rise, early

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7925 shakam shaw-kam'

a primitive root; properly, to incline (the shoulder to a

burden); but used only as denominative from 7926; literally,

to load up (on the back of man or beast), i.e. to start early

in the morning:--(arise, be up, get (oneself) up, rise up)

early (betimes), morning.

see HEBREW for 07926

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁכַם (sha.kham) — to rise.

1) to rise or start early

1a) (Hiphil)

1a1) to rise early, make an early start

1a2) early (as adverb)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vhw3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ur'-li (orthros, and related words; proi):

The word generally refers to the day, and means the hour of dawn or soon after (Ge 19:2; 2Ch 36:15; Ho 6:4; Lu 24:22). Sometimes it refers to the beginning of the season, eg. the early rain (Ps 84:6; Jas 5:7; see RAIN). It may also have the sense of "speedily" (Ps 46:5). The early morning is frequently commended as the hour for prayer. See examples of Jesus (Mr 1:35; Lu…

and he rose early Joshua in the morning and they lifted the priests the object marker [the] ark of Yahweh
יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַye.ho.Shu.a' Joshua H3091 Noun proper masculine
218× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Joshua was a leader in the Bible, first mentioned in Ezra 2:2, who helped the Israelites return from exile. His name means Jehovah is salvation, and he is also known as Jeshua in some parts of the Bible. He was a key figure in the conquest of Canaan.
Amplified meaning
the leader
Tyndale gloss
Joshua
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יְהוֹשׁוּעַ (*Yhowshuwa`*) refers to Joshua, the successor of Moses and leader of the Israelites. It encompasses various figures, including a resident of Beth-shemesh, a high priest after the restoration, and a governor of Jerusalem under Josiah. The name means 'Jehovah is salvation' and appears in different contexts throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יְהוֹשׁוּעַ, יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, and (later) יֵשׁוּעַ, n.pr.m. (& loc., v. 9 infr.) (י׳ is salvation or י׳ is opulence)

Moses’ successor, son of Nun

a Bethshemite

h.p. after the restoration, son of Jehozadak

governor of Jerusalem under Josiah

head of one of the classes of priests

a Levitical family-name of frequent occurrence

father of a builder at the wall

a Judaite family-name

n.pr.loc. in south of Judah

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3091 יְהוֹשׁוּעַ, יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, and (later) יֵשׁוּעַ . Moses’ successor, son of Nun

. a Bethshemite

. h. p. after the restoration, son of Jehozadak

. governor of Jerusalem under Josiah

. head of one of the classes of priests

. a Levitical family-name of frequent occurrence

. father of a builder at the wall

. a Judaite family-name

. n. pr. loc. in south of Judah

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3091 Yhowshuwa` yeh-ho-shoo'-ah

or Yhowshua {yeh-ho-shoo'-ah}; from 3068 and 3467;

Jehovah-saved; Jehoshua (i.e. Joshua), the Jewish

leader:--Jehoshua, Jehoshuah, Joshua. Compare 1954, 3442.

see HEBREW for 03068

see HEBREW for 03467

see HEBREW for 01954

see HEBREW for 03442

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהוֹשׁוּעַ (ye.ho.shu.a) — Joshua.

A man of the tribe of Ephraim living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness and Israel before the Monarchy, first mentioned at Exo.17.9;

son of: Nun (H5126); also called Hoshea (KJV: Oshea) at Num.13.8; Jeshua at Neh.8.17;

§ Joshua or Jehoshua = "Jehovah is salvation"

1) son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan

2) a resident of Beth-shemesh on whose land the Ark of the Covenant came to a stop after the Philistines returned it

3) son of Jehozadak and high priest after the restoration

4) governor of Jerusalem under king Josiah who gave his name to a gate of the city of Jerusalem

יְהוֹשׁוּעַ (ye.ho.shu.a) — Joshua.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.6.14

§ Joshua or Jehoshua = "Jehovah is salvation"

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Joshua

Jehovah is his help, or Jehovah the Saviour. The son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim, the successor of Moses as the leader of Israel. He is called Jehoshua in Num. 13:16 (A.V.), and Jesus in Acts 7:45 and Heb. 4:8 (R.V., Joshua).

He was born in Egypt, and was probably of the age of Caleb, with whom he is generally associated. He shared in all the events of the Exodus, and held the place of commander of the host of the Israelites at their great battle against the Amalekites in Rephidim (Ex. 17:8-16). He became Moses’ minister or servant, and accompanied him part of the way when he ascended Mount Sinai to receive the two tables (

(saviour, or whose help is Jehovah). His name appears in the various forms of HOSHEAHOSHEA, OSHEA, JEHOSHUA, JESHUA and JESUS. The son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim. (1 Chronicles 7:27) (B.C. 1530-1420.) He was nearly forty years old when he shared in the hurried triumph of the exodus. He is mentioned first in connection with the fight against Amalek at Rephidim, when he was chosen by Moses to lead the Israelites. (Exodus 17:9) Soon afterward he was one of the twelve chiefs who were sent, (Numbers 13:17) to explore the land of Canaan, and one of the two, ch. (Numbers 14:6) who gave an encouraging report of their journey. Moses, shortly before his death, was directed, (

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. The son of Nun, a distinguished leader of the Hebrews, and the successor of Moses. His name at first was Oshea, Nu 13:8,16; and in the New Testament he is called Jesus, Ac 7:45 Heb 4:8. Both the names, Joshua and Jesus, signify savior, deliverer. See JESUS. Joshua led Israel over the Jordan, and took possession of the promised land; he conquered the Canaanites, and then distributed the country among the tribes. He is first mentioned as the leader of Israel against the Amalekites at Rephidim,

Ex 17:8-16. See also Nu 14:6. At the passage over Jordan he was eighty-four years of age; and after about twenty-six years employed…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

a savior; a deliverer

and he rose early Joshua in the morning and they lifted the priests the object marker [the] ark of Yahweh
בַּבֹּ֑קֶרba.Bo.ker in the morning H1242 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
214× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The break of day or morning, a time of new beginnings, as in the morning sacrifices in Exodus 29:39 or the resurrection of Jesus on the first day of the week in John 20:1.
Amplified meaning
the time of new beginnings
Tyndale gloss
morning
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֹּ֫קֶר (boqer) means 'morning' and is derived from the root word for 'dawn.' It encompasses the time of day when light begins to appear, marking the end of night and the start of a new day. The term can also refer to the next day or morning after a specific point in time. It is associated with brightness and joy following periods of distress.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֹּ֫קֶר 214 n.m. morning

morning (of point of time, time at which, never during which, Eng. morning = forenoon

morrow, next day

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1242 בֹּ֫קֶר morning . morning (of point of time, time at which, never during which, Eng. morning = forenoon

. morrow, next day

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1242 boqer bo'-ker

from 1239; properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally,

morning:--(+) day, early, morning, morrow.

see HEBREW for 01239

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֹּ֫קֶר (bo.qer) — morning.

1) morning, break of day

1a) morning

1a1) of end of night

1a2) of coming of daylight

1a3) of coming of sunrise

1a4) of beginning of day

1a5) of bright joy after night of distress (fig.)

1b) morrow, next day, next morning

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HRd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

mor'-ning: There are several Hebrew and Greek words which are rendered "morning," the most common in Hebrew being boqer, which occurs 180 times. It properly means "the breaking forth of the light," "the dawn," as in Ge 19:27; Jud 19:8,25,27. Another word with the same meaning is shachar (Ge 19:15; Ne 4:21; Isa 58:8). mishchar ("womb of the morning," Ps 110:3) is a poetical term derived from. the same root. See HIND OF THE MORNING. noghah, naghha' (Da 6:19 (Hebrew 20)), mean "brightness." hashkem, comes from…

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- The second part of the day at the creation

Ge 1:5,8,13,19,23,31

- The first part of the natural day

Mr 16:2

- Ordained by God

Job 38:12

- Began with first dawn

Jos 6:15; Ps 119:147

- Continued until noon

1Ki 18:26; Ne 8:3

- First dawning of, called the eyelids of the morning

Job 3:9; 41:18

- The outgoings of, made to rejoice

Ps 65:8

- THE JEWS

. Generally rose early in

and he rose early Joshua in the morning and they lifted the priests the object marker [the] ark of Yahweh
וַיִּשְׂא֥וּvai.yis.'U and they lifted H5375 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
656× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to lift or raise something, and it's used in many ways, like lifting a burden or raising someone's status. It appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah, often talking about God lifting people up. It's about supporting or carrying something or someone.
Amplified meaning
lifted, bore
Tyndale gloss
to lift: raise
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word נָשָׂא (nasa') means to lift, carry, or take, encompassing a wide range of applications both literal and figurative. It can refer to actions like bearing burdens, taking away, or being exalted. The entries indicate various forms and uses, including the ability to lift oneself up or cause others to bear iniquity. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָשָׂא 656 vb. lift, carry, take

Qal

lift, lift up

Bear, carry

Take, take away

Niph.

be lifted up

refl. lift oneself up = rise up, of י׳, to display power in judgment

be borne, carried

be taken away, carried off

Pi.

lift up = exalt

fig. = desire, long

carry, bear continuously

take, take away

Hithp. lift oneself up

Hiph.

cause one to bear iniquity

appar. cause to bring, have brought

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5375 נָשָׂא lift, carry, take .. lift, lift up

. Bear, carry

. Take, take away

. . be lifted up

. refl. lift oneself up = rise up, of י׳, to display power in judgment

. be borne, carried

. be taken away, carried off

. . lift up = exalt

. fig. = desire, long

. carry, bear continuously

. take, take away

. lift oneself up

. . cause one to bear iniquity

. appar. cause to bring, have brought

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5375 nasa' naw-saw'

or nacah (Psalm 4 : 6 (7)) {naw-saw'}; a primitive root; to

lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and

figurative, absol. and rel. (as follows):--accept, advance,

arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring

(forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease,

exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further,

give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable (+ man), lade,

lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, X needs, obtain,

pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare,

stir up, + swear, take (away, up), X utterly, wear, yield.

see HEBREW for 04

see HEBREW for 06

see HEBREW for 07

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָשָׂא (na.sa) — to lift: raise.

: raise/take_up

1) to lift, bear up, carry, take

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lift, lift up

1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure

1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted

1b2) to lift oneself up, rise up

1b3) to be borne, be carried

1b4) to be taken away, be carried off, be swept away

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to lift up, exalt, support, aid, assist

1c2) to desire, long (fig.)

1c3) to carry, bear continuously

1c4) to take, take away

1d) (Hithpael) to lift oneself up, exalt oneself

1e) (Hiphil)

1e1) to cause one to bear (iniquity)

1e2) to cause to bring, have brought

נָשָׂא (na.sa) — to lift: bear.

: look/lift(eyes)

1) to lift, bear up, carry, take

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to lift, lift up

1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure

1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
and he rose early Joshua in the morning and they lifted the priests the object marker [the] ark of Yahweh
הַכֹּהֲנִ֖יםha.ko.ha.Nim the priests H3548 Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
750× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, a priest is a person who serves God and leads others in worship, like the Levitical priests in Exodus. They were responsible for making sacrifices and following God's laws. This term is also used to describe Jesus as a priest-king.
Amplified meaning
the spiritual leaders, Levites
Tyndale gloss
priest
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּהֵן (kohen) means 'priest' and is derived from the active participle of a related root. It encompasses various types of priests, including Levitical, Aaronic, and even pagan priests, as well as chief rulers or principal officers. The term is used in contexts referring to both Jewish and non-Jewish priestly roles.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּהֵן 750 n.m. priest

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3548 כֹּהֵן priest

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3548 kohen ko-hane'

active participle of 3547; literally, one officiating, a

priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a

layman):--chief ruler, X own, priest, prince, principal

officer.

see HEBREW for 03547

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּהֵן (ko.hen) — priest.

1) priest, principal officer or chief ruler

1a) priest-king (Melchizedek, Messiah)

1b) pagan priests

1c) priests of Jehovah

1d) Levitical priests

1e) Zadokite priests

1f) Aaronic priests

1g) the high priest

Aramaic equivalent: ka.hen (כָּהֵן "priest" H3549)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-mp — Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
HTd/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- First notice of persons acting as

Ge 4:3,4

- During patriarchal age heads of families acted as

Ge 8:20; 12:8; 35:7

- After the exodus young men (first-born) deputed to act as

Ex 24:5; 19:22

- The sons of Aaron appointed as, by perpetual statute

Ex 29:9; 40:15

- All except seed of Aaron excluded from being

Nu 3:10; 16:40; 18:7

- Sanctified by God for the office

Ex 29:44

- Publicly consecrated

Ex 28:3; Nu 3:3

- CEREMONIES AT CONSECRATION OF

. Washing in water

and he rose early Joshua in the morning and they lifted the priests the object marker [the] ark of Yahweh
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he rose early Joshua in the morning and they lifted the priests the object marker [the] ark of Yahweh
אֲר֥וֹן'a.Ron [the] ark of H727 Noun common · masculine singular construct
202× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for a box or chest, like the Ark of the Covenant in Exodus 25:10-22. It can also mean a money chest or a coffin. In the Bible, it appears in stories about the Israelites and their sacred objects.
Amplified meaning
the sacred chest, box of the covenant
Tyndale gloss
ark
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֲרוֹן, transliterated as arown, means 'chest' or 'ark.' It can refer to various types of containers, including a money chest, the Ark of the Covenant, and even a coffin. The word is built from the root meaning 'gathering' and is used in contexts related to sacred and practical storage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲרוֹן, c. art. הָאָרוֹן, הָאָרֹן 203 n.m. chest, ark

chest, for money-offerings

sarcophagus, mummy-case

chest, ark in tabernacle & temple

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H727 אֲרוֹן, c. art. הָאָרוֹן, הָאָרֹן chest, ark

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

727 'arown aw-rone'

or laron {aw-rone'}; from 717 (in the sense of gathering); a

box:--ark, chest, coffin.

see HEBREW for 0717

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲרוֹן (a.ron) — ark.

1) chest, ark

1a) money chest

1b) Ark of the Covenant

2)(TWOT) coffin

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and he rose early Joshua in the morning and they lifted the priests the object marker [the] ark of Yahweh
יְהוָֽה׃Yah.weh Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish

national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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