Joshua 4:12
New International Version
The men of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over, ready for battle, in front of the Israelites, as Moses had directed them.

New Living Translation
The armed warriors from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh led the Israelites across the Jordan, just as Moses had directed.

English Standard Version
The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh passed over armed before the people of Israel, as Moses had told them.

Berean Standard Bible
The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over before the Israelites, armed for battle as Moses had instructed them.

King James Bible
And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spake unto them:

New King James Version
And the men of Reuben, the men of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses had spoken to them.

New American Standard Bible
The sons of Reuben, the sons of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over in battle formation before the sons of Israel, just as Moses had spoken to them;

NASB 1995
The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over in battle array before the sons of Israel, just as Moses had spoken to them;

NASB 1977
And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over in battle array before the sons of Israel, just as Moses had spoken to them;

Legacy Standard Bible
And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over in battle array before the sons of Israel, just as Moses had spoken to them;

Amplified Bible
The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed for battle before the [other] sons of Israel, just as Moses had spoken to them;

Christian Standard Bible
The Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh went in battle formation in front of the Israelites, as Moses had instructed them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh went in battle formation in front of the Israelites, as Moses had instructed them.

American Standard Version
And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spake unto them:

English Revised Version
And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spake unto them:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The men of Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh did as Moses had told them. They marched across in battle formation ahead of the people of Israel.

Good News Translation
The men of the tribes of Reuben and Gad and of half the tribe of Manasseh, ready for battle, crossed ahead of the rest of the people, as Moses had told them to do.

International Standard Version
Just as Moses had directed, the descendants of Reuben, the descendants of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over, dressed in battle regalia, in full view of the other Israelis.

Majority Standard Bible
The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over before the Israelites, armed for battle as Moses had instructed them.

NET Bible
The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed for battle ahead of the Israelites, just as Moses had instructed them.

New Heart English Bible
The people of Reuben, and the people of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spoke to them.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses directed them:

World English Bible
The children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spoke to them.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh, pass over, by fifties, before the sons of Israel, as Moses had spoken to them;

Young's Literal Translation
and the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh, pass over, by fifties, before the sons of Israel, as Moses had spoken unto them;

Smith's Literal Translation
And the sons of Reuben will pass through, and the sons of Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh, brave in battle, before the sons of Israel, as Moses spake to them.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The children of Ruben also and Gad, and half the tribe of Manasses, went armed before the children of Israel as Moses had commanded them.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Likewise, the sons of Reuben, and of Gad, and of the one half tribe of Manasseh advanced with weapons before the sons of Israel, just as Moses had instructed them.

New American Bible
The Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh, armed, marched in the vanguard of the Israelites, as Moses had ordered.

New Revised Standard Version
The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed before the Israelites, as Moses had ordered them.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses had told them;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the children of Rubil crossed over and the children of Gad and the half of the tribe of Menasheh, while they were armed before the children of Israel, just as Moshe said to them
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, passed on armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spoke unto them;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the sons of Ruben, and the sons of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasse passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses commanded them.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Twelve Stones from the Jordan
11and after everyone had finished crossing, the priests with the ark of the LORD crossed in the sight of the people. 12The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over before the Israelites, armed for battle as Moses had instructed them. 13About 40,000 troops armed for battle crossed over before the LORD into the plains of Jericho.…

Cross References
Numbers 32:20-22
Moses replied, “If you will do this—if you will arm yourselves before the LORD for battle, / and if every one of your armed men crosses the Jordan before the LORD, until He has driven His enemies out before Him, / then when the land is subdued before the LORD, you may return and be free of obligation to the LORD and to Israel. And this land will belong to you as a possession before the LORD.

Deuteronomy 3:18-20
At that time I commanded you: “The LORD your God has given you this land to possess. All your men of valor are to cross over, armed for battle, ahead of your brothers, the Israelites. / But your wives, your children, and your livestock—I know that you have much livestock—may remain in the cities I have given you, / until the LORD gives rest to your brothers as He has to you, and they too have taken possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving them across the Jordan. Then each of you may return to the possession I have given you.”

Numbers 32:28-30
So Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua son of Nun, and to the family leaders of the tribes of Israel. / And Moses said to them, “If the Gadites and Reubenites cross the Jordan with you, with every man armed for battle before the LORD, and the land is subdued before you, then you are to give them the land of Gilead as a possession. / But if they do not arm themselves and go across with you, then they must accept their possession among you in the land of Canaan.”

Joshua 1:12-15
But to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said, / “Remember what Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you when he said, ‘The LORD your God will give you rest, and He will give you this land.’ / Your wives, your young children, and your livestock may remain in the land that Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But all your mighty men of valor must be armed for battle to cross over ahead of your brothers and help them, ...

1 Chronicles 5:18-22
The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 warriors—valiant men who carried the shield and sword, drew the bow, and were trained for battle. / They waged war against the Hagrites, as well as Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. / And because they cried out to God in battle, they were helped against their enemies, and the Hagrites and all their allies were delivered into their hands. Because they put their trust in God, He answered their prayers. ...

Numbers 32:16-19
Then the Gadites and Reubenites approached Moses and said, “We want to build sheepfolds here for our livestock and cities for our little ones. / But we will arm ourselves and be ready to go ahead of the Israelites until we have brought them into their place. Meanwhile, our little ones will remain in the fortified cities for protection from the inhabitants of the land. / We will not return to our homes until every Israelite has taken possession of his inheritance. ...

Judges 5:14-18
Some came from Ephraim, with their roots in Amalek; Benjamin came with your people after you. The commanders came down from Machir, the bearers of the marshal’s staff from Zebulun. / The princes of Issachar were with Deborah, and Issachar was with Barak, rushing into the valley at his heels. In the clans of Reuben there was great indecision. / Why did you sit among the sheepfolds to hear the whistling for the flocks? In the clans of Reuben there was great indecision. ...

1 Chronicles 12:37-38
And from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh there: 120,000 armed with every kind of weapon of war. / All these men of war, arrayed for battle, came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel. And all the rest of the Israelites were of one mind to make David king.

Numbers 32:6-7
But Moses asked the Gadites and Reubenites, “Shall your brothers go to war while you sit here? / Why are you discouraging the Israelites from crossing into the land that the LORD has given them?

Numbers 32:25-27
The Gadites and Reubenites said to Moses, “Your servants will do just as our lord commands. / Our children, our wives, our livestock, and all our animals will remain here in the cities of Gilead. / But your servants are equipped for war, and every man will cross over to the battle before the LORD, just as our lord says.”

Hebrews 11:32-34
And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, / who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, / quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the sword; who gained strength from weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.

1 Corinthians 10:1-4
I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud, and that they all passed through the sea. / They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. / They all ate the same spiritual food ...

Hebrews 4:8-10
For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. / There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God. / For whoever enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His.

Galatians 6:2
Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Philippians 2:25-30
But I thought it necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my needs. / For he has been longing for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. / He was sick indeed, nearly unto death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. ...


Treasury of Scripture

And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spoke to them:

the children

Joshua 1:14
Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them;

Numbers 32:20-32
And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the LORD to war, …

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Armed Array Battle Bidden Children Crossed Directed Half Half-Tribe Israel Manasseh Manas'seh Moses Passed Reuben Tribe
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Armed Array Battle Bidden Children Crossed Directed Half Half-Tribe Israel Manasseh Manas'seh Moses Passed Reuben Tribe
Joshua 4
1. Twelve men are appointed to take twelve memorial stones from Jordan
9. Twelve other stones are set up in the midst of Jordan
10. The people pass over
14. God magnifies Joshua
15. The priests commanded to come out of Jordan
20. The twelve stones are pitched in Gilgal














The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh
This phrase identifies the specific tribes of Israel that are being discussed in this passage. The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh were part of the twelve tribes of Israel, descendants of Jacob's sons. Historically, these tribes had chosen to settle on the eastern side of the Jordan River, in the land of Gilead, which was rich and suitable for their large flocks and herds. This decision is recorded in Numbers 32, where they request to remain in the land they had already conquered, rather than crossing the Jordan into Canaan. Their choice reflects a practical decision based on their immediate needs, but it also required a commitment to support their fellow Israelites in the conquest of the Promised Land. This highlights the importance of unity and collective responsibility within the community of God's people.

had crossed over
The phrase "had crossed over" refers to the physical act of moving from one side of the Jordan River to the other. In the Hebrew context, the word used here is "עָבַר" (avar), which means to pass over, to go through, or to traverse. This crossing is not just a geographical movement but a significant spiritual and covenantal act. It symbolizes a transition from the wilderness wanderings to entering the Promised Land, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The crossing over is a testament to God's faithfulness and the obedience of the tribes to His command. It serves as a reminder that faith often requires action and stepping into the unknown, trusting in God's provision and guidance.

armed
The term "armed" indicates that these tribes were prepared for battle. In the Hebrew, the word used is "חֲלוּץ" (chalutz), which means equipped or ready for war. This preparation underscores the reality that entering the Promised Land involved not just spiritual readiness but also physical preparedness to face the challenges ahead. It reflects the biblical principle that while God fights for His people, they are also called to be active participants in His plans. The image of being armed also serves as a metaphor for spiritual readiness, reminding believers to put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) as they face spiritual battles in their own lives.

in front of the Israelites
This phrase indicates the position of the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh as they crossed the Jordan. Being "in front of the Israelites" suggests a leadership role, setting an example of courage and commitment. It highlights the importance of leading by example and the responsibility of those who are strong in faith to encourage and support others. Historically, this positioning also served a strategic military purpose, as these tribes were experienced warriors who could provide protection and strength to the rest of the Israelites. Spiritually, it reminds believers of the call to be leaders in faith, guiding others towards God's promises with courage and integrity.

Verse 12. - Armed (see Joshua 1:14). Before the children of Israel. Not necessarily "in front of," but "in the sight of," as in Numbers 8:22. The Israelites were witnesses of the fulfilment of the pledge given them by their brethren. But the usual place of these tribes was not with the vanguard. See last verse, whine the same words are translated "in the presence of."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The Reubenites,
בְּנֵי־ (bə·nê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

the Gadites,
וּבְנֵי־ (ū·ḇə·nê-)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

and the half-tribe
וַחֲצִ֨י (wa·ḥă·ṣî)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2677: The half, middle

of Manasseh
הַֽמְנַשֶּׁה֙ (ham·naš·šeh)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4519: Manasseh -- 'causing to forget', a son of Joseph, also a king of Judah, also two Israelites

crossed over
וַ֠יַּעַבְרוּ (way·ya·‘aḇ·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on

before
לִפְנֵ֖י (lip̄·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

the Israelites,
בְּנֵ֣י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

armed for battle
חֲמֻשִׁ֔ים (ḥă·mu·šîm)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural
Strong's 2571: Staunch, able-bodied soldiers

as
כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר (ka·’ă·šer)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

Moses
מֹשֶֽׁה׃ (mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver

had instructed them.
דִּבֶּ֥ר (dib·ber)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue


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OT History: Joshua 4:12 The children of Reuben and the children (Josh. Jos)
Joshua 4:11
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