Tanach
Yehoshua 4 יהושע ד׳
Part of: Petuchah, Joshua 3:9Petuchah, Joshua 4:1Petuchah, Joshua 4:15Setumah, Joshua 4:4Setumah, Joshua 4:14
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וַֽיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר־תַּמּוּ כׇל־הַגּוֹי לַעֲבוֹר אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן {פ}
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ לֵאמֹֽר׃
And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over the Yarden, that the Lord spoke to Yehoshua saying,
And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over the Yarden, that the Lord spoke to Yehoshua saying,
קְחוּ לָכֶם מִן־הָעָם שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר אֲנָשִׁים אִישׁ־אֶחָד אִישׁ־אֶחָד מִשָּֽׁבֶט׃
Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
Rashi
וְצַוּוּ אוֹתָם לֵאמֹר שְׂאֽוּ־לָכֶם מִזֶּה מִתּוֹךְ הַיַּרְדֵּן מִמַּצַּב רַגְלֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים הָכִין שְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵה אֲבָנִים וְהַעֲבַרְתֶּם אוֹתָם עִמָּכֶם וְהִנַּחְתֶּם אוֹתָם בַּמָּלוֹן אֲשֶׁר־תָּלִינוּ בוֹ הַלָּֽיְלָה׃ {ס}
and command them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of the Yarden, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and you shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where you shall lodge this night.
and command them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of the Yarden, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and you shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where you shall lodge this night.
Rashi
והעברתם אותם עמכם. כמצות משה (דברים כז) לבנות להם מזבח בהר עבל ולכתוב עליהם את דברי התורה, ובו ביום באו אל הר עבל ובנו בהם את המזבח והעלו עולות ושלמים, ואכלו ושתו, וקפלו אותם ובאו ולנו בגלגל:
And cross them over with you. To fulfil the command of Moshe to build with them an Altar on Mt. Eivel, and to write upon them the words of Torah. On that same day they came to Mt. Eivel and built with them the Altar. They offered up burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, and they ate and drank. They then scraped the stones, and came and lodged in Gilgal.
וַיִּקְרָא יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֶל־שְׁנֵים הֶעָשָׂר אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר הֵכִין מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אִישׁ־אֶחָד אִישׁ־אֶחָד מִשָּֽׁבֶט׃
Then Yehoshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Yisra᾽el out of every tribe a man:
Then Yehoshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Yisra᾽el out of every tribe a man:
וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם יְהוֹשֻׁעַ עִבְרוּ לִפְנֵי אֲרוֹן יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֶל־תּוֹךְ הַיַּרְדֵּן וְהָרִימוּ לָכֶם אִישׁ אֶבֶן אַחַת עַל־שִׁכְמוֹ לְמִסְפַּר שִׁבְטֵי בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
and Yehoshua said to them, Pass over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Yarden, and take up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Yisra᾽el:
and Yehoshua said to them, Pass over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Yarden, and take up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Yisra᾽el:
Rashi
עברו לפני ארון וגו'. הכנסו עתה בירדן ועברו עד לפני הכהנים:
Pass before the Ark. Enter into the Jordan now and cross over until you are in front of the Kohanim.
לְמַעַן תִּֽהְיֶה זֹאת אוֹת בְּקִרְבְּכֶם כִּֽי־יִשְׁאָלוּן בְּנֵיכֶם מָחָר לֵאמֹר מָה הָֽאֲבָנִים הָאֵלֶּה לָכֶֽם׃
that this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean you by these stones?
that this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean you by these stones?
וַאֲמַרְתֶּם לָהֶם אֲשֶׁר נִכְרְתוּ מֵימֵי הַיַּרְדֵּן מִפְּנֵי אֲרוֹן בְּרִית־יְהֹוָה בְּעׇבְרוֹ בַּיַּרְדֵּן נִכְרְתוּ מֵי הַיַּרְדֵּן וְהָיוּ הָאֲבָנִים הָאֵלֶּה לְזִכָּרוֹן לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃
then you shall answer them, That the waters of the Yarden were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it passed over the Yarden, the waters of the Yarden were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Yisra᾽el forever.
then you shall answer them, That the waters of the Yarden were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it passed over the Yarden, the waters of the Yarden were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Yisra᾽el forever.
Rashi
והיו האבנים האלה. בגלגל לזכרון זה:
And these stones will be in Gilgal as a commemoration of this.
וַיַּעֲשׂוּ־כֵן בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיִּשְׂאוּ שְׁתֵּֽי־עֶשְׂרֵה אֲבָנִים מִתּוֹךְ הַיַּרְדֵּן כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהֹוָה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ לְמִסְפַּר שִׁבְטֵי בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּעֲבִרוּם עִמָּם אֶל־הַמָּלוֹן וַיַּנִּחוּם שָֽׁם׃
And the children of Yisra᾽el did as Yehoshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Yarden, as the Lord spoke to Yehoshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Yisra᾽el, and carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.
And the children of Yisra᾽el did as Yehoshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Yarden, as the Lord spoke to Yehoshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Yisra᾽el, and carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.
וּשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה אֲבָנִים הֵקִים יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַיַּרְדֵּן תַּחַת מַצַּב רַגְלֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים נֹשְׂאֵי אֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית וַיִּהְיוּ שָׁם עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
And Yehoshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Yarden, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there to this day.
And Yehoshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Yarden, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there to this day.
Rashi
ושתים עשרה אבנים. אחרות הקים יהושע בתוך הירדן:
Twelve stones. These were different stones2Obviously these were not the stones mentioned in the previous verse. that Yehoshua set up in the midst of the Jordan.
וְהַכֹּהֲנִים נֹשְׂאֵי הָֽאָרוֹן עֹמְדִים בְּתוֹךְ הַיַּרְדֵּן עַד תֹּם כׇּֽל־הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה יְהֹוָה אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ לְדַבֵּר אֶל־הָעָם כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה מֹשֶׁה אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיְמַהֲרוּ הָעָם וַיַּעֲבֹֽרוּ׃
For the priests who bore the ark stood in the midst of the Yarden, until every thing was finished that the Lord commanded Yehoshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moshe commanded Yehoshua: and the people hastened and passed over.
For the priests who bore the ark stood in the midst of the Yarden, until every thing was finished that the Lord commanded Yehoshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moshe commanded Yehoshua: and the people hastened and passed over.
Rashi
עד תום כל הדבר. כמו ששנינו במסכת סוטה (לד א) עודם בירדן אמר להם יהושע דעו למה אתם עוברים את הירדן, על מנת שתורישו את כל יושבי הארץ כו':
Until the the completion of everything. This is as we learn in Masches Sotah, 34a: While they were standing in the Jordan, Yehoshua said to them, “You must know the purpose for which you are crossing the Jordan. It is on the condition that you drive away all the inhabitants of the land.”
וַיְהִי כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־תַּם כׇּל־הָעָם לַעֲבוֹר וַיַּעֲבֹר אֲרוֹן־יְהֹוָה וְהַכֹּהֲנִים לִפְנֵי הָעָֽם׃
And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the Lord passed over, and the priests, before the people.
And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the Lord passed over, and the priests, before the people.
Rashi
ויהי כאשר תם כל העם לעבור ויעבר ארון וגו'. לא כדרך שעברו האחרים, אלא כמו שמפורש למטה בענין נתקו כפות רגלי הכהנים לאחוריהם אל החרבה, על השפה שנכנסו בה שהיו עומדים אצלה, וחזרו המים לאחוריהם לילך כתמול שלשום, נמצא ארון ונושאיו מצד זה, וכל ישראל מצד זה, נשא הארון את נושאיו ועבר:
And it was when all the people had finished crossing and the Ark crossed. The Ark did not cross as the others did, but in the manner explained below:3Verse 18. ‘The soles of the feet of the Kohanim were lifted and they were moved back to the dry land, on the bank from which they initially entered. They were standing next to it and the waters were returned to their course to flow as they did before. The result of all this was that the Ark and its bearers were on this side and all the Bnei Yisroel were on the other (lit. this) side. The Ark then lifted its bearers and crossed over.’
לפני העם. לעיני העם:
In the people’s presence. Before the eyes of the people.
וַיַּעַבְרוּ בְּנֵֽי־רְאוּבֵן וּבְנֵי־גָד וַחֲצִי שֵׁבֶט הַֽמְנַשֶּׁה חֲמֻשִׁים לִפְנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֲלֵיהֶם מֹשֶֽׁה׃
And the children of Re᾽uven, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Menashshe, passed over armed before the children of Yisra᾽el, as Moshe spoke to them:
And the children of Re᾽uven, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Menashshe, passed over armed before the children of Yisra᾽el, as Moshe spoke to them:
כְּאַרְבָּעִים אֶלֶף חֲלוּצֵי הַצָּבָא עָבְרוּ לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה לַמִּלְחָמָה אֶל עַֽרְבוֹת יְרִיחֽוֹ׃ {ס}
about forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the Lord to battle, to the plains of Yeriĥo.
about forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the Lord to battle, to the plains of Yeriĥo.
בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא גִּדַּל יְהֹוָה אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּעֵינֵי כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּֽרְאוּ אֹתוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר יָֽרְאוּ אֶת־מֹשֶׁה כׇּל־יְמֵי חַיָּֽיו׃ {פ}
On that day the Lord magnified Yehoshua in the sight of all Yisra᾽el; and they feared him, as they feared Moshe, all the days of his life.
On that day the Lord magnified Yehoshua in the sight of all Yisra᾽el; and they feared him, as they feared Moshe, all the days of his life.
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ לֵאמֹֽר׃
And the Lord spoke to Yehoshua, saying,
And the Lord spoke to Yehoshua, saying,
צַוֵּה אֶת־הַכֹּהֲנִים נֹשְׂאֵי אֲרוֹן הָעֵדוּת וְיַעֲלוּ מִן־הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃
Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of the Yarden.
Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of the Yarden.
Rashi
צוה את הכהנים. כאן פירש הכתוב את האמור למעלה, היאך עבר ארון ה' והכהנים לפני העם וגו':
Command the Kohanim. Here is where Scripture explains what was mentioned before4Verse 11. how the Ark of Adonoy and the Kohanim crossed in the people’s presence.
ויעלו מן הירדן. 'ויעברו' אין כתיב כאן, אלא 'ויעלו', למדנו שעל השפה שהיו עומדין אצלה עלו, ואי אפשר לומר שהיו עומדין אצל שפת הירדן שבמערב, שהרי נאמר למעלה (ג טו): נטבלו רגלי הכהנים בקצה המים, ושם נאמר ויעמדו הכהנים וכל ישראל עוברים:
Have them come up out of the Jordan. It is not written, ‘have them cross’ but rather ‘have them come up.’ From this we learn that from the bank upon which they were standing did they come up. And it is impossible to claim that they were standing beside the western bank of the Jordan, for it is said previously, ‘that the feet of the Kohanim were immersed in the edge of the water.’5Chapter 3:15. And there it is said, ‘And the Kohanim remained standing— and all the Bnei Yisroel crossed over.’6Ibid 16. Obviously since the Bnei Yisroel crossed the Jordan from East to West, and the Kohanim remained standing at the point of entrance, they were on the Eastern bank of the Jordan.
וַיְצַו יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֶת־הַכֹּהֲנִים לֵאמֹר עֲלוּ מִן־הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃
Yehoshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come up out of the Yarden.
Yehoshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come up out of the Yarden.
וַיְהִי (בעלות) [כַּעֲלוֹת] הַכֹּהֲנִים נֹשְׂאֵי אֲרוֹן בְּרִית־יְהֹוָה מִתּוֹךְ הַיַּרְדֵּן נִתְּקוּ כַּפּוֹת רַגְלֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים אֶל הֶחָרָבָה וַיָּשֻׁבוּ מֵֽי־הַיַּרְדֵּן לִמְקוֹמָם וַיֵּלְכוּ כִתְמוֹל־שִׁלְשׁוֹם עַל־כׇּל־גְּדוֹתָֽיו׃
And it came to pass, when the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord were come up out of the midst of the Yarden, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up to the dry land, that the waters of the Yarden returned to their place, and flowed over all its banks, as they did before.
And it came to pass, when the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord were come up out of the midst of the Yarden, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up to the dry land, that the waters of the Yarden returned to their place, and flowed over all its banks, as they did before.
Rashi
נתקו כפות רגלי הכהנים. מן המים אל החרבה שאצלם, וישובו המים למקומם, נמצא ארון מצד זה, וישראל מצד זה, נשא ארון את נושאיו ועבר ועל דבר זה נענש עוזא (שמואל ב ו ז) כשאחז בארון, נושאיו נשא, עצמו לא כל שכן:
The soles of the feet of the Kohanim were lifted. [They were lifted] from the water to the dry land next to them, and the water returned to their place. The result of this was that the Ark was on this [eastern] side and the Bnei Yisroel were on this [the western] side. Thus the Ark lifted its carriers and crossed over. It was regarding this that Uzzah was punished ‘when he took hold of the Ark,’7II Shmuel, VI: 6,7. for if the Ark carried its carriers, it certainly was able to carry itself.8Thus by taking hold of the Ark, Uzzah manifested his fear that the Ark was going to fall off the wagon.
וְהָעָם עָלוּ מִן־הַיַּרְדֵּן בֶּעָשׂוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן וַֽיַּחֲנוּ בַּגִּלְגָּל בִּקְצֵה מִזְרַח יְרִיחֽוֹ׃
And the people came up out of the Yarden on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, on the east border of Yeriĥo.
And the people came up out of the Yarden on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, on the east border of Yeriĥo.
וְאֵת שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה הָֽאֲבָנִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר לָקְחוּ מִן־הַיַּרְדֵּן הֵקִים יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּגִּלְגָּֽל׃
And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Yarden, did Yehoshua pitch in Gilgal.
And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Yarden, did Yehoshua pitch in Gilgal.
Rashi
הקים יהושע בגלגל. הוא המלון אשר לנו בו הלילה:
Yehoshua set up in Gilgal. This was the lodging place where they spent that night.
וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁאָלוּן בְּנֵיכֶם מָחָר אֶת־אֲבוֹתָם לֵאמֹר מָה הָאֲבָנִים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃
And he spoke to the children of Yisra᾽el, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?
And he spoke to the children of Yisra᾽el, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?
וְהוֹדַעְתֶּם אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶם לֵאמֹר בַּיַּבָּשָׁה עָבַר יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן הַזֶּֽה׃
Then you shall let your children know, saying, Yisra᾽el came over this Yarden on dry land.
Then you shall let your children know, saying, Yisra᾽el came over this Yarden on dry land.
אֲשֶׁר־הוֹבִישׁ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֶת־מֵי הַיַּרְדֵּן מִפְּנֵיכֶם עַֽד־עׇבְרְכֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם לְיַם־סוּף אֲשֶׁר־הוֹבִישׁ מִפָּנֵינוּ עַד־עׇבְרֵֽנוּ׃
For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Yarden from before you, until you were passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Sea of Suf, which he dried up before us, until we were gone over:
For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Yarden from before you, until you were passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Sea of Suf, which he dried up before us, until we were gone over:
לְמַעַן דַּעַת כׇּל־עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ אֶת־יַד יְהֹוָה כִּי חֲזָקָה הִיא לְמַעַן יְרָאתֶם אֶת־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם כׇּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃ {פ}
that all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty: that you might fear the Lord your God forever.
that all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty: that you might fear the Lord your God forever.
שנים עשר אנשים. הם שנזכרים למעלה להיות נכונים:
Twelve men. These were the men mentioned previously,1See Rashi 3:12. who were told to be prepared.