The Meaning of Joshua 4:23 Explained

Joshua 4:23

KJV: For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:

YLT: because Jehovah your God dried up the waters of the Jordan at your presence, till your passing over, as Jehovah your God did to the Red Sea which He dried up at our presence till our passing over;

Darby: because Jehovah your God dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you, until ye had passed over, as Jehovah your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we had passed over;

ASV: For Jehovah your God dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as Jehovah your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were passed over;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For the LORD  your God  dried up  the waters  of Jordan  from before  you, until ye were passed over,  as the LORD  your God  did  to the Red  sea,  which he dried up  from before  us, until we were gone over: 

What does Joshua 4:23 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 4:1-24 - The Memorial Stones
Twelve stones were brought up from the Jordan and erected in Gilgal. They gave fathers the opportunity of telling their children of the miraculous passage of the river. We, too, through our Lord, have passed through the waters of death on to resurrection-ground. Let the great deliverances of God wrought for our fatherland, as well as those wrought for us personally in Christ, be more frequent subjects of family-talk.
Twelve other stones were placed in the river-bed and would be visible when the waters were low. There was an ocular demonstration, therefore, that Israel was really once in these depths. We must not forget the Rock out of which we were hewn, Isaiah 51:1; 1 Corinthians 6:11. Let us never cease to magnify God's grace, Psalms 40:2.
The presence of the Ark alone restrained the piled-up waters. Thus Jesus stands between us and whatever would overwhelm us, especially sin and death, Hebrews 2:14. Do not, in rejecting Him, reject your only screen. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Joshua 4:23 mean?

For dried up Yahweh your God - the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over as did to the Sea Red which He dried up before us until we had crossed over
אֲשֶׁר־ הוֹבִישׁ֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֜ם אֶת־ מֵ֧י הַיַּרְדֵּ֛ן מִפְּנֵיכֶ֖ם עַֽד־ עָבְרְכֶ֑ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂה֩ לְיַם־ ס֛וּף אֲשֶׁר־ הוֹבִ֥ישׁ מִפָּנֵ֖ינוּ עַד־ עָבְרֵֽנוּ

הוֹבִישׁ֩  dried  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָבֵשׁ  
Sense: to make dry, wither, be dry, become dry, be dried up, be withered.
יְהוָ֨ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֜ם  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מֵ֧י  the  waters 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
הַיַּרְדֵּ֛ן  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).
מִפְּנֵיכֶ֖ם  before  you 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
עַֽד־  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
עָבְרְכֶ֑ם  you  had  crossed  over 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, second person masculine plural
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
לְיַם־  to  the  Sea 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יָם  
Sense: sea.
ס֛וּף  Red 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: סוּף  
Sense: reed, rush, water plant.
הוֹבִ֥ישׁ  He  dried  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָבֵשׁ  
Sense: to make dry, wither, be dry, become dry, be dried up, be withered.
מִפָּנֵ֖ינוּ  before  us 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
עַד־  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
עָבְרֵֽנוּ  we  had  crossed  over 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, first person common plural
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.