The Meaning of Joshua 6:12 Explained

Joshua 6:12

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

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

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

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Joshua 6:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 6:12-21 - Jericho Taken And "devoted"
"By faith the walls of Jericho fell down," Hebrews 11:30. Whose faith? To some extent it was the faith of the people, who marched round them day by day in full assurance that God would not fail. But Joshua and Caleb pre-eminently were deeply concerned in the wonderful result. See Mark 11:23-24.
To the citizens the action of the Israelite invaders must have appeared incomprehensible and even ludicrous. What do these feeble folk? But God's people were being daily trained in patience, obedience and humility. Let God perform all things for you! Many strongholds of the enemy which now remain obstinate would fall if only all the Church would encompass them in faith, 2 Corinthians 10:4.
The utter destruction of the city and its people was in keeping with the usage of that age. Without doubt the city might have been a prolific source of infection. Still, its fate was terrible. We learn that God can lift human ideals by very slow, protracted processes. [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 6

1  Jericho is shut up
2  God instructs Joshua how to beseige it
12  The city is composed
17  It is accursed
20  The walls fall down
22  Rahab is saved
26  The builder of Jericho is cursed

What do the individual words in Joshua 6:12 mean?

And rose early Joshua in the morning and took up the priests - the ark of Yahweh
וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֥ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ בַּבֹּ֑קֶר וַיִּשְׂא֥וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים אֶת־ אֲר֥וֹן יְהוָֽה

וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֥ם  And  rose  early 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁכַם  
Sense: to rise or start early.
יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ  Joshua 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹושֻׁעַ  
Sense: 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.
בַּבֹּ֑קֶר  in  the  morning 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּקֶר 
Sense: morning, break of day.
וַיִּשְׂא֥וּ  and  took  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים  the  priests 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
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.
אֲר֥וֹן  the  ark 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: אֲרֹון  
Sense: chest, ark.
יְהוָֽה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.