Deuteronomy 3:24
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Moses isn't just marveling at God's past power; he's looking at what God has begun and expressing a deep desire for Him to complete the work. This prayer reveals that even someone as great as Moses longed to see God's full glory manifest on earth, not just in heaven.
‘O Lord GOD, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Moses is speaking to the Lord directly, reflecting on the incredible victories God has granted Israel against powerful kings in the land east of the Jordan. This prayer is part of his plea to enter the promised land himself, a desire God ultimately denies him due to a past transgression, but allows him to see from a distance.
Moses, a man who had witnessed countless miracles, still felt he'd only just scratched the surface of God's power. What does this tell us about truly understanding who God is?
Sometimes we see a few big things God has done, and we think we've got Him figured out. But Moses, after leading millions out of Egypt, parting the Red Sea, and sustaining them for 40 years, felt like he was just getting started in seeing God's greatness.
The Unfolding Revelation of God
Moses is overwhelmed by God’s power demonstrated in the recent victories over Sihon and Og. He exclaims, "you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand." This isn't a complaint, but an expression of profound awe.
Ask a follow-up
In a world filled with competing deities, Moses boldly declares the uniqueness of the God of Israel. What makes this declaration so powerful, and why does it still resonate today?
The Incomparable Sovereign
Following his acknowledgment of God's power, Moses poses a rhetorical question: "For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours?" This isn't just a question; it's a profound statement of truth.
Understand the original words
Adonai YHWH · Hebrew Noun
A term used in prayer acknowledging God as the supreme Ruler and Master. It represents God’s absolute sovereignty, majesty, and the posture of the speaker as His humble subject.
godel · Hebrew Noun
In this context, it refers to God's inherent excellence, vastness, and supreme authority. It describes God as far surpassing any human or created power, demanding worship and awe.
yad chazaqah · Hebrew Noun
A metaphor for the exercise of God's power in history to accomplish His purposes. It speaks to His divine strength, intervention, and ability to act decisively on behalf of His people.
geburah · Hebrew Noun
A term describing God's visible or historical interventions where His power overrules nature or human forces. These acts demonstrate His uniqueness and incomparability among all false gods.
Moses' prayer in Deuteronomy 3:24 is a powerful expression of awe and confidence in God's might, offered at a pivotal moment after significant victories. However, it's also deeply poignant, set against the backdrop of his personal denial from entering the Promised Land, reminding us that God's plans and our desires don't always align, yet His power and promises remain steadfast.
~1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
After 400 years of slavery, God miraculously led the Israelites out of Egypt under Moses' leadership, demonstrating His 'greatness and mighty hand' through the Ten Plagues and the parting of the Red Sea.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
Conquest of Sihon and Og
The Israelites, seeking to enter the Promised Land from the east side of the Jordan River, defeated and took the lands of two powerful Amorite kings, Sihon and Og. This victory showcased God's power to Moses and the people.
c. 1406 BC
Moses' Prayer Denied
Following the victories, Moses prayed fervently to enter the Promised Land. God denied his request, stating Moses had grieved Him and would not cross the Jordan, though he would see the land.
c. 1406 BC
Moses Appointed Successor
God instructed Moses to lay his hands on Joshua, commissioning him as the new leader of Israel, ensuring the continuity of God's plan to bring His people into the land.
c. 1406 BC
Moses Views the Promised Land
God led Moses up Mount Pisgah to see the Promised Land from a distance, fulfilling His promise to allow Moses a view before his death.
This passage directly echoes Moses' sentiment, asking 'Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?' It highlights the unparalleled power and holiness of God, reinforcing Moses' awe.
Psalm 86:8This psalm expresses a similar theme of divine uniqueness, stating, 'There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours.' It underscores that all other supposed deities are powerless in comparison to the one true God.
Isaiah 43:10God declares, 'Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.' This verse emphasizes God's eternal preeminence and singular deity, providing a theological backdrop to Moses' astonished recognition of God's unique might.
Philippians 2:9-11This New Testament passage describes Jesus' exaltation, where God highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. It shows the ultimate culmination of God's mighty works in the person of Christ, echoing the sentiment that God's power is supreme and universally acknowledged.
clarkeDeuteronomy 3:24: "O Lord GOD, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might?"
The prayer of Moses recorded in these two verses, and his own reflections on it, Deuteronomy 3:26 , are very affecting. He had suffered much both in body and mind in bringing the people to the borders of the promised land; and it was natural enough for him to wish to see them establish…
gillDeuteronomy 3:24: "O Lord GOD, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might?"
O Lord God, thou hast begun to show thy servant thy greatness and thy mighty hand,.... To give a specimen of the greatness of his power in subduing the two kings and their kingdoms, and delivering them up into the hands of the Israelites. Moses had seen instances of the mighty power of…
Moses isn't just marveling at God's past power; he's looking at what God has begun and expressing a deep desire for Him to complete the work. This prayer reveals that even someone as great as Moses longed to see God's full glory manifest on earth, not just in heaven.
Moses is speaking to the Lord directly, reflecting on the incredible victories God has granted Israel against powerful kings in the land east of the Jordan. This prayer is part of his plea to enter the promised land himself, a desire God ultimately denies him due to a past transgression, but allows him to see from a distance.
Moses is speaking to the Lord directly, reflecting on the incredible victories God has granted Israel against powerful kings in the land east of the Jordan. This prayer is part of his plea to enter the promised land himself, a desire God ultimately denies him due to a past transgression, but allows him to see from a distance.
"‘O Lord GOD, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours?" — Moses isn't just marveling at God's past power; he's looking at what God has begun and expressing a deep desire for Him to complete the work. This prayer reveals that even someone as great as Mos…
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Last reviewed October 2026
