And when they cried to the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians and made the sea come upon them and cover them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the wilderness a long time.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that "your eyes have seen what I did in Egypt," directly addressing the elders present. This implies that some of those listening to Joshua had actually witnessed the plagues and the miraculous parting of the Red Sea, not just heard about them. This personal experience makes God's mighty acts far more vivid and undeniable for them.
And when they cried to the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians and made the sea come upon them and cover them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the wilderness a long time.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Joshua is recounting God's mighty acts to the assembled Israelites, reminding them of their ancestors' desperate cry to God at the Red Sea. He emphasizes how God intervened to protect them from the pursuing Egyptians, ultimately destroying Pharaoh's army, an event that some elders present had actually witnessed. This powerful reminder of God's deliverance from Egypt and their subsequent forty years in the wilderness sets the stage for Joshua's call to faithfulness.
Imagine the sheer terror: the sea ahead, an enraged army behind. What does God do in that moment of crisis?
This verse vividly recounts God's powerful intervention at the Red Sea. When the Israelites cried out in desperation, God didn't just part the waters; He actively created a chaotic, disorienting darkness between His people and their pursuers.
Divine Darkness
This wasn't just a natural event; it was a divine act that secured Israel's freedom and judged their oppressors.
Joshua addresses the elders, but he speaks of things some of them saw firsthand. How does eyewitness testimony shape faith?
Joshua reminds his audience, particularly the elders present, that they had seen God's mighty acts not only in the wilderness but also in Egypt itself. This wasn't just hearsay; for many, it was personal experience.
Ask a follow-up
The Power of Seeing
The fact that 'your eyes have seen' underscores the tangible reality of God's faithfulness and power, making His past actions a foundation for future trust.
After the dramatic escape, Israel spent decades in the wilderness. What was the purpose of this extended period?
The phrase 'and you lived in the wilderness a long time' isn't just a footnote; it highlights a crucial period of formation for the Israelite nation.
Wilderness Training Ground
This 'long season' was not a punishment but a necessary, extended period of discipleship, shaping a people ready to enter and possess the Promised Land.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
A covenant name for God, revealing Him as the self-existent, eternal, and faithful Redeemer of His people. It signifies His presence, authority, and intervention in history.
midbar · Hebrew Noun
An uninhabited or desolate region. In Scripture, it is a place of testing, refinement, dependence on God, and preparation for inheriting the Promised Land.
Joshua reminds the people not only of the dramatic deliverance at the Red Sea but also that many of them personally witnessed God's power in Egypt and experienced the long years of wilderness provision, emphasizing God's consistent action throughout their history.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
The Israelites escape slavery in Egypt, crossing the Red Sea under God's power. This event is a foundational moment for the nation.
c. 1446 BC - 1406 BC
Wandering in the Wilderness
Following their escape from Egypt, the Israelites wander for 40 years in the wilderness as a consequence of their unbelief.
c. 1406 BC
Conquest of Canaan begins
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites begin the military conquest of the Promised Land of Canaan.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Joshua's Address at Shechem
Joshua convenes a great assembly of Israel to recount God's faithfulness and renew their covenant commitment before the people enter the land fully.
This passage describes the pillar of cloud turning to darkness between the Egyptians and the Israelites, directly referencing the event mentioned in Joshua 24:7 and highlighting God's protective intervention.
Exodus 14:26-28This account details the destruction of the Egyptian army by the Red Sea, fulfilling the judgment spoken of in Joshua 24:7 and underscoring the totality of God's deliverance.
Numbers 14:29-30This passage speaks of the generation that came out of Egypt not entering the promised land due to disbelief, which contextually explains why some in Joshua's audience might have been young enough to have seen the Red Sea event but were exempt from the wilderness sentence.
Psalm 106:10-11This psalm recounts God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt and at the Red Sea, echoing the narrative of Joshua 24:7 and emphasizing God's faithfulness in saving His people from their enemies.
Nehemiah 9:9-11This prayer recounts God's mighty acts, including the deliverance from Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea, mirroring the historical summary in Joshua 24:7 and highlighting God's power and compassion.
wesleyJoshua 24:7: "And when they cried unto the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season."
24:7 Your eyes - He speaketh this to the elders, ver.1, who were so, not only by power and dignity, but many of them by age; and there being now not sixty years past since those Egyptian plagues, it is very probable that a considerable number of those pres…
calvinJoshua 24:1-14: "And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God."
And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.
Congregavit itaque [194] Josue omnes tribus Israel in Sichem, vocavi…
The verse highlights that "your eyes have seen what I did in Egypt," directly addressing the elders present. This implies that some of those listening to Joshua had actually witnessed the plagues and the miraculous parting of the Red Sea, not just heard about them. This personal experience makes God's mighty acts far more vivid and undeniable for them.
Joshua is recounting God's mighty acts to the assembled Israelites, reminding them of their ancestors' desperate cry to God at the Red Sea. He emphasizes how God intervened to protect them from the pursuing Egyptians, ultimately destroying Pharaoh's army, an event that some elders present had actually witnessed. This powerful reminder of God's deliverance from Egypt and their subsequent forty years in the wilderness sets the stage for Joshua's call to faithfulness.
Joshua is recounting God's mighty acts to the assembled Israelites, reminding them of their ancestors' desperate cry to God at the Red Sea. He emphasizes how God intervened to protect them from the pursuing Egyptians, ultimately destroying Pharaoh's army, an event that some elders present had actually witnessed. This powerful reminder of God's deliverance from Egypt and their subsequent forty years in the wilderness sets the stage for Joshua's call to faithfulness.
"And when they cried to the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians and made the sea come upon them and cover them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the wilderness a long time." — The verse highlights that "your eyes have seen what I did in Egypt," directly addressing the elders present. This implies that some of those listening to Joshua had actually witnessed the plagues and…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026