Joshua 4:23-24
For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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When Joshua says "as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us," he's not just drawing a parallel; he's saying this isn't entirely a new miracle, but a continuation of the same divine faithfulness. It emphasizes that God’s powerful acts aren't isolated events but part of an unfolding, unbroken covenant love for His people, extending even to those not yet born.
The people have just crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land, a monumental event where God miraculously dried up the waters. Joshua has instructed the Israelites to set up twelve stones as a memorial of this crossing, and this verse explains why they should remember it. Joshua reminds them that this act of God’s power mirrors the miraculous parting of the Red Sea, a salvation that delivered their ancestors from Egypt.
Ever felt like you're facing a wall, a barrier you can't cross? Israel stood before the mighty Jordan, another impossible challenge. But God had a plan, one that echoed a miracle from their past.
Joshua 4:23 draws a direct line between crossing the Jordan and the earlier, monumental crossing of the Red Sea. Joshua reminds the people that the same God who parted the Red Sea for their ancestors was now parting the Jordan for them.
A Divine Pattern
This wasn't just a repeat performance; it was a demonstration of God's consistent faithfulness. He used the memory of the Red Sea to build confidence and faith for the Jordan crossing. It showed that God's power and commitment to His people hadn't diminished over time.
Corporate Identity
Notice how Joshua says, 'dried up... for us.' This is profound. Even though most of the people present hadn't been alive for the Exodus, they are included in the 'us.' This highlights the concept of Israel as a continuous, corporate entity. The blessings and miracles given to their fathers were also considered theirs, linking generations through faith and covenant. As Benson notes, it magnifies later mercies by comparing them to former ones, showing God's unchanging nature.
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Why did God make such a spectacle of parting the Jordan? It wasn't just for the Israelites; it was for everyone to see. These weren't private miracles.
Joshua 4:23-24 not only emphasizes the what of the miracles (drying the waters) but also the why. God intended these monumental acts to serve as public testimonies.
To the Nations
The primary outward purpose was to announce God's power and sovereignty to the surrounding nations. As Calvin points out, 'that all people of the earth might know...' This was a divine declaration, forcing even non-believers to acknowledge the existence and might of the God of Israel. It was a strategic display of power designed to deter opposition and establish Israel's unique standing.
To the Generations
Internally, these miracles were for the people of God themselves. They served as a perpetual reminder of God's covenant faithfulness. The stone monuments at the Jordan were a physical prompt for parents to tell their children the story, ensuring that the memory of God's acts would be passed down. This created a legacy of faith, where each generation could stand on the testimony of the ones before them. As Henry suggests, it's a duty for parents to pass on these stories.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant name of the one true God, signifying His eternal self-existence, faithfulness, and relationship with His people.
Elohim · Hebrew Proper Noun
The supreme Being who created and sustains the universe, and who has entered into a covenant relationship with His people. It emphasizes His power, sovereignty, and authority.
yare · Hebrew Verb
A profound attitude of reverence, awe, and submission toward God that characterizes a believer's life; it involves trusting in His holiness and obeying His commands.
yad · Hebrew Noun
The instrument of God's active power and intervention in history to deliver His people, judge His enemies, and accomplish His purposes.
chazaq · Hebrew Adjective
Possessing great strength, power, or authority; often used to describe God’s ability to act decisively in creation and redemption.
am · Hebrew Noun
A distinct group of people defined by a common ancestry or history; in Scripture, this often refers to the nations outside the covenant family of Israel.
This verse connects two monumental acts of God's power—the parting of the Red Sea and the Jordan River—underscoring God's consistent faithfulness across generations and His ongoing commitment to His people.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
God miraculously delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, parting the Red Sea to allow them to escape Pharaoh's pursuing army.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
Israelites enter the Promised Land
After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, the Israelites, led by Joshua, crossed the Jordan River. God stopped the river's flow, allowing them to cross on dry ground.
c. 1406 BC
Erection of memorial stones at Gilgal
Joshua instructed the people to take twelve stones from the Jordan River to serve as a memorial of their miraculous crossing, to be a sign for future generations.
c. 1406 BC
Joshua is magnified before Israel
Following the Jordan crossing and the memorial, Joshua's authority as leader was confirmed in the eyes of all Israel, similar to the respect shown to Moses.
This passage describes the miraculous parting of the Red Sea, directly paralleling the Jordan crossing and highlighting God's consistent power to deliver His people.
Psalm 114:3This Psalm poetically recalls both the Red Sea and the Jordan River events, emphasizing God's mighty acts and His people's response of awe and trembling before Him.
Deuteronomy 32:31This verse from Moses' song speaks of the enemy's recognition of God's power, a concept echoed in Joshua's instruction that the crossing would make God known to all nations.
Joshua 3:15-17This passage details the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant into the Jordan River and the waters stopping, setting the stage for the miracle Joshua references.
calvinJoshua 4:19-24: "And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho."
- And the people came up, etc Why the day on which they entered the land, and first encamped in it, is marked, we shall see in next chapter. But the name of Gilgal is given to the first station by anticipation, for this new name was afterwards given to it by Joshua on the renewal of circumcision; its etymology will be explained in its own place. Mo…
jfbJoshua 4:14-24: "On that day the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life."
Jos 4:14-24. God Magnifies Joshua.14-17. On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel—It appeared clear from the chief part he acted, that he was the divinely appointed leader; for even the priests did not enter the river or quit their position, except at his command; and thenceforward his authority was as firmly established…
When Joshua says "as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us," he's not just drawing a parallel; he's saying this isn't entirely a new miracle, but a continuation of the same divine faithfulness. It emphasizes that God’s powerful acts aren't isolated events but part of an unfolding, unbroken covenant love for His people, extending even to those not yet born.
The people have just crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land, a monumental event where God miraculously dried up the waters. Joshua has instructed the Israelites to set up twelve stones as a memorial of this crossing, and this verse explains why they should remember it. Joshua reminds them that this act of God’s power mirrors the miraculous parting of the Red Sea, a salvation that delivered their ancestors from Egypt.
The people have just crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land, a monumental event where God miraculously dried up the waters. Joshua has instructed the Israelites to set up twelve stones as a memorial of this crossing, and this verse explains why they should remember it. Joshua reminds them that this act of God’s power mirrors the miraculous parting of the Red Sea, a salvation that delivered their ancestors from Egypt.
"For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of t…" — When Joshua says "as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us," he's not just drawing a parallel; he's saying this isn't entirely a new miracle, but a continuation of the *sam…
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