Joshua 4:24 tells us why God made Israel cross the Jordan on dry ground and why the stones were set up as a memorial: so that people across the earth would recognize that the LORD is powerful, and so that Israel would reverence Him for good. Joshua speaks these words to the twelve tribes after the crossing, as they stand on the far bank beside the stones taken from the riverbed.
That all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD’s hand is mighty; that you may fear the LORD your God forever.’”
Joshua 4:24 (WEB)
What Joshua 4:24 Means
The phrase “the LORD’s hand is mighty” uses the image of a hand to describe God’s power in action. Israel has just watched the river stop flowing so they could walk across, and the verse names that event as a display of divine strength. The hand is not a body part here but a picture of God doing something decisive in the world.
The second part, “that you may fear the LORD your God forever,” is about the response God hopes to produce. In Scripture, fear of the LORD means reverent awe and trust that shapes how you live, not terror. The verse says this awe should last, which is why the stones are to be remembered and explained to the next generation.
The verse does not promise that every hard situation will be solved by a dramatic miracle, and it does not guarantee that Israel will always remain faithful. It states a purpose: that God’s power be seen and that His people be shaped by reverence.
The Context of Joshua 4:24
The book of Joshua records Israel’s entry into the land of Canaan after Moses’ death, and it is traditionally attributed to Joshua, with later editing that many scholars accept. The original audience was an Israelite community preparing to live in a land full of other peoples and other gods, so the story of crossing the Jordan on dry ground would have carried deep significance for their identity.
Verses 21 through 23 set up the stones as a teaching tool. When children ask what the stones mean, parents are to tell the story of the river and the crossing. Verse 24 gives the reason behind that teaching: the event is meant to reveal God’s power to the nations and to form a lasting reverence in Israel. Read in this setting, the verse is less about a single miracle and more about passing on what God has done.
Key Phrases in Joshua 4:24
Exodus 14:21
Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
(WEB)
This verse describes the earlier crossing of the Red Sea, which Joshua 4:23 explicitly compares to the Jordan crossing. Reading the two together shows that God’s deliverance of Israel follows a consistent pattern across generations.
Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.”
(WEB)
This psalm calls people to be still and recognize God’s sovereignty among the nations. It echoes the outward focus of Joshua 4:24, where the goal is for all peoples to acknowledge the LORD’s power and authority.
A Short Prayer From Joshua 4:24
Lord, you have shown your strength in the past, and I thank you for every time you have carried your people through what seemed impossible. Help me to remember your faithfulness when the path ahead feels uncertain. Teach me to fear you with reverent trust that lasts, not only in moments of wonder but in the ordinary days when nothing dramatic happens. Let my life point others toward your greatness, and let my reverence for you grow steady and true. Amen.
