Joshua 4:23

“For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, etc.] As this is supposed to be said in future time, and to persons who were not upon the spot when this was done, and so entirely ignorant of the affair; it is not to be understood of them personally, but of the same people they were of, the people of Israel in former times, of their ancestors, and of them in them; the benefits of which they enjoyed by possessing the land of Canaan their fathers were at this time introduced into: as the Lord your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over; for though the generation of men, for the most part, was dead, that…”

“Before us - That is, myself and Caleb, and all of us here present; for this benefit, though done to their fathers, is justly said to be done to themselves, because they were then in their parent's loins. It greatly magnifies later mercies, to compare them with former mercies; for hereby it appears, that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. Next: Joshua Chapter 5”

“as the Lord: The parents must take that occasion to tell their children of the drying up of the Red Sea forty years before: "As the Lord your God did to the Red Sea." It greatly magnifies later mercies to compare them with those before enjoyed; for, by making the comparison, it appears that God is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever. Later blessings should also bring to remembrance former mercies, and revive thankfulness for them. which he dried: Exo 14:21; Neh 9:11; Psa 77:16-19, Psa 78:13; Isa 43:16, Isa 63:12-14 Joshua 4:24”