Joshua 10:12

_THEN SPAKE JOSHUA TO THE LORD IN THE DAY WHEN THE LORD DELIVERED UP THE AMORITES BEFORE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND HE SAID IN THE SIGHT OF ISRAEL, SUN, STAND THOU STILL UPON GIBEON; AND THOU, MOON, IN THE VALLEY OF AJALON._ Then spake Joshua to the Lord ... Sun, stand thou still.... and thou, Moon - literally, 'Sun upon Gibeon, be still (remain), and the moon in the vale of Ajalon.' The language which Joshua addressed to the Lord was evidently a prayer that the day might not close until he should have completely overthrown his enemies; and it was most natural in the circumstances that such should have been the fervent wish of his heart; because it would appear that at the time when the ejaculation was uttered, the day was far advanced....

12._Then spoke Joshua to the Lord, _etc Such is the literal reading, but some expound it as meaning _before _Jehovah: for to speak to God, who, as piety dictates, is to be suppliantly petitioned, seems to be little in accordance with the modesty of faith, and it is immediately subjoined that Joshua addressed his words to the sun. I have no doubt that by the former clause prayer or vow is denoted, and that the latter is an expression of confidence after he was heard: for to command the sun to stand if he had not previously obtained permission, would have been presumptuous and arrogant. He first, then, consults God and asks: having forthwith obtained an answer, he boldly commands the sun to do what he knows is pleasing to God. And such is the power and privilege of the faith which Christ inspires, (Matthew 17:20; Luke 17:6

7-14 The meanest and most feeble, who have just begun to trust the Lord, are as much entitled to be protected as those who have long and faithfully been his servants. It is our duty to defend the afflicted, who, like the Gibeonites, are brought into trouble on our account, or for the sake of the gospel. Joshua would not forsake his new vassals. How much less shall our true Joshua fail those who trust in Him! We may be wanting in our trust, but our trust never can want success. Yet God's promises are not to slacken and do away, but to quicken and encourage our endeavours. Notice the great faith of Joshua, and the power of God answering it by the miraculous staying of the sun, that the day of Israel's victories might be made longer. Joshua acted on this occasion by impulse on his mind from the Spirit of God. It was not necessary that Joshua should speak, or the miracle be recorded, accord...

Verse Joshua 10:12. _THEN SPAKE JOSHUA TO THE LORD_] Though Joshua saw that the enemies of his people were put to flight, yet he well knew that all which escaped would rally again, and that he should be obliged to meet them once more in the field of battle if permitted now to escape; finding that the day was drawing towards a close, he feared that he should not have time sufficient to complete the destruction of the confederate armies; in this moment, being suddenly inspired with Divine confidence, he requested the Lord to perform the most stupendous miracle that had ever been wrought, which was no less than _to arrest the sun in his course_, and prolong the day till the destruction of his enemies had been completed! _SUN, STAND THOU STILL UPON GIBEON; AND THOU, MOON, IN THE VALLEY_ _OF AJALON._] To account for this miracle, and to as

These four verses seem to be a fragment or extract taken from some other and independent source and inserted into the thread of the narrative after it had been completed, and inserted most probably by another hand than that of the author of the Book of Joshua. It is probable that Joshua 10:12 and the first half of Joshua 10:13 alone belong to the Book of Jasher and are poetical, and that the rest of this passage is prose. The writer of this fragment seems to have understood the words of the ancient song literally, and believed that an astronomical miracle really took place, by which the motion of the heavenly bodies was for some hours suspended. (Compare also Ecclesiasticus 46:4.) So likewise believed the older Je

EXPOSITION THE BATTLE OF BETH-HORON, AND THE SUBJUGATION OF SOUTHERN PALESTINE.— JOSHUA 10:1 ADONI-ZEDEC (cf. Melchizedek in Genesis 14:18). The _name_ given to the king of Jerusalem was good enough, and no doubt was a survival of earlier and purer times. In the days of Melchizedek the name corresponded to the character. JERUSALEM. Hebrew, _Jerushalaim, _with the usual dual termination. It has been generally supposed to be the same with Salem, or rather Shalem, the city of which Melehizedek was king, and this is supported by the fact t

THEN SPAKE JOSHUA TO THE LORD,.... In prayer, and entreated as follows, that the sun and moon might stand still, until the victory was complete; though the Jewish writers interpret it of a song; so the Targum, then Joshua praised, or sung praise, as in the Targum on Song of Solomon 1:1; and which is approved of by Jarchi and Kimchi: IN THE DAY WHEN THE LORD DELIVERED UP THE AMORITES BEFORE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL; the five kings of the Amorites, and their armies, Joshua 10:5; AND HE SAID, IN THE SIGHT OF ISRAEL; in their presence, and in the hearing of great numbers, being under a divine impulse, and having strong faith in the working of the miracle, after related, and that it would be according to his word; he was bold to say what he did, being fu

10. THE VICTORIOUS CONQUEST CHAPTER 10 _ 1. Adoni-zedec and his confederacy (Joshua 10:1)_ 2. The war (Joshua 10:7) 3. The miracle (Joshua 10:12) 4. The victory won (Joshua 10:16) 5. The five kings slain (Joshua 10:22) 6. Further conquests (Joshua 10:28) The name Jerusalem is mentioned here for the first time in the Bible. (Salem in...

DEFEAT AND DEATH OF THE FIVE KINGS. Here we have the account of the famous battle of Bethhoron. Five kings band themselves together against Gibeon; the Gibeonites send for help to Joshua, who comes upon the enemy suddenly and completely routs them. It is hardly necessary to say that the adjuration to the sun to stand still is purely poetical, and is to be compared with the words of Deborah's song, The stars in their courses fought against Sisera. The compiler of this book, however, took it as an actual prayer that was really granted, as is seen from the words, So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven. Mr. Stanley Cook would omit the third line and make the fourth line part of the appeal, which would then run, Sun, stand thou still at Gibeon, and thou, moon, on the valley of Aijalon, till Yahweh (not the people) hath avenged himself on his enemies. He also gives the interesting infor...

ISRAEL. Here the Septuagint supplies the words omitted by _Homoeoteleuton_ (App-6) of the word "Israel, [when He destroyed them in Gibeon, and they were destroyed before the sons of] Israel". SUN. the sun itself, because of what is said in the next verse. STAND THOU STILL. Habakkuk 3:11. This is not the only miracle in connection with the sun. See shadow going back (2 Kings 20:11 ;. Isaiah 38:8). Going down at noon (Amos 8:9). No more going down (Isaiah 60:20), Darkened ...