The sun stood still, [ bachªtsiy (H2677) hashaamayim (H8064), in the midst, in the bisection of the heavens - i:e., noonday] (cf. Judges 16:3). Now, this passage has given use to much discussion; and while it is generally admitted that it points to a physical miracle, a difference of opinion is entertained as to the form, and consequently the extent, of its operation. Some regard the section from Joshua 10:12 inclusive as a continuous portion of the history; and, considering that the inspired historian has related what occurred according to the natural appearance of things, and conformably to the state of human knowledge at the time, believe that the expressions, "the sun stood still, and the moon stayed," mean, on the principles of science, that the earth was arrested in its diurnal rotation on its axis, and thereby produced the phenomena described.
Another way of explaining the words of Joshua has been suggested. 'Day and night are produced by the rotation of the earth upon her own axis, and that revolution is principally caused by the action of the sun upon our globe. Now, if that action be suspended at any given hour of a day, the rotation of the earth on its axis will cease, and that day will be prolonged beyond its usual length, during the time that suspension continues. Joshua's words are, on this hypothesis, interpreted thus: "Let the sun restrain his influence, or be inactive, upon the earth, that the earth may not revolve further and bring night, that his light may continue upon Gibeon as it now appears, and that the moon may continue to shine over the vale of Ajalon as at present she does." Joshua does not request the earth to cease her motion, which was merely the effect of the sun's acting upon her; but he addresses the sun, from which, as its cause, that motion proceeded, and thus he employs language which, everything considered, Sir Isaac Newton himself would have demonstrated to be correct, elegant, and sublime. Philosophically, to stop an effect, there must be removed its producing cause. Hence, in the storm, Jesus first rebuked the wind that raised the billows, and then said to the waves, "Peace, be still;" and here the sun withholds his influence upon the earth, and the earth becomes motionless' (''Azuba,' p. 397).
Doubtless it was within the compass of omnipotence to stop the movements of the great machinery of nature, or any part of it; and as the Creator cannot be bound by the laws He Himself thought fit to impose upon matter, He must be considered free to suspend them, whenever the interference may seem to His infinite wisdom necessary for the promotion of His glory or the good of His people. Such an occasion undoubtedly was the contest at Gibeon, which, by securing to the Israelites a large instalment of possession in the promised land, was really an epoch in the history of redemption; and the control exercised over the sun and moon was a visible demonstration of God's superiority over those luminaries, which were objects of worship among the idolatrous Canaanites. A believer in revelation, then, would not hesitate to admit a temporary alteration of the laws that govern the solar system, if such a meaning were demanded by the Scripture record. But a literal interpretation of the text is compassed with many and great difficulties.
Besides, a miracle which extended through the solar system-the most stupendous miracle ever performed in the material universe-must have attracted the attention of numerous observers beyond the confines of Palestine; but no notice of it occurs in the writings of pagan authors (for the passage in Herodotus, supposed to contain an allusion (b. 2:, ch. 142:) to this miracle, refers most probably to the Egyptian system of astronomical cycles), nor in any other part of Scripture (for the description in Habakkuk 3:11, where the words of the original are rendered in our version "the sun and moon stood still in their habitation," has been shown by Maurer, Keil, and Henderson, to mean that the sun and moon were obscured by tempest clouds-namely, the storm of hailstones). No astronomical miracle, therefore, having been performed, in the opinion of the writers just named-to whom may be added Grotius, Isaac Peyrerius, etc.-we are led, in consequence, to consider whether the passage may not be susceptible of another interpretation, which, though modified and restricted, is perfectly consistent with the admission of miraculous agency.
An attentive examination will discover in this passage very clear evidence of a difference in style from the context; and, accordingly, it is believed by many eminent writers (Vatablus, 'Critici Sacri,' 2:, p. 255; Levi F. Gersonis, as quoted by Masius, 'Critici Sacri,' 2:, p. 265) that the inspired author here breaks off the thread of his history of this miraculous victory to introduce a quotation from an ancient poem, in which the mighty acts of that day were commemorated. The passage, which is parenthetical, contains a poetical description of the victory, which was miraculously gained by the help of God, and forms an extract from "the book of Jasher" -
i.e., the upright-an anthology, or collection of national songs, in honour of renowned and eminently pious heroes. [A book called Jasher exists in Hebrew at the present day, and is supposed by Oriental Jews to be that referred to in this passage and 2 Samuel 1:18. No just idea can be formed of it from the English translation recently executed. A discerning criticism will perceive many indications of antiquity mixed up with what is modern in names, incidents, and allusions.] The language of a poem is not to be literally interpreted; and, therefore, when the sun and moon are personified, addressed as intelligent beings, and represented as standing still, the explanation is, that the light of the sun and moon was supernaturally prolonged by the same laws of refraction and reflection that ordinarily cause the sun to appear above the horizon when he is in reality below it.
But allowing the passage to be an extract or quotation from a collection of poems, the inspired historian, by adopting it, has asserted and recognized the miracle related in it to be a fact. Gibeon (a hill) was now at the back of the Israelites, and the height would soon have intercepted the rays of the setting sun. The valley of Ajalon (stags) was before them, and so near that it was sometimes called the valley of Gibeon (Isaiah 28:21). The incident took place soon after the equinox (cf. Joshua 3:15 with Joshua 5:10), when the days had twelve, hours light; and it occurred at noon (Joshua 10:13), because "the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day;" so that we may conclude the hours which succeeded noon were miraculously extended into a whole day, or twelve hours of light. [That this is the right interpretation of 'the standing still of the sun and the moon,' has been shown (by J. A. Macdonald, author of 'The Principia and the Bible') from an ingenious criticism on the three Hebrew words, chamaah (H2535), chedec, shemesh (H8121), promiscuously translated in our version the sun; and the two words. Yaareech and libaanaah, indiscriminately rendered moon. Chamah and Levanah are constantly associated; Shemesh and Yareach are as invariably connected: the former couple denoting, with a few instances of exception, the bodies of the sun and moon; the latter, the light that emanates from them: and these are the words used in the passage before us (cf. Exodus 16:21; Deuteronomy 4:19; Deuteronomy 33:14; 1 Samuel 11:9; Nehemiah 8:3; Psalms 121:6; Isaiah 49:10; Jonah 4:8).]
Besides the mention of Gibeon in connection with the sun, and the valley of Ajalon to be lighted by the moon, shows that these two orbs were left in state-the moon to appear at the ordinary time, while the radiance of beth was unprecedentedly prolonged. This is the view taken by Michaelis, Schultz, Hess, Dathe, Keil, etc. It would seem, from Joshua 10:14, that the command of Joshua was in reality a prayer to God for the performance of this miracle, because the sun and the moon did not cease to give light until "the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies;" and that, although the prayers of eminently good men like Moses often prevailed with God, never was there, on any other occasion, so astonishing a display of divine power made in behalf of His people as in answer to the prayer of Joshua.
Joshua 10:15 is the end of the quotation from Jasher; and it is necessary to notice this, as the fact described in it is recorded in due course and the same words by the sacred historian, Joshua 10:43. (See, on this passage, Colenso, Part I., Preface, p. 10:; Archdeacon Pratt, "Scripture and Science not at Variance;' 'Scripture Difficulties;' 'The Hulsean Lectures' for 1853-54, by Morgan Cowie, Fellow of John's College, Cambridge.)