What is the meaning of Joshua 10:13? So the sun stood still • Scripture states plainly that the sun’s apparent movement halted, a direct divine intervention comparable to the backward shadow in 2 Kings 20:11 and Isaiah 38:8. • The Creator who set the heavenly bodies in motion (Genesis 1:14–18) can pause them for His purposes. • Habakkuk 3:11 recalls this very event, confirming it within the prophetic writings. and the moon stopped • Both luminaries ceased their courses, stabilizing day and night simultaneously; this matches the paired reference in Psalm 148:3 where sun and moon together praise the Lord. • By restraining the moon as well, God prevented tidal or calendrical confusion, underscoring total control over creation (Job 9:7). until the nation took vengeance upon its enemies. • The miracle served Israel’s mission, fulfilling God’s promise of victory (Deuteronomy 7:1–2; Joshua 1:5). • Vengeance here equals covenant justice, not personal retaliation (Leviticus 26:7–8). • The prolonged daylight illustrated that “the battle is the Lord’s” (1 Samuel 17:47), enabling Israel to finish the fight decisively. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? • The mention authenticates the narrative by pointing to a well-known historical source, also cited in 2 Samuel 1:18. • Rather than weakening inspiration, the reference shows Scripture’s engagement with contemporaneous records, much like Luke’s use of orderly accounts (Luke 1:1-4). • The Spirit guided Joshua’s writer to include the citation, highlighting transparency and historical grounding. “So the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.” • The repetition reinforces the literal lengthening: roughly twenty-four additional hours. • Psalm 74:16 acknowledges God’s ownership of “the day” and “the night,” implying He may extend either at will. • By doubling the statement, Scripture shuts the door on viewing it as mere poetic hyperbole; it is reported as fact within a historical narrative (Joshua 10:12–14). summary Joshua 10:13 records an unparalleled miracle in which God halted the paths of the sun and moon, granting Israel an extended day to complete His judgment against the Amorites. Cross-referenced by prophets and anchored in an external chronicle, the event underscores God’s absolute sovereignty over nature and His faithfulness to fight for His people. |
    |