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APRIL 10
Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes And the moon stopped,
to Beth Horon, and struck them down as far Till the people had revenge
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as Azekah and Makkedah. And it happened, Upon their enemies.
as they fled before Israel and were on the Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So
descent of Beth Horon, that the LORD cast the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and
down large hailstones from heaven on them as did not hasten to go down for about a whole
far as Azekah, and they died. There were more day. And there has been no day like that,
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who died from the hailstones than the chil- before it or after it, that the LORD heeded the
dren of Israel killed with the sword.
voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel.
15 Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with
him, to the camp at Gilgal.
16 But these five kings had fled and hidden
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themselves in a cave at Makkedah. And it
10:11 The hailstones were miraculous. Note
their: 1) source, God; 2) size, large; 3) slaughter, was told Joshua, saying, “The five kings have
more by stones than by sword; 4) selectivity, been found hidden in the cave at Makkedah.”
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only on the enemy;5) swath,“as far as Azekah”; So Joshua said, “Roll large stones against
6) situation, during a trek down a slope and the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to
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while God caused the sun to stand still; and 7) guard them. And do not stay there yourselves,
similarity to miraculous stones God will fling but pursue your enemies, and attack their rear
down during the future wrath (Rev. 16:21). guard. Do not allow them to enter their cities,
for the LORD your God has delivered them into
your hand.” Then it happened, while Joshua
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and the children of Israel made an end of slay-
12 Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day
when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before ing them with a very great slaughter, till they
had finished, that those who escaped entered
the children of Israel, and he said in the sight fortified cities. And all the people returned to
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of Israel:
the camp, to Joshua at Makkedah, in peace.
“Sun, stand still over Gibeon; No one moved his tongue against any of the
And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.” children of Israel.
13 So the sun stood still, 22 Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the
cave, and bring out those five kings to me from
the cave.” And they did so, and brought out
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those five kings to him from the cave: the king
of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of
10:12–14 sun stood still, and the moon Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of
stopped.Some say an eclipse hid the sun,keep- Eglon.
ing its heat from Joshua’s worn soldiers and 24 So it was, when they brought out those
allowing coolness for battle.Others suppose a kings to Joshua, that Joshua called for all the
local (not universal) refraction of the sun’s rays men of Israel, and said to the captains of the
such as the local darkness in Egypt (Ex. men of war who went with him, “Come near,
10:21–23).Another view has it as only language put your feet on the necks of these kings.”
of observation; i.e., it only seemed to Joshua’s And they drew near and put their feet on their
men that the sun and moon stopped as God necks. Then Joshua said to them, “Do not be
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helped them do in one literal 24-hour day afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good
what would normally take longer.Others view courage, for thus the LORD will do to all your
it as lavish poetic description, not literal fact. enemies against whom you fight.” And after-
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However, such ideas fail to do justice to
10:12–14 and needlessly question God’s ward Joshua struck them and killed them, and
power as Creator. This is best accepted as an hanged them on five trees; and they were
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outright, monumental miracle. Joshua, moved hanging on the trees until evening. So it was
by the Lord’s will, commanded the sun to at the time of the going down of the sun that
delay (Hebrew, “be still, silent, leave off”). The Joshua commanded, and they took them down
earth actually stopped revolving or,more likely, from the trees, cast them into the cave where
the sun moved in the same way to keep perfect they had been hidden, and laid large stones
pace with the battlefield. The moon also against the cave’s mouth, which remain until
ceased its orbiting. This permitted Joshua’s this very day.
troops time to finish the battle with complete 28 On that day Joshua took Makkedah, and
victory (v. 11). struck it and its king with the edge of the
sword. He utterly destroyed them—all the
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