Joshua 10:12 kjv
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.
Joshua 10:12 nkjv
Then Joshua spoke 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 still over Gibeon; And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon."
Joshua 10:12 niv
On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the LORD in the presence of Israel: "Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon."
Joshua 10:12 esv
At that time Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, "Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon."
Joshua 10:12 nlt
On the day the LORD gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to the LORD in front of all the people of Israel. He said, "Let the sun stand still over Gibeon,
and the moon over the valley of Aijalon."
Joshua 10 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 1:16 | "God made the two great lights—the greater light... lesser light..." | God creates and controls celestial bodies. |
| Ps 19:1-6 | "The heavens declare the glory of God..." | Heavenly bodies declare God's power. |
| Ps 74:16 | "The day is yours, the night also is yours; you have established the lights..." | God owns and established the lights. |
| Ps 89:11 | "The heavens are yours, the earth also is yours; the world and all..." | God's universal ownership and power. |
| Ps 136:7-9 | "To him who made the great lights... the sun to govern the day..." | God as the Creator and Controller of lights. |
| Job 9:7 | "He commands the sun, and it does not rise..." | God's power over the sun. |
| Job 38:12 | "Have you commanded the morning since your days began...?" | Rhetorical question affirming God's control. |
| Isa 40:26 | "Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars..." | God as the Creator and sustainer of cosmos. |
| Jer 32:17 | "Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power..." | God's limitless creative power. |
| Matt 8:26-27 | "He rebuked the winds and the sea... and they obeyed him." | Jesus demonstrates power over creation. |
| Luke 1:37 | "For nothing will be impossible with God." | Emphasizes God's omnipotence. |
| Josh 10:14 | "There has been no day like it before or since..." | The unique and unprecedented nature of this miracle. |
| Exo 14:14 | "The LORD will fight for you; you have only to be silent." | God fights for His people. |
| Deut 1:30 | "The LORD your God who goes before you will himself fight for you..." | God's promise to fight on Israel's behalf. |
| Judg 4:15 | "The LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots..." | God actively brings victory for His people. |
| 1 Sam 7:10 | "The LORD thundered with a mighty sound that day..." | God directly intervenes in battle. |
| Isa 38:8 | "I will make the shadow on the sundial of Ahaz turn back ten steps..." | Another unique astronomical miracle related to time. |
| Isa 58:9 | "Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry..." | God answers the prayers of His people. |
| Ps 102:18-20 | "Let this be recorded... that a people yet to be created may praise..." | The lasting testimony of God's deeds. |
| Heb 11:3 | "By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God..." | Creation by divine word, linking to power. |
| Phil 4:6-7 | "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer..." | Encouragement to pray boldly and trust God. |
| Rom 8:31 | "If God is for us, who can be against us?" | God's unwavering support for His people. |
| 2 Cor 12:9-10 | "For when I am weak, then I am strong." | God's power made perfect in human weakness. |
| Gen 12:7 | "To your offspring I will give this land." | God fulfilling covenant promises. |
| Deut 7:2 | "And when the LORD your God gives them over to you..." | God delivering enemies into Israel's hand. |
Joshua 10 verses
Joshua 10 12 Meaning
Joshua 10:12 records an unprecedented event where Joshua, in the midst of battle against the Amorite kings, commanded the sun and moon to stand still. This extraordinary divine intervention lengthened the daylight hours, enabling the Israelites to complete their victory. It highlights God's absolute sovereignty over creation, His faithfulness to His covenant promises, and His direct involvement in fighting for His people. Joshua's audacious prayer, uttered publicly, became a pivotal moment demonstrating that the Lord Himself was delivering their enemies into their hand.
Joshua 10 12 Context
Joshua 10 records the crucial battle for southern Canaan. The city of Gibeon had made a treaty with Israel, leading a confederation of five Amorite kings, led by Adoni-Zedek of Jerusalem, to attack Gibeon. Gibeon appealed to Joshua for aid. In response, Joshua marched all night from Gilgal and launched a surprise attack on the Amorite forces. God sent a great hailstorm, causing more casualties than Israel's swords. Despite the Amorites being in full flight, Joshua recognized the need for extended daylight to complete their annihilation and prevent them from regrouping, leading to his direct command for the sun and moon to halt. This event cemented Israel's control over a significant portion of the Promised Land, marking a decisive victory attributed directly to the Lord's intervention.
Joshua 10 12 Word analysis
- On the day (וּבַיּ֖וֹם - u-va-yom): This highlights a specific, divinely appointed moment. It was not a random occurrence but a precise juncture in history where God's purposes converged with human action. The Hebrew yom denotes a defined period of time.
- the LORD (יְהֹוָה - YHWH / Yahweh): Refers to the personal, covenant God of Israel. It emphasizes that this mighty act was not by chance, nor by any human power or other deity, but by the one true sovereign God who actively intervened for His people, fulfilling His promises.
- gave... over (תֵת - tet, from נָתַן - natan): This word implies active divine agency. It signifies that God was the one who delivered or handed over the Amorites to Israel, showcasing His sovereign power in deciding the outcome of battles and controlling nations.
- Amorites: A prominent indigenous people of Canaan, representing the pagan inhabitants whom God commanded Israel to dispossess due to their wickedness (Gen 15:16, Deut 9:5). This victory underscored God's judgment against their ungodliness and His faithfulness to Israel.
- Israel: Refers to the entire covenant nation, highlighting God's corporate work through His chosen people and the fulfillment of His promises to Abraham's descendants.
- Joshua (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ - Yehoshua): The leader of Israel, successor to Moses, whose name means "The LORD is salvation." He acts here as God's representative and instrument. His bold action reflects a deep faith and understanding of God's power and promises.
- spoke (וַיֹּ֣אמֶר - vai-yo'mer from אָמַר - amar): Indicates direct speech, in this context, a prayer-command. It shows Joshua's authoritative role under divine inspiration, not merely an idle thought.
- to the LORD (אֶל-יְהֹוָה - el YHWH): Direct address to God. This was a bold and direct plea, rooted in Joshua's intimate relationship with the Almighty, and an appeal for immediate, extraordinary divine intervention.
- in the presence of Israel (לְעֵינֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - le'einei Yisrael): Signifies a public declaration and testimony. This miracle was not a private spiritual experience but a clear, visible demonstration of God's power, visible to the entire assembly of Israel, confirming Joshua's leadership and God's active presence among them.
- He said (וַיֹּאמֶר - vai-yo'mer): Introduces the command itself.
- Sun (שֶׁמֶשׁ - shemesh): The primary celestial body for daylight, object of worship for many pagan nations in the Ancient Near East (e.g., Ra in Egypt). Joshua's command demonstrates that Yahweh is the ultimate power over the very objects others worshipped.
- stand still (דֹּום - dom): This Hebrew imperative implies cessation of movement, to be still, silent, or inactive. It can mean "to be motionless," signifying a direct halt to its perceived motion across the sky, or more broadly, to "stop" its progress. This is understood as a miraculous extension of daylight.
- Gibeon (גִּבְעוֹן - Gib'on): The specific location over which the sun was commanded to halt, reflecting the exact strategic need of the ongoing battle in that area.
- you, moon (וְיָרֵחַ - ve-yare'akh): The secondary celestial body governing the night. Its inclusion reinforces the absolute control God exercises over all celestial bodies and extends the scope of the miracle beyond merely stopping the sun.
- over the Valley of Aijalon (בְּעֵמֶק אַיָּלוֹן - be'emek Ayyalon): Another specific geographical location, a strategic valley and likely the direction of the retreating enemy forces. This shows the targeted and purposeful nature of the miracle for strategic advantage in battle.
Words-Group Analysis:
- "On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel": Establishes the divine orchestration of events. God's pre-ordained victory sets the stage for His supernatural intervention, indicating that the miracle was part of His larger plan to deliver the land to Israel.
- "Joshua spoke to the LORD in the presence of Israel": This phrase encapsulates Joshua's role as a faithful and courageous leader. His public prayer models bold faith and demonstrates the transparency and collective experience of God's mighty acts among the Israelites. It confirms that the miracle was recognized as a direct response from God.
- "Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon": This is the direct, audacious command reflecting extraordinary faith in God's power over creation. It’s a testament to the belief that God can alter the very fabric of nature to accomplish His will, strategically targeting specific geographical locations crucial for the completion of the military victory.
Joshua 10 12 Bonus section
The biblical narrative immediately following this verse, in Joshua 10:14, explicitly states, "There has been no day like it before or since, that the LORD heeded the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel." This emphasizes the unique and unprecedented nature of this miracle, highlighting God's exceptional responsiveness to Joshua's faith and the unparalleled demonstration of His power over time and creation. It also subtly reinforces the idea that Joshua's command was heard because God had already determined to fight for Israel, making it a cooperative miracle born from faith in divine promise. The event stands as a powerful polemic against any pagan worship of the sun or moon, asserting that these celestial bodies are merely servants of the one true God, Yahweh.
Joshua 10 12 Commentary
Joshua 10:12 narrates an unparalleled miracle in the history of creation, underscoring the absolute sovereignty of the Lord God over the cosmos. Faced with the strategic need for prolonged daylight to utterly defeat the confederate Amorite kings, Joshua, divinely empowered and acting in extraordinary faith, issues a public command for the sun and moon to halt their celestial paths. This event is not merely a poetic flourish but presented as a direct, physical intervention by God to alter the passage of time for His covenant purposes. It served to emphatically confirm God's faithfulness to His promises (the land), validate Joshua's leadership, and profoundly demonstrate that the God of Israel is superior to any forces of nature or any pagan deity. The miracle reveals God as One who actively fights for His people and who answers prayers that align with His divine will and redemptive plan.