Joshua 10 13

Joshua 10:13 kjv

And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.

Joshua 10:13 nkjv

So the sun stood still, And the moon stopped, Till the people had revenge Upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.

Joshua 10:13 niv

So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.

Joshua 10:13 esv

And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day.

Joshua 10:13 nlt

So the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies. Is this event not recorded in The Book of Jashar ? The sun stayed in the middle of the sky, and it did not set as on a normal day.

Joshua 10 verses

Joshua 10 13 Meaning

Joshua 10:13 describes a supernatural event where the sun and moon ceased their regular celestial motion at Joshua's command, divinely enabling Israel to prolong daylight and complete their decisive victory over the Amorite kings. This miracle showcased God's omnipotent control over creation and His active intervention on behalf of His covenant people.

Joshua 10 13 Context

Joshua 10 details the battle against a coalition of five Amorite kings led by Adoni-Zedek of Jerusalem. These kings attacked Gibeon because Gibeon had made a peace treaty with Israel. Upon Gibeon's urgent appeal, Joshua marched his army overnight from Gilgal to defend them. The Lord assured Joshua of victory (Josh 10:8) and initiated His direct intervention with a massive hailstorm that killed more of the enemy than Israel's swords. This divine assistance required more time than normal daylight allowed to fully rout the scattered enemy forces and prevent their regrouping. Thus, Joshua, under divine inspiration, commanded the sun and moon to stand still, culminating in the unique celestial event described in verse 13. This miracle further solidified Yahweh's reputation as the ultimate power in the cosmos, superior to any pagan sun or moon deities worshiped by the Canaanites.

Joshua 10 13 Word analysis

• So the sun stood still:

  • sun: שֶׁמֶשׁ (shamash). The common Hebrew word for sun. In ancient Near Eastern (ANE) contexts, the sun was often deified (e.g., Shamash, a Babylonian sun god), believed to control light, warmth, and judgment. God's command over it directly challenges and dismisses such pagan beliefs.
  • stood still: וַיִּדֹּם (vayyidom) from the root דָּמַם (damam), meaning "to be silent," "to be still," "to halt," or "to cease." This implies a complete cessation of motion from the perspective of an earthly observer, not just a slowing or an optical illusion. It highlights a deliberate, unnatural interruption of cosmic order by divine power.

• in the midst of heaven: בַּחֲצִי הַשָּׁמַיִם (baḥaṣî haššāmāyim). "Midst" or "half" indicates the zenith or highest point in the sky. This phrase signifies that the sun was at its peak, providing optimal daylight, and then it literally halted its descent, extending the full light of day. This precision emphasizes the miracle's calculated purpose for the battle.

• and hastened not to go down: וְלֹא־אָץ (wəlōʾ-ʾāṣ) from אָץ (ats) "to hasten," "to urge forward." And לָבוֹא (lāḇôʾ) "to come" or "to go down" (referring to setting). This double negation "hastened not to go down" vividly conveys that the sun did not continue its usual swift movement towards setting. It deliberately remained in its place, defying its natural gravitational and rotational path.

• about a whole day: כְּיוֹם תָּמִים (kəyôm tāmîm). "As a perfect/complete day." The term תָּמִים (tamim) means "complete," "entire," or "perfect." This indicates that the duration of the prolonged daylight was equivalent to an entire additional day of light, emphasizing the immense length of this supernatural intervention. This duration allowed sufficient time for Israel to thoroughly pursue and destroy the enemy coalition.

• words-group by words-group analysis

  • "So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven": This phrase precisely describes the direct, physical nature of the miracle—the sun ceased its observed movement while high in the sky. It refutes any notion of the event being merely poetic imagery or localized atmospheric effect, portraying a significant cosmic anomaly.
  • "and hastened not to go down about a whole day": This clarifies the purpose and duration of the sun's suspension. The absence of descent, for a full day's length, underscores the specific strategic need met by this miracle—to prevent the setting sun from curtailing the pursuit and enabling the enemy's escape.

Joshua 10 13 Bonus section

• The miracle at Gibeon can be viewed as God actively "manning" the artillery (hailstones) and controlling the very clock of the universe (sun/moon) to ensure His purpose for Israel was fulfilled.
• While often debated from a scientific perspective, the biblical narrative treats this as a literal, historical event, challenging human understanding and emphasizing divine omnipotence beyond natural laws. This aligns with other biblical accounts of creation-level intervention, such as the Red Sea parting or the worldwide flood.
• This act reinforced God's covenant with Abraham, that He would give Israel the land, showcasing His unwavering commitment even through seemingly impossible natural barriers.

Joshua 10 13 Commentary

Joshua 10:13 records one of the most astonishing miracles in the Old Testament, showcasing Yahweh's unparalleled sovereignty over creation for the sake of His covenant people. It was a visible manifestation of God "fighting for Israel," turning the natural order upside down to secure their victory. This event served multiple purposes: practically, it gave Joshua the necessary time to complete the rout of the Amorite kings; polemically, it demonstrated Yahweh's supremacy over all the gods of the Canaanites, especially those associated with celestial bodies like the sun and moon, affirming that He alone controls all elements of the cosmos. The unique nature of this event, as affirmed in verse 14 ("there was no day like it before or since"), places it as a singular demonstration of God's active involvement in human history, assuring Israel of His faithfulness to their covenant and power to overcome all obstacles.