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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Joshua 10:12-14

JOSHUA—NOTE ON Joshua 10:12 Sun, stand still suggests a cosmic miracle, in which the earth ceased rotating for a time. While scholars have proposed many other explanations for this amazing event, each one has difficulties. Each also fails to do justice to the claim that there has been no day like it before or since. The author’s emphasis is on the extraordinary answer that God gave to Joshua’s prayer: the LORD heeded the voice of a man. The Book of Jashar is also mentioned in 2 Samuel 1:18. It may have contained poetic accounts or songs of the deeds of heroes, but there are no surviving copies.

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See also Joshua 10:12-14 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Joshua 10:12. _THEN SPAKE JOSHUA TO THE LORD_] Though Joshua saw that the enemies of his people were put to flight, yet he well knew that all which escaped would rally again, and that he should...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    These four verses seem to be a fragment or extract taken from some other and independent source and inserted into the thread of the narrative after it had been completed, and inserted most probably by...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    10. THE VICTORIOUS CONQUEST CHAPTER 10 _ 1. Adoni-zedec and his confederacy (Joshua 10:1)_ 2. The war (Joshua 10:7) 3. The miracle (Joshua 10:12) 4. The victory won ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    DEFEAT AND DEATH OF THE FIVE KINGS. Here we have the account of the famous battle of Bethhoron. Five kings band themselves together against Gibeon; the Gibeonites send for help to Joshua, who comes up...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    ISRAEL. Here the Septuagint supplies the words omitted by _Homoeoteleuton_ (App-6) of the word "Israel, [when He destroyed them in Gibeon, and they were destroyed before the sons of] Israel". SUN. th...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Then spake Joshua to the Lord_ The quotation probably commences with the 12th verse and extends to the end of the 15th. It begins as follows: "Then spake Joshua unto Jehovah, In the day Jehovah del...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    _VER._ 12-14. _THEN SPAKE JOSHUA,_ &C.— We may refer all that is necessary to say on this remarkable passage to the five following heads. I. The _miracle_ itself, and the _manner_ in which it is descr...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _The Southern Coalition Joshua 10:1-14_ Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king,...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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,...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    10:12 still (a-30) Lit. 'be silent.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE CONQUEST OF SOUTHERN CANAAN This chapter narrates the successful campaign against the five confederate chiefs of the S., who are roused by the fall of Jericho and Ai and the alliance with Gibeon,...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THEN SPAKE JOSHUA] This celebrated passage (as will be seen in RV) consists of (1) a prose introduction, Joshua 10:12; (2) a poetical fragment quoted from the book of Jasher, Joshua 10:12; Joshua 10:1...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    COME IN, AND RECEIVE GOD’S PROMISES! JOSHUA _BRIAN ROWLANDS_ Maps to help you to study this book are on the Internet at www.easyenglish.info. CHAPTER 10 THE *ISRAELITES DEFEAT THE AMORITES – JO...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    BETH-HORON — is identified as Beit’ Ur. AZEKAH — is unknown. MAKKEDAH. — Probably el-Moghâr. (11) GREAT STONES FROM HEAVEN. — Compare Job 38:22, “Hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I ha...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    אָ֣ז יְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהֹושֻׁעַ֙ לַֽ יהוָ֔ה בְּ יֹ֗

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER XIX. THE BATTLE OF BETHHORON. Joshua 10:1. OUT of the larger confederacy of the whole Canaanite chiefs against Joshua and his people recorded in the beginning of chap 9, a smaller number, he...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “THE LORD FOUGHT FOR ISRAEL” Joshua 10:1 The honor of Israel was implicated in this attack on their confederates, and Joshua went to their assistance. The deception which had been practiced on him di...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    This action of the Gibeonites in securing their own safety aroused the anger of the confederate kings and they proceeded to act against Gibeon in order to punish it. In their peril the men of Gibeon a...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    When the king of Jerusalem learned that Ai had fallen and the even more powerful city of Gibeon had made a treaty with Israel, he called upon four other kings to join with him in an attack on Gibeon....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Them. This may be considered as a canticle of victory, containing a fervent prayer, which was presently followed with the desired effect. --- Aialon. Hebrew, "Sun, in Gabaon, be silent; (moved not) an...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    This memorable event, one of the most extraordinary we meet with in history, hath mightily amused sceptics. But it is the misapprehension of the thing itself, which hath occasioned their folly, and no...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    In the wars of Jehovah it was not always a question of hostile power. Indeed this is not the most serious evil which the people of God have to encounter in this world. The very same principle which wa...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    12._Then spoke Joshua to the Lord, _etc Such is the literal reading, but some expound it as meaning _before _Jehovah: for to speak to God, who, as piety dictates, is to be suppliantly petitioned, seem...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Moreover, this peace with the Gibeonites only brought fresh attacks upon Israel. But now all is plain. Jehovah says to Joshua, "Fear them not, for I have delivered them into thy hand." This is all tha...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    THEN SPAKE JOSHUA TO THE LORD,.... In prayer, and entreated as follows, that the sun and moon might stand still, until the victory was complete; though the Jewish writers interpret it of a song; so th...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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, i...

  • Jonathan Edwards' Notes On The Scriptures

    Jos. 10:12-14. _Concerning the sun and moon's standing still_. This great event was doubtless typical; and as the sun was made to be a type of Christ, and is the most eminent type of him in all the in...

  • Jonathan Edwards' Notes On The Scriptures

    Jos. 10:12. Gibeon was the place that the sun appeared to stand over at that time in the place where Joshua then was; and the valley of Ajalon the place which the moon, which was also then visible, ap...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Then spake Joshua_ Being moved so to do out of zeal to destroy God's enemies, and directed by the motion of God's Spirit, and being filled with a holy confidence, that what he said would be accomplis...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    [GIBEON BESIEGED.] 1 Fiue Kings warre against Gibeon. 6 Ioshua rescueth it. 10 God fighteth against them with hailestones. 12 The Sunne and Moone stand still at the word of Ioshua. 16 The fiue Ki...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    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, in a mighty prayer of faith, SUN, STAND THOU STILL U...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE DEFEAT OF THE FIVE KINGS ON A DAY OF MIRACULOUS LENGTH...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    ISRAEL DEFEATS FIVE KINGS (vs.1-10) The news of Gibeon's treaty with Israel greatly alarmed other nations in the land, for Gibeon was considered prominent and important, so that the king of Jerusale...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    STAND: _ Heb._ be silent...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    7-14 The meanest and most feeble, who have just begun to trust the Lord, are as much entitled to be protected as those who have long and faithfully been his servants. It is our duty to defend the aff...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    JOSHUA SPAKE TO THE LORD, to wit, in way of petition for this miracle; being moved to beg it out of zeal to destroy God's enemies, and directed to it by the motion of God's Spirit; and receiving a gra...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Joshua 10:12 Joshua H3091 spoke H1696 (H8762) LORD H3068 day H3117 LORD H3068 delivered H5414 (H8800) Amorites...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    Joshua 10:12 A ‘Then spoke Joshua to YHWH, in the day when YHWH delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, “Sun on Gibeon be silent (still), Moon i...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Victory at Gibeon, Makkedah, etc. Sun's action halted. CHARACTERS: God, Joshua, Adonizedek, king of Makkedah. CONCLUSION: When enemies set themselves in array against us and threaten to sw...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Joshua 10:1. _Adonizedek,_ lord of righteousness. _Zedek_ was common in the names of the kings of Jerusalem, as _Melchizedek._ Joshua 10:11. _Great stones hail stones,_ as in many versions. So is Psal...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _The sun stood still, and the moon stayed._ THE BATTLE OF BETHHORON In some respects this victory had a special significance. In the first place, it had a most important bearing on the success of the...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Joshua 10:12_ THE VICTORY OF FAITH John says, “This is the victory that overcometh the world, even your faith.” This triumph at Beth-horon is hardly less owing to...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THE BATTLE OF BETH-HORON, AND THE SUBJUGATION OF SOUTHERN PALESTINE.— JOSHUA 10:1 ADONI-ZEDEC (cf. Melchizedek in...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    In verse six of chapter ten, The men of Gibeon sent an urgent message to Joshua that they were being attacked. They said, "Now we have this mutual defense pact with you, so come to our aid." And Joshu...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Amos 8:9; Deuteronomy 17:3; Deuteronomy 4:19; Habakkuk 2:20; Habakk

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE KINGS GATHER AGAINST GOD Joshua 10:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS Is the world approaching another world war? Is that war leading toward the final great war of wars? These and similar questions are upon...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Spoke Joshua — Being moved to beg it out of zeal to destroy God's enemies, and directed to it by the motion of God's spirit, and being filled with holy confidence of the success, he speaks the followi...

  • When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties, Norman L. Geisler and Thomas Howe, 1960

    How is it possible for the sun to stand still for a whole day? PROBLEM: During the battle with the kings of the land, God gave Israel the power to overcome their enemies. As the armies of the people...

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