Joshua and the Sun Standing Still

Context & Setting

• Main Biblical Reference: Joshua 10:1–27 (with the wider campaign in Joshua 10)
• Historical Period: Israel’s entry into Canaan during the early settlement period
• Geographic Location: Gibeon and the hill country of southern Canaan (including Beth-horon, Azekah, and Makkedah)
• Key Characters: Joshua; the people of Israel; the Gibeonites; five Amorite kings (including the king of Jerusalem); the LORD

The Narrative

The Beginning: After the Gibeonites make peace with Israel, surrounding Amorite kings view Gibeon as a threat and form an alliance to attack it. The people of Gibeon send urgently to Joshua at Gilgal, asking for rescue. Joshua marches with his forces to defend Gibeon, trusting the LORD’s promise of victory.

The Middle: The LORD throws the enemy into confusion before Israel, and Joshua pursues them up the ascent of Beth-horon. As the Amorites flee, the LORD sends great hailstones that strike down many, emphasizing that Israel’s victory is attributed to divine action. Joshua then speaks before Israel and calls for the sun to stand still over Gibeon and the moon over the Valley of Aijalon, so the pursuit can continue. The text presents the day as unusually prolonged until Israel’s victory was secured.

The End: The five kings flee and hide in a cave at Makkedah, but they are discovered and held until the battle is finished. Joshua brings them out, publicly demonstrates their defeat, and executes them, removing the leadership of the coalition. The southern campaign continues with further victories, and the episode concludes by stressing that the LORD fought for Israel.

Theological Meaning

This account highlights the LORD as the true deliverer and warrior who keeps covenant promises by giving Israel success in the land. The narrative frames Israel’s military action as dependent on God’s word and presence rather than on human strength alone. Joshua’s appeal and God’s response underscore divine sovereignty over creation and history, showing that the conquest advances according to God’s purposes, not merely Israel’s strategy.

Historical & Cultural Insight

Coalitions of city-kings were common in the ancient Near East when a regional balance of power was threatened. The story’s focus on named cities and travel routes (such as the Beth-horon ascent) fits the realities of hill-country warfare, where control of passes and pursuit corridors could determine the outcome of a battle.

Key Memory Verse

“Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.” — Joshua 10:12