Joshua 10:11-13
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
11 While they fled before Israel along the descent of Beth-horon, the Lord hurled great stones from the heavens[a] above them all the way to Azekah, killing many.(A) More died from these hailstones than the Israelites killed with the sword. 12 It was then, when the Lord delivered up the Amorites to the Israelites, that Joshua prayed to the Lord, and said in the presence of Israel:
Sun, stand still at Gibeon,
Moon, in the valley of Aijalon!
13 The sun stood still,
the moon stayed,
while the nation took vengeance on its foes.(B)
This is recorded[b] in the Book of Jashar. The sun halted halfway across the heavens; not for an entire day did it press on.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 10:11 Great stones from the heavens: the hailstones mentioned in the next sentence.
- 10:13 This is recorded: the reference is to the preceding poetic passage. Evidently the Book of Jashar, like the Book of the Wars of the Lord (Nm 21:14), recounted in epic style the exploits of Israel’s early heroes. The sun halted: lit., “the sun stood”; this obscure passage may suppose a longer than natural day caused when the sun stopped moving across the sky, or it may refer to the sun stopping its light-giving function, perhaps through an eclipse. In any case it was seen as a sign that God fought Israel’s battle (v. 42; cf. Ex 14:14).
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