Joshua 10-11 (NIV)

The Sun Stands Still

10 Now Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai and totally destroyed[a] it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and that the people of Gibeon had made a treaty of peace with Israel and had become their allies. 2 He and his people were very much alarmed at this, because Gibeon was an important city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were good fighters. 3 So Adoni- Zedek king of Jerusalem appealed to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish and Debir king of Eglon.4 “Come up and help me attack Gibeon,” he said, “because it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.”

5 Then the five kings of the Amorites—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon—joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it.

6 The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us.”

7 So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men. 8 The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.”

9 After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise. 10 The LORD threw them into confusion before Israel, so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. 11 As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the LORD hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.

12 On the daythe 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.” 13 So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on[b] 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. 14 There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the LORD listened to a human being. Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel!

15 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

Five Amorite Kings Killed

16 Now the five kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah. 17 When Joshua was told that the five kings had been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah, 18 he said, “Roll large rocks up to the mouth of the cave, and post some men there to guard it. 19 But don’t stop; pursue your enemies! Attack them from the rear and don’t let them reach their cities, for the LORD your God has given them into your hand.”

20 So Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely, but a few survivors managed to reach their fortified cities.21 The whole army then returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah, and no one uttered a word against the Israelites. 1 22 Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.” 23 So they brought the five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon. 24 When they had brought these kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had come with him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came forward and placed their feet on their necks.

25 Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the LORD will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.” 26 Then Joshua put the kings to death and exposed their bodies on five poles, and they were left hanging on the poles until evening.

27 At sunset Joshua gave the order and they took them down from the poles and threw them into the cave where they had been hiding. At the mouth of the cave they placed large rocks, which are there to this day.

Southern Cities Conquered

28 That day Joshua took Makkedah. He put the city and its king to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it. He left no survivors. And he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.

29 Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Makkedah to Libnah and attacked it. 30 The LORD also gave that city and its king into Israel’s hand. The city and everyone in it Joshua put to the sword. He left no survivors there. And he did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.

31 Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Libnah to Lachish; he took up positions against it and attacked it. 32 The LORD gave Lachish into Israel’s hands, and Joshua took it on the second day. The city and everyone in it he put to the sword, just as he had done to Libnah. 33 Meanwhile, Horam king of Gezer had come up to help Lachish, but Joshua defeated him and his army—until no survivors were left.

34 Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Lachish to Eglon; they took up positions against it and attacked it. 35 They captured it that same day and put it to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it, just as they had done to Lachish.

36 Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron and attacked it. 37 They took the city and put it to the sword, together with its king, its villages and everyone in it. They left no survivors. Just as at Eglon, they totally destroyed it and everyone in it.

38 Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned around and attacked Debir. 39 They took the city, its king and its villages, and put them to the sword. Everyone in it they totally destroyed. They left no survivors. They did to Debir and its king as they had done to Libnah and its king and to Hebron.

40 So Joshua subdued the whole region, including the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills and the mountain slopes, together with all their kings. He left no survivors. He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded. 41 Joshua subdued them from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and from the whole region of Goshen to Gibeon. 42 All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.

43 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

Footnotes:

a. Joshua 10:1 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the LORD, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 28, 35, 37, 39 and 40. b. Joshua 10:13 Or nation triumphed over

2 Northern Kings Defeated

11 When Jabin king of Hazor heard of this, he sent word to Jobab king of Madon, to the kings of Shimron and Akshaph,2 and to the northern kings who were in the mountains, in the Arabah south of Kinnereth, in the western foothills and in Naphoth Dor on the west; 3 to the Canaanites in the east and west; to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites and Jebusites in the hill country; and to the Hivites below Hermon in the region of Mizpah. 4 They came out with all their troops and a large number of horses and chariots—a huge army, as numerous as the sand on the seashore. 5 All these kings joined forces and made camp together at the Waters of Merom to fight against Israel.

6 The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, because by this time tomorrow I will hand all of them, slain, over to Israel. You are to hamstring their horses and burn their chariots.”

7 So Joshua and his whole army came against them suddenly at the Waters of Merom and attacked them, 8 and theLord gave them into the hand of Israel. They defeated them and pursued them all the way to Greater Sidon, to Misrephoth Maim, and to the Valley of Mizpah on the east, until no survivors were left. 9 Joshua did to them as the Lordhad directed: He hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots.

10 At that time Joshua turned back and captured Hazor and put its king to the sword. (Hazor had been the head of all these kingdoms.) 11 Everyone in it they put to the sword. They totally destroyed[a] them, not sparing anyone that breathed, and he burned Hazor itself.

12 Joshua took all these royal cities and their kings and put them to the sword. He totally destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded. 13 Yet Israel did not burn any of the cities built on their mounds—except Hazor, which Joshua burned. 14 The Israelites carried off for themselves all the plunder and livestock of these cities, but all the people they put to the sword until they completely destroyed them, not sparing anyone that breathed. 15 As the Lord commanded his servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua, and Joshua did it; he left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses.

16 So Joshua took this entire land: the hill country, all the Negev, the whole region of Goshen, the western foothills,the Arabah and the mountains of Israel with their foothills, 17 from Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir, to Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and put them to death. 18 Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long time. 19 Except for the Hivites living in Gibeon, not one city made a treaty of peacewith the Israelites, who took them all in battle. 20 For it was the Lord himself who hardened their hearts to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

21 At that time Joshua went and destroyed the Anakites from the hill country: from Hebron, Debir and Anab, from all the hill country of Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua totally destroyed them and their towns. 22 No Anakites were left in Israelite territory; only in Gaza, Gath and Ashdod did any survive.

23 So Joshua took the entire land, just as the Lord had directed Moses, and he gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal divisions. Then the land had rest from war.

Footnotes:

Joshua 11:11 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 12, 20 and 21. 3 Holman Christian Standard Bible - Study Bible1

Joshua 10-11

10:1 Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem was the leader of the key city in the region of the Gibeonites. The name may mean "my lord is righteous." The second element of the name, (Hb) tsedeq, also occurs with Melchizedek king of (Jeru-)Salem in Genesis 14. Some have suggested here a dynastic name that is used of the leader of Jerusalem in succeeding generations.

10:2 Adoni-zedek had heard about Joshua's victory against Ai, and he and his people were greatly alarmed. This suggests that things had returned to what they were in 5:1, where all the Canaanites were fearful of Israel. Gibeon lay immediately north of Jerusalem, dominating the plateau and providing key strategic routes to the coastal plain on the west and to the Jordan Valley on the east. Gibeon's defection threatened Jerusalem's trade and contact with the north as well as the west and east. If all the men of Gibeon were warriors, this suggests a warlike town whose sole reason for being was to wage war and collect tribute from defeated enemies. If Gibeon joined Israel's side, it could no longer be counted upon to remain loyal to Jerusalem, so it posed a threat.

10:3 The names of the kings of these towns preserve authentic forms and elements of names found in Canaanite Palestine between 1500 and 1200 b.c. The towns themselves included three (Hebron...Lachish, and Eglon) that formed a line of towns south of Jerusalem and across the entire Judean hill country and desert. The town of Jarmuth, probably identified with modern Tel Yarmut, lay to the east of Jerusalem between the Sorek and Elah valleys that stretched east-west and formed major access routes between the coastal plain and the area of Jerusalem.

1. Jeremy Royal Howard, ed., HCSB Study Bible, (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2010), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "Joshua 10 & 11". 4 10:4 This verse recalls the only Canaanite correspondence between Canaanite kings in the Bible. The need to attack Gibeon was based on their peace treaty with Israel. The fact that local towns and cities had their own armies is known from the fourteenth century b.c. Amarna letters, where many of the towns were so defended. These local militias largely disappeared after the rise of the Israelite monarchy.

10:6 Gibeon's appeal to Joshua and the Israelites was based on their peace treaty of 9:15. This agreement, while requiring Gibeonites to serve Israel, also assumed that Gibeon would be protected from its enemies by the stronger party, Israel. Such was a common arrangement for suzerain-vassal treaties in the ancient Near East.

10:7-43 This section describes the battle by using a series of perspectives. There is often a summary description, such as here in verses 7-10, followed by more details in the text. The work of God, as Israel's leader in the war, is described first (vv. 11-15). Then there is consideration of the leaders of the enemy coalition (vv. 16-27) and details of battles with the towns in the southern coalition (vv. 28-40). Finally, there is a summary and a note on Israel's return to camp.

10:8 God's admonition to Joshua to not be afraid of them occurred previously in 8:1 in anticipation of the battle and victory over Ai. See also 1:9 and the promise that not one of them will be able to stand against you (cp. 1:5).

10:9 The idea of marching all night was not unprecedented in the ancient world, but it was not common because it could exhaust the soldiers and thus ruin their effectiveness.

10:10 As at the victory against Egypt at the exodus (Ex 14:24), God threw them into confusion before Israel. This tactic is characteristic of God's warfare against His enemies. God was responsible for a great slaughter at Gibeon. He chased the survivors westward through the pass of Beth-horon, the major access route for armies between the plateau of Gibeon and the coastal plain. As they fled westward they would reach Azekah, a site not far from Jarmuth, the hometown of one of the enemy armies. The site of Makkedah (modern Khirbet el-Qom) was close to Hebron, Lachish, and Eglon. Thus the two places represent the final stand of the enemy armies against Israel's God. Close to their homes, with their backs against the wall, they had nowhere to go.

10:11 The idea that God would use hailstones against Israel's enemy suggests a concern to communicate to Israel and the surrounding peoples that God was sovereign over all things and would even use nature against Israel's enemies.

10:12 Some argue that Joshua in his prayer addressed the sun and moon as deities. This is unlikely in context because in the three previous communications in the chapter (vv. 4, 6, and 8), the addressee is never named in the message itself, but only in the introduction. The same is true here. Instead of addressing the sun and moon as deities, Joshua addressed God and then was given the authority to command the sun and moon. The pass of Beth-horon leads westward into the Valley of Aijalon. It was here that Joshua wished to continue or otherwise to succeed in the battle.

10:13 Here is the confirmation of the preceding verse. Miraculously, the sun and moon ceased in their course across the sky. This enabled Israel to complete its destruction of the enemy. The Book of Jashar is also mentioned in 2Sam 1:18, where it introduces David's eulogy for Saul and Jonathan.

5 10:14 Verses 11-14 summarize how the Lord fought for Israel. God's part in the miracle was of primary significance. Had He not fought, Israel would not have won. Because He fought, Israel could not lose and needed only to follow up on the victory.

10:15 Israel's return to the camp at Gilgal anticipated the end of the war and the identical conclusion in verse 43. Thus verses 11-15 describe the activity of God as fighting for Israel while the remainder of the chapter focuses on the events of Israel and of its enemies.

10:16 Sometime before the end of the battle with the enemy armies, the five kings (v. 3) had hidden in the cave at Makkedah (v. 10).

10:18-20 When Joshua learned where the kings were hiding, he put a guard on the cave and ordered the army to continue pursuing the enemy so they could not escape to their fortified centers. The note that a few survivors ran away to the fortified cities anticipates verses 28-42 and the destruction of the various fortified centers.

10:22-24 Commands given by Joshua in verses 22 and 24a are followed word-for-word in verses 23 and 24b. The Israelite army was in complete unison and obedience to their leader, and a great victory was accomplished.

10:24 The act of the military commanders placing their feet on the necks of these kings signified the subjugation of the kings and their rule to the army of Israel (Jer 28:14; 30:8; Ezek 21:29).

10:25 Joshua repeated the words of encouragement that God had given to him in 1:5-9.

10:26-27 Joshua's actions toward the kings duplicate those toward the king of Ai (8:29) with execution, hanging on trees until sunset, and then "burial" in a cave with a pile of stones to mark the site.

10:28-40 The capture and destruction of Makkedah (v. 28), Libnah (vv. 29-30), Lachish (vv. 31-33), Eglon (vv. 34-35), Hebron (vv. 36-37), and Debir (vv. 38-39) followed in rapid sequence.

10:33 A fourth town in the sequence, Gezer, was not attacked but is mentioned as providing an army to fight against Israel at Lachish. The city of Lachish was strategically located. Egyptian inscriptions show that it was probably the base for Egypt's empire in southern Canaan. Its defeat would have been among the most important events of Joshua's entire southern campaign.

10:40 A summary of the victories by region is presented in this verse. The effect is to describe a complete destruction leaving no survivors. This is a stylized, hyperbolic statement celebrating the victorious southern campaign. The reality, however, is that many Canaanites did escape, as will be apparent in chapters 13 and in Judges 1. Here the emphasis is on the obedience of Joshua and Israel in following God's commands from Dt 20:16-18.

10:41 This summary defines all the towns in the south as far north as Gibeon. Goshen cannot refer to Egypt but must describe an otherwise unknown region (11:16). In 15:51 the town is associated with a district in the tribe of Judah.

10:43 The return of all Israel to the camp at Gilgal signaled the end of the campaign and the peace that resulted so Israel could rest. 6 Joshua 11

11:1 The role of Jabin king of Hazor as the leader of the towns of the northern region, corresponded to the king of Jerusalem (10:3) in the south. Situated north of the Sea of Galilee, Hazor was the largest ancient site in Israel. It was the dominant city of the entire land and governed trade to the north where it is mentioned in texts as far away as cities on the Euphrates River. The initial phrase "When Jabin... heard" duplicates those in 5:1 and 9:1 and signals that there will be a battle against Israel. Madon is unknown. It may be a variant of Merom, found in the "Waters of Merom" in verses 5 and 7.

Shimron (modern Tel Shimron) was located in the foothills near the western end of the Jezreel Valley. It lay at the southern end of Galilee. Achshaph (modern Tell Keisan) was situated to the west in the Acco plain. If Madon/Merom is identified as modern Tel Qarnei Hittin, it lay to the east near the Sea of Galilee. The effect is to identify important sites scattered across the populated areas around the Sea of Galilee to the north and westward along the Jezreel Valley and over to the Acco Plain and the Mediterranean Sea.

11:2 Chinnereth (modern Tel Kinrot) was a site on the northwest end of the Sea of Galilee. Chinnereth was also the name of the sea at that time, so the southern portion of the area could include both the region around the sea and the Jordan Valley farther south. The Judean foothills translates "Shephelah," a word meaning only "low hills." Although the Bible often uses this term to describe the western foothills of Judah, here it probably refers to the foothills of Samaria, farther north and more in agreement with this description of lands and towns in the north. The Slopes of Dor is a translation of "Naphoth Dor," an otherwise unknown name.

11:3 The Hivites were previously associated with Gibeon, but here they are found farther north at the foot of Mount Hermon. The Jebusites, often associated with Jerusalem, are more generally located in the hill country. Apparently these were people groups who populated more than one location. The reference to Mizpah anticipates the Valley of Mizpeh to the east in verse 8. The modern Mount Hermon lies at the southern tip of the Anti-Lebanon range. Mizpeh could refer to the southern end of the Beqa'a Valley where the Litani River flows south and then west to Tyre.

7 11:4 The huge number of the armies suggests a larger force than that of the southern coalition. As with Tyre (v. 1), these towns and cities tended to be more populous than those mentioned in chapter 10. The horses and chariots were the most sophisticated technology available in ancient warfare, used to move archers around the battlefield as a mobile firing platform.

11:5 Although there is a site known as Merom in upper Galilee, its location makes it unlikely as a strategic place for a battle. Modern Tel Qarni Hattin near the Horns of Hattin, a site famous for Crusader battles, seems more appropriate as the identification of Merom. It lay in the hills west of the Sea of Galilee and served as a dominating position for trade and armies coming south from Syria and for those coming east from the coast and the Jezreel Plain. The plan of these armies to attack Israel suggests that what follows would be a defensive war for Israel.

11:6 God promised to cause all of them to be killed before Israel. Again, He did the fighting and Israel reaped the benefits.

11:8 Great Sidon lay at the northwestern corner of Israel. Misrephoth-maim may have been at the northeastern end at the valley of the Litani River. Thus the attack began south of the Sea of Galilee and went westward and north to Sidon before turning eastward to Misrephoth-maim, where it turned south along the Valley of Mizpah (v. 3). Twice the text records how Israel struck them down as if to emphasize the complete success of the mission.

11:9 Joshua and Israel obeyed God's commands from verse 6.

11:10 The size and strategic location of Hazor made it the most important city in Palestine throughout the second millennium b.c.

11:11-13 Today's ruins in Hazor do have a destruction layer from the thirteenth century b.c. This may be the one associated with Joshua (if one accepts a late date for the exodus). The temples of this period were destroyed and the images broken. The destruction layer attests to the burning of the city. No other city in Palestine among those mentioned as destroyed in chapters 1-11 has clear evidence of a burn layer like this during the time of Joshua. This attests to the fact that Israel did not burn any of the cities... except Hazor.

11:14 The treatment of these captured towns, in which Israel killed all the people but plundered all the spoils, resembles that of Ai (8:2,27). Unlike Jericho, at Ai God allowed His people to keep the plunder. Apparently this practice continued elsewhere in the land.

11:15 The battle accounts themselves dramatize the purpose of showing how Joshua and the Israel of his generation were obedient to God's commands. Their faithfulness resulted in God's gift of the land.

11:16 The summary of Israel's battles and victories begins with the regions. Those in the south are followed by those in the north. The land of Goshen may refer to the region with the town of that name in 10:41, in Judah (15:51). Perhaps it is a variant for the kingdom of Geshur, north of the Sea of Galilee. However, see note at 13:13.

8 11:17 The summary turns to the boundaries of the newly acquired land. Mount Halak (modern Jebel Halaq) lay midway between Kadesh-barnea and the southern tip of the Dead Sea. It thus defined the southern border with Seir (Edom). The precise location of Baal-gad... at the foot of Mount Hermon is unknown. The Valley of Lebanon may refer to the Valley of Mizpah (vv. 3,8; see note at v. 8), or to both it and the Beqa'a—the entire region between the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon mountain ranges.

11:19 On Gibeon, see notes at chapter 9. Hivites first appear in 3:10 and are associated with Gibeon in 9:6-7.

11:20 Exodus 4-14 repeats how God would harden the heart of Pharaoh. Here God treated the kings and warriors of Canaan in a similar manner. Thus the reason for the destruction as given here did not lie in other sins of Canaan or in their origins, but in their refusal to recognize Israel's God or to allow Israel access to the land.

11:21 The Anakim represent legendary warriors (Dt 2:10-11). By the time of Joshua they had lived for hundreds of years in Palestine, as attested in Egyptian sources. The three Anakim in Jos 14:15 may correspond to the three towns mentioned here, perhaps as rulers. Anab may refer to the site of 'Unnab ets-Tseghur about 15 miles southwest of Hebron. With Debir, these are all located in southern Palestine. When Joshua completely destroyed the three cities, he may have been represented by Caleb (15:14-15).

11:22 The remnants of the Anakim in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod anticipate the arrival of the Philistines and the presence of a giant such as Goliath (1Sam 17:4).

11:23 The inheritance that Joshua presented to Israel uses a word that occurs in Joshua for the first time, but it will occur dozens of times in the remainder of the book. It serves as a transition from the battles to the division of the inheritance.

HCSB Apologetics Study Bible2 Joshua 10-11

10:1-11 Five Amorite kings, led by Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem, formed another coalition against Israel. They attacked Gibeon in reprisal for making peace with Israel. Joshua and the Israelite army had to come to Gibeon's aid because of their oath. The Lord reassured Joshua that He would fight on Israel's behalf and gain the victory.

10:10 "The LORD threw them into confusion before Israel." This indicates that God was miraculously fighting on behalf of Israel. This was the only way a small nation of twelve tribes could defeat a coalition of well-established cities and their defenders.

10:11 "The LORD threw large hailstones on them from the sky... and they died." This is another instance of God's intervention on behalf of Israel. God slew more of the Amorite fighters than did the Israelites.

2. Ken Fentress, “Notes on Joshua,” in The Apologetics Study Bible: Understanding Why You Believe, ed. Ted Cabal (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2007), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 336-340. 9 10:12-15 In one of the most remarkable occurrences recorded in biblical history, God responded to Joshua's prayer by causing the sun and the moon to stop their movement. Time came to a standstill for nearly an entire day. This text is more than a record of astronomical events; it also makes a theological point. The supposed gods of the sun and moon were prominent in Canaanite religion; Yahweh's greater power now divests these bodies of their religious significance and puts them to the service of His people. The Genesis account of creation offers a similar perspective; the sun and moon—the "two great lights" (Gn 1:16)—do not appear till the fourth day; they are not identified with the light of God's first creative act (Gn 1:3), but serve as regulators of earthly time.

Interpreters have proposed four major explanations of this passage: (1) the earth stopped its rotation, (2) a solar eclipse occurred, (3) an astrological omen took place, or (4) the passage is figurative, not literal. The second option is not plausible because the text does not state that the sun and moon darkened; they continued to shine but stopped moving (the verbal root dmm is best translated "to cease"). The third option suggests that Joshua employed a pagan form of prayer based upon the practice, found in other ancient Near Eastern cultures, of reading omens in the movement of heavenly bodies. This option is inconsistent with Joshua's faithfulness to the Lord. The fourth option is not credible because vv. 13-14 state clearly that the sun and moon stopped their motion. The best way to understand these events is to accept the first option, according to the plain reading of the text. Through alteration of the earth's rotation the apparent movement of the sun and moon across the sky was halted. The urban legend that Princeton scientists or NASA computers have "discovered" Joshua's long day has circulated for more than a half century. Though baseless, this fictitious "scientific" explanation is still widely promoted.

The event was the act of a sovereign and omnipotent God who governs His creation. The emphasis of the passage is how, on that particular day, God listened to the prayer of Joshua in a way that had never been witnessed. The event was clear evidence that the Lord was fighting for Israel. The quote from the Book of Jashar probably encompasses vv. 13b-15, since v. 16 continues the narrative from vv. 10-11.

10:16-27 The five Amorite kings were found hiding at Makkedah. They were brought out to Joshua and executed.

10:28-43 Joshua completed the conquest of southern Canaan. Verse 43 indicates that the Lord was fighting these battles and that He secured the victories. All the inhabitants of these cities were executed. On the justification for their extermination, see note on 6:17.

11:1-15 Jabin, king of Hazor, formed an alliance of northern kings. They assembled a large army with assets that included horses and chariots. The Lord gave Israel a complete victory over this coalition, and its military assets were destroyed. In reprisal for Jabin's instigation of the alliance, Hazor received the most severe punishment. Joshua executed Jabin and all Hazor's inhabitants and burned the city. Verses 12-15 are a summary of the accomplishments of Joshua's northern campaign and restate his obedience in all that the Lord had commanded through Moses.

11:16-23 The conquest of northern Canaan was complete; this passage summarizes Joshua's achievements. Verses 18-20 state the historical and theological justification for the conquest: the Canaanites (with the exception of the Gibeonites) had refused to makepeace with Israel, for God had hardened their hearts so that he might destroy them without mercy. (On the justification for their extermination, see note on 6:17.) It is noteworthy that in 11:22 no mention is made of the Philistines, who had not yet migrated to Gaza, Gath and Ashdod. This is an incidental indicator of the age of the narrative, refuting contemporary critical theories that date the book much later.

10 NLT Life Application Study Bible3 Joshua 10-11

10:5-8 This alliance of enemy kings from the south actually helped Joshua and his army. Because the enemies had united to attack Gibeon, Joshua didn't have to spend the time and resources required to wage separate campaigns against each fortified city represented in the coalition. Joshua confidently confronted this coalition of armies and defeated them in a single battle because he trusted God to give Israel the victory.

The Battle for Gibeon

Five Amorite kings conspired to destroy Gibeon. Israel came to the aid of the Gibeonites. The Israelites attacked the enemy armies outside of Gibeon and chased them through the valley of Aijalon as far as Makkedah and Azekah.

10:6, 7 Joshua's response shows his integrity. After having been deceived by the Gibeonites, Joshua and the leaders could have been slow about their attempt to rescue them. Instead, they immediately responded to their call for help. How willing would you be to help someone who had deceived you, even though you had forgiven him or her? We should take our word just as seriously as Joshua did.

10:12-14 How did the sun stand still? Of course, in relation to the earth the sun always stands still—it is the earth that travels around the sun. But the terminology used in Joshua should not cause us to doubt the miracle. After all, we are not confused when someone tells us the sun rises or sets. The point is that the day was prolonged, not that God used a particular method to prolong it. Two explanations have been given for how this event occurred: (1) A slowing of the earth's normal rotation gave Joshua more time, as the original Hebrew language seems to indicate. (2) Some unusual refraction of the sun's rays gave additional hours of light. Regardless of God's chosen method, the Bible is clear that the day was prolonged by a miracle, and that God's intervention turned the tide of battle for his people.

3. Life Application Study Bible, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1988), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 328-330. 11 10:13 The Book of Jashar (also mentioned in 2 Samuel 1:18) was probably a collection of historical events put to music. Many parts of the Bible contain quotations from previous books, songs, poems, or other spoken and written materials. Because God guided the writer of this book to select this material, his message comes with divine authority.

10:24 Placing a foot on the neck of a captive was a common military practice in the ancient Near East. It symbolized the victor's domination over his captives. These proud kings had boasted of their power. Now all Israel could see that God was superior to any earthly army.

10:25 With God's help, Israel won the battle against five Amorite armies. Such a triumph was part of God's daily business as he worked with his people for victory. Joshua told his men never to be afraid because God would give them similar victories over all their enemies. God has often protected us and won victories for us. The same God who empowered Joshua and who has led us in the past will help us with our present and future needs. Reminding ourselves of his help in the past will give us hope for the struggles that lie ahead.

10:32 Notice that in every Israelite victory, the text gives the credit to the Lord. All of Israel's victories came from God. When we are successful, we may be tempted to take all the credit and glory as though we succeeded by ourselves, in our own strength. In reality, God gives us the victories, and he alone delivers us from our enemies. We should give him the credit and praise him for his goodness.

The Battle for Hazor

Kings from the north joined together to battle the Israelites who controlled the southern half of Canaan. They gathered by the water near Merom, but Joshua attacked them by surprise—the enemies' chariots were useless in the dense forests. Hazor, the largest Canaanite center in Galilee, was destroyed.

12 10:40-43 God had commanded Joshua to take the leadership in ridding the land of sin so God's people could occupy it. Joshua did his part thoroughly—leading the united army to weaken the inhabitants. When God orders us to stop sinning, we must not pause to debate, consider the options, negotiate a compromise, or rationalize. Instead, like Joshua, our response must be swift and complete. We must be ruthless in avoiding relationships and activities that can lead us into sin.

11:1-5 Two kings of Hazor were named Jabin. The other, apparently a weak ruler, is mentioned in Judges 4:2, 3. The Jabin of this story was quite powerful because he was able to build an alliance with dozens of kings. By all appearances, Jabin had a clear advantage over Joshua and his outnumbered forces. But those who honor God can be victorious regardless of the odds.

11:10-13 Victorious invaders usually kept captured cities intact, moving into them and making them centers of commerce and defense. For example, Moses predicted in Deuteronomy 6:10-12 that Israel would occupy cities they themselves had not built. Joshua, however, burned Hazor. As a former capital of the land, Hazor symbolized the wicked culture that Israel had come to destroy. In addition, its capture and destruction broke the backbone of the federation and weakened the will of the people to resist.

11:15 Joshua carefully obeyed all the instructions given by God. This theme of obedience is repeated frequently in the book of Joshua, partly because obedience is one aspect of life that each individual believer can control. We can't always control our understanding because we may not have all the facts. We can't control what other people do or how they treat us. However, we can control our choice to obey God. Whatever new challenges we may face, the Bible contains relevant instructions that we can choose to ignore or choose to follow.

11:15 Joshua followed every detail of God's commands to Moses. It is usually difficult to complete someone else's project, but Joshua stepped into Moses' job, building upon what Moses had started, and brought it to completion. A new person starting a new job usually brings a new style and personality to that job. But the church or any other organization cannot work effectively if every change of personnel means starting from scratch. True servants will step in and continue or complete good work that others have begun.

11:18 The conquest of much of the land of Canaan seems to have happened quickly (we can read about it in one sitting), but it actually took seven years. We often expect quick changes in our lives and quick victories over sin. Our journey with God is a lifelong process, however, and the changes and victories may take time. It is easy to grow impatient with God and feel like giving up hope because things are moving too slowly. When we are close to a situation, it is difficult to see progress. But when we look back, we can see that God never stopped working.

11:21, 22 The descendants of Anak were the tribes of giants the Israelite scouts described when they gave their negative report on the Promised Land (Numbers 13-14). This time the people did not let their fear of the giants prevent them from engaging in battle and claiming the land God had promised.

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