There is indisputable evidence from the modern science of ethnology that such an event occurred as Joshua records. It is interesting to note that parallel accounts in the records of other nations show that the incident of "Joshuas Long Day" is not an isolated one. Some have argued that evidence for this long day is found in other cultures:
It is more likely that God honored the spirit of his request than to assume Joshua had some scientific insight that was not shared by the people of his day. It is not necessary to assume Joshua was scientifically sophisticated. It was then the earth began to slow down and the day was lengthened (Robert Boyd, Boyds Bible Handbook, Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House, 1983 p.
His command in the Hebrew language was not "Sun, stand thou still," but "Sun, cease acting, or "Sun, stop working." It was then that the gravitational pull of the sun affected the earth. Over 3,000 years ago he said something that would have met the approval of todays scientific establishment. But Joshua did know something that God had revealed to him. Joshua had no idea that his command slowed down 6.6 sextrillion tons of spinning gravel and water to give Israel victory over her enemies. Why didnt Joshua cry out, "Earth quit moving," or "Earth, slow down your spinning on your axis to prolong time." Knowing his God, his Gods power, and his Gods promise, he called out to God for help, and in the presence of all Israel, he commanded the "sun to stand still." But the sun was already standing still, Joshua. If he didnt conquer the enemy before dark, they would regroup and attack Israel the next day. And in this battle he saw victory in its grasp, but time was running out. We might say, "How little Joshua knew." But he knew his God! He knew that God had promised to go before His people to fight their battles and give them victory ( Joshua 10:8). Some people feel that Joshua made a scientifically accurate request. Probably Joshua and his contemporaries thought of the sun as moving around the earth, but his language should not be pressed to construct a "view of the universe" any more than should todays reference to the rising and setting of the sun (Marten Woodstra, The Book of Joshua, Grand Rapids, Eerdmans: 1981, p. The language that Joshua uses in addressing the sun and moon is the language of ordinary observation still used today in the scientific age.
Marten Woodstra, Old Testament authority, writes: From that vantage point Joshua addresses the sun with his request. From our point of view here on earth the sun does rise in the morning and set at night. Why did Joshua address the sun rather than the earth? Did he believe the sun actually moved?Īs we have already mentioned, Scripture speaks in the language of appearance, the language of observation. We know that the sun does not move around the earth causing day and night but rather the earth revolves around the sun. And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord heeded a voice of a man for the Lord fought for Israel ( Joshua 10:12-14). Is this not written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hastened to go down for about a whole day. So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the people had revenge upon their enemies. Then Joshua spoke 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 still over Gibeon and Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon. In the tenth chapter of the Book of Joshua the following account is recorded: It is one of the favorite texts of unbelievers to demonstrate the ignorance of the writers of Scripture. Whenever the subject arises concerning biblical events and their relationship to science, the story of Joshua and the sun standing still is usually brought up.