The Sun Stands Still at Gibeon

When Adoni-zedek, the king of Jerusalem, learned that Joshua had captured Ai and Jericho and that the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, he became greatly afraid (Joshua 10:1-2). Because Gibeon was a large city and all its men were warriors, Adoni-zedek sent messages to the kings of Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon, requesting they join him to attack Gibeon for defecting to Joshua (Joshua 10:3-4). These five Amorite kings gathered their forces and besieged Gibeon, prompting the men of Gibeon to send a plea for help to Joshua at his camp in Gilgal (Joshua 10:5-6).

Joshua marched from Gilgal overnight with his entire army and all his best fighting men. The LORD told Joshua not to fear the coalition, for He had given them into his hand (Joshua 10:7-8). Joshua arrived suddenly and took the Amorites by surprise. The LORD threw the enemy into a panic before Israel, resulting in a great slaughter at Gibeon. As the Amorite forces fled toward Azekah and Makkedah, the LORD cast down large hailstones from heaven upon them. The text states that more died from the hailstones than by the swords of the Israelites (Joshua 10:9-11).

On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua spoke to the LORD in the presence of Israel, commanding the sun to stand still over Gibeon and the moon to stay over the Valley of Aijalon (Joshua 10:12). The sun remained in the middle of heaven and did not hasten to set for about a whole day until the nation took vengeance on their enemies. The passage notes there has been no day like it before or since, where the LORD hearkened to the voice of a man, for the LORD fought for Israel (Joshua 10:13-14). Following the conflict, Joshua and all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal (Joshua 10:15).