At that time Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, “Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Joshua addresses God directly, not the sun and moon themselves, using them as poetic, symbolic language to express his prayer for more daylight. This highlights how even extraordinary faith operates within prayer and relies on God's power, not the speaker's command over nature. The naming of both the sun and moon shows that Joshua recognized the interconnectedness of celestial events and sought God's intervention to maintain divine order during this pivotal battle.
At that time Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, “Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
As the Israelite army faces a massive alliance of five Amorite kings determined to crush them, Joshua receives a desperate plea for help from the city of Gibeon, which had previously made a treaty with Israel. After a swift night march, the Israelites surprise the enemy forces, and the Lord intervenes with a devastating hailstorm. As the day wears on and the enemy is routed but not entirely destroyed, Joshua prays for an extended period of daylight to secure a complete victory.
Ever felt like the odds were stacked against you, and you needed more time to win? Joshua faced a battle where the clock was literally running out.
A Battle Against Time
Joshua and the Israelites were in a fierce battle against the five Amorite kings. The Lord had already struck them down with panic and a hailstorm, but the day was drawing to a close.
Joshua knew that if night fell before the enemy was completely defeated, they might escape and regroup. Victory was within reach, but time was the enemy's last ally.
Faith in the Face of the Clock
In this critical moment, Joshua didn't just pray for strength or courage. He prayed for God to stop time itself. "Sun, stand still!" he commanded, not just as a plea, but as a confident declaration backed by faith and divine inspiration. This wasn't a wish; it was a command to the very celestial bodies, trusting that the God who made them would honor His servant's need.
Joshua commanded the sun and moon. Was he talking to the celestial bodies themselves, or to the One who controlled them?
The Authority Behind the Command
Joshua's words to the sun and moon are powerful and striking: "Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon." This sounds like he's directly addressing the heavenly bodies.
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However, the context makes it clear. The verse begins by stating, "Then spoke Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel." This isn't a magician summoning cosmic forces; it's a prophet of God, empowered by Him, speaking in faith.
Faith's Bold Declaration
Joshua wasn't worshipping the sun or moon. He was speaking to the Creator of the sun and moon, using His authority. The language is direct and poetic, reflecting the awe and confidence Joshua had in God's power to sustain the day until His people's victory was complete. It highlights that true faith speaks with conviction, not out of ignorance, but out of a deep understanding of God's sovereignty over all creation.
Understand the original words
Emori · Hebrew Proper Noun
A semi-nomadic, powerful people group inhabiting the mountainous regions of Canaan; often used representatively for the idolatrous inhabitants whom God ordered to be driven out.
shemesh · Hebrew Noun
The celestial body governing the day; in the ancient Near East, it was often worshipped as a deity, but here it is depicted as a servant under the absolute command of the Creator God.
yareach · Hebrew Noun
The celestial body governing the night; its mention alongside the sun emphasizes the cosmic scale of the miracle and the total control of God over the heavens.
This pivotal moment occurred during the intense conquest of Canaan. The combined pressures of immediate battle, a miraculous intervention, and the political implications of dealing with a defeated, yet allied, city highlight the extraordinary nature of God's intervention and Joshua's reliance on Him.
c. 1400 BC
Conquest of Canaan
Joshua leads the Israelites in a swift campaign to conquer the land of Canaan, following God's command.
Date Unknown (after Ai)
Gibeonite Deception
The Gibeonites deceive Joshua into making a treaty with them, posing as distant travelers seeking peace.
Date Unknown (shortly after Gibeonite deception)
Amorite Coalition Forms
Five Amorite kings, led by Adonizedek of Jerusalem, unite to attack Gibeon for making peace with Israel.
Date Unknown (battle day)— this verse
Battle of Gibeon
Joshua and the Israelites march rapidly to defend Gibeon, engaging the allied Amorite kings in a decisive battle.
Date Unknown (same day)
Sun and Moon Stand Still
Joshua prays for the sun and moon to stand still, miraculously prolonging the daylight until Israel achieves complete victory.
Date Unknown (after battle)
Pursuit and Destruction
Israel pursues the fleeing Amorites, destroying them with hailstones from heaven and the sword, culminating in the capture of five kings.
This psalm, recounting God's powerful deliverance of David, also speaks poetically of God's might displayed through natural phenomena like darkness, clouds, and hail, mirroring the extraordinary events in Joshua's battle.
Isaiah 38:7-8This passage describes a similar miraculous lengthening of daylight for King Hezekiah, showing a pattern of God intervening with the sun's movement to confirm His promises and power.
Habakkuk 3:11The prophet Habakkuk uses poetic language to describe the sun and moon standing still in their appointed places during God's display of power, echoing Joshua's command.
2 Kings 20:9-11This account of King Hezekiah's sign provides a parallel narrative where God alters the sun's course to affirm His word and power, similar to the event in Joshua's time.
calvinJoshua 10:1-14: "Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them;"
- Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and h…
clarkeJoshua 10:12: "Then spake Joshua 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 thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon."
Then spake Joshua to the Lord - Though Joshua saw that the enemies of his people were put to flight, yet he well knew that all which escaped would rally again, and that he should be obliged to meet them once more in the field of battle if permitted now to esc…
Joshua addresses God directly, not the sun and moon themselves, using them as poetic, symbolic language to express his prayer for more daylight. This highlights how even extraordinary faith operates within prayer and relies on God's power, not the speaker's command over nature. The naming of both the sun and moon shows that Joshua recognized the interconnectedness of celestial events and sought God's intervention to maintain divine order during this pivotal battle.
As the Israelite army faces a massive alliance of five Amorite kings determined to crush them, Joshua receives a desperate plea for help from the city of Gibeon, which had previously made a treaty with Israel. After a swift night march, the Israelites surprise the enemy forces, and the Lord intervenes with a devastating hailstorm. As the day wears on and the enemy is routed but not entirely destroyed, Joshua prays for an extended period of daylight to secure a complete victory.
As the Israelite army faces a massive alliance of five Amorite kings determined to crush them, Joshua receives a desperate plea for help from the city of Gibeon, which had previously made a treaty with Israel. After a swift night march, the Israelites surprise the enemy forces, and the Lord intervenes with a devastating hailstorm. As the day wears on and the enemy is routed but not entirely destroyed, Joshua prays for an extended period of daylight to secure a complete victory.
"At that time Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel,
“Sun, stand still at Gibeon,
and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”" — Joshua addresses God directly, not the sun and moon themselves, using them as poetic, symbolic language to express his prayer for more daylight. This highlights how even extraordinary faith operates…
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Last reviewed October 2026