Joshua 10:12-22
Jos 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 Joshua spoke to the LORD and had entreated him that
the sun should remain in the sky over Gibeon and not set until the battle was
completed. It was done in response
to Joshua’s request and to celebrate the fact that the five armies had been
defeated by the LORD. The valley of
Ajalon was due west of Gibeon. The
city of Aijalon was 10 miles (16 KM) west of Gibeon.
Jos 10:13
And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the
people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in
the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted
not to go down about a whole day.
So the LORD granted Joshua’s request in that it was the
first 48 hour day. Some years ago
NASA had found that one day was missing around the time of Joshua when they did
calculations and confirmed that miracle even in our day.
The sun stood still overhead until the Israelites had avenged themselves
upon the five armies which attacked.
Not much is known about the book of Jasher.
Some years ago a date setting cult had named it as the Bible itself.
The book of Jasher may just be a collection of writings about the
Israelite victories and maybe songs and some elegies.
To nail it down to something specific would only be speculation.
It was mentioned in the time of Joshua and the time of David (2 Samuel
1:18) which would be about 380 years apart.
So it may have been some type of journal of Israelite victories.
The name “Jasher” means “righteous” which is why someone would think it
is the Bible itself. With it being
mentioned twice about 4 centuries apart, it could not have been written by an
individual but by a number of people in a continuing effort to write the
victories of Israel. It may have
been destroyed in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. along with all the
temple records.
Jos 10:14
And there was no day like that before it or after it,
that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.
Then this day was one that was never repeated nor was it
ever done before this one that the LORD had hearkened unto the voice of a man.
We must remember that Joshua was a saved man and the Holy Spirit
indwelled him and it must also be remembered that if we pray according to God’s
will, then we will have the petition.
And this is the confidence that we
have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: (1
John 5:14) The LORD had fought
for Israel and now Joshua was finishing the battle.
So Joshua was in line with the will of the LORD.
We may never see a miracle like that but when we pray in line with the
will of God we have assurance that he hears us and will work out our petition
accordingly.
Jos 10:15
And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the
camp to Gilgal.
Then the battle was completed and all of Israel had
returned to the camp at Gilgal.
From the language in this verse “all Israel” it may be that they did not lose a
single man in the battle but I cannot be sure.
Jos 10:16
But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave
at Makkedah.
This shows you that politicians all talk tough as long as
they have a buffer between them and reality.
These kings were no different.
Once they saw that their armies had been defeated, they went into
self-preservation mode and hid themselves in a cave which was not very royal
behavior. I guess they realized
that swords can have their name on it too.
Jos 10:17
And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found
hid in a cave at Makkedah.
Then Joshua was told that the five kings were hiding in a
cave at Makkedah. These kings had
abandoned their armies and ran for cover when they saw the battle going against
them. They had escaped the
hailstones which took out most of their armies but as always it was for a
reason.
Jos 10:18
And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the
cave, and set men by it for to keep them:
Then Joshua knowing that they must stand for judgment of
their actions of coming against Israel, Joshua orders that the cave be sealed,
not to suffocate them but to hold them in ward until their time of trial.
Joshua had ordered that some men be posted as guards to make sure none of
them would escape.
Jos 10:19
And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies,
and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for
the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand.
Then Joshua tells them not all of them need to stay and
guard the cave since there was only five of them in there and most likely
unarmed. Joshua orders the other
men to continue the pursuit of the enemy, those who fled first and were now
considered the tail end of the army.
He wanted to prevent them from going into the cities where they could
find refuge and also use the cities as a place to form a resistance which could
withstand a siege. He once again
assures the men that God has already delivered them into their hands and there
was nothing to fear from any of them.
Jos 10:20
And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of
Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they
were consumed, that the rest which remained of them entered into fenced
cities.
Joshua had now moved his camp from Gilgal to Makkedah as
he moved more within the land of Canaan making the striking distance much
shorter. The men had pursued the
fleeing army as much as they could but some of them made it to the fenced city
of Makkedah and possibly some of the surrounding cities.
It was a great slaughter because Israel had routed five armies and they
would not have been small armies.
Jos 10:21
And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at
Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.
Now all the army of Israel had returned to the camp at
Makkedah where Joshua had moved his headquarters.
Now they were all reunited from the pursuit of the pagan armies in many
directions. They were now a unified
army once again. Their conquests
were so complete that they caused great fear upon the people and not one person
or any people had dared to bring anything against Israel, even so much as a
verbal protest. This conquest of
the five armies was now being felt by the other cities yet to be taken.
Jos 10:22
Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring
out those five kings unto me out of the cave.