Joshua 10:2 - Forerunner Commentary

Joshua 10:2

The Sun Stands Still

1 Now it came to pass when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem ^aheard how Joshua had taken ^bAi and had utterly destroyed it—^cas he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to ^dAi and its king—and ^ehow the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them,

2 that they ^afeared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty.

3 Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying,

4 “Come up to me and help me, that we may attack Gibeon, for ^ait has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.”

5 Therefore the five kings of the ^aAmorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, ^bgathered together and went up, they and all their armies, and camped before Gibeon and made war against it.

6 And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp ^aat Gilgal, saying, “Do not forsake your servants; come up to us quickly, save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us.”

7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and ^aall the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor.

8 And the Lord said to Joshua, ^a“Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; ^bnot a man of them shall ^cstand before you.”

9 Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal.

10 So the Lord ^arouted them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes ^bto Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as ^cAzekah and Makkedah.

11 And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, ^athat the Lord cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword.

12 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:
^a“Sun, stand still over Gibeon;
And Moon, in the Valley of ^bAijalon.”

13 So the sun stood still,
And the moon stopped,
Till the people had revenge
Upon their enemies. ^aIs this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.

14 And there has been ^ano day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord heeded the voice of a man; for ^bthe Lord fought for Israel.

15 ^aThen Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

The Amorite Kings Executed

16 But these five kings had fled and hidden themselves in a cave at Makkedah.

Verse Comparison: Joshua 10:2

<< Joshua 10:1

Joshua 10:3 >>

American Standard Version
that they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.

Amplified® Bible
He feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty.

Contemporary English Version
This frightened Adonizedek and his people. They knew that Gibeon was a large town, as big as the towns that had kings, and even bigger than the town of Ai had been. And all of the men of Gibeon were warriors.

Darby English Version
that they feared greatly; for Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty.

Good News Bible
The people of Jerusalem were greatly alarmed at this because Gibeon was as large as any of the cities that had a king; it was larger than Ai, and its men were good fighters.

King James Version
That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.

New American Standard Bible
that he feared greatly, because Gibeon {was} a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men {were} mighty.

New International Version
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.

New King James Version
that they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty.

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
that he feared greatly, because Gibeon had the reputation of a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because people considered it greater than Ai, and all its men proved themselves mighty.

Revised Standard Version
he feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty.

Young's Literal Translation
that they are greatly afraid, because Gibeon `is' a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it `is' greater than Ai, and all its men -- heroes.

New English Translation
All Jerusalem was terrified¹ because Gibeon was a large city, like one of the royal cities. It was larger than Ai and all its men were warriors.

<< Joshua 10:1

Joshua 10:3 >>