Stopping of the Sun at Givon/2
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Stopping of the Sun at Givon
Exegetical Approaches
Supernatural: Literal Stoppage
Hashem wrought a miracle in which the celestial spheres stopped their movement, causing a lengthening of the daylight hours.
Sources:Ben Sira, Bavli Taanit, Bavli Avodah Zarah, Bereshit Rabbah, Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, R. Yehuda ibn Balaam, Radak, R. Asher Crescas, Abarbanel, Malbim
Miracles and nature – These sources are comfortable with Hashem suspending natural order, even when there might have been alternative methods of accomplishing the same goal. They feel no need to rationalize or minimize the extent that Hashem plays with natural laws.
Need for the Miracle – These sources differ in how they explain why a miracles was necessary, especially in light of the earlier Divine intervention in the battle in the form of heavenly hail stones:
- Prevent Shabbat desecration –Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer suggests that the battle took place on a Friday and that Yehoshua requested that the day be lengthened so that the nation would not need to desecrate Shabbat so as to finish the battle.
- Sanctify Hashem – Malbim agrees that the miracle was not needed for strategic purposes, claiming instead that Yehoshua's sole goal was to ensure that the nation knew "that Hashem was fighting for Israel". The obvious miracle left them no doubt that Hashem was on their side.
- Finish the battle – Abarbanel, in contrast, assumes that the miracle was needed to totally vanquish the Canaanites. He does not elaborate, only pointing out how light was needed so as to chase and kill off enemy soldiers. However, it is likely that Yehoshua was trying to prevent them from reaching the safety of their walled cities by nightfall. Had they been able to, the earlier victory would be not have been worth much as the enemy could regroup and win the next skirmish.
Sun versus moon?
- According to R. Yosef Kara, the main part of the miracle was the sun standing still; the moon simply followed suit, waiting for the sun to set before it moved.
- Radak, however, implies that Yehoshua prayed for both extended sunlight, and later extended moonlight. The daylight hours only lasted as long as the longest day, so it was necessary for the moon, too, to shine more than usual.
Were Yehoshua's words a request or praise?
Comparison to Moshe's miracles
"וְלֹא הָיָה כַּיּוֹם הַהוּא לְפָנָיו וְאַחֲרָיו"
