Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-03-22
JOSHUA AND THE sun.
From Notes and Queries

As this has again become u subject OF
some discussion, perhaps it may interest
your readers TO remind them that the first
person 10 suggest the Interpretation of an
extraordinary refraction causing the sun
and moon apparently 10 remain above the
horizon longer than usual was Spinoza, III
the second chapter Of his Tractatus Theo-
lo2ico-P Polilicus. ,p!ncza, whose object was
10 dispense with the necessity for miracle,
cou.uses the ge!raCtion Of the rays of light
by the atmosphere with their dispersion or
scattering, and assumes that TIE appear
anc2 was strictly similar To such prolonSa-
tion~ oi daylight u We have witnessed IN
The recent gorgeous sunsets. Some late
writers je. T.. the late Rev. L. Miner, in
his astronomy and Scripture have supposed
that there really was an abnormal re-
fraction which kept The sun supposed 10
be near lis sciting) apparently above the
horizon for some tine longer than usual.
i consideration, however, Of the position
Of The site Of the battle ana its vicinity
shows that any idea Of this kind is un-
tcnabc as well as unnecessary. Beth-horon
is to the northwest of Gibeon, so that the
sun must have been IN the southeast,
ana the time Of day the early morning. 1t
was the prolongation OF darkness, not Of
DAYLIGHT that was desired, and this IS evil
dent from all the circumstances mentioned
in the narrative. The Hebrew word trans
lated "c3tand thou still, ;" means literally "be
thou silent" and the object Of Joshua's
prayer Was that the sun NIGH not shine out
over Gibeon, where il was just about TO rise,
or The moon, where il had last been seen
nearly setting in the West, over the Valley
OF Aial0n, but that the gathering tempest
might 50 overc!oud the heavens IS 10 Oh
scrlrc the landscape and give advantage TO
the attacking force Of IsraeiteS. This has
necn GWc.t upon by the Rev. y. Smythe
Palmer in the current number OF the Church
VuG'tcHy Rericw but the Rev. I. Pelham
Dale ~ho had himself written an article
taking the same view in the Christian
.idrocate for 1871 points out in the number
o! The ChUrch Times for the Sth instant tha:
it seems 10 have been first noticed by the
late Henry +. y. Pratt, n. D., in his GENE
aiOgp Of Creation, published III 1861. DE-
pg1tt tnere says Up. 206.):
1T has been seen that Joshua plan was
a nigh: attack and that he marched nj light
to accomplish it, and here is gathered the
first clue toward discovering, through what
was required, what must have actually
taken place. IL. having marched all night
he NoulG necessarily not reach Gideon until
Gay yhreak or ST close upon the dawn rs to
make il only lCo probable that his plan
wouiA i::il through the absence OF the dark
ness necessary 10 It's success"
The words, then, of prayer afterwards in
c0rpurated with many otnei pieces into the
pocli&al book OF Jashcr were:
'Irl the sun he silent over Gibcon,
And the moon III the valley of Ajalon :.
Tie word silent when applied to the sun
! meaning not 10 shine" And the end OF
verse Is IS literally rendered by DR.. Pratt,
THE sun remained in the CLOUDS of the
heavens and snone not on arising rs (onl an
ortiinary day The dark tempest was fol-
| lowed. as We all know, by a tremendous
| hail storm, which completed the destruction
| OF Inc routed AmorteS.