Commentary on Joshua - Keil & Delitzsch - David Cox

Keil and Delitzsch <strong>Commentary</strong> on the Old Testament
omnipotent hand of God, which not only created the stars, but gave them the power to
revolve with such regularity in their orbits as long as this universe endures, and which
upholds and governs all things in heaven and on earth, is not too short to guard
against any such disastrous consequences as these. But to this we may add, that even
the strictest and most literal interpretation of the words does not require us to assume,
as the fathers and earlier theologians did, that the sun itself was miraculously made to
stand still, but simply supposes an optical stopping of the sun in its course-that is to
say, a miraculous suspension of the revolution of the earth upon its axis, which would
make it appear to the eye of an observer as if the sun itself were standing still.
Knobel is by no means warranted in pronouncing this view of the matter an
assumption at variance with the text. For the Scriptures speak of the things of the
visible world as they appear; just as we speak of the sun as rising and setting,
although we have no doubt whatever about the revolution of the earth. Moreover, the
omnipotence of God might produce such an optical stoppage of the sun, or rather a
continuance of the visibility of the sun above the horizon, by celestial phenomena
which are altogether unknown to us or to naturalists in general, without interfering
with the general laws affecting the revolution of the heavenly bodies. Only we must
not attempt, as some have done, to reduce the whole miracle of divine omnipotence
to an unusual refraction of the light, or to the continuance of lightning throughout the
whole night.
Joshua 10:16-19
But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.
The five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave that was a Makkedah. When they
were discovered there, Joshua ordered large stones to be rolled before the entrance to
the cave, and men to be placed there to watch, whilst the others pursued the enemy
without ceasing, and smote their rear (vid., Deut 25:18), and prevented their entering
into their cities. He himself remained at Makkedah (v. 21).
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