THE MIRACLE OF JOSHUA.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 228, 13 June 1872, Page 9

THE MIRACLE OF JOSHUA.

By. E. S. J.

Among the wonderful events related in ancient Jewish history, none seeinn more extraor/liuary at first sight than the standing still of the sun and moon at the command of Joshua.

This miracle* is generally understood to have occurred shortly before sunset for the purpose of affording a longer period of daylight, in order thas the Hebrews might be enabled to inflict further chastisement upon their enemies, the Amorites, who, having been beaten in battle,, were endeavouring to escape.

As no one now contends that the sun moves round the world, it is explained that this apparent stoppage of the sun was caused by a real stoppage of the earth's revolution, and that the prevention of the catastrophe which would naturally follow such a stoppage was a part of the same scheme which caused the hailstones to fall upon the devoted Araorites.

Without entering upon the question of adaptation of means to the end which is thus involved, an attempt will be here made to point out that the popular idea of the circumstances of the miracle is not entirely correct, and to afford a rational explanation of the story.

The Hebrews under Joshua were encamped at Gilgal, near the Jordan, when the Gibeonites requested aid against the Amorites, who were besieging their city. Joshua marched to the as3istan c of his allies, and ' came suddenly unto" or surprised the Amorites. who were discomfited, abandoned the siege, and fled. The time of daybreak has been universally cousiderec 1 to be most suitable for a surprise, and this battle of Gibeon does not seem to have been an exception to this rule, as the Hebrews marched from Gilgal " all night," and the distance being only about eighteen miles, they could easily have arrived at Gibeon "at or before sunrise, especially as it will be seen that they had the advantage of bright moonlight.

The approach of the Hebrews having been from the eastward, the flight of the surprised Amorites was naturally in the opposite direction towards Beth Horon, which lies a little north of west from Gibeou. Joshua followed, and it was in the course of this pursuit that the sun was commanded to stand still upon Gibeon, and the moon in the valley of A jalon.

As the sun and the moon wrsro not directed to take up fivsh positions, but were merely ordered to stand still, the situations thus indicated must have been those which were apparently occupied by the sun and moon respectively at the moment when the 'command was given. As the hailstones which slew the Amorites in the "going down to Beth Horon" came after and completed the slaughter by the Hebrews, it appears that though the latter chased their enemies along the road to Beth Horon, they did not go as far as that place. How far this pursuit was carried is immaterial, but the command to the sun and moon being given before the Hebrews had finished "avenging themselves," Joshua must have stood somewhere on the road betwepn Gibeon and Beth Horon when he thus addressed the sun, which then appeared over Gibeon, and the moon, which was seen in the Valley of A jalon. These places, as well as Beth Horon, are well defined, and a measurement on a map will show that the angle substended between Gibeon and the Valley of Ajalon at the eye of a spectator standing half way between Gibeon and Lower Beth Horon would amount to about 150 deg., and that at any other position on this road the alteration in this value would not bo more than about 5 deg. either way. 150 deg. may therefore be taken as roughly representing the angular distance between the sun and moon on this occasion.

The fact of the sun being seen over Gibeon, that is a little to the south of cast, would of itself show that the hour was early, but when the relative position of the moon is taken into account this becomes still more evident.

When the moon is full she is directly opposite the sun, is separated from him by ISOdeg. and sets as he rise; 1 . On the occasion of the miracle, the moon being seen in the west and the sun in the east, and their angular distance apart amounting to about 150 deg. the moon must have travelled some 30 deg. past opposition; or in other words the event must have taken place between two or three days after full moon, when there would have been bright moonlight for the night march. But the moon sets about 50 minutes later each day; therefore, as at full moon she would have set at sunrise, in this case she would set about two hours after sunrise. As it is a necessary condition of the miracle that the sun and n oon should have both been visible at the time when it occurred, it follows that the command of Joshua must have been given within this time after sun-

The nature of the Battle of Gibeon andthe positions assignsd te the sun and the moon combine therefore to show that this order was given not later than two hours after sunrise. This being so, there is nothing remarkable in the sun " hasting not to go down about a whole day," and it may be noticed that, though this statement is made, nothing is said as to thp moon remaining above tb© horizon,

As it is evident that there was no necessity for a miracle, it appears questionable whether a miracle occurred. It would seem rnoro reasonable to suppose that in the height of his triumph Joshua gave this arrogant command, and that the people believed that it was fulfilled. While all would be disposed towards the belief, none would be in a position to disprove the assertion that the length of that day was really greater than that of any other. On a field of battle in that age there were no instruments available for measuring time or for judging of the sun's apparent motion, and the length of that day must therefore have been determined by estimation.

All will admit that little dependence can be placed on a measure so liable to be varied by circumstances ; and few persons who recall their own sensations as to the slow passage of time on a day when thoy have risen unusually earlywill fail to understand that the Hebrew?, who had marched all night, fought a battle at daybreak, and were complete victors by 8 o'clock in the morning, might be unanimous in considering the day that followed so strangely long that a supernatural explanation, accounting for the feeling which they experienced, would be readily accepted. This explanation was afforded by a belief that the command of Jcshua had been fulfilled. While some readers, adhering to the literal accuracy of the narrative, will maintain that the revolution of the earth was actually stopped (but for some other reason- than the revention of darkness, as the occurrence happened within two hours after sunrise at the place), others will fancy that they see in the story the arrogance of one imposing on the credulity of many. — " Australasian."