CHAPTER XI.

The sun and moon stand still at the command of Joshua, at Gibeon. Further destruction of the Canaanites, and of the five kings. Other victories of the Israelites.

Our history now brings us to the recital of one of the most stupendous miracles which this world has ever witnessed. Various expositions have been attempted, to explain away the literal account of it given in the Sacred Scriptures, lest this should involve such a sudden stopping of the whole course of nature in the movements of our planetary system, as to throw it into utter and irremediable confusion.

These attempts are among the saddest exhibitions of human weakness, and of the want of faith in God; as if the infinite power which is essential to the performance of a miracle, could not with equal success be employed to cause that miracle to harmonize with all the other operations of the Almighty hand. Bearing this in mind, we proceed with the narrative.

The day was probably drawing near its close, when the Israelites were still engaged in the pursuit and slaughter of their enemies. As the night

should come on, Joshua feared that vast numbers of them might make their escape in the obscurity in which all would be enveloped. For the moon, though just risen, would not for some time, if at all, furnish light enough to enable him and his army to prevent this. He was moved, undoubtedly, in these circumstances, by a divine impulse, to exercise a faith in God, and, under his direction, to utter a command the result of which would prolong the continuance of daylight, and secure the complete overthrow of the Canaanites.

He said, in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon, and thou Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. The sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel."

It may be inquired, why it was necessary to arrest the moon in its course, when the sun would afford sufficient light for the continued pursuit of the Canaanites. The reply is an obvious one. Such an event was necessary to preserve the harmony of the miraculous scene. The further motion of the moon would ill accord with

the standing still of the sun. Its rising yet higher would indicate, and falsely, too, the approach of night; while the stopping of this luminary in its progress up the eastern sky, in connection with that of the sun in its descent below the horizon in the west, would add to the fearful strangeness of the prodigy. It would serve to increase the overwhelming amazement of the Canaanites, and to disarm them of all power of resisting their pursuers, whose God was giving such tokens of his might, and of the aid which he could furnish, in this miraculous way, to Joshua and his army. The moon still shed its faint beams upon the vale of Ajalon; while the sun cast eastward its strong and slanting light over Gibeon and the surrounding region, and, in this way, obeyed the mandate of Joshua, to stand still upon that city; thus enabling the Israelites to continue the pursuit of their enemies, and complete the work of destruction.

The five confederate kings, however, contrived to make their escape. They fled towards Makkedah, and hid themselves in a cave near that city. Joshua, being informed of the place of their concealment, went there with his army, and commanded some of the men to roll a number of huge stones against the entrance, so as to prevent their escape. As an additional security, he stationed a party of soldiers to watch it, and

then directed a detachment to pursue after the rear-guard of the enemy, and not to suffer them to enter into their fortified cities, lest they might rally with renewed strength, and not be so easily

overcome.

His orders were immediately obeyed. The remaining Canaanites were overtaken and slain, with the exception of a few who succeeded, after all, in reaching the cities, and obtaining there a temporary protection.

This being done, the detachment sent on the excursion returned to Joshua, who, with the main body of the army, was encamped at Makkedah. None were missing. All came back unhurt; and on their way, as they marched victorious near the towns and villages of the Canaanites, not one dared to move his tongue against them, in reproach or insult, so terrified were the inhabitants at what had happened.

The fate of the king of Jerusalem and his four associates, was now near at hand. Their punishment was a severe one; inflicted not with the malicious spirit of revenge, but in accordance with the injunctions of Jehovah, who, while making the Israelites the executioners of his justice, did but treat these wicked men as they deserved.

At the command of Joshua, the mouth of the cave was opened, and the five monarchs were