The Sun Stands Still
Joshua prays and the sun stands still in the sky, giving Israel time to complete their victory over the five Amorite kings.
Joshua 10:1-15
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The Story
The Gibeonites had made a treaty with Israel through deception, pretending to be from a far country. When the king of Jerusalem heard this, he was alarmed and formed an alliance with four other Amorite kings to attack Gibeon for making peace with Israel.
The Gibeonites sent urgent word to Joshua: 'Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us.'
Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men. The Lord said to Joshua, 'Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.'
After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise. The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel, who defeated them in a great victory at Gibeon. As they fled, the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them from the sky, and more died from the hail than from the swords of the Israelites.
On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: 'Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.'
So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a human being. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel!
The five kings fled and hid in a cave at Makkedah. When Joshua learned where they were hiding, he ordered large stones rolled against the cave's mouth and guards posted. After the battle, the kings were brought out and executed. Joshua and all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.
This unprecedented miracle demonstrated that the Creator of the sun and moon is Lord over all creation, and that He fights for His people when they call upon Him in faith.
The Day the Sun Stood Still
Kids Version
The Gibeonites had made a peace treaty with Israel. But five kings got very angry about this! They gathered their armies together to attack the Gibeonites. The Gibeonites quickly sent a message to Joshua: 'Help us! Five armies are coming!'
Joshua and his soldiers marched all night to help. God told Joshua, 'Don't be afraid! I'm going to give you victory!' When Israel surprised the enemy armies, God threw them into confusion. The enemies started running away!
As they ran, God sent huge hailstones from the sky. More enemies died from the hailstones than from Israel's swords! But the sun was going down, and Joshua needed more time to finish the battle.
So Joshua did something amazing. He prayed right there in front of everyone: 'Sun, stand still over Gibeon! Moon, stop over the Valley of Aijalon!'
And do you know what happened? THE SUN STOPPED MOVING! It stayed in the middle of the sky and didn't go down for almost a whole day! The moon stopped too!
The Bible says there was never a day like that before, and there's never been one since. God listened to Joshua's prayer and stopped the sun! That's how powerful God is—He can even control the sun and moon!
With the extra daylight, Joshua and his army completely defeated their enemies. The five kings tried to hide in a cave, but they were found and caught.
This story shows us that God is the Lord over all creation. He made the sun and moon, and He can make them do whatever He wants! When we pray and trust God, He can do impossible things. Nothing is too hard for Him!
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Scripture — Joshua 10:1-15 (KJV)
1Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them;
2That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty. royal: Heb. cities of the kingdom
3Wherefore Adonizedek king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying,
4Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.
5Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it.
6And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.
7So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.
8And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.
9Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.
10And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.
11And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.
12Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. stand: Heb. be silent
13And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. Jasher: or, the upright?
14And 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.
15And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.
Memory Verse
“Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them;”
— Joshua 10:1 (KJV)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the story of “The Sun Stands Still” in the Bible?
Joshua prays and the sun stands still in the sky, giving Israel time to complete their victory over the five Amorite kings. This story is found in Joshua 10:1-15.
Where is “The Sun Stands Still” found in the Bible?
“The Sun Stands Still” is found in Joshua 10:1-15, in the book of Joshua.
What can children learn from “The Sun Stands Still”?
This story teaches children about God's Power Over Nature, Faith, Complete Victory, Prayer. During a big battle, Joshua prayed and asked God to make the sun stand still in the sky. God answered, and the sun didn't go down for almost a whole extra day! God can do anything!