Matthew Poole and continuators on Joshua 10:13

13 And 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 .

Heb. was silent; i. e. still, as this Phrase is commonly used, as 1 Sam. 14. 9. Psal. 4. 4. Ionah 1. 12. the cessation of the Tongues motion being put synecdochically for the cessation of any other Motion or Action.

i. e. Till they had utterly destroyed them, as is mentioned in the following Chapter.

Either of a man so called, or of the righteous or upright, wherein possibly the memorable Actions of worthy men were recorded, and this amongst the rest. And this Book was written and published before Ioshua wrote his, and so is fitly alledged here. But this, as well as some few other historical Books, is lost, not being a Canonical Book, and therefore not preserved by the Iews with the same care as they were.

Here is no mention of the Moon, because the Suns standing was the only thing which Ioshua desired and needed; and the Moons standing he desired only by accident to prevent irregularity in the Motions of those celestial Lights. Some take this to be but a Poetical Phrase and Relation of the Victory, that Ioshua did so many, and such great things in that day, as if the Sun and Moon had stood still and given him longer time for it. But the frequent Repetition, and magnificent Declaration of this Wonder, manifestly confutes that fancy. That the Sun and Moon did really stand still, is affirmed Habak. 3. 11. and Sirach 46. 5, 6. And if it seem strange to any one, that so wonderful a Work observed by the whole World that then was, should not be mentioned in any Heathen Writers; he must needs be satisfied, if he considers, that it is confessed by the generality of Writers, Heathens and others, that there is no certain History or Monument in Heathen Authors of any thing done before the Trojan Wars, which was a thousand years after Ioshua's time; and that all time before that, is called by the learnedst Heathens, the uncertain, unknown, or obscure time.

Not Mathematically, in the very Meridian or middle part of that Hemisphere; but morally, and with some Latitude, when it had begun a little to decline, the consideration whereof seems to have given Ioshua occasion for his desire.

i. e. For the space of a whole day. Understand an artificial day between Sun-rising and Sun-setting; for that was the day which Ioshua needed and desired, a day to give him light for his work.

Marginal references: ‡ Or, the [illegible: 1 word] rig[illegible: 1+ letters]t.