יהושע, פרק י׳, פסוק י״ג

In the heat of battle, the celestial bodies froze in their tracks, bringing time to a standstill so the Israelites could secure a complete victory over their enemies. This suspension of nature provided a crucial tactical advantage. Had darkness fallen, the local enemy soldiers, who knew the terrain intimately, could have slipped away under the cover of night [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Additionally, the battle took place as the Sabbath was approaching. Halting time ensured the conflict would end while it was still day, preventing any desecration of the Sabbath or forbidden plundering, similar to the restrictions placed on Jericho [חומת אנך]. The miracle occurred instantly. The moment the command left Joshua's mouth, even before he finished speaking, the sun and moon fell perfectly silent and ceased their movement [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד]. Furthermore, while Joshua only requested that the luminaries stop over the specific locations of Gibeon and the Ayalon Valley, God expanded the miracle, freezing the entire celestial system across the globe [אלשיך].

This wondrous event is recorded in a text known as the Book of Jashar, though commentators disagree on its exact identity. One perspective identifies it as the Torah itself, specifically pointing to Jacob's blessing that the descendants of Ephraim would fill the nations. This blessing was fulfilled on this very day when the fame of Joshua, a member of the tribe of Ephraim, spread throughout the world because of the miracle [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. Alternatively, others suggest it was a historical record that was lost during the exile [רלב״ג]. It may also have been a collection of Israelite epics and songs [ביאור שטיינזלץ], or a specific book documenting God's promise to perform undeniable miracles during the war against the Amorites [מלבי״ם].

During this time, the sun remained frozen in the middle of the sky. Some interpret this as the zenith, the absolute highest point in the sky where sunlight is most intense and its downward trajectory is barely perceptible [רלב״ג, מלבי״ם]. Others explain it more broadly, suggesting the sun simply remained visible in the upper hemisphere and did not dip below the horizon [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל]. It neither sped toward its setting nor even approached it for a complete, uninterrupted period [מצודת ציון, אברבנאל]. The primary approach among commentators is that the sun was halted for exactly twenty-four hours, a full day [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, אלשיך]. This precise duration was necessary to prevent permanent disruption and confusion within the cosmic order, as a partial pause would have forever altered the arrangement of the stars [מלבי״ם]. Conversely, some maintain that the pause lasted twelve hours, matching a standard period of daylight [אברבנאל], while others simply conclude that the day was extended for many long hours [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Although the initial command was directed at both the sun and the moon, the conclusion of the event notes only that the sun stood still. This is because the concept of setting is primarily associated with the sun. Since the moon's movement is inherently tied to that of the sun, it is understood that once the sun ceased its journey, the moon naturally stopped as well [אברבנאל].