RE: [asa] a theological exercise

On Wed, 4 Jun 2008, George Cooper wrote:

> Regarding the stopping of the Sun found in Joshua, you might enjoy an
> argument given by Galileo countering the dogmatic Ptolemy model. From a
> non-rotating Geocentric view, the Sun would have to increase its speed along
> its west to east natural path in order for it to appear to stop. If the
> Sun's motion were to literally stop it would set sooner, not stay in the sky
> longer.
>
> This means a relative view is taken of how the Sun appeared to behave.
> Thus, if a relative view, rather than an absolute one, is allowed, the more
> sensible relative view is that the Earth's rotation was slowed or stopped
> since the Moon's motion was also noted to behave as the Sun's.
> of motion.

The Joshua passage has been discussed several times in the past on this
forum, but with new people joining the list, it comes up again frequently.

Even though the translation of damam (be silent) as stand still in this
particular instance goes back at least to the LXX, suggesting that Joshua
needed a longer day to finish off the enemy, there are reasons to question
this translation:

1. The event occurred relatively early in the morning when the sun was
        seen to be over Gibeon in the hills to the east of the battlefield.
2. The battlefield success up to this point seems to have been due in part
        to the attack having taken place in darkness and continuing in a
        hailstorm which would have meant a heavy cloud cover.
3. Joshua's army should have been tired from an all night hike and would
        presumably fare better if they weren't forced to spend a lot of
        extra time to complete their mission.
4. Joshua was concerned about the moon, whose contribution to light during
        the time the sun was out would not be noticed.
5. The uniqueness of that day is not said to be the celestial event but
        rather the fact that the Lord listened to the voice of a man.

Gordon Brown (ASA member)

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Received on Wed Jun 4 17:05:51 2008