Some reade, in the booke of the righteous, meaning Moses. The Chalde text readeth in the booke of the Law: but it is like that it was a booke thus named which is now lost.
Joshua 10:12 "Then 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 upon Ajalon.
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.
14 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."
2 Samuel 1:17 "And David lamented with this
lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan
his son:
18 (Also he bade them teach the
children of Judah the use of the bow:
behold, it is written in the book of
Jasher.)"
Then it follows that Joshua must have been written by the time of David, probably at the time of Joshua and was added to. Perhaps there was a sun miracle when David slew Goliath recorded about February in 1096 BC when David was 17. A sun miracle that may have been recorded in the book of Jasher.
1 Chronicles 2:18 "And Caleb the son of Hezron begat children of Azubah his wife, and of Jerioth: her sons are these: Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon."
Caleb was 80 at Joshua's long day and his son Jesher would be there to witness the sun standing still in the battle. Thus perhaps Jesher wrote the book of Jasher - the names are the same in Hebrew except for a silent letter before Jasher.
Jasher and the following Song of Deborah and Habakkuk were poetical, national songs, in honor of renowned and eminently pious heroes. However, Joshua 10:12-14 cannot be said to be poetical but statements of fact.
Judges 5:1 "Then sang Deborah and Barak the son
of Abinoam on that day, saying,
2 Praise ye the LORD for the avenging
of Israel, when the people willingly
offered themselves.
3 Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye
princes; I, even I, will sing unto the
LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD
God of Israel.
4 LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir,
when thou marchedst out of the field of
Edom, the earth trembled, and the
heavens dropped, the clouds also
dropped water.
5 The mountains melted from before the
LORD, even that Sinai from before the
LORD God of Israel.
6 In the days of Shamgar the son of
Anath, in the days of Jael, the
highways were unoccupied, and the
travellers walked through byways.
7 The inhabitants of the villages
ceased, they ceased in Israel, until
that I Deborah arose, that I arose a
mother in Israel.
8 They chose new gods; then was war in
the gates: was there a shield or spear
seen among forty thousand in Israel?
9 My heart is toward the governors of
Israel, that offered themselves
willingly among the people. Bless ye
the LORD.
10 Speak, ye that ride on white asses,
ye that sit in judgment, and walk by
the way.
11 They that are delivered from the
noise of archers in the places of
drawing water, there shall they
rehearse the righteous acts of the
LORD, even the righteous acts toward
the inhabitants of his villages in
Israel: then shall the people of the
LORD go down to the gates.
12 Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake,
utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead
thy captivity captive, thou son of
Abinoam.
13 Then he made him that remaineth have
dominion over the nobles among the
people: the LORD made me have dominion
over the mighty.
14 Out of Ephraim was there a root of
them against Amalek; after thee,
Benjamin, among thy people; out of
Machir came down governors, and out of
Zebulun they that handle the pen of the
writer.
15 And the princes of Issachar were
with Deborah; even Issachar, and also
Barak: he was sent on foot into the
valley. For the divisions of Reuben
there were great thoughts of heart.
16 Why abodest thou among the
sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of
the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben
there were great searchings of heart.
17 Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why
did Dan remain in ships? Asher
continued on the sea shore, and abode
in his breaches.
18 Zebulun and Naphtali were a people
that jeoparded their lives unto the
death in the high places of the field.
19 The kings came and fought, then
fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach
by the waters of Megiddo; they took no
gain of money.
20 They fought from heaven; the stars
in their courses fought against Sisera.
21 The river of Kishon swept them away,
that ancient river, the river Kishon. O
my soul, thou hast trodden down
strength.
22 Then were the horsehoofs broken by
the means of the pransings, the
pransings of their mighty ones.
23 Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of
the LORD, curse ye bitterly the
inhabitants thereof; because they came
not to the help of the LORD, to the
help of the LORD against the mighty.
24 Blessed above women shall Jael the
wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed
shall she be above women in the tent.
25 He asked water, and she gave him
milk; she brought forth butter in a
lordly dish.
26 She put her hand to the nail, and
her right hand to the workmen's hammer;
and with the hammer she smote Sisera,
she smote off his head, when she had
pierced and stricken through his
temples.
27 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he
lay down: at her feet he bowed, he
fell: where he bowed, there he fell
down dead.
28 The mother of Sisera looked out at a
window, and cried through the lattice,
Why is his chariot so long in coming?
why tarry the wheels of his chariots?
29 Her wise ladies answered her, yea,
she returned answer to herself,
30 Have they not sped? have they not
divided the prey; to every man a damsel
or two; to Sisera a prey of divers
colours, a prey of divers colours of
needlework, of divers colours of
needlework on both sides, meet for the
necks of them that take the spoil?
31 So let all thine enemies perish, O
LORD: but let them that love him be as
the sun when he goeth forth in his
might. And the land had rest forty
years."
Habakkuk
3:10 "The mountains saw thee and they trembled: the overflowing of water passed by: the deep uttered his voice,
and lifted up his hands on high.
3:11 The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear."
This poem represents Joshua's long day and may have also come from the book of Jasher. Joshua's spear was glittering with blood in the high noon day sun. This poem by Deborah in Judges 5 may represent the counter sun miracle to Joshua's long day and may have also come from the book of Jasher, poems of praise.
Perhaps the Midianites planned to strike both Gideon and Deborah/Barak the same day. Even on Joshua's long day. However, Joshua 11/Deborah/Barak/Gideon's battle more closely resembles a sudden sunrise before dawn was expected. Moreover, Heber, Moses' father inlaw was involved. Heber is the same in Hebrew as Abel. Then this sun miracle in Judges 5:31 may be even earlier than Joshua's conquest. Nevertheless, the battle against the Midianites appears one, Joshua 11, Judges, 4,5,6,7,8.
Joshua 10:12 and Habakkuk 3 describe Joshua's long day. If this sun miracle in Judges 5:31 was the sun moving 180° back, a short day and the sun moved 180° west or more likely 180° east - 200 million miles an hour east to fit Judges 5:31 - Debra and Barak would see a February 26 night sky constellations the night before then the normal September 1 night sky that night. Jupiter and Saturn would move 180° back from Scorpius to Taurus. They would realize the sun and planets had moved 180 ° against the stars while they were fighting Sisera. This was the sun moving back 186 days after Joshua's long day.
The sun must move back half an orbit, 178 - 187 days, or 365 days or multiples thereof for earth to flow out of the reverse orbit and reorient and continue as normal. That September 1 the stars now disappeared 1° each night in the west as normal instead of appearing 1° each night in the east in the reverse orbit. Thus "the stars in their courses fought against Sisera". Because the tribes of Israel were already in the land in Judges 4 & 5 perhaps what they saw was the sun moving 180° back.
Note the earth also trembled in Habakkuk's writing of Joshua's long day. Earthquakes are often associated with Chinese sun miracles and would be expected when the sun moved around the earth. Habakkuk 3:7 "I saw the tents of Cushun in affliction: and the curtains of Midian did tremble." Habakkuk 3:10 and Judges 5:4a and Exodus 15:15 also speaks of earth trembling and is written in poetical praise, perhaps - it is a possibility - a part of the book of Jasher. Habakkuk 3:10b "the overflowing of water passed by" and Joshua 10:11. Habakkuk 3:9 "awakened your bow" may refer to Judges 5:12 "Awake, awake, Deborah:" Note the last verse, in Judges 5:31 - "but let them that love him be as
the sun when he goeth forth in his
might." - literally means the sun moved around the earth. Perhaps the Israelites perceived the sun must move at terrific speed around the earth to rise in the west while earth rotated to move from Aquarius to Virgo giving them time to get complete victory 186 days after Joshua's long day when Joshua had complete victory, for "none of them was left". James Legge writes: "It obliges us to conclude, that not only were the characters for years introduced in the Annals after their emergence from the tomb, but that the lengths of the reigns also were altered, so that the value of the chronicle, as a guide in chronology, is altogther taken away." "The date in the Bamboo Books places it too late; that in the common chronology cannot be far from the truth."
There is no problem with the common chronology - all the way back to Abraham, Joseph and Yao - if we take king Wan's birth, his first year, as the year of Joshua's long day. Also, Yao's long day in 2357 BC works. The lunar eclipse in China reckoned to be day 56/57 of cycle 60 August 14 1166 BC rather than day 56 August 31 1238 BC, 72 years further back, to the common chronology - Woo became emperor in 1122 BC not 1050 BC, must be August 12 1269 BC: "Crack-making on guichou (day 50), divined: "(The king) will have no disasters in next ten days." After seven days, at the time from jiwei (day 56) to gengshen (day 57), the moon was eclipsed." Nevertheless, Joshua 11, Judges 4,5,6,7,8 are ample description of this day even if there is no Chinese record of it. In the battle against Sisera; Debra and Bark would see the sun rise in the east before the expected 5AM time. Thus Debra's urging to Barak to awake and the surprise attack on Sisera. More likely the sun moved 180° east and the moon moved 180° east. If at the beginning of the second watch, 11PM Israel time, earth would shift back 70° clockwise, on the vertical above China being the zenith, making the stars set in the west on Israel much faster. Also, Israel was turning into earth's path and may have seen meteor showers, as the Chinese sometimes record with a sun miracle, "stars fell like rain". Thus Judges 5:20 "They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera." and 5:31 "So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth
in his might."
The sun must move back exactly half an orbit after Joshua's long day, 186 days. Earth's elliptical orbit took it further from the sun in the summer half of the year. Thus 187 days from spring to fall and 178 days from fall to winter. Thus 186 days from Joshua's long day February 26 to half an orbit later September 1 1238 BC. This night of August 31 1238 BC was a full moon. Then earth must shift 70° clockwise and that next day be 4.6 hours shorter.
The sun must move back 186 days or exactly a year later or multiples thereof because earth must reorient to continue as if nothing happened. Earth must come out of the reverse orbit soon after and continue as if nothing had happened, Judges 4 & 5 must have been soon after Joshua's long day, and this is the earliest possible date for a second sun miracle for earth to reorient.
Joshua 10:42
"And all these kings and their land did
Joshua take at one time."
Exodus 23:29 "I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee."
Joshua 17:18b "for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong."
Judges 4:23 "So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel."
Judges 4:24 "And the hand of the children of Israel
prospered, and prevailed against Jabin
the king of Canaan, until they had
destroyed Jabin king of Canaan."
Or Judges 4:24a "And the hand of the children of Israel going went and was hard.."
Perhaps meaning the battle of Merom was soon after and Hazor was then burned.
Joshua 11:5 "And when all these kings were assembled by appointment, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.
6a And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel"
Psalm 83:4 "They have said, Come, and let us cut
them off from being a nation; that the
name of Israel may be no more in
remembrance.
5 For they have consulted together
with one consent: they are confederate
against thee:
6 The tabernacles of Edom, and the
Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the
Hagarenes;
9 Do unto them as unto the Midianites;
as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook
of Kison:
10 Which perished at Endor: they became
as dung for the earth."
Joshua 11 and Judges 4 & 5 appear to be at the same time.
Deborah said Judges 4:6b "Hath not the LORD God
of Israel commanded, saying, Go and
draw toward mount Tabor,"
and Judges 5:12 "Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake,
utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead
thy captivity captive, thou son of
Abinoam."
Judges 4:10 "And Barak called Zebulun and
Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with
ten thousand men at his feet: and
Deborah went up with him.
Joshua reproved the other 10 tribes of Israel for not taking possession in Joshua 19. Perhaps the 10,000 troops were the Israelite settlers already in the land before Joshua crossed the River Jordan.
Joshua 11 tells of Joshua burning this Hazor. Joshua 19 tells of these same tribes of the north taking possession of the land months or years after Joshua's conquest. Judah and Ephraim had taken their inheritance first.
Joshua 19:12 "And turned from Sarid eastward
toward the sunrising unto the border of
Chislothtabor, and then goeth out to
Daberath, and goeth up to Japhia,"
Instead of just giving the direction "to the east", these verses point to the sunrising: Numbers 21:11, Numbers 34:15, Deutronomy 4:41, 4:47, Joshua 1:15, 13:5, 19:12, 19:27, 19:34, Judges 20:43. The Chinese represented their zodiac with north pointing to the contellation the sun was in on the winter solstice. Then in a reverse orbit the sun was in the east on the vernal equinox. Because the directions of North East West South were taken from the stars the words "toward the sunrising" must be added. The sun always rose each day in the east and north always pointed the direction of earth's axis. The more things change the more they remain the same.
Judges 5:8b "was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?"
Perhaps there were just forty thousand Israelites in the land before Joshua came. The Bible reads as if all Israel came out by Moses:
I Samuel 12:6 "And Samuel said unto the people, It
is the LORD that advanced Moses and
Aaron, and that brought your fathers up
out of the land of Egypt.
7 Now therefore stand still, that I
may reason with you before the LORD of
all the righteous acts of the LORD,
which he did to you and to your
fathers.
8 When Jacob was come into Egypt, and
your fathers cried unto the LORD, then
the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which
brought forth your fathers out of
Egypt, and made them dwell in this
place.
9 And when they forgat the LORD their
God, he sold them into the hand of
Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor,
and into the hand of the Philistines,
and into the hand of the king of Moab,
and they fought against them.
10 And they cried unto the LORD, and
said, We have sinned, because we have
forsaken the LORD, and have served
Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver
us out of the hand of our enemies, and
we will serve thee.
11 And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and
Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and
delivered you out of the hand of your
enemies on every side, and ye dwelled
safe."
Only four judges are given, Jerubbaal which is Gideon, Bedan which is Barak, Jephthah and Samuel, perhaps because the period of Judges spanned just 100 years. Gideon, Barak and Deborah may depict the same battle on the same day September 1 1238 BC, the forty years rest to when Eli died and Samuel became judge 1198 BC, Jephthah perhaps 1133 BC. Samuel may have written Judges also. There must have been Israelites in the land already.
Hebrews 3:16 "For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?"
Judges 4:11 "Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanim, which is by Kedesh."
Then the Israelites already in the land would have heard of Moses through Moses' father in law - one and the same person.
The Samaritan Bible suggests the northern tribes were already in Israel when Joshua invaded.
Judges 5:4 "LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchest out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, and the clouds dropped also water.
5 The mountains melted from before the LORD God of Israel."
Debra did not say when we, she said when thou; when Moses went up the mount of God. Perhaps then Deborah and these Israelites were already in the land at that time. Many "Hapiru" Hebrews migrated to Canaan and established farm settlements during Rameses II reign 1355 - 1290 BC. Before the Exodus at the end of pharaoh Merneptah's reign in 1279 BC.
Genesis 15:16 "But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites
is not yet full."
May have originally read "in the fortieth generation." the last two characters being dropped in a copy error, 40 X 25 = 1000 years. Thus, as of 1348 BC (1000 years from April 3, 2348 BC the sojourn into Egypt) the Hebrews may have felt the promise was to their generation and some escaped Egypt to farm in Palestine. Of which generation was Moses born in 1359 BC. He was 80 in 1279 BC. Joshua must have took Hazor soon after Joshua's long day and Hazor logically must have been burned after Debra delivered Israel. "A monument at Beth-shean tells of the victory of Seti I (1355 BC) over Apiru (Hebrews) at Mount Yarmuta (biblical Jarmuth or Remeth) which was within the tribal area of Isaachar (Joshua 19:21, 21:29). Apiru tribes were to be found throughout the hill regions during the late fourteenth century B.C. (1350 - 1300 BC)" The Macmillan BIBLE ATLAS, p.42 The earliest mention is from Anatolia from 1900 BC. Because Abraham was born probably 2648 BC Hebrews could have spread far and wide by 1900 BC.
Judges 4:3 "And the children of Israel cried
unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred
chariots of iron; and twenty years he
mightily oppressed the children of
Israel."
Judges 3:30 "So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years."
20 years back from Debra and Barak in 1238 BC and 80 years back to Ehud mean Israelites were in the land by 1340 BC. Moses sent the twelve rulers of the twelve tribes into Canaan, Numbers 13:22 "And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron..and returned after searching the land forty days". They may have thought the Israelite settlers in the north were too few to mention and the Israelite settlers in the south may have been destroyed by the pharaoh of Exodus Merneptah in 1287 BC in his fourth year as depicted on the Merneptah Stela: "Israel is laid waste, his seed is not".
Deuternomy 34:1 "And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD showed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan,
2 And all of Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea,"
Perhaps some of this land was already settled by an earlier migration. Thus these verses may be speaking in present tense rather than in future tense.
© 2007 Andrew Bennett All Rights Reserved