Joshua's long day. 



143 



Of these three verbs damam is the dominant, seeing that Joshua 

 uses it in his actual word of command ; a7nad is the parallel verb, 

 and implies that Joshua's command, whatever it was, was obeyed. 



But " Be thou dumb " cannot, in the literal sense, be applied to 

 the sun, for speech is not one of its properties, and we must seek 

 some one or other of the activities which do characterize it as afford- 

 ing us the clue to the meaning intended in this passage. 



The first property ascribed to the sun in Holy Scripture is that of 

 giving light. In Gen. i, 14-18, we are told that " God made two 

 great lights . . . and set them in the firmament of the heaven 

 to give light upon the earth." This is the primary function of both 

 sun and moon. The sun has also other properties which are inti- 

 mately connected with its giving light. It gives heat, it brings 

 forth the fruits of the earth, it has power to " smite." Another 

 property of the sun (and of the moon also), is that both appear to 

 move in the sky (Ps. xix, 6) ; but whereas their shining is real, 

 their movement is only apparent, and belongs in reality to the earth. 



To bid anyone " to be dumb " is to bid him to cease from speaking, 

 for the very word itself is derived from the action of closing one's 

 lips upon one's speech. Where the person or thing addressed is by 

 nature incapable of speech, then " Be dumb " must mean to cease 

 from some action then going on, that can be likened to speech. Now, 

 as we have seen, the sun has two characteristic activities : it gives 

 light and appears to move. Thus the verb damam is sometimes used 

 in Scripture, as Mr. Hoste suggests, in this sense of " Cease doing 

 what you are doing." See Lam. ii, 18, quoted by Gesenius in this very 

 connection : " Let not the apple of thine eye cease," that is, " Let 

 not the apple of thine eye cease from weeping." A^nad is used more 

 frequently in a corresponding sense of " to cease " or " to leave off." 

 Thus in Gen. xxix, 35, and xxx, 9, it is translated " left off " ; Leah 

 ceased to bear children. This meaning of " cease " or " leave off '* 

 may, if the object is in motion, carry the particular sense of ceasing 

 to move, and both words are occasionally used in that special sense ; 



endure, to persist, to persevere, hence to remain in the same 

 place or state. (3) To stand still, to stop, as opposed to go on 

 one's way, to proceed. 

 (3) Uis, p. 23. (1) To urge, to press anyone on. (2) To urge oneself, 

 to hasten. (3) To be narrow, strait. 



