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New Defender's Study Bible Notes
10:11 The LORD cast down. That this unique event was of the Lord, inexplicable by either human might or natural phenomena, is evident from the entire account. The justification for God’s miraculous intervention here was both the importance of this key battle in the entire plan of God for Israel and the world, as well as the testimonial value implicit in demonstrating to the sun-worshipping, moon-worshipping, nature-worshipping Canaanites–as well as the Israelites themselves–that the God of Israel controlled the sun and moon and forces of nature, using them in giving victory to Israel.
10:11 stones from heaven. The surprise dawn attack by Joshua was enough to give initial victory, but then the Amorites were about to escape and perhaps regroup when the first miracle occurred. The “great stones from heaven” were possibly from a volcanic eruption. The word for “stones” is used elsewhere only of stones of rock.
10:11 hailstones. Then came a great fall of “hailstones”– the Hebrew word is used elsewhere only of true hail–which killed still more of the Amorite horde. This implies a unique atmospheric upheaval, probably occasioned by a swift deceleration of the earth’s rotation.