When you make an agreement with the enemy, there is no end to the problems you create for yourself. Israel had to defend the very people they should have defeated. Imagine the servants commanding the masters (v. 6)!
当你与敌人达成协议的时候，你是在为自己制造无休止的问题。以色列竟然需要捍卫那些她本该攻下的敌人。试想：仆人竟在命令主人（6节）！
God could have said, “You got yourself into this, so you can get yourself out!” But instead, He gave His people encouragement (v. 8) and fought for them from heaven (vv. 10–11). When Joshua needed more time to finish the battle, God stayed the sun and moon in answer to prayer. The Canaanites worshiped the heavenly bodies, so this miracle must have impressed them greatly. If we are doing the will of God, prayer has tremendous power.
神大可说：“你们自己惹的祸，自己就看着办吧！”然而，祂不但向祂子民给予鼓励（8节），更是从天上为他们争战（10-11节）。当约书亚需要更多时间完成争战时，神回应了他的祷告，使日月停止。迦南人崇拜天体，所以这神迹定给他们留下深刻的印象。如果我们行的是神的旨意，祷告必带巨大的能力。
Victory over the five kings opened the way for Joshua to attack southern Canaan until he had subdued the whole region. What began as a humiliating defense maneuver ended up a glorious series of victories: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31).
战胜五王为约书亚开辟了攻打迦南南部的道路，直到他征服整个区域为止。原本看似羞辱的保卫计谋，最终演变成一系列荣耀的胜利。“神若帮助我们，谁能敌挡我们呢?”（罗8:31）
Praying the Scripture 用经文祷告
- God is a faithful God and when He gives His words He keeps them, even to His enemy. This is what the Lord expects of us also. So when Joshua and the leaders gave their promise to the Gibeonites, they had to protect them. This is the way of integrity. Let’s pray that we are careful with our promises and keep our words.
神是信实的神；祂必遵守诺言，对敌人也一样。这也是主对我们的要求。所以，约书亚和领导既已答应基遍人要保护他们，以色列就当如此行。这就是诚信之举。让我们祈祷，谨慎承诺并遵守诺言。
- In spite of their paganism, these Gibeonites are a good example for people to follow today. When they knew they were headed for destruction, they came to Joshua (“Jehovah is Savior”) and obtained from him a promise of protection. When the Gibeonites found themselves in danger, they believed Joshua’s promise and called on him for help. That’s what God’s people need to do when they find themselves facing the battles of life. The Gibeonites turned the whole burden over to Joshua and trusted him to keep his word, and he did. Do we seek help from God when we are facing difficulties in life? Let’s pray that we do.
尽管基遍人是异教徒，但他们仍是人当效法的榜样。当他们知道自己必遭毁灭时，就来到约书亚面前（“耶和华是救世主”），祈求获得保护的承诺。当基遍人发现自己处在危境之中，他们相信约书亚作出的承诺并向他呼求帮助。在面临人生中的争战时，这就是神的子民应当做的事。基遍人把重担完全交托给约书亚并相信他必履行承诺，而约书亚确实做到了。当我们在生命中面临困难时，是否有向神寻求帮助呢？让我们祈祷我们会如此行。
- Joshua prayed that the sun stood still and it did. This is an outright monumental miracle. Joshua, moved by the Lord’s will, commanded the sun to delay (Heb., “be still, silent, leave off”). The earth actually stopped revolving or, more likely, the sun moved in the same way to keep perfect pace with the battlefield. The moon also ceased its orbiting. This permitted Joshua’s troops time to finish the battle with complete victory (v. 11). It is incredible what the Lord can do for us. However, it depends on God’s sovereign will to fulfill His will.
约书亚祷告让日头停留，日头就止住了。这显然是一个巨大的神迹。约书亚因主旨意的感动，命令太阳延迟下山（希伯来文：“静止，沉静，离开”）。地球竟然停止旋转，或者更有可能的是太阳往同一个方向移动，与战场保持完美的步调。月亮也停止运行了。这使得约书亚的军队有充足的时间完成战争，获得完全的胜利（11节）。神能为我们做的事真是令人难以置信。然而，这一切有赖于神的主权来行祂自己的旨意。
