Aijalon

Biblical Text

Aijalon is a place name that appears several times in the Old Testament. In most cases it refers to a town northwest of Jerusalem and the valley that lies before it.

• Joshua's battle: In Joshua 10, when five Amorite kings attack Gibeon, Joshua comes to Gibeon's aid and joins battle. Joshua then said, "Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon," and the text records that the sun and moon stood still (Joshua 10:12–13). The text adds that these words are written in the book of Jasher.
• Allotment of the land: Aijalon belonged to the inheritance of the tribe of Dan (Joshua 19:42) and was one of the towns given to the Kohathite Levites (Joshua 21:24). In 1 Chronicles 6:69 it appears in the list for the tribe of Ephraim.
• Land not conquered: According to Judges 1:35, the Amorites continued to dwell in Aijalon and the surrounding area. Later, when the house of Joseph grew strong, it subjected them to forced labor.
• The monarchy: Saul and Jonathan struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon (1 Samuel 14:31). Rehoboam fortified the town (2 Chronicles 11:10), but in the days of Ahaz it was taken by the Philistines (2 Chronicles 28:18). First Chronicles 8:13 mentions Beriah and Shema, Benjamites who were heads of the inhabitants of Aijalon.

The "Aijalon in the country of Zebulun," where the judge Elon was buried (Judges 12:12), is regarded as a different place, located in the territory of the tribe of Zebulun to the north.

Background

The Hebrew name Ayyalon is commonly explained as related to the word ayyal, meaning "deer," and is understood to mean something like "place of deer."

The Valley of Aijalon was militarily important because it formed the route from the coastal plain up the slopes of Beth-horon into the hill country of Benjamin and Judah. The accounts of Joshua's pursuit, Saul's pursuit of the Philistines, and Rehoboam's fortification all reflect this geographical feature. The site is commonly identified today with the village of Yalo near Latrun, and a name apparently referring to this place is reported to appear in the Amarna letters of the fourteenth century BC.

Significance in Scripture as a Whole

Joshua 10:14 interprets this event with the words "for the LORD fought for Israel." Habakkuk 3:11, "The sun and moon stood still in their habitation," is often read in connection with this event. Neither Aijalon nor this event is mentioned directly in the New Testament.

Interpretation and Issues

Interpretations of the account of the sun and moon standing still vary.

• As a literal miracle: Conservative interpreters who emphasize biblical inerrancy read it as a supernatural event in which God actually prolonged the day.
• As poetic expression: Noting that the passage is a poem quoted from the book of Jasher, some interpreters regard it as poetic language celebrating the victory.
• Other interpretations: Because the Hebrew verb rendered "stand still" can also mean "be silent" or "cease," some read the passage to mean that the heat of the sun ceased, or that the sky was darkened by the storm that brought the hailstones mentioned in the immediately preceding verse (10:11).

A story claiming that "a missing day was discovered in calculations by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)" has also circulated in connection with this passage, but it has been identified as unsubstantiated, and it is not something the biblical text itself states.

In the Korean Church

The "Sun, stand thou still" scene in Joshua 10 is often used as a sermon text on themes such as God fighting for His people or the prayer of faith.