God helped Joshua during one of Israel’s most epic battles by causing the sun and moon to “stand still” (Joshua 10:12-14). Now, researchers are suggesting why and when the sun stood still in the Biblical account.
A solar eclipse on October 30, 1207 BC explains the “puzzling event,” says Cambridge researchers Colin J. Humphreys and W. Graeme Waddington. Their research reinforces that of an Israeli team who used data from NASA to date the battle precisely to 4:28 pm on October 30, 2017 BC.
Occurring 3,224 years ago, the October 30, 1207 BC solar eclipse is the oldest on record.
When combined with Egyptian records, the October 30, 1207 BC solar eclipse also refines the dates for the reigns of Egyptian pharaohs, including Ramesses the Great (1276-1210 BC +/- one year).
It’s not the first time a solar eclipse has helped researchers determine the reigns of ancient kings. The total solar eclipse of June 15, 763 BC, which may have prepared the Ninevites for Jonah’s message, is used to date the reigns of Assyrian kings.
As a result of their study about the October 30, 1207 BC solar eclipse, Humphreys and Waddington believe the expressions currently used for calculating changes in the Earth’s rate of rotation can be reliably extended back 500 years, from 700 BC to 1200 BC.
About the Author:
Laura Lacey Johnson is a blogger, speaker, and Bible study leader who writes regularly for ChristianHeadlines.com. Subscribe to her updates at www.lauralaceyjohnson.com and follow her on Twitter @thelaurajohnson.
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Publication date: October 31, 2017
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