The sun stood still and the moon did not move need not be translated as a causative (“So the LORD caused the sun…”), since this will already be implicit on the basis of verse 12.

Had conquered translates a Hebrew verb which is translated “took vengeance” by Revised Standard Version and most other translations. In many places the Hebrew verb does express the idea of retaliation, or getting even with someone, which is the normal meaning of “vengeance” in English. But when used of warfare, its main area of meaning is that of punishment (see the Translator’s Handbook on Psalms, Psa 18.47).

For The Book of Jashar see comments at verse 12. This is written in The Book of Jashar may be translated “You can read about this in The Book of Jashar” or “… in the book that Jashar wrote.”

Since the last sentence of this verse repeats the information contained in the first sentence, the entire verse may be translated:

• The sun stood still in the middle of the sky and did not go down for a whole day. And the moon did not move until the Israelites had conquered their enemies. You can read about this in The Book of Jashar.

Or, if the first sentence of verse 13 is understood as a quotation from The Book of Jashar, and it may be more effectively rendered in poetic form:

The sun stood still,
and the moon did not move,
until Israel had conquered its enemies.
You may read this in The Book of Jashar. For a whole day the sun stood still in the middle of the sky and did not go down.

It would seem that For a whole day (or “for about a whole day” Revised Standard Version) means the twelve-hour period of daylight and not a twenty-four-hour period.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Newman, Barclay M. A Handbook on Joshua. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .