Why Joshua Told the Sun to Be Silent at Gibeon

This is what Scripture means: "From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is praised" (Psalms 113:3). From the moment the sun rises until it sets, it praises the Holy One, blessed be He. And so you find that when Joshua stood at Gibeon and wished to silence the sun, he did not say, "Sun, stand at Gibeon," but rather, "Sun, be silent [dom] at Gibeon." For every moment that it moves it praises the Holy One, blessed be He, and so long as it praises it has the strength to remain. Therefore Joshua said to it, "Be silent." The sun said to him: You say to me, "Be silent"? Does a lesser one open his mouth and say to one greater than himself, "Be silent"? I was created on the fourth day and you were created on the sixth day, and you say to me, "Be silent"? Joshua said to it: A freeborn youth who has an aged slave — does he not say to him, "Be silent"? Did not our father Abraham acquire the heavens and all within them, as it is said, "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth" (Genesis 14:19)? And not only that, but you bowed down like a servant before Joseph, as it is said, "and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me" (Genesis 37:9). The sun said to him: You say that I should be silent? Then who will speak the praise of the Holy One, blessed be He? Joshua said to it: Be silent, and I will speak the praise, as it is said, "Then Joshua spoke" (Joshua 10:12) — and "then" means nothing other than song, as it is said, "Then Moses sang" (Exodus 15:1).