God’s answer of Joshua’s prayer is consistent with scriptural teaching that the Lord hears the cries of his people for deliverance (Joshua 24:7; Exodus 2:23–25).1 There are other examples where the Lord listens to the requests of his people (e.g., Genesis 18:22–33; Numbers 14:11–21; Deuteronomy 9:19; Deuteronomy 10:10). However, what distinguishes the prayer of Joshua is the immediacy of the response. Even the life of Moses had nothing so immediate and dramatic with such a direct cause-and-effect relationship.
Additionally, the Hebrew word translated as listen
should instead be translated as obey.
It is a much stronger word than the Hebrew words used elsewhere to describe the Lord listening to Moses.2
14 There has been no day like it before or since, when the LORD heeded the voice of a man, for the LORD fought for Israel.