Sun, Smiting by
What is Sun Smiting?
In the biblical world, "sun smiting" refers to the serious medical consequences of overexposure to the sun's intense heat, particularly during work in open fields. This was not mere sunburn but a potentially fatal condition akin to what modern medicine terms heatstroke or severe heat exhaustion. The concept appears in several biblical passages, illustrating a very real danger in the daily life of ancient Israel and its neighbors.
Biblical Narratives of Heatstroke
The Bible records specific instances where individuals were struck down by the sun. The most detailed account is in 2 Kings 4:18-20, where the Shunammite woman's son cries out, "My head, my head!" while working with his father among the reapers. He is carried to his mother and dies on her lap, a rapid progression consistent with acute heatstroke. In the apocryphal book of Judith, it is mentioned that Judith's husband, Manasseh, died from sunstroke during the barley harvest (Judith 8:2-3). A non-fatal example is found in Jonah 4:8. After God provides a plant to shade him, God then appoints a scorching east wind and the sun to beat on Jonah's head. Jonah grows faint, wishes for death, and succumbs to heat exhaustion, demonstrating the sun's power as an instrument of divine discomfort.
Cultural and Agricultural Context
The threat of sun smiting was intimately tied to the agricultural cycle in Israel. The barley and wheat harvests (spring) occurred during some of the hottest and driest parts of the year. Laborers, including children, spent long hours in open fields with minimal protection, making them highly vulnerable. This environmental hazard was so well-known that it became a proverbial danger. The psalmist declares that "the sun will not harm you by day" (Psalm 121:6) as part of God's protective blessing, and Isaiah prophesies that the redeemed will not be stricken by sun or scorching heat (Isaiah 49:10). These promises highlight how pervasive the fear of this condition was.
Theological Significance: Vulnerability and Divine Protection
The phenomenon of sun smiting carries important theological weight. First, it underscores the fragility and vulnerability of human life, even in the course of ordinary labor. It serves as a reminder of humanity's dependence on the created order and its potential dangers. Second, and more prominently, it becomes a point of contrast for God's protective power. In Psalms and Isaiah, deliverance from sunstroke is listed alongside protection from other great evils, symbolizing God's comprehensive care for his people. It frames Yahweh as a guardian against all threats, both seen (like the sun) and unseen. In the story of Jonah, the sun is used directly as an instrument of God's disciplinary action, showing that even natural forces are under divine sovereignty and can be employed to confront human disobedience and self-pity.
A Contrast with Moonstroke
Interestingly, the Bible sometimes pairs the danger of the sun with that of the moon. While sun smiting caused physical collapse, the moon was believed in ancient times to cause mental disturbance—a condition called "moonstroke" (from which we get the word "lunacy"). Matthew 4:24 and Matthew 17:15 (in the Greek) use the term selēniazomai, meaning "moonstruck" or "epileptic," reflecting this ancient belief. This pairing in passages like Psalm 121:6 presents God's protection as covering the full spectrum of ancient perceived dangers, from the heat of the day to the mysteries of the night.
Biblical Context
The concept appears in the historical book of 2 Kings (4:18-20) in the story of the Shunammite's son. It is mentioned as a cause of death in the deuterocanonical book of Judith (8:2-3). It is used metaphorically and literally in the prophetic book of Jonah (4:8). The theme of divine protection from it is found in the poetic literature of Psalms (121:6) and the prophetic book of Isaiah (49:10). It plays a narrative role in illustrating sudden tragedy, human vulnerability, and the environment of agricultural life.
Theological Significance
Sun smiting teaches about human physical vulnerability and dependence on God's provision in a harsh world. It highlights God's character as a comprehensive protector, whose care extends to guarding his people from everyday environmental dangers. In narratives like Jonah's, it also demonstrates God's sovereignty over nature, using even the heat of the sun as a tool for instruction and discipline. It reinforces the biblical theme that safety and well-being are ultimately found in divine, not merely human, shelter.
Historical Background
Archaeological and textual evidence confirms the climate of ancient Israel and Mesopotamia was conducive to such heat-related illnesses. Harvest seasons coincided with hot, dry periods. Medical texts from neighboring cultures, like Mesopotamia and Egypt, describe ailments from excessive heat. The biblical references align with known seasonal agricultural practices and the very real occupational hazards faced by ancient farmers and laborers, who had limited means of mitigating prolonged sun exposure.