Contradiction with Joshua 10:13
Ecclesiastes 1:5 states that the sun rises and sets regularly, whereas Joshua 10:13 describes the sun standing still, contradicting its typical motion.
Joshua 10:13: And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. [Is] not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. [Jasher: or, the upright?]
Contradiction with Isaiah 38:8
Ecclesiastes 1:5 implies the sun's constant cycle, yet Isaiah 38:8 describes the sun moving backward, which contradicts its regular path.
Isaiah 38:8: Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down. [sun dial: Heb. degrees by, or, with the sun]
Paradox #1
Ecclesiastes 1:5 might seem to contradict scientific understanding. The verse suggests a repeating cycle of the sun, which could be interpreted as geocentric (the belief that the sun orbits the Earth). This conflicts with the heliocentric model, where the Earth orbits the sun, widely accepted in modern science. Some people may see this as a conflict between the biblical description and scientific knowledge.
Paradox #2
Some people see a contradiction in this verse because it suggests the sun moves around the Earth. This conflicts with modern science, which shows that the Earth orbits the sun. People in ancient times understood the universe differently because they didn't have the scientific knowledge we have today.
Paradox #3
The contradiction is that the verse describes the sun as "rising and setting" in a way that suggests it moves around the Earth. Scientifically, we understand that the Earth orbits the sun and rotates on its axis, which makes the sun appear to rise and set. This is an example of geocentrism, which conflicts with the heliocentric model of our solar system.
Paradox #4
Ecclesiastes 1:5 talks about the sun rising and setting, following the cycle it always follows. A perceived contradiction might be that this view of nature's consistent, unchanging patterns could conflict with beliefs in divine intervention or miracles, where supernatural events cause deviations from natural laws. Some might see it as inconsistent with the idea that God can change or influence the world's order at any time. However, this is more about interpretation and perspective rather than a direct contradiction.