Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version “It is a simple matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps,” said Hezekiah. “Rather, have it go back ten steps.” New Living Translation “The shadow always moves forward,” Hezekiah replied, “so that would be easy. Make it go ten steps backward instead.” English Standard Version And Hezekiah answered, “It is an easy thing for the shadow to lengthen ten steps. Rather let the shadow go back ten steps.” Berean Standard Bible “It is easy for the shadow to lengthen ten steps,” answered Hezekiah, “but not for it to go back ten steps.” King James Bible And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees. New King James Version And Hezekiah answered, “It is an easy thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees; no, but let the shadow go backward ten degrees.” New American Standard Bible So Hezekiah said, “It is easy for the shadow to decline ten steps; no, but have the shadow turn backward ten steps.” NASB 1995 So Hezekiah answered, “It is easy for the shadow to decline ten steps; no, but let the shadow turn backward ten steps.” NASB 1977 So Hezekiah answered, “It is easy for the shadow to decline ten steps; no, but let the shadow turn backward ten steps.” Legacy Standard Bible So Hezekiah answered, “It is easy for the shadow to stretch forward ten steps; no, but let the shadow turn backward ten steps.” Amplified Bible Hezekiah answered, “It is easy for the shadow to go forward ten steps; no, but let the shadow turn backward ten steps.” Christian Standard Bible Then Hezekiah answered, “It’s easy for the shadow to lengthen ten steps. No, let the shadow go back ten steps.” Holman Christian Standard Bible Then Hezekiah answered, “It’s easy for the shadow to lengthen 10 steps. No, let the shadow go back 10 steps.” American Standard Version And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to decline ten steps: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten steps. Contemporary English Version "It's normal for the sun to go forward," Hezekiah answered. "But how can it go back?" English Revised Version And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to decline ten steps: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten steps. GOD'S WORD® Translation Hezekiah replied, "It's easy for the shadow to extend ten [more] steps forward. No, let it come back ten steps." Good News Translation Hezekiah answered, "It's easy to have the shadow go forward ten steps! Have it go back ten steps." International Standard Version Hezekiah answered, "It's an easy thing for a shadow to lengthen ten steps. So let the shadow go backward ten steps." Majority Standard Bible ?It is easy for the shadow to lengthen ten steps,? answered Hezekiah, ?but not for it to go back ten steps.? NET Bible Hezekiah answered, "It is easy for the shadow to lengthen ten steps, but not for it to go back ten steps." New Heart English Bible Hezekiah answered, "It is a light thing for the shadow to go forward ten steps. Nay, but let the shadow return backward ten steps." Webster's Bible Translation And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go forward ten degrees: no, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees. World English Bible Hezekiah answered, “It is a light thing for the shadow to go forward ten steps. No, but let the shadow return backward ten steps.” Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd Hezekiah says, “It has been light for the shadow to incline ten degrees; no, but let the shadow turn backward ten degrees.” Young's Literal Translation And Hezekiah saith, 'It hath been light for the shadow to incline ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow turn backward ten degrees.' Smith's Literal Translation And Hezekiah will say, A light thing to the shadow to bow ten steps: nay, for the shadow shall turn backwards ten steps. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd Ezechias said: It is an easy matter for the shadow to go forward ten lines: and I do not desire that this be done, but let it return back ten degrees. Catholic Public Domain Version And Hezekiah said: “It is an easy for the shadow to increase for ten lines. And so I do not wish that this be done. Instead, let it turn back for ten degrees.” New American Bible “It is easy for the shadow to advance ten steps,” Hezekiah answered. “Rather, let it go back ten steps.” New Revised Standard Version Hezekiah answered, “It is normal for the shadow to lengthen ten intervals; rather let the shadow retreat ten intervals.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd Hezekiah answered, It is an easy thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees; not so, but let the shadow turn backward ten degrees. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And Hezekiah said: “This is little that the shadow would walk ten degrees; not so, but let the shadow return behind itself ten degrees!” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And Hezekiah answered: 'It is a light thing for the shadow to decline ten degrees; nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.' Brenton Septuagint Translation And Ezekias said, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return ten degrees backward on the dial. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery…9And Isaiah had replied, “This will be a sign to you from the LORD that He will do what He has promised: Would you like the shadow to go forward ten steps, or back ten steps?” 10“It is easy for the shadow to lengthen ten steps,” answered Hezekiah, “but not for it to go back ten steps.” 11So Isaiah the prophet called out to the LORD, and He brought the shadow back the ten steps it had descended on the stairway of Ahaz.… Cross References Isaiah 38:8 I will make the sun’s shadow that falls on the stairway of Ahaz go back ten steps.’” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had descended. Joshua 10:12-14 On the day that the LORD gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to the LORD in the presence of Israel: “O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” / So the sun stood still and the moon stopped until the nation took vengeance upon its enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? “So the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.” / There has been no day like it before or since, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man, because the LORD fought for Israel. 2 Kings 19:29-31 And this will be a sign to you, O Hezekiah: This year you will eat what grows on its own, and in the second year what springs from the same. But in the third year you will sow and reap; you will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. / And the surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root below and bear fruit above. / For a remnant will go forth from Jerusalem, and survivors from Mount Zion. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this. 2 Chronicles 32:24-26 In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. So he prayed to the LORD, who spoke to him and gave him a sign. / But because his heart was proud, Hezekiah did not repay the favor shown to him. Therefore wrath came upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem. / Then Hezekiah humbled the pride of his heart—he and the people of Jerusalem—so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them during the days of Hezekiah. Genesis 1:14-19 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to distinguish between the day and the night, and let them be signs to mark the seasons and days and years. / And let them serve as lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth.” And it was so. / God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night. And He made the stars as well. ... Psalm 74:16-17 The day is Yours, and also the night; You established the moon and the sun. / You set all the boundaries of the earth; You made the summer and winter. Psalm 136:7-9 He made the great lights—His loving devotion endures forever. / the sun to rule the day, His loving devotion endures forever. / the moon and stars to govern the night. His loving devotion endures forever. Job 9:7 He commands the sun not to shine; He seals off the stars. Jeremiah 33:20-21 “This is what the LORD says: If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that day and night cease to occupy their appointed time, / then My covenant may also be broken with David My servant and with My ministers the Levites who are priests, so that David will not have a son to reign on his throne. Amos 5:8 He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns darkness into dawn and darkens day into night, who summons the waters of the sea and pours them over the face of the earth—the LORD is His name— Matthew 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’ Mark 13:24-25 But in those days, after that tribulation: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; / the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’ Luke 21:25 There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among the nations, bewildered by the roaring of the sea and the surging of the waves. Acts 2:19-20 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. / The sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord. Revelation 6:12-14 And I watched as the Lamb opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black like sackcloth of goat hair, and the whole moon turned blood red, / and the stars of the sky fell to the earth like unripe figs dropping from a tree shaken by a great wind. / The sky receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place. Treasury of Scripture And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: no, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees. 2 Kings 2:10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. 2 Kings 3:18 And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand. Isaiah 49:6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. Jump to Previous Backward Decline Degrees Easy Forward Hezekiah Hezeki'ah Incline Light Matter Rather Shadow Simple Steps Ten TurnJump to Next Backward Decline Degrees Easy Forward Hezekiah Hezeki'ah Incline Light Matter Rather Shadow Simple Steps Ten Turn2 Kings 20 1. Hezekiah, having received a message of death, by prayer has his life lengthened.8. The sun goes ten degrees backward for a sign of that promise. 12. Berodach-baladan sending to visit Hezekiah has notice of his treasures. 14. Isaiah understanding thereof, foretells the Babylonian captivity. 20. Manasseh succeeds Hezekiah. “It is easy for the shadow to lengthen ten steps,” In the ancient Near East, sundials or steps were used to measure time by the movement of shadows. The reference to the shadow lengthening is a natural occurrence as the day progresses and the sun moves across the sky. This phrase reflects Hezekiah's understanding of natural laws and the regularity of time. The context here is a miraculous sign requested by Hezekiah to confirm God's promise of healing and an extension of his life. The lengthening of shadows is a daily, predictable event, symbolizing the ordinary course of nature. answered Hezekiah, “but not for it to go back ten steps.” Persons / Places / Events 1. HezekiahThe king of Judah who is known for his faithfulness to God and his efforts to restore the worship of Yahweh. Hezekiah is the central figure in this passage, seeking a sign from God regarding his recovery from illness. 2. Isaiah the Prophet Although not directly mentioned in this verse, Isaiah plays a crucial role in the surrounding account as the prophet who delivers God's message to Hezekiah, including the promise of healing and the sign involving the shadow. 3. The Sundial of Ahaz This is the instrument involved in the miraculous sign. The sundial, or steps, is a timekeeping device that God uses to demonstrate His power by altering the natural order. 4. Jerusalem The capital city of Judah, where these events take place. It is the center of Hezekiah's reign and the location of the Temple, symbolizing God's presence among His people. 5. The Miracle of the Shadow The event where God causes the shadow on the sundial to move backward as a sign to Hezekiah, demonstrating His control over time and nature. Teaching Points Faith in God's SovereigntyHezekiah's request for the shadow to move backward demonstrates his belief in God's power over creation. We are reminded to trust in God's sovereignty in our lives, even when circumstances seem impossible. The Importance of Signs and Wonders God uses signs to confirm His promises and strengthen faith. While we may not always receive miraculous signs, we can rely on the truth of Scripture and the Holy Spirit's guidance. Prayer and God's Response Hezekiah's interaction with God shows the importance of prayer and seeking God's will. We should approach God with our needs, trusting that He hears and responds according to His perfect plan. God's Control Over Time The miracle of the shadow moving backward illustrates God's authority over time. We can find comfort in knowing that our times are in His hands, and He works all things for our good.(10) It is a light thing for the shadow to go down.--Because that was the ordinary course of things. As a natural phenomenon, of course, the sudden extension of the shadow would have been as wonderful as its retrogression; but what is in any way a familiar occurrence must needs seem easier than what has never fallen under observation. To go down.--Rather, to spread. The LXX. has ??????, another use of the Hebrew verb. The Targum, Syriac, and Arabic render "to go forward" (march). Verse 10. - And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees. Hezekiah views it as a comparatively easy thing for the shadow, which is already descending the steps, to accelerate its pace and rapidly descend fifteen degrees instead of slowly traversing them; and therefore accepts Isaiah's other offer. Nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees. Let it, i.e., change its direction, and having descended a certain distance, suddenly return and ascend again. This will be no "light thing," but a great marvel, which will thoroughly convince him. The thought was natural, though perhaps not strictly logical.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew “It is easyנָקֵ֣ל (nā·qêl) Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 7043: To be slight, swift or trifling for the shadow לַצֵּ֔ל (laṣ·ṣêl) Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 6738: A shadow to lengthen לִנְט֖וֹת (lin·ṭō·wṯ) Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Strong's 5186: To stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend ten עֶ֣שֶׂר (‘e·śer) Number - feminine singular construct Strong's 6235: Ten steps,” מַעֲל֑וֹת (ma·‘ă·lō·wṯ) Noun - feminine plural Strong's 4609: Elevation, the act, the condition, a climactic progression answered וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ (way·yō·mer) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say Hezekiah, יְחִזְקִיָּ֔הוּ (yə·ḥiz·qî·yā·hū) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 2396: Hezekiah -- 'Yah has strengthened', a king of Judah, also several other Israelites “but not לֹ֣א (lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no for it הַצֵּ֛ל (haṣ·ṣêl) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 6738: A shadow to go יָשׁ֥וּב (yā·šūḇ) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again back אֲחֹרַנִּ֖ית (’ă·ḥō·ran·nîṯ) Adverb Strong's 322: Backwards ten עֶ֥שֶׂר (‘e·śer) Number - feminine singular construct Strong's 6235: Ten steps.” מַעֲלֽוֹת׃ (ma·‘ă·lō·wṯ) Noun - feminine plural Strong's 4609: Elevation, the act, the condition, a climactic progression Links 2 Kings 20:10 NIV2 Kings 20:10 NLT 2 Kings 20:10 ESV 2 Kings 20:10 NASB 2 Kings 20:10 KJV 2 Kings 20:10 BibleApps.com 2 Kings 20:10 Biblia Paralela 2 Kings 20:10 Chinese Bible 2 Kings 20:10 French Bible 2 Kings 20:10 Catholic Bible OT History: 2 Kings 20:10 Hezekiah answered It is a light thing (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg) |
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