2 Kings 20:10

2 Kings 20:10 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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 International Version (NIV)“It is a simple matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps,” said Hezekiah. “Rather, have it go back ten steps.”
• New King James Version (NKJV)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 Living Translation (NLT)“The shadow always moves forward,” Hezekiah replied, “so that would be easy. Make it go ten steps backward instead.”

Context of 2 Kings 20:10

8And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the Lord on the third day?" 9And Isaiah said, "This shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing that he has promised: shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?" And Hezekiah answered, "It is an easy thing for the shadow to lengthen ten steps. Rather let the shadow go back ten steps." 11And Isaiah the prophet called to the Lord, and he brought the shadow back ten steps, by which it had gone down on the steps of Ahaz. 12At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick.

2 Kings 20:10 word by word

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ יְחִזְקִיָּ֔הוּ נָקֵ֣ל לַצֵּ֔ל לִנְט֖וֹת עֶ֣שֶׂר מַעֲל֑וֹת לֹ֣א כִ֔י יָשׁ֥וּב הַצֵּ֛ל אֲחֹרַנִּ֖ית עֶ֥שֶׂר מַעֲלֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Hezekiahיְחִזְקִיָּהyechizqîyâh yechizqîyâhû · JehizkiahH3169
• answeredאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• It is a light thingקָלַלqâlal · to lightenH7043
• for the shadowצֵלtsêl · shadowH6738
• to go downנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
• tenעֶשֶׂר‛eώer ‛ăώârâh · tenH6235
• degreesמַעֲלָהma‛ălâh · stepH4609
• returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• backwardאֲחֹרַנִּית'ăchôrannîyth · backwardsH322

Cross-references for 2 Kings 20:10

• 2 Kings 2:10And he said, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so."
• 2 Kings 3:18This is a light thing in the sight of the Lord. He will also give the Moabites into your hand,
• Isaiah 49:6he says: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth."
• Mark 9:28And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"
• John 14:12"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 20:10

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10It is a light thing - It seemed to Hezekiah comparatively easy that the shadow, which had already begun to lengthen, should merely make a sudden jump in the same direction; but, wholly contrary to all experience that it should change its direction, advancing up the steps again when it had once begun to descend them.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10go back ten steps: The shadow's retreat was unnatural, and this miracle confirmed God's message to Hezekiah.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-118-11. Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What will be the sign that the Lord shall heal me--His recovery in the course of nature was so unlooked for, that the king asked for some token to justify his reliance on the truth of the prophet's communication; and the sign he specified was granted to him. The shadow of the sun went back upon the dial of Ahaz the ten degrees it had gone down. Various conjectures have been formed as to this dial. The word in the original…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 20:10

• Degrees
• Disease
• Faith
• Hezekiah
• Isaiah
• Miracles
• Rulers
• Symbols and Similitudes
• Time

In the dictionaries

• Hezekiah
• Dial
• Issue
• Lump
• Ahaz
• Chronicles, Books of
• Decline
• Degree
• Dial of Ahaz
• Hezekiah (2)

Commentaries on 2 Kings 20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings