God’s Word Translation
2 Kings 20:11
11Then the prophet Isaiah called on the Lord, and the Lord made the shadow that had gone down on Ahaz’s stairway go back up ten steps.
2 Kings 20:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the Lord: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.
- New International Version (NIV)Then the prophet Isaiah called on the Lord, and the Lord made the shadow go back the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And 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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So Isaiah the prophet cried out to the Lord, and He brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down on the sundial of Ahaz.
Context of 2 Kings 20:11
9Isaiah said, “This is your sign from the Lord that he will do what he promises. Do you want the shadow to go forward ten steps or come back ten steps?” 10Hezekiah replied, “It’s easy for the shadow to extend ten ⌞more⌟ steps forward. No, let it come back ten steps.” Then the prophet Isaiah called on the Lord, and the Lord made the shadow that had gone down on Ahaz’s stairway go back up ten steps. 12At that time Baladan’s son, King Merodach Baladan of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah because he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. 13Hezekiah was so happy with them that he showed the messengers his warehouse: the silver, gold, balsam, fine olive oil, his entire armory, and everything in his treasury. Hezekiah showed them everything in his palace and every corner of his kingdom.
Read all of 2 Kings 202 Kings 20:11 word by word
וַיִּקְרָ֛א יְשַׁעְיָ֥הוּ הַנָּבִ֖יא אֶל־יְהוָ֑ה וַיָּ֣שֶׁב אֶת־הַצֵּ֗ל בַּֽ֠מַּעֲלוֹת אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָרְדָ֜ה בְּמַעֲל֥וֹת אָחָ֛ז אֲחֹֽרַנִּ֖ית עֶ֥שֶׂר מַעֲלֽוֹת׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Isaiahיְשַׁעְיָ֫הוּyesha‛yâh yesha‛yâhû · IsaiahH3470
- the prophetנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
- criedקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
- unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- and he broughtשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- the shadowצֵלtsêl · shadowH6738
- tenעֶשֶׂר‛eώer ‛ăώârâh · tenH6235
- degreesמַעֲלָהma‛ălâh · stepH4609
- backwardאֲחֹרַנִּית'ăchôrannîyth · backwardsH322
- which it had gone downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- of Ahazאָחָז'âchâz · AhazH271
Cross-references for 2 Kings 20:11
- Exodus 14:15Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to start moving.
- 1 Kings 17:20Then he called to the Lord, “Lord my God, have you brought misery on the widow I’m staying with by killing her son?”
- 1 Kings 18:36When it was time to offer the sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward. He said, “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, make known today that you are God in Israel and that I’m your servant and have done all these things by your instructions.
- Acts 9:40Peter made everyone leave the room. He knelt and prayed. Then he turned toward the body and said, “Tabitha, get up!” Tabitha opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up.
- Joshua 10:12The day the Lord handed the Amorites over to the people of Israel, Joshua spoke to the Lord while Israel was watching, “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and moon, stand still over the valley of Aijalon!”
- 2 Chronicles 32:24In those days Hezekiah became sick and was about to die. He prayed to the Lord, who answered him and gave him a miraculous sign.
- Isaiah 38:8The sun made a shadow that went down the stairway of Ahaz’s upper palace. I’m going to make the shadow go back ten steps.” So the sun on the stairway went back up the ten steps it had gone down.
Commentaries on 2 Kings 20:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11He brought the shadow ten degrees backward - We cannot suppose that these ten degrees meant ten hours; there were ten divisions of time on this dial: and perhaps it would not be right to suppose that the sun went ten degrees back in the heavens, or that the earth turned back upon its axis from east to west, in a contrary direction to its natural course. But the miracle might be effected by means of refraction, for a ray of light we know can be varied or…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-19In those days: This phrase gives a general time reference. It shows that the events are grouped by theme, not by strict order of time. The story about Merodach-baladan (2 Kings 20:12–19), who Sennacherib had expelled from Babylon before 701 BC, occurred before the events in chapters 18–19 but after Hezekiah's illness (2 Kings 20:12).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 20:11
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries