2 Kings 20:10

2 Kings 20:10 in other versions

• 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.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Hezekiah answered, "It is an easy thing for the shadow to lengthen ten steps. Rather let the shadow 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 unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the Lord the third day? 9And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees? 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. 11And 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. 12At that time Berodach–baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had 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

• 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, 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 3:18And this is but a light thing in the sight of the Lord: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.
• Isaiah 49:6And 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.
• Mark 9:28And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?
• John 14:12Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my 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