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.”
• 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.”

Context of 2 Kings 20:10

8Hezekiah had said to Isaiah, “What is the confirming sign that the Lord will heal me and that I will go up to the Lord’s temple the day after tomorrow?” 9Isaiah replied, “This is your sign from the Lord confirming that the Lord will do what he has said. Do you want the shadow to move ahead ten steps or to go back ten steps?” Hezekiah answered, “It is easy for the shadow to lengthen ten steps, but not for it to go back ten steps.” 11Isaiah the prophet called out to the Lord, and the Lord made the shadow go back ten steps on the stairs of Ahaz. 12At that time Merodach-Baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, for he had heard that Hezekiah was ill.

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 2:10Elijah replied, “That’s a difficult request! If you see me taken from you, may it be so, but if you don’t, it will not happen.”
• 2 Kings 3:18This is an easy task for the Lord; he will also hand Moab over to you.
• Isaiah 49:6he says, “Is it too insignificant a task for you to be my servant, to reestablish the tribes of Jacob, and restore the remnant of Israel? I will make you a light to the nations, so you can bring my deliverance to the remote regions of the earth.”
• Mark 9:28Then, after he went into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we cast it out?”
• John 14:12I tell you the solemn truth, the person who believes in me will perform the miraculous deeds that I am doing, and will perform greater deeds than these, 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