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Read the Bible

King James Version

2 Kings 20:10

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.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Degrees;   Disease;   Faith;   Hezekiah;   Isaiah;   Miracles;   Rulers;   Symbols and Similitudes;   Time;   Thompson Chain Reference - Hezekiah;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Time;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Hezekiah;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Heal, Health;   Kings, First and Second, Theology of;   Miracle;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Dial;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Jehizkiah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Dial;   Isaiah, Book of;   Israel;   Text, Versions, and Languages of Ot;   Time;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Dial, Sun-Dial;   Merodachbaladan ;   Miracles;   Sun;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Hezekiah;   Manasseh;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Dial;   Hezekiah;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Dial;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Day;   Urim and Thummim;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Judah;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ahaz;   Decline;   Degree;   Dial of Ahaz, the;   Hezekiah (2);   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Church Fathers;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then Hezekiah answered, “It’s easy for the shadow to lengthen ten steps. No, let the shadow go back ten steps.”
Hebrew Names Version
Hizkiyahu answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to decline ten steps: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten steps.
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."
New Century Version
Hezekiah answered, "It's easy for the shadow to go forward ten steps. Instead, let it go back ten steps."
New English Translation
Hezekiah answered, "It is easy for the shadow to lengthen ten steps, but not for it to go back 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."
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."
World English Bible
Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to decline ten steps: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten steps.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadowe to passe forward ten degrees: not so then, but let ye shadow go backe ten degrees.
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."
Berean Standard Bible
"It is easy for the shadow to lengthen ten steps," answered Hezekiah, "but not for it to go back ten steps."
Contemporary English Version
"It's normal for the sun to go forward," Hezekiah answered. "But how can it go back?"
Complete Jewish Bible
Hizkiyahu answered, "It's easy for the shadow to go down ten intervals. No, let the shadow return backward ten intervals."
Darby Translation
And Hezekiah said, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: no, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.
Easy-to-Read Version
Hezekiah answered, "It is an easy thing for the shadow to go down ten steps. No, make the shadow go back ten steps."
George Lamsa Translation
And 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.
Good News Translation
Hezekiah answered, "It's easy to have the shadow go forward ten steps! Have it go back ten steps."
Lexham English Bible
Hezekiah answered, "It is easy for the shadow to lengthen ten steps. No, but let the shadow return backwards ten steps."
Literal Translation
And Hezekiah said, It would be a light thing for the shadow to go down ten steps; no, but let the shadow go back ten steps.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Ezechias sayde: It is an easy thinge for the shadowe to go ten degrees downewarde, yt is not my mynde: but that it go ten degrees backwarde.
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.
Bible in Basic English
And Hezekiah said in answer, It is a simple thing for the shade to go forward; but let it go back ten degrees.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Hezekia aunswered: It is a light thing for the shadowe to go downe ten degrees, I desire not [that:] but let the shadowe go backwarde ten degrees.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Hezekiah answered: 'It is a light thing for the shadow to decline ten degrees; nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.'
King James Version (1611)
And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go downe tenne degrees: nay, but let the shadow returne backward tenne degrees.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
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.
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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Ezechie seide, It is esy that the schadewe encreesse bi ten lynes, nethir Y wole that this be doon, but that it turne ayen bacward bi ten degrees.
Update Bible Version
And Hezekiah answered, It is an easy thing for the shadow to decline ten steps, no, 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.
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 Living Translation
"The shadow always moves forward," Hezekiah replied, "so that would be easy. Make it go ten steps backward instead."
New Life Bible
Hezekiah answered, "It is easy for the shadow to go ten steps farther. But let the shadow turn back ten steps."
New Revised Standard
Hezekiah answered, "It is normal for the shadow to lengthen ten intervals; rather let the shadow retreat ten intervals."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Hezekiah said - It is, a light thing, for the shadow, to decline ten steps, - Nay, but let the shadow go back ten steps.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And 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.
Revised Standard Version
And Hezeki'ah answered, "It is an easy thing for the shadow to lengthen ten steps; rather let the shadow go back ten steps."
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.'
THE MESSAGE
Hezekiah said, "It would be easy to make the sun's shadow advance ten degrees. Make it go back ten degrees."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So Hezekiah answered, "It is easy for the shadow to decline ten steps; no, but let the shadow turn backward ten steps."

Contextual Overview

1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord , Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. 2 Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord , saying, 3 I beseech thee, O Lord , remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. 4 And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 5 Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the Lord , the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord . 6 And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake. 7 And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered. 8 And 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? 9 And 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? 10 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.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

2 Kings 2:10, 2 Kings 3:18, Isaiah 49:6, Mark 9:28, Mark 9:29, John 14:12

Reciprocal: Joshua 10:14 - there was

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Hezekiah answered, it is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees,.... That is, it was comparatively so, otherwise to go down ten degrees at once would be extraordinary and miraculous; but that was more agreeable to the nature and course of it to go forward, and so the miracle would be less apparent:

nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees; which was directly contrary to its natural order and course, whereby the miracle would appear more clear and manifest: these degrees are by some said x to be half hours, and not full ones, since it is observed the sun shines not twenty full hours on any dial, unless under the pole; the sun is supposed to have been now at the fifth full hour; the sun was brought back five whole hours, then came forward five, then came forward two degrees, or one hour, to the sixth hour; which made sixteen; then it was six hours to sunset; so that day was prolonged twenty two hours: the Chinese y relate, that, in the time of Kingcungus, the planet Mars, for sake of the king, went back three degrees.

x Weemse's Christ. Synagog. l. 1. c. 6. sect. 6. p. 167. See his Exposition of the Judicial Laws, c. 25. p. 90. &c. y Martin. Sinic. Hist. l. 4. p. 138.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

It 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.


 
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