God confirms His power to heal and restore King Hezekiah by making the shadow turn backward.
Hezekiah, a king of Judah who reigned from approximately 715-686 BC, is given a sign from the LORD in Jerusalem, the capital city of the southern kingdom of Judah. In this context, Isaiah the prophet told Hezekiah that God would provide a miraculous sign to confirm the promise of healing and the extension of the king’s life (2 Kings 20:6). Within this account, So Hezekiah answered, "It is easy for the shadow to decline ten steps; no, but let the shadow turn backward ten steps." (2 Kings 20:10). Hezekiah points out that for the sun’s shadow to move forward would be a natural progression; for it to go backward would clearly indicate divine intervention. This conversation underlines Hezekiah’s trust in the LORD’s power to accomplish the extraordinary on his behalf.
So Hezekiah answered, "It is easy for the shadow to decline ten steps; no, but let the shadow turn backward ten steps." (2 Kings 20:10). Here Hezekiah demonstrates both faith and discernment. He knows that in ordinary circumstances, the sun’s shadow always moves in the same direction. By boldly requesting the shadow to reverse its course, he acknowledges that such an event would be wholly supernatural. This request is deeply significant because it reveals the king’s reliance on God’s sovereignty rather than on mere coincidence. It connects to other miraculous signs in Scripture, showing that the same God who spoke the universe into existence is well able to alter its natural laws in response to prayer (Luke 1:37).
Furthermore, the verse highlights the closeness of communication between King Hezekiah and the LORD, mediated by the prophet Isaiah. The palace steps mentioned, often referred to as "the stairway" (2 Kings 20:9), likely had an established role in measuring the passing time by the shadow of the sun. Thus, for the shadow to turn backward on these steps would serve as unmistakable confirmation of God’s favor. This event foreshadows how God’s mighty acts are not limited to the past but reach forward to Jesus’ miracles, where natural laws are at times overruled to demonstrate divine authority (Mark 4:39).
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2 Kings 20:10 meaning
Hezekiah, a king of Judah who reigned from approximately 715-686 BC, is given a sign from the LORD in Jerusalem, the capital city of the southern kingdom of Judah. In this context, Isaiah the prophet told Hezekiah that God would provide a miraculous sign to confirm the promise of healing and the extension of the king’s life (2 Kings 20:6). Within this account, So Hezekiah answered, "It is easy for the shadow to decline ten steps; no, but let the shadow turn backward ten steps." (2 Kings 20:10). Hezekiah points out that for the sun’s shadow to move forward would be a natural progression; for it to go backward would clearly indicate divine intervention. This conversation underlines Hezekiah’s trust in the LORD’s power to accomplish the extraordinary on his behalf.
So Hezekiah answered, "It is easy for the shadow to decline ten steps; no, but let the shadow turn backward ten steps." (2 Kings 20:10). Here Hezekiah demonstrates both faith and discernment. He knows that in ordinary circumstances, the sun’s shadow always moves in the same direction. By boldly requesting the shadow to reverse its course, he acknowledges that such an event would be wholly supernatural. This request is deeply significant because it reveals the king’s reliance on God’s sovereignty rather than on mere coincidence. It connects to other miraculous signs in Scripture, showing that the same God who spoke the universe into existence is well able to alter its natural laws in response to prayer (Luke 1:37).
Furthermore, the verse highlights the closeness of communication between King Hezekiah and the LORD, mediated by the prophet Isaiah. The palace steps mentioned, often referred to as "the stairway" (2 Kings 20:9), likely had an established role in measuring the passing time by the shadow of the sun. Thus, for the shadow to turn backward on these steps would serve as unmistakable confirmation of God’s favor. This event foreshadows how God’s mighty acts are not limited to the past but reach forward to Jesus’ miracles, where natural laws are at times overruled to demonstrate divine authority (Mark 4:39).