2 kings 20:10 - Hezekiah answered, “It is a light thing for the shadow to go forward ten steps. No, but let the shadow return backward ten steps.”
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What does "2 kings 20:10" mean?
This verse from 2 Kings 20:10 reflects a conversation between King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah. Let's break it down:
Context: King Hezekiah is gravely ill, and God, through the prophet Isaiah, promises to heal him and add 15 years to his life. As a sign to confirm this promise, Isaiah offers Hezekiah a miracle involving the shadow cast by the sun.
"Hezekiah answered, 'It is a light thing for the shadow to go forward ten steps.'"
Hezekiah acknowledges that it would be relatively easy (a "light thing") for the shadow to simply continue moving forward as it normally would. The natural progression of the sun would cause the shadow to advance. He's implying that such an event wouldn't be a particularly impressive or convincing sign of divine intervention.
"No, but let the shadow return backward ten steps.'"
Hezekiah then requests a much more extraordinary miracle: that the shadow reverses its course and goes back ten steps. This would defy the natural order and demonstrate a powerful act of God.
In summary, the verse reveals:
Hezekiah's faith and boldness: He is not content with a simple or easily explainable phenomenon. He desires a sign that unequivocally proves God's power and promise.
The significance of the sign: The request for the shadow to move backward emphasizes the miraculous nature of God's intervention. It's not just a prediction of healing, but a demonstration of divine control over nature.
Hezekiah's understanding of miracles: Hezekiah is not asking for something that could be mistaken for a natural occurrence. He is requesting an event that would be clearly supernatural and attributable only to God.
The verse is followed by Isaiah praying to the Lord, and the Lord causing the shadow on the stairway of Ahaz to go back the ten steps it had gone down, fulfilling Hezekiah's request and confirming God's promise.
2 kings 20:10 - Hezekiah answered, “It is a light thing for the shadow to go forward ten steps. No, but let the shadow return backward ten steps.”
What does "2 kings 20:10" mean?
This verse from 2 Kings 20:10 reflects a conversation between King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah. Let's break it down:
Context: King Hezekiah is gravely ill, and God, through the prophet Isaiah, promises to heal him and add 15 years to his life. As a sign to confirm this promise, Isaiah offers Hezekiah a miracle involving the shadow cast by the sun.
"Hezekiah answered, 'It is a light thing for the shadow to go forward ten steps.'"
Hezekiah acknowledges that it would be relatively easy (a "light thing") for the shadow to simply continue moving forward as it normally would. The natural progression of the sun would cause the shadow to advance. He's implying that such an event wouldn't be a particularly impressive or convincing sign of divine intervention.
"No, but let the shadow return backward ten steps.'"
Hezekiah then requests a much more extraordinary miracle: that the shadow reverses its course and goes back ten steps. This would defy the natural order and demonstrate a powerful act of God.
In summary, the verse reveals:
Hezekiah's faith and boldness: He is not content with a simple or easily explainable phenomenon. He desires a sign that unequivocally proves God's power and promise.
The significance of the sign: The request for the shadow to move backward emphasizes the miraculous nature of God's intervention. It's not just a prediction of healing, but a demonstration of divine control over nature.
Hezekiah's understanding of miracles: Hezekiah is not asking for something that could be mistaken for a natural occurrence. He is requesting an event that would be clearly supernatural and attributable only to God.
The verse is followed by Isaiah praying to the Lord, and the Lord causing the shadow on the stairway of Ahaz to go back the ten steps it had gone down, fulfilling Hezekiah's request and confirming God's promise.