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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Isaiah 38:1–8.
We may hence observe, among others, these good lessons: - 1. That neither men's greatness nor their goodness will exempt them from the arrests of sickness and death. Hezekiah, a mighty potentate on earth and a mighty favourite of Heaven, is struck with a disease, which, without a miracle, will certainly be mortal; and this in the midst of his days, his comforts, and usefulness. Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. It should seem, this sickness seized him when he was in the midst of his triumphs over the ruined army of the Assyrians, to teach us always to rejoice with trembling. 2. It concerns us to prepare when we see death approaching: "Set thy house in order, and thy heart especially; put both thy affections and thy affairs into the best posture thou canst, that, when thy Lord comes, thou mayest be found of him in peace with God, with thy own conscience, and with all men, and mayest have nothing else to do but to die." Our being ready for death will make it come never the sooner, but much the easier: and those that are fit to die are most fit to live. 3. Is any afflicted with sickness? Let him pray, Jam 5:13. Prayer is a salve for every sore, personal or public. When Hezekiah was distressed by his enemies he prayed; now that he was sick he prayed. Whither should the child go, when any thing ails him, but to his Father? Afflictions are sent to bring us to our Bibles and to our knees. When Hezekiah was in health he went up to the house of the Lord to pray, for that was then the house of prayer. When he was sick in bed he turned his face towards the wall, probably towards the temple, which was a type of Christ, to whom we must look by faith in every prayer. 4. The testimony of our consciences for us that by the grace of God we have lived a good life, and have walked closely and humbly with God, will be a great support and comfort to us when we come to look death in the face. And though we may not depend upon it as our righteousness, by which to be justified before God, yet we may humbly plead it as an evidence of our interest in the righteousness of the Mediator. Hezekiah does not demand a reward from God for his good services, but modestly begs that God would remembers, not how he had reformed the kingdom, taken away the high places, cleansed the temple, and revived neglected ordinances, but, which was better than all burnt-offerings and sacrifices, how he had approved himself to God with a single eye and an honest heart, not only in these eminent performances, but in an even regular course of holy living: I have walked before thee in truth and sincerity, and with a perfect, that is, an upright, heart; for uprightness is our gospel perfection. 5. God has a gracious ear open to the prayers of his afflicted people. The same prophet that was sent to Hezekiah with warning to prepare for death is sent to him with a promise that he shall not only recover, but be restored to a confirmed state of health and live fifteen years yet. As Jerusalem was distressed, so Hezekiah was diseased, that God might have the glory of the deliverance of both, and that prayer too might have the honour of being instrumental in the deliverance. When we pray in our sickness, though God send not to us such an answer as he here sent to Hezekiah, yet, if by his Spirit he bids us be of good cheer, assures us that our sins are forgiven us, that his grace shall be sufficient for us, and that, whether we live or die, we shall be his, we have no reason to say that we pray in vain. God answers us if he strengthens us with strength in our souls, though not with bodily strength, Psa 138:3. 6. A good man cannot take much comfort in his own health and prosperity unless withal he see the welfare and prosperity of the church of God. Therefore God, knowing what lay near Hezekiah's heart, promised him not only that he should live, but that he should see the good of Jerusalem all the days of his life (Psa 128:5), otherwise he cannot live comfortably. Jerusalem, which is now delivered, shall still be defended from the Assyrians, who perhaps threatened to rally again and renew the attack. Thus does God graciously provide to make Hezekiah upon all accounts easy. 7. God is willing to show to the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, that they may have an unshaken faith in it, and therewith a strong consolation. God had given Hezekiah repeated assurances of his favour; and yet, as if all were thought too little, that he might expect from him uncommon favours, a sign is given him, an uncommon sign. None that we know of having had an absolute promise of living a certain number of years to come, as Hezekiah had, God thought fit to confirm this unprecedented favour with a miracle. The sign was the going back of the shadow upon the sun-dial. The sun is a faithful measurer of time, and rejoices as a strong man to run a race; but he that set that clock a going can set it back when he pleases, and make it to return; for the Father of all lights is the director of them.
Historical interpretation
Two Centuries of Reception
3 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
We find in the commentaries, written by our predecessors, that day had thirty-two hours. For when the sun had run its course, and reached the tenth hour, and the shadow had gone down by the ten degrees in the house of the temple, the sun turned back again by the ten degrees, according to the word of the Lord, and there were thus twenty hours. And again, the sun accomplished its own proper course, according to the common law, and reached its setting. And thus there were thirty-two hours.
For Hezekiah’s sake the sun turned back, but for Christ the sun was eclipsed. The sun did not simply retrace its path for Christ but was completely eclipsed. This shows the difference between Hezekiah and Jesus. The former’s prayer resulted in the canceling of God’s decree. But does not Jesus forgive sins? Repent, shut your door, and pray to be forgiven. Pray that Christ may remove you from the burning flames, for confession has power even to quench fire, power even to tame lions.
(Vers. 4 seqq.) And the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying: Go and tell Hezekiah: Thus says the Lord God of David, your father: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your days, and I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will protect it. And this shall be a sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this word that he has spoken: Behold, I will turn back the shadow of the steps by which it has gone down on the sun dial of Ahaz ten steps backwards: and the sun returned ten steps by the same steps that it had gone down. The history, which is read consecutively in the volume of Kings, is referred to in a seemingly backwards order, as if it were a prophetic account. While Hezekiah was weeping with great sorrow, before Isaiah had left the middle part of the courtyard, the word of the Lord came to him, saying: Return and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. And Hezekiah said to Isaiah: What will be the sign that the Lord will heal me? To whom did the prophet respond: This will be the sign from the Lord that the Lord will do the word he has spoken: Do you want the shadow to approach by so many lines, or do you want it to go back the same number of steps? To whom Hezekiah said: It is easy for the shadow to advance ten lines, but I do not want it to happen; rather, I want it to go back ten steps. And when Isaiah invoked the power of the Lord, the sign was fulfilled. Isaiah was commanded to have a lump of fresh figs brought, which they did, and they placed it on the wound, and he was healed. But the Prophet of the Lord returns to the king by the command, in order to heal the one who had struck him; and he is called Hezekiah, the leader of his people, and the son of David, whose works he followed, for he did what was right in all things as David his father had done; and his prayer is heard, and tears are seen, for he walked before the Lord in truth and with a perfect heart, and he wept with great weeping; and he did what was pleasing in his eyes. Fifteen years are added to his life, which he did not ask for, and moreover, while he is still alive, the security of the kingdom is promised to him. But if, as some think, to live in the body is a condemnation, and according to what is said: Return, my soul, into your rest (Ps. 114:7). And in another place: Bring my soul out of prison (Ps. 141:8), death is to be desired so that we may be freed from prison: how then does the Lord now grant as a favor that he who was to be set free should still live for fifteen years in prison? However, a sign is given that the sun turns back by ten degrees, which we turn according to Symmachus into lines and a sundial, which understood the degrees in the lines in order to make a clearer sense to those reading. Whether the steps were constructed with mechanical skill, so that as the shadow descended, it would mark the hours. This sign was a type of both the present time and the future, so that just as the sun would return to the beginning of its course, so would Hezekiah's life return to the disclosed years; and for us who live in the week and the octave, through the resurrection of Christ, the spaces of life are extended. The holy places in this province are accustomed to show within the enclosed Temple the steps of the house of Hezekiah, or of Ahaz, which the sun descended through them. But I will never believe, not to mention Ahaz, who was a wicked king; but of any righteous king, that their house was in the Temple of God: since it is said that Solomon, among other things, offended God because he built on a high place, from where he used to look down on the courtyard of the Temple while walking in the tower of the palace (3 Kings 9).
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Summary
Isaiah 38:8 records a singular and profound miracle, serving as God's undeniable sign to King Hezekiah. Following Hezekiah's fervent prayer for healing from a terminal illness and a plea for an extended life, God promised to add fifteen years to his days. To confirm this extraordinary divine intervention, God caused the shadow on the sundial of Ahaz to recede ten degrees backward, a supernatural reversal of the sun's apparent movement. This event stands as a powerful testament to God's absolute sovereignty over creation, His unwavering faithfulness to His promises, and His intimate responsiveness to the prayers of His people.
Context
Literary Context
Isaiah 38:8 is nestled within a pivotal narrative detailing King Hezekiah's miraculous recovery and the subsequent events. The preceding verses, specifically Isaiah 38:1-3, establish Hezekiah's dire situation—a prophecy of imminent death from the prophet Isaiah—and his tearful, earnest prayer to the Lord. In a remarkable display of divine compassion, God immediately responds, sending Isaiah back to Hezekiah with a message of healing and a promise of fifteen additional years of life (Isaiah 38:4-6). To solidify this extraordinary promise, God offers Hezekiah a choice of signs in Isaiah 38:7: either the shadow on the sundial would advance ten degrees or recede ten degrees. Hezekiah, recognizing that reversing the natural course was a greater, more undeniable miracle, chose the latter. Verse 8 then records the immediate and precise fulfillment of this chosen sign, serving as a divine seal on God's word and a public validation of His power.
Historical & Cultural Context
The "sundial of Ahaz" refers to a device, likely a set of steps or a staircase with marked gradations, used to tell time by observing the movement of the sun's shadow. King Ahaz, Hezekiah's father, was known for his syncretistic religious practices and his openness to foreign influences, making it plausible that he would have constructed or acquired such a device, perhaps influenced by advanced Babylonian or Assyrian astronomical knowledge. The concept of "degrees" (Hebrew: maʻălâh) indicates precise markings for time measurement. For the shadow to go "ten degrees backward" was not a mere optical illusion but a genuine, observable reversal of the sun's apparent movement relative to the earth, a profound disruption of the natural order. This miracle occurred during Hezekiah's reign, a period marked by intense political and military pressure from the powerful Assyrian Empire, as vividly described in Isaiah 36 and Isaiah 37. In such a time of national and personal crisis, a public and undeniable sign of God's power would have been immensely significant, bolstering both the king's faith and the morale of his people.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully illustrates several core theological and narrative themes. Firstly, it highlights Divine Sovereignty and Miraculous Intervention, showcasing God's absolute control over creation and His ability to suspend or alter natural laws at will. The reversal of the sun's shadow is a direct, supernatural act, underscoring that nothing is impossible for God (Jeremiah 32:17). Secondly, it emphasizes God's Unwavering Faithfulness to His Word. The sign was given to confirm God's promise to Hezekiah, demonstrating that God is true to His declarations and will fulfill what He says, even when it defies human expectation or natural limitations. This concept is foundational to understanding God's character throughout the biblical narrative, as seen in Numbers 23:19. Thirdly, the miracle serves as a testament to The Efficacy of Earnest Prayer. It is a direct, tangible response to Hezekiah's desperate plea for life, reinforcing the biblical truth that God hears and responds to the sincere prayers of His people (Psalm 66:19).
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Derived from a root meaning "to cover," this word primarily denotes literal shade or shadow, such as that cast by an object. It can also carry figurative meanings, including "defence" or "protection." In Isaiah 38:8, it refers to the visible projection cast by the gnomon (the part of the sundial that casts the shadow) onto the "degrees" or markings. The miraculous reversal of this shadow signifies an observable, physical alteration in the apparent position of the sun, demonstrating God's direct control over natural phenomena and the very passage of time.
This term, a feminine noun derived from a word meaning "elevation" or "ascent" (related to steps or stairs), refers to steps, stairs, or gradations. In the context of a sundial, it specifically indicates the marked increments or steps that measured the passage of time by the sun's shadow. The precise mention of "ten degrees" emphasizes the measurable and undeniable nature of the miracle, making it a concrete and verifiable sign rather than a subjective experience.
This primitive root means "to turn back," "return," or "retreat," functioning both transitively (to cause to return) and intransitively (to return). Its repetition in the verse ("I will bring again... the sun returned") powerfully underscores both divine agency and the actual reversal of the shadow's (and thus the sun's apparent) movement. It highlights God's active intervention to reverse what is naturally irreversible, confirming His promise to Hezekiah and demonstrating His absolute power over the natural order.
Verse Breakdown
"Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees,"
This opening clause functions as a divine declaration, an emphatic statement of God's intention. The phrase "bring again" (H7725) immediately signals a reversal or restoration, indicating that God will cause the shadow, which naturally moves forward with the sun, to move backward on the sundial's markings. It sets the stage for a supernatural event that defies normal observation, highlighting God's direct, personal involvement.
"which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward."
This part specifies the object of the miracle—the shadow that had already "gone down" (H3381, descended, moved forward) on King Ahaz's sundial. The crucial detail is "ten degrees backward" (H322), quantifying the precise extent of the reversal. This was not a subtle shift but a significant, measurable, and clearly observable counter-movement against the natural progression of time. The mention of "the sun dial of Ahaz" grounds the miracle in a specific, known object, making the sign verifiable and public.
"So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down."
This concluding clause confirms the immediate and direct fulfillment of God's promise. The phrase "So the sun returned" (H7725) unequivocally states that the celestial body itself, or at least its apparent position relative to the earth, was supernaturally manipulated to cause the shadow's reversal. The repetition of "ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down" emphasizes the exact reversal of the previous movement, leaving no doubt about the miraculous nature and precision of God's intervention, underscoring His omnipotence.
Literary Devices
Isaiah 38:8 is rich in Miracle/Supernatural Intervention, as the core event described is a direct, observable alteration of the natural order, specifically the apparent movement of the sun. This serves to underscore God's omnipotence and His ability to control all aspects of creation, suspending natural laws at will. The "shadow of the degrees" functions as Symbolism, representing the inexorable passage of time and the natural, irreversible progression of life toward death. Its reversal profoundly symbolizes God's power to intervene in and even reverse seemingly fixed realities, including the king's terminal illness and the decree of death. The precise measurement of "ten degrees" adds a layer of Verifiability and Precision to the miracle, making it a concrete, undeniable sign rather than an abstract concept, thus enhancing its impact as a divine confirmation and a public display of God's power.
Theological and Thematic Connections
This extraordinary event in Isaiah 38:8 profoundly underscores God's absolute sovereignty over all creation, including the celestial bodies and the very fabric of time. It reveals a God who is not bound by natural laws but can manipulate them at will to accomplish His divine purposes and confirm His promises. The miracle served as an undeniable testament to Hezekiah and all who witnessed it that God hears and responds to the earnest prayers of His people, and that His word is utterly trustworthy. It demonstrates that God's power extends beyond human comprehension, capable of reversing the seemingly irreversible and bringing life where death was imminent. This event provides a powerful theological foundation for trusting God in seemingly impossible situations, knowing that His power is limitless and His faithfulness unwavering, a truth echoed throughout Scripture.
Reflection and Application
The miracle of the sundial in Isaiah 38:8 offers profound encouragement and challenges for contemporary believers. It reminds us that our God is not a distant, passive observer but an active, intervening deity who holds ultimate control over all things, from the grand cosmic order to the intimate details of our personal lives. When faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles, dire diagnoses, or circumstances that defy human solution, this passage calls us to remember God's omnipotence. Just as He reversed the shadow of time for Hezekiah, He is capable of working beyond our expectations and natural limitations. This narrative also powerfully affirms the efficacy of sincere prayer; Hezekiah's desperate plea was met with a miraculous response, demonstrating that God truly hears and acts on behalf of His children. We are invited to bring our impossible situations before Him with faith, trusting in His power and His perfect will, even if His answers do not always manifest in such dramatic, visible signs. The ultimate sign for us is His faithfulness to His promises, which are always "Yes" and "Amen" in Christ.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What was the "sundial of Ahaz" mentioned in the verse?
The "sundial of Ahaz" was likely a public time-measuring device, possibly a series of steps or a staircase, with marked "degrees" or gradations. It functioned by casting a shadow from a central gnomon (a vertical stick or pillar), which moved across the degrees as the sun traversed the sky, indicating the time of day. It was named after King Ahaz, Hezekiah's father, who may have constructed or acquired it, perhaps influenced by foreign astronomical knowledge. The miracle involved the shadow moving backward on these degrees, contrary to its natural progression, making it a clear and public sign.
Was the reversal of the shadow a literal astronomical event or merely an optical illusion?
The biblical text strongly implies a literal, observable reversal of the sun's apparent movement, not just an optical illusion. The language, "So the sun returned ten degrees," suggests that the sun itself (or at least its observable position relative to Earth) was supernaturally altered. While the precise scientific mechanism is not explained, the narrative presents it as a genuine cosmic event, a direct intervention by God into the natural order to provide an undeniable sign to King Hezekiah and his people. This aligns with other biblical accounts of God's direct control over celestial bodies, such as in Joshua 10:12-14. The purpose was to provide a concrete, verifiable sign of God's power and faithfulness.
Why did God perform such a dramatic miracle for Hezekiah?
God performed this dramatic miracle as an undeniable sign to confirm His promise to King Hezekiah. Hezekiah had prayed fervently for his life to be extended, and God, through Isaiah, promised him an additional fifteen years. To assure Hezekiah of this seemingly impossible healing and life extension, God offered a sign. Hezekiah chose the more difficult sign—the shadow receding backward—because it would be a greater testament to God's power. The miracle served multiple purposes: to solidify Hezekiah's faith, demonstrate God's faithfulness to His word, and publicly display God's absolute sovereignty over life, death, and all creation, especially in a time of national crisis (2 Kings 20:8-11).
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
The extraordinary miracle of the sundial, where God reversed the course of the sun's shadow for King Hezekiah, serves as a powerful Old Testament foreshadowing of the ultimate power and authority of Jesus Christ. Just as God demonstrated His sovereignty over creation by altering the sun's path, Jesus, the Son of God, consistently displayed His mastery over the natural world during His earthly ministry. He calmed raging storms with a word (Mark 4:39), walked on water (Matthew 14:25), and miraculously multiplied food to feed thousands (John 6:11). The reversal of time's shadow for Hezekiah speaks to God's power over life and death, a power supremely manifested in Christ's victory over death through His resurrection (Romans 6:9-10). Furthermore, the sign given to Hezekiah confirmed God's promise of extended life; similarly, Jesus Christ is the ultimate "sign" given by God, confirming all His promises and offering eternal life to those who believe in Him (John 3:16). In Christ, all God's promises find their "Yes" and "Amen" (2 Corinthians 1:20), culminating in His power to heal not just for a limited time, but to grant everlasting life and dominion over all creation.