Isaiah 38:8

Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down.

Behold, I will bring again {H7725} the shadow {H6738} of the degrees {H4609}, which is gone down {H3381} in the sun {H8121} dial {H4609} of Ahaz {H271}, ten {H6235} degrees {H4609} backward {H322}. So the sun {H8121} returned {H7725} ten {H6235} degrees {H4609}, by which degrees {H4609} it was gone down {H3381}.

that I will cause the shadow of the sundial, which has started going down on the sundial of Achaz, to go backward ten intervals.'" So the sun went back ten intervals of the distance it had already gone down.

I will make the sun’s shadow that falls on the stairway of Ahaz go back ten steps.’” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had descended.

behold, I will cause the shadow on the steps, which is gone down on the dial of Ahaz with the sun, to return backward ten steps. So the sun returned ten steps on the dial whereon it was gone down.

Context

Isaiah 38:8 is part of a significant narrative in the book of Isaiah concerning King Hezekiah of Judah. The preceding verses describe King Hezekiah's terminal illness and his fervent prayer to God. In response to Hezekiah's earnest plea, God sent Isaiah the prophet to declare that Hezekiah would recover and that God would add fifteen years to his life. As a sign to assure Hezekiah of this seemingly impossible healing and extended life, God offered a choice of two miracles involving the shadow on the sundial of Ahaz: either it would advance ten degrees or recede ten degrees. Hezekiah chose the more difficult sign, that the shadow would go backward.

Key Themes

  • Divine Intervention and Miracle: The verse vividly describes a supernatural act of God, a direct intervention in the natural order of the cosmos. The sun, or at least its apparent movement relative to the earth, was miraculously altered. This event underscores God's absolute sovereignty over creation.
  • God's Faithfulness to His Word: This miraculous sign served as an undeniable confirmation of God's promise to Hezekiah. It demonstrated that God is true to His word and is capable of fulfilling what He declares, even when it defies natural laws.
  • Answered Prayer: The miracle is a direct response to Hezekiah's prayer, highlighting the power and effectiveness of sincere prayer before God. It reinforces the idea that God hears and responds to His people.

The Miracle Explained

The "sundial of Ahaz" (mentioned also in the parallel account in 2 Kings 20:11) was likely a set of steps or a staircase designed to measure time by the movement of the sun's shadow. The phrase "shadow of the degrees" refers to the markings or steps on this sundial. For the shadow to go "ten degrees backward" meant a reversal of its natural course, an astronomical anomaly. This was not merely an optical illusion but a genuine, observable reversal of time's progression as indicated by the sun. It was a profound and public sign of God's power, a demonstration that He controls all things, from the life of a king to the movement of celestial bodies.

Practical Application

Isaiah 38:8 serves as a powerful reminder of God's omnipotence and His attentiveness to the prayers of His people. For believers today, this passage offers comfort and encouragement:

  • God is in Control: Just as God supernaturally intervened to alter the sun's shadow, He remains sovereign over all circumstances in our lives. Nothing is too difficult for Him (Jeremiah 32:27).
  • Prayer Matters: Hezekiah's experience underscores the importance of prayer and how God responds to the sincere cries of His children.
  • God Provides Assurance: When facing uncertainty or needing reassurance, God can provide signs or confirmations of His will and presence, though perhaps not always in such dramatic fashion. We can trust in His promises.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 2 Kings 20:9

    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?

  • 2 Kings 20:11

    And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.

  • Joshua 10:12

    Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.

  • Joshua 10:14

    And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.

  • 2 Chronicles 32:24

    ¶ In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and prayed unto the LORD: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a sign.

  • Matthew 16:1

    ¶ The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.

  • 2 Chronicles 32:31

    Howbeit in [the business of] the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was [done] in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all [that was] in his heart.

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