Bible Strands
2 Kings 20:9
And Isaiah had replied, “This will be a sign to you from the LORD that He will do what He has promised: Would you like the shadow to go forward ten steps, or back ten steps?”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Isaiah speaks to King Hezekiah while addressing the king’s request for confirmation of his healing and subsequent temple pilgrimage. The prophet offers a physical choice regarding a sundial shadow to validate the divine promise.
The words — The phrase זֶה הָאוֹת (zeh ha'ot) translates literally as “this [is] the sign,” establishing the event as divine authentication. The verb יַעֲשֶׂה (ya'aseh) means “he will do,” directly linking the shadow’s movement to God’s pledged action.
The thread — Isaiah repeats the identical sign formula in Isaiah 38:7, while Matthew 16:1 and Mark 8:11 record religious leaders demanding a sign from heaven to test Jesus. The motif contrasts God-initiated validation with human demands for proof.
Why it lands — The text presents a concrete choice about a physical phenomenon to confirm a divine promise, leaving the outcome to God’s power. Readers must decide whether to trust the stated promise or demand their own conditions for proof.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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?
Cross-references
- Isaiah 38:7 This will be a sign to you from the LORD that He will do what He has promised:
- Matthew 16:1 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came and tested Jesus by asking Him to show them a sign from heaven.
- Mark 8:11 Then the Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus, testing Him by demanding from Him a sign from heaven.
- Luke 11:29 As the crowds were increasing, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.