And Isaiah said, “This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he has promised: shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
It's easy to overlook that Isaiah doesn't just ask about the shadow; he presents two seemingly impossible options to prove God's power. He's not seeking information, but offering a tangible, mind-bending demonstration that God's promise is absolutely certain, even defying natural laws.
And Isaiah said, “This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he has promised: shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
King Hezekiah, facing a terminal illness and a looming Assyrian threat, has just received a prophecy of his impending death. In his desperate plea, God relented and promised healing, but Hezekiah asked for a sign to confirm this incredible reprieve. This verse presents Isaiah giving Hezekiah the choice of a supernatural sign: the shadow on a sundial will either advance or retreat ten steps.
Hezekiah was facing a life-or-death situation, and he needed assurance. What kind of sign would actually bring peace?
Isaiah doesn't just offer words; he offers a tangible, supernatural sign. This isn't just a random event; it's a direct communication from the Lord. The sign serves as God's personal seal of authenticity on His promise.
Think about it: When God makes a promise, especially a life-altering one, He often provides a sign. This sign isn't for God's benefit (He doesn't need convincing!), but for ours. It's to strengthen our faith and to make His faithfulness undeniable. The sign here is a public, undeniable demonstration of God's power over His own creation, assuring Hezekiah that the promise will indeed come to pass.
The sun casting shadows seems so ordinary, yet God uses its movement to prove His power. What does this tell us about His authority?
The choice of the sun's shadow moving forward or backward is remarkable. It’s a demonstration of God’s absolute sovereignty not just over human lives, but over the very fabric of the universe, including the celestial bodies and the passage of time.
Isaiah offers Hezekiah two options, highlighting that God is in control of both directions – forward progress and even reversal. The specific choice, to have the shadow go back ten steps (as described in the full account in 2 Kings 20:10-11), points to a miraculous intervention. It's not just that God can make things happen; He can manipulate natural processes to underscore His power and His commitment to His word.
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This event occurred during a period of intense crisis for Judah, sandwiched between the threat of Assyrian conquest and the looming power of Babylon, highlighting God's direct intervention in the life of King Hezekiah amidst such overwhelming pressures.
701 BC
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
King Sennacherib of Assyria besieged Jerusalem, demanding King Hezekiah's surrender. This was a moment of extreme national crisis and existential threat for Judah.
c. 701 BC
Hezekiah's Illness
King Hezekiah falls gravely ill, facing certain death. The prophet Isaiah delivers God's message that Hezekiah will die.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Hezekiah's Plea and God's Promise
Hezekiah weeps and prays for healing, pleading with God to spare his life. God hears his prayer and sends Isaiah back with a message of 15 additional years of life.
c. 701 BC
The Sign of the Sundial
To assure Hezekiah, Isaiah asks if the shadow on the sundial should go forward or back ten steps. Hezekiah chooses for it to go back, a miraculous event confirming God's promise.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon begins deporting Judeans, including members of the royal family and intelligentsia, to Babylon. This marks the start of the Babylonian exile.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
The Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, ending the Davidic monarchy and scattering the remaining population. This event deeply impacted the Jewish understanding of God's covenant and presence.
This passage tells the same event from Isaiah's perspective, emphasizing the supernatural nature of the sign God gave to Hezekiah.
John 10:30Jesus' statement about His unity with the Father, 'I and the Father are one,' echoes the absolute authority of God over natural laws, as demonstrated by the shadow moving backward.
Joshua 10:12-13This account of Joshua commanding the sun to stand still shows another instance where God intervened to alter the normal course of celestial events as a sign to His people.
Romans 4:20-21Paul's reflection on Abraham's faith highlights the certainty of God's promises and His power to perform them, mirroring the absolute certainty God gave Hezekiah through the miraculous sign.
It's easy to overlook that Isaiah doesn't just ask about the shadow; he presents two seemingly impossible options to prove God's power. He's not seeking information, but offering a tangible, mind-bending demonstration that God's promise is absolutely certain, even defying natural laws.
King Hezekiah, facing a terminal illness and a looming Assyrian threat, has just received a prophecy of his impending death. In his desperate plea, God relented and promised healing, but Hezekiah asked for a sign to confirm this incredible reprieve. This verse presents Isaiah giving Hezekiah the choice of a supernatural sign: the shadow on a sundial will either advance or retreat ten steps.
King Hezekiah, facing a terminal illness and a looming Assyrian threat, has just received a prophecy of his impending death. In his desperate plea, God relented and promised healing, but Hezekiah asked for a sign to confirm this incredible reprieve. This verse presents Isaiah giving Hezekiah the choice of a supernatural sign: the shadow on a sundial will either advance or retreat ten steps.
"And Isaiah said, “This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he has promised: shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?”" — It's easy to overlook that Isaiah doesn't just ask about the shadow; he presents two seemingly impossible options to prove God's power. He's not seeking information, but offering a tangible, mind…
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Last reviewed October 2026