King James Version

2 Kings 20:10

And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.

Study

Hebrew

Tap a word to see its meaning. Words run left to right in English reading order.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙vayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…יְחִזְקִיָּ֔הוּyechizqiyahvHezekiahחִזְקִיָּהnoun, proper name — “Hezekiah”H2396Chizkijah, a king of Judah, also the name of two other IsraelitesHezekiah, Hizkiah, Hizkijah. Compare H3169 (יְחִזְקִיָּה).נָקֵ֣לnaqelmake brightקָלַלverb, niphal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “make bright”, a completed actionH7043to be (causatively, make) light, literally (swift, small, sharp, etc.) or figuratively (easy, trifling, vile, etc.)abate, make bright, bring into contempt, (ac-) curse, despise, (be) ease(-y, -ier), (be a, make, make somewhat, move, seem a, set) light(-en, -er, -ly, -ly afflict, -ly esteem, thing), [idiom] slight(-ly), be swift(-er), (be, be more, make…לַצֵּ֔לlatselto shadeצֵלpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to shade”, the ordinary formH6738shade, whether literal or figurativedefence, shade(-ow).לִנְט֖וֹתlintotto spreadנָטָהpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to spread”, the to-form of the verbH5186to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great variety of application[phrase] afternoon, apply, bow (down, -ing), carry aside, decline, deliver, extend, go down, be gone, incline, intend, lay, let down, offer, outstretched, overthrown, pervert, pitch, prolong, put away, shew, spread (out), stretch (forth, o…עֶ֣שֶׂרesertenעֶשֶׂרadjective, cardinal, feminine, singular, absolute — “ten”, the ordinary formH6235ten (as an accumulation to the extent of the digits)ten, (fif-, seven-) teen.מַעֲל֑וֹתmaalotstepמַעֲלָהnoun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “step”, the ordinary formH4609elevation, i.e. the act (literally, a journey to a higher place, figuratively, a thought arising), or (concretely) the condition (literally, a step or grademark, figuratively, a superiority of station); specifically a climactic progression (in certain Psalms)things that come up, (high) degree, deal, go up, stair, step, story.לֹ֣אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…כִ֔יkhiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…יָשׁ֥וּבyashuvagainשׁוּבverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “again”, an unfinished actionH7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again,…הַצֵּ֛לhatselthe shadeצֵלdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the shade”, the ordinary formH6738shade, whether literal or figurativedefence, shade(-ow).אֲחֹרַנִּ֖יתachoranitbackאֲחֹרַנִּיתadverb — “back”H322backwardsback (-ward, again).עֶ֥שֶׂרesertenעֶשֶׂרadjective, cardinal, feminine, singular, absolute — “ten”, the ordinary formH6235ten (as an accumulation to the extent of the digits)ten, (fif-, seven-) teen.מַעֲלֽוֹתmaalotstepמַעֲלָהnoun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “step”, the ordinary formH4609elevation, i.e. the act (literally, a journey to a higher place, figuratively, a thought arising), or (concretely) the condition (literally, a step or grademark, figuratively, a superiority of station); specifically a climactic progression (in certain Psalms)things that come up, (high) degree, deal, go up, stair, step, story.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And Hezekiah answered: 'It is a light thing for the shadow to decline ten degrees; nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to decline ten steps: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten steps.

Young’s Literal Translation

And Hezekiah saith, 'It hath been light for the shadow to incline ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow turn backward ten degrees.'

World English Bible

Hezekiah answered, “It is a light thing for the shadow to go forward ten steps. No, but let the shadow return backward ten steps.”

Darby Translation

And Hezekiah said, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: no, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.

Douay-Rheims

And Ezechias said: It is an easy matter for the shadow to go forward ten lines: and I do not desire that this be done, but let it return back ten degrees.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And Hezekiah answered: 'It is a light thing for the shadow to decline ten degrees; nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.'

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And Ezekias said, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return ten degrees backward on the dial.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἶπεν Ἐζεκίας, κοῦφον τὴν σκιὰν κλῖναι δέκα βαθμούς· οὐχὶ, ἀλλʼ ἐπιστραφήτω ἡ σκιὰ ἐν τοῖς ἀναβαθμοῖς δέκα βαθμοὺς εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω.