2 Kings

2 Kings 20:10–11

¹⁰“It is easy for the shadow to lengthen ten steps,” answered Hezekiah, “but not for it to go back ten steps.”

¹¹So Isaiah the prophet called out to the LORD, and He brought the shadow back the ten steps it had descended on the stairway of Ahaz.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
It is easy	נָקֵ֣ל	nā·qêl	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7043 be slight, swift, trifling
for the shadow	לַצֵּ֔ל	laṣ·ṣêl	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6738 shadow
to lengthen	לִנְט֖וֹת	lin·ṭō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5186 stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend
ten	עֶ֣שֶׂר	‘e·śer	Number - feminine singular construct	H6235 ten
steps	מַעֲל֑וֹת	ma·‘ă·lō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H4609 what comes up
answered	וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Hezekiah	יְחִזְקִיָּ֔הוּ	yə·ḥiz·qî·yā·hū	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H2396 Chizkijah
but not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
for it	הַצֵּ֛ל	haṣ·ṣêl	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6738 shadow
to go	יָשׁ֥וּב	yā·šūḇ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7725 turn back, return
back	אֲחֹרַנִּ֖ית	’ă·ḥō·ran·nîṯ	Adverb	H322 backwards
ten	עֶ֥שֶׂר	‘e·śer	Number - feminine singular construct	H6235 ten
steps	מַעֲלֽוֹת׃	ma·‘ă·lō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H4609 what comes up

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So Isaiah	יְשַׁעְיָ֥הוּ	yə·ša‘·yā·hū	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3470 Jeshajah
the prophet	הַנָּבִ֖יא	han·nā·ḇî	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5030 spokesman, speaker, prophet
called out	וַיִּקְרָ֛א	way·yiq·rā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the LORD	יְהוָ֑ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
and He brought	וַיָּ֣שֶׁב	way·yā·šeḇ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7725 turn back, return
the shadow	הַצֵּ֗ל	haṣ·ṣêl	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6738 shadow
back	אֲחֹֽרַנִּ֖ית	’ă·ḥō·ran·nîṯ	Adverb	H322 backwards
the ten	עֶ֥שֶׂר	‘e·śer	Number - feminine singular construct	H6235 ten
steps	בְּמַעֲל֥וֹת	bə·ma·‘ă·lō·wṯ	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine plural construct	H4609 what comes up
it had descended	יָרְדָ֜ה	yā·rə·ḏāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H3381 come or go down, descend
on the stairway	מַעֲלֽוֹת׃פ	ma·‘ă·lō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H4609 what comes up
of Ahaz	אָחָ֛ז	’ā·ḥāz	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H271 Achaz

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

2 Kings 20:11 Isaiah 38:8 · Joshua 10:12–14 · 2 Chronicles 32:24

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.