· Translation: KJV

2 Kings 20:11Isaiah the prophet cried to Yahweh; and he brought the shadow ten steps backward, by which it had gone down on the dial of Ahaz.

The setting

Jerusalem, 701 BC. Isaiah prays and time itself obeys. The shadow creeps backward up the stone steps as witnesses gasp in wonder...

The emotion here: recording with trembling amazement what actually happened

The original word

qāraʾ (קָרָא) — cried out, called with intensity and urgency

Why it matters

This is one of only two recorded instances of time being supernaturally altered in the Bible

Read with care

What most readers miss in 2 Kings 20:11

The dial belonged to Ahaz, Hezekiah's wicked father — God used his father's instrument to confirm healing

Common misconceptionPeople debate the science of how shadows moved backward, missing that the point is God's power over natural laws when His people need proof.

Bible Genome reading

2 Kings 20:11 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerNarrator
EraDivided Kingdom
Primary emotionworship
Literary typenarrative

Emotional genome

Comfort power70%
Quotability60%
Memorability80%
Crisis relevance70%
Standalone40%
Themes:divine powermiraculous interventionanswered prayer

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open 2 Kings 20

2 Kings 20:11 comes from the book of 2 Kings, written during the Divided Kingdom period. The setting is a royal palace. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is worship, with a comfort power of 70% and a tone that is reverent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine power, miraculous intervention, answered prayer. Notable phrases: Isaiah the prophet cried to Yahweh; shadow ten steps backward.

Your reflection

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