ישעיהו, פרק ל״ח, פסוק ח׳

A unique heavenly sign confirms King Hezekiah’s recovery, temporarily reversing the natural flow of time. To prove that the king will heal, a shadow shifts backward on a special staircase that functions as a sundial. This structure, built by King Ahaz, measures the passing hours of the day, with the sun's shadow descending one step for each hour that passes [מצודת דוד]. Ahaz, who had a fondness for adopting foreign customs, may have designed this sundial as a wall painting inspired by the wise men of other nations [שד״ל], or constructed it as a physical staircase facing north [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

How this extraordinary reversal actually occurred is a matter of discussion. One perspective suggests that the miracle took place in the heavens themselves, with the sun literally altering its course and traveling backward [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Because this cosmic shift was visible across the entire world, the nations eventually learned that it was performed for Hezekiah's sake, greatly increasing his international prestige [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Conversely, another approach maintains that the sun’s actual orbit never changed. Instead, the event was a localized miracle affecting only the behavior of light. God caused the sun's rays to bend and refract through clouds or vapor, making it appear as though the shadow alone was retreating up the steps [שד״ל, מצודת דוד].

The movement of this shadow carries a deeper historical resonance linked to Hezekiah's father. Years earlier, on the day King Ahaz died, the sun had hurried to set, prematurely shortening the daylight by ten hours to prevent the wicked king from receiving a proper public eulogy. Now, on the day of Hezekiah’s healing, the sun retreats, effectively restoring the exact ten hours that were previously lost [רש״י].

While the current account simply records the execution of this wonder, the broader historical records reveal a more interactive process. The prophet Isaiah originally offered Hezekiah a choice, asking whether he preferred the shadow to advance or retreat. It was the king himself who specifically requested that the shadow move backward, a detail preserved in the Book of Kings but omitted in this specific telling [שד״ל].