The Meaning of Isaiah 38:8 Explained

Isaiah 38:8

KJV: Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down.

YLT: Lo, I am bringing back the shadow of the degrees that it hath gone down on the degrees of Ahaz, by the sun, backward ten degrees:' and the sun turneth back ten degrees in the degrees that it had gone down.

Darby: behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees which hath gone down with the sun on the dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned on the dial ten degrees, by which it had gone down.

ASV: behold, I will cause the shadow on the steps, which is gone down on the dial of Ahaz with the sun, to return backward ten steps. So the sun returned ten steps on the dial whereon it was gone down.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Behold, I will bring again  the shadow  of the degrees,  which is gone down  in the sun  dial  of Ahaz,  ten  degrees  backward.  So the sun  returned  ten  degrees,  by which degrees  it was gone down. 

What does Isaiah 38:8 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 38

1  Hezekiah, having received a message of death, by prayer has his life lengthened
8  The sun goes ten degrees backward, for a sign of that promise
9  His song of thanksgiving

What do the individual words in Isaiah 38:8 mean?

behold I will bring - the shadow on the sundial which has gone down on the sundial of Ahaz with the sun backward Ten degrees so returned the sun degrees on the dial by which it had gone down -
הִנְנִ֣י מֵשִׁ֣יב אֶת־ צֵ֣ל הַֽמַּעֲל֡וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָרְדָה֩ בְמַעֲל֨וֹת אָחָ֥ז בַּשֶּׁ֛מֶשׁ אֲחֹרַנִּ֖ית עֶ֣שֶׂר מַעֲל֑וֹת וַתָּ֤שָׁב הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ מַעֲל֔וֹת בַּֽמַּעֲל֖וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָרָֽדָה ס

הִנְנִ֣י  behold 
Parse: Interjection, first person common singular
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
מֵשִׁ֣יב  I  will  bring 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
צֵ֣ל  the  shadow  on 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: צֵל  
Sense: shadow, shade.
הַֽמַּעֲל֡וֹת  the  sundial 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: מַעֲלָה 
Sense: what comes up, thoughts.
יָרְדָה֩  has  gone  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
בְמַעֲל֨וֹת  on  the  sundial 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: מַעֲלָה 
Sense: what comes up, thoughts.
אָחָ֥ז  of  Ahaz 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָחָז  
Sense: king of Judah, son Jotham, father of Hezekiah.
בַּשֶּׁ֛מֶשׁ  with  the  sun 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: שֶׁמֶשׁ  
Sense: sun.
אֲחֹרַנִּ֖ית  backward 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אֲחֹרַנִּית  
Sense: backwards, back part, the rear.
עֶ֣שֶׂר  Ten 
Parse: Number, feminine singular construct
Root: עֶשֶׂר 
Sense: ten.
מַעֲל֑וֹת  degrees 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: מַעֲלָה 
Sense: what comes up, thoughts.
וַתָּ֤שָׁב  so  returned 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙  the  sun 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: שֶׁמֶשׁ  
Sense: sun.
מַעֲל֔וֹת  degrees 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: מַעֲלָה 
Sense: what comes up, thoughts.
בַּֽמַּעֲל֖וֹת  on  the  dial 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: מַעֲלָה 
Sense: what comes up, thoughts.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  by  which 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יָרָֽדָה  it  had  gone  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation