Isaiah 38:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

As Hezekiah wept earnestly, the Lord spoke to Isaiah before he had exited the courtyard, instructing him to return and tell Hezekiah, leader of my people, I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. Look, I will restore your health. Hezekiah then asked Isaiah, What will be the sign that the Lord will restore me? The prophet replied, This will be a sign from the Lord affirming that He will fulfill the word He has spoken: Do you want the shadow to advance ten degrees or to retreat? Hezekiah responded, It is an easy matter for the shadow to go ahead ten degrees; rather, let it retreat ten degrees. After Isaiah called upon the Lord’s power, the sign was granted. Isaiah then commanded that a bundle of fresh figs be brought, and when placed on the wound, Hezekiah was healed. The prophet returned to the king at the Lord’s command, enabling healing from the one who had afflicted him. Hezekiah, referred to as the leader of his people and a descendant of David, emulated David’s righteous deeds. His prayers were answered, his tears were recognized, for he walked before the Lord with integrity and a pure heart, weeping fervently and doing what was pleasing to God. Fifteen years were added to his life, a gift he had not sought, along with the promise of security for his kingdom during his lifetime. Yet, if one considers life in the flesh to be a burden—echoing sentiments like, Turn my soul into your rest (Psalm 114:6) or, Bring my soul out of prison (Psalm 141:8)—one might wonder why the Lord graciously granted Hezekiah an additional fifteen years in this earthly existence instead of liberation. This was granted as a sign, represented by the sun returning ten degrees, which we interpret as lines and hours, as elucidated by Symmachus, who sought to clarify for his readers by illustrating steps as lines. These steps may have been designed in such a way that the shadow moving across them delineated the hour divisions. This sign symbolized both present and future time, suggesting that just as the sun retraced its path, so too did Hezekiah’s life revert to those earlier years, paralleled for us in the cycles of time through the resurrection of Christ. In this region, those who highlight the sacred locations often point to the steps of Hezekiah or Ahaz within the temple enclosure, as it appears the sun casts its shadow upon them. However, I cannot accept that the house of Ahaz—a wicked king, nor that of any just ruler—was part of God's temple, especially since it is noted that Solomon offended God by constructing high places, observing the tower of his palace from the temple courtyard (1 Kings 11).