Isaiah 38:7
ESV
"This shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that he has promised:
NIV
" ‘This is the Lord’s sign to you that the Lord will do what he has promised:
NASB
And this shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will perform this word that He has spoken:
CSB
This is the sign to you from the Lord that he will do what he has promised:
NLT
‘And this is the sign from the Lord to prove that he will do as he promised:
KJV
And this shall be a sign unto thee from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that he hath spoken;
NKJV
And this is the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing which He has spoken:
What does Isaiah 38:7 mean?
Hezekiah asks for a sign confirming he will be well enough to worship in the temple on the third day (2 Kings 20:8). Unlike his father Ahaz, who refused God's offer of a sign (Isaiah 7:10–12), Hezekiah wants reassurance. His question is not framed as a demand for proof, but an expectant desire. God gladly grants the request, showing His power and faithfulness.According to details given elsewhere (2 Kings 20:8–11), God allows Hezekiah to choose how the confirmation sign will work. Hezekiah's choice hints at God reversing the flow of time. The king opts for God to make the shadow on a time-keeping stair move backwards (Isaiah 38:8). This would be the equivalent of a sun dial moving in the "wrong" direction. Unlike a clock, where this could be explained away as a broken machine, this sign was physically impossible.
Scripture shows varied responses to requests for signs—sometimes patient (Judges 6:36–40), sometimes rebuking unbelief (Matthew 16:4). God often expects His people to trust what He has already revealed.
