2 Kings 20:10

And Hezekiah answered, it is a light thing for the shadow to
go down ten degrees
That is, it was comparatively so, otherwise to go down ten degrees at once would be extraordinary and miraculous; but that was more agreeable to the nature and course of it to go forward, and so the miracle would be less apparent:

nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees;
which was directly contrary to its natural order and course, whereby the miracle would appear more clear and manifest: these degrees are by some said ^F24 to be half hours, and not full ones, since it is observed the sun shines not twenty full hours on any dial, unless under the pole; the sun is supposed to have been now at the fifth full hour; the sun was brought back five whole hours, then came forward five, then came forward two degrees, or one hour, to the sixth hour; which made sixteen; then it was six hours to sunset; so that day was prolonged twenty two hours: the Chinese ^F25 relate, that, in the time of Kingcungus, the planet Mars, for sake of the king, went back three degrees.

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 Weemse's Christ. Synagog. l. 1. c. 6. sect. 6. p. 167. See his Exposition of the Judicial Laws, c. 25. p. 90. &c.
F25 Martin. Sinic. Hist. l. 4. p. 138.