Note on the Sundial of Ahaz

"So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down." (Isa.38:8)

The story of the sun’s shadow going backwards on the "sun dial of Ahaz" in the days of Hezekiah is well known and the most likely explanation—that the phenomenon was caused by the emergence of the Shekinah light from the Temple, "brighter than the sun at noon‑day," has already been published in these columns. An alternative possibility was suggested a century ago by one Benjaman Scott, F.R.A.S. in the words "The going back of the shadow on the dial has repeatedly been noticed, even in the present (19th) century. It is dependent, not on astronomical, but on meteorological causes. The shadow is not invariably dependent upon the position of the sun, but upon the brightest point of light in the sky. If when the sun nears the western horizon a dark impenetrable cloud covers the orb, the shadow will be cast by the bright silver lining of the cloud, which may be near the zenith, and the shadow will repeat nearly a quarter of the circle. In the present (19th) century an instance is recorded by the Canon of Metz Cathedral. In the case under consideration, the object was the satisfaction of Hezekiah that the promise made to him was from God. The prophet is accordingly directed to foretell, as a sign, a natural phenomenon which was about to occur."

It might be remarked that this is likely to be of comparatively frequent occurrence and so unlikely to constitute a "sign" to the observers; the cause of the phenomenon would be discernible by anyone and there would be nothing remarkable about it. Something quite out of the usual was required, a happening only explainable as an instance of Divine intervention; the sudden shining of the Shekinah from the Temple, its brilliance temporarily eclipsing the sun and blotting out the shadow on the "steps of Ahaz," would well explain the occurrence.

AOH