These four steps, what are they? As it is written: "At that time Merodach-baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters," etc. (Isaiah 39:1). Was it because "Hezekiah had been sick and had recovered" that he sent him letters and a gift? Yes, it was "to inquire about the wonder that had occurred in the land" (2 Chronicles 32:31). For Rabbi Yochanan said: That same day on which Ahaz died was only two hours long. And when Hezekiah fell sick and recovered, the Holy One, blessed be He, restored to him those ten hours, as it is written: "Behold, I will bring back the shadow on the steps, which has gone down on the steps of Ahaz with the sun, ten steps backward." So the sun returned ten steps, by the steps which it had gone down (Isaiah 38:8). He said to them: What is this? They said to him: Hezekiah fell ill and recovered. He said: Is there a man such as this, and shall I not wish to send him a greeting of peace? They wrote to him: Peace to King Hezekiah, peace to the city of Jerusalem, and peace to the great God.
When the Sun Moved Backward for Hezekiah
Sanhedrin 96a; Gaster, Exempla No. 78
הָנֵי אַרְבַּע פְּסִיעוֹת מַאי הִיא? דִּכְתִיב: בָּעֵת הַהִיא שָׁלַח מְרֹדַךְ בַּלְאֲדָן בֶּן בַּלְאֲדָן מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל סְפָרִים וְגוֹ׳. מִשּׁוּם כִּי חָלָה חִזְקִיָּהוּ וַיֶּחֱזָק שַׁדַּר לֵיהּ סְפָרִים וּמִנְחָה? אִין, לִדְרֹשׁ הַמּוֹפֵת אֲשֶׁר הָיָה בָאָרֶץ. דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם שֶׁמֵּת בּוֹ אָחָז שְׁתֵּי שָׁעוֹת הָיָה. וְכִי חָלָה חִזְקִיָּהוּ וְאִיתְּפַח, אַהְדְּרִינְהוּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְהָנָךְ עֲשַׂר שָׁעֵי נִיהֲלֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב: הִנְנִי מֵשִׁיב אֶת צֵל הַמַּעֲלוֹת אֲשֶׁר יָרְדָה בְמַעֲלוֹת אָחָז בַּשֶּׁמֶשׁ אֲחֹרַנִּית עֶשֶׂר מַעֲלוֹת וַתָּשׇׁב הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ עֶשֶׂר מַעֲלוֹת בַּמַּעֲלוֹת אֲשֶׁר יָרָדָה. אֲמַר לְהוּ: מַאי הַאי? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: חִזְקִיָּהוּ חֲלַשׁ וְאִיתְּפַח. אֲמַר: אִיכָּא גַּבְרָא כִּי הַאי וְלָא בָּעֵינָא לְשַׁדּוֹרֵי לֵיהּ שְׁלָמָא? כְּתַבוּ לֵיהּ: שְׁלָמָא לְמַלְכָּא חִזְקִיָּה, שְׁלָם לְקַרְתָּא דִּירוּשְׁלֶם, שְׁלָם לֶאֱלָהָא רַבָּא.