used in the superscriptions of the fifteen ‘Songs of the Ascents,’ Psalms 120-134.

In the scriptures mentioned, at 2 Kings 20:8-11 and Isaiah 38:4-8, the account is related of the portent God gave sick King Hezekiah in answer to Isaiah’s prayer. It consisted of causing a shadow that had gradually fallen to reverse its direction and go back up ten steps. This could refer to the steps or degrees of a dial for measuring time, and it is not impossible that Hezekiah’s father possessed such a sundial, even obtaining it from Babylon. However, the Jewish historian Josephus in discussing the account speaks of these steps of Ahaz as being “in his house,” apparently indicating that they formed part of a stairway. There may have been a column placed alongside the stairs to receive the sun’s rays and cause a shadow to extend gradually along the steps and serve as a measurement of time.

The miracle performed evidently involved the relationship between earth and sun, and, if so, it was therefore similar to the miracle recorded at Joshua 10:12-14. It appears that this portent had far-reaching effects, inasmuch as 2 Chronicles 32:24, 31 shows that messengers were sent from Babylon to Jerusalem to inquire about it.

SUNRISING, SUNSET

These times were pivotal points in the daily life of people in the Biblical period. For most persons, the dawn opened the curtain on the day’s activity and the dusk drew it closed again. As the psalmist wrote: “The sun . . . sets. You cause darkness, that it may become night; in it all the wild animals of the forest move forth. The maned young lions are roaring for the prey and for seeking their food from God himself. The sun begins to shine—they withdraw and they lie down in their own hiding places. Man goes forth to his activity and to his service until evening. How many your works are, O Jehovah! All of them in wisdom you have made. The earth is full of your productions.”—Ps. 104:19-24.

The rising of the sun marked the start of the natural daylight period and, when Jesus Christ was on earth, the start of the counting of the “twelve hours of daylight.” (Mark 16:2; John 11:9) Many, of course, were up before dawn, like the diligent woman of Proverbs 31:15. Jesus, too, is mentioned as rising before the sun was up, to spend time in prayer. (Mark 1:35) When sunrise came the large city gates swung open, men went out to their fields or to the vineyards, women lined up at the wells for water, the marketplace filled, while fishermen pulled for shore with the night’s catch for selling, and then to the cleaning and mending of their nets.

The day’s normal activities and labor went on until sundown. At its approach the men returned from their fields, their masters paid them their wages for the day, women carried their night’s supply of water home, the city gates swung shut and the watchmen began the first of the four night watches, while throughout the city oil lamps began to flicker in the homes. (Judg. 19:14-16; Matt. 20:8-12; Deut. 24:15; Gen. 24:11; Neh. 13:19; Mark 13:35) For many, however, work went on after the evening meal, as industrious men and women did weaving or engaged in other indoor crafts. (Prov. 31:18, 19; 2 Thess. 3:8) At times Jesus and his apostles also continued their ministry and related activity on into the night.—Matt. 14:23-25; Mark 1:32-34; 4:35-39; Luke 6:12; 2 Cor. 6:4, 5.

While sunset marked the close of the daylight period, for the Jews it marked the start of the new calendar day, which officially began at sunset, being counted from evening to evening. (Lev. 23:32; compare Mark 1:21, 32 which shows that the day, in this case a sabbath, ended in the evening.) It was, therefore, at sunset that Nisan 14 began and the time came for slaughtering the lamb and eating the passover.—Ex. 12:6-10; Deut. 16:6; Matt. 26:20; see PASSOVER.

Because the day ended at this time, the Law required certain things to be done by sundown. A garment taken in pledge had to be returned to its owner “at the setting of the sun.” (Ex. 22:26; Deut. 24:13) At that time, too, wages were to be paid to hired laborers (Deut. 24:15), a dead body hanging on a stake had to be removed and buried (Deut. 21:22, 23; Josh. 8:29; 10:26, 27), and a person who had been ceremonially unclean must bathe himself and, following sunset, be considered clean again (Lev. 22:6, 7; Deut. 23:11). The sunset’s closing of one day and initiating a new one gave added meaning to the apostle’s exhortation: “Let the sun not set with you in a provoked state.”—Eph. 4:26.

The rising or shining of the sun is occasionally used in a figurative way. At 2 Samuel 23:3, 4 the reign of a righteous ruler who fears God is described to be as refreshing as the “light of morning, when the sun shines forth, a morning without clouds.” (Compare Malachi 4:2; Matthew 17:2; Revelation 1:16.) On behalf of God’s servants the request is made to Jehovah: “Let your lovers be as when the sun goes forth in its mightiness.”—Judg. 5:31; Matt. 13:43; Ps. 110:3; Dan. 12:3; contrast with Micah 3:5, 6; John 3:19, 20.

The terms “sunrising” and “sunset” are also used in a geographical sense to indicate two of the cardinal points, corresponding to the E and the W. (Ex. 27:13; Josh. 1:4; Ps. 107:3; Rev. 16:12) This is the sense of Psalm 113:3: “From the rising of the sun until its setting Jehovah’s name is to be praised.”—See also Malachi 1:11; Isaiah 45:6.

SUPERIOR AUTHORITIES

An expression evidently designating human governmental authorities. The words of the apostle Paul at Romans 13:1, where the “superior authorities” are mentioned, have been variously rendered: “Let every soul be in subjection to the superior authorities, for there is no authority except by God; the existing authorities stand placed in their relative positions by God.” (NW) “Let every subject be obedient to the ruling authorities, for there is no authority not under God’s control, and under His control the existing authorities have been constituted.” (We, sixth ed.) “Everyone must obey the state authorities; for no authority exists without God’s permission, and the existing authorities have been put there by God.”—TEV.

Jehovah God, though not originating them (compare Matthew 4:8, 9; 1 John 5:19; Revelation 13:1, 2), has allowed man’s governmental authorities to come into existence, and they continue to exist by his permission. However, when he chooses to do so, Jehovah can remove, direct or control such authorities to accomplish his will. The prophet Daniel declared regarding Jehovah: “He is changing times and seasons, removing kings and setting up kings.” (Dan. 2:21) And Proverbs 21:1 says: “A king’s heart is as streams of water in the hand of Jehovah. Everywhere that he delights to he turns it.”—Compare Nehemiah 2:3-6; Esther 6:1-11.

REASONS FOR CHRISTIAN SUBJECTION

There being no reason for Christians to set themselves in opposition to an arrangement that God has permitted, they have good reason to be in subjection to the superior authorities. Governmental rulers, though they may be corrupt personally, would not normally punish others for doing good, that is, for adhering to the law of the land. But a person who engages in thievery, murder or other lawless acts could expect an adverse judgment from the ruling authority. One guilty of deliberate murder, for instance, might be executed for his crime. Since Jehovah God authorized capital punishment for murderers after the Flood (Gen. 9:6), the human authority, by executing the lawbreaker, would be acting as “God’s minister, an avenger to express wrath upon the one