Hezekiah Gets Sick and Almost Dies
(2 Kings 20.1-112 Chronicles 32.24-26)1 About this time, Hezekiah got sick and was almost dead. So I went in and told him, “The Lord says you won't ever get well. You are going to die, and so you had better start doing what needs to be done.”
2 Hezekiah turned toward the wall and prayed, 3 “Don't forget that I have been faithful to you, Lord. I have obeyed you with all my heart, and I do whatever you say is right.” After this, he cried hard.
4 Then the Lord sent me 5 with this message for Hezekiah:
I am the Lord God, who was worshiped by your ancestor David. I heard you pray, and I saw you cry. I will let you live 15 more years, 6 while I protect you and your city from the king of Assyria.
7 Now I will prove to you that I will keep my promise. 8 Do you see the shadow made by the setting sun on the stairway built for King Ahaz? I will make the shadow go back ten steps.
Then the shadow went back ten steps.
King Hezekiah's Song of Praise
9 This is what Hezekiah wrote after he got well:
10 I thought I would die
during my best years
and stay as a prisoner forever
in the world of the dead.
11 I thought I would never again
see you, my Lord,
or any of the people
who live on this earth.
12 My life was taken from me
like the tent that a shepherd
pulls up and moves.
You cut me off like thread
from a weaver's loom;
you make a wreck of me
day and night.
13 Until morning came, I thought
you would crush my bones
just like a hungry lion;
both night and day
you make a wreck of me.
14 I cry like a swallow;
I mourn like a dove.
My eyes are red
from looking to you, Lord.
I am in terrible trouble.
Please come and help me.
15 There's nothing I can say
in answer to you,
since you are the one
who has done this to me.
My life has turned sour;
I will limp until I die.
16 Your words and your deeds
bring life to everyone,
including me.
Please make me healthy
and strong again.
17 It was for my own good
that I had such hard times.
But your love protected me
from doom in the deep pit,
and you turned your eyes
away from my sins.
18 No one in the world of the dead
can thank you or praise you;
none of those in the deep pit
can hope for you
to show them
how faithful you are.
19 Only the living can thank you,
as I am doing today.
Each generation tells the next
about your faithfulness.
20 You, Lord, will save me,
and every day that we live
we will sing in your temple
to the music
of stringed instruments.
Isaiah's Advice to Hezekiah
21 I had told King Hezekiah's servants to put some mashed figs on the king's open sore, and he would get well. 22 Then Hezekiah asked for proof that he would again worship in the Lord's temple.
1 About that time was Hezekiah sicke vnto the death, and the Prophet Isaiah sonne of Amoz came vnto him, and sayd vnto him, Thus sayth the Lord, Put thine house in an order, for thou shalt dye, and not liue. 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the Lord, 3 And saide, I beseeche thee, Lord, remember nowe howe I haue walked before thee in trueth, and with a perfite heart, and haue done that which is good in thy sight: and Hezekiah wept sore. 4 Then came the worde of the Lord to Isaiah, saying, 5 Goe, and say vnto Hezekiah, Thus saith the Lord God of Dauid thy father, I haue heard thy prayer, and seene thy teares: behold, I will adde vnto thy dayes fifteene yeeres. 6 And I will deliuer thee out of the hand of the King of Asshur, and this citie: for I will defende this citie. 7 And this signe shalt thou haue of ye Lord, that ye Lord will do this thing that he hath spoken, 8 Beholde, I will bring againe the shadowe of the degrees (whereby it is gone downe in the diall of Ahaz by the sunne) ten degrees backeward: so the sunne returned by tenne degrees, by the which degrees it was gone downe. 9 The writing of Hezekiah King of Iudah, when he had bene sicke, and was recouered of his sickenesse. 10 I saide in the cutting off of my dayes, I shall goe to the gates of the graue: I am depriued of the residue of my yeeres. 11 I said, I shall not see the Lord, euen the Lord in the land of the liuing: I shall see man no more among the inhabitants of the world. 12 Mine habitation is departed, and is remoued from me, like a shepheards tent: I haue cut off like a weauer my life: he will cut me off from the height: from day to night, thou wilt make an ende of me. 13 I rekoned to the morning: but he brake all my bones, like a lion: from day to night wilt thou make an ende of me. 14 Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourne as a doue: mine eies were lift vp on high: O Lord, it hath oppressed me, comfort me. 15 What shall I say? for he hath said it to me, and he hath done it: I shall walke weakely all my yeeres in the bitternesse of my soule. 16 O Lord, to them that ouerliue them, and to all that are in them, the life of my spirite shalbe knowen, that thou causedst me to sleepe and hast giuen life to me. 17 Beholde, for felicitie I had bitter griefe, but it was thy pleasure to deliuer my soule from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sinnes behinde thy backe. 18 For the graue cannot confesse thee: death cannot praise thee: they that goe downe into the pit, cannot hope for thy trueth. 19 But the liuing, the liuing, he shall confesse thee, as I doe this day: the father to the children shall declare thy trueth. 20 The Lord was ready to saue me: therefore we will sing my song, all the dayes of our life in the House of the Lord. 21 Then said Isaiah, Take a lumpe of drye figs and lay it vpon the boyle, and he shall recouer. 22 Also Hezekiah had said, What is ye signe, that I shall goe vp into the House of the Lord?