Hezekiah Becomes Sick and Is Healed
1In those days Hezekiah became very sick. He knew he was about to die. Isaiah went to see him. Isaiah was the son of Amoz. Isaiah told Hezekiah, “The Lord says, ‘Put everything in order. Make out your will. You are going to die soon. You will not get well again.’ ”
2Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall. He prayed to the Lord. He said, 3“Lord, please remember how faithful I’ve been to you. I’ve lived the way you wanted me to. I’ve served you with all my heart. I’ve done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4A message from the Lord came to Isaiah. The Lord said, 5“Go and speak to Hezekiah. Tell him, ‘The Lord, the God of King David, says, “I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. I will add 15 years to your life. 6And I will save you and this city from the power of the king of Assyria. I will guard this city.
7“ ‘ “Here is a sign from me. It will show you that I will heal you, just as I promised I would. 8The shadow that was made by the sun has gone down ten steps on the stairway of Ahaz. I will make it go back up those ten steps.” ’ ” So the shadow went back up the ten steps it had gone down.
9Here is a song of praise that was written by Hezekiah, the king of Judah. He wrote it after he was sick and had gotten well again.
10I said, “I’m enjoying the best years of my life.
Must I now go through the gates of death?
Will the rest of my years be taken away from me?”
11I said, “Lord, I’ll never see you again
while I’m still alive.
I’ll never see people anymore.
I’ll never again be with those who live in this world.
12My body is like a shepherd’s tent.
It has been pulled down and carried off.
My life is like a piece of cloth that I’ve rolled up.
You have cut it off from the loom.
In a short period of time you have brought my life to an end.
13I waited patiently until sunrise.
But like a lion you broke all my bones.
In a short period of time you have brought my life to an end.
14I cried softly like a weak little bird.
I sounded like a dove as I mourned.
My eyes grew tired as I looked up toward heaven.
Lord, my life is in danger. Please come and help me!
15“But what can I say?
You have promised to heal me.
And you yourself have done it.
Once I was proud and bitter.
But now I will live the rest of my life free of pride.
16Lord, people find the will to live because you keep your promises.
And my spirit also finds life in your promises.
You brought me back to health.
You let me live.
17I’m sure it was for my benefit
that I suffered such great pain.
You love me. You kept me
from going down into the pit of death.
You have put all my sins
behind your back.
18People in the grave can’t praise you.
Dead people can’t sing praise to you.
Those who go down to the grave
can’t hope for you to be faithful to them.
19It is those who are alive who praise you.
And that’s what I’m doing today.
Parents tell their children
about how faithful you are.
20“The Lord will save me.
So we will sing and play music on stringed instruments.
We will sing all the days of our lives
in the Lord’s temple.”
21When Hezekiah was sick, Isaiah had said, “Press some figs together. Spread them on a piece of cloth. Apply them to Hezekiah’s boil. Then he’ll get well again.”
22At that time Hezekiah had asked, “What will the sign be to prove I’ll go up to the Lord’s temple?” That’s when the Lord had made the shadow go back ten steps.
Hezekiah’s illness
1In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, ‘This is what the Lord says: put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.’
2Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3‘Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.’ And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: 5‘Go and tell Hezekiah, “This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. 6And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.
7‘ “This is the Lord’s sign to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: 8I will make the shadow cast by the sun go back the ten steps it has gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.” ’ So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had gone down.
9A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery:
10I said, ‘In the prime of my life
must I go through the gates of death
and be robbed of the rest of my years?’
11I said, ‘I will not again see the Lord himself
in the land of the living;
no longer will I look on my fellow man,
or be with those who now dwell in this world.
12Like a shepherd’s tent my house
has been pulled down and taken from me.
Like a weaver I have rolled up my life,
and he has cut me off from the loom;
day and night you made an end of me.
13I waited patiently till dawn,
but like a lion he broke all my bones;
day and night you made an end of me.
14I cried like a swift or thrush,
I moaned like a mourning dove.
My eyes grew weak as I looked to the heavens.
I am being threatened; Lord, come to my aid!’
15But what can I say?
He has spoken to me, and he himself has done this.
I will walk humbly all my years
because of this anguish of my soul.
16Lord, by such things people live;
and my spirit finds life in them too.
You restored me to health
and let me live.
17Surely it was for my benefit
that I suffered such anguish.
In your love you kept me
from the pit of destruction;
you have put all my sins
behind your back.
18For the grave cannot praise you,
death cannot sing your praise;
those who go down to the pit
cannot hope for your faithfulness.
19The living, the living – they praise you,
as I am doing today;
parents tell their children
about your faithfulness.
20The Lord will save me,
and we will sing with stringed instruments
all the days of our lives
in the temple of the Lord.
21Isaiah had said, ‘Prepare a poultice of figs and apply it to the boil, and he will recover.’
22Hezekiah had asked, ‘What will be the sign that I will go up to the temple of the Lord?’
