In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. The prophet Isaiah - son of Amoz came to him and said ... , “ This is what the LORD says : ‘ Put your house in order , for you are about to die ; you will not recover. ’”
Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD ,
saying , “ Please , O LORD , remember ... - how I have walked before You faithfully and with wholehearted devotion ; I have done (what was) good in Your sight. ” And Hezekiah ... wept bitterly.
And the word of the LORD came to Isaiah - , saying ,
“ Go and tell ... Hezekiah that this is what the LORD , the God of your father David , says : ‘ I have heard - your prayer ; I have seen - your tears. Behold , I will add fifteen ... years to your life.
And I will deliver you - and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend ... this city.
This will be a sign from the LORD that He - will do what ... - He has promised :
- I will make the sun’s shadow that falls on the stairway of Ahaz - go back ten steps. ’” So the sunlight went back the ten ... steps - it had descended.
(This is) a writing by Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery ... :
I said , “ In the prime of my life I must go through the gates of Sheol (and) be deprived of the remainder of my years. ”
I said , “ I will never again see the LORD , (even) the LORD , in the land of the living ; I will no longer look on mankind with those who dwell in this world.
My dwelling has been picked up and removed from me like a shepherd’s tent. I have rolled up my life like a weaver ; He cuts me off from the loom ; from day until night You make an end of me.
I composed myself until the morning. Like a lion ... He breaks all my bones ; from day until night You make an end of me.
I chirp like a swallow or crane ... ; I moan like a dove. My eyes grow weak (as I look) upward. O Lord , I am oppressed be my security. ”
What can I say ? He has spoken and He Himself has done this. I will walk slowly all my years because of the anguish of my soul.
O Lord , by (such things) men live , and in all my spirit (finds) life. You have restored me to health and have let me live.
Surely for my own welfare I had such great anguish ; but Your love has delivered me from the pit of oblivion , for You have cast all my sins behind Your back.
For Sheol cannot thank You ; Death cannot praise You. Those who descend to the Pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness.
The living , only the living , ... can thank You , as I do today ... ; fathers will tell their children about Your faithfulness.
The LORD will save me ; we will play songs on stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the house of the LORD.
Now Isaiah - had said , “ Prepare a lump of pressed figs and apply it to the boil , and he will recover. ”
And Hezekiah had asked , “ What will be the sign that I will go up to the house of the LORD ? ”