2 Kings 20:1–11

Hezekiah’s Illness and Recovery

20In those days ^rHezekiah became terminally ill. ^sThe prophet Isaiah ^tson of Amoz came and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Put your affairs in order, ^ufor you are about to die; you will not recover.’ ” ^v

²Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall ^wand prayed to the Lord, ³“Please Lord, remember ^xhow I have walked before You faithfully and wholeheartedly and have done what pleases You.” ^yzAnd Hezekiah wept bitterly. ^a

⁴Isaiah had not yet gone out of the inner courtyard when the word of the Lord came to him: ⁵“Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader ^bof My people, ‘This is what the Lord God of your ancestor David says: I have heard your prayer; ^cI have seen your tears. Look, I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the Lord’s temple. ⁶I will add 15 years to your life. I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for My sake and for the sake of My servant David.’ ” ^d

⁷Then Isaiah said, “Bring a lump of pressed figs.” So they brought it and applied it to his infected skin, and he recovered. ^e

⁸Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, “What is the sign ^fthat the Lord will heal me and that I will go up to the Lord’s temple on the third day?”

⁹Isaiah said, “This is the sign ^gto you from the Lord that He will do what He has promised: Should the shadow go ahead 10 steps or go back 10 steps?”

¹⁰Then Hezekiah answered, “It’s easy for the shadow to lengthen 10 steps. No, let the shadow go back 10 steps.” ¹¹So Isaiah the prophet called out to the Lord, and He brought the shadow ^hback the 10 steps it had descended on Ahaz’s stairway. ^ij