2 Kings 20:1–11

Hezekiah Loses Health and Regains It through Prayer

20In those days Hezekiah became deathly ill,^a and Isaiah the son of Amoz the prophet came to him and said to him, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘Command your house, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’ ” ²Then he turned his face to the wall and prayed to Yahweh, saying, ³“O Yahweh, please remember how I went about before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and remember the good that I have done in your eyes.” Then Hezekiah wept bitterly.^{b 4}Isaiah had not gone out from the middle of the city when the word of Yahweh came to him, saying, ⁵“Return; you must say to Hezekiah, the leader of my people, ‘Thus says Yahweh the God of David your ancestor,^c “I have heard your prayer and I have seen your tears. Look, I am about to heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the temple of Yahweh. ⁶I will add to your days fifteen years, and from the hand of the king of Assyria I will deliver you and this city. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of David my servant.” ’ ” ⁷Then Isaiah said, “Bring a lump of figs,” so they took and put it on the skin sores, and he lived.

⁸Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What is the sign that Yahweh will heal me that I shall go up on the third day to the temple of Yahweh?” ⁹Isaiah said, “This is the sign for you from Yahweh that Yahweh will do the thing that he has promised: Shall the shadow advance ten steps or shall it return ten steps?” ¹⁰Hezekiah answered, “It is easy for the shadow to lengthen ten steps. No, but let the shadow return backwards ten steps.” ¹¹Isaiah the prophet called to Yahweh, and he brought back the shadow on the steps where it had gone down on the steps of Ahaz, backwards ten steps.