Isaiah 38

Hezekiah’s Illness

38:1-8^pp — 2Ki 20:1–11; 2Ch 32:24–26

In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz^a went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order,^b because you are going to die; you will not recover.”^c

Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, “Remember, Lord, how I have walked^d before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion^e and have done what is good in your eyes.^f” And Hezekiah wept^g bitterly.

Then the word^h of the Lord came to Isaiah: “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David,ⁱ says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears;^j I will add fifteen years^k to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend^l this city.

“ ‘This is the Lord’s sign^m to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: I 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.ⁿ

A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery:

I said, “In the prime of my life^o

must I go through the gates of death^p

and be robbed of the rest of my years?^q”

I said, “I will not again see the Lord,

the Lord,^r in the land of the living;^s

no longer will I look on my fellow mortals,

or be with those who now dwell in this world.

Like a shepherd’s tent^t my house

has been pulled down^u and taken from me.

Like a weaver I have rolled^v up my life,

and he has cut me off from the loom;^w

day and night^x you made an end of me.

I waited patiently^y till dawn,

but like a lion he broke^z all my bones;^a

day and night^b you made an end of me.

I cried like a swift or thrush,

I moaned like a mourning dove.^c

My eyes grew weak^d as I looked to the heavens.

I am being threatened; Lord, come to my aid!”^e

But what can I say?^f

He has spoken to me, and he himself has done this.^g

I will walk humbly^h all my years

because of this anguish of my soul.ⁱ

Lord, by such things people live;

and my spirit finds life in them too.

You restored me to health

and let me live.^j

Surely it was for my benefit^k

that I suffered such anguish.^l

In your love you kept me

from the pit^m of destruction;

you have put all my sinsⁿ

behind your back.^o

For the grave^p cannot praise you,

death cannot sing your praise;^q

those who go down to the pit^r

cannot hope for your faithfulness.

The living, the living—they praise^s you,

as I am doing today;

parents tell their children^t

about your faithfulness.

The Lord will save me,

and we will sing^u with stringed instruments^v

all the days of our lives^w

in the temple^x of the Lord.

Isaiah had said, “Prepare a poultice of figs and apply it to the boil, and he will recover.”

Hezekiah had asked, “What will be the sign^y that I will go up to the temple of the Lord?”