1 ARST About that time, Hezekiah became very ill and was close to dying. So Isaiah went to see him and gave him this message:“This is what Yahweh says:‘You should tell the people in your palace what you want them to do after you die because you will not recover from this illness. You are going to die’” BSB BSB: 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.’”
2 ARST Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed this: BSB BSB: Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD,
3 ARST “Yahweh, do not forget that I have always served you faithfully with all my inner being, and I have done things that pleased you!” Then Hezekiah started to cry loudly. BSB BSB: saying, “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and with wholehearted devotion; I have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4 ARST Then Yahweh gave Isaiah this message: BSB BSB: And the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying,
5 ARST “Go back to Hezekiah and tell him that this is what I, the God to whom your ancestor King David belonged, say:‘I have heard what you prayed, and I have seen you crying. So listen: I will enable you to live fifteen years more. BSB BSB: “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.
6 ARST And I will rescue you and this city from the power of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city. BSB BSB: And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.
7 ARST And this is what I will do to prove to you that I will do what I have just now promised. BSB BSB: This will be a sign to you from the LORD that He will do what He has promised:
8 ARST I will cause the shadow of the sun to move ten steps backward on the stairs that were built by King Ahaz.’” So the shadow of the sun on the stairs moved backward ten steps. BSB BSB: 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.
9 ARST When King Hezekiah was almost well again, he wrote this: BSB BSB: This is a writing by Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery:
10 ARST I said to myself,“In the middle of my life I am about to walk through the gates of death, and Yahweh is taking from me the rest of my years. BSB BSB: 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.”
11 ARST I said,“I will not see Yahweh again in this world where people are alive. I will not see my friends again, or be with others who now are alive in this world. BSB BSB: 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.
12 ARST It is as if my life had been taken away like a tent whose pegs have been pulled up by a shepherd and taken away. I have to roll up my life like a weaver, like a piece of cloth that a weaver cuts and rolls up, Yahweh has cut off my life.” Between morning and evening he will kill me off. BSB BSB: 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.
13 ARST I waited patiently all during the night, but my pain was as though I were being torn apart by lions. Between morning and evening he will kill me off. BSB BSB: I composed myself until the morning. Like a lion He breaks all my bones; from day until night You make an end of me.
14 ARST I was delirious; I chirped like a swift or a swallow and moaned like a dove. My eyes became tired looking up toward heaven for help. I cried out,‘Yahweh, help me, because I am distressed!’ BSB BSB: 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.”
15 ARST But there was really nothing that I could say and ask him to reply to me, because it was Yahweh who sent this illness. So now I will live humbly during my remaining years because I am very anguished within myself. BSB BSB: What can I say? He has spoken to me, and He Himself has done this. I will walk slowly all my years because of the anguish of my soul.
16 ARST Yahweh, the sufferings that you give are good, because what you do and what you say bring new life and health to me. And you have restored me and allowed me to continue to live! BSB BSB: O Lord, by such things men live, and in all of them my spirit finds life. You have restored me to health and have let me live.
17 ARST Truly, my suffering was good for me; you loved me, and as a result you have rescued me from dying and have also forgiven all my sins. BSB BSB: 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.
18 ARST Dead people cannot praise you; they cannot sing to praise you. Those who have descended to their graves cannot expect you to faithfully do things for them. BSB BSB: For Sheol cannot thank You; Death cannot praise You. Those who descend to the Pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness.
19 ARST Only people who are still alive, like I am, can praise you. Fathers tell their children how you are faithful, and if I remain alive, I will do the same thing. BSB BSB: The living, only the living, can thank You, as I do today; fathers will tell their children about Your faithfulness.
20 ARST Yahweh will fully heal me, so we will sing praise to him while others praise him playing musical instruments. We will do that every day of our lives in the temple of Yahweh.” BSB BSB: The LORD will save me; we will play songs on stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the house of the LORD.
21 ARST Isaiah had previously said to Hezekiah’ s servants,“Prepare an ointment from mashed figs, and spread it on his boil, and then he will recover.” So they did that, and Hezekiah recovered. BSB BSB: Now Isaiah had said, “Prepare a lump of pressed figs and apply it to the boil, and he will recover.”
22 ARST And Hezekiah had previously asked,“What will Yahweh do to prove that I will recover and be able to go to his temple?” BSB BSB: And Hezekiah had asked, “What will be the sign that I will go up to the house of the LORD?”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.