Isaiah 38 | English Standard Version

English Standard Version

Hezekiah’s Sickness and Recovery

1 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: Set your house in order, for you shall die, you shall not recover.”^[1] (2Ki 20:1; 2Ki 20:9; 2Ch 32:24; Isa 1:1)

2Ki 20:12Ki 20:92Ch 32:24Isa 1:1

2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 and said, “Please, O Lord, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. (2Ki 18:5) 4 Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: 5 “Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.^[2] (2Ki 18:2; 2Ki 18:13) 6 I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and will defend this city. (Isa 37:35) 7 “This shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that he has promised: 8 Behold, I will make the shadow cast by the declining sun on the dial of Ahaz turn back ten steps.” So the sun turned back on the dial the ten steps by which it had declined.^[3] (2Ki 20:9) 9 A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, after he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness: 10 I said, In the middle^[4] of my days I must depart; I am consigned to the gates of Sheol for the rest of my years. (Ps 102:24) 11 I said, I shall not see the Lord, the Lord in the land of the living; I shall look on man no more among the inhabitants of the world. (Ps 27:13; Ps 88:5) 12 My dwelling is plucked up and removed from me like a shepherd’s tent; like a weaver I have rolled up my life; he cuts me off from the loom; from day to night you bring me to an end; (Job 4:20; Job 6:9; Job 7:6; Ps 73:14; 2Co 5:1; Heb 1:12)

Job 4:20Job 6:9Job 7:6Ps 73:142Co 5:1Heb 1:12

13 I calmed myself^[5] until morning; like a lion he breaks all my bones; from day to night you bring me to an end. (Ps 30:5; Ps 38:3) 14 Like a swallow or a crane I chirp; I moan like a dove. My eyes are weary with looking upward. O Lord, I am oppressed; be my pledge of safety! (Ps 69:3; Ps 86:17; Ps 119:122; Isa 59:11; Jer 8:7; Heb 7:22)

Ps 69:3Ps 86:17Ps 119:122Isa 59:11Jer 8:7Heb 7:22

15 What shall I say? For he has spoken to me, and he himself has done it. I walk slowly all my years because of the bitterness of my soul. (1Ki 21:27) 16 O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these is the life of my spirit. Oh restore me to health and make me live! (De 8:3) 17 Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness; but in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back. (Ps 103:12; Ps 119:67; Ps 119:75; Mic 7:19)

Ps 103:12Ps 119:67Ps 119:75Mic 7:19

18 For Sheol does not thank you; death does not praise you; those who go down to the pit do not hope for your faithfulness. (Ps 88:10; Ps 115:17; Ec 9:10) 19 The living, the living, he thanks you, as I do this day; the father makes known to the children your faithfulness. (De 4:9; De 6:7; Ps 78:3) 20 The Lord will save me, and we will play my music on stringed instruments all the days of our lives, at the house of the Lord. (2Ki 20:5) 21 Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a cake of figs and apply it to the boil, that he may recover.” (2Ki 20:7) 22 Hezekiah also had said, “What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord?”

New International Version

Hezekiah’s illness

1 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, ‘This is what the Lord says: put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.’ 2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 ‘Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.’ And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: 5 ‘Go and tell Hezekiah, “This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. 6 And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city. 7 ‘ “This is the Lord’s sign to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: 8 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. 9 A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery: 10 I said, ‘In the prime of my life must I go through the gates of death and be robbed of the rest of my years?’ 11 I said, ‘I will not again see the Lord himself in the land of the living; no longer will I look on my fellow man, or be with those who now dwell in this world. 12 Like a shepherd’s tent my house has been pulled down and taken from me. Like a weaver I have rolled up my life, and he has cut me off from the loom; day and night you made an end of me. 13 I waited patiently till dawn, but like a lion he broke all my bones; day and night you made an end of me. 14 I cried like a swift or thrush, I moaned like a mourning dove. My eyes grew weak as I looked to the heavens. I am being threatened; Lord, come to my aid!’ 15 But what can I say? He has spoken to me, and he himself has done this. I will walk humbly all my years because of this anguish of my soul. 16 Lord, by such things people live; and my spirit finds life in them too. You restored me to health and let me live. 17 Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back. 18 For the grave cannot praise you, death cannot sing your praise; those who go down to the pit cannot hope for your faithfulness. 19 The living, the living – they praise you, as I am doing today; parents tell their children about your faithfulness. 20 The Lord will save me, and we will sing with stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the temple of the Lord. 21 Isaiah had said, ‘Prepare a poultice of figs and apply it to the boil, and he will recover.’ 22 Hezekiah had asked, ‘What will be the sign that I will go up to the temple of the Lord?’

King James Version

1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, 3 And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. 4 Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying, 5 Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years. 6 And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city. 7 And this shall be a sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he hath spoken; 8 Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down. 9 The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness: 10 I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years. 11 I said, I shall not see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world. 12 Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd' tent: I have cut off like a weaver my life: he will cut me off with pining sickness: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me. 13 I reckoned till morning, that , as a lion, so will he break all my bones: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me. 14 Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me. 15 What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it : I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul. 16 O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live. 17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. 18 For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. 19 The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth. 20 The LORD was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD. 21 For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaister upon the boil, and he shall recover. 22 Hezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?

New International Reader’s Version

Hezekiah becomes ill and is healed

1 In those days Hezekiah became very ill. He knew he was about to die. Isaiah went to see him. Isaiah was the son of Amoz. Isaiah told Hezekiah, ‘The LORD says, “Put everything in order. Make out your will. You are going to die soon. You will not get well again.” ’ 2 Hezekiah turned his face towards the wall. He prayed to the LORD. He said, 3 ‘LORD, please remember how faithful I’ve been to you. I’ve lived the way you wanted me to. I’ve served you with all my heart. I’ve done what is good in your sight.’ And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 A message from the LORD came to Isaiah. The LORD said, 5 ‘Go and speak to Hezekiah. Tell him, “The LORD, the God of King David, says, ‘I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. I will add 15 years to your life. 6 And I will save you and this city from the power of the king of Assyria. I will guard this city. 7 ‘ “ ‘Here is a sign from me. It will show you that I will heal you, just as I promised I would. 8 The shadow that was made by the sun has gone down ten steps on the stairway of Ahaz. I will make it go back up those ten steps.’ ” ’ So the shadow went back up the ten steps it had gone down. 9 Here is a song of praise that was written by Hezekiah, the king of Judah. He wrote it after he was ill and had got well again. 10 I said, ‘I’m enjoying the best years of my life. Must I now go through the gates of death? Will the rest of my years be taken away from me?’ 11 I said, ‘LORD, I’ll never see you again while I’m still alive. I’ll never see people anymore. I’ll never again be with those who live in this world. 12 My body is like a shepherd’s tent. It has been pulled down and carried off. My life is like a piece of cloth that I’ve rolled up. You have cut it off from the loom. In a short period of time you have brought my life to an end. 13 I waited patiently until sunrise. But like a lion you broke all my bones. In a short period of time you have brought my life to an end. 14 I cried softly like a weak little bird. I sounded like a dove as I mourned. My eyes grew tired as I looked up towards heaven. Lord, my life is in danger. Please come and help me! 15 ‘But what can I say? You have promised to heal me. And you yourself have done it. Once I was proud and bitter. But now I will live the rest of my life free of pride. 16 Lord, people find the will to live because you keep your promises. And my spirit also finds life in your promises. You brought me back to health. You let me live. 17 I’m sure it was for my benefit that I suffered such great pain. You love me. You kept me from going down into the pit of death. You have put all my sins behind your back. 18 People in the grave can’t praise you. Dead people can’t sing praise to you. Those who go down to the grave can’t hope for you to be faithful to them. 19 It is those who are alive who praise you. And that’s what I’m doing today. Parents tell their children about how faithful you are. 20 ‘The LORD will save me. So we will sing and play music on stringed instruments. We will sing all the days of our lives in the LORD’s temple.’ 21 When Hezekiah was ill, Isaiah had said, ‘Press some figs together. Spread them on a piece of cloth. Apply them to Hezekiah’s boil. Then he’ll get well again.’ 22 At that time Hezekiah had asked, ‘What will the sign be to prove I’ll go up to the LORD’s temple?’ That’s when the LORD had made the shadow go back ten steps.