The Book of the Prophet Isaiah

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- Chapter 38 -

(2 Kings 20:1–11; 2 Chronicles 32:24–31)

In those days Hezekiah was sick to the point of dying. So Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet, came to him, and said to him, “Yahweh says, ‘Set your house in order; for you will die, not live.’”

Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to Yahweh.

He said, “Please, Yahweh, call to mind how I have faithfully walked before you with my whole heart, and how I have done what was good in your sight.” Then Hezekiah wept loudly.

Then the word of Yahweh came to Isaiah, saying,

“Go and say to Hezekiah, the leader of my people, ’This is what Yahweh, the God of David your ancestor, says: I have heard your prayer, and I have seen your tears. See, I am about to add fifteen years to your life.

Then I will rescue you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.

This will be the sign to you from me, Yahweh, that I will do what I have spoken:

Look, I will cause the shadow on the stairs of Ahaz to go back ten steps.’” So the shadow went back ten steps of the stairs on which it had advanced.

Hezekiah’s Song of Thanksgiving

This was the written prayer of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick and then recovered:

“I said that halfway through my life I will go through the gates of Sheol; I am sent there for the rest of my years.

I said that I will no longer see Yahweh, Yahweh in the land of the living; I will no longer look on mankind or the inhabitants of the world.

My life is removed and carried away from me like a shepherd’s tent; I have rolled up my life like a weaver; you are cutting me off from the loom; between day and night you are ending my life.

I cried out until the morning; like a lion he breaks all my bones. Between day and night you are ending my life.

Like a swallow I chirp; I coo like a dove; my eyes grow tired with looking upward. Lord, I am oppressed; help me.

What shall I say? He has both spoken to me, and has done it; I will walk slowly all my years because I am overcome with grief.

Lord, the sufferings you send are good for me; may my life be given back to me; you have restored my life and health.

It was for my benefit that I experienced such grief. You have rescued me from the pit of destruction; for you have thrown all my sins behind your back.

For Sheol does not thank you; death does not praise you; those who go down into the pit do not hope in your trustworthiness.

The living person, the living person, he is the one who gives you thanks, as I do this day; a father makes known to children your trustworthiness.

Yahweh is about to save me, and we will celebrate with music all the days of our lives in the house of Yahweh.”

Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a lump of figs and put it on the boil, and he will recover.”

Hezekiah also had said, “What will be the sign that I should go up to the house of Yahweh?”

(2 Kings 20:1–11; 2 Chronicles 32:24–31)

In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him, and said to him, “The LORD says, ‘Set your house in order, for you will die, and not live.’”

Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD,

and said, “Remember now, the LORD, I beg you, how I have walked before you in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in your sight.” Then Hezekiah wept bitterly.

Then the LORD’s word came to Isaiah, saying,

“Go, and tell Hezekiah, ‘The LORD, the God of David your father, says, “I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.

I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.

This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he has spoken.

Behold, I will cause the shadow on the sundial, which has gone down on the sundial of Ahaz with the sun, to return backward ten steps.”’” So the sun returned ten steps on the sundial on which it had gone down.

Hezekiah’s Song of Thanksgiving

The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and had recovered of his sickness:

I said, “In the middle of my life I go into the gates of Sheol.(a) I am deprived of the residue of my years.”

I said, “I won’t see the LORD, the LORD in the land of the living. I will see man no more with the inhabitants of the world.

My dwelling is removed, and is carried away from me like a shepherd’s tent. I have rolled up my life like a weaver. He will cut me off from the loom. From day even to night you will make an end of me.

I waited patiently until morning. He breaks all my bones like a lion. From day even to night you will make an end of me.

I chattered like a swallow or a crane. I moaned like a dove. My eyes weaken looking upward. Lord, I am oppressed. Be my security.”

What will I say? He has both spoken to me, and himself has done it. I will walk carefully all my years because of the anguish of my soul.

Lord, men live by these things; and my spirit finds life in all of them. You restore me, and cause me to live.

Behold, for peace I had great anguish, but you have in love for my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption; for you have cast all my sins behind your back.

For Sheol

(b)

can’t praise you. Death can’t celebrate you. Those who go down into the pit can’t hope for your truth.

The living, the living, he shall praise you, as I do today. The father shall make known your truth to the children.

The LORD will save me. Therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments all the days of our life in the LORD’s house.

Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a cake of figs, and lay it for a poultice on the boil, and he shall recover.”

Hezekiah also had said, “What is the sign that I will go up to the LORD’s house?”

Footnotes

(a)38:10 Sheol is the place of the dead.

(b)38:18 Sheol is the place of the dead.