The Book of the Prophet Isaiah

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 38 -

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

In those days has Hezekiah been sick to death, and Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet, comes to him and says to him, “Thus said YHWH: Give a charge to your house, for you [are] dying, and do not live.”

And Hezekiah turns around his face to the wall, and prays to YHWH,

and says, “Ah, now, O YHWH, please remember how I have habitually walked before You in truth, and with a perfect heart, and I have done that which [is] good in your eyes”; and Hezekiah weeps [with] a great weeping.

And a word of YHWH is to Isaiah, saying,

“Go, and you have said to Hezekiah, Thus said YHWH, God of your father David: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tear, behold, I am adding fifteen years to your days,

and out of the hand of the king of Asshur I deliver you and this city, and have covered over this city.

And this [is] to you the sign from YHWH, that YHWH does this thing that He has spoken.

Behold, I am bringing back the shadow of the degrees that it has gone down on the degrees of Ahaz, by the sun, backward ten degrees”; and the sun turns back ten degrees in the degrees that it had gone down.

Hezekiah’s Song of Thanksgiving

A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah concerning his being sick when he revives from his sickness:

“I said in the cutting off of my days, || I go to the gates of Sheol, || I have numbered the remnant of my years.

I said, I do not see YAH—YAH! In the land of the living, || I do not behold man anymore, || With the inhabitants of the world.

My sojourning has departed, || And been removed from me as a shepherd’s tent, || I have drawn together, as a weaver, my life, || By weakness it cuts me off, || From day to night You end me.

I have set [Him] as a lion until morning, || So He breaks all my bones, || From day to night You end me.

As a crane—a swallow—so I chatter, || I mourn as a dove, || My eyes have been drawn up on high, || O YHWH, oppression [is] on me, be my guarantor.

What do I say? Seeing He spoke to me, || And He Himself has worked, || I go softly all my years for the bitterness of my soul.

Lord, [men] live by these, || And by all in them [is] the life of my spirit, || And You save me, make me to also live,

Behold, He changed bitterness to peace for me, || And You have delighted in my soul without corruption, || For You have cast all my sins behind Your back.

For Sheol does not confess You, || Death does not praise You, || Those going down to the pit do not hope for Your truth.

The living, the living, he confesses You,

Like myself today; A father makes known to [his] sons of Your faithfulness, || O YHWH—to save me: And we sing my songs all [the] days of our lives || In the house of YHWH.”

And Isaiah says, “Let them take a bunch of figs, and plaster over the ulcer, and he lives.”

And Hezekiah says, “What [is] the sign that I go up to the house of YHWH?”

(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.