1In those days was Hezekiah sick and near death. 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 will die, and not live.'" 2Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, 3and 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." Hezekiah wept bitterly.

4Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying, 5"Go, and tell Hezekiah, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father, "I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Look, I will add fifteen years to your life. 6I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.

7This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he has spoken. 8Look, I will cause the shadow on the steps, which has gone down with the sun on the upper steps of Ahaz, to go backward ten steps. So the sun returned ten steps on the sundial on which it had gone down."'"

9The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and had recovered of his sickness.

10I said, "In the middle of my life I go into the gates of Sheol. I am deprived of the residue of my years."

11I said, "I won't see the LORD in the land of the living. I will not look on humankind any longer with the inhabitants of the world.

12My dwelling is removed, and is carried away from me like a shepherd's tent. I have rolled up, like a weaver, my life. He will cut me off from the loom. From day even to night you will make an end of me.

13I waited patiently until morning. He breaks all my bones like a lion. From day even to night you will make an end of me.

14I chip like a swallow or a thrush. I moan like a dove. My eyes weaken looking upward.LORD, I am oppressed. Be my security."

15What 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.

16Lord, men live by these things; and my spirit finds life in all of them: you restore me, and cause me to live.

17Look, 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.

18For Sheol can't praise you. And death can't celebrate you. And those who go down into the pit can't hope for your truth.

19The living, the living, he shall praise you, as I do this day. The father shall make known your truth to the children.

20The LORD will save me. Therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD.

21Now Isaiah had said, "Let them take a cake of figs, and lay it for a poultice on the boil, and he shall recover." 22Hezekiah also had said, "What is the sign that I will go up to the house of the LORD?"