Isaiah 38:1-13 ▼

1 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was about to die. The prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, came to him and said, |This is what the LORD says: Give final instructions to your household, because you're about to die. You won't get well.|

2 Hezekiah turned to the wall and prayed to the LORD.

3 |Please, LORD, remember how I've lived faithfully and sincerely in your presence. I've done what you consider right.| And he cried bitterly.

4 Then the LORD spoke his word to Isaiah,

5 |Go and say to Hezekiah, 'This is what the LORD God of your ancestor David says: I've heard your prayer. I've seen your tears. I'm going to give you 15 more years to live.

6 I'll rescue you and defend this city from the control of the king of Assyria.'|

7 [Isaiah said,] |This is your sign from the LORD that he will do what he promises.

8 The sun made a shadow that went down the stairway of Ahaz's upper palace. I'm going to make the shadow go back ten steps.| So the sun on the stairway went back up the ten steps it had gone down.

9 King Hezekiah of Judah wrote this after he was sick and became well again:

10 I thought that in the prime of my life I would go down to the gates of Sheol and be robbed of the rest of my life.

11 I thought that I wouldn't see the LORD in this world. Even with all the people in the world, I thought I would never see another person.

12 My life was over. You rolled it up like a shepherd's tent. You rolled up my life like a weaver. You cut me off from the loom. You ended my life in one day.

13 I cried out until morning as if a lion had crushed all my bones. You ended my life in one day.