Isaiah 38:1-13 ▼

1 In those days Hezekiah became ill to the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’”

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

3 and said, “Remember now, O Yahweh, I beseech You, how I have walked before You in truth and with a whole heart and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept greatly.

4 Then the word of Yahweh came to Isaiah, saying,

5 “Go and say to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says Yahweh, the God of your father David, “I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears; behold, 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; and I will defend this city.”’

7 “Now this shall be the sign to you from Yahweh, that Yahweh will do this word that He has spoken:

8 Behold, I will cause the shadow on the stairway, which has gone down with the sun on the stairway of Ahaz, to go back ten steps.” So the sun’s shadow went back ten steps on the stairway on which it had gone down.

9 A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery:

10 I said, “In the middle of my life I am to enter the gates of Sheol; I am to be deprived of the rest of my years.”

11 I said, “I will not see Yah, Yah in the land of the living; I will look on man no more among the inhabitants of the world.

12 Like a shepherd’s tent my dwelling is pulled up and removed from me; As a weaver I rolled up my life. He cuts me off from the loom; From day until night You make an end of me.

13 I soothed my soul until morning. Like a lion—so He shatters all my bones; From day until night You make an end of me.