Isaiah 38:2-22 ▼

2 And Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall and prayed to YHWH,

3 and he said, “I pray you, O YHWH, remember please how I have walked before Your face in truth and with a complete heart, and I have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept with great weeping.

4 And the word of YHWH came to Isaiah, saying,

5 “Go and say to Hezekiah: Thus says YHWH the God of David your father, ‘I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears; Behold I will add to your days fifteen years.

6 And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will cover over this city.

7 And this is to you the sign from YHWH that YHWH will do this thing that He has spoken:

8 Behold, I am bringing back the shadow on the stairs, which has gone down on the stairs of Ahaz, with the sun backward ten steps.’” And the sun was turned back ten steps on the steps that it had gone down.

9 The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, in his being sick and restored to life from his sickness:

10 I said, “In the prime of my life I will go inside the gates of Sheol; I am consigned there for the remainder of my years.”

11 I said, “I will not see YAH—YAH in the land of the living. I will look on mankind no more among those dwelling in the world.

12 My dwelling has been pulled up and removed from me like the tent of a shepherd; I have gathered up my life like a weaver; from the loom He cuts me off; from day until night You make an end of me.

13 I composed myself until morning; like a lion, thus He breaks all my bones; from day until night You make an end of me.

14 Like a swallow or crane, so I chirp; I moan like a dove; my eyes are worn out from up high. O Lord, oppression is unto me; be my security!”

15 What can I say? For He has said it to me and He Himself has done it. I move about all my days upon the bitterness of my soul.

16 O Lord, upon these they live; and in all of them is the life of my spirit; and You have restored me and have let me live.

17 Behold, for my wellbeing great bitterness was unto me; and You have held back my soul from the pit of oblivion, for You have cast behind Your back all my sins.

18 For Sheol cannot thank You nor death praise You; those going down to the Pit cannot have hope for Your faithfulness.

19 The living, the living—he shall thank You as I do this day. A father to sons makes known about Your faithfulness.

20 YHWH will save me, and strings we will pluck all the days of our lives in the house of YHWH.

21 And Isaiah said, “Let them take a cake of figs and apply it upon the boil, that he may live.”

22 And Hezekiah said, “What is the sign that I will go up to the house of YHWH?”