1In those days Hezekiah was sick to the point of death. And Isaiah, the prophet, came and told him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Set your house in order; for you shall not recover, but die.’” 2Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, 3And said, “Remember now, O LORD, how I have walked before You in truth and wholeheartedly, and have done that which is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4Then this word of the LORD came to Isaiah, 5“Go, and say to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of David, your father, “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your days. 6And I will rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city. 7And this shall be a sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do what He has promised: 8Behold, I will make the shadow of the sun go backward ten steps (degrees), from where it has reached on the steps (sun dial) of Ahaz.”’” And so the sun returned ten steps from where it had progressed to.

9The writing of Hezekiah, king of Judah, when he had been sick, and had recovered from his sickness: 10“I said in the prime of my life, must my days be cut off, must I go through the gates of death; and be deprived of the rest of my years?” 11I said, “I shall not see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of the living; I shall no longer look upon my fellow man, nor those who dwell in this world. 12My life has been torn away from me like a shepherd's tent; it has been cut short like when a weaver cuts cloth from the loom. From day to night, You will cut me off with pining sickness; and make an end of me. 13I wait patiently until dawn, but like a lion, He will break all my bones; suddenly, my life was over. 14Delirious, I chattered like a crane or a swallow; I mourned like a dove. My eyes grow week from looking upward for help; O LORD, I am oppressed; come to my aid. 15But what can I say? He has both spoken to me, and He, Himself has done it; in all my years I shall go softly in the bitterness of my soul. 16O LORD, by these things men are disciplined and live, and by all these things is the life of my spirit restored; so will You recover me, and allow me to live. 17Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered great anguish and bitterness, but in Your love for my soul You have rescued it from the pit of corruption; for You have cast all my sins behind Your back. 18For the grave cannot praise You, death cannot sing Your praises; they that go down into the pit cannot hope for Your truth. 19The living, the living - they shall praise You, as I do this day; parents tell their children of Your faithfulness. 20The LORD will save me; therefore, we will sing with stringed instruments all the days of our life in the Temple of the LORD.”

21For Isaiah had said, “Let them take a lump of figs, and apply it like a plaster upon the boil, and he shall recover.” 22Hezekiah also had asked, “What is the sign that I shall go up to the Temple of the LORD?”