Isaiah 38

In those days Hezekiah became sick to the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your house in order, for you are dying; you will not live.’” Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD. He said, “Please, LORD, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying, “Go and tell Hezekiah: ‘This is what the LORD, the God of David your father, says: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Look, I will add fifteen years to your days. I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.’” This will be the sign for you from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing he has spoken: “Look, I will turn back the shadow that has gone down with the sun on the steps of Ahaz, backward ten steps.” So the sun returned ten steps on the steps down which it had gone. A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah when he was sick and recovered from his illness: I said, “In the middle of my days I must go to the gates of Sheol;
I am deprived of the rest of my years.” I said, “I will not see the LORD, the LORD, in the land of the living.
I will no longer look upon mankind among those who dwell where life ceases. My dwelling has been pulled up and removed from me like a shepherd’s tent.
Like a weaver I have rolled up my life;
he cuts me off from the loom.
From day to night you bring me to an end. I composed myself until morning;
like a lion he breaks all my bones.
From day to night you bring me to an end. Like a swallow, like a crane, I chirp;
I moan like a dove.
My eyes grow weak from looking upward.
Lord, I am oppressed;
be my guarantor! What can I say?
He has spoken to me, and he himself has done it.
I will walk slowly all my years because of the bitterness of my soul. Lord, by these things people live, and in all of them is the life of my spirit.
Restore me to health and make me live. Look, for my well-being I had bitterness, great bitterness.
But in your love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back. For Sheol does not thank you, nor does death praise you.
Those who go down to the pit do not hope for your faithfulness. The living, the living, they thank you, as I do today.
A father makes your faithfulness known to his children. The LORD will save me, and we will play my songs on stringed instruments all the days of our lives at the house of the LORD.” Isaiah had said, “Let them take a cake of figs and spread it on the boil, and he will live.” Hezekiah had said, “What is the sign that I will go up to the house of the LORD?”

Rights and attribution