Isaiah 38

Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery

1In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came and told him, “The LORD says: Put your household in order, for you will die; you will not recover.” 2Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD. 3“Please, LORD,” he said, “remember how I have walked before you faithfully, with a whole heart, and done what is good in your sight.” Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4Then the LORD’s word came to Isaiah: 5“Go and tell Hezekiah: The LORD, the God of your ancestor David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. Look, I am adding fifteen years to your life.

6I will rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria’s hand, and I will shield this city. 7This will be your sign from the LORD that the LORD will do what he has spoken: 8I will make the shadow cast by the sun on Ahaz’s steps go back ten steps.” And the sun went back ten steps on the steps it had descended. 9A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, after his illness and recovery: 10I said, “In the midst of my days
I must go through Sheol’s gates;
I am deprived of my remaining years.”

11I said, “I will no longer see YAH,
YAH in the land of the living.
I will no longer look on human beings
among those who inhabit this passing world. 12My dwelling is pulled up and carried away from me
like a shepherd’s tent.
Like a weaver I have rolled up my life;
he cuts me from the loom.
From day to night you bring me to an end. 13I waited until morning;
like a lion he breaks all my bones.
From day to night you bring me to an end. 14Like a swallow or crane I chirp;
I moan like a dove.
My eyes grow weak from looking upward.
Lord, I am oppressed; stand surety for me!” 15What can I say? He has spoken to me, and he has done it.
I will walk humbly all my years
because of the bitterness of my soul.

16Lord, by these things people live;
in all these is the life of my spirit.
Restore me and let me live. 17Look, bitter bitterness became my well-being.
In love you kept my life from the pit of destruction,
for you have thrown all my sins behind your back. 18Sheol cannot thank you,
death cannot praise you;
those going down to the pit cannot hope for your faithfulness. 19The living, the living thank you, as I do today;
a father makes your faithfulness known to his children. 20The LORD will save me!
We will play my songs on strings
all the days of our lives in the LORD’s house.

21Isaiah had said, “Bring a cake of figs and spread it on the boil, so he may recover.” 22And Hezekiah had asked, “What is the sign that I will go up to the LORD’s house?”