New International Version Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: New Living Translation But before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard, this message came to him from the LORD: English Standard Version And before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: Berean Standard Bible Before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, Berean Literal Bible And it came to pass—Isaiah had not gone out to the middle courtyard—that the word of YHWH came to him, saying, King James Bible And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, New King James Version And it happened, before Isaiah had gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, New American Standard Bible And even before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, NASB 1995 Before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, NASB 1977 And it came about before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, Legacy Standard Bible Now it happened that Isaiah had not gone out of the middle court, and the word of Yahweh came to him, saying, Amplified Bible Before Isaiah had gone out of the middle courtyard, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, Berean Annotated Bible Before Isaiah (YHWH has saved) had left the middle courtyard [the middle of the city], the word of the LORD {YHWH} came to him, saying, Christian Standard Bible Isaiah had not yet gone out of the inner courtyard when the word of the LORD came to him: Holman Christian Standard Bible Isaiah had not yet gone out of the inner courtyard when the word of the LORD came to him: “ American Standard Version And it came to pass, before Isaiah was gone out into the middle part of the city, that the word of Jehovah came to him, saying, Contemporary English Version Before Isaiah got to the middle court of the palace, English Revised Version And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle part of the city, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, GOD'S WORD® Translation Isaiah hadn't gone as far as the middle courtyard when the LORD spoke his word to him: Good News Translation Isaiah left the king, but before he had passed through the central courtyard of the palace the LORD told him International Standard Version Before Isaiah had left the middle court, this message from the LORD came to him. NET Bible Isaiah was still in the middle courtyard when the LORD told him, New Heart English Bible It happened, before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, Webster's Bible Translation And it came to pass, before Isaiah had gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleBefore Isaiah had left the middle courtyard, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, World English Bible Before Isaiah had gone out into the middle part of the city, Yahweh’s word came to him, saying, Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd it comes to pass, [when] Isaiah has not [yet] gone out to the middle court, that the word of YHWH has been to him, saying, Berean Literal Bible And it came to pass—Isaiah had not gone out to the middle courtyard—that the word of YHWH came to him, saying, Young's Literal Translation And it cometh to pass -- Isaiah hath not gone out to the middle court -- that the word of Jehovah hath been unto him, saying, Smith's Literal Translation And it will be Isaiah went not forth to the city of the middle, and the word of Jehovah was to him, saying, Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd before Isaias was gone out of the middle of the court, the word of the Lord came to him, saying: Catholic Public Domain Version And before Isaiah departed from the middle part of the atrium, the word of the Lord came to him, saying: New American Bible Before Isaiah had left the central courtyard, the word of the LORD came to him: New Revised Standard Version Before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd before Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And Isaiah had not gone out to the middle courtyard, and the word of LORD JEHOVAH was upon him saying: OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And it came to pass, before Isaiah was gone out of the inner court of the city, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying: Brenton Septuagint Translation And Esaias was in the middle court, and the word of the Lord came to him, saying, Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery…3“Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and with wholehearted devotion; I have done what was good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 Before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 5“Go back and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people that this is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: ‘I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. I will surely heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the house of the LORD.… Cross References Before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard, 1 Samuel 9:27 As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us, but you stay for a while, and I will reveal to you the word of God.” So the servant went on. 1 Kings 13:20-21 While they were sitting at the table, the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back, / and the prophet cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because you have defied the word of the LORD and have not kept the commandment that the LORD your God gave you, Acts 10:19 As Peter continued to reflect on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. the word of the LORD came to him, 1 Kings 17:2 Then a revelation from the LORD came to Elijah: Jeremiah 1:4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying: Jonah 1:1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, saying, Genesis 15:1 After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” Isaiah 6:8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?” And I said: “Here am I. Send me!” Acts 9:6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” Isaiah 38:4-5 And the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying, / “Go and tell Hezekiah that this is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: ‘I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life. 2 Kings 19:20 Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria. 2 Samuel 7:17 So Nathan relayed to David all the words of this entire revelation. Jeremiah 42:7 After ten days the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, Exodus 3:4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from within the bush, “Moses, Moses!” “Here I am,” he answered. Numbers 12:6-8 He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, will reveal Myself to him in a vision; I will speak to him in a dream. / But this is not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My house. / I speak with him face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you unafraid to speak against My servant Moses?” 1 Samuel 3:10 Then the LORD came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.” Treasury of Scripture And it came to pass, before Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, court. 2 Kings 20:4 And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, Jump to Previous Afore City Court Inner Isaiah Middle Part WordJump to Next Afore City Court Inner Isaiah Middle Part Word2 Kings 20 1. Hezekiah, having received a message of death, by prayer has his life lengthened.8. The sun goes ten degrees backward for a sign of that promise. 12. Berodach-baladan sending to visit Hezekiah has notice of his treasures. 14. Isaiah understanding thereof, foretells the Babylonian captivity. 20. Manasseh succeeds Hezekiah. Before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard, God answered Hezekiah’s prayer without delay. Isaiah had scarcely departed from the palace area when he received further instruction, showing that the king’s plea had been heard and that the earlier announcement of death was not the final outcome. 1Sa 9:27 As they were going down to the edge of the city… the word of the LORD came to him, The message came by God’s direct command, giving Isaiah authority to return to Hezekiah with the Lord’s answer. God remained fully involved in the king’s illness and the future of David’s house. 1Ki 17:2 Then a revelation from the LORD came to Elijah: saying, What follows reverses the immediate expectation of death with a promise of healing and added years of life. Gen 15:1 After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram… Persons / Places / Events 1. IsaiahA major prophet in the Old Testament, Isaiah is known for his prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah and the future of Israel. In this context, he is delivering a message from God to King Hezekiah. 2. Hezekiah The king of Judah at the time, Hezekiah is known for his faithfulness to God and his efforts to rid Judah of idolatry. He is the recipient of God's message through Isaiah. 3. The LORD The covenant name of God, Yahweh, who communicates His will and intentions through His prophets. 4. Middle Courtyard Part of the royal palace complex in Jerusalem, indicating the setting where Isaiah receives the word of the LORD. 5. Jerusalem The capital city of Judah, where the events of this chapter take place, serving as the political and spiritual center of the nation. Teaching Points The Power of PrayerHezekiah's situation demonstrates the importance of turning to God in times of distress. His earnest prayer leads to a direct response from God, highlighting the effectiveness of sincere prayer. God's Sovereignty and Timing The immediacy of God's response to Isaiah, even before he leaves the courtyard, underscores God's control over time and events. It reminds believers that God is always at work, even when we cannot see it. The Role of Prophets Isaiah's role as a messenger of God illustrates the importance of listening to and heeding God's word. Prophets in the Bible serve as conduits for divine communication, guiding and correcting God's people. Faithfulness in Leadership Hezekiah's life is a testament to the impact of godly leadership. His faithfulness to God brings about divine intervention and blessing, encouraging leaders today to prioritize their relationship with God. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of 2 Kings 20:4?2. How does 2 Kings 20:4 demonstrate God's responsiveness to prayer and repentance? 3. What can we learn about God's timing from 2 Kings 20:4? 4. How does Isaiah's role in 2 Kings 20:4 connect to prophetic ministry today? 5. How should we respond when God answers our prayers, as seen in 2 Kings 20:4? 6. What does 2 Kings 20:4 teach about God's willingness to change His plans? 7. Why did God change His mind in 2 Kings 20:4? 8. How does 2 Kings 20:4 demonstrate God's responsiveness to prayer? 9. What does 2 Kings 20:4 reveal about God's nature? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from 2 Kings 20? (4) Into the middle court.--This is the reading of some Heb. MSS., and of all the versions. The Hebrew text (city; see margin) is wrong. Before Isaiah had left the precincts of the palace, he was bidden to return. (Keil says that here, as in 2Kings 10:25, the word rendered "city" denotes "castle," i.e., the royal residence.)Verse 4. - And it same to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court. The narrative in Isaiah 38:4 does not contain this touch, which is very graphic, and indicative of the eye-witness. "The middle court" is probably the second or intermediate court of the royal palace. Isaiah had not gone further than this, when he was arrested in his course by a Divine communication. That the word of the Lord came to him, saying. How the word of the Lord came to the prophets is an inscrutable mystery. Sometimes, no doubt, it came in vision, which to a certain extent we can understand. But how, when the prophet was secularly engaged, as in this instance, walking across a court, he knew that the thought which occurred to him was a Divine message, it is almost impossible to conceive. Still, we cannot doubt that if God determines to communicate his will to man, he must be able, with the message, to impart an absolute certainty of its source, an assured conviction that it is his word, which precludes all question, hesitation, or dubiety. Isaiah, in the middle of his walk, finds his steps arrested, anew injunction laid upon him, with a necessity of immediately obeying it. 2 Kings 20:4 shows the immediacy, intimacy, and authority of God’s response to prayer. Before Isaiah could even exit the palace’s middle courtyard, the Lord intercepted him with a new message—proof that God hears quickly, speaks decisively, and acts compassionately when His people cry out in faith. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Beforeלֹ֣א (lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no Isaiah יְשַׁעְיָ֔הוּ (yə·ša‘·yā·hū) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3470: Isaiah -- 'salvation of Yah', four Israelites had left יָצָ֔א (yā·ṣā) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim the middle הַתִּֽיכֹנָ֑ה (hat·tî·ḵō·nāh) Article | Adjective - feminine singular Strong's 8484: Central courtyard, חָצֵ֖ר (ḥā·ṣêr) Noun - common singular Strong's 5892: Excitement the word וּדְבַר־ (ū·ḏə·ḇar-) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause of the LORD יְהוָ֔ה (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel came וַיְהִ֣י (way·hî) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be to him, אֵלָ֖יו (’ê·lāw) Preposition | third person masculine singular Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to saying, לֵאמֹֽר׃ (lê·mōr) Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Strong's 559: To utter, say Additonal Resources 2 Kings 20:4 Blue Letter Bible2 Kings 20:4 Bible Gateway 2 Kings 20:4 Bible.com 2 Kings 20:4 NIV |
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