| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 1About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to visit him. He gave the king this message: “This is what the LORD says: ‘Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die. You will not recover from this illness.’” | 1In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. 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 about to die; you will not recover.’ ” |
| 2When Hezekiah heard this, he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, | 2Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, |
| 3“Remember, O LORD, how I have always been faithful to you and have served you single-mindedly, always doing what pleases you.” Then he broke down and wept bitterly. | 3saying, “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. |
| 4Then this message came to Isaiah from the LORD: | 4And the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying, |
| 5“Go back to Hezekiah and tell him, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your ancestor David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will add fifteen years to your life, | 5“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. |
| 6and I will rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria. Yes, I will defend this city. | 6And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city. |
| 7“‘And this is the sign from the LORD to prove that he will do as he promised: | 7This will be a sign to you from the LORD that He will do what He has promised: |
| 8I will cause the sun’s shadow to move ten steps backward on the sundial of Ahaz!’” So the shadow on the sundial moved backward ten steps. Hezekiah’s Poem of Praise | 8I will make the sun’s shadow that falls on the stairway of Ahaz go back ten steps.’ ” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had descended. |
| 9When King Hezekiah was well again, he wrote this poem: | 9This is a writing by Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery: |
| 10I said, “In the prime of my life, must I now enter the place of the dead? Am I to be robbed of the rest of my years?” | 10I said, “In the prime of my life I must go through the gates of Sheol and be deprived of the remainder of my years.” |
| 11I said, “Never again will I see the LORD God while still in the land of the living. Never again will I see my friends or be with those who live in this world. | 11I said, “I will never again see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of the living; I will no longer look on mankind with those who dwell in this world. |
| 12My life has been blown away like a shepherd’s tent in a storm. It has been cut short, as when a weaver cuts cloth from a loom. Suddenly, my life was over. | 12My dwelling has been picked up and removed from me like a shepherd’s tent. I have rolled up my life like a weaver; He cuts me off from the loom; from day until night You make an end of me. |
| 13I waited patiently all night, but I was torn apart as though by lions. Suddenly, my life was over. | 13I composed myself until the morning. Like a lion He breaks all my bones; from day until night You make an end of me. |
| 14Delirious, I chattered like a swallow or a crane, and then I moaned like a mourning dove. My eyes grew tired of looking to heaven for help. I am in trouble, Lord. Help me!” | 14I chirp like a swallow or crane; I moan like a dove. My eyes grow weak as I look upward. O Lord, I am oppressed; be my security.” |
| 15But what could I say? For he himself sent this sickness. Now I will walk humbly throughout my years because of this anguish I have felt. | 15What can I say? He has spoken to me, and He Himself has done this. I will walk slowly all my years because of the anguish of my soul. |
| 16Lord, your discipline is good, for it leads to life and health. You restore my health and allow me to live! | 16O Lord, by such things men live, and in all of them my spirit finds life. You have restored me to health and have let me live. |
| 17Yes, this anguish was good for me, for you have rescued me from death and forgiven all my sins. | 17Surely for my own welfare I had such great anguish; but Your love has delivered me from the pit of oblivion, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back. |
| 18For the dead cannot praise you; they cannot raise their voices in praise. Those who go down to the grave can no longer hope in your faithfulness. | 18For Sheol cannot thank You; Death cannot praise You. Those who descend to the Pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness. |
| 19Only the living can praise you as I do today. Each generation tells of your faithfulness to the next. | 19The living, only the living, can thank You, as I do today; fathers will tell their children about Your faithfulness. |
| 20Think of it—the LORD is ready to heal me! I will sing his praises with instruments every day of my life in the Temple of the LORD. | 20The LORD will save me; we will play songs on stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the house of the LORD. |
| 21Isaiah had said to Hezekiah’s servants, “Make an ointment from figs and spread it over the boil, and Hezekiah will recover.” | 21Now Isaiah had said, “Prepare a lump of pressed figs and apply it to the boil, and he will recover.” |
| 22And Hezekiah had asked, “What sign will prove that I will go to the Temple of the LORD?” | 22And Hezekiah had asked, “What will be the sign that I will go up to the house of the LORD?” |
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