New Living Translation | Holman Christian Standard 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 terminally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came and said to him, "This is what the LORD says: 'Put your affairs 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. | 3He said, "Please, LORD, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and wholeheartedly, and have done what pleases You." And Hezekiah wept bitterly. |
4Then this message came to Isaiah from the LORD: | 4Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: " |
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, | 5Go and tell Hezekiah that this is what the LORD God of your ancestor David says: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Look, I am going to add 15 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 power 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 is the 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 am going to make the sun's shadow that goes down on Ahaz's stairway go back by 10 steps." So the sun's shadow went back the 10 steps it had descended. |
9When King Hezekiah was well again, he wrote this poem: | 9A poem by Hezekiah king of Judah after he had been sick and had recovered from his illness: |
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 to the gates of Sheol; I am deprived of the rest 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 see the LORD, the LORD in the land of the living; I will not look on humanity any longer with the inhabitants of what is passing away. |
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 is plucked 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. You make an end of me from day until night. |
13I waited patiently all night, but I was torn apart as though by lions. Suddenly, my life was over. | 13I thought until the morning: He will break all my bones like a lion; You make an end of me day and night. |
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 a crane; I moan like a dove. My eyes grow weak looking upward. Lord, I am oppressed; support me. |
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 it. I walk along slowly all my years because of the bitterness of my soul, |
16Lord, your discipline is good, for it leads to life and health. You restore my health and allow me to live! | 16Lord, because of these promises people live, and in all of them is the life of my spirit as well; You have restored me to health and let me live. |
17Yes, this anguish was good for me, for you have rescued me from death and forgiven all my sins. | 17Indeed, it was for my own welfare that I had such great bitterness; but Your love has delivered me from the Pit of destruction, for You have thrown 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 go down 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; a father will make Your faithfulness known to children. |
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 stringed instruments all the days of our lives at 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, "Let them take a lump of pressed figs and apply it to his infected skin, so that he may recover." |
22And Hezekiah had asked, “What sign will prove that I will go to the Temple of the LORD?” | 22And Hezekiah had asked, "What is the sign that I will go up to the LORD's temple?" |
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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