Isaiah 38:1-13 ▼

1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him: 'Thus saith the LORD: Set thy house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.'

2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD,

3 and said: 'Remember now, O LORD, I beseech Thee, how I have walked before Thee in truth and with a whole heart, and have done that which is good in Thy sight.' And Hezekiah wept sore.

4 Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying:

5 Go, and say to Hezekiah: Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father: I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears; behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.

6 And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city.

7 And this shall be the sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that He hath spoken:

8 behold, I will cause the shadow of the dial, which is gone down on the sun-dial of Ahaz, to return backward ten degrees.' So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down.

9 The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness.

10 I said: In the noontide of my days I shall go, Even to the gates of the nether-world; I am deprived of the residue of my years.

11 I said: I shall not see the LORD, Even the LORD in the land of the living; I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world.

12 My habitation is plucked up and carried away from me As a shepherd's tent; I have rolled up like a weaver my life; He will cut me off from the thrum; From day even to night wilt Thou make an end of me.

13 The more I make myself like unto a lion until morning, The more it breaketh all my bones; From day even to night wilt Thou make an end of me.