Isaiah 38

1 About that time was Hezekiah sicke vnto the death, and the Prophet Isaiah sonne of Amoz came vnto him, and sayd vnto him, Thus sayth the Lord, Put thine house in an order, for thou shalt dye, and not liue.

And it came to pass at that time, [that] Ezekias was sick even to death. And Esaias the prophet the son of Amos came to him, and said to him, Thus says the Lord, Give orders concerning your house: for you shall die, and not live.

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

And Ezekias turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the Lord, saying,

3 And saide, I beseeche thee, Lord, remember nowe howe I haue walked before thee in trueth, and with a perfite heart, and haue done that which is good in thy sight: and Hezekiah wept sore.

Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before you in truth, with a true heart, and have done that which was pleasing in your sight. And Ezekias wept bitterly.

4 Then came the worde of the Lord to Isaiah, saying,

And the word of the Lord came to Esaias, saying, Go, and say to Ezekias,

5 Goe, and say vnto Hezekiah, Thus saith the Lord God of Dauid thy father, I haue heard thy prayer, and seene thy teares: behold, I will adde vnto thy dayes fifteene yeeres.

Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father, I have heard your prayer, and seen your tears: behold, I [will] add to your time fifteen years.

6 And I will deliuer thee out of the hand of the King of Asshur, and this citie: for I will defende this citie.

And I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of the Assyrians: and I will defend this city.

7 And this signe shalt thou haue of ye Lord, that ye Lord will do this thing that he hath spoken,

And this [shall be] a sign to you from the Lord, that God will do this thing;

8 Beholde, I will bring againe the shadowe of the degrees (whereby it is gone downe in the diall of Ahaz by the sunne) ten degrees backeward: so the sunne returned by tenne degrees, by the which degrees it was gone downe.

behold, I will turn back the shadow of the degrees [of the dial] by which ten degrees on the house of your father the sun has gone down—I will turn back the sun the ten degrees; so the sun went back the ten degrees by which the shadow had gone down.

9 The writing of Hezekiah King of Iudah, when he had bene sicke, and was recouered of his sickenesse.

THE PRAYER OF EZEKIAS KING OF JUDEA, WHEN HE HAD BEEN SICK, AND WAS RECOVERED FROM HIS SICKNESS.

10 I saide in the cutting off of my dayes, I shall goe to the gates of the graue: I am depriued of the residue of my yeeres. (Sheol h7585)

I said in the end of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I shall part with the remainder of my years. (Sheol h7585)

11 I said, I shall not see the Lord, euen the Lord in the land of the liuing: I shall see man no more among the inhabitants of the world.

I said, I shall no more at all see the salvation of God in the land of the living: I shall no more at all see the salvation of Israel on the earth: I shall no more at all see man.

12 Mine habitation is departed, and is remoued from me, like a shepheards tent: I haue cut off like a weauer my life: he will cut me off from the height: from day to night, thou wilt make an ende of me.

[My life] has failed from among my kindred: I have parted with the remainder of my life: it has gone forth and departed from me, as one that having pitched a tent takes it down [again]: my breath was with me as a weaver's web, when she that weaves draws near to cut off [the] thread.

13 I rekoned to the morning: but he brake all my bones, like a lion: from day to night wilt thou make an ende of me.

In that day I was given up as to a lion until the morning: so has he broken all my bones: for I was so given up from day [even] to night.

14 Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourne as a doue: mine eies were lift vp on high: O Lord, it hath oppressed me, comfort me.

As a swallow, so will I cry, and as a dove, so do I mourn: for mine eyes have failed with looking to the height of heaven to the Lord, who has delivered me, and removed the sorrow of my soul.

15 What shall I say? for he hath said it to me, and he hath done it: I shall walke weakely all my yeeres in the bitternesse of my soule.

16 O Lord, to them that ouerliue them, and to all that are in them, the life of my spirite shalbe knowen, that thou causedst me to sleepe and hast giuen life to me.

[Yes], O Lord, for it was told you concerning this; and you have revived my breath; and I am comforted, and live.

17 Beholde, for felicitie I had bitter griefe, but it was thy pleasure to deliuer my soule from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sinnes behinde thy backe.

For you have chosen my soul, that it should not perish: and you have cast all [my] sins behind me.

18 For the graue cannot confesse thee: death cannot praise thee: they that goe downe into the pit, cannot hope for thy trueth. (Sheol h7585)

For they that are in the grave shall not praise you, neither shall the dead bless you, neither shall they that are in Hades hope for your mercy. (Sheol h7585)

19 But the liuing, the liuing, he shall confesse thee, as I doe this day: the father to the children shall declare thy trueth.

The living shall bless you, as I also [do]: for from this day shall I beget children, who shall declare your righteousness,

20 The Lord was ready to saue me: therefore we will sing my song, all the dayes of our life in the House of the Lord.

O God of my salvation; and I will not cease blessing you with the lute all the days of my life before the house of God.

21 Then said Isaiah, Take a lumpe of drye figs and lay it vpon the boyle, and he shall recouer.

Now Esaias had said to Ezekias; Take a cake of figs, and mash them, and apply them as a plaster, and you shall be well.

22 Also Hezekiah had said, What is ye signe, that I shall goe vp into the House of the Lord?

And Ezekias said, This is a sign to Ezekias, that I shall go up to the house of God.