< Isaiah 38 >
1 In those days was Hezekiah sick and near death. Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him, and said to him, "Thus says the LORD, 'Set your house in order, for you will die, and not live.'"
2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD,
3 and said, "Remember now, the LORD, I beg you, how I have walked before you in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in your sight." Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4 Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying,
5 "Go, and tell Hezekiah, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father, "I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Look, I will add fifteen years to your life.
6 I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.
7 This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he has spoken.
8 Look, I will cause the shadow on the steps, which has gone down with the sun on the upper steps of Ahaz, to go backward ten steps. So the sun returned ten steps on the sundial on which it had gone down."'"
9 The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and had recovered of his sickness.
10 I said, "In the middle of my life I go into the gates of Sheol. I am deprived of the residue of my years." (Sheol )
11 I said, "I won't see the LORD in the land of the living. I will not look on humankind any longer with the inhabitants of the world.
12 My dwelling is removed, and is carried away from me like a shepherd's tent. I have rolled up, like a weaver, my life. He will cut me off from the loom. From day even to night you will make an end of me.
13 I waited patiently until morning. He breaks all my bones like a lion. From day even to night you will make an end of me.
14 I chip like a swallow or a thrush. I moan like a dove. My eyes weaken looking upward. LORD, I am oppressed. Be my security."
15 What will I say? He has both spoken to me, and himself has done it. I will walk carefully all my years because of the anguish of my soul.
16 The LORD is against them, but they live, and all of them who live have his spirit. Restore me to health and let me live.
17 Look, for peace I had great anguish, but you have in love for my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption; for you have cast all my sins behind your back.
18 For Sheol can't praise you. And death can't celebrate you. And those who go down into the pit can't hope for your truth. (Sheol )
19 The living, the living, he shall praise you, as I do this day. The father shall make known your truth to the children.
20 The LORD will save me. Therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD.
21 Now Isaiah had said, "Let them take a cake of figs, and lay it for a poultice on the boil, and he shall recover."
22 Hezekiah also had said, "What is the sign that I will go up to the house of the LORD?"
