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 YHWH, 'Set your house in order, for you will die, and not live.'"

In those days Hezekiah fell sick unto death; and there came unto him Isaiah the son of Amoz, the prophet, and said unto him, Thus hath said the Lord, Give thy charge to thy house; for thou shalt die, and not live.

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

Then did Hezekiah turn his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord.

3 and said, "Remember now, YHWH, 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.

And he said, O Lord, I beseech thee remember now that I have walked before thee in truth, and with an undivided heart, and have done what is good in thy eyes. And Hezekiah wept aloud.

4 Then the word of YHWH came to Isaiah, saying,

Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah, saying,

5 "Go, and tell Hezekiah, 'Thus says YHWH, 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.

Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus hath said 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 I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.

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

7 This shall be the sign to you from YHWH, that YHWH will do this thing that he has spoken.

And this shall be unto thee the sign from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing which he hath 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."'"

Behold, I will cause the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down on the dial of Achaz by the sun, to return backward ten degrees. So the sun returned ten degrees, by the degrees which he was gone down.

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

The writing of Hezekiah the king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was 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 h7585)

I had said, In the midst of my days, must I enter the gates of the nether world; I am deprived of the residue of my years. (Sheol h7585)

11 I said, "I won't see YHWH in the land of the living. I will not look on humankind any longer with the inhabitants of the world.

I had said, I shall not see the Lord, the Lord, in the land of the living: I shall not behold man any more among the inhabitants of the regions of death.

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.

My dwelling is broken down, and is removed from me as a shepherd's tent: I have cut off, like a weaver, my life; with pining sickness will he snatch me away: from day until night wilt thou 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.

I waited [with patience] till morning, [whether] as a lion, so would he break all my bones: from day until night wilt thou make an end of me.

14 I chip like a swallow or a thrush. I moan like a dove. My eyes weaken looking upward. YHWH, I am oppressed. Be my security."

Like a swallow or a crane, so did I chirp; I did moan like a dove; my eyes were lifted up on high: O Lord, I am oppressed; grant me ease.

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.

What shall I speak? he hath promised it unto me, and he hath also accomplished it; I will make pilgrimages [to God's house] all my years because of the bitterness of my soul.

16 YHWH is against them, but they live, and all of them who live have his spirit. Restore me to health and let me live.

O Lord, by these [things men] will live, and in all these [things] is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou give me health, and cause me to 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.

Behold, for peace I had great bitterness; but thou hast, in loving my soul, delivered it from the pit of corruption; for thou hast cast behind thy back all my sins.

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 h7585)

For the nether world will not thank thee, death will not praise thee: they that go down into the pit will not hope for thy truth. (Sheol h7585)

19 The living, the living, he shall praise you, as I do this day. The father shall make known your truth to the children.

The living, the living alone shall thank thee, like me this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.

20 YHWH will save me. Therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of YHWH.

The Lord is there to help me; therefore we will play my hymns 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."

And Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaster upon the inflammation, and he shall recover.

22 Hezekiah also had said, "What is the sign that I will go up to the house of YHWH?"

And Hezekiah had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord?