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 was sick to the point of dying. So Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet, came to him, and said to him, “Yahweh says, 'Set your house in order; for you will die, not live.'”

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

Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to Yahweh.

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.

He said, “Please, Yahweh, call to mind how I have faithfully walked before you with my whole heart, and how I have done what was good in your sight.” Then Hezekiah wept loudly.

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

Then the word of Yahweh came 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, the leader of my people, 'This is what Yahweh, the God of David your ancestor, says: I have heard your prayer, and I have seen your tears. See, I am about to 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.

Then I will rescue you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.

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

This will be the sign to you from Yahweh, that I will do what I have promised.

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."'"

Look, I will cause the shadow on the stairs of Ahaz to go back ten steps.'” So the shadow went back ten steps of the stairs on which it had advanced.

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

This was the written prayer of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick and then recovered:

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 said that halfway through my life I will go through the gates of Sheol; I am sent there for the rest 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 said that I will no longer see Yahweh, Yahweh in the land of the living; I will no longer look on mankind or 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.

My life is removed and carried away from me like a shepherd's tent; I have rolled up my life like a weaver; you are cutting me off from the loom; between day and night you are ending my life.

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 cried out until the morning; like a lion he breaks all my bones. Between day and night you are ending my life.

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 I chirp; I coo like a dove; my eyes grow tired with looking upward. Lord, I am oppressed; help me.

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 say? He has both spoken to me, and has done it; I will walk slowly all my years because I am overcome with grief.

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.

Lord, the sufferings you send are good for me; may my life be given back to me; you have restored my life and health.

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.

It was for my benefit that I experienced such grief. You have rescued me from the pit of destruction; for you have thrown 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 h7585)

For Sheol does not thank you; death does not praise you; those who go down into the pit do not hope in your trustworthiness. (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 person, the living person, he is the one who gives you thanks, as I do this day; a father makes known to children your trustworthiness.

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.

Yahweh is about to save me, and we will celebrate with music all the days of our lives in the house of Yahweh.”

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."

Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a lump of figs and put it on the boil, and he will recover.”

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

Hezekiah also had said, “What will be the sign that I should go up to the house of Yahweh?”