Isaiah 38

1 In those days, was Hezekiah sick, unto death, —and Isaiah the prophet son of Amoz came in unto him, and said unto him—Thus, saith Yahweh, Set in order thy house, for, about to die thou art and shalt not recover.

About that time, Hezekiah became [very] ill and was close to dying. [So] I went to see him. And I gave him this message: “This is what Yahweh says: ‘You should tell the people in your palace what you want them to do after you die, because you will not recover from this illness. You are going to die’”

2 Then Hezekiah turned his face unto the wall, —and prayed unto Yahweh;

Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed this:

3 and said, —I beseech thee, O Yahweh, remember, I pray thee, how I have walked before thee in faithfulness and with an undivided heart, and, that which is good in thine eyes, have I done. And Hezekiah wept aloud.

“Yahweh, do not forget that I have always served you very faithfully, and I have done things that pleased you!” Then Hezekiah [started to] cry loudly.

4 Then came the word of Yahweh unto, Isaiah, saying:

[I left his room, but] Yahweh gave me this message:

5 Go, and say unto Hezekiah—Thus, saith Yahweh, the God of David thy father: I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears, —Behold me! about to add unto thy days, fifteen years;

“Go [back] to Hezekiah and tell him that this is what I, the God to whom your ancestor King David belonged, say: ‘I have heard what you prayed, and I have seen you crying. So listen: I will enable you to live 15 years more.

6 And out of the hand of the king of Assyria, will I deliver thee, and this city; And I will throw a covering over this city.

And, I will rescue you and this city from the power [MTY] of the King of Assyria. I will defend this city.

7 And, this, to thee, shall be the sign from Yahweh, —that Yahweh will do this thing which he hath spoken: —

And this is what I will do to prove that I will do what I have just now promised. I will cause the shadow of the sun to move ten steps backward on the sundial that was built by King Ahaz.’”

8 Behold me! causing the shadow on the steps, which hath come gone down on the steps of Ahaz with the sun, to return, backwards ten steps. So the sun returned ten steps, by the steps which it had come down.

So the shadow of the sun on the sundial moved backward ten steps.

9 the writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick and then recovered from his sickness:

When King Hezekiah was almost well again, he wrote this:

10 I, said—In the noontide of my days, I must enter the gates of hades, —I am deprived of the residue of my years! (Sheol h7585)

I thought to myself, “Is it necessary for me to die and go to the place where the dead people are during this time of my life when I am still strong? Is Yahweh going to rob me of the remaining years that I [should live]?” (Sheol h7585)

11 I said—I shall not see Yah, Yah, in the land of the living, I shall discern the son of earth no longer, with the dwellers in the quiet land.

I said, “I will not see Yahweh [again] in this world where people are alive. I will not see my friends again, or be with others who [now] are alive in this world.

12 My dwelling, hath been broken up. And is stripped from me, like a shepherd’s tent, —I have rolled up—as a weaver—my life From the loom, doth he cut me off, From day until night, [I said] —Thou wilt finish me.

[It is as if] my life has been taken away like [SIM] a tent [whose pegs] have been pulled up by a shepherd and taken away. My time to live has been cut short, like a piece of cloth that a weaver [cuts and] rolls up [after he has finished weaving a cloth].” Suddenly, [it seemed that] my life was ending.

13 I cried out, until morning, like a lion, Thus, will he break all my bones! From day until night, Thou wilt finish me!

I waited patiently all during the night, but [my pain was as though] [MET] I was being torn apart by lions. [It seemed that] my life was finished.

14 As a twittering swallow, so, do I chatter, I coo as a dove, —Mine eyes languish through looking on high, O My Lord! distress is upon me—my Surety!

[I was delirious, and] I chirped like a swift or a swallow, and moaned like a dove. My eyes became tired looking up [toward heaven] for help. I cried out, Lord, help me, [because] I am distressed!’

15 What can I say? Since he hath promised for me, Himself, will perform. I will go softly, all my years. Because of the bitterness of my soul,

But there was really nothing [RHQ] that I could say and ask him to reply to me, because it was Yahweh who sent this illness. [So now] I will live humbly during my [remaining] years because I am very anguished.

16 O My Lord! on those things do men live, —And, altogether in them, is the life of my spirit, When thou hast strengthened me and made me live.

Yahweh, the sufferings (OR, the promises) that you give are good, [because] what you do and what you say bring [new] life and health to us. And you restore/heal me and allow me [to continue] to live!

17 Lo! for well-being, I had bitterness—bitterness, —But, thou, cleaving unto my soul, hast raised me from the pit of corruption, For thou hast cast, behind thy back all my sins.

Truly, my suffering was good for me; you loved me, and as a result you have rescued me from dying and have also forgiven all my sins.

18 For, hades, cannot praise thee Nor, death, celebrate thee, —They who go down to the pit cannot wait for thy faithfulness. (Sheol h7585)

Dead people [MTY] cannot praise you; they cannot sing to praise you. Those who have descended to their graves cannot confidently expect you to faithfully [do things for them]. (Sheol h7585)

19 The living, the living, he, can praise thee, As I do this day, —A father, to his children, can make known thy faithfulness.

Only people who are still alive, like I am, can praise you. Fathers tell their children how you are faithful, [and if I remain alive, I will do the same thing].

20 Yahweh, [was willing] to save me, —Therefore, on my stringed instruments, will we play—All the days of our life By the house of Yahweh.

[I know that] Yahweh will fully heal me, [so] I will sing to praise him while others praise him playing musical instruments; I will do that every day of my life, in the temple of Yahweh.”

21 And Isaiah had said, Let them take a cake of figs, and let them press it over the boil, that he may recover.

I had [previously] said to Hezekiah’s servants, “Prepare an ointment from [mashed] figs, and spread it on his boil, and then he will recover.” [So they did that, and Hezekiah recovered].

22 And Hezekiah had said—What is the sign—that I shall go up unto the house of Yahweh?

And Hezekiah had [previously] asked, “What will Yahweh do to prove that I will [recover and be able to] go to his temple?”