Isaiah 38
1 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’”
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.
2 Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed this:
Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the Lord,
3 “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.
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.
4 [I left his room, but] Yahweh gave me this message:
Then came the worde of the Lord to Isaiah, saying,
5 “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.
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.
6 And, I will rescue you and this city from the power [MTY] of the King of Assyria. I will defend this city.
And I will deliuer thee out of the hand of the King of Asshur, and this citie: for I will defende this citie.
7 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.’”
And this signe shalt thou haue of ye Lord, that ye Lord will do this thing that he hath spoken,
8 So the shadow of the sun on the sundial moved backward ten steps.
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.
9 When King Hezekiah was almost well again, he wrote this:
The writing of Hezekiah King of Iudah, when he had bene sicke, and was recouered of his sickenesse.
10 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)
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)
11 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.
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.
12 [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.
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.
13 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.
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.
14 [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!’
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.
15 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.
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 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!
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.
17 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.
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.
18 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)
For the graue cannot confesse thee: death cannot praise thee: they that goe downe into the pit, cannot hope for thy trueth. (Sheol h7585)
19 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].
But the liuing, the liuing, he shall confesse thee, as I doe this day: the father to the children shall declare thy trueth.
20 [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.”
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.
21 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].
Then said Isaiah, Take a lumpe of drye figs and lay it vpon the boyle, and he shall recouer.
22 And Hezekiah had [previously] asked, “What will Yahweh do to prove that I will [recover and be able to] go to his temple?”
Also Hezekiah had said, What is ye signe, that I shall goe vp into the House of the Lord?
