Isaiah 38

1 In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him, and said to him, “The LORD says, ‘Set your house in order, for you will die, and not live.’”

About this time Hezekiah fell very sick and was about to die. The prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your affairs in order, because you are going to die. You won't recover.”

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

When Hezekiah heard this, he went to pray privately to the Lord, saying

3 and said, “Remember now, 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.” Then Hezekiah wept bitterly.

“Please remember Lord how I have followed you faithfully with all my heart. I have done what is good in your sight.” Then Hezekiah cried and cried.

4 Then the LORD’s word came to Isaiah, saying,

Then the Lord sent a message to Isaiah, saying,

5 “Go, and tell Hezekiah, ‘The LORD, the God of David your father, says, “I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.

“Go and tell Hezekiah, This is what the Lord, the God of your forefather David, says: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears. 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.

I will save you and this city from the king of Assyria. 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.

This is the sign from the Lord to you that the Lord will do what he promised:

8 Behold, I will cause the shadow on the sundial, which has gone down on the sundial of Ahaz with the sun, to return backward ten steps.”’” So the sun returned ten steps on the sundial on which it had gone down.

Look, I will make the shadow made by the sun go back the ten steps that it has gone down on the stairway of Ahaz. So the sun went back the ten steps that it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.”

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

This is what Hezekiah, king of Judah, wrote after he recovered from 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 said to myself, “Do I have to go to my death just as my life is going well? Why can't I count on the rest of my years?” (Sheol h7585)

11 I said, “I won’t see the LORD, the LORD in the land of the living. I will see man no more with the inhabitants of the world.

I said, “I will never again see the Lord, the Lord, in the land of the living. I won't see anyone else again, none of the inhabitants of this world.

12 My dwelling is removed, and is carried away from me like a shepherd’s tent. I have rolled up my life like a weaver. He will cut me off from the loom. From day even to night you will make an end of me.

Like a shepherd's tent, the place where I live has been pulled up and taken away from me. Like a weaver I have rolled up the cloth of my life and cut it from the loom. Day and night you bring me to an end.

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 lie there patiently until the morning, but I feel like there's a lion breaking every bone in my body. Day and night you bring me to an end.

14 I chattered like a swallow or a crane. I moaned like a dove. My eyes weaken looking upward. Lord, I am oppressed. Be my security.”

I scream like a swift or a songbird, I moan like a dove. My eyes grow dim as I look heavenwards. I'm being attacked, Lord, please come and support 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.

Yet what can I say? He told me what was going to happen, and he himself did it. I will walk quietly for the rest of my life because of the painful experience I went through.

16 Lord, men live by these things; and my spirit finds life in all of them. You restore me, and cause me to live.

Lord, we live by what you say and do, and I find life in all of this. You have given me back my health and allowed me to live.

17 Behold, 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 definitely for my own good I went through this bitter experience. You in your love saved me from the pit of destruction and you have forgiven all my sins.

18 For Sheol can’t praise you. Death can’t celebrate you. Those who go down into the pit can’t hope for your truth. (Sheol h7585)

Those in the grave cannot praise you, the dead cannot praise you. Those who go down into the pit can no longer hope in your faithfulness. (Sheol h7585)

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

It's only the living who can praise you as I'm doing today. Parents explain to their children how you can be trusted.

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

The Lord saved me! We will sing my songs with stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the Lord's Temple.”

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.”

Isaiah had said, “Prepare a dressing of figs and spread it on the skin sores so he may recover.”

22 Hezekiah also had said, “What is the sign that I will go up to the LORD’s house?”

Hezekiah had asked, “What is the sign to confirm that I will go to the Lord's Temple?”