Isaiah 38 New International Version

Hezekiah’s Illness^(A)

38 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz^(B) went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order,^(C) because you are going to die; you will not recover.”^(D)

²Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, ³“Remember, Lord, how I have walked^(E) before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion^(F) and have done what is good in your eyes.^(G)” And Hezekiah wept^(H) bitterly.

⁴Then the word^(I) of the Lord came to Isaiah: ⁵“Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David,^(J) says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears;^(K) I will add fifteen years^(L) to your life. ⁶And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend^(M) this city.

⁷“‘This is the Lord’s sign^(N) to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: ⁸I will make the shadow cast by the sun go back the ten steps it has gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.’” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had gone down.^(O)

⁹A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery:

¹⁰I said, “In the prime of my life^(P)
    must I go through the gates of death^(Q)
    and be robbed of the rest of my years?^(R)”
¹¹I said, “I will not again see the Lord himself^(S)
    in the land of the living;^(T)
no longer will I look on my fellow man,
    or be with those who now dwell in this world.
¹²Like a shepherd’s tent^(U) my house
    has been pulled down^(V) and taken from me.
Like a weaver I have rolled^(W) up my life,
    and he has cut me off from the loom;^(X)
    day and night^(Y) you made an end of me.
¹³I waited patiently^(Z) till dawn,
    but like a lion he broke^(AA) all my bones;^(AB)
    day and night^(AC) you made an end of me.
¹⁴I cried like a swift or thrush,
    I moaned like a mourning dove.^(AD)
My eyes grew weak^(AE) as I looked to the heavens.
    I am being threatened; Lord, come to my aid!”^(AF)

¹⁵But what can I say?^(AG)
    He has spoken to me, and he himself has done this.^(AH)
I will walk humbly^(AI) all my years
    because of this anguish of my soul.^(AJ)
¹⁶Lord, by such things people live;
    and my spirit finds life in them too.
You restored me to health
    and let me live.^(AK)
¹⁷Surely it was for my benefit^(AL)
    that I suffered such anguish.^(AM)
In your love you kept me
    from the pit^(AN) of destruction;
you have put all my sins^(AO)
    behind your back.^(AP)
¹⁸For the grave^(AQ) cannot praise you,
    death cannot sing your praise;^(AR)
those who go down to the pit^(AS)
    cannot hope for your faithfulness.
¹⁹The living, the living—they praise^(AT) you,
    as I am doing today;
parents tell their children^(AU)
    about your faithfulness.