2 Kings 20
New American Standard Bible
Hezekiah’s Illness and Recovery
20 (A)In those days Hezekiah became [a]mortally ill. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘(B)Set your house in order, for you are going to die and not live.’” 2 Then he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, saying, 3 “Please, Lord, just (C)remember (D)how I have walked before You wholeheartedly and in truth, and have done what is good in Your sight!” And (E)Hezekiah wept [b]profusely. 4 And even before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 5 “Return and say to (F)Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David says: “(G)I have heard your prayer, (H)I have seen your tears; behold, I am going to heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord. 6 And I will add fifteen years to your [c]life, and I will save you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and (I)I will protect this city for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.”’” 7 Then Isaiah said, “Take a cake of figs.” And they took it and placed it on the inflamed spot, and he recovered.
8 Now Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I will go up to the house of the Lord on the third day?” 9 Isaiah said, “(J)This shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will perform the word that He has spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten steps or go back ten steps?” 10 So Hezekiah said, “It is easy for the shadow to decline ten steps; no, but have the shadow turn backward ten steps.” 11 Then Isaiah the prophet called out to the Lord, and (K)He brought the shadow on the [d]stairway back ten steps by which it had gone down on the [e]stairway of Ahaz.
Hezekiah Shows Babylon His Treasures
12 (L)At that time [f]Berodach-baladan, a son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, because he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. 13 And Hezekiah listened to [g]them, and showed them (M)all his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the balsam oil, the [h]scented oil, the house of his armor, and everything that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house nor in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. 14 Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where have they come to you?” And Hezekiah said, “They have come from a far country, from Babylon.” 15 Isaiah said, “What have they seen in your house?” So Hezekiah [i]answered, “They have seen everything that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasuries that I have not shown them.”
16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord: 17 ‘Behold, the days are coming when (N)everything that is in your house, and what your fathers have stored up to this day, will be carried to Babylon; nothing will be left,’ says the Lord. 18 ‘And some (O)of your sons who will come from you, whom you will father, will be taken away; and they will become (P)officials in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” 19 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is (Q)good.” For he [j]thought, “Is it not good, if there will be peace and [k]security in my days?”
20 (R)Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and all his might, and how he (S)constructed the pool and the conduit and brought water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 21 (T)So Hezekiah [l]lay down with his fathers, and his son Manasseh became king in his place.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 20:1 Lit sick to death
- 2 Kings 20:3 Lit great weeping
- 2 Kings 20:6 Lit days
- 2 Kings 20:11 Lit steps
- 2 Kings 20:11 Lit steps
- 2 Kings 20:12 Some mss and ancient versions Merodach-baladan; cf. Is 39:1
- 2 Kings 20:13 I.e., messengers
- 2 Kings 20:13 Lit good
- 2 Kings 20:15 Lit said
- 2 Kings 20:19 Lit said
- 2 Kings 20:19 Lit trustworthiness
- 2 Kings 20:21 I.e., died
2 Kings 20
New King James Version
Hezekiah’s Life Extended(A)
20 In (B)those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live.’ ”
2 Then he turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord, saying, 3 (C)“Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4 And it happened, before Isaiah had gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 5 “Return and tell Hezekiah (D)the leader of My people, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: (E)“I have heard your prayer, I have seen (F)your tears; surely I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord. 6 And I will add to your days fifteen years. I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and (G)I will defend this city for My own sake, and for the sake of My servant David.” ’ ”
7 Then (H)Isaiah said, “Take a lump of figs.” So they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.
8 And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, (I)“What is the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the Lord the third day?”
9 Then Isaiah said, (J)“This is the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing which He has spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees or go backward ten degrees?”
10 And Hezekiah answered, “It is an easy thing for the shadow to go down ten [a]degrees; no, but let the shadow go backward ten degrees.”
11 So Isaiah the prophet cried out to the Lord, and (K)He brought the shadow ten [b]degrees backward, by which it had gone down on the sundial of Ahaz.
The Babylonian Envoys(L)
12 (M)At that time [c]Berodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. 13 And (N)Hezekiah was attentive to them, and showed them all the house of his treasures—the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and [d]all [e]his armory—all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them.
14 Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?”
So Hezekiah said, “They came from a far country, from Babylon.”
15 And he said, “What have they seen in your house?”
So Hezekiah answered, (O)“They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.”
16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord: 17 ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, (P)shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the Lord. 18 ‘And (Q)they shall take away some of your sons who will [f]descend from you, whom you will beget; (R)and they shall be (S)eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’ ”
19 So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, (T)“The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good!” For he said, “Will there not be peace and truth at least in my days?”
Death of Hezekiah(U)
20 (V)Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah—all his might, and how he (W)made a (X)pool and a [g]tunnel and (Y)brought water into the city—are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 21 So (Z)Hezekiah [h]rested with his fathers. Then Manasseh his son reigned in his place.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 20:10 Lit. steps
- 2 Kings 20:11 Lit. steps
- 2 Kings 20:12 Merodach-Baladan, Is. 39:1
- 2 Kings 20:13 So with many Heb. mss., Syr., Tg.; MT omits all
- 2 Kings 20:13 Lit. the house of his armor
- 2 Kings 20:18 be born from
- 2 Kings 20:20 aqueduct
- 2 Kings 20:21 Died and joined his ancestors
Isaiah 38-40
New American Standard Bible
Hezekiah Healed
38 (A)In those days Hezekiah became [a]mortally ill. And (B)Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘(C)Set your house in order, for you are going to die and not live.’” 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 and said, “(D)Please, Lord, just remember how I have (E)walked before You (F)wholeheartedly and in truth, and (G)have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah (H)wept [b]profusely.
4 Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying, 5 “Go and say to Hezekiah, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David says: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will add (I)fifteen years to your [c]life. 6 And I will (J)save you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will protect this city.”’
7 “And this shall be the (K)sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will perform this word that He has spoken: 8 Behold, I will (L)make the shadow on the stairway, which has gone down with the sun on the stairway of Ahaz, go back ten steps.” So the (M)sun’s shadow went back ten steps on the stairway on which it had gone down.
9 This is a writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and [d]recovery:
10 I said, “(N)In the middle of my [e]life
I am to enter the (O)gates of Sheol;
I have been (P)deprived of the rest of my years.”
11 I said, “I will not see the Lord,
The Lord (Q)in the land of the living;
I will no longer look on mankind among the inhabitants of the world.
12 Like a shepherd’s (R)tent my dwelling is pulled up and removed from me;
As a (S)weaver I (T)rolled up my life.
He (U)cuts me off from the loom;
From (V)day until night You make an end of me.
13 I composed my soul until morning.
(W)Like a lion—so He (X)breaks all my bones,
From (Y)day until night You make an end of me.
14 (Z)Like a swallow, like a crane, so I twitter;
I (AA)moan like a dove;
My (AB)eyes look wistfully to the heights;
Lord, I am oppressed, be my (AC)security.
15 “(AD)What shall I say?
[f]For He has spoken to me, and He Himself has done it;
I will (AE)walk [g]quietly all my years because of the (AF)bitterness of my soul.
16 Lord, (AG)by these things people live,
And in all these is the life of my spirit;
[h](AH)Restore me to health and (AI)let me live!
17 Behold, for my own welfare I had great bitterness;
But You have [i](AJ)kept my soul from the pit of [j]nothingness,
For You have (AK)hurled all my sins behind Your back.
18 For (AL)Sheol cannot thank You,
Death cannot praise You;
Those who go down (AM)to the pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness.
19 It is the (AN)living who give thanks to You, as I do today;
A (AO)father tells his sons about Your faithfulness.
20 The Lord is certain to save me;
So we will (AP)play my songs on stringed instruments
(AQ)All the days of our life (AR)at the house of the Lord.”
21 Now (AS)Isaiah had said, “Have them take a cake of figs and apply it to the boil, so that he may recover.” 22 Then Hezekiah had said, “What is the (AT)sign that I will go up to the house of the Lord?”
Hezekiah Shows His Treasures
39 (AU)At that time Merodach-baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. 2 Hezekiah [k]was (AV)pleased, and let them see all his treasure house, the (AW)silver, the gold, the balsam oil, the excellent olive oil, his entire armory, and everything that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house nor in all his realm that Hezekiah did not let them see. 3 Then Isaiah the (AX)prophet came to King Hezekiah and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?” And Hezekiah said, “They came to me from a far (AY)country, from Babylon.” 4 Then he said, “What have they seen in your house?” So Hezekiah [l]answered, “They have seen everything that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasuries that I have not let them see.”
5 Isaiah then said to Hezekiah, “Hear the (AZ)word of the Lord of armies, 6 ‘Behold, the days are coming when (BA)everything that is in your house, and what your fathers have stored up to this day, will be carried to Babylon; nothing will be left,’ says the Lord. 7 ‘And some of your sons who will come from you, whom you will father, (BB)will be taken away, and (BC)they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” 8 (BD)Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good.” For he [m]thought, “For there will be peace and truth (BE)in my days.”
The Greatness of God
40 “(BF)Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God.
2 “(BG)Speak [n]kindly to Jerusalem;
And call out to her, that her [o](BH)warfare has ended,
That her [p](BI)guilt has been removed,
That she has received of the Lord’s hand
(BJ)Double for all her sins.”
3 (BK)The voice of one calling out,
“(BL)Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness;
Make [q]straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Let every valley be lifted up,
And every mountain and hill be made low;
And let the uneven ground become a plain,
And the rugged terrain a broad valley;
5 [r]Then the (BM)glory of the Lord will be revealed,
And (BN)all flesh will see it together;
For the (BO)mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
6 A voice says, “Call out.”
Then [s]he answered, “What shall I call out?”
(BP)All flesh is grass, and all its [t]loveliness is like the flower of the field.
7 The (BQ)grass withers, the flower fades,
[u]When the (BR)breath of the Lord blows upon it;
The people are indeed grass!
8 The grass withers, the flower fades,
But (BS)the word of our God stands forever.
9 Go up on a (BT)high mountain,
Zion, messenger of (BU)good news,
Raise your voice forcefully,
Jerusalem, messenger of good news;
Raise it up, do not fear.
Say to the (BV)cities of Judah,
“(BW)Here is your God!”
10 Behold, the Lord [v]God will come (BX)with might,
With His (BY)arm ruling for Him.
Behold, His (BZ)compensation is with Him,
And His reward before Him.
11 Like a shepherd He will (CA)tend His flock,
In His arm He will gather the lambs
And carry them in the fold of His robe;
He will gently lead the nursing ewes.
12 Who has (CB)measured the [w]waters in the hollow of His hand,
And measured the heavens with a [x]span,
And [y]calculated the dust of the earth with a measure,
And weighed the mountains in a balance
And the hills in a pair of scales?
13 (CC)Who has [z]directed the Spirit of the Lord,
Or as His (CD)counselor has informed Him?
14 (CE)With whom did He consult and who (CF)gave Him understanding?
And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge,
And informed Him of the way of understanding?
15 Behold, the (CG)nations are like a drop from a bucket,
And are regarded as a speck of (CH)dust on the scales;
Behold, He lifts up the [aa]islands like fine dust.
16 Even Lebanon is not enough to [ab]burn,
Nor its (CI)animals enough for a burnt offering.
17 (CJ)All the nations are as nothing before Him,
They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and [ac]meaningless.
18 (CK)To whom then will you liken God?
Or what likeness will you compare with Him?
19 As for the [ad](CL)idol, a craftsman casts it,
A goldsmith (CM)plates it with gold,
And a silversmith fashions chains of silver.
20 He who is too impoverished for such an offering
Selects a (CN)tree that does not rot;
He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman
To [ae]prepare [af]an idol that (CO)will not totter.
21 (CP)Do you not know? Have you not heard?
Has it not been declared to you from the beginning?
Have you not understood (CQ)from the foundations of the earth?
22 It is He who [ag]sits above the [ah](CR)circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like (CS)grasshoppers,
Who (CT)stretches out the heavens like a (CU)curtain
And spreads them out like a (CV)tent to live in.
23 It is He who reduces (CW)rulers to nothing,
Who (CX)makes the judges of the earth [ai]meaningless.
24 [aj]Scarcely have they been planted,
[ak]Scarcely have they been sown,
[al]Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth,
But He merely blows on them, and they wither,
And the (CY)storm carries them away like stubble.
25 “(CZ)To whom then will you compare Me
That I would be his equal?” says the Holy One.
26 (DA)Raise your eyes on high
And see (DB)who has created these stars,
The (DC)One who brings out their [am]multitude by number,
He calls them all by name;
Because of the (DD)greatness of His might and the [an]strength of His power,
(DE)Not one of them is missing.
27 (DF)Why do you say, Jacob, and you assert, Israel,
“My way is (DG)hidden from the Lord,
And the (DH)justice due me [ao]escapes the notice of (DI)my God”?
28 (DJ)Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The (DK)Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired.
His understanding is (DL)unsearchable.
29 He gives strength to the (DM)weary,
And to the one who lacks might He (DN)increases power.
30 Though (DO)youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous (DP)young men stumble badly,
31 Yet those who [ap]wait for the Lord
Will (DQ)gain new strength;
They will [aq](DR)mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 38:1 Lit sick to death
- Isaiah 38:3 Lit great weeping
- Isaiah 38:5 Lit days
- Isaiah 38:9 Lit he lived after his illness
- Isaiah 38:10 Lit days
- Isaiah 38:15 Targum and DSS And what shall I say for He
- Isaiah 38:15 Or slowly
- Isaiah 38:16 Lit You will
- Isaiah 38:17 As in some ancient versions; MT loved
- Isaiah 38:17 Or destruction
- Isaiah 39:2 Lit rejoiced over them
- Isaiah 39:4 Lit said
- Isaiah 39:8 Lit said
- Isaiah 40:2 Lit to the heart of
- Isaiah 40:2 Or hard service
- Isaiah 40:2 Or penalty of guilt accepted as paid off
- Isaiah 40:3 Or smooth
- Isaiah 40:5 Or In order that the
- Isaiah 40:6 Another reading is I said
- Isaiah 40:6 Or constancy
- Isaiah 40:7 Or Because
- Isaiah 40:10 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Isaiah 40:12 DSS reads waters of the sea
- Isaiah 40:12 Or half cubit (9 in. or 22.8 cm)
- Isaiah 40:12 Lit contained; or comprehended
- Isaiah 40:13 Or measured, marked off
- Isaiah 40:15 Or coastlands
- Isaiah 40:16 I.e., for fire on an altar
- Isaiah 40:17 Or void
- Isaiah 40:19 Or carved image
- Isaiah 40:20 Or set up
- Isaiah 40:20 Or a carved image
- Isaiah 40:22 Or is enthroned
- Isaiah 40:22 Or vault
- Isaiah 40:23 Or void
- Isaiah 40:24 Or Not even
- Isaiah 40:24 Or Not even
- Isaiah 40:24 Or Not even
- Isaiah 40:26 Lit host
- Isaiah 40:26 As in DSS and ancient versions; MT strong
- Isaiah 40:27 Lit passes by my God
- Isaiah 40:31 Or hope in
- Isaiah 40:31 Or sprout wings
Isaiah 38-40
New King James Version
Hezekiah’s Life Extended(A)
38 In (B)those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: (C)‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’ ”
2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord, 3 and said, (D)“Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a [a]loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your (E)sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4 And the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying, 5 “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years. 6 I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and (F)I will defend this city.” ’ 7 And this is (G)the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing which He has spoken: 8 Behold, I will bring the shadow on the sundial, which has gone down with the sun on the sundial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward.” So the sun returned ten degrees on the dial by which it had gone down.
9 This is the writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness:
10 I said,
“In the prime of my life
I shall go to the gates of Sheol;
I am deprived of the remainder of my years.”
11 I said,
“I shall not see [b]Yah,
The Lord (H)in the land of the living;
I shall observe man no more [c]among the inhabitants of [d]the world.
12 (I)My life span is gone,
Taken from me like a shepherd’s tent;
I have cut off my life like a weaver.
He cuts me off from the loom;
From day until night You make an end of me.
13 I have considered until morning—
Like a lion,
So He breaks all my bones;
From day until night You make an end of me.
14 Like a crane or a swallow, so I chattered;
(J)I mourned like a dove;
My eyes fail from looking upward.
O [e]Lord, I am oppressed;
[f]Undertake for me!
15 “What shall I say?
[g]He has both spoken to me,
And He Himself has done it.
I shall walk carefully all my years
(K)In the bitterness of my soul.
16 O Lord, by these things men live;
And in all these things is the life of my spirit;
So You will restore me and make me live.
17 Indeed it was for my own peace
That I had great bitterness;
But You have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption,
For You have cast all my sins behind Your back.
18 For (L)Sheol cannot thank You,
Death cannot praise You;
Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your truth.
19 The living, the living man, he shall praise You,
As I do this day;
(M)The father shall make known Your truth to the children.
20 “The Lord was ready to save me;
Therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments
All the days of our life, in the house of the Lord.”
21 Now (N)Isaiah had said, “Let them take a lump of figs, and apply it as a poultice on the boil, and he shall recover.”
22 And (O)Hezekiah had said, “What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord?”
The Babylonian Envoys(P)
39 At (Q)that time [h]Merodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. 2 (R)And Hezekiah was pleased with them, and showed them the house of his treasures—the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory—all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them.
3 Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?”
So Hezekiah said, “They came to me from a (S)far country, from Babylon.”
4 And he said, “What have they seen in your house?”
So Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.”
5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: 6 ‘Behold, the days are coming (T)when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the Lord. 7 ‘And they shall take away some of your (U)sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’ ”
8 So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, (V)“The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good!” For he said, “At least there will be peace and truth in my days.”
God’s People Are Comforted(W)
40 “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!”
Says your God.
2 “Speak [i]comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her,
That her warfare is ended,
That her iniquity is pardoned;
(X)For she has received from the Lord’s hand
Double for all her sins.”
3 (Y)The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
(Z)“Prepare the way of the Lord;
(AA)Make straight [j]in the desert
A highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be exalted
And every mountain and hill brought low;
(AB)The crooked places shall be made [k]straight
And the rough places smooth;
5 The (AC)glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
And all flesh shall see it together;
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
6 The voice said, “Cry out!”
And [l]he said, “What shall I cry?”
(AD)“All flesh is grass,
And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.
7 The grass withers, the flower fades,
Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it;
Surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers, the flower fades,
But (AE)the word of our God stands forever.”
9 O Zion,
You who bring good tidings,
Get up into the high mountain;
O Jerusalem,
You who bring good tidings,
Lift up your voice with strength,
Lift it up, be not afraid;
Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”
10 Behold, the Lord God shall come [m]with a strong hand,
And (AF)His arm shall rule for Him;
Behold, (AG)His reward is with Him,
And His [n]work before Him.
11 He will (AH)feed His flock like a shepherd;
He will gather the lambs with His arm,
And carry them in His bosom,
And gently lead those who are with young.
12 (AI)Who has measured the [o]waters in the hollow of His hand,
Measured heaven with a [p]span
And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure?
Weighed the mountains in scales
And the hills in a balance?
13 (AJ)Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord,
Or as His counselor has taught Him?
14 With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him,
And (AK)taught Him in the path of justice?
Who taught Him knowledge,
And showed Him the way of understanding?
15 Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket,
And are counted as the small dust on the scales;
Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing.
16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn,
Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering.
17 All nations before Him are as (AL)nothing,
And (AM)they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless.
18 To whom then will you (AN)liken God?
Or what likeness will you compare to Him?
19 (AO)The workman molds an image,
The goldsmith overspreads it with gold,
And the silversmith casts silver chains.
20 Whoever is too impoverished for such [q]a contribution
Chooses a tree that will not rot;
He seeks for himself a skillful workman
(AP)To prepare a carved image that will not totter.
21 (AQ)Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22 It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,
Who (AR)stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
And spreads them out like a (AS)tent to dwell in.
23 He [r]brings the (AT)princes to nothing;
He makes the judges of the earth useless.
24 Scarcely shall they be planted,
Scarcely shall they be sown,
Scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth,
When He will also blow on them,
And they will wither,
And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble.
25 “To(AU) whom then will you liken Me,
Or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high,
And see who has created these things,
Who brings out their host by number;
(AV)He calls them all by name,
By the greatness of His might
And the strength of His power;
Not one is missing.
27 (AW)Why do you say, O Jacob,
And speak, O Israel:
“My way is hidden from the Lord,
And my just claim is passed over by my God”?
28 Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
(AX)His understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
31 But those who (AY)wait on the Lord
(AZ)Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 38:3 whole or peaceful
- Isaiah 38:11 Heb. Yah, Yah
- Isaiah 38:11 LXX omits among the inhabitants of the world
- Isaiah 38:11 So with some Heb. mss.; MT, Vg. rest; Tg. land
- Isaiah 38:14 So with Bg.; MT, DSS Lord
- Isaiah 38:14 Be my surety
- Isaiah 38:15 So with MT, Vg.; DSS, Tg. And shall I say to Him; LXX omits first half of this verse
- Isaiah 39:1 Berodach-Baladan, 2 Kin. 20:12
- Isaiah 40:2 Lit. to the heart of
- Isaiah 40:3 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX omits in the desert
- Isaiah 40:4 Or a plain
- Isaiah 40:6 So with MT, Tg.; DSS, LXX, Vg. I
- Isaiah 40:10 in strength
- Isaiah 40:10 recompense
- Isaiah 40:12 So with MT, LXX, Vg.; DSS adds of the sea; Tg. adds of the world
- Isaiah 40:12 A span .5 cubit, 9 inches; or the width of His hand
- Isaiah 40:20 an offering
- Isaiah 40:23 reduces
1 Corinthians 11
New American Standard Bible
Christian Order
11 (A)Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.
2 Now (B)I praise you because you (C)remember me in everything and (D)hold firmly to the traditions, just as I handed them down to you. 3 But I want you to understand that Christ is the (E)head of every man, and [a](F)the man is the head of a woman, and God is the (G)head of Christ. 4 Every man who has something on his head while praying or (H)prophesying disgraces his head. 5 But every (I)woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for it is one and the same as the woman [b]whose head is (J)shaved. 6 For if a woman does not cover [c]her head, have her also [d]cut her hair off; however, if it is disgraceful for a woman to [e]have her hair cut off or [f]her head shaved, have her cover [g]her head. 7 For a man should not have his head covered, since he is the (K)image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. 8 For (L)man [h]does not originate from woman, but woman from man; 9 for indeed man was not created for the woman’s sake, but (M)woman for the man’s sake. 10 Therefore the woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 However, in the Lord, neither is woman [i]independent of man, nor is man [j]independent of woman. 12 For as the woman originated from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and (N)all things originate (O)from God. 13 (P)Judge [k]for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does even nature itself not teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her as a covering. 16 But if anyone is inclined to be contentious, (Q)we have no [l]such practice, nor have (R)the churches of God.
17 Now in giving this next instruction (S)I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better, but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together [m]as a church, I hear that [n](T)divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. 19 For there also (U)have to be factions among you, (V)so that those who are approved may become [o]evident among you. 20 Therefore when you come together it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper, 21 for when you eat, each one takes his own supper first; and one goes hungry while (W)another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the (X)church of God and (Y)shame those who have nothing? What am I to say to you? Shall (Z)I praise you? In this I do not praise you.
The Lord’s Supper
23 For (AA)I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that (AB)the Lord Jesus, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same way He also took (AC)the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the (AD)new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death (AE)until He comes.
27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy way, shall be (AF)guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 But a person must (AG)examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For the one who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not properly recognize the [p]body. 30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number [q](AH)are asleep. 31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are (AI)disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with (AJ)the world.
33 So then, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 If anyone is (AK)hungry, have him eat (AL)at home, so that you do not come together for judgment. As to the remaining matters, I will (AM)give instructions (AN)when I come.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 11:3 Or the head of a woman is her husband
- 1 Corinthians 11:5 Lit who is shaved
- 1 Corinthians 11:6 Lit herself
- 1 Corinthians 11:6 Lit shear herself
- 1 Corinthians 11:6 Lit shear herself
- 1 Corinthians 11:6 Lit herself
- 1 Corinthians 11:6 Lit herself
- 1 Corinthians 11:8 Lit is not from
- 1 Corinthians 11:11 Lit without
- 1 Corinthians 11:11 Lit without
- 1 Corinthians 11:13 Lit among
- 1 Corinthians 11:16 I.e., the one advocated by Paul’s opponents
- 1 Corinthians 11:18 Lit in church
- 1 Corinthians 11:18 Or dissensions
- 1 Corinthians 11:19 Or recognizable
- 1 Corinthians 11:29 I.e., body of the Lord
- 1 Corinthians 11:30 I.e., are dead
1 Corinthians 11
New King James Version
Worship and the Lord’s Supper
11 Imitate(A) me, just as I also imitate Christ.
Head Coverings
2 Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to know that (B)the head of every man is Christ, (C)the head of woman is man, and (D)the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man praying or (E)prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were (F)shaved. 6 For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is (G)shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered. 7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since (H)he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man is not from woman, but woman (I)from man. 9 Nor was man created for the woman, but woman (J)for the man. 10 For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless, (K)neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. 12 For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.
13 Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? 15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given [a]to her for a covering. 16 But (L)if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, (M)nor do the churches of God.
Conduct at the Lord’s Supper
17 Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. 18 For first of all, when you come together as a church, (N)I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. 19 For (O)there must also be factions among you, (P)that those who are approved may be [b]recognized among you. 20 Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. 21 For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and (Q)another is drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise (R)the church of God and (S)shame [c]those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.
Institution of the Lord’s Supper(T)
23 For (U)I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: (V)that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, [d]“Take, eat; this is My body which is [e]broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death (W)till He comes.
Examine Yourself
27 Therefore whoever eats (X)this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and [f]blood of the Lord. 28 But (Y)let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks [g]in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the [h]Lord’s body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many [i]sleep. 31 For (Z)if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, (AA)we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
33 Therefore, my brethren, when you (AB)come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 11:15 M omits to her
- 1 Corinthians 11:19 Lit. manifest, evident
- 1 Corinthians 11:22 The poor
- 1 Corinthians 11:24 NU omits Take, eat
- 1 Corinthians 11:24 NU omits broken
- 1 Corinthians 11:27 NU, M the blood
- 1 Corinthians 11:29 NU omits in an unworthy manner
- 1 Corinthians 11:29 NU omits Lord’s
- 1 Corinthians 11:30 Are dead
Psalm 68
New American Standard Bible
The God of Sinai and of the Sanctuary.
For the music director. A Psalm of David. A Song.
68 [a]May (A)God arise, [b]may His enemies be scattered,
And [c]may those who hate Him flee from His presence.
2 As (B)smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
As (C)wax melts before a fire,
So the (D)wicked will perish before God.
3 But the (E)righteous will be joyful; they will rejoice before God;
Yes, they will rejoice with gladness.
4 Sing to God, (F)sing praises to His name;
[d](G)Exalt Him who (H)rides through the deserts,
Whose (I)name is [e]the Lord, and be jubilant before Him.
5 A (J)father of the fatherless and a (K)judge [f]for the widows,
Is God in His (L)holy dwelling.
6 God [g](M)makes a home for the lonely;
He (N)leads out the prisoners into prosperity,
Only (O)the rebellious live in parched lands.
7 God, when You (P)went forth before Your people,
When You (Q)marched through the desert, Selah
8 The (R)earth quaked;
The (S)heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God;
[h](T)Sinai itself quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9 You (U)made plentiful rain fall, God;
You confirmed Your inheritance when it was [i]parched.
10 Your creatures settled in it;
In Your kindness You (V)provided for the poor, God.
11 The Lord gives the [j]command;
The (W)women who proclaim good news are a great army:
12 “(X)Kings of armies flee, they flee,
And she who remains at home will (Y)divide the spoils!”
13 [k]When you lie down (Z)among the sheepfolds,
You are like the wings of a dove covered with silver,
And its pinions with [l]glistening gold.
14 When the Almighty (AA)scattered the kings [m]there,
It was snowing in (AB)Zalmon.
15 (AC)The mountain of Bashan is a [n]mountain of God;
The mountain of Bashan is a mountain of many peaks.
16 Why do you look with envy, you mountains of many peaks,
At the mountain God has (AD)desired as His dwelling?
Indeed, (AE)the Lord will dwell there forever.
17 The (AF)chariots of God are [o]myriads, (AG)thousands upon thousands;
[p]The Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness.
18 You have (AH)ascended on high, You have (AI)led captive Your captives;
You have received gifts among people,
Even among the rebellious as well, that [q]the Lord God may dwell there.
19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily (AJ)bears our burden,
(AK)The God who is our salvation. Selah
20 God is to us a (AL)God of salvation;
And (AM)to [r]God the Lord belong ways of escape [s]from death.
21 God certainly will (AN)shatter the heads of His enemies,
The hairy [t]head of one who goes about in his guilt.
22 The Lord [u]said, “(AO)I will bring them back from Bashan.
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23 So that [v](AP)your foot may shatter them in blood,
And the tongue of your (AQ)dogs may have its portion from your enemies.”
24 They have seen (AR)Your procession, God,
The procession of my God, my King, [w](AS)into the sanctuary.
25 The (AT)singers went on, the musicians after them,
[x]In the midst of the (AU)young women beating tambourines.
26 (AV)Bless God in the congregations,
Even the Lord, you who are of the (AW)fountain of Israel.
27 (AX)Benjamin, the [y]youngest, is there, [z]ruling them,
The leaders of Judah in their company,
The leaders of (AY)Zebulun, the leaders of Naphtali.
28 [aa]Your God has (AZ)commanded your strength;
Show Yourself strong, God, You (BA)who acted [ab]in our behalf.
29 [ac]Because of Your temple at Jerusalem
(BB)Kings will bring gifts to You.
30 Rebuke the (BC)animals [ad]in the reeds,
The herd of (BD)bulls with the calves of the peoples,
Trampling the pieces of silver;
He has (BE)scattered the peoples who delight in war.
31 [ae]Messengers will come from (BF)Egypt;
[af](BG)Cush will quickly stretch out her hands to God.
32 Sing to God, you (BH)kingdoms of the earth,
(BI)Sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33 To Him who (BJ)rides upon the [ag](BK)highest heavens, which are from ancient times;
Behold, (BL)He [ah]speaks with His voice, a (BM)mighty voice.
34 (BN)Ascribe strength to God;
His majesty is over Israel,
And (BO)His strength is in the [ai]skies.
35 [aj]God, You are (BP)awesome from Your [ak]sanctuary.
The God of Israel Himself (BQ)gives strength and power to the people.
(BR)Blessed be God!
Footnotes
- Psalm 68:1 Or God shall
- Psalm 68:1 Or His enemies shall
- Psalm 68:1 Or those who hate Him shall
- Psalm 68:4 Or Prepare the way for Him
- Psalm 68:4 Heb Yah
- Psalm 68:5 Lit of
- Psalm 68:6 Lit makes the solitary to dwell in a house
- Psalm 68:8 Lit This is Sinai which
- Psalm 68:9 Lit weary
- Psalm 68:11 Lit word
- Psalm 68:13 Lit If
- Psalm 68:13 I.e., gold alloyed with silver
- Psalm 68:14 Lit in it
- Psalm 68:15 Or mighty mountain
- Psalm 68:17 Lit twice 10,000
- Psalm 68:17 Another reading is The Lord came from Sinai into the sanctuary
- Psalm 68:18 Heb Yah
- Psalm 68:20 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Psalm 68:20 I.e., in view of; lit for
- Psalm 68:21 Lit skull
- Psalm 68:22 Or says
- Psalm 68:23 Some ancient versions render, you may bathe your foot in blood
- Psalm 68:24 Or in holiness
- Psalm 68:25 Or The maidens in the midst
- Psalm 68:27 Or smallest
- Psalm 68:27 Or their ruler
- Psalm 68:28 Some mss Command, God
- Psalm 68:28 Lit for us
- Psalm 68:29 Or From Your temple
- Psalm 68:30 Lit of
- Psalm 68:31 As in LXX; MT uncertain, possibly, Articles of bronze; or Articles of red cloth
- Psalm 68:31 Or Ethiopia
- Psalm 68:33 Lit heaven of heavens of old
- Psalm 68:33 Lit gives forth
- Psalm 68:34 Lit clouds
- Psalm 68:35 Or Awesome is God from your sanctuary
- Psalm 68:35 Lit holy places
Psalm 68
New King James Version
The Glory of God in His Goodness to Israel
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A Song.
68 Let (A)God arise,
Let His enemies be scattered;
Let those also who hate Him flee before Him.
2 (B)As smoke is driven away,
So drive them away;
(C)As wax melts before the fire,
So let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
3 But (D)let the righteous be glad;
Let them rejoice before God;
Yes, let them rejoice exceedingly.
4 Sing to God, sing praises to His name;
(E)Extol[a] Him who rides on the [b]clouds,
(F)By His name [c]Yah,
And rejoice before Him.
5 (G)A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows,
Is God in His holy habitation.
6 (H)God sets the solitary in families;
(I)He brings out those who are bound into prosperity;
But (J)the rebellious dwell in a dry land.
7 O God, (K)when You went out before Your people,
When You marched through the wilderness, Selah
8 The earth shook;
The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God;
Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9 (L)You, O God, sent a plentiful rain,
Whereby You confirmed Your inheritance,
When it was weary.
10 Your congregation dwelt in it;
(M)You, O God, provided from Your goodness for the poor.
11 The Lord gave the word;
Great was the [d]company of those who proclaimed it:
12 “Kings(N) of armies flee, they flee,
And she who remains at home divides the [e]spoil.
13 (O)Though you lie down among the [f]sheepfolds,
(P)You will be like the wings of a dove covered with silver,
And her feathers with yellow gold.”
14 (Q)When the Almighty scattered kings in it,
It was white as snow in Zalmon.
15 A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan;
A mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan.
16 Why do you [g]fume with envy, you mountains of many peaks?
(R)This is the mountain which God desires to dwell in;
Yes, the Lord will dwell in it forever.
17 (S)The chariots of God are twenty thousand,
Even thousands of thousands;
The Lord is among them as in Sinai, in the Holy Place.
18 (T)You have ascended on high,
(U)You have led captivity captive;
(V)You have received gifts among men,
Even from (W)the rebellious,
(X)That the Lord God might dwell there.
19 Blessed be the Lord,
Who daily loads us with benefits,
The God of our salvation! Selah
20 Our God is the God of salvation;
And (Y)to God the Lord belong escapes from death.
21 But (Z)God will wound the head of His enemies,
(AA)The hairy scalp of the one who still goes on in his trespasses.
22 The Lord said, “I will bring (AB)back from Bashan,
I will bring them back (AC)from the depths of the sea,
23 (AD)That [h]your foot may crush them in blood,
(AE)And the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies.”
24 They have seen Your [i]procession, O God,
The procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.
25 (AF)The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after;
Among them were the maidens playing timbrels.
26 Bless God in the congregations,
The Lord, from (AG)the fountain of Israel.
27 (AH)There is little Benjamin, their leader,
The princes of Judah and their [j]company,
The princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.
28 [k]Your God has (AI)commanded your strength;
Strengthen, O God, what You have done for us.
29 Because of Your temple at Jerusalem,
(AJ)Kings will bring presents to You.
30 Rebuke the beasts of the reeds,
(AK)The herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples,
Till everyone (AL)submits himself with pieces of silver.
Scatter the peoples who delight in war.
31 (AM)Envoys will come out of Egypt;
(AN)Ethiopia will quickly (AO)stretch out her hands to God.
32 Sing to God, you (AP)kingdoms of the earth;
Oh, sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33 To Him (AQ)who rides on the heaven of heavens, which were of old!
Indeed, He sends out His voice, a (AR)mighty voice.
34 (AS)Ascribe strength to God;
His excellence is over Israel,
And His strength is in the clouds.
35 O God, (AT)You are more awesome than Your holy places.
The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people.
Blessed be God!
Footnotes
- Psalm 68:4 Praise
- Psalm 68:4 MT deserts; Tg. heavens (cf. v. 34 and Is. 19:1)
- Psalm 68:4 Lit. Lord, a shortened Heb. form
- Psalm 68:11 host
- Psalm 68:12 plunder
- Psalm 68:13 Or saddlebags
- Psalm 68:16 Lit. stare
- Psalm 68:23 LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. you may dip your foot
- Psalm 68:24 Lit. goings
- Psalm 68:27 throng
- Psalm 68:28 LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. Command, O God
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
