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)

Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, “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.

Then the word(I) of the Lord came to Isaiah: “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. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend(M) this city.

“‘This is the Lord’s sign(N) to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: I 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)

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

10 I 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)
11 I 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.
12 Like 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.
13 I 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.
14 I 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)

15 But 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)
16 Lord, by such things people live;
    and my spirit finds life in them too.
You restored me to health
    and let me live.(AK)
17 Surely 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)
18 For 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.
19 The living, the living—they praise(AT) you,
    as I am doing today;
parents tell their children(AU)
    about your faithfulness.

20 The Lord will save me,
    and we will sing(AV) with stringed instruments(AW)
all the days of our lives(AX)
    in the temple(AY) of the Lord.

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希西家病危與康復(A)

38 那時,希西家患了重病,快要死去。亞摩斯的兒子以賽亞先知來見他,對他說:“耶和華這樣說:‘你要把你的家整頓妥當,因為你快要死去,不能存活。’” 希西家就轉臉向牆,對耶和華禱告、 說:“耶和華啊!求你記念我在你面前怎樣誠誠實實、以純全的心來行事,又作你眼中看為善的事。”然後,希西家就痛哭起來。 耶和華的話臨到以賽亞說: “你去告訴希西家:‘耶和華你祖先大衛的 神這樣說:我聽見了你的禱告,看見了你的眼淚;看哪!我必在你的壽數上加添十五年。 我必救你和這城脫離亞述王的手;我必保護這城。’ 以下就是耶和華給你的兆頭,為要證明耶和華必成全他所說過的。 看哪!我要使亞哈斯日晷上那向前進的日影往後退十度。”於是那向前進的日影,果然在日晷上往後退了十度。

希西家的感恩歌

猶大王希西家從病患中痊愈以後,就寫了這詩:

10 我曾說:在我盛年之際,

我竟要進入陰間之門;

我餘剩的年日,竟被奪去。

11 我曾說:在活人之地,

我必不得見耶和華;

在世間的居民中,我必不再見到任何人。

12 我的住處被拔起,遷離了我,像牧人的帳棚一樣;

我捲起我的性命,像織布的捲布一樣;

他把我從機頭剪斷;

一日之間,他必使我生命終結。

13 我不斷哀歎,直到早晨,

他像獅子一般,折斷我所有的骨頭;

一日之間,他必使我生命終結。

14 我像燕子呻吟,像白鶴鳴叫,

又像鴿子哀鳴。

我的眼睛因仰望高處而疲倦;

耶和華啊!我受欺壓,求你作我的保障。

15 我可說甚麼呢?

他應許我的,已給我成全了;

因我的心曾受過苦楚,所以我要謹慎地度我所有的年日。

16 主啊!人活著是在於這些,

我的靈存活,也在於這些。

所以求你使我恢復健康,使我存活。

17 看哪!我受盡苦楚,為要使我得平安;

你保全我的性命,脫離毀滅的坑,

因為你把我的一切罪都丟在你的背後。

18 陰間不能稱謝你,

死亡不能讚美你,

下坑的人都不能仰望你的信實。

19 只有活人才能稱謝你,像我今日一樣;

作父親的,要讓兒女知道你的信實。

20 耶和華必拯救我,

因此我們要一生一世在耶和華的殿中,

用絲弦的樂器彈奏我的詩歌。

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