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Isaiah 38:11-39:8
English Standard Version
Isaiah 38:11-39:8
English Standard Version
11 I said, I shall not see the Lord,
the Lord (A)in the land of the living;
I shall look on man no more
among the inhabitants of the world.
12 My dwelling is plucked up and removed from me
(B)like a shepherd's tent;
(C)like a weaver (D)I have rolled up my life;
(E)he cuts me off from the loom;
(F)from day to night you bring me to an end;
13 (G)I calmed myself[a] until morning;
like a lion (H)he breaks all my bones;
from day to night you bring me to an end.
14 Like (I)a swallow or a crane I chirp;
(J)I moan like a dove.
(K)My eyes are weary with looking upward.
O Lord, I am oppressed; (L)be my pledge of safety!
15 What shall I say? For he has spoken to me,
and he himself has done it.
(M)I walk slowly all my years
because of the bitterness of my soul.
16 (N)O Lord, by these things men live,
and in all these is the life of my spirit.
Oh restore me to health and make me live!
17 (O)Behold, it was for my welfare
that I had great bitterness;
(P)but in love you have delivered my life
from the pit of destruction,
(Q)for you have cast all my sins
behind your back.
18 (R)For Sheol does not thank you;
death does not praise you;
those who go down to the pit do not hope
for your faithfulness.
19 The living, the living, he thanks you,
as I do this day;
(S)the father makes known to the children
your faithfulness.
20 The Lord will save me,
and we will play my music on stringed instruments
all the days of our lives,
(T)at the house of the Lord.
21 (U)Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a cake of figs and apply it to the boil, that he may recover.” 22 Hezekiah also had said, “What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord?”
Envoys from Babylon
39 (V)At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, (W)sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. 2 And Hezekiah welcomed them gladly. And he showed them his treasure house, (X)the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his whole armory, all that was found in his storehouses. (Y)There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. 3 Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say? And from where did they come to you?” Hezekiah said, “They have come to me from a far country, from Babylon.” 4 He said, “What have they seen in your house?” Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house. There is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.”
5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: 6 (Z)Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the Lord. 7 (AA)And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” 8 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, (AB)“There will be peace and security in my days.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 38:13 Or (with Targum) I cried for help
Isaiah 38:11-39:8
New International Version
Isaiah 38:11-39:8
New International Version
11 I said, “I will not again see the Lord himself(A)
in the land of the living;(B)
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(C) my house
has been pulled down(D) and taken from me.
Like a weaver I have rolled(E) up my life,
and he has cut me off from the loom;(F)
day and night(G) you made an end of me.
13 I waited patiently(H) till dawn,
but like a lion he broke(I) all my bones;(J)
day and night(K) you made an end of me.
14 I cried like a swift or thrush,
I moaned like a mourning dove.(L)
My eyes grew weak(M) as I looked to the heavens.
I am being threatened; Lord, come to my aid!”(N)
15 But what can I say?(O)
He has spoken to me, and he himself has done this.(P)
I will walk humbly(Q) all my years
because of this anguish of my soul.(R)
16 Lord, by such things people live;
and my spirit finds life in them too.
You restored me to health
and let me live.(S)
17 Surely it was for my benefit(T)
that I suffered such anguish.(U)
In your love you kept me
from the pit(V) of destruction;
you have put all my sins(W)
behind your back.(X)
18 For the grave(Y) cannot praise you,
death cannot sing your praise;(Z)
those who go down to the pit(AA)
cannot hope for your faithfulness.
19 The living, the living—they praise(AB) you,
as I am doing today;
parents tell their children(AC)
about your faithfulness.
20 The Lord will save me,
and we will sing(AD) with stringed instruments(AE)
all the days of our lives(AF)
in the temple(AG) of the Lord.
21 Isaiah had said, “Prepare a poultice of figs and apply it to the boil, and he will recover.”
22 Hezekiah had asked, “What will be the sign(AH) that I will go up to the temple of the Lord?”
Envoys From Babylon(AI)
39 At that time Marduk-Baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon(AJ) sent Hezekiah letters and a gift, because he had heard of his illness and recovery. 2 Hezekiah received the envoys(AK) gladly and showed them what was in his storehouses—the silver, the gold,(AL) the spices, the fine olive oil—his entire armory and everything found among his treasures.(AM) There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.
3 Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked, “What did those men say, and where did they come from?”
“From a distant land,(AN)” Hezekiah replied. “They came to me from Babylon.”
4 The prophet asked, “What did they see in your palace?”
“They saw everything in my palace,” Hezekiah said. “There is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them.”
5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word(AO) of the Lord Almighty: 6 The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon.(AP) Nothing will be left, says the Lord. 7 And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.(AQ)”
8 “The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,(AR)” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my lifetime.(AS)”
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.