希西迦的病危與康復

20 那些天,希西迦病危,亞摩斯的兒子以賽亞先知前來對他說:「耶和華說,『你要交待後事,因為你要死了,你的病不能康復。』」 希西迦把臉轉向牆,向耶和華禱告,說: 「耶和華啊,求你顧念我怎樣全心、忠誠地事奉你,做你視為善的事。」希西迦痛哭起來。 當時,以賽亞還沒有走出中院,耶和華對他說: 「回去告訴我子民的首領希西迦,『你祖先大衛的上帝耶和華說,我已聽見你的禱告,看見了你的眼淚。我要醫治你,三天後你就可以上耶和華的殿。 我要使你的壽命增加十五年,我要從亞述王手中拯救你和這城。為我自己和我僕人大衛的緣故,我要保護這城。』」

以賽亞說:「拿一塊無花果餅貼在王的瘡上,他就會痊癒。」

希西迦問以賽亞:「有什麼兆頭證明耶和華要醫治我,三天後我可以上耶和華的殿呢?」 以賽亞說:「耶和華要給你一個兆頭,證明祂言出必行。你要日影前進十度還是後退十度呢?」 10 希西迦說:「日影前進十度容易,讓日影後退十度吧。」 11 以賽亞先知向耶和華祈求,耶和華就使亞哈斯日晷上的日影後退了十度。

巴比倫的使者來訪

12 那時,巴拉但的兒子巴比倫王米羅達·巴拉但聽說希西迦病了,便派人送去書信和禮物。 13 希西迦接見使者,讓他們觀看國庫裡的金銀、香料、珍貴膏油、所有兵器和一切寶物。希西迦把宮中及國內的一切都給他們看。

14 以賽亞先知來見希西迦王,問他:「這些人說了些什麼?他們從哪裡來?」希西迦答道:「他們來自遙遠的巴比倫。」 15 以賽亞問:「他們在你宮裡看到了什麼?」希西迦答道:「他們看到了我宮中的一切。我把國庫裡的一切都給他們看了。」

16 以賽亞對希西迦說:「你聽著,耶和華說, 17 『終有一天,你宮中的一切和你祖先積攢到現在的一切,必一件不留地被擄到巴比倫。這是耶和華說的。 18 你的子孫當中必有人被擄去,在巴比倫王的宮中做太監。』」 19 希西迦對以賽亞說:「耶和華藉你說的話很好。」因為他想:「至少我有生之年將平安穩妥。」

20 希西迦其他的事蹟和成就,包括怎樣建造水池和挖溝引水入城,都記在猶大的列王史上。 21 希西迦與祖先同眠後,他兒子瑪拿西繼位。

Hezekiah’s Illness(A)

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

Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, “Remember,(B) Lord, how I have walked(C) before you faithfully(D) and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard(E) your prayer and seen your tears;(F) I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord. I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend(G) this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’”

Then Isaiah said, “Prepare a poultice of figs.” They did so and applied it to the boil,(H) and he recovered.

Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the Lord will heal me and that I will go up to the temple of the Lord on the third day from now?”

Isaiah answered, “This is the Lord’s sign(I) to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: Shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or shall it go back ten steps?”

10 “It is a simple(J) matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps,” said Hezekiah. “Rather, have it go back ten steps.”

11 Then the prophet Isaiah called on the Lord, and the Lord made the shadow go back(K) the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.

Envoys From Babylon(L)(M)

12 At that time Marduk-Baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent Hezekiah letters and a gift, because he had heard of Hezekiah’s illness. 13 Hezekiah received the envoys and showed them all that was in his storehouses—the silver, the gold, the spices and the fine olive oil—his armory and everything found among his treasures. There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.

14 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,” Hezekiah replied. “They came from Babylon.”

15 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.”

16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord: 17 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.(N) Nothing will be left, says the Lord. 18 And some of your descendants,(O) 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.”(P)

19 “The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?”

20 As for the other events of Hezekiah’s reign, all his achievements and how he made the pool(Q) and the tunnel(R) by which he brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 21 Hezekiah rested with his ancestors. And Manasseh his son succeeded him as king.

20 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.

Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, saying,

I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying,

Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord.

And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.

And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.

And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the Lord the third day?

And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?

10 And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.

11 And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the Lord: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.

12 At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.

13 And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.

14 Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon.

15 And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.

16 And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the Lord.

17 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the Lord.

18 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.

19 Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?

20 And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

21 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.

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.’ ”

Then he turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord, saying, (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.

And it happened, before Isaiah had gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “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. 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.” ’ ”

Then (H)Isaiah said, “Take a lump of figs.” So they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.

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?”

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

  1. 2 Kings 20:10 Lit. steps
  2. 2 Kings 20:11 Lit. steps
  3. 2 Kings 20:12 Merodach-Baladan, Is. 39:1
  4. 2 Kings 20:13 So with many Heb. mss., Syr., Tg.; MT omits all
  5. 2 Kings 20:13 Lit. the house of his armor
  6. 2 Kings 20:18 be born from
  7. 2 Kings 20:20 aqueduct
  8. 2 Kings 20:21 Died and joined his ancestors