希西迦的病危与康复

20 那些天,希西迦病危,亚摩斯的儿子以赛亚先知前来对他说:“耶和华说,‘你要交待后事,因为你要死了,你的病不能康复。’” 希西迦把脸转向墙,向耶和华祷告,说: “耶和华啊,求你顾念我怎样全心、忠诚地事奉你,做你视为善的事。”希西迦痛哭起来。 当时,以赛亚还没有走出中院,耶和华对他说: “回去告诉我子民的首领希西迦,‘你祖先大卫的上帝耶和华说,我已听见你的祷告,看见了你的眼泪。我要医治你,三天后你就可以上耶和华的殿。 我要使你的寿命增加十五年,我要从亚述王手中拯救你和这城。为我自己和我仆人大卫的缘故,我要保护这城。’”

以赛亚说:“拿一块无花果饼贴在王的疮上,他就会痊愈。”

希西迦问以赛亚:“有什么兆头证明耶和华要医治我,三天后我可以上耶和华的殿呢?” 以赛亚说:“耶和华要给你一个兆头,证明祂言出必行。你要日影前进十度还是后退十度呢?” 10 希西迦说:“日影前进十度容易,让日影后退十度吧。” 11 以赛亚先知向耶和华祈求,耶和华就使亚哈斯日晷上的日影后退了十度。

巴比伦的使者来访

12 那时,巴拉但的儿子巴比伦王米罗达·巴拉但听说希西迦病了,便派人送去书信和礼物。 13 希西迦接见使者,让他们观看国库里的金银、香料、珍贵膏油、所有兵器和一切宝物。希西迦把宫中及国内的一切都给他们看。

14 以赛亚先知来见希西迦王,问他:“这些人说了些什么?他们从哪里来?”希西迦答道:“他们来自遥远的巴比伦。” 15 以赛亚问:“他们在你宫里看到了什么?”希西迦答道:“他们看到了我宫中的一切。我把国库里的一切都给他们看了。”

16 以赛亚对希西迦说:“你听着,耶和华说, 17 ‘终有一天,你宫中的一切和你祖先积攒到现在的一切,必一件不留地被掳到巴比伦。这是耶和华说的。 18 你的子孙当中必有人被掳去,在巴比伦王的宫中做太监。’” 19 希西迦对以赛亚说:“耶和华借你说的话很好。”因为他想:“至少我有生之年将平安稳妥。”

20 希西迦其他的事迹和成就,包括怎样建造水池和挖沟引水入城,都记在犹大的列王史上。 21 希西迦与祖先同眠后,他儿子玛拿西继位。

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 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.

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

Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery

20 (A)In those days (B)Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, (C)‘Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.’” Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, saying, “Now, O Lord, (D)please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and (E)with a whole heart, (F)and have done what is good in your sight.” (G)And Hezekiah wept bitterly. And before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: “Turn back, and say to Hezekiah (H)the leader of my people, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: (I)I have heard your prayer; (J)I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord, and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, (K)and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David's sake.” And Isaiah said, “Bring a cake of figs. And let them take and lay it on the boil, that he may recover.”

And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the Lord on the third day?” And Isaiah said, “This shall be (L)the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing that he has promised: shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?” 10 And Hezekiah answered, “It is an easy thing for the shadow (M)to lengthen ten steps. Rather let the shadow go back ten steps.” 11 And Isaiah the prophet called to the Lord, (N)and he brought the shadow back ten steps, by which it had gone down on the steps of Ahaz.

Hezekiah and the Babylonian Envoys

12 (O)At that time (P)Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, (Q)sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. 13 And Hezekiah welcomed them, and he showed them (R)all his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or 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 did they come to you?” And Hezekiah said, “They have come from a far country, from Babylon.” 15 He said, “What have they seen in your house?” And Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.”

16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord: 17 Behold, the days are coming, when (S)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. 18 (T)And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, (U)and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” 19 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, (V)“The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?”

20 (W)The rest of the deeds of Hezekiah and all his might and how he made (X)the pool and the conduit (Y)and brought water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 21 (Z)And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and Manasseh his son reigned in his place.