2 Kings 20
Expanded Bible
Hezekiah’s Illness(A)
20 At that time Hezekiah became so sick he ·almost died [was about to die]. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to see him and told him, “·This is what the Lord says [T Thus says the Lord]: ·Make arrangements [L Set your house in order] because you are going to die. You will not recover.”
2 Hezekiah turned toward the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 “Lord, please remember that I have always ·obeyed [L walked before] you. I have ·given myself completely to you [served you wholeheartedly] and have done ·what you said was right [L right in the eyes/sight of the Lord].” Then Hezekiah ·cried loudly [wept bitterly].
4 Before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard, the Lord spoke his word to Isaiah: 5 “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ·leader [ruler; prince] of my people: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your ·ancestor [father] David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears, so I will heal you. Three days from now you will go up to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. 6 I will add fifteen years to your life. I will ·save [rescue; T deliver] you and this city from [L the hand of] the king of Assyria; I will ·protect [defend] the city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’”
7 Then Isaiah said, “Make a ·paste [ointment; poultice] from figs.” So they made it and put it on Hezekiah’s boil, and he got well.
8 Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the Lord will heal me and that I will go up to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord on the third day?”
9 Isaiah said, “The Lord will do what he ·says [promises]. This is the sign from the Lord to show you: Do you want the shadow to go forward ten steps or back ten steps?”
10 Hezekiah answered, “It’s ·easy [normal] for the shadow to ·go forward [lengthen] ten steps. Instead, let it go back ten steps.”
11 Then Isaiah the prophet called to the Lord, and the Lord brought the shadow ten steps back up the ·stairway [or dial; C the shadows moved either on outside stairs or on a sundial] of Ahaz that it had gone down.
Messengers from Babylon(B)
12 At that time Merodach-baladan son of Baladan was king of Babylon. He sent ·letters [greetings] and a gift to Hezekiah, because he had heard that Hezekiah ·was [had been] sick. 13 Hezekiah ·listened to [received] the messengers, ·so [and] he showed them what was in his storehouses: the silver, gold, spices, ·expensive perfumes [precious oils], his ·swords and shields [armory], and all his ·wealth [treasures]. He showed them everything in his ·palace [L house] and his kingdom.
14 Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked him, “What did these men say? Where did they come from?”
Hezekiah said, “They came from a faraway country—from Babylon.”
15 So Isaiah asked him, “What did they see in your ·palace [L house]?”
Hezekiah said, “They saw everything in my ·palace [L house]. I showed them all my ·wealth [L treasuries; store houses].”
16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Listen to the words of the Lord: 17 ‘·In the future to you [The time/day is coming when] everything in your ·palace [L house] and everything your ·ancestors [fathers] have stored up until this day will be ·taken away [carried off] to Babylon. Nothing will be left,’ says the Lord. 18 ‘Some of your own ·children [sons], those ·who will be born to you [you will father], will be taken away. And they will become ·servants [eunuchs] in the palace of the king of Babylon.’”
19 Hezekiah told Isaiah, “These words from the Lord that you have spoken are good.” He said this because he thought, “Why not? There will be peace and security in my lifetime.”
20 Everything else Hezekiah did—all his ·victories [achievements; power], his work on the pool, his work on the tunnel to bring water into the city—·is [L is it not…?] written in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 1:18] of the kings of Judah. 21 Then Hezekiah ·died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors], and his son Manasseh became king in his place.
2 Kings 20
Amplified Bible
Hezekiah’s Illness and Recovery
20 In those days [when Sennacherib first invaded Judah] Hezekiah became deathly ill. The prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not recover.’”(A) 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, saying, 3 “Please, O Lord, remember now [with compassion] how I have walked before You in faithfulness and truth and with a whole heart [entirely devoted to You], and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 Before Isaiah had gone out of the middle courtyard, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 5 “Go back and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father (ancestor): “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears. Behold, I am healing you; on the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord. 6 I will add fifteen years to your life and save you and this city [Jerusalem] from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will protect this city for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.”’” 7 Then Isaiah said, “Bring a cake of figs. And they brought it and placed it on the [painful] inflammation, and he recovered.”
8 Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the Lord will [completely] heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the Lord on the third day?” 9 Isaiah said, “This will be the sign to you from the Lord, that He will do the thing that He has spoken: shall the shadow [indicating the time of day] go forward ten steps, or go backward ten steps?” 10 Hezekiah answered, “It is easy for the shadow to go forward ten steps; no, but let the shadow turn backward ten steps.” 11 So Isaiah the prophet called out to the Lord, and He brought the shadow on the steps ten steps backward by which it had gone down on the [a]sundial of Ahaz.
Hezekiah Shows Babylon His Treasures
12 At that time [b]Berodach-baladan a son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.(B) 13 Hezekiah listened to and welcomed them and [[c]foolishly] showed them all his treasure house—the silver and gold and spices and precious oil and his armory and everything that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house (palace) 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 [that would cause you to do this for them]? From where have they come to you?” Hezekiah said, “They have come from a far country, from Babylon.” 15 Isaiah said, “What have they seen in your house?” Hezekiah answered, “They have seen everything that is in my house (palace). There is nothing in my treasuries that I have not shown them.”
16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord. 17 ‘Behold, the time is coming when everything that is in your house, and that your fathers have stored up until this day, will be carried to Babylon; nothing will be left,’ says the Lord. 18 ‘And some of your sons (descendants) who will be born to you will be [d]taken away [as captives]; and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” 19 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “Is it not good, if [at least] there will be peace and security in my lifetime?”
20 The rest of the acts of Hezekiah and all his might, and how he made the [Siloam] pool and the aqueduct and brought water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 21 Hezekiah slept with his fathers [in death], and Manasseh his son became king in his place.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 20:11 Or stairway; lit steps.
- 2 Kings 20:12 Many mss and ancient versions read Merodach-baladan; cf Is 39:1.
- 2 Kings 20:13 Hezekiah was showing off his wealth to the Babylonians, in disregard of the mercy God had just granted him.
- 2 Kings 20:18 Isaiah predicted the Babylonian captivity about a hundred and fifteen years before it occurred.
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