Hezekiah Gets Sick and Almost Dies

(2 Chronicles 32.24-26; Isaiah 38.1-8,21,22)

20 About this time, Hezekiah got sick and was almost dead. Isaiah the prophet went in and told him, “The Lord says you won't ever get well. You are going to die, so you had better start doing what needs to be done.”

² Hezekiah turned toward the wall and prayed, ³ “Don't forget that I have been faithful to you, Lord. I have obeyed you with all my heart, and I do whatever you say is right.” After this, he cried bitterly.

⁴ Before Isaiah got to the middle court of the palace, ⁵ the Lord sent him back to Hezekiah with this message:

Hezekiah, you are the ruler of my people, and I am the Lord God, who was worshiped by your ancestor David. I heard you pray, and I saw you cry. I will heal you, so that three days from now you will be able to worship in my temple. ⁶ I will let you live 15 years more, while I protect you and your city from the king of Assyria. I will defend this city as an honor to me and to my servant David.

⁷ Then Isaiah said to the king's servants, “Bring some mashed figs and place them on the king's open sore. He will then get well.”

¹¹ Isaiah prayed, and the Lord made the shadow go back ten steps on the stairway built for King Ahaz.^[a]