Hezekiah’s Illness(A)

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

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

Then the word(I) of the Lord came to Isaiah: “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David,(J) says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears;(K) I will add fifteen years(L) to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend(M) this city.

“‘This is the Lord’s sign(N) to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: I will make the shadow cast by the sun go back the ten steps it has gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.’” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had gone down.(O)

A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery:

10 I said, “In the prime of my life(P)
    must I go through the gates of death(Q)
    and be robbed of the rest of my years?(R)
11 I said, “I will not again see the Lord himself(S)
    in the land of the living;(T)
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(U) my house
    has been pulled down(V) and taken from me.
Like a weaver I have rolled(W) up my life,
    and he has cut me off from the loom;(X)
    day and night(Y) you made an end of me.
13 I waited patiently(Z) till dawn,
    but like a lion he broke(AA) all my bones;(AB)
    day and night(AC) you made an end of me.
14 I cried like a swift or thrush,
    I moaned like a mourning dove.(AD)
My eyes grew weak(AE) as I looked to the heavens.
    I am being threatened; Lord, come to my aid!”(AF)

15 But what can I say?(AG)
    He has spoken to me, and he himself has done this.(AH)
I will walk humbly(AI) all my years
    because of this anguish of my soul.(AJ)
16 Lord, by such things people live;
    and my spirit finds life in them too.
You restored me to health
    and let me live.(AK)
17 Surely it was for my benefit(AL)
    that I suffered such anguish.(AM)
In your love you kept me
    from the pit(AN) of destruction;
you have put all my sins(AO)
    behind your back.(AP)
18 For the grave(AQ) cannot praise you,
    death cannot sing your praise;(AR)
those who go down to the pit(AS)
    cannot hope for your faithfulness.
19 The living, the living—they praise(AT) you,
    as I am doing today;
parents tell their children(AU)
    about your faithfulness.

20 The Lord will save me,
    and we will sing(AV) with stringed instruments(AW)
all the days of our lives(AX)
    in the temple(AY) 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(AZ) that I will go up to the temple of the Lord?”

Nagkasakit si Hezekia(A)

38 Nang panahong iyon, nagkasakit si Hezekia na halos ikamatay niya. Pumunta sa kanya si Propeta Isaias na anak ni Amoz at sinabi, “Sinabi ng Panginoon na magbilin ka na sa sambahayan mo dahil hindi ka na gagaling, mamamatay ka na.”

Nang marinig ito ni Hezekia, humarap siya sa dingding at nanalangin sa Panginoon. Sinabi niya, “Panginoon, alalahanin po ninyo kung papaano ako namuhay nang tapat at buong pusong naglingkod sa inyo at kung papaano ako gumawa ng mabuti sa paningin ninyo.” At umiyak siya ng husto.

Sinabi ng Panginoon kay Isaias na bumalik siya kay Hezekia at sabihin ito: “Sinabi ng Panginoon, ang Dios ng iyong ninunong si David: Narinig ko ang iyong dalangin at nakita ko ang mga luha mo. Dadagdagan ko pa ng 15 taon ang buhay mo. Ililigtas kita pati ang lungsod na ito sa hari ng Asiria. Ipagtatanggol ko ang lungsod na ito. Ito ang tanda na aking ibibigay para patunayang gagawin ko ang ipinangako kong ito: Pababalikin ko ng sampung guhit ang anino ng araw sa orasang ipinagawa ni Ahaz.” At nangyari nga ito.

Ito ang isinulat ni Haring Hezekia ng Juda nang gumaling siya sa kanyang sakit: 10 Akala koʼy mamamatay na ako sa panahon ng aking kabataan, at mananatili sa lugar ng mga patay. 11 Akala koʼy hindi ko na makikita ang Panginoon dito sa mundo ng mga buhay o hindi ko na makikita ang mga tao rito sa mundo. 12 Muntik nang nawala ang buhay ko na parang tolda ng mga pastol ng mga tupa na iniligpit. Ang akala koʼy mapuputol na ang buhay ko na parang telang puputulin na sa habihan. Mula sa umaga hanggang gabi ay inaakala kong wawakasan mo na ang buhay ko. 13 Buong pagpapakumbaba akong naghintay hanggang umaga sa pag-aakalang mamamatay na ako. Parang nilalansag ng leon ang aking mga buto kaya akala koʼy wawakasan mo na ang buhay ko. 14 Humingi ako ng tulong hanggang sa ang tinig koʼy para nang huni ng langay-langayan o ng tagak. Dumaing ako na parang tinig na ng kalapati. Ang mga mata koʼy pagod na rin ng katititig sa itaas. Panginoon, tulungan nʼyo po ako sa kahirapang ito.

15 Pero ano pa ang masasabi ko? Sapagkat sinagot niya ako at pinagaling. Mamumuhay ako nang may kapakumbabaan dahil sa mapait kong karanasan.

16 Panginoon, sa ginawa nʼyo pong ito, mapapalakas nʼyo ang loob ng tao, at ako mismo napalakas ninyo. Pinagaling nʼyo ako at pinayagan pang mabuhay. 17 Totoong ang mga kahirapang aking tiniis ay para rin sa aking kabutihan. Dahil sa pag-ibig nʼyo, iniligtas nʼyo ako sa kapahamakan at pinatawad nʼyo ang aking mga kasalanan. 18 Sapagkat papaano pa akong makakapagpuri sa inyo kung patay na ako? Ang mga patay ay hindi makakapagpuri sa inyo o makakaasa man sa inyong katapatan. 19 Ang mga buhay lamang ang makakapagpuri sa inyo katulad ng ginagawa ko ngayon. Ang bawat henerasyon ay magpapahayag sa susunod na henerasyon tungkol sa inyong katapatan. 20 Panginoon, iniligtas nʼyo po ako, kaya sa saliw ng tugtog, aawit kami sa inyong templo habang kami ay nabubuhay.

21 Noong hindi pa gumagaling si Hezekia, sinabi sa kanya ni Isaias na patapalan niya sa kanyang mga katulong ng dinikdik na bunga ng igos ang bukol niya para gumaling. 22 Nagtanong si Hezekia, “Ano ang palatandaan na magpapatunay na ako ngaʼy gagaling at makakapunta sa templo ng Panginoon?”

Hezekiah Healed

38 (A)In those days Hezekiah became [a]mortally ill. And (B)Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘(C)Set your house in order, for you are going to die and not live.’” Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, and said, “(D)Please, Lord, just remember how I have (E)walked before You (F)wholeheartedly and in truth, and (G)have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah (H)wept [b]profusely.

Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying, “Go and say to Hezekiah, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David says: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will add (I)fifteen years to your [c]life. And I will (J)save you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will protect this city.”’

“And this shall be the (K)sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will perform this word that He has spoken: Behold, I will (L)make the shadow on the stairway, which has gone down with the sun on the stairway of Ahaz, go back ten steps.” So the (M)sun’s shadow went back ten steps on the stairway on which it had gone down.

This is a writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and [d]recovery:

10 I said, “(N)In the middle of my [e]life
I am to enter the (O)gates of Sheol;
I have been (P)deprived of the rest of my years.”
11 I said, “I will not see the Lord,
The Lord (Q)in the land of the living;
I will no longer look on mankind among the inhabitants of the world.
12 Like a shepherd’s (R)tent my dwelling is pulled up and removed from me;
As a (S)weaver I (T)rolled up my life.
He (U)cuts me off from the loom;
From (V)day until night You make an end of me.
13 I composed my soul until morning.
(W)Like a lion—so He (X)breaks all my bones,
From (Y)day until night You make an end of me.
14 (Z)Like a swallow, like a crane, so I twitter;
I (AA)moan like a dove;
My (AB)eyes look wistfully to the heights;
Lord, I am oppressed, be my (AC)security.

15 (AD)What shall I say?
[f]For He has spoken to me, and He Himself has done it;
I will (AE)walk [g]quietly all my years because of the (AF)bitterness of my soul.
16 Lord, (AG)by these things people live,
And in all these is the life of my spirit;
[h](AH)Restore me to health and (AI)let me live!
17 Behold, for my own welfare I had great bitterness;
But You have [i](AJ)kept my soul from the pit of [j]nothingness,
For You have (AK)hurled all my sins behind Your back.
18 For (AL)Sheol cannot thank You,
Death cannot praise You;
Those who go down (AM)to the pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness.
19 It is the (AN)living who give thanks to You, as I do today;
A (AO)father tells his sons about Your faithfulness.
20 The Lord is certain to save me;
So we will (AP)play my songs on stringed instruments
(AQ)All the days of our life (AR)at the house of the Lord.”

21 Now (AS)Isaiah had said, “Have them take a cake of figs and apply it to the boil, so that he may recover.” 22 Then Hezekiah had said, “What is the (AT)sign that I will go up to the house of the Lord?”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 38:1 Lit sick to death
  2. Isaiah 38:3 Lit great weeping
  3. Isaiah 38:5 Lit days
  4. Isaiah 38:9 Lit he lived after his illness
  5. Isaiah 38:10 Lit days
  6. Isaiah 38:15 Targum and DSS And what shall I say for He
  7. Isaiah 38:15 Or slowly
  8. Isaiah 38:16 Lit You will
  9. Isaiah 38:17 As in some ancient versions; MT loved
  10. Isaiah 38:17 Or destruction