2 Kings 20
1 In those days, Hezekiah became sick and was about to die. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Set your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.’”
2 He turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD:
3 “Please, LORD, remember how I have walked before you faithfully and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4 Isaiah had not yet left the middle courtyard when the word of the LORD came to him:
5 “Go back and say to Hezekiah, the leader of my people: ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: “I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. I will heal you. On the third day, you will go up to the house of the LORD.
6 I will add fifteen years to your life. I will rescue you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will protect this city for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.”’”
7 Isaiah said, “Bring a cake of figs.” They brought it and put it on the boil, and he recovered.
8 Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the LORD will heal me and that on the third day I will go up to the house of the LORD?”
9 Isaiah answered, “This will be the sign from the LORD that he will do what he has said: Should the shadow move forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?”
10 Hezekiah said, “It is easy for the shadow to stretch forward ten steps. No, let the shadow go back ten steps.”
11 Then the prophet Isaiah cried out to the LORD, and he made the shadow go back ten steps, down the steps of Ahaz.
12 At that time, Berodach-baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, because he had heard that Hezekiah was sick.
13 Hezekiah welcomed them and showed them his entire treasure house: the silver, the gold, the spices, the fine oil, his armory, and everything found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house or throughout his domain that Hezekiah did not show them.
14 Then the prophet Isaiah went to King Hezekiah and said to him, “What did these men say? And where did they come from to you?” Hezekiah answered, “They came from a distant land, from Babylon.”
15 Isaiah asked, “What did they see in your house?” Hezekiah answered, “They saw everything in my house. There was nothing in my treasuries that I did not show them.”
16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD:
17 ‘Days are coming when everything in your house, and everything your ancestors have stored up to this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD.
18 Some of your sons, born to you, will be taken away, and they will become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon.’”
19 Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good.” He added, “Is it not good if there will be peace and security in my days?”
20 The rest of Hezekiah’s acts, all his might, and how he made the pool and the tunnel and brought water into the city—are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
21 Hezekiah lay down with his ancestors, and Manasseh his son became king in his place.
Read and listen to this chapter in the Shalem app, free: narration, chapter video and reading progress. Get the app