Isaiah 38
1 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Give orders to your household, because you are going to die; you will not recover.’”
2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD.
3 He said, “Ah, LORD, remember how I have walked before you faithfully and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4 Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah:
5 “Go and tell Hezekiah: ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: «I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Look, I will add fifteen years to your life.
6 And I will rescue you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will protect this city.
7 And this will be the sign for you from the LORD that the LORD will do what he has said.
8 Look, I will make the shadow on the steps—which has gone down with the sun on the steps of Ahaz—turn back ten steps.”’” And the sun went back ten steps on the steps it had descended.
9 A writing by Hezekiah king of Judah, when he was ill and recovered from his illness.
10 I said, “In the middle of my days I must go through the gates of Sheol; I have been deprived of the rest of my years.”
11 I said, “I will not see the LORD, the LORD in the land of the living; I will look on humankind no more among the inhabitants of the world that is passing away.”
12 My dwelling has been pulled up and carried away from me like a shepherd’s tent. I rolled up my life as a weaver rolls up cloth; he cuts me off from the loom. From day to night you bring me to an end.
13 I kept quiet until morning; like a lion, he breaks all my bones. From day to night you bring me to an end.
14 Like a swallow or a crane, I chirped; I moaned like a dove. My eyes grew weary looking upward. Lord, I am oppressed; be my surety!
15 What can I say? He spoke to me, and he himself has acted. I will walk slowly all my years because of the bitterness of my soul.
16 Lord, by these things people live, and in all of them is the life of my spirit. You restore me and make me live.
17 My great bitterness turned to peace. But you loved my life and rescued it from the pit of destruction, for you have thrown all my sins behind your back.
18 For Sheol does not praise you; death does not celebrate you. Those who go down to the pit do not hope in your faithfulness.
19 The living, the living—they praise you, as I do today. A father makes your faithfulness known to his children.
20 The LORD came to save me, and we will play my songs all the days of our lives in the house of the LORD.
21 Isaiah said, “Bring a cake of figs and apply it to the boil, and he will live.”
22 And Hezekiah said, “What is the sign that I will go up to the house of the LORD?”
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