Holman Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
1In those days Hezekiah became terminally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came and said to him, "This is what the LORD says: 'Put your affairs in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.'" | 1In those days Hezekiah was stricken with a terminal illness. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz visited him and told him, "This is what the LORD says, 'Give instructions to your household, for you are about to die; you will not get well.'" |
2Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD. | 2Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, |
3He said, "Please, LORD, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and wholeheartedly, and have done what pleases You." And Hezekiah wept bitterly. | 3"Please, LORD. Remember how I have served you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion, and how I have carried out your will." Then Hezekiah wept bitterly. |
4Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: " | 4The LORD told Isaiah, |
5Go and tell Hezekiah that this is what the LORD God of your ancestor David says: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Look, I am going to add 15 years to your life. | 5"Go and tell Hezekiah: 'This is what the LORD God of your ancestor David says: "I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Look, I will add fifteen years to your life, |
6And I will deliver you and this city from the power of the king of Assyria; I will defend this city. | 6and rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria. I will shield this city."'" |
7This is the sign to you from the LORD that He will do what He has promised: | 7Isaiah replied, "This is your sign from the LORD confirming that the LORD will do what he has said: |
8I am going to make the sun's shadow that goes down on Ahaz's stairway go back by 10 steps." So the sun's shadow went back the 10 steps it had descended. | 8Look, I will make the shadow go back ten steps on the stairs of Ahaz." And then the shadow went back ten steps. |
9A poem by Hezekiah king of Judah after he had been sick and had recovered from his illness: | 9This is the prayer of King Hezekiah of Judah when he was sick and then recovered from his illness: |
10I said: In the prime of my life I must go to the gates of Sheol; I am deprived of the rest of my years. | 10"I thought, 'In the middle of my life I must walk through the gates of Sheol, I am deprived of the rest of my years.' |
11I said: I will never see the LORD, the LORD in the land of the living; I will not look on humanity any longer with the inhabitants of what is passing away. | 11"I thought, 'I will no longer see the LORD in the land of the living, I will no longer look on humankind with the inhabitants of the world. |
12My dwelling is plucked up and removed from me like a shepherd's tent. I have rolled up my life like a weaver; He cuts me off from the loom. You make an end of me from day until night. | 12My dwelling place is removed and taken away from me like a shepherd's tent. I rolled up my life like a weaver rolls cloth; from the loom he cuts me off. You turn day into night and end my life. |
13I thought until the morning: He will break all my bones like a lion; You make an end of me day and night. | 13I cry out until morning; like a lion he shatters all my bones; you turn day into night and end my life. |
14I chirp like a swallow or a crane; I moan like a dove. My eyes grow weak looking upward. Lord, I am oppressed; support me. | 14Like a swallow or a thrush I chirp, I coo like a dove; my eyes grow tired from looking up to the sky. O sovereign master, I am oppressed; help me! |
15What can I say? He has spoken to me, and He Himself has done it. I walk along slowly all my years because of the bitterness of my soul, | 15What can I say? He has decreed and acted. I will walk slowly all my years because I am overcome with grief. |
16Lord, because of these promises people live, and in all of them is the life of my spirit as well; You have restored me to health and let me live. | 16O sovereign master, your decrees can give men life; may years of life be restored to me. Restore my health and preserve my life.' |
17Indeed, it was for my own welfare that I had such great bitterness; but Your love has delivered me from the Pit of destruction, for You have thrown all my sins behind Your back. | 17"Look, the grief I experienced was for my benefit. You delivered me from the pit of oblivion. For you removed all my sins from your sight. |
18For Sheol cannot thank You; Death cannot praise You. Those who go down to the Pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness. | 18Indeed Sheol does not give you thanks; death does not praise you. Those who descend into the pit do not anticipate your faithfulness. |
19The living, only the living can thank You, as I do today; a father will make Your faithfulness known to children. | 19The living person, the living person, he gives you thanks, as I do today. A father tells his sons about your faithfulness. |
20The LORD will save me; we will play stringed instruments all the days of our lives at the house of the LORD. | 20The LORD is about to deliver me, and we will celebrate with music for the rest of our lives in the LORD's temple." |
21Now Isaiah had said, "Let them take a lump of pressed figs and apply it to his infected skin, so that he may recover." | 21Isaiah ordered, "Let them take a fig cake and apply it to the ulcerated sore and he will get well." |
22And Hezekiah had asked, "What is the sign that I will go up to the LORD's temple?" | 22Hezekiah said, "What is the confirming sign that I will go up to the LORD's temple?" |
|