International Standard Version | New Living Translation |
1During that time, Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. Then Amoz's son Isaiah the prophet came to him and told him, "This is what the LORD says: 'Put your house in order, because you are going to die. You won't recover.'" | 1About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to visit him. He gave the king this message: “This is what the LORD says: ‘Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die. You will not recover from this illness.’” |
2Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD. | 2When Hezekiah heard this, he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, |
3"Please, LORD," he said, "Remember how I have walked before you faithfully and with a true heart, and I have done what pleases you." And Hezekiah wept bitterly. | 3“Remember, O LORD, how I have always been faithful to you and have served you single-mindedly, always doing what pleases you.” Then he broke down and wept bitterly. |
4Then this message from the LORD came to Isaiah: | 4Then this message came to Isaiah from the LORD: |
5"Go tell Hezekiah, 'This is what the LORD God of your ancestor David has to say: "I've heard your prayer and I've seen your tears; so I will add fifteen years to your life. | 5“Go back to Hezekiah and tell him, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your ancestor David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will add fifteen years to your life, |
6I'll save you and this city from the king of Assyria, and I'll defend this city, for my own sake and for my servant David's sake. | 6and I will rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria. Yes, I will defend this city. |
7This is the LORD's sign to you that the LORD will carry out this thing he has promised: | 7“‘And this is the sign from the LORD to prove that he will do as he promised: |
8Watch! I will make the shadow on the steps of the upper dial of Ahaz that marks the sun go ten steps backwards."'" Then the sunlight turned back on the dial the ten steps by which it had gone down. | 8I will cause the sun’s shadow to move ten steps backward on the sundial of Ahaz!’” So the shadow on the sundial moved backward ten steps. Hezekiah’s Poem of Praise |
9 A composition by King Hezekiah of Judah, following his illness and recovery: | 9When King Hezekiah was well again, he wrote this poem: |
10I said, "Must I leave in the prime of my life? Must I be consigned to the control of Sheol? Bitter are my years!" | 10I said, “In the prime of my life, must I now enter the place of the dead? Am I to be robbed of the rest of my years?” |
11I said, "I won't see the LORD in the land of the living; and I'll no longer observe human beings among the denizens of the grave. | 11I said, “Never again will I see the LORD God while still in the land of the living. Never again will I see my friends or be with those who live in this world. |
12My house has been plucked up and vanishes from me like a shepherd's tent; like a weaver, I've taken account of my life, and he cuts me off from the loom— day and night you make an end of me. | 12My life has been blown away like a shepherd’s tent in a storm. It has been cut short, as when a weaver cuts cloth from a loom. Suddenly, my life was over. |
13I've been swept bare until morning; just like a lion, he breaks all my bones— day and night you make an end of me. | 13I waited patiently all night, but I was torn apart as though by lions. Suddenly, my life was over. |
14Like a swallow or a crane I chirp, I moan like a dove. My eyes look weakly upward. O Lord, I am oppressed, so stand up for me! | 14Delirious, I chattered like a swallow or a crane, and then I moaned like a mourning dove. My eyes grew tired of looking to heaven for help. I am in trouble, Lord. Help me!” |
15What can I say, so I tell myself, since he has done this to me? I will walk slowly all my years because of my soul's anguish. | 15But what could I say? For he himself sent this sickness. Now I will walk humbly throughout my years because of this anguish I have felt. |
16"My Lord is against them, yet they live, and among all of them who live is his spirit. Now you have restored me to health, so let me live! | 16Lord, your discipline is good, for it leads to life and health. You restore my health and allow me to live! |
17Yes, it was for my own good that I suffered extreme anguish. But in love you have held back my life from the Pit in which it has been confined; you have tossed all my sins behind your back. | 17Yes, this anguish was good for me, for you have rescued me from death and forgiven all my sins. |
18For Sheol cannot thank you, death cannot sing your praise; and those who go down to the Pit cannot hope for your faithfulness. | 18For the dead cannot praise you; they cannot raise their voices in praise. Those who go down to the grave can no longer hope in your faithfulness. |
19The living—yes the living—they thank you, just as I am doing today; fathers will tell their children about your faithfulness. | 19Only the living can praise you as I do today. Each generation tells of your faithfulness to the next. |
20The LORD will save me, and we will play my music on strings all the days of our lives in the LORD's Temple. | 20Think of it—the LORD is ready to heal me! I will sing his praises with instruments every day of my life in the Temple of the LORD. |
21Now Isaiah had said, "Let them prepare a poultice of figs and apply it to the boil, so that he may recover." | 21Isaiah had said to Hezekiah’s servants, “Make an ointment from figs and spread it over the boil, and Hezekiah will recover.” |
22Hezekiah also had asked, "What will be the sign for me to go up to the LORD's Temple?" | 22And Hezekiah had asked, “What sign will prove that I will go to the Temple of the LORD?” |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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