Yesha 'yahu (Isa) 38
38
1Around this time Hizkiyahu became ill to the point of death. Yesha‘yahu the prophet, the son of Amotz, came and said to him, “Here is what Adonai says: ‘Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not live.’” 2Hizkiyahu turned his face toward the wall and prayed to Adonai: 3“I plead with you, Adonai, remember now how I have lived before you truly and wholeheartedly, and how I have done what you see as good.” And he cried bitter tears.
4Then the word of Adonai came to Yesha‘yahu: 5“Go and tell Hizkiyahu that this is what Adonai, the God of David your ancestor, says: ‘I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; therefore I will add fifteen years to your life. 6Also I will rescue you and this city from the power of the king of Ashur; I will defend this city. 7The sign for you from Adonai that Adonai will do what he said is 8that I will cause the shadow of the sundial, which has started going down on the sundial of Achaz, to go backward ten intervals.’” So the sun went back ten intervals of the distance it had already gone down.
9After Hizkiyahu king of Y’hudah had been ill and had recovered, he wrote the following:
10“I once said: ‘In the prime of life
I am going off to the gates of Sh’ol.
I am being deprived of living out
the full span of my life.’
11“I said, ‘I will never again see Yah,
Yah in the land of the living;
I will look on human beings no more
or be with those who live in this world.
12My home is uprooted and taken away
from me like a shepherd’s tent.
Like a weaver, I have rolled up my life;
he cuts me off from the loom.
Between day and night you could finish me off.
13I try to be strong like a lion till morning,
but still my illness breaks all my bones —
between day and night you could finish me off.
14I make little chattering sounds like a swallow,
I moan aloud like a dove,
My eyes are weary with looking upward.
Adonai, I am overwhelmed; guarantee my life!’
15“What is there that I can say?
He has spoken to me and acted!
I will go humbly all my years,
remembering how bitter I was.
16Adonai, by these things people live;
in all these is the life of my spirit.
You’re restoring my health and giving me life —
17though instead of peace, I felt very bitter.
You desired my life and preserved it
from the nothingness pit;
for you threw all my sins behind your back.
18“Sh’ol cannot thank you, death cannot praise you;
those descending to the pit cannot hope for your truth.
19The living, the living — they can thank you,
as I do today;
fathers will make their children know
about your faithfulness.
20Adonai is ready to save me;
hence we will make our stringed instruments sound
all the days of our life
in the house of Adonai.”
21Then Yesha‘yahu said, “Have them take a fig-plaster and apply it to the inflammation, and he will recover.” 22Hizkiyahu asked, “What sign will there be that I will be able to go up to the house of Adonai?”
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Learn More About Complete Jewish BibleIsaiah 38
38
Hezekiah Gets Sick and Almost Dies
(2 Kings 20.1-11; 2 Chronicles 32.24-26)
1About this time, Hezekiah got sick and was almost dead. So I went in and told him, “The Lord says you won't ever get well. You are going to die, and so you had better start doing what needs to be done.”
2Hezekiah turned toward the wall and prayed, 3“Don't forget that I have been faithful to you, Lord. I have obeyed you with all my heart, and I do whatever you say is right.” After this, he cried hard.
4Then the Lord sent me 5with this message for Hezekiah:
I am the Lord God, who was worshiped by your ancestor David. I heard you pray, and I saw you cry. I will let you live 15 more years, 6while I protect you and your city from the king of Assyria.
7Now I will prove to you that I will keep my promise. 8Do you see the shadow made by the setting sun on the stairway built for King Ahaz? I will make the shadow go back ten steps.
Then the shadow went back ten steps.#38.8 steps: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 8.
King Hezekiah's Song of Praise
9This is what Hezekiah wrote after he got well:
10I thought I would die
during my best years
and stay as a prisoner forever
in the world of the dead.
11I thought I would never again
see you, my Lord,
or any of the people
who live on this earth.
12My life was taken from me
like the tent that a shepherd
pulls up and moves.
You cut me off like thread
from a weaver's loom;
you make a wreck of me
day and night.
13Until morning came, I thought
you would crush my bones
just like a hungry lion;
both night and day
you make a wreck of me.#38.13 of me: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 13.
14I cry like a swallow;
I mourn like a dove.
My eyes are red
from looking to you, Lord.
I am in terrible trouble.
Please come and help me.#38.14 help me: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 14.
15There's nothing I can say
in answer to you,
since you are the one
who has done this to me.#38.15 There's … me: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
My life has turned sour;
I will limp until I die.
16Your words and your deeds
bring life to everyone,
including me.#38.16 Your … me: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Please make me healthy
and strong again.
17It was for my own good
that I had such hard times.
But your love protected me
from doom in the deep pit,#38.17 deep pit: The world of the dead, as in verse 18.
and you turned your eyes
away from my sins.
18 #
Si 17.27; Ba 2.17. No one in the world of the dead
can thank you or praise you;
none of those in the deep pit
can hope for you
to show them
how faithful you are.
19Only the living can thank you,
as I am doing today.
Each generation tells the next
about your faithfulness.#38.19 about your faithfulness: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
20You, Lord, will save me,
and every day that we live
we will sing in your temple
to the music
of stringed instruments.
Isaiah's Advice to Hezekiah
21I had told King Hezekiah's servants to put some mashed figs on the king's open sore, and he would get well. 22Then Hezekiah asked for proof that he would again worship in the Lord's temple.
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