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38
1 About this time Hezekiah fell very sick and was about to die. The prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your affairs in order, because you are going to die. You won't recover.”
2 When Hezekiah heard this, he went to pray privately*“Privately”: literally, “turned his face to the wall.” to the Lord, saying 3 “Please remember Lord how I have followed you faithfully with all my heart. I have done what is good in your sight.” Then Hezekiah cried and cried.
4 Then the Lord sent a message to Isaiah, saying, 5 “Go and tell Hezekiah, This is what the Lord, the God of your forefather David, says: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears. I will add fifteen years to your life. 6 I will save you and this city from the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.
7 This is the sign from the Lord to you that the Lord will do what he promised: 8 Look, I will make the shadow made by the sun go back the ten steps that it has gone down on the stairway of Ahaz. So the sun went back the ten steps that it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.”
9 This is what Hezekiah, king of Judah, wrote after he recovered from his sickness:
10 I said to myself, “Do I have to go to my death†“Death” literally, “gates of Sheol.” just as my life is going well? Why can't I count on the rest of my years?”
11 I said, “I will never again see the Lord, the Lord, in the land of the living. I won't see anyone else again, none of the inhabitants of this world. 12 Like a shepherd's tent, the place where I live‡“The place where I live”: referring to his body. has been pulled up and taken away from me. Like a weaver I have rolled up the cloth of my life and cut it from the loom. Day and night you bring me to an end. 13 I lie there patiently until the morning, but I feel like there's a lion breaking every bone in my body. Day and night you bring me to an end. 14 I scream like a swift or a songbird,§“Songbird”: some have suggested “thrush,” but the meaning is uncertain. It was certainly meant to reflect a plaintive, sad cry, and therefore the common translation of “crane” is certainly incorrect. I moan like a dove. My eyes grow dim as I look heavenwards. I'm being attacked, Lord, please come and support me!
15 Yet what can I say? He told me what was going to happen, and he himself did it.*Referring to his illness. I will walk quietly for the rest of my life because of the painful experience I went through. 16 Lord, we live by what you say and do, and I find life in all of this. You have given me back my health and allowed me to live. 17 It was definitely for my own good I went through this bitter experience. You in your love saved me from the pit of destruction and you have forgiven all my sins. 18 Those in the grave cannot praise you, the dead cannot praise you. Those who go down into the pit can no longer hope in your faithfulness. 19 It's only the living who can praise you as I'm doing today. Parents explain to their children how you can be trusted. 20 The Lord saved me! We will sing my songs with stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the Lord's Temple.”
21 Isaiah had said, “Prepare a dressing of figs and spread it on the skin sores so he may recover.” 22 Hezekiah had asked, “What is the sign to confirm that I will go to the Lord's Temple?”

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*38:2 “Privately”: literally, “turned his face to the wall.”

†38:10 “Death” literally, “gates of Sheol.”

‡38:12 “The place where I live”: referring to his body.

§38:14 “Songbird”: some have suggested “thrush,” but the meaning is uncertain. It was certainly meant to reflect a plaintive, sad cry, and therefore the common translation of “crane” is certainly incorrect.

*38:15 Referring to his illness.

© 2018 Dr. Jonathan Gallagher