Isaiah

The book of the prophet Isaiah, chapter 38, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 38 New English Translation

The LORD Hears Hezekiah's Prayer

   1 In 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.'" 2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, 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.
   4 The LORD told Isaiah, 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, 6 and rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria. I will shield this city."'" 21 Isaiah ordered, "Let them take a fig cake and apply it to the ulcerated sore and he will get well." 22 Hezekiah said, "What is the confirming sign that I will go up to the LORD's temple?" 7 Isaiah replied, "This is your sign from the LORD confirming that the LORD will do what he has said: 8 Look, I will make the shadow go back ten steps on the stairs of Ahaz." And then the shadow went back ten steps.

Hezekiah's Song of Thanks

   9 This is the prayer of King Hezekiah of Judah when he was sick and then recovered from his illness:
   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.'
   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.
   12 My 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.
   13 I cry out until morning; like a lion he shatters all my bones; you turn day into night and end my life.
   14 Like 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!
   15 What can I say? He has decreed and acted. I will walk slowly all my years because I am overcome with grief.
   16 O sovereign master, your decrees can give men life; may years of life be restored to me. Restore my health and preserve my life.'
   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.
   18 Indeed Sheol does not give you thanks; death does not praise you. Those who descend into the pit do not anticipate your faithfulness.
   19 The living person, the living person, he gives you thanks, as I do today. A father tells his sons about your faithfulness.
   20 The LORD is about to deliver me, and we will celebrate with music for the rest of our lives in the LORD's temple."

King James Version

   1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.
   2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD,
   3 And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
   4 ¶ Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying,
   5 Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.
   6 And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.
   7 And this shall be a sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he hath spoken;
   8 Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down.
   9 ¶ The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness:
   10 I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years.
   11 I said, I shall not see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world.
   12 Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd's tent: I have cut off like a weaver my life: he will cut me off with pining sickness: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.
   13 I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will he break all my bones: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.
   14 Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me.
   15 What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul.
   16 O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live.
   17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.
   18 For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
   19 The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.
   20 The LORD was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD.
   21 For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaister upon the boil, and he shall recover.
   22 Hezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?