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Isaiah 38
Expanded Bible
Isaiah 38
Expanded Bible
Hezekiah’s Illness(A)
38 At that time Hezekiah became so sick he ·almost died [was about to die]. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to see him and told him, “·This is what the Lord says [T Thus says the Lord]: ·Make arrangements [L Set your house in order], because you are going to die. You will not recover.”
2 Hezekiah turned toward the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 “Lord, please remember that I have always ·obeyed [L walked before] you. I have ·given myself completely to you [served you wholeheartedly] and have done ·what you said was right [L right in the eyes/sight of the Lord].” Then Hezekiah ·cried loudly [wept bitterly].
4 Then the Lord spoke his word to Isaiah: 5 “Go to Hezekiah and tell him: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your ·ancestor [father] David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. So I will add fifteen years to your life. 6 I will ·save [rescue] you and this city from [L the hand of] the king of Assyria; I will defend this city.
7 “‘The Lord will do what he ·says [promises]. This is the sign from the Lord to show you: 8 The sun has made a shadow go down the stairway of Ahaz, but I will make it go back ten steps.’” So the shadow made by the sun went back up the ten steps it had gone down.
9 After Hezekiah king of Judah got well, he wrote this ·song [or poem; L writing]:
10 I said, “I am in the ·middle [prime] of my life.
Do I have to go through the gates of ·death [or the grave; L Sheol]?
Will I have the rest of my life ·taken away [deprived; robbed] from me?”
11 I said, “I will not see ·the Lord [the Lord, the Lord; L Yah, Yah; 26:4]
in the land of the living again.
I will not again see ·the people [a human being]
who live on the earth.
12 Like a shepherd’s tent,
my home has been pulled down and taken from me.
I am like the cloth a weaver rolls up and cuts from the loom.
·In one day [L From day to night] you brought me to this end.
13 ·All night I cried loudly [or I waited patiently till morning].
Like a lion, he ·crushed [breaks] all my bones.
·In one day [L From day to night] you brought me to this end.
14 I ·cried [twitter; chatter] like a ·bird [L swallow or a crane]
and moaned like a dove.
My eyes ·became tired as I looked [grew weary from looking] to the ·heavens [heights].
Lord, I ·have troubles [am oppressed]. ·Please help me [Be my security].”
15 What can I say?
·The Lord told me what would happen and then made it happen [L He spoke to me and he did it].
I will ·be humble [wander about; shuffle along; walk slowly] all my ·life [years]
because of ·these troubles in [the bitterness of] my soul.
16 Lord, because of ·you [L these things], people live.
Because of ·you [L them], my spirit also lives;
you ·made me well [restored me] and let me live.
17 It was for my own ·good [welfare; peace; C Hebrew shalom]
that I had such ·troubles [anguish; bitterness].
Because you love me very much,
you ·did not let me die [delivered my soul from the pit of destruction/corruption]
but threw my sins
·far away [L behind your back].
18 ·People in the place of the dead [or For the grave; L For Sheol] cannot ·praise [thank] you;
·those who have died [L death] cannot ·sing praises [praise] to you;
those who ·die [L go down to the pit] ·don’t trust you
to help them [L cannot hope for your faithfulness].
19 ·The people who are alive [L The living, the living] are the ones who ·praise [thank] you.
They praise you as I praise you today.
A father should tell his children
·that you provide help [L about your faithfulness].
20 The Lord ·saved me [or will save; or is ready to save],
so we will play songs on stringed instruments
in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord
all the days of our lives.
21 Then Isaiah said, “·Make a paste from [or Take a cake of] figs and put it on Hezekiah’s boil. Then he will get well.” 22 Hezekiah ·then [or had] asked Isaiah, “What will be the sign? What will show that I will go up to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord?”
Isaiah 38
New International Version
Isaiah 38
New International Version
Hezekiah’s Illness(A)
38 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz(B) went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order,(C) because you are going to die; you will not recover.”(D)
2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 “Remember, Lord, how I have walked(E) before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion(F) and have done what is good in your eyes.(G)” And Hezekiah wept(H) bitterly.
4 Then the word(I) of the Lord came to Isaiah: 5 “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David,(J) says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears;(K) I will add fifteen years(L) to your life. 6 And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend(M) this city.
7 “‘This is the Lord’s sign(N) to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: 8 I will make the shadow cast by the sun go back the ten steps it has gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.’” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had gone down.(O)
9 A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery:
10 I said, “In the prime of my life(P)
must I go through the gates of death(Q)
and be robbed of the rest of my years?(R)”
11 I said, “I will not again see the Lord himself(S)
in the land of the living;(T)
no longer will I look on my fellow man,
or be with those who now dwell in this world.
12 Like a shepherd’s tent(U) my house
has been pulled down(V) and taken from me.
Like a weaver I have rolled(W) up my life,
and he has cut me off from the loom;(X)
day and night(Y) you made an end of me.
13 I waited patiently(Z) till dawn,
but like a lion he broke(AA) all my bones;(AB)
day and night(AC) you made an end of me.
14 I cried like a swift or thrush,
I moaned like a mourning dove.(AD)
My eyes grew weak(AE) as I looked to the heavens.
I am being threatened; Lord, come to my aid!”(AF)
15 But what can I say?(AG)
He has spoken to me, and he himself has done this.(AH)
I will walk humbly(AI) all my years
because of this anguish of my soul.(AJ)
16 Lord, by such things people live;
and my spirit finds life in them too.
You restored me to health
and let me live.(AK)
17 Surely it was for my benefit(AL)
that I suffered such anguish.(AM)
In your love you kept me
from the pit(AN) of destruction;
you have put all my sins(AO)
behind your back.(AP)
18 For the grave(AQ) cannot praise you,
death cannot sing your praise;(AR)
those who go down to the pit(AS)
cannot hope for your faithfulness.
19 The living, the living—they praise(AT) you,
as I am doing today;
parents tell their children(AU)
about your faithfulness.
20 The Lord will save me,
and we will sing(AV) with stringed instruments(AW)
all the days of our lives(AX)
in the temple(AY) of the Lord.
21 Isaiah had said, “Prepare a poultice of figs and apply it to the boil, and he will recover.”
22 Hezekiah had asked, “What will be the sign(AZ) that I will go up to the temple of the Lord?”
2 Kings 20:1-11
Expanded Bible
2 Kings 20:1-11
Expanded Bible
Hezekiah’s Illness(A)
20 At that time Hezekiah became so sick he ·almost died [was about to die]. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to see him and told him, “·This is what the Lord says [T Thus says the Lord]: ·Make arrangements [L Set your house in order] because you are going to die. You will not recover.”
2 Hezekiah turned toward the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 “Lord, please remember that I have always ·obeyed [L walked before] you. I have ·given myself completely to you [served you wholeheartedly] and have done ·what you said was right [L right in the eyes/sight of the Lord].” Then Hezekiah ·cried loudly [wept bitterly].
4 Before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard, the Lord spoke his word to Isaiah: 5 “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ·leader [ruler; prince] of my people: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your ·ancestor [father] David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears, so I will heal you. Three days from now you will go up to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. 6 I will add fifteen years to your life. I will ·save [rescue; T deliver] you and this city from [L the hand of] the king of Assyria; I will ·protect [defend] the city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’”
7 Then Isaiah said, “Make a ·paste [ointment; poultice] from figs.” So they made it and put it on Hezekiah’s boil, and he got well.
8 Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the Lord will heal me and that I will go up to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord on the third day?”
9 Isaiah said, “The Lord will do what he ·says [promises]. This is the sign from the Lord to show you: Do you want the shadow to go forward ten steps or back ten steps?”
10 Hezekiah answered, “It’s ·easy [normal] for the shadow to ·go forward [lengthen] ten steps. Instead, let it go back ten steps.”
11 Then Isaiah the prophet called to the Lord, and the Lord brought the shadow ten steps back up the ·stairway [or dial; C the shadows moved either on outside stairs or on a sundial] of Ahaz that it had gone down.
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2 Kings 20:1-11
New International Version
2 Kings 20:1-11
New International Version
Hezekiah’s Illness(A)
20 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.”
2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 “Remember,(B) Lord, how I have walked(C) before you faithfully(D) and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4 Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: 5 “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard(E) your prayer and seen your tears;(F) I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord. 6 I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend(G) this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’”
7 Then Isaiah said, “Prepare a poultice of figs.” They did so and applied it to the boil,(H) and he recovered.
8 Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the Lord will heal me and that I will go up to the temple of the Lord on the third day from now?”
9 Isaiah answered, “This is the Lord’s sign(I) to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: Shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or shall it go back ten steps?”
10 “It is a simple(J) matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps,” said Hezekiah. “Rather, have it go back ten steps.”
11 Then the prophet Isaiah called on the Lord, and the Lord made the shadow go back(K) the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.
2 Chronicles 32:24-26
Expanded Bible
2 Chronicles 32:24-26
Expanded Bible
Hezekiah Dies(A)
24 At that time Hezekiah became so sick he almost died. When he prayed to the Lord, the Lord spoke to him and gave him a ·sign [miraculous sign; C God gave him a sign that he would live for another fifteen years; Is. 38:1–8]. 25 But Hezekiah ·did not thank God for his kindness [did not respond to/was not grateful for the kindness shown him], because he was so proud. So ·the Lord was angry with [L wrath came upon] him and the people of Judah and Jerusalem. 26 ·But later [Then] Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem ·were sorry and stopped being proud [humbled themselves], so ·the Lord did not punish [L the wrath of the Lord did not come on] them while Hezekiah was alive.
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2 Chronicles 32:24-26
New International Version
2 Chronicles 32:24-26
New International Version
Hezekiah’s Pride, Success and Death(A)
24 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. He prayed to the Lord, who answered him and gave him a miraculous sign.(B) 25 But Hezekiah’s heart was proud(C) and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the Lord’s wrath(D) was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. 26 Then Hezekiah repented(E) of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the Lord’s wrath did not come on them during the days of Hezekiah.(F)
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