Hezekiah's Illness and Healing
Study note
Hezekiah became deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah told him to prepare for death. But Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed with tears, reminding God of his faithfulness. Before Isaiah even left the palace, God told him to go back with a new message: God had heard the prayer and seen the tears, and would heal Hezekiah and add fifteen years to his life. Isaiah prescribed a fig poultice for the boil. As a sign, God made the shadow on the sundial go backward ten steps -- an incredible miracle.
1 Around that same period, Hezekiah became deathly ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to visit and told him, "The Lord wants you to know: put your house in order, because you are going to die. You will not recover." In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.
2 Hezekiah turned to face the wall and began praying to the Lord. Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying,
3 "Lord, please remember how I have lived before you -- faithfully, with my whole heart, always doing what you consider good." Then he burst into tears. I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now 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 Isaiah had not even made it out of the middle courtyard when the Lord spoke to him: And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying,
5 "Go back to Hezekiah, the leader of my people, and tell him this from the Lord, the God of his ancestor David: 'I heard your prayer and saw your tears. I am going to heal you. In three days you will walk into the Lord's temple.'" Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.
6 "'I am adding fifteen more years to your life. I will rescue you and this city from Assyria's king. I will defend this city for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.'" And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
7 Isaiah instructed, "Make a paste from figs." They applied it to the infected area, and Hezekiah got well. And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.
8 Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, "What sign will God give me to prove he will heal me and that I will go to his temple in three days?" And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third day?
9 Isaiah replied, "The Lord will give you proof. Which would you prefer: the shadow on the sundial moving forward ten steps, or backward ten steps?" And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?
10 Hezekiah answered, "Moving forward would be normal. Make it go backward ten steps instead." And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.
11 The prophet Isaiah called on the Lord, and the Lord moved the shadow backward ten steps on King Ahaz's sundial. And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.
Envoys from Babylon
Study note
The king of Babylon sent envoys with letters and a gift because he had heard about Hezekiah's illness. In a moment of pride, Hezekiah showed them absolutely everything in his palace and treasury. Isaiah confronted him and prophesied that one day everything Hezekiah had shown them would be carried off to Babylon, and some of his own descendants would serve in the Babylonian palace. Hezekiah accepted this word but seemed relieved that it would not happen in his lifetime.
12 Around that time, Merodach-baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent Hezekiah letters and a gift. He had heard about his illness. At that time Berodach-baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.
13 Hezekiah was flattered by the attention. He showed the visitors from Babylon everything in his treasure rooms -- the silver, gold, spices, expensive oils, all his weapons, and everything in his storehouses. There was not a single thing in his palace or kingdom he held back from them. And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.
14 The prophet Isaiah went to King Hezekiah and asked, "What did those men want? Where are they from?" Hezekiah answered, "They came all the way from Babylon." Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon.
15 Isaiah asked, "What did they see in your palace?" Hezekiah replied, "Everything. I showed them every last thing in my storehouses." And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.
16 Isaiah said, "Listen to what the Lord has to say about this:" And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD.
17 "'A day is coming when every treasure in your palace -- everything your ancestors have stored up over the years -- will be hauled off to Babylon. Nothing will remain,' says the Lord." Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.
18 "'Some of your own children and grandchildren will be taken away. They will be forced to serve in the Babylonian king's palace.'" And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.
19 Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "The word of the Lord you have delivered is good." Privately he thought, "At least my own lifetime will see peace and safety." Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?
Hezekiah's Death
Study note
Hezekiah's other accomplishments included building a pool and tunnel to bring water into the city of Jerusalem. This tunnel, known as Hezekiah's Tunnel, was rediscovered in 1838 and can still be walked through today. When Hezekiah died, his son Manasseh became king.
20 All else about Hezekiah is in the history of Judah's kings. This includes his pool and water tunnel for the city. And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
21 When Hezekiah died, his son Manasseh took the throne. And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.