1 Hezekiah became ill and was about to die. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz said to him: »This is what Jehovah says: ‘Give final instructions to your household. You will not recover. You will die.’«

2 Hezekiah faced the wall and prayed to Jehovah:

3 »Jehovah, Please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and truth. And consider my whole heart devoted to you. I have done what is good in your eyes.« Hezekiah wept bitterly.

4 Isaiah had not gone as far as the middle courtyard when Jehovah spoke to him:

5 »Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people: ‘This is what Jehovah God of your ancestor David says: »I heard your prayer. I saw your tears. Now I will heal you. The day after tomorrow you will go to Jehovah’s Temple.

6 »I will add fifteen more years to your life. I will rescue you and defend this city from the control of the king of Assyria. I do this for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.« ’«

7 Then Isaiah said: »Get a fig cake, and put it on the boil so that the king will get well.«

8 King Hezekiah said to Isaiah: »What is the sign to prove that Jehovah will heal me and that three days later I will be able to go to the Temple?«

9 Isaiah replied: »Jehovah will give you a sign to prove that he will keep his promise. Would you prefer to have the shadow on the stairway go forward ten steps or go back ten steps?«

10 Then Hezekiah said: »It is an easy matter to have the shadow go forward ten steps. So have it go back ten steps.«

11 Isaiah prayed to Jehovah and Jehovah made the shadow go back ten steps on the stairway set up by King Ahaz.

12 The king of Babylonia, Merodach Baladan son of Baladan heard that King Hezekiah was sick. So he sent him a letter and a present.

13 Hezekiah welcomed the messengers and showed them his wealth. He showed his silver and gold. He also let them look at his spices and perfumes. He even showed all his military equipment. There was nothing in his storerooms or anywhere in his kingdom that he did not show them.

14 The prophet Isaiah went to King Hezekiah and asked: »Where did these men come from and what did they say to you?« Hezekiah answered: »They came from a very distant country, from Babylonia.«

15 Isaiah then said: »What did they see in your palace?« Hezekiah replied: »They saw everything in my palace. I showed them everything in my treasury.«

16 Isaiah said to Hezekiah: »Hear the word of Jehovah!«

17 »Jehovah says: ‘The time will come when everything in your palace, everything your ancestors have stored up to this day, will be taken away to Babylon. Nothing will be left.

18 »‘Some of your own descendants will be taken away. They will become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon.’«

19 Hezekiah said to Isaiah: »The word of Jehovah that you spoke is good. He added: »Is it not good that there is peace and security as long as I live?«

20 Everything else about Hezekiah, all his heroic acts and how he made the pool and tunnel to bring water into the city is written in the official records of the Kings of Judah.

21 Hezekiah slept in death with his ancestors. His son Manasseh succeeded him as king.