1 King Hezekiah became sick and almost died. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to see him. Isaiah said to him: »Jehovah tells you: ‘You are to put everything in order because you will not recover. Get ready to die.« ’

2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to Jehovah:

3 »Remember, Jehovah, that I have served you faithfully and loyally. I have always tried to do what you wanted me to.« Then he cried bitterly.

4 Then Jehovah commanded Isaiah

5 to go back to Hezekiah and say to him: »I Jehovah, the God of your ancestor David, have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will add fifteen more years to your life.

6 »I will rescue you and this city of Jerusalem from the king of Assyria, and I will continue to protect the city.«

7 Isaiah said:« This is your sign from Jehovah that he will do what he promises.

8 »The sun made a shadow that went down the stairway of the upper palace of Ahaz. ‘I am going to make the shadow go back ten steps.’« So the sun on the stairway went back up the ten steps it had gone down.

9 King Hezekiah of Judah wrote this after he was sick and became well again:

10 »I thought that in the prime of my life I would go down to the gates of the grave and be robbed of the rest of my life.

11 »I thought that I would not see Jehovah in this world. Even with all the people in the world, I thought I would never see another person.

12 »My life was over. You rolled it up like a shepherd's tent. You rolled up my life like a weaver. You cut me off from the loom. You ended my life in one day.

13 »Until morning came, I thought you would crush my bones just like a hungry lion; both night and day you make an end of me.

14 »I cry like a swallow swift. I mourn like a dove. My eyes are red from looking to you, Jehovah. I am terribly abused. Please come and help me.

15 »There is nothing I can say in answer to you. For you are the one who has done this to me. My life has turned sour. I will limp until I die.

16 »Your words and your deeds bring life to everyone, including me. Please make me healthy and strong again.

17 »Yes, it was for my benefit that I suffered such distress. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction. You have put thrownhurled all my sins behind your back.

18 »For the grave cannot praise you, death cannot sing your praise. Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for your faithfulness.

19 »The living, yes the living praise you, as I am doing today! Fathers tell their children about your faithfulness.

20 »Jehovah will save me! We will sing with stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the Temple of Jehovah.«

21 Isaiah said: »Prepare a poultice of figs and apply it to the boil, and he will recover.«

22 Hezekiah said: »What will be the sign that I will go up to the Temple of Jehovah?«