1. In those days Hizkiyahu became dangerously ill. And Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet, came to him, and said to him, Thus saith Jehovah, Set thine house in order; for thou wilt die, and not recover. 2. Then Hizkiyahu turned his face to the wall, and prayed to Jehovah, 3. and said, O Jehovah, remember this, I pray, that I have walked before Thee in truth, and with the whole heart, and have done what was good in Thine eyes. And Hizkiyahu wept with loud weeping.
4. And it came to pass the word of Jehovah came to Isaiah as follows: 5. Go and say to Hizkiyahu, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of David thine ancestor, I have heard thy prayer, seen thy tears; behold, I add to thy days fifteen years. 6. And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Asshur, and defend this city.
[21. Then Isaiah said they were to bring a fig-cake; and they plastered the boil, and he recovered. 22. And Hizkiyahu said, What sign is there that I shall go up to the house of Jehovah?]
7. And let this be the sign to thee on the part of Jehovah, that Jehovah will perform the word which He has spoken: 8. Behold, I will make the shadow retrace the steps, which it has gone down upon the sun-dial of Ahaz through the sun, ten steps backward. And the sun went back ten steps upon the dial, which it had gone down.
9. Writing of Hizkiyahu king of Judah, when he was sick, and recovered from his sickness.
10, 11, 12:—
I said, in quiet of my days shall I depart into
the gates of Hades:
I am mulcted of the rest of my years.
I said, I shall not see Jah, Jah, in the land of
the living:
I shall behold man no more, with the inhabitants
of the regions of the dead.
My home is broken up, and is carried off from me
like a shepherd’s tent:
I rolled up my life like a weaver: He would have
cut me loose from the roll:
From day to night Thou makest an end of me.
13, 14:—
I waited patiently till the morning; like the lion,
So will He break in pieces all my bones:
From day to night Thou makest it all over with me.
Like a swallow, a crane, so I chirped;
I cooed like the dove:
Mine eyes pined for the height.
O Lord, men assault me! Be bail for me.
15–17:—
What shall I say, That He promised me,
and He hath carried it out:
I should walk quietly all my years,
on the trouble of my soul?
Oh Lord, by such things men revive, and the life
of my spirit is always therein:
And so wilt Thou restore me, and make me
to live!
Behold, bitterness became salvation to me,
bitterness;
And Thou, Thou hast delivered my soul in
love out of the pit of corruption:
For Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back.
18–20:—
For Hades does not praise Thee; death does not sing
praises to Thee:
They that sink into the grave do not hope for
Thy truth.
The living, the living, he praises Thee,
as I do to-day;
The father to the children makes known Thy truth,
Jehovah is ready to give me salvation;
Therefore will we play my stringed instruments
all the days of my life
In the house of Jehovah.
D.—Threatening of the Babylonish Captivity Occasioned by Hezekiah.—Chap. xxxix.