1. About this time King Hezekiah fell ill and almost died. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to see him and said to him, “The Lord tells you that 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:
3. “Remember, Lord, that I have served you faithfully and loyally, and that I have always tried to do what you wanted me to.” And he began to cry bitterly.
4. Then the Lord commanded Isaiah
5. to go back to Hezekiah and say to him, “I, the Lord, the God of your ancestor David, have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will let you live fifteen years longer.
6. I will rescue you and this city of Jerusalem from the emperor of Assyria, and I will continue to protect the city.”
21. Isaiah told the king to put a paste made of figs on his boil, and he would get well.
22. Then King Hezekiah asked, “What is the sign to prove that I will be able to go to the Temple?”
7. Isaiah replied, “The Lord will give you a sign to prove that he will keep his promise.
8. On the stairway built by King Ahaz, the Lord will make the shadow go back ten steps.” And the shadow moved back ten steps.
9. After Hezekiah recovered from his illness, he wrote this song of praise:
10. I thought that in the prime of lifeI was going to the world of the dead,Never to live out my life.