2Kings 20

Hezekiah’s Sickness and Recovery

20About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to visit him. He gave the king this message: "This is what the LORD says: Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die. You will not recover from this illness."H3117H2396H2470H4191H5030H3470H1121H531H935H559H559H3068H1004H6680H4191H24212When Hezekiah heard this, he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD,H5437H6440H7023H6419H3068H5593"Remember, O LORD, how I have always been faithful to you and have served you single-mindedly, always doing what pleases you." Then he broke down and wept bitterly.H577H3068H2142H1980H6440H571H8003H3824H6213H2896H5869H2396H1058H1065H14194But before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard

, this message came to him from the LORD.H3470H3318H8484H2691H5892H1697H3068H5595"Go back to Hezekiah, the leader of my people. Tell him, 'This is what the LORD, the God of your ancestor David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you, and three days from now you will get out of bed and go to the Temple of the LORD.H7725H559H2396H5057H5971H559H3068H430H1732H1H8085H8605H7200H1832H7495H7992H3117H5927H1004H30686I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my own honor and for the sake of my servant David.'"H3254H3117H2568H6240H8141H5337H5892H3709H4428H804H1598H5892H5650H17327Then Isaiah said, "Make an ointment from figs." So Hezekiah's servants spread the ointment over the boil, and Hezekiah recovered!H3470H559H3947H1690H8384H3947H7760H7822H24218Meanwhile, Hezekiah had said to Isaiah, "What sign will the LORD give to prove that he will heal me and that I will go to the Temple of the LORD three days from now?"H2396H559H3470H226H3068H7495H5927H1004H3068H7992H31179Isaiah replied, "This is the sign from the LORD to prove that he will do as he promised. Would you like the shadow on the sundial to go forward ten steps or backward ten steps?

"H3470H559H226H3068H3068H6213H1697H1696H6738H1980H6235H4609H7725H6235H460910"The shadow always moves forward," Hezekiah replied, "so that would be easy. Make it go ten steps backward instead."H3169H559H7043H6738H5186H6235H4609H6738H7725H322H6235H460911So Isaiah the prophet asked the LORD to do this, and he caused the shadow to move ten steps backward on the sundial

of Ahaz!H3470H5030H7121H3068H7725H6738H6235H4609H322H4609H3381H4609H271

Envoys from Babylon

12Soon after this, Merodach-baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent Hezekiah his best wishes and a gift, for he had heard that Hezekiah had been very sick.H6256H1255H1121H1081H4428H894H7971H5612H4503H2396H8085H2396H247013Hezekiah received the Babylonian envoys and showed them everything in his treasure-houses—the silver, the gold, the spices, and the aromatic oils. He also took them to see his armory and showed them everything in his royal treasuries! There was nothing in his palace or kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.H2396H8085H7200H1004H5238H3701H2091H1314H2896H8081H1004H3627H4672H214H1697H1004H4475H2396H720014Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked him, "What did those men want? Where were they from?" Hezekiah replied, "They came from the distant land of Babylon."H935H3470H5030H4428H2396H559H559H582H370H935H2396H559H935H7350H776H89415"What did they see in your palace?" Isaiah asked."They saw everything," Hezekiah replied. "I showed them everything I own—all my royal treasuries."H559H7200H1004H2396H559H1004H7200H1697H214H720016Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Listen to this message from the LORD.H3470H559H2396H8085H1697H306817The time is coming when everything in your palace—all the treasures stored up by your ancestors until now—will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD.H3117H935H1004H1H686H3117H5375H894H1697H3498H559H306818Some of your very own sons will be taken away into exile. They will become eunuchs who will serve in the palace of Babylon's king."H1121H3318H3205H3947H5631H1964H4428H89419Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "This message you have given me from the LORD is good." For the king was thinking, "At least there will be peace and security during my lifetime."H559H2396H3470H2896H1697H3068H1696H559H7965H571H311720The rest of the events in Hezekiah's reign, including the extent of his power and how he built a pool and dug a tunnel

to bring water into the city, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah.H3499H1697H2396H1369H6213H1295H8585H935H4325H5892H3789H5612H1697H3117H4428H306321Hezekiah died, and his son Manasseh became the next king.H2396H7901H1H4519H1121H4427