1 In those days
Hezekiah was sick unto death.
Then Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet,
came and said,
"Thus says Yahweh,
'Put your house in order,
for you are dying and shall not live.'"
2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall
and prayed to Yahweh,
3 and said,
"Please Yahweh,
remember now how I have walked before you in faithfulness,
with a whole heart,
and have done what is good in your eyes."
And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4 Then the word of Yahweh came to Isaiah, saying,
5 "Go and say to Hezekiah,
'Thus says Yahweh,
the God of your father David,
"I have heard your prayer,
and I have seen your tear,
behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.
6 And out of the hand of the king of Assyria
I will deliver you and this city,
and I will defend this city."
7 "And this will be the sign for you from Yahweh,
that Yahweh will do this thing which he has spoken,
8 behold, I will make the shadow which has gone down
on the sundial of Ahaz go back ten degrees.'"
Then the sun went back ten degrees
on the sundial on which it had gone down.
Priestly Intro
9 A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah,
when he was sick, and was made alive from his sickness.
Song of Hezekiah
10 I said to myself,
"In the silence of my days
I am going to the gates of Sheol,
I have numbered the remainder of my years?"
11 I said,
"I will not see Yah,
Yah in the land of the living.
I will not see man anymore
with the inhabitants of the world."
12 "My lifetime is departed,
and is carried away like a shepherd's tent.
My life is rolled up,
like a weaver cut me off from the loom.
From day to night you make and end of me."
13 "I lay awake until morning,
like a lion, so he will break all my bones.
From day to night you make and end of me."
14 "Like a crane, a swallow, so I chatter.
I mourn like a dove.
My eyes are too weak to look up.
O Lord, I am oppressed, make me secure.
15 What can I say?"
Then he spoke to me, and himself did it.
I had walked softly all my years
in bitterness of soul.
16 O Lord, upon these do people live,
and in all these is the life of my spirit,
bind me up and make me alive.
17 Behold, my wellness came through great bitterness.
But you have delighted my soul
out of the pit of corruption.
For you have cast all my sins behind your back.
18 For Sheol cannot worship you,
Death cannot praise you,
they that go down to the pit
cannot hope for your faithfulness.
19 The living, the living,
he worships you,
as I do today.
The father of children
will make known your faithfulness,
20 O Yahweh, for saving me.
Then we will sing my songs
all the days of our lives
in the house of Yahweh.
21 Then Isaiah said,
"Let them make a poultice of figs,
and apply it on the boil,
and he will live."
22 And Hezekiah said,
"What is the sign
that I will go up to the house of Yahweh?"