2 Kings 20

Hezekiah’s Illness and Recovery

11In those days Hezekiah became 2mortally ill. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘3Set your house in order, for you are going to die and not live.’” 2Then he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, saying, 3“Please, Lord, just 4remember 5how I have walked before You wholeheartedly and in truth, and have done what is good in Your sight!” And 6Hezekiah wept 7profusely. 4And even before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 5“Return and say to 8Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David says: “9I have heard your prayer, 10I have seen your tears; behold, I am going to heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord. 6And I will add fifteen years to your 11life, and I will save you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and 12I will protect this city for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.”’” 7Then Isaiah said, “Take a cake of figs.” And they took it and placed it on the inflamed spot, and he recovered.

8Now Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I will go up to the house of the Lord on the third day?” 9Isaiah said, “13This shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will perform the word that He has spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten steps or go back ten steps?” 10So Hezekiah said, “It is easy for the shadow to decline ten steps; no, but have the shadow turn backward ten steps.” 11Then Isaiah the prophet called out to the Lord, and 14He brought the shadow on the 15stairway back ten steps by which it had gone down on the 16stairway of Ahaz.

Hezekiah Shows Babylon His Treasures

1217At that time 18Berodach-baladan, a son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, because he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. 13And Hezekiah listened to 19them, and showed them 20all his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the balsam oil, the 21scented oil, the house of his armor, and everything that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house nor in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. 14Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where have they come to you?” And Hezekiah said, “They have come from a far country, from Babylon.” 15Isaiah said, “What have they seen in your house?” So Hezekiah 22answered, “They have seen everything that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasuries that I have not shown them.”

16Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord: 17‘Behold, the days are coming when 23everything that is in your house, and what your fathers have stored up to this day, will be carried to Babylon; nothing will be left,’ says the Lord. 18‘And some 24of your sons who will come from you, whom you will father, will be taken away; and they will become 25officials in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” 19Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is 26good.” For he 27thought, “Is it not good, if there will be peace and 28security in my days?”

2029Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and all his might, and how he 30constructed the pool and the conduit and brought water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 2131So Hezekiah 32lay down with his fathers, and his son Manasseh became king in his place.