Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary2 Kings 20

Hezekiah’s Illness and Recovery This section describes a difficult time in the life of King Hezekiah. Hezekiah becomes very sick, and the prophet Isaiah tells him that he will die. Hezekiah prays earnestly to God, reminding Him of his faithfulness. God hears his prayer, sends Isaiah back, and promises to heal Hezekiah and give him more years to live. This story shows the power of sincere prayer, God’s mercy, and the importance of trusting God even in the face of bad news.v. 1: Hezekiah becomes very sick. The prophet Isaiah comes to him and says, This is what the Lord

v. 2: Hezekiah turns his face to the wall and prays to the Lord

v. 3: Hezekiah cries and asks God to remember how he has walked faithfully before Him, with a loyal heart, and has done what pleases God. Hezekiah’s tears show his deep emotion and desire for God’s mercy .

v. 4: Before Isaiah has left the middle court, God speaks to him. God tells Isaiah to go back to Hezekiah .

v. 5: God tells Isaiah to say to Hezekiah, This is what the Lord

v. 6: God says He will add fifteen years to Hezekiah’s life and will deliver him and Jerusalem from the king of Assyria. God promises to protect the city for His own sake and for His servant David .

v. 7: Isaiah tells the people to prepare a poultice of figs and put it on Hezekiah’s boil, and he recovers. This shows that God can use simple things to bring healing .

v. 8: Hezekiah asks Isaiah for a sign to prove that the Lord

v. 9: Isaiah says, This is the sign from the Lord

v. 10: Hezekiah answers that it is easy for the shadow to go forward, but much harder for it to go back. He asks for the shadow to go back ten steps .

v. 11: Isaiah prays to the Lord

Hezekiah's Piety and DeathThis section recounts how Hezekiah, after his recovery from illness, received envoys from Babylon. It highlights his failure to use the opportunity to glorify God and the warning he received from Isaiah about the future consequences of his actions. Despite his mistake, Hezekiah humbly submitted to God’s judgment, and the chapter concludes with a brief summary of his reign and death. This teaches us that even godly leaders can falter, but their repentance and trust in God remain essential.v. 12: The king of Babylon sent ambassadors to Hezekiah to congratulate him on his recovery. At the time, Babylon was still under Assyrian control, but its king sought to gain favor with Hezekiah, possibly because he wanted an ally against Assyria. The Babylonians also worshipped the sun and may have been impressed by the miraculous sign of the sun going backward, which had been given to Hezekiah .

v. 13: Hezekiah welcomed the ambassadors warmly and showed them all his treasures—his gold, silver, spices, and weapons. While his hospitality was appropriate, he acted with pride, wanting to impress them with his wealth and strength. He missed the chance to point them to the true God, who had healed him and given him victory over Assyria.

v. 14-15: Isaiah questioned Hezekiah about the ambassadors. He asked who they were, where they came from, and what they had seen. Hezekiah admitted that he had shown them everything in his palace and treasury. Isaiah’s questions highlighted Hezekiah’s lack of wisdom in trusting foreign powers and boasting about his earthly wealth instead of glorifying God.

v. 17-18: Isaiah delivered God’s judgment to Hezekiah. He told him that all the treasures he had shown to the Babylonians would one day be taken to Babylon. Even worse, some of Hezekiah’s descendants would be carried away as captives and made to serve in the palace of the Babylonian king (Daniel 1:1-7 ). This was not a direct punishment for Hezekiah’s actions, but it served as a warning of the consequences of pride and misplaced alliances.

v. 19: Hezekiah humbly accepted God’s judgment, acknowledging that the word of the Lord

v. 20-21: Hezekiah’s reign was marked by his efforts to reform Judah and improve its infrastructure, such as bringing water into Jerusalem through a system of pipes. He was a good king, but his son Manasseh, who succeeded him, was wicked. This reminds us that godly parents cannot guarantee godly children and that each generation must choose to follow God for themselves.