Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

In those days, Hezekiah was gravely ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, "This is what the Lord says: Set your affairs in order; you will die. Turn back to God and seek forgiveness for your sins." Then he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, saying, "Remember now, Lord, how I have walked before you in truth and with a perfect heart, and done what is good in your sight.

I beseech you, Lord, remember now how I have walked before you in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in your sight. Hezekiah wept sorely as he prayed. Before Isaiah had gone out into the middle part of the city, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, "Turn back and tell Hezekiah, the prince of my people, that I have heard his prayer and seen his tears; behold, I will heal him.

I am the God of David your father, and I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you: on the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord. And I will add fifteen years to your life, delivering you and this city from the king of Assyria for my own sake and for David's sake." Isaiah said, "Take a lump of figs and apply it to the boil," and he recovered.

Hezekiah asked Isaiah, "What will be the sign that the Lord will heal me and I can go up to the Temple on the third day?" Isaiah replied, "This is the sign from the Lord: should the shadow of the sun move forward ten steps or backward ten steps?" Hezekiah answered, "It is a light thing for the shadow to go back ten degrees; nay, but let the shadow return forward ten degrees."

Isaiah the prophet cried out to the Lord, and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward by which it had gone down on the dial of Ahaz. At that time Berodach-baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah because he had heard that Hezekiah was ill.

Hezekiah listened to them and showed them all the storehouse of his precious things—the silver, the gold, the spices, and the precious oil, and the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures. There was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah did not show them. Then came Isaiah the prophet to King Hezekiah and asked him, "What did these men say, and where have they come from?"

And Hezekiah replied, "They are visitors from a distant land, even from Babylon." And Hezekiah said, "All that is in my house they have seen; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them. Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the Lord: Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house and everything your fathers have stored up until now will be carried off to Babylon.

Behold, the days come that all that is in your house and that which your fathers have laid up in store to this day will be carried into Babylon; nothing shall be left, says the Lord. And of your sons who will be born to you, some will be taken away and become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon." Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "The word of the Lord you have spoken is good; is it not so if peace and truth are in my days?

And when Hezekiah was well again, he was asked by King Merodach-baladan of Babylon to send him a delegation. So Hezekiah sent word to the king, saying, "I have received your letter and I will send you what you ask." He also showed them all the wealth of his kingdom—the silver, gold, spices, and precious oils—and the storehouses he had built.

But Isaiah the prophet came to him and said, "Listen to this message from the Lord: 'What is the reason you have shown your treasures to these men? You should not have done that. The time will come when everything in your house and all that your fathers have stored up until now will be carried off to Babylon.

Nothing will be left, says the Lord.' "And of your sons who will be born to you, some will be taken away and become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon." Hezekiah was deeply troubled by what Isaiah had said, but he did not respond. After this, King Hezekiah slept with his fathers and Manasseh his son reigned in his place.