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Texts -- 2 Kings 20:1-19 (NET)

Context
Hezekiah is Healed
20:1 In those days Hezekiah was stricken with a terminal illness . The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz visited him and told him, “This is what the Lord says , ‘Give your household instructions , for you are about to die ; you will not get well .’” 20:2 He turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord , 20:3 “Please , Lord . Remember how I have served you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion , and how I have carried out your will.” Then Hezekiah wept bitterly . 20:4 Isaiah was still in the middle courtyard when the Lord told him, 20:5 “Go back and tell Hezekiah , the leader of my people : ‘This is what the Lord God of your ancestor David says : “I have heard your prayer ; I have seen your tears . Look , I will heal you. The day after tomorrow you will go up to the Lord’s temple . 20:6 I will add fifteen years to your life and rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria . I will shield this city for the sake of my reputation and because of my promise to David my servant .”’” 20:7 Isaiah ordered , “Get a fig cake .” So they did as he ordered and placed it on the ulcerated sore , and he recovered . 20:8 Hezekiah had said to Isaiah , “What is the confirming sign that the Lord will heal me and that I will go up to the Lord’s temple the day after tomorrow ?” 20:9 Isaiah replied , “This is your sign from the Lord confirming that the Lord will do what he has said . Do you want the shadow to move ahead ten steps or to go back ten steps ?” 20:10 Hezekiah answered , “It is easy for the shadow to lengthen ten steps , but not for it to go back ten steps .” 20:11 Isaiah the prophet called out to the Lord , and the Lord made the shadow go back ten steps on the stairs of Ahaz .
Messengers from Babylon Visit Hezekiah
20:12 At that time Merodach-Baladan son of Baladan , king of Babylon , sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah , for he had heard that Hezekiah was ill . 20:13 Hezekiah welcomed them and showed them his whole storehouse , with its silver , gold , spices , and high quality olive oil , as well as his armory and everything in his treasuries . Hezekiah showed them everything in his palace and in his whole kingdom . 20:14 Isaiah the prophet visited King Hezekiah and asked him, “What did these men say ? Where do they come from ?” Hezekiah replied , “They come from the distant land of Babylon .” 20:15 Isaiah asked , “What have they seen in your palace ?” Hezekiah replied , “They have seen everything in my palace . I showed them everything in my treasuries .” 20:16 Isaiah said to Hezekiah , “Listen to the word of the Lord , 20:17 ‘Look , a time is coming when everything in your palace and the things your ancestors have accumulated to this day will be carried away to Babylon ; nothing will be left ,’ says the Lord . 20:18 ‘Some of your very own descendants whom you father will be taken away and will be made eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon .’” 20:19 Hezekiah said to Isaiah , “The Lord’s word which you have announced is appropriate .” Then he added , “At least there will be peace and stability during my lifetime .”

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Hezekiah

    [ebd] whom Jehovah has strengthened. (1.) Son of Ahaz (2 Kings 18:1; 2 Chr. 29:1), whom he succeeded on the throne of the kingdom of Judah. He reigned twenty-nine years (B.C. 726-697). The history of this king is contained in 2 Ki...
    [smith] (the might of Jehovah). Twelfth king of Judah, son of the apostate Ahaz and Abi or Abijah, ascended the throne at the age of 25, B.C. 726. Hezekiah was one of the three most perfect kings of Judah. (2 Kings 18:5) Ecclus. ...
    [nave] HEZEKIAH 1. King of Judah, 2 Kin. 16:20; 18:1, 2; 1 Chr. 3:13; 2 Chr. 29:1; Matt. 1:9. Religious zeal of, 2 Chr. 29; 30; 31. Purges the nation of idolatry, 2 Kin. 18:4; 2 Chr. 31:1; 33:3. Restores the true forms of worshi...

  • HEZEKIAH (2)

    [isbe] HEZEKIAH (2) - (chizqiyah, "Yahweh has strengthened"; also written chizqiyahu, "Yah has strengthened him"; Hezekias): One of the greatest of the kings of Judah; reigned (according to the most self-consistent chronology) from...

  • KINGS, BOOKS OF

    [isbe] KINGS, BOOKS OF - || I. TITLE II. SCOPE III. CHARACTER OF BOOKS AND POSITION IN THE HEBREW CANON 1. Purpose 2. Character of Data IV. HISTORICAL VALUE 1. Treatment of Historical Data 2. Chronology 3. Value of Assyrian Records...

  • JUDAH, KINGDOM OF

    [isbe] JUDAH, KINGDOM OF - || I. CANAAN BEFORE THE MONARCHY 1. The Coming of the Semites 2. The Canaanites 3. The Israelite Confederacy 4. Migration into Canaan 5. The Bond of Union 6. Early Rulers 7. The Judges 8. Hereditary Kings...

  • ISAIAH, 1-7

    [isbe] ISAIAH, 1-7 - i-za'-ya, i-zi'-a: 1. Name 2. Personal History 3. Call 4. Literary Genius and Style 5. Traditions concerning His Martyrdom 6. Period 7. Analysis and Contents 8. Isaiah's Prophecies Chronologically Arranged 9. T...

  • ISRAEL, HISTORY OF, 3

    [isbe] ISRAEL, HISTORY OF, 3 - V. Period of the Separated Kingdoms. 1. Contrasts and Vicissitudes of the Kingdoms: The two separated kingdoms differed materially. The kingdom of Ephraim was the more powerful of the two. It embraced...

  • Isaiah

    [nave] ISAIAH, called also Esaias. Son of Amos, Isa. 1:1. Prophesies in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, Isa. 1:1; 6:1; 7:1, 3; 14:27; 20:1; 36:1; 38:1; 39:1; at the time of the invasion by Tartan, of...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • Disease

    [nave] DISEASE Sent from God, Lev. 14:34. As judgments, Psa. 107:17; Isa. 3:17. Instances of Upon the Egyptians, See: Plagues; upon Nabal, 1 Sam. 25:38; David's child, 2 Sam. 12:15; Gehazi, 2 Kin. 5:27; Jeroboam, 2 Chr. 13:20; J...

  • Rulers

    [nave] RULERS Appointed and removed by God. See: Government, God in. Chastised, Dan. 4. See: Nation. Monarchical, See: Kings. Patriarchal, Gen. 27:29, 37. Instances of Nimrod, Gen. 10:8-10. Abraham, Gen. 14:13-24; 17:6; 21:2...

  • Faith

    [nave] FAITH. 2 Sam. 22:31; Psa. 5:11; Psa. 7:1; Psa. 9:9, 10; Psa. 18:30; Psa. 32:10; Psa. 33:18, 19; Psa. 34:8, 22 vs. 1-8;; Psa. 2:12. Psa. 36:7; Psa. 40:4; Psa. 64:10; Psa. 78:7 vs. 5-7.; Psa. 84:5, 12; Psa. 112:5, 7, 8; Psa. ...

  • Babylon, kingdom of

    [ebd] called "the land of the Chaldeans" (Jer. 24:5; Ezek, 12:13), was an extensive province in Central Asia along the valley of the Tigris from the Persian Gulf northward for some 300 miles. It was famed for its fertility and its...

  • SENNACHERIB

    [isbe] SENNACHERIB - se-nak'-er-ib (cancheribh; Sennachereim, Assyrian Sin-akhierba, "the moon-god Sin has increased the brothers"): Sennacherib (704-682 BC) ascended the throne of Assyria after the death of his father Sargon. Appr...

  • Prayer

    [nave] PRAYER. Index of Sub-topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Answer to, Promised; Answered, Instances of Answered; Confession in; Importunity in, Instances of Importunity in; Intercessor...

  • Temptation

    [nave] TEMPTATION. Gen. 3:1-13; Gen. 20:6; Ex. 34:12 vs. 13-16.; Deut. 7:25; Deut. 8:11-14, 17, 18; Deut. 13:3; 1 Chr. 21:1; 2 Chr. 32:30, 31; Psa. 119:165; Prov. 1:10-17; Prov. 2:10-12, 16; Prov. 4:14, 15; Prov. 5:6-21; Prov. 6:2...

  • ALLIANCE

    [isbe] ALLIANCE - a-li'-ans. 1. In the Patriarchal Stories: Frequent references are made to alliances between the patriarchs and foreigners. Abraham is reported to have had "confederates" among the chiefs of the Canaanites (Gen 14:...

  • DIAL OF AHAZ

    [isbe] DIAL OF AHAZ - di'-al, a'-haz: 1. Hezekiah's Sickness and the Sign 2. The Sign a Real Miracle 3. The "Dial" a Staircase 4. Time of Day of the Miracle 5. Hezekiah's Choice of the Sign 6. Meaning of the Sign 7. The Fifteen "So...

  • Rich, The

    [nave] RICH, THE: Neh. 5:1-13; Job 21:7-15; Job 27:13-23; Job 31:24, 25, 28; Psa. 49:16-18; Psa. 52:1-7; Psa. 73:3-22; Prov. 14:20; Prov. 18:11, 23; Prov. 28:11; Eccl. 5:13, 14, 19, 20; Jer. 5:7-9, 27-29; Jer. 9:23; Jer. 17:11; Je...

  • Dial

    [ebd] for the measurement of time, only once mentioned in the Bible, erected by Ahaz (2 Kings 20:11; Isa. 38:8). The Hebrew word (ma'aloth) is rendered "steps" in Ex. 20:26, 1 Kings 10:19, and "degrees" in 2 Kings 20:9, 10, 11. Th...
    [smith] "An instrument for showing the time of day from the shadow of a style or gnomon on a graduated arc or surface; "rendered" steps" in Authorized Version, (Exodus 20:26; 2 Kings 10:19) and "degrees," (2 Kings 20:9,10,11; I...
    [nave] DIAL, a contrivance for indicating time by the sun's rays, 2 Kin. 20:11; Isa. 38:8. See: Sun-dial.

  • Blessing

    [nave] BLESSING For blessing before eating, See: Prayer, Thanksgiving Before Taking Food. See also Benedictions. Responsive Blessings of the Law Deut. 28:1-14 For the responsive Curses of the law, See: Curse. Divine, Contingent...
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • 21:12-14 The Torah upheld capital punishment for murder (v. 12), which God commanded of Noah (Gen. 9:6) and people in the Near East practiced from then on. It did not permit capital punishment in the case of manslaughter (unp...
  • Another preparation for entering Canaan involved appointing a new leader to take Moses' place.God foretold that Moses would die without entering the land (cf. 20:1-13). Graciously He allowed His servant to see the Promised La...
  • Israel's continuing success led her enemies to exert increasing opposition against the people of God. This chapter records the Canaanites' first aggressive action against the Israelites.10:1-5 The Jebusites lived in and aroun...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • I. The reign of Solomon chs. 1-11A. Solomon's succession to David's throne 1:1-2:121. David's declining health 1:1-42. Adonijah's attempt to seize the throne 1:5-533. David's charge to Solomon 2:1-94. David's death 2:10-12B. ...
  • (Continued from notes on 1 Kings)3. Ahaziah's evil reign in Israel -1 Kings 22:51-2 Kings 1:184. Jehoram's evil reign in Israel 2:1-8:155. Jehoram's evil reign in Judah 8:16-246. Ahaziah's evil reign in Judah 8:25-9:29C. The ...
  • "In those days"(v. 1) refers to the year Sennacherib threatened Jerusalem (701 B.C.) since Hezekiah died 15 years later in 686 B.C. His response to his illness was proper. He sought help from Yahweh primarily (v. 2). God had ...
  • Merodach-baladan ruled as king of Babylon for two terms, 721-710 and 703-702 B.C. The event recorded in these verses evidently took place in 702 B.C.124Hezekiah appears to have let his visitors know the extent of Judah's fina...
  • Josiah began to seek Yahweh when he was 16 years old and began initiating religious reforms when he was 20 (2 Chron. 34:3-7). His reforms were more extensive than those of any of his predecessors. One of them was the repair o...
  • Ackroyd, Peter R. "An Interpretation of the Babylonian Exile: A Study of 2 Kings 20, Isaiah 38-39."Scottish Journal of Theology27:3:(August 1974):329-52.Albright, William F. The Archaeology of Palestine. 1949. Revised ed. Pel...
  • In a few details this account differs from the one in 2 Kings 18-20 and Isaiah 36-37. It was after Hezekiah's acts of faithfulness that God tested his trust (v. 1). Many of Judah's other good kings had followed God faithfully...
  • Hezekiah fell short to being the perfect Son of David just like all the rest of Judah's monarchs. Yet when his heart did become proud because of God's blessings, he humbled himself (vv. 25-26). Consequently God postponed his ...
  • The texts of the individual psalms do not usually indicate who wrote them.1However some of the titles of the individual psalms do contain information about the writers.2This is the only really reliable information we have as ...
  • Chapters 36-39 conclude the section of the book dealing with the issue of trust by giving historical proof that Yahweh will protect those who trust in Him. In these chapters, King Hezekiah represents the people of Judah.344Th...
  • 38:1 The phrase "In those days"identifies the reign of Hezekiah, the Judean king mentioned in the preceding chapters. Since the Lord added 15 years to Hezekiah's life (v. 5), and since Hezekiah died about 686 B.C.,373the time...
  • This chapter has many similarities to 2 Kings 24:18-25:30 with the exception of 25:22-26, the story of Gedaliah's assassination (cf. chs. 40-41). This chapter forms a fitting conclusion to the book since it records the fulfil...
  • 16:15 However, Jerusalem became self-centered and unfaithful to the Lord; she forgot Him when she became preoccupied with His blessings (cf. Deut. 6:10-12; 8). She went after every people that passed by rather than remaining ...
  • The main point of this pericope is Jesus' response to the Pharisees' criticism that Jesus and His disciples kept company with tax collectors and sinners.9:9 This incident probably took place in or near Capernaum. The tax offi...
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