Isaiah 38:1-3

The Lord Hears Hezekiah’s Prayer

38:1 In those days Hezekiah was stricken with a terminal illness. ¹  The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz visited him and told him, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Give instructions to your household, for you are about to die; you will not get well.’” 38:2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 38:3 “Please, Lord. Remember how I have served you ²  faithfully and with wholehearted devotion, ³  and how I have carried out your will.” ⁴  Then Hezekiah wept bitterly. ⁵ 

Isaiah 38:5

38:5 “Go and tell Hezekiah: ‘This is what the Lord God of your ancestor ⁶  David says: “I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Look, I will add fifteen years to your life,

¹ tn Heb “was sick to the point of dying”; NRSV “became sick and was at the point of death.”

² tn Heb “walked before you.” For a helpful discussion of the background and meaning of this Hebrew idiom, see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 254.

³ tn Heb “and with a complete heart”; KJV, ASV “with a perfect heart.”

⁴ tn Heb “and that which is good in your eyes I have done.”

⁵ tn Heb “wept with great weeping”; NCV “cried loudly”; TEV “began to cry bitterly.”

⁶ tn Heb “father” (so KJV, NAB, NIV).