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
38:4 The Lord told Isaiah, 6 38:5 “Go and tell Hezekiah: ‘This is what the Lord God of your ancestor 7 David says: “I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Look, I will add fifteen years to your life, 38:6 and rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria. I will shield this city.”’” 38:7 Isaiah replied, 8 “This is your sign from the Lord confirming that the Lord will do what he has said:
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 “and the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying.”
7 tn Heb “father” (so KJV, NAB, NIV).
8 tn The words “Isaiah replied” are supplied in the translation for clarification. In the present form of the Hebrew text v. 7 is joined directly to v. 6, but vv. 21-22, if original to Isaiah 38, must be inserted here. See 2 Kgs 20:7-8.