2 Kings 20:1-3

Context

Hezekiah is Healed

20:1 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 your household instructions, for you are about to die; you will not get well.’”² 20:2 He turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 20:3 “Please, Lord. Remember how I have served you³ faithfully and with wholehearted devotion,⁴ and how I have carried out your will.”⁵ Then Hezekiah wept bitterly.⁶

Isaiah 38:1-3

Context

The Lord Hears Hezekiah’s Prayer

38:1 In those days Hezekiah was stricken with a terminal illness.⁷ 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 you⁸ faithfully and with wholehearted devotion,⁹ and how I have carried out your will.”¹⁰ Then Hezekiah wept bitterly.¹¹

[20:1] ¹tn Heb “was sick to the point of dying.”

[20:1] ²tn Heb “will not live.”

[20:3] ³tn 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.

[20:3] ⁴tn Heb “and with a complete heart.”

[20:3] ⁵tn Heb “and that which is good in your eyes I have done.”

[20:3] ⁶tn Heb “wept with great weeping.”

[38:1] ⁷tn Heb “was sick to the point of dying”; NRSV “became sick and was at the point of death.”

[38:3] ⁸tn 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.

[38:3] ⁹tn Heb “and with a complete heart”; KJV, ASV “with a perfect heart.”

[38:3] ¹⁰tn Heb “and that which is good in your eyes I have done.”

[38:3] ¹¹tn Heb “wept with great weeping”; NCV “cried loudly”; TEV “began to cry bitterly.”