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38 In those days was Chizkiyahu (Hezekiah) sick unto death. And HaNavi Yeshayah Ben Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith Hashem, Set thine bais in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.

Then Chizkiyahu (Hezekiah) turned his face toward the kir (wall), and davened unto Hashem,

And said, Remember now, Hashem, I beseech thee, how I have walked before Thee in emes and with lev shalem, and have done that which is tov in Thy sight. And Chizkiyahu (Hezekiah) wept with bekhi gadol (great weeping).

Then came the Devar Hashem to Yeshayah, saying,

Go, and say to Chizkiyahu, Thus saith Hashem Elohei Dovid Avicha, I have heard thy tefillah, I have seen thy tears; hineni, I will add unto thy days chamesh esreh shanah (fifteen years).

And I will deliver thee and this Ir out of the hand of Melech Ashur (Assyria); and I will defend HaIr Hazot.

And this shall be HaOt (the Sign) unto thee from Hashem, that Hashem will do this thing that He hath spoken;

Hineni, I will bring again the tzel (shadow) of the hama’alot (the steps), which has gone down with the shemesh on the Ma’alot Achaz (sundial of Ahaz), so that it goes eser ma’alot (ten steps) backward. So the shemesh went back eser maalot (ten steps) on the ma’alot on which it had gone down.

The writing of Chizkiyahu Melech Yehudah, when he had been ill, and was recovered from his illness:

10 I said in the cutting short of my yamim, I shall go to the Sha’arei Sheol; I am deprived of the remainder of my shanot.

11 I said, I shall not see Hashem, even Hashem, in the Eretz HaChayyim; I shall behold adam no more with the inhabitants of the world.

12 Mine dwelling is pulled up, and is sent into the Golus from me like ohel ro’i; As an oreg (weaver) I rolled up my life; He would have cut me loose from the roll; from yom even to lailah wilt Thou make an end of me.

13 I waited until boker, that, like an ari (lion), so will He break all my atzmot; from yom even to lailah wilt Thou make an end of me.

14 Like a swallow or a crane, so did I chirp; I did moan like a yonah; mine eyes grew weak from looking heavenward; Adonoi, I am oppressed; go surety for me.

15 What shall I say? He hath both promised me, and Himself hath done it; I shall walk quietly all my shanot in the mar (bitterness) of my nefesh.

16 Adonoi, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my ruach; so Thou recovered me to health, and made me to live.

17 Hinei, for shalom (benefit) did I have great bitterness; for Thou hast in love to my nefesh delivered it from the shachat (pit) of destruction; for Thou hast cast all my chatta’im behind Thy back.

18 For Sheol cannot thank Thee, mavet can not praise Thee; they that go down into the bor (pit) cannot hope for Thy emes.

19 The living, the living, he shall thank Thee, as I do today; av to banim shall make known Thy emes.

20 Hashem will save me; therefore we will sing with stringed instruments kol yemei chayyeinu (all the days of our life) in the Beis Hashem.

21 For Yeshayah had said, Let them take a cake of te’enim, and apply it upon the shechin (boil, inflamed spot), and he shall recover.

22 Chizkiyahu also had said, What is the Ot (Sign) that I shall go up to the Beis Hashem [See 2Kgs 20:8 which speaks about Yom HaShlishi and on Moshiach cf Isa 53:8 and Isa 38:10-11 and Ps 16 and Isa 38:17.]

Hezekiah’s Illness(A)

38 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz(B) went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order,(C) because you are going to die; you will not recover.”(D)

Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, “Remember, Lord, how I have walked(E) before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion(F) and have done what is good in your eyes.(G)” And Hezekiah wept(H) bitterly.

Then the word(I) of the Lord came to Isaiah: “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David,(J) says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears;(K) I will add fifteen years(L) to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend(M) this city.

“‘This is the Lord’s sign(N) to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: I will make the shadow cast by the sun go back the ten steps it has gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.’” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had gone down.(O)

A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery:

10 I said, “In the prime of my life(P)
    must I go through the gates of death(Q)
    and be robbed of the rest of my years?(R)
11 I said, “I will not again see the Lord himself(S)
    in the land of the living;(T)
no longer will I look on my fellow man,
    or be with those who now dwell in this world.
12 Like a shepherd’s tent(U) my house
    has been pulled down(V) and taken from me.
Like a weaver I have rolled(W) up my life,
    and he has cut me off from the loom;(X)
    day and night(Y) you made an end of me.
13 I waited patiently(Z) till dawn,
    but like a lion he broke(AA) all my bones;(AB)
    day and night(AC) you made an end of me.
14 I cried like a swift or thrush,
    I moaned like a mourning dove.(AD)
My eyes grew weak(AE) as I looked to the heavens.
    I am being threatened; Lord, come to my aid!”(AF)

15 But what can I say?(AG)
    He has spoken to me, and he himself has done this.(AH)
I will walk humbly(AI) all my years
    because of this anguish of my soul.(AJ)
16 Lord, by such things people live;
    and my spirit finds life in them too.
You restored me to health
    and let me live.(AK)
17 Surely it was for my benefit(AL)
    that I suffered such anguish.(AM)
In your love you kept me
    from the pit(AN) of destruction;
you have put all my sins(AO)
    behind your back.(AP)
18 For the grave(AQ) cannot praise you,
    death cannot sing your praise;(AR)
those who go down to the pit(AS)
    cannot hope for your faithfulness.
19 The living, the living—they praise(AT) you,
    as I am doing today;
parents tell their children(AU)
    about your faithfulness.

20 The Lord will save me,
    and we will sing(AV) with stringed instruments(AW)
all the days of our lives(AX)
    in the temple(AY) of the Lord.

21 Isaiah had said, “Prepare a poultice of figs and apply it to the boil, and he will recover.”

22 Hezekiah had asked, “What will be the sign(AZ) that I will go up to the temple of the Lord?”