Isaiah 38

In those days was Hezekiah sick and near death. Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him, and said to him, “Yahweh says, ‘Set your house in order, for you will die, and not live.’”

Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to Yahweh,

and said, “Remember now, Yahweh, I beg you, how I have walked before you in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in your sight.” Hezekiah wept bitterly.

Then Yahweh’s word came to Isaiah, saying,

“Go, and tell Hezekiah, ‘Yahweh, the God of David your father, says, “I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.

I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.

This shall be the sign to you from Yahweh, that Yahweh will do this thing that he has spoken.

Behold, I will cause the shadow on the sundial, which has gone down on the sundial of Ahaz with the sun, to return backward ten steps. So the sun returned ten steps on the sundial on which it had gone down.”’”

The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and had recovered of his sickness.

I said, “In the middle of my life I go into the gates of Sheol.

I said, “I won’t see Yah,

My dwelling is removed,

I waited patiently until morning.

I chattered like a swallow or a crane.

What will I say?

Lord, men live by these things;

Behold, for peace I had great anguish,

For Sheol can’t praise you.

The living, the living, he shall praise you, as I do today.

Yahweh will save me.

Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a cake of figs, and lay it for a poultice on the boil, and he shall recover.”

Hezekiah also had said, “What is the sign that I will go up to Yahweh’s house?”