1In those days, Hezekiah became sick and was close to death. The prophet Isaiah, Amoz’s son, came to him and said, "Yahweh says, ‘Get your house in order, because you will die; you will not live.’"
2Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to Yahweh,
3saying, "Please, Yahweh, remember how I have lived before you faithfully and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight." Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4Then Yahweh’s message came to Isaiah, saying,
5"Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘Yahweh, the God of your father David, says: “I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Look, I will add fifteen years to your life.
6I will rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria, and I will protect this city.
7This will be a sign to you from Yahweh that Yahweh will do what he has promised.
8Look, I will make the shadow on the sundial, which has already gone down on Ahaz’s sundial with the sun, go back ten steps.” So the sun went back ten steps on the sundial where it had gone down.’"
9This is a writing from Hezekiah, king of Judah, after he had been sick and recovered from his illness.
10I said, "In the middle of my life, I am going through the gates of the grave. I am being deprived of the rest of my years."
11I said, "I will not see Yah, Yah in the land of the living. I will not see people anymore among the inhabitants of the world.
12My home is taken down and carried away from me like a shepherd’s tent. I have rolled up my life like a weaver. He will cut me off from the loom. From day to night, you will put an end to me."
13I waited patiently until morning. He breaks all my bones like a lion. From day to night, you will put an end to me.
14I chirped like a swallow or a crane. I moaned like a dove. My eyes grew weak from looking up. Lord, I am oppressed. Be my security."
15What can I say? He has both spoken to me and has done it himself. I will walk humbly all my years because of the anguish of my soul.
16Lord, people live by these things; and my spirit finds life in all of them: you restore me and make me live.
17Look, for peace I had great anguish, but in your love for my soul, you delivered it from the pit of destruction; for you have thrown all my sins behind your back.
18For the grave cannot praise you. Death cannot celebrate you. Those who go down into the pit cannot hope for your truth.
19The living, the living, he will praise you, as I do today. The father will make your truth known to the children.
20Yahweh will save me. Therefore, we will sing my songs with stringed instruments all the days of our life in Yahweh’s house.
21Earlier, Isaiah had said, "Have them take a cake of figs, and use it as a bandage on the boil, and he will recover."
22Hezekiah had also asked, "What is the sign that I will go up to Yahweh's house?"