Hezekiah’s Illness and Recovery
(2 Kings 20:1–11; 2 Chronicles 32:24–31)

1  בַּיָּמִ֣ים (Days) הָהֵ֔ם (in those) חָלָ֥ה (was sick) חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ (Hezekiah) לָמ֑וּת (unto death). וַיָּב֣וֹא (And came) אֵ֠לָיו (to him) יְשַׁעְיָ֨הוּ (Isaiah) בֶן־ (son) אָמ֜וֹץ (of Amoz) הַנָּבִ֗יא (the prophet) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (and he said) אֵלָ֜יו (to him) כֹּֽה־ (Thus) אָמַ֤ר (says) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH), צַ֣ו (Set in order) לְבֵיתֶ֔ךָ (your house) כִּ֛י (for) מֵ֥ת (are going to die), אַתָּ֖ה (you) וְלֹ֥א (and not) תִֽחְיֶֽה׃ (you will live).

2  וַיַּסֵּ֧ב (And turned) חִזְקִיָּ֛הוּ (Hezekiah) פָּנָ֖יו (his face) אֶל־ (toward) הַקִּ֑יר (the wall), וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֖ל (and prayed) אֶל־ (to) יְהוָֽה׃ (YHWH), 3  וַיֹּאמַ֗ר (and he said), אָנָּ֤ה (I pray you), יְהוָה֙ (O YHWH), זְכָר־ (remember) נָ֞א (please), אֵ֣ת (-) אֲשֶׁ֧ר (how) הִתְהַלַּ֣כְתִּי (I have walked) לְפָנֶ֗יךָ (before Your face) בֶּֽאֱמֶת֙ (in truth) וּבְלֵ֣ב (heart), שָׁלֵ֔ם (and with a complete) וְהַטּ֥וֹב (what is good) בְּעֵינֶ֖יךָ (in your eyes). עָשִׂ֑יתִי (And I have done) וַיֵּ֥בְךְּ (and wept) חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ (Hezekiah) בְּכִ֥י (weeping) גָדֽוֹל׃ס (with great).

4  וַֽיְהִי֙ (And came) דְּבַר־ (the word) יְהוָ֔ה (of YHWH) אֶֽל־ (to) יְשַׁעְיָ֖הוּ (Isaiah), לֵאמֹֽר׃ (saying), 5  הָל֞וֹךְ (Go), וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ (and say) אֶל־ (to) חִזְקִיָּ֗הוּ (Hezekiah), כֹּֽה־ (thus) אָמַ֤ר (says) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵי֙ (the God) דָּוִ֣ד (of David) אָבִ֔יךָ (your father), שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙ (I have heard) אֶת־ (-) תְּפִלָּתֶ֔ךָ (your prayer), רָאִ֖יתִי (I have seen) אֶת־ (-) דִּמְעָתֶ֑ךָ (your tears); הִנְנִי֙ (Behold) יוֹסִ֣ף (I will add) עַל־ (to) יָמֶ֔יךָ (your days) חֲמֵ֥שׁ (five) עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה (and ten) שָׁנָֽה׃ (years). 6  וּמִכַּ֤ף (From the hand) מֶֽלֶךְ־ (of the king) אַשּׁוּר֙ (of Assyria); אַצִּ֣ילְךָ֔ (and I will deliver you) וְאֵ֖ת (and) הָעִ֣יר (the city) הַזֹּ֑את (this) וְגַנּוֹתִ֖י (and I will cover) עַל־ (over) הָעִ֥יר (city) הַזֹּֽאת׃ (this). 7  וְזֶה־ (And this is) לְּךָ֥ (to you) הָא֖וֹת (the sign) מֵאֵ֣ת (from) יְהוָ֑ה (YHWH), אֲשֶׁר֙ (that) יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה (will do) יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) אֶת־ (-) הַדָּבָ֥ר (the thing) הַזֶּ֖ה (this) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) דִּבֵּֽר׃ (He has spoken); 8  הִנְנִ֣י (behold) מֵשִׁ֣יב (I am bringing back) אֶת־ (-) צֵ֣ל (the shadow) הַֽמַּעֲל֡וֹת (on the stairs), אֲשֶׁ֣ר (which) יָרְדָה֩ (has gone down) בְמַעֲל֨וֹת (on the stairs) אָחָ֥ז (of Ahaz), בַּשֶּׁ֛מֶשׁ (with the sun) אֲחֹרַנִּ֖ית (backward). עֶ֣שֶׂר (Ten) מַעֲל֑וֹת (steps)

וַתָּ֤שָׁב (and was turned back) הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ (the sun) עֶ֣שֶׂר (ten) מַעֲל֔וֹת (steps), בַּֽמַּעֲל֖וֹת (on the steps) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) יָרָֽדָה׃ס (it had gone down).

Hezekiah’s Song of Thanksgiving

9  מִכְתָּ֖ב (The writing) לְחִזְקִיָּ֣הוּ (of Hezekiah) מֶֽלֶךְ־ (king) יְהוּדָ֑ה (of Judah), בַּחֲלֹת֕וֹ (in his being sick), וַיְחִ֖י (and restored to life) מֵחָלְיֽוֹ׃ (from his sickness);

10  אֲנִ֣י (I) אָמַ֗רְתִּי (said) בִּדְמִ֥י (In the prime) יָמַ֛י (of my life),

אֵלֵ֖כָה (I will go) בְּשַׁעֲרֵ֣י (inside the gates) שְׁא֑וֹל (of Sheol);

פֻּקַּ֖דְתִּי (I am consigned there) יֶ֥תֶר (for the remainder) שְׁנוֹתָֽי׃ (of my years).

11  אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙ (I said), לֹא־ (Not) אֶרְאֶ֣ה (I will see) יָ֔הּ (YAH)

יָ֖הּ (YAH), בְּאֶ֣רֶץ (in the land) הַחַיִּ֑ים (of the living);

לֹא־ (no) אַבִּ֥יט (I will look on) אָדָ֛ם (mankind) ע֖וֹד (more)

עִם־ (among) י֥וֹשְׁבֵי (the dwellers) חָֽדֶל׃ (of the world).

12  דּוֹרִ֗י (My dwelling) נִסַּ֧ע (has been pulled up), וְנִגְלָ֛ה (and removed) מִנִּ֖י (from me)

כְּאֹ֣הֶל (like the tent); רֹעִ֑י (of a shepherd)

קִפַּ֨דְתִּי (I have gathered up) כָאֹרֵ֤ג (like a weaver) חַיַּי֙ (my life);

מִדַּלָּ֣ה (from the loom); יְבַצְּעֵ֔נִי (He cuts me off)

מִיּ֥וֹם (from day) עַד־ (until) לַ֖יְלָה (night) תַּשְׁלִימֵֽנִי׃ (You make an end of me).

13  שִׁוִּ֤יתִי (I composed myself) עַד־ (until) בֹּ֙קֶר֙ (morning),

כָּֽאֲרִ֔י (like a lion), כֵּ֥ן (thus) יְשַׁבֵּ֖ר (He breaks) כָּל־ (all) עַצְמוֹתָ֑י (my bones),

מִיּ֥וֹם (from day) עַד־ (until) לַ֖יְלָה (night) תַּשְׁלִימֵֽנִי׃ (You make an end of me).

14  כְּס֤וּס (Like a swallow) עָגוּר֙ (or crane), כֵּ֣ן (so) אֲצַפְצֵ֔ף (I chirp);

אֶהְגֶּ֖ה (I moan) כַּיּוֹנָ֑ה (like a dove);

דַּלּ֤וּ (are worn out) עֵינַי֙ (my eyes) לַמָּר֔וֹם (from up high);

אֲדֹנָ֖י (O Lord), עָֽשְׁקָה־ (there is oppression); לִּ֥י (unto me) עָרְבֵֽנִי׃ (be my security).

15  מָֽה־ (What) אֲדַבֵּ֥ר (can I say)?

וְאָֽמַר־ (And for He has said it) לִ֖י (to me) וְה֣וּא (and He Himself) עָשָׂ֑ה (has done it)

אֶדַּדֶּ֥ה (I move about) כָל־ (all) שְׁנוֹתַ֖י (my days)

עַל־ (upon) מַ֥ר (the bitterness) נַפְשִֽׁי׃ (of my soul).

16  אֲדֹנָ֖י (O Lord), עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם (upon these) יִֽחְי֑וּ (one may still live),

וּלְכָל־ (and in all) בָּהֶן֙ (of them) חַיֵּ֣י (is the life) רוּחִ֔י (of my spirit);

וְתַחֲלִימֵ֖נִי (and You have restored me)

וְהַחֲיֵֽנִי׃ (and have let me live).

17  הִנֵּ֥ה (Behold), לְשָׁל֖וֹם (for my wellbeing)

מַר־ (bitter) לִ֣י (was unto me) מָ֑ר (bitterness)

וְאַתָּ֞ה (and You) חָשַׁ֤קְתָּ (have held back) נַפְשִׁי֙ (my soul) מִשַּׁ֣חַת (from the pit) בְּלִ֔י (of oblivion),

כִּ֥י (for) הִשְׁלַ֛כְתָּ (You have cast) אַחֲרֵ֥י (behind) גֵוְךָ֖ (Your back) כָּל־ (all) חֲטָאָֽי׃ (my sins).

18  כִּ֣י (For) לֹ֥א (cannot) שְׁא֛וֹל (Sheol) תּוֹדֶ֖ךָּ (thank You)

מָ֣וֶת (nor death) יְהַלְלֶ֑ךָּ (praise You)

לֹֽא־ (cannot) יְשַׂבְּר֥וּ (have hope) יֽוֹרְדֵי־ (those going down to) ב֖וֹר (the Pit)

אֶל־ (for) אֲמִתֶּֽךָ׃ (Your faithfulness).

19  חַ֥י (The living) חַ֛י (the living), ה֥וּא (he) יוֹדֶ֖ךָ (shall thank You)

כָּמ֣וֹנִי (as I do) הַיּ֑וֹם (this day);

אָ֣ב (a father) לְבָנִ֔ים (to sons) יוֹדִ֖יעַ (makes known)

אֶל־ (about) אֲמִתֶּֽךָ׃ (Your faithfulness).

20  יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) לְהוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי (will save me)

וּנְגִנוֹתַ֧י (and strings) נְנַגֵּ֛ן (we will pluck)

כָּל־ (all) יְמֵ֥י (the days) חַיֵּ֖ינוּ (of our lives)

עַל־ (in) בֵּ֥ית (the house) יְהוָֽה׃ (of YHWH).

21  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And said), יְשַׁעְיָ֔הוּ (Isaiah) יִשְׂא֖וּ (Let them take) דְּבֶ֣לֶת (a cake) תְּאֵנִ֑ים (of figs), וְיִמְרְח֥וּ (and apply it) עַֽל־ (upon) הַשְּׁחִ֖ין (the boil), וְיֶֽחִי׃ (that he may live).

22  וַיֹּ֥אמֶר (And said), חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ (Hezekiah) מָ֣ה (What is) א֑וֹת (the sign) כִּ֥י (that) אֶעֱלֶ֖ה (I will go up) בֵּ֥ית (to the house) יְהוָֽה׃ס (of YHWH)?