2 Kings 20: Hezekiah's illness, the shadow goes back, and the envoys from Babylon
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What happens?
Hezekiah is sick and near death, and Isaiah tells him that Yahweh says he will die; Hezekiah prays and weeps, and before Isaiah has left, the word of Yahweh sends him back to say that Yahweh will heal him, add fifteen years to his life and defend the city. As a sign, Isaiah cries to Yahweh, and Yahweh brings the shadow back ten steps. When envoys come from the king of Babylon, Hezekiah shows them everything in his treasure houses, and Isaiah tells him that all of it, and some of his sons, will be carried off to Babylon.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. God's own words are in 2 of the 21 verses: the word of Yahweh that came to Isaiah, in verses 5 and 6 (verse 4 tells that it came). In those verses Yahweh tells Isaiah what to say to Hezekiah, so the message for Hezekiah is inside Yahweh's own words. In verse 1 Isaiah brings Hezekiah Yahweh's message, "Yahweh says", and in verses 16 to 18 he gives him "Yahweh's word"; Isaiah speaks those words as a prophet, so they are not in gold. Hezekiah prays to Yahweh in verse 3: it is his own prayer. Isaiah and Hezekiah speak in verses 7 to 10, 14, 15 and 19. Verse 11, that Yahweh brought the shadow back, is the narrator's words. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1In those days Hezekiah was sick and dying. 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.’”
In plain English: In those days Hezekiah became sick and was near death (literally: sick to die). Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him and said to him, "Yahweh says, 'Give orders to your household (literally: command your house; this Bible: set your house in order), for you are going to die, and you will not live.'"
Good to know: The same story is told in nearly the same words in to and to , and in short in : "Hezekiah was terminally ill, and he prayed to Yahweh; and he spoke to him, and gave him a sign".
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2Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed to Yahweh, saying,
In plain English: Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to Yahweh, saying,
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3“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.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
In plain English: "Please, Yahweh, remember now how I have walked before you faithfully (this Bible: in truth) and with a whole heart (this Bible: a perfect heart), and have done what is good in your eyes." And Hezekiah wept bitterly (literally: wept with great weeping).
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4Before Isaiah had gone out into the middle part of the city, Yahweh’s word came to him, saying,
In plain English: Before Isaiah had gone out into the middle part of the city (or: out of the middle courtyard; see the note), the word of Yahweh came to him, saying,
The Hebrew words: The Hebrew letters printed here spell ha'ir, "the city", the reading this Bible follows. The STEPBible meaning for this verse gives "the court" (chatser), and the old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "Esaias was in the middle court".
What changes: Read as "the city", Isaiah had not yet gone out into the middle part of the city, as this Bible has it. Read as "the court", he had not yet gone out of the middle courtyard. Either way, the word of Yahweh came to him before he had gone out.
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5“Turn back, and tell Hezekiah the prince of my people, ‘Yahweh, the God of David your father, says, “I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day, you will go up to Yahweh’s house.God speaks
In plain English: "Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader (this Bible: prince) of my people, 'Yahweh, the God of David your father (or: your ancestor), says, "I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Look, I will heal you. On the third day you will go up to Yahweh's house.
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6I will add to your days fifteen years. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.”’”God speaks
In plain English: I will add fifteen years to your days. I will rescue you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my own sake, and for the sake of my servant David."'"
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7Isaiah said, “Take a cake of figs.” They took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.
In plain English: Isaiah said, "Take a cake of pressed figs." They took it and laid it on the boil (or: the sore), and he recovered (literally: he lived).
Good to know: In and the figs and Hezekiah's question about a sign come at the end of the story: "Now Isaiah had said, 'Let them take a cake of figs, and lay it for a poultice on the boil, and he shall recover.'" The dictionary gives the word as "a cake of pressed figs".
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8Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What will be the sign that Yahweh will heal me, and that I will go up to Yahweh’s house the third day?”
In plain English: Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "What will be the sign that Yahweh will heal me, and that I will go up to Yahweh's house on the third day?"
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9Isaiah said, “This will be the sign to you from Yahweh, that Yahweh will do the thing that he has spoken: should the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?”
In plain English: Isaiah said, "This will be the sign for you from Yahweh, that Yahweh will do what he has said: should the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?" (Or: "The shadow has gone forward ten steps; shall it go back ten steps?")
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10Hezekiah answered, “It is a light thing for the shadow to go forward ten steps. No, but let the shadow return backward ten steps.”
In plain English: Hezekiah answered, "It is an easy thing (literally: a light thing) for the shadow to stretch forward ten steps. No, let the shadow go back ten steps."
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11Isaiah the prophet cried to Yahweh; and he brought the shadow ten steps backward, by which it had gone down on the sundial of Ahaz.
In plain English: Isaiah the prophet cried out to Yahweh, and he brought the shadow back ten steps, on the steps by which it had gone down on the sundial of Ahaz (literally: the steps of Ahaz; see the note).
The Hebrew word: "Steps" is ma'alah, which the dictionary gives as "elevation", and "a step or grademark". The word this Bible prints as "sundial" is the same word: word for word, the shadow went back "on the steps by which it had gone down on the steps of Ahaz". This Bible says "step" or a longer form in 17 of the 40 verses that use the word, and "sundial" in only 2: here and . The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "the shadow returned back ten degrees on the dial".
What changes: Read as "steps", the shadow went back on a stairway called the steps of Ahaz. Read as "grademarks", they were marks for telling the time, as this Bible has it with "sundial". The text does not say which.
Good to know: Here the text says that Yahweh brought the shadow back. adds, "So the sun returned ten steps on the sundial on which it had gone down", and speaks of the envoys from Babylon "who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land". The text does not say how it happened.
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12At that time Berodach Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.
In plain English: At that time Berodach Baladan (see the note) the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, because he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.
Good to know: The Hebrew here has Berodach, and the dictionary gives "Berodak-Baladan, a Babylonian king". , telling the same, has "Merodach-baladan", and the old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "Marodach Baladan" here.
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13Hezekiah listened to them, and showed them all the storehouse of his precious things—the silver, the gold, the spices, and the precious oil, and the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures. There was nothing in his house, or in all his dominion, that Hezekiah didn’t show them.
In plain English: Hezekiah listened to them (or: was glad of them; see the note) and showed them his whole treasure house (this Bible: the storehouse of his precious things): the silver, the gold, the spices and the fine oil (this Bible: precious oil), his armory (this Bible: the house of his armor), and everything that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his kingdom (this Bible: dominion) that Hezekiah did not show them.
The Hebrew word: "Listened to" is shama, to hear. , telling the same, has samach, "was pleased with them": the two Hebrew words look almost the same and differ in their last letter. The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "Ezekias rejoiced at them" here.
What changes: Read as "listened to them", Hezekiah heard the envoys out. Read as "was pleased with them", he was glad they had come. Either way, he showed them everything.
Good to know: says that in the matter of these envoys "God left him to test him, that he might know all that was in his heart". 2 Kings does not say this.
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14Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say? From where did they come to you?” Hezekiah said, “They have come from a far country, even from Babylon.”
In plain English: Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and said to him, "What did these men say? Where did they come to you from?" Hezekiah said, "They have come from a far country, from Babylon."
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15He said, “What have they seen in your house?” Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house. There is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.”
In plain English: Isaiah said, "What have they seen in your house?" Hezekiah answered, "They have seen everything in my house. There is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them."
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16Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear Yahweh’s word.
In plain English: Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of Yahweh:
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17‘Behold, the days come that all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have laid up in store to this day, will be carried to Babylon. Nothing will be left,’ says Yahweh.
In plain English: 'Look, the days are coming when everything in your house, and all that your fathers have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left,' says Yahweh.
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18‘They will take away some of your sons who will issue from you, whom you will father; and they will be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’”
In plain English: 'Some of your sons (or: your descendants) who will come from you, whom you will father, will be taken away, and they will be eunuchs (or: officials) in the palace of the king of Babylon.'"
The Hebrew word: "Eunuchs" is saris, the word explained in the note on : it can mean a eunuch, or a royal official. In 2 Kings this Bible says "eunuchs" in 2 of the 7 verses that use it and "officer" or "officers" in the other 5.
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19Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “Yahweh’s word which you have spoken is good.” He said moreover, “Isn’t it so, if peace and truth will be in my days?”
In plain English: Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "The word of Yahweh that you have spoken is good." He also said, "Is it not so, if there will be peace and truth (or: peace and security) in my days?" (Or: "Surely there will be peace and truth in my days." See the note.)
The Hebrew words: "Isn't it so, if" is word for word "is it not, if". It can be read as a question, as this Bible has it, or as "surely". has "For there will be peace and truth in my days", and the old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "only let there be peace in my days". "Truth" is emet, which the dictionary gives as "stability", and "certainty, truth".
What changes: Read as a question, Hezekiah asks whether it is not good, if there will be peace and truth in his days. Read as "surely", he says that there will be peace and truth in his days. The text does not say more about what he meant.
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20Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made the pool, and the conduit, and brought water into the city, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
In plain English: The rest of the acts (literally: the matters) of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made the pool and the channel (this Bible: the conduit) and brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the chronicles (literally: the matters of the days) of the kings of Judah?
Good to know: "The conduit" is te'alah, which the dictionary gives as "a channel". says that Hezekiah "stopped the upper spring of the waters of Gihon, and brought them straight down on the west side of David's city". The text here does not say where the pool was.
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21Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and Manasseh his son reigned in his place.
In plain English: Hezekiah lay down (this Bible: slept) with his fathers, and Manasseh his son became king in his place.
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