Hezekiah's Sickness and Healing

Isaiah 38

Hezekiah falls sick to the point of death and weeps as he prays to the Lord, who sends word through Isaiah that fifteen years will be added to his life, confirmed by the sign of the sun's shadow turning backward. Hezekiah then offers a prayer of thanksgiving for his recovery.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonAT that time Ezekias was seized with a mortal sickness; and Esaias son of Amos, the prophet, came to him and said to him, Thus saith the Lord, Give orders respecting thy household, for thou art at the point of death and shall not live.

BrentonAnd it came to pass at that time, that Ezekias was sick even to death. And Esaias the prophet the son of Amos came to him, and said to him, Thus saith the Lord, Give orders concerning thy house: for thou shalt die, and not live.

GreekἘγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἐμαλακίσθη Ἐζεκίας ἕως θανάτου· καὶ ἦλθε πρὸς αὐτὸν Ἡσαΐας υἱὸς Ἀμὼς ὁ προφήτης, καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν, τάδε λέγει Κύριος, τάξαι περὶ τοῦ οἴκου σου, ἀποθνήσκεις γὰρ σὺ, καὶ οὐ ζήσῃ.

KJVIn those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.

JPSIn those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him: ‘Thus saith the LORD: Set thy house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.’

ThomsonThereupon Ezekias turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord,

BrentonAnd Ezekias turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the Lord, saying,

GreekΚαὶ ἀπέστρεψεν Ἐζεκίας τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὸν τεῖχον, καὶ προσηύξατο πρὸς Κύριον,

KJVThen Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD,

JPSThen Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD,

Thomsonsaying, O Lord, remember how I have walked before Thee with truth and with an upright heart, and have done the things which are pleasing in Thy sight. And Ezekias wept bitterly.

BrentonRemember, O Lord, how I have walked before thee in truth, with a true heart, and have done that which was pleasing in thy sight. And Ezekias wept bitterly.

Greekλέγων, μνήσθητι Κύριε, ὡς ἐπορεύθην ἐνώπιόν σου μετὰ ἀληθείας, ἐν καρδίᾳ ἀληθινῇ, καὶ τὰ ἀρεστὰ ἐνώπιόν σου ἐποίησα· καὶ ἔκλαυσεν Ἐζεκίας κλαυθμῷ μεγάλῳ.

KJVAnd said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

JPSand said: ‘Remember now, O LORD, I beseech Thee, how I have walked before Thee in truth and with a whole heart, and have done that which is good in Thy sight.’ And Hezekiah wept sore.

ThomsonAnd a word of the Lord came to Esaias saying:

BrentonAnd the word of the Lord came to Esaias, saying, Go, and say to Ezekias,

GreekΚαὶ ἐγένετο λόγος Κυρίου πρὸς Ἡσαΐαν, λέγων,

KJVThen came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying,

JPSThen came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying:

ThomsonGo and say to Ezekias, Thus saith the Lord, the God of thy father David: I have heard thy prayer and seen thy tears, Behold I will add to thy term fifteen years.

BrentonThus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, and seen thy tears: behold, I will add to thy time fifteen years.

Greekπορεύθητι, καὶ εἰπὸν Ἐζεκίᾳ, τάδε λέγει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς Δαυὶδ τοῦ πατρός σου, ἤκουσα τῆς προσευχῆς σου, καὶ εἶδον τὰ δάκρυά σου· ἰδοὺ προστίθημι πρὸς τὸν χρόνον σου δεκαπέντε ἔτη,

KJVGo, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.

JPS’Go, and say to Hezekiah: Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father: I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears; behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.

ThomsonAnd I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of the Assyrians and cover this city with My shield.

BrentonAnd I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of the Assyrians: and I will defend this city.

Greekκαὶ ἐκ χειρὸς βασιλέως Ἀσσυρίων ῥύσομαί σε καὶ τὴν πόλιν ταύτην, καὶ ὑπερασπιῶ ὑπὲρ τῆς πόλεως ταύτης.

KJVAnd I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.

JPSAnd I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city.

ThomsonAnd this shall be a sign to thee from the Lord, that God will perform this decree.

BrentonAnd this shall be a sign to thee from the Lord, that God will do this thing;

GreekΤοῦτο δέ σοι τὸ σημεῖον παρὰ Κυρίου, ὅτι ποιήσει ὁ Θεὸς τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο·

KJVAnd this shall be a sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he hath spoken;

JPSAnd this shall be the sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that He hath spoken:

ThomsonBehold I will bring back the shadow of the steps the ten steps of the house of thy father, which the sun hath gone down. I will bring back the sun those ten steps. So the sun reascended the ten steps which the shadow had gone down.

Brentonbehold, I will turn back the shadow of the degrees of the dial by which ten degrees on the house of thy father the sun has gone down—I will turn back the sun the ten degrees; so the sun went back the ten degrees by which the shadow had gone down.

GreekἸδοὺ ἐγὼ στρέφω τὴν σκιὰν τῶν ἀναβαθμῶν οὓς κατέβη τοὺς δέκα ἀναβαθμοὺς τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρός σου ὁ ἥλιος, ἀποστρέψω τὸν ἥλιον τοὺς δέκα ἀναβαθμούς· καὶ ἀνέβη ὁ ἥλιος τοὺς δέκα ἀναβαθμοὺς, οὓς κατέβη ἡ σκιά.

KJVBehold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down.

JPSbehold, I will cause the shadow of the dial, which is gone down on the sun-dial of Ahaz, to return backward ten degrees.’ So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down.

ThomsonThe prayer of Ezekias, king of Judea, when he had been sick, and was recovered from his sickness:

BrentonThe Prayer of Ezekias king of Judea, when he had been sick, and was recovered from his sickness.

GreekΠΡΟΣΕΥΧΗ ἘΖΕΚΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΤΗΣ ἸΟΥΔΑΙΑΣ, ἩΝΙΚΑ ἘΜΑΛΑΚΙΣΘΗ, ΚΑΙ ἈΝΕΣΤΗ ἘΚ ΤΗΣ ΜΑΛΑΚΙΑΣ ΑΥΤΟΥ.

KJVThe writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness:

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

ThomsonI said in the height of my days I shall go down to the gates of Hades, I shall leave the years which remain.

BrentonI said in the end of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I shall part with the remainder of my years.

GreekἘγὼ εἶπα ἐν τῷ ὕψει τῶν ἡμερῶν μου, πορεύσομαι ἐν πύλαις ἅδου, καταλείψω τὰ ἔτη τὰ ἐπίλοιπα.

KJVI said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years.

JPSI said: In the noontide of my days I shall go, even to the gates of the nether-world; I am deprived of the residue of my years.

ThomsonI said, I shall no more see the salvation of God in the land of the living; I shall no more see the salvation of Israel on the earth; I shall behold man no more.

BrentonI said, I shall no more at all see the salvation of God in the land of the living: I shall no more at all see the salvation of Israel on the earth: I shall no more at all see man.

GreekΕἶπα, οὐκέτι οὐ μὴ ἴδω τὸ σωτήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπὶ γῆς ζώντων, οὐκέτι μὴ ἴδω τὸ σωτήριον τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ἐπὶ γῆς, οὐκέτι μὴ ἴδω ἄνθρωπον.

KJVI said, I shall not see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world.

JPSI said: I shall not see the LORD, even the LORD in the land of the living; I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world.

ThomsonI am cut off from my generation, I have left the remainder of my life. He is gone and departed from me, like one striking a tent, having just pitched it. My soul within me was like a web which the weaver was in act to sever from the loom.

BrentonMy life has failed from among my kindred: I have parted with the remainder of my life: it has gone forth and departed from me, as one that having pitched a tent takes it down again: my breath was with me as a weaver's web, when she that weaves draws nigh to cut off the thread.

GreekἘξέλιπεν ἐκ τῆς συγγενείας μου, κατέλιπον τὸ ἐπίλοιπον τῆς ζωῆς μου, ἐξῆλθε καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ ὥσπερ ὁ σκηνὴν καταλύων πήξας· ὡς ἱστὸς τὸ πνεῦμά μου παρʼ ἐμοὶ ἐγένετο, ἐρίθου ἐγγιζούσης ἐκτεμεῖν.

KJVMine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd’s tent: I have cut off like a weaver my life: he will cut me off with pining sickness: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.

JPSMy habitation is plucked up and carried away from me as a shepherd’s tent; I have rolled up like a weaver my life; He will cut me off from the thrum; from day even to night wilt Thou make an end of me.

ThomsonIn that day I was delivered up until morning as to a lion. So did He break to pieces all my bones. For from day to night I was delivered up.

BrentonIn that day I was given up as to a lion until the morning: so has he broken all my bones: for I was so given up from day even to night.

GreekἘν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ παρεδόθην ἕως πρωῒ ὡς λέοντι, οὕτως συνέτριψε πάντα τὰ ὀστᾶ μου· ἀπὸ γὰρ τῆς ἡμέρας ἕως νυκτὸς παρεδόθην.

KJVI reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will he break all my bones: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.

JPSThe more I make myself like unto a lion until morning, the more it breaketh all my bones; from day even to night wilt Thou make an end of me.

Thomson—

BrentonAs a swallow, so will I cry, and as a dove, so do I mourn: for mine eyes have failed with looking to the height of heaven to the Lord, who has delivered me,

GreekὩς χελιδὼν, οὕτω φωνήσω, καὶ ὡς περιστερὰ, οὕτω μελετῶ· ἐξέλιπον γάρ μου οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ τοῦ βλέπειν εἰς τὸ ὕψος τοῦ οὐρανοῦ πρὸς τὸν Κύριον, ὃς ἐξείλατό με,

KJVLike a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me.

JPSLike a swallow or a crane, so do I chatter, I do moan as a dove; mine eyes fail with looking upward. O LORD, I am oppressed, be Thou my surety. .

ThomsonLike a swallow so let me twitter; and like a turtle dove so let me moan; for mine eyes were too weak to look up to the vault of heaven—to the Lord Who hath rescued me and taken from me the sorrow of my soul.

Brentonand removed the sorrow of my soul.

Greekκαὶ ἀφείλατό μου τὴν ὀδύνην τῆς ψυχῆς.

KJVWhat shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul.

JPSWhat shall I say? He hath both spoken unto me, and Himself hath done it; I shall go softly all my years for the bitterness of my soul.

ThomsonOf this indeed Thou, O Lord, wast told, and Thou hast restored my breath and I am comforted and live.

BrentonYea, O Lord, for it was told thee concerning this; and thou hast revived my breath; and I am comforted, and live.

GreekΚύριε, περὶ αὐτῆς γὰρ ἀνηγγέλη σοι, καὶ ἐξήγειράς μου τὴν πνοὴν, καὶ παρακληθεὶς ἔζησα.

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonFor Thou hast rescued my soul that it should not perish; and hast cast behind Thee all my sins.

BrentonFor thou hast chosen my soul, that it should not perish: and thou hast cast all my sins behind me.

GreekΕἵλου γάρ μου τὴν ψυχὴν, ἴνα μὴ ἀπόληται, καὶ ἀπέῤῥιψας ὀπίσω μου πάσας τὰς ἁμαρτίας.

KJVBehold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.

JPSBehold, for my peace I had great bitterness; But Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it From the pit of corruption; For Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back.

ThomsonFor those in the mansion of the dead cannot praise Thee; nor can the dead return Thee thanks, nor they in Hades hope for Thy kindness.

BrentonFor they that are in the grave shall not praise thee, neither shall the dead bless thee, neither shall they that are in Hades hope for thy mercy.

GreekΟὐ γὰρ οἱ ἐν ᾅδου αἰνέσουσί σε, οὐδὲ οἱ ἀποθανόντες εὐλογήσουσί σε, οὐδὲ ἐλπιοῦσιν οἱ ἐν ᾄδου τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην σου.

KJVFor the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.

JPS—

ThomsonThe living will praise Thee even as I do; for from this day I shall raise up children, who will proclaim this loving-kindness of Thine,

BrentonThe living shall bless thee, as I also do: for from this day shall I beget children, who shall declare thy righteousness,

GreekΟἱ ζῶντες εὐλογήσουσί σε ὃν τρόπον κᾀγώ· ἀπὸ γὰρ τῆς σήμερον παιδία ποιήσω, ἅ ἀναγγελοῦσι τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου

KJVThe living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.

JPSThe living, the living, he shall praise Thee, As I do this day; The father to the children shall make known Thy truth.

ThomsonO God of my salvation; and I will never cease praising Thee with a psaltery, all the days of my life before the house of God.

BrentonO God of my salvation; and I will not cease blessing thee with the psaltery all the days of my life before the house of God.

GreekΘεὲ τῆς σωτηρίας μου, καὶ οὐ παύσομαι εὐλογῶν σε μετὰ ψαλτηρίου πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς μου, κατέναντι τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ Θεοῦ.

KJVThe LORD was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD.

JPSThe LORD is ready to save me; Therefore we will sing songs to the stringed instruments All the days of our life in the house of the LORD.

ThomsonNow Esaias had said to Ezekias, Take a cake of figs and bruise and apply it as a poultice and thou shalt recover.

BrentonNow Esaias had said to Ezekias; Take a cake of figs, and mash them, and apply them as a plaister, and thou shalt be well.

GreekΚαὶ εἶπεν Ἡσαΐας πρὸς Ἐζεκίαν, λάβε παλάθην ἐκ σύκων, καὶ τρίψον, καὶ κατάπλασαι, καὶ ὑγιὴς ἔσῃ.

KJVFor Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaister upon the boil, and he shall recover.

JPSAnd Isaiah said: ‘Let them take a cake of figs, and lay it for a plaster upon the boil, and he shall recover.’

ThomsonWhereupon Ezekias said, Let this be a sign to Ezekias that I shall go up to the house of God.

BrentonAnd Ezekias said, This is a sign to Ezekias, that I shall go up to the house of God.

GreekΚαὶ εἶπεν Ἐζεκίας, τοῦτο σημεῖον πρὸς Ἐζεκίαν, ὅτι ἀναβήσομαι εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ.

KJVHezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?

JPSAnd Hezekiah said. 'What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?’