2 Kings 20 - Good News Translation (GNT)

King Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery(A)

20 About this time King Hezekiah became sick and almost died. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to see him and said to him, “The Lord tells you that you are to put everything in order, because you will not recover. Get ready to die.”

2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed: 3 “Remember, Lord, that I have served you faithfully and loyally and that I have always tried to do what you wanted me to.” And he began to cry bitterly.

4 Isaiah left the king, but before he had passed through the central courtyard of the palace the Lord told him 5 to go back to Hezekiah, ruler of the Lord's people, and say to him, “I, the Lord, the God of your ancestor David, have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you, and in three days you will go to the Temple. 6 I will let you live fifteen years longer. I will rescue you and this city Jerusalem from the emperor of Assyria. I will defend this city, for the sake of my own honor and because of the promise I made to my servant David.”

7 Then Isaiah told the king's attendants to put on his boil a paste made of figs, and he would get well.[a] 8 King Hezekiah asked, “What is the sign to prove that the Lord will heal me and that three days later I will be able to go to the Temple?”

9 Isaiah replied, “The Lord will give you a sign to prove that he will keep his promise. Now, would you prefer to have the shadow on the stairway go forward ten steps or go back ten steps?”[b]

10 Hezekiah answered, “It's easy to have the shadow go forward ten steps![c] Have it go back ten steps.”[d]

11 Isaiah prayed to the Lord, and the Lord made the shadow go back ten steps[e] on the stairway[f] set up by King Ahaz.

Messengers from Babylonia(B)

12 About that same time the king of Babylonia, Merodach Baladan, the son of Baladan, heard that King Hezekiah had been sick, so he sent him a letter and a present. 13 Hezekiah welcomed the messengers and showed them his wealth—his silver and gold, his spices and perfumes, and all his military equipment. There was nothing in his storerooms or anywhere in his kingdom that he did not show them. 14 Then the prophet Isaiah went to King Hezekiah and asked, “Where did these men come from and what did they say to you?”

Hezekiah answered, “They came from a very distant country, from Babylonia.”

15 “What did they see in the palace?”

“They saw everything. There is nothing in the storerooms that I didn't show them.”

16 Isaiah then told the king, “The Lord Almighty says that 17 (C)a time is coming when everything in your palace, everything that your ancestors have stored up to this day, will be carried off to Babylonia. Nothing will be left. 18 (D)Some of your own direct descendants will be taken away and made eunuchs to serve in the palace of the king of Babylonia.”

19 King Hezekiah understood this to mean that there would be peace and security during his lifetime, so he replied, “The message you have given me from the Lord is good.”

The End of Hezekiah's Reign(E)

20 Everything else that King Hezekiah did, his brave deeds, and an account of how he built a reservoir and dug a tunnel to bring water into the city, are all recorded in The History of the Kings of Judah.

21 Hezekiah died, and his son Manasseh succeeded him as king.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 20:7 One ancient translation (and see Is 38.21) figs, and he would get well; Hebrew figs. They did so, and he got well.
  2. 2 Kings 20:9 stairway … steps … steps…; or sundial … degrees … degrees.
  3. 2 Kings 20:10 steps; or degrees.
  4. 2 Kings 20:10 steps; or degrees.
  5. 2 Kings 20:11 steps; or degrees.
  6. 2 Kings 20:11 stairway; or sundial. Archaeological evidence suggests that the stairway referred to in this passage was one specially constructed to tell time.

Cross references

  1. 2 Kings 20:1 : Isa 38:1-Isa 38:8; Isa 38:21; Isa 38:22; 2Chr 32:24-2Chr 32:26
  2. 2 Kings 20:12 : Isa 39:1-Isa 39:8
  3. 2 Kings 20:17 : 2Kgs 24:13; 2Chr 36:10
  4. 2 Kings 20:18 : 2Kgs 24:14; 2Kgs 24:15; Dan 1:1-Dan 1:7
  5. 2 Kings 20:20 : 2Chr 32:32; 2Chr 32:33

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2 Kings 20 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

20 In those days hath Hezekiah been sick unto death, and come unto him doth Isaiah son of Amoz the prophet, and saith unto him, `Thus said Jehovah: Give a charge to thy house, for thou art dying, and dost not live.' 2 And he turneth round his face unto the wall, and prayeth unto Jehovah, saying, 3 `...
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2 Kings 20 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

20 In those days Hezekiah was sick unto the death; and Isaiah, the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him, and said to him, The Lord God saith these things, Command to thine house, that is, make thy (last will and) testament/Dispose to thine house (Put thy house in order), for thou shalt die, and tho...
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2 Kings 20 - World English Bible (WEB)

20 In 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.’” 2 Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed to Yahweh, saying, 3 “Remember now, Yahweh, I beg you, how I hav...
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2 Kings 20 - The Voice (VOICE)

20 At that time, Hezekiah was deathly sick. The prophet Isaiah (Amoz’s son) went to Hezekiah.Isaiah: This is the Eternal’s message: “This is your last chance to make your final preparations because you are not going to recover; you are going to die.” 2 Then Hezekiah faced the wall and began to pray ...
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2 Kings 20 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Put Your House In Order20 In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. So Isaiah the prophet son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says Adonai: Put your house in order. For you are dying, and will not live.” 2 Then he turned his face to the wall and prayed to Adonai saying: 3 “Please, Adona...
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2 Kings 20 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Hezekiah’s Illness20 In those days Hezeki′ah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Set your house in order; for you shall die, you shall not recover.’” 2 Then Hezeki′ah turned his face to the wall, and p...
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2 Kings 20 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Hezekiah’s Illness20 In those days Hezeki′ah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Set your house in order; for you shall die, you shall not recover.’” 2 Then Hezeki′ah turned his face to the wall, and p...
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2 Kings 20 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Hezekiah’s Illness20 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.’ 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the ...
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2 Kings 20 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Hezekiah’s Illness20 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.”(A)2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the ...
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2 Kings 20 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Hezekiah’s Sickness and Recovery20 About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to visit him. He gave the king this message: “This is what the Lord says: Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die. You will not recover from this illness.” 2 When Hezek...
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2 Kings 20 - New Life Version (NLV)

Hezekiah Will Live Fifteen Years Longer20 In those days Hezekiah became sick enough to die. The man of God, Isaiah the son of Amoz, came to him and said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Get those of your house ready. For you will die. You will not get well again.’” 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to ...
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2 Kings 20 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Hezekiah’s Life Extended(A)20 In (B)those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live.’ ” 2 Then he turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord,...
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2 Kings 20 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Hezekiah’s illness20 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, ‘This is what the Lord says: put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.’ 2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to t...
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2 Kings 20 - New International Version (NIV)

Hezekiah’s Illness(A)20 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.” 2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed t...
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2 Kings 20 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Hezekiah Becomes Sick20 In those days Hezekiah became very sick. He was about to die. Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him. Isaiah told Hezekiah, “The Lord says, ‘Put everything in order. Make out your will. You are going to die soon. You will not get well again.’ ” 2 Hezekiah turned his...
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2 Kings 20 - New English Translation (NET)

Hezekiah is Healed20 In those days Hezekiah was stricken with a terminal illness.[a] The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz visited him and told him, “This is what the Lord has said, ‘Give your household instructions, for you are about to die; you will not get well.’”[b] 2 He turned his face to the wall an...
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