Hezekiah's Prayer in Sickness

Told by Isaiah that he would die, King Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and wept in prayer. God said, 'I have seen thy tears,' and gave him fifteen more years.

When King Hezekiah was sick to the point of death, the prophet Isaiah came with a stark message from the LORD: 'Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.' Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed, asking God to remember how he had walked before Him in truth and with a perfect heart, and he wept bitterly. Before Isaiah had even left the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him again: 'I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears.' God promised to heal Hezekiah, to add fifteen years to his life, and to defend Jerusalem from the king of Assyria. Isaiah 38 records the same prayer, followed by the song Hezekiah wrote after he recovered.

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Category: Distress
Prayed by: Hezekiah

Key Chapters

2 Kings 20 Hezekiah's Illness 4 min read Told he will die, Hezekiah turns to God with tears, and God answers before the p... Isaiah 38 Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery 4 min read Isaiah records the same prayer and the same tender answer: 'I have heard thy pra...

Key Passages

He Turned His Face to the Wall

2 Kings 20:1-6

Told he will die, Hezekiah turns to God with tears, and God answers before the prophet has left the palace courtyard.

I¹n those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.

² Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying, ³ I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now 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. ⁴ And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, ⁵ Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD. ⁶ And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.

Isaiah's Account

Isaiah 38:1-5

Isaiah records the same prayer and the same tender answer: 'I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears.'

I¹n 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.

² Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, ³ And 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. ⁴ Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying, ⁵ 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.