Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery
Told to set his house in order, Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and wept, and God added fifteen years to his life.
In those days King Hezekiah was sick unto death, and the prophet Isaiah brought him a sobering message: 'Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.' Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed, reminding the LORD how he had walked before Him in truth and with a perfect heart, and he wept sore. Before Isaiah had gone out into the middle court, God sent him back with an answer: 'I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears,' and He promised to add fifteen years to Hezekiah's life and to deliver Jerusalem out of the hand of the king of Assyria. Isaiah had a lump of figs laid on the boil, and as a sign the LORD brought the shadow ten degrees backward on the dial of Ahaz. Hezekiah's own psalm of thanksgiving after his recovery is preserved in Isaiah 38.
Did You Know?
God's answer came before Isaiah had even gone out into the middle court of the palace.
The sign was the shadow going back ten degrees on the dial of Ahaz, Hezekiah's father.
Isaiah 38 preserves 'The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness.'
Key Passage
Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery
2 Kings 20:1-11
1n 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.
Meanwhile in the World
Assyria becomes the world's first great empire, conquering from Egypt to Persia. Greece emerges from its Dark Age - the Olympic Games begin (776 BC). Rome is founded (753 BC). Carthage is established. This is the height of Assyrian military power and the rise of Greek city-states.
