2 Kings 20

King James Version

Full text for 2 Kings Chapter 20

1¶ In 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.

2Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying,

3I 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.

4And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying,

5Turn 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.

6And 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.

7And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid [it] on the boil, and he recovered.

8And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What [shall be] the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third day?

9And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?

10And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.

11And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.

12¶ At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.

13And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and [all] the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.

14Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, [even] from Babylon.

15And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All [the things] that [are] in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.

16And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD.

17Behold, the days come, that all that [is] in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.

18And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.

19Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good [is] the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, [Is it] not [good], if peace and truth be in my days?

20And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

21And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

King Hezekiah, facing death, prayed earnestly, and the prophet Isaiah was sent by the LORD to announce his healing and an addition of fifteen years to his life, confirmed by the miraculous reversal of the sundial's shadow. Later, Hezekiah unwisely displayed all his treasures to Babylonian envoys, prompting Isaiah to prophesy that these riches and even his descendants would be carried away to Babylon. Hezekiah accepted the prophecy, finding solace that peace would endure in his own time.

Medium Summary

King Hezekiah was gravely ill, and the prophet Isaiah delivered a divine message that he would die. Hezekiah prayed fervently, reminding the LORD of his faithful walk, and wept bitterly. Before Isaiah left the court, the LORD commanded him to return and inform Hezekiah that his prayer and tears had been heard, and he would be healed, ascend to the temple on the third day, and have fifteen years added to his life. A lump of figs was applied to his boil for recovery. As a sign, Hezekiah requested the shadow on the sundial to recede ten degrees, which the LORD miraculously performed through Isaiah's prayer. Subsequently, when the king of Babylon sent envoys, Hezekiah imprudently displayed all his royal treasures and armory to them. Isaiah confronted Hezekiah, then prophesied that all these riches, along with his future sons, would be taken to Babylon. Hezekiah accepted this pronouncement, expressing contentment that peace and truth would prevail during his own reign.

Long Summary

King Hezekiah of Judah fell critically ill, and the prophet Isaiah delivered a direct message from the LORD, instructing him to prepare for death. Hezekiah, deeply distressed, turned his face to the wall and prayed earnestly, recalling his righteous conduct and perfect heart before the LORD, weeping profusely. Before Isaiah had even left the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him, commanding him to return to Hezekiah. The LORD declared that He had heard Hezekiah's prayer and seen his tears, promising to heal him, enable him to go to the house of the LORD on the third day, and add fifteen years to his life. Furthermore, the LORD pledged to deliver Jerusalem from the king of Assyria, defending the city for His own sake and for David's sake. Isaiah then instructed that a lump of figs be applied to Hezekiah's boil, leading to his recovery. Seeking a sign for this divine promise, Hezekiah asked for confirmation, and Isaiah offered a choice: the shadow on the sundial could advance or recede ten degrees. Hezekiah chose the more difficult sign, requesting the shadow to go backward ten degrees, which Isaiah prayed for, and the LORD miraculously performed on the dial of Ahaz. Later, Berodachbaladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, having heard of his sickness. Hezekiah, in an act of pride or misjudgment, showed the Babylonian envoys all his precious things, including silver, gold, spices, precious ointment, and all his armory and treasures, leaving nothing concealed. Isaiah then confronted the king, inquiring about the visitors and what they had seen. Upon Hezekiah's admission that he had shown them everything, Isaiah delivered a severe prophecy from the LORD: all the treasures in Hezekiah's house, accumulated by his fathers, would be carried away to Babylon, with nothing left. Moreover, his own sons would be taken and made eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. Hezekiah's response was one of resignation, acknowledging the LORD's word as good, finding solace that peace and truth would endure in his own lifetime. The chapter concludes by noting Hezekiah's other acts, including the construction of a pool and conduit, recorded in the chronicles, and his death, succeeded by Manasseh.

Core Concepts

  • Divine Intervention in SicknessThe LORD directly intervenes in King Hezekiah's terminal illness, extending his life by fifteen years in response to his fervent prayer and tears. This demonstrates God's power over life and death and His responsiveness to sincere supplication.
  • Miraculous SignTo confirm His promise of healing, the LORD performs a unique miracle by causing the shadow on the sundial of Ahaz to recede ten degrees at Hezekiah's request. This serves as an undeniable physical manifestation of God's word and power.
  • Hezekiah's Prayer and HumilityInitially, Hezekiah prays with deep humility and earnestness, appealing to God's remembrance of his righteous walk. This prayer is pivotal in reversing the divine decree of his death.
  • Pride and Prophetic ConsequenceHezekiah's later act of displaying all his kingdom's treasures to the Babylonian envoys is presented as a significant misstep, leading to Isaiah's prophecy of future Babylonian captivity for Judah's wealth and Hezekiah's descendants. This highlights the dangers of pride and lack of discretion.
  • Babylonian ThreatThe visit of the Babylonian envoys, seemingly innocuous, foreshadows the future destruction and exile of Judah by Babylon, as prophesied by Isaiah. This marks Babylon's emergence as a significant future adversary.
  • Acceptance of Divine JudgmentHezekiah's response to the dire prophecy of future exile and the fate of his sons is one of acceptance, finding comfort that peace and truth would be in his own days. This shows a pragmatic, albeit self-focused, resignation to God's declared will.
  • God's Covenant FaithfulnessThe LORD's promise to deliver Jerusalem from Assyria is explicitly stated to be 'for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake,' emphasizing His faithfulness to His covenant and His reputation.