Isaiah 38 - Easy To Read Version Easy To Read Version
Isaiah 38

¹ At that time, Hezekiah became sick and almost died. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to see him.

² Hezekiah turned toward the wall \{that faced the temple\} and began praying. He said:

³ “Lord, remember that I have truly served you with all my heart. I have done the things that you say are good.” Then Hezekiah cried very hard.

⁴ Isaiah received this message from the Lord:

⁵ “Go to Hezekiah and tell him that the Lord, the God of your ancestor {\cf2\super [360]} David says, ‘I heard your prayer, and I saw your tears. I will add 15 years to your life.

⁶ I will save you and this city from the king of Assyria. I will protect this city.’”

⁷ This is the sign from the Lord to show you that he will do the things he says:

⁸ “Look, I am causing the shadow that is on the steps of Ahaz {\cf2\super [363]} to move back ten steps. The sun’s shadow will go back up the ten steps that it has already been on.”

⁹ This is the letter from Hezekiah when he became well from the sickness:

¹⁰ I told myself I would live to be old.\par But then it was my time to go through\par the gates of Sheol. {\cf2\super [365]} \par Now I will spend all of my time there.\par

¹¹ So I said,\par “I will not see the Lord YAH {\cf2\super [366]} in\par the land of the living again.\par I will not see the people living on earth.\par

¹² My home, my shepherd’s tent,\par is being pulled down\par and taken from me.\par I am finished\par like the cloth a man rolls up\par and cuts from the loom. {\cf2\super [367]} \par You finished my life in such a short time!\par

¹³ All night I cried loud like a lion.\par But my hopes were crushed\par like a lion eating bones.\par You finished my life in such a short time!\par

¹⁴ I cried like a dove.\par I cried like a bird.\par My eyes became tired,\par but I continued looking to the heavens.\par My Master, I am so depressed.\par Promise to help me.”\par

¹⁵ What can I say?\par My Master told me what will happen.\par And my Master will cause that\par to happen.\par I have had these troubles in my soul.\par So now I will be humble all my life.\par

¹⁶ My Master, use this hard time to make\par my spirit live again.\par Help my spirit become strong and healthy.\par Help me become well!\par Help me live again!\par

¹⁷ Look! My troubles are gone!\par I now have peace.\par You love me very much.\par You did not let me rot in the grave.\par \{You forgave all my sins.\}\par You threw my sins far away.\par

¹⁸ Dead people don’t sing praises to you.\par People in Sheol {\cf2\super [368]} don’t praise you.\par Dead people don’t trust you to help them.\par They go into a hole in the ground,\par \{and never speak again\}.\par

¹⁹ People that are alive—\par like me today—\par are the people that praise you.\par A father should tell his children\par that you can be trusted.\par

²⁰ \{So I say:\}\par “The Lord saved me.\par So we will sing and play songs\par in the Lord’s temple all our lives.”\par

²¹ {\cf2\super [364]} Then Isaiah told Hezekiah, “You should crush figs together and put them on your sore, then you will become well.”

²² {\cf2\super [361]} But Hezekiah asked Isaiah, “What is the sign from the Lord that proves \{I will become well? What is the sign that proves\} I will be able to go to the Lord’s temple? {\cf2\super [362]} ”