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| 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. |
In those days – Somewhere in the period of Hezekiah's prosperity and consequent pride. R2382:6
731 BC, 125 years before the removal of the crown from Zedekiah (606 BC); corresponding to the date of the French Revolution, 1789 AD, from which Christendom recovered, though it must have seemed to be a "sickness unto death"; which was 125 years before 1914, when Gentile crowns are removed. R3574:1, 2*
Was Hezeklah sick – Penalty for his failure to render unto the Lord according to his blessings. R2382:6
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| 2 Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying, |
And prayed – Isa. 38:9-22 records in poetic form Hevious prayer. R2382:6
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| 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. |
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| 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, |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 7 And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered. |
And Isaiah said – Isaiah did not pray with Hezekiah, nor suggest prayer, but was surprised when sent back to inform Hezekiah that he would recover. R2028:6
A lump of figs – A poultice. Many who believe in faith healing today would object to a fig poultice or any other human instrumentality being used. R2029:1
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| 8 And 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? |
Shall be the sign – The Lord's people of the New Creation should avoid putting the Lord to tests and signs. He desires his people to walk by faith and not by sight. R3589:1
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| 9 And 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? |
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| 10 And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees. |
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| 11 And 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. |
Brought the shadow – Probably by means of conditions in the upper atmosphere causing two parhelia or mock suns. R2383:1, * R3589:2; Q770:4
Ten degrees backward – Professor Garbet declares that he knew of an afternoon when, on sundials in Southern England, there occurred exactly the same wonder. R2383:1, R3589:4; Q770:4
Perhaps symbolically representing the ten years from the French Revolution to the beginning of the Time of the End. R3574:3*
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| 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. |
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| 13 And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and showed 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 showed them not.
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| 14 Then 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. |
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| 15 And 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 showed them. |
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| 16 And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD. |
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| 17 Behold, 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. |
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| 18 And 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. |
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| 19 Then 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? |
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| 20 And 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? |
Brought water – This seems to shadow forth the founding of the various Bible Societies at the beginning of the last century. R3574:3*
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| 21 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead. |
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