Chapter 20

1And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons {y} smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.
(y) This was the just judgment of God for his blasphemy, that he would be slain before the idol that he preferred to the living God, and by those who should by nature have needed his defence.

2Then he turned his face to the {a} wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying,
(a) That his mind might not be troubled.

3I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a {b} perfect heart, and have done [that which is] good in thy sight. And Hezekiah {c} wept sore.
(b) Meaning, without all hypocrisy. (c) Not so much for his own death, as for fear that idolatry would be restored which he had destroyed, and so God's Name be dishonoured.

5Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy {d} prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the {e} house of the LORD.
(d) Because of his true repentance and prayer, God turned away his wrath. (e) To give thanks for your deliverance.

7And Isaiah said, Take a {f} lump of figs. And they took and laid [it] on the boil, and he recovered.
(f) He declares that though God can heal without other medicines, he will not have these inferior means contemned.

10And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow {g} return backward ten degrees.
(g) Let the sun go so many degrees back, that the hours may be fewer in the king's dial.

11And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the {h} dial of Ahaz.
(h) Which was set at the top of the stairs that Ahaz had made.

12At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a {i} present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.
(i) Moved by the favour that God showed to Hezekiah, and also because he had declared himself an enemy of Sennacherib who was now destroyed.

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 {k} dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.
(k) Being moved by ambition and vain glory, and also because he seemed to rejoice in the friendship of him who was God's enemy and an infidel.

19Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good [is] the word of the LORD which thou hast {l} spoken. And he said, [Is it] not [good], if {m} peace and truth be in my days?
(l) He acknowledges Isaiah to be the true prophet of God and therefore humbles himself to his word. (m) Seeing that God has shown me this favour to grant me quietness during my life: for he was afraid lest the enemies would have had opportunity to rejoice if the Church had decayed in his time, because he had restored religion.

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