New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (nwt, en_US, 2013)
Isaiah
Isaiah, 38
1 In those days Hez·e·kiʹah became sick and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah the son of Aʹmoz came and said to him, “This is what Jehovah says: ‘Give instructions to your household, for you will die; you will not recover.’”
2 At that Hez·e·kiʹah turned his face to the wall and began to pray to Jehovah:
3 “I beg you, O Jehovah, remember, please, how I have walked before you faithfully and with a complete heart, and I have done what was good in your eyes.” And Hez·e·kiʹah began to weep profusely.
4 Then the word of Jehovah came to Isaiah, saying:
5 “Go back and say to Hez·e·kiʹah, ‘This is what Jehovah the God of David your forefather says: “I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Here I am adding 15 years to your life,*1
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6 and I will rescue you and this city out of the hand of the king of As·syrʹi·a, and I will defend this city.
7 This is the sign from Jehovah to show you that Jehovah will carry out the word that he has spoken:
8 Here I will make the declining shadow of the sun on the stairway*1 of Aʹhaz go back ten steps.”’” So the sun went back ten steps on the stairway that it had already descended.
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9 A writing*1 of King Hez·e·kiʹah of Judah when he became sick and recovered from his sickness.
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10 I said: “In the middle of my life I must go into the gates of the Grave.*1 I will be deprived of my remaining years.”
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11 I said: “I will not see Jah,*1 Jah in the land of the living. I will look no more on mankind When I am with the inhabitants of the place where everything ceases.
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12 My own dwelling has been pulled out and removed from me Like the tent of a shepherd. I have rolled up my life like a loom worker; He cuts me off like the threads of the warp. From daylight to nightfall you keep bringing me to an end.
13 I calm myself until the morning. Like a lion, he keeps breaking all my bones; From daylight to nightfall you keep bringing me to an end.
14 Like the swift or the thrush,*1 so I keep chirping; I keep cooing like the dove. My eyes look wearily to the height: ‘O Jehovah, I am in great distress; Be my support!’*2
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15 What can I say? He has spoken to me and acted. I will walk humbly*1 all my years Because of my bitter distress.*2
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16 ‘O Jehovah, by these things*1 every man lives, And in them is the life of my spirit. You will restore me to health and preserve me alive.
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17 Look! Instead of peace, I had great bitterness; But in your fondness for me,*1 You preserved me from the pit of destruction. You have thrown all my sins behind your back.*2
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18 For the Grave*1 cannot glorify you, Death cannot praise you. Those who go down into the pit cannot hope for your faithfulness.
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19 The living, the living can praise you, Just as I can this day. A father can give his sons knowledge about your faithfulness.
20 O Jehovah, save me, And we will play my songs on stringed instruments All the days of our life at the house of Jehovah.’”
21 Isaiah then said: “Bring a cake of pressed dried figs and apply it to the boil, so that he may recover.”
22 Hez·e·kiʹah had asked: “What is the sign that I will go up to the house of Jehovah?”