33 "This is what Yahweh says about the king of Assyria: He will never come into this city, shoot an arrow here, hold a shield in front of it, or put up dirt ramps to attack it.

34 He will go back the way he came, and he won't come into this city,"

declares Yahweh Tsebaoth .

35 "I will shield this city to rescue it for my sake and for the sake of my servant David."

36 Yahweh's angel went out and killed 185,000 soldiers in the Assyrian camp. When the Judeans got up early in the morning, they saw all the corpses.

37 Then King Sennacherib of Assyria left. He went home to Nineveh and stayed there. 38 While he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, Adrammelech and Sharezer, his sons, assassinated him and escaped to the land of Ararat. His son Esarhaddon succeeded him as king.

Hezekiah's Illness-2 Kings 20:1-11; 2 Chronicles 32:24 38 1 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was about to die. The prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, came to him and said, "This is what Yahweh says: Give final instructions to your household, because you're about to die. You won't get well."

2 Hezekiah turned to the wall and prayed to Yahweh. 3 "Please, Yahweh, remember how I've lived faithfully and sincerely in your presence. I've done what you consider right." And he cried bitterly.

4 Then Yahweh spoke his word to Isaiah, 5 "Go and say to Hezekiah, 'This is what Yahweh Elohim of your ancestor David says: I've heard your prayer. I've seen your tears. I'm going to give you 15 more years to live. 6 I'll rescue you and defend this city from the control of the king of Assyria.'"

21 aThen Isaiah said, "Take a fig cake, and place it over the boil so that the king will get well."

22 Hezekiah asked, "What is the sign that I'll go to Yahweh's temple?"

7 Isaiah said, "This is your sign from Yahweh that he will do what he promises. 8 The sun made a shadow that went down the stairway of Ahaz's upper palace. I'm going to make the shadow go back ten steps." So the sun on the stairway went back up the ten steps it had gone down.

9 King Hezekiah of Judah wrote this after he was sick and became well again: 10 I thought that in the prime of my life I would go down to the gates of Sheol and be robbed of the rest of my life.

11 I thought that I wouldn't see Yah in this world.

Even with all the people in the world, I thought I would never see another person.

12 My life was over.

You rolled it up like a shepherd's tent.

You rolled up my life like a weaver.

You cut me off from the loom.

You ended my life in one day.

13 I cried out until morning as if a lion had crushed all my bones.

You ended my life in one day.

14 I chirped like swallows and cranes.

I cooed like doves.

My eyes were tired from looking up to heaven.

I've suffered miserably, O Adonay !

Please help me!

15 What can I say now that he has spoken to me?

He has done this.

I will be careful the rest of my life because of my bitter experience.a 16 Adonay , people live in spite of such things, and I have the will to live in spite of them.

You give me health and keep me alive.

17 Now my bitter experience turns into peace.

You have saved me and kept me from the rotting pit.

You have thrown all my sins behind you.

18 Sheol doesn't thank you!

Death doesn't praise you!

Those who go down to the pit cannot expect you to be faithful.

19 Those who are living praise you as I do today.

Fathers make your faithfulness known to their children.

20 Yahweh is going to rescue me, so let us play stringed instruments.

We live our lives in Yahweh's temple.

Hezekiah Shows the Babylonians His Treasures-2 Kings 20:12-19; 2 Chronicles 32:31-33 39 1 At that time Baladan's son, King Merodach Baladan of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah. He had heard that Hezekiah had been sick and had recovered. 2 Hezekiah was so happy with them that he showed the messengers his warehouse: the silver, gold, balsam, fine olive oil, his entire armory, and everything in his treasury. Hezekiah showed them everything in his palace and every corner of his kingdom.

3 Then the prophet Isaiah came to King Hezekiah and asked, "What did these men say? And where did they come from?"

Hezekiah answered, "They came to me from the distant country of Babylon."

4 Isaiah asked, "What did they see in your palace?"

Hezekiah answered, "They saw everything in my palace, and I showed them everything in my treasury."

5 Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of Yahweh Tsebaoth ! 6 Yahweh says, 'The days are going to come when everything in your palace, everything your ancestors have stored up to this day, will be taken away to Babylon. Nothing will be left. 7 Some of your own descendants will be taken away. They will become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon.'"

8 Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "Yahweh's word that you have spoken is good." He added, "Just let there be peace and security as long as I live."

Comfort My People 40 1 "Comfort my people! Comfort them!" says your Elohim.

2 "Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and announce to it that its time of hard labor is over and its wrongs have been paid for.

It has received from Yahweh double for all its sins."

3 A voice cries out in the desert: "Clear a way for Yahweh.

Make a straight highway in the wilderness for our Elohim.

4 Every valley will be raised.

Every mountain and hill will be lowered.

Steep places will be made level.

Rough places will be made smooth.

5 Then Yahweh's glory will be revealed and all people will see it together.

Yahweh has spoken."

6 A voice called, "Call out!"

I asked, "What should I call out?"

"Call out: All people are like grass, and all their beauty is like a flower in the field.

7 Grass dries up, and flowers wither when Yahweh's breath blows on them.

Yes, people are like grass.

8 Grass dries up, and flowers wither, but the word of our Elohim will last forever."

9 Go up a high mountain, Zion.

Tell the good news!

Call out with a loud voice, Jerusalem.

Tell the good news!

Raise your voice without fear.

Tell the cities of Judah: "Here is your Elohim!"

10 Adonay Yahweh is coming with power to rule with authority.

His reward is with him, and the people he has won arrive ahead of him.

11 Like a shepherd he takes care of his flock.

He gathers the lambs in his arms.

He carries them in his arms.

He gently helps the sheep and their lambs.

God Gives Strength to Those Who Depend on Him 12 Who has measured the water of the seaa with the palm of his hand or measured the sky with the length of his hand?

Who has held the dust of the earth in a bushel basket or weighed the mountains on a scale and the hills on a balance?

13 Who has directed the Ruach Yahweh or instructed him as his adviser?

14 Whom did he consult?

Who gave him understanding?

Who taught him the right way?

Who taught him knowledge?

Who informed him about the way to understanding?

15 The nations are like a drop in a bucket and are considered to be like dust on a scale.

The weight of the islands is like fine dust.

16 All the trees in Lebanon are not enough to burn an offering.

Its wild animals are not enough for a single burnt offering.

17 All the nations amount to nothing in his presence.

He considers them less than nothing and worthless.

18 To whom, then, can you compare El?

To what statue can you compare him?

19 Craftsmen make idols.

Goldsmiths cover them with gold.

Silversmiths make silver chains for them.

20 The poorest people choose wood that will not rot and search out skillful craftsmen to set up idols that will not fall over.

21 Don't you know?

Haven't you heard?

Haven't you been told from the beginning?