1V těch dnech Ezechiáš na smrt onemocněl. Přišel k němu Amosův syn, prorok Izaiáš, a řekl mu: „Takto mluví Jahve. Uspořádej svůj dům, neboť zemřeš, nebudeš žít.“ 2Ezechiáš se obrátil ke zdi a takto se modlil k Jahvovi: 3„Ach, Jahve, vzpomeň si, prosím tě, že jsem si před tebou vedl věrně a se vší poctivostí srdce a že jsem dělal, co bylo v tvých očích dobré.“ A Ezechiáš proléval hojné slzy. 4Izaiáš ještě nevyšel z ústředního dvora a už k němu dolehlo Jahvovo slovo: 5„Vrať se a řekni Ezechiášovi, vévodovi mého lidu: Takto mluví Jahve, Bůh tvého předka Davida. Slyšel jsem tvou modlitbu, viděl jsem tvé slzy. Uzdravím tě: za tři dny vstoupíš do Jahvova Chrámu. 6Přidám ke tvému životu patnáct let, vysvobodím tebe i toto město z ruky asyrského krále, budu toto město kvůli sobě a svému služebníku Davidovi chránit.“ 7Izaiáš řekl: „Vezměte hrudu fíků.“ Vzali jednu, přiložili ji na vřed a král se uzdravil. 8Ezechiáš řekl Izaiášovi: „Podle jakého znamení poznám, že mě Jahve uzdraví a že za tři dny vstoupím do Jahvova Chrámu?“ 9Izaiáš odpověděl: „Hle, toto je znamení od Jahva, že učiní, co řekl: Chceš, aby stín postoupil o deset stupňů, nebo aby o deset stupňů ustoupil?“ 10Ezechiáš řekl: „To je pro stín maličkost zvětšit se o deset stupňů! Ne! Ať raději stín o deset stupňů ustoupí!“ 11Prorok Izaiáš vzýval Jahva a on způsobil, že stín na stupních, po nichž sestupovalo slunce, na stupních k Achazovu hornímu pokoji, ustoupil o deset stupňů. 12V té době poslal babylonský král, Baladanův syn Merodak-Baladan, Ezechiášovi listy a dar, neboť se dozvěděl o jeho nemoci a zotavení. 13Ezechiáš se nad tím zaradoval a ukázal poslům svou klenotnici, stříbro, zlato, vonné látky, vzácný olej a také svou zbrojnici a všechno, co měl ve svých skladech. Nebylo nic, co by jim Ezechiáš ve svém paláci a na celém svém panství nebyl ukázal. 14Tu přišel ke králi Ezechiášovi prorok Izaiáš a zeptal se ho: „Co říkali ti muži a odkud k tobě přišli?“ Ezechiáš odpověděl: „Přišli z daleké země, z Babylonu.“ 15Izaiáš pokračoval: „Co viděli v tvém paláci?“ Ezechiáš odpověděl: „Viděli všechno, co je v mém paláci, v mých skladech, není nic, co bych jim nebyl ukázal.“ 16Tu řekl Izaiáš Ezechiášovi: „Slyš Jahvovo slovo: 17Nadcházejí dny, kdy všechno, co je ve tvém paláci, všechno, co až dodnes nashromáždili tví otcové, bude odneseno do Babylonu, nic nezůstane, říká Jahve. 18Ze synů, kteří vzešli z tebe, z těch, které jsi zplodil, některé vezmou a budou z nich kleštěnci v paláci babylonského krále.“ 19Ezechiáš řekl Izaiášovi: „Jahvovo slovo, jež zvěstuješ, je příznivé.“ Pomyslel si totiž: „Proč ne? Bude-li během mého života pokoj a bezpečí!“ 20Zbytek Ezechiášových příběhů, všechny jeho hrdinské činy i to, jak postavil rybník a vodovod, aby se do města přiváděla voda, není to snad zapsáno v knize Letopisů judských králů? 21Ezechiáš ulehl se svými otci a namísto něho vládl jeho syn Manases.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 HEZEKIAH'S LIFE LENGTHENED. (
2Kgs 20:1-7)
In those days was Hezekiah sick--As his reign lasted twenty-nine years (
2Kgs 18:2), and his kingdom was invaded in the fourteenth (
2Kgs 18:13), it is evident that this sudden and severe illness must have occurred in the very year of the Syrian invasion. Between the threatened attack and the actual appearance of the enemy, this incident in Hezekiah's history must have taken place. But according to the usage of the sacred historian, the story of Sennacherib is completed before entering on what was personal to the king of Judah (see also Isa. 37:36-38:1).
Set thine house in order--Isaiah, being of the blood royal, might have access to the king's private house. But since the prophet was commissioned to make this announcement, the message must be considered as referring to matters of higher importance than the settlement of the king's domestic and private affairs. It must have related chiefly to the state of his kingdom, he having not as yet any son (compare
2Kgs 20:6 with
2Kgs 21:1).
for thou shall die, and not live--The disease was of a malignant character and would be mortal in its effects, unless the healing power of God should miraculously interpose.
2 he turned his face to the wall--not like Ahab (
1Kgs 21:4), in fretful discontent, but in order to secure a better opportunity for prayer.
3 remember now how I have walked before thee, &c.--The course of Hezekiah's thoughts was evidently directed to the promise made to David and his successors on the throne (
1Kgs 8:25). He had kept the conditions as faithfully as human infirmity admitted; and as he had been all along free from any of those great crimes by which, through the judgment of God, human life was often suddenly cut short, his great grief might arise partly from the love of life, partly from the obscurity of the Mosaic dispensation, where life and immortality had not been fully brought to light, and partly from his plans for the reformation of his kingdom being frustrated by his death. He pleaded the fulfilment of the promise.
4 afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court--of the royal castle.
5 Thus saith . . . the God of David thy father--An immediate answer was given to his prayer, containing an assurance that the Lord was mindful of His promise to David and would accomplish it in Hezekiah's experience, both by the prolongation of his life, and his deliverance from the Assyrians.
on the third day--The perfect recovery from a dangerous sickness, within so short a time, shows the miraculous character of the cure (see his thanksgiving song,
Isa 38:9). The disease cannot be ascertained; but the text gives no hint that the plague was raging then in Jerusalem; and although Arab physicians apply a cataplasm of figs to plague-boils, they also do so in other cases, as figs are considered useful in ripening and soothing inflammatory ulcers.
8 THE SUN GOES TEN DEGREES BACKWARD. (
2Kgs 20:8-20)
Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What will be the sign that the Lord shall heal me--His recovery in the course of nature was so unlooked for, that the king asked for some token to justify his reliance on the truth of the prophet's communication; and the sign he specified was granted to him. The shadow of the sun went back upon the dial of Ahaz the ten degrees it had gone down. Various conjectures have been formed as to this dial. The word in the original is "degrees," or "steps," and hence many commentators have supposed that it was a stair, so artfully contrived, that the shadows on the steps indicated the hours and course of the sun. But it is more probable that it was a proper instrument, and, from the Hebrews having no term to designate it, that it was one of the foreign novelties imported from Babylon by Ahaz. It seems to have been of such magnitude, and so placed in the court, that Isaiah could point to it, and the king see it, from his chamber. The retrogression of the sun's shadow on the dial was miraculously accomplished by the omnipotent power of God; but the phenomenon was temporary, local, confined to the notice, and intended for the satisfaction, only of Hezekiah and his court.
12 Berodach-baladan-- (
Isa 39:1), the first king of Babylon mentioned in sacred history; formerly its rulers were viceroys of the Assyrian monarchs. This individual threw off the yoke, and asserting his independence, made with varying success, a long and obstinate resistance [RAWLINSON, Outlines]. The message of congratulation to Hezekiah, was, in all likelihood, accompanied with proposals for a defensive alliance against their common Assyrian enemy. The king of Judah, flattered with this honor, showed the ambassadors all his treasures, his armory and warlike stores; and his motive for this was evidently that the Babylonian deputies might be the more induced to prize his friendship.
13 the silver, and the gold--He paid so much tribute to Sennacherib as exhausted his treasury (compare
2Kgs 18:16). But, after the destruction of Sennacherib, presents were brought him from various quarters, out of respect to a king who, by his faith and prayer, saved his country; and besides, it is by no means improbable that from the corpses in the Assyrian camp, all the gold and silver he had paid might be recovered. The vain display, however, was offensive to his divine liege lord, who sent Isaiah to reprove him. The answer he gave the prophet (
2Kgs 22:14) shows how he was elated by the compliment of their visit; but it was wrong, as presenting a bait for the cupidity of these rapacious foreigners, who, at no distant period, would return and pillage his country, and transfer all the possessions he ostentatiously displayed to Babylon, as well as his posterity to be court attendants in that country--(see on
2Chr 32:31).
19 Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken--indicating a humble and pious resignation to the divine will. The concluding part of his reply was uttered after a pause and was probably an ejaculation to himself, expressing his thankfulness, that, though great afflictions should befall his descendants, the execution of the divine judgment was to be suspended during his own lifetime.
20 pool and a conduit--(See on
2Chr 32:30).