Table of Contents
Hezekiah’s Illness and Prayer
The chapter begins by recording a critical event in the life of King Hezekiah. It is stated that in those days, Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The seriousness of his condition is confirmed by the prophet Isaiah, who came to him with a direct message from the LORD. Isaiah told the king, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.'” This was a clear and unambiguous divine pronouncement.
Upon hearing the prophecy, Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall and prayed to the LORD. His prayer was a desperate and heartfelt plea for mercy. He appealed to his past righteousness, saying, “Remember now, O LORD, how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” His prayer was accompanied by bitter weeping. This moment captures a powerful contrast: a man who had been divinely assured of his impending death, yet he appealed to God’s character and his own faithful service. His prayer demonstrates a deep personal relationship with God, one that allowed him to express his sorrow and hope for a different outcome.
God’s Answer and the Sign of the Sundial
The response to Hezekiah’s prayer was both swift and miraculous. Before Isaiah had even left the middle courtyard, the word of the LORD came to him. God instructed Isaiah to go back and tell Hezekiah that He had heard his prayer and seen his tears. God then made a new promise: “Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD, and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for My own sake and for the sake of My servant David.” This divine reversal of prophecy highlights God’s compassion and His willingness to respond to the prayers of His people. The promise not only included healing and an extended life but also a renewed pledge to protect Jerusalem from the Assyrians, a threat that was still very real.
As a sign to confirm the truth of this promise, Isaiah asked what sign Hezekiah would like to see. Hezekiah chose the more difficult sign: for the shadow on the steps of Ahaz to go back ten steps rather than forward. It is recorded that the prophet Isaiah cried out to the LORD, and He caused the shadow to go back ten steps. This miraculous event, involving the reversal of a natural phenomenon, was an irrefutable sign of God’s power and a public confirmation of His promise to the king. The healing itself was accomplished with a simple remedy of a fig cake applied to the boil.
The Embassy from Babylon
Following his miraculous recovery, Hezekiah received an embassy from the kingdom of Babylon. Berodach-Baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah. The reason for the embassy was stated to be that the Babylonian king had heard that Hezekiah had been sick. However, the true purpose was likely political, as Babylon was a rival of Assyria and was seeking to form alliances with other states that were also threatened by the Assyrian Empire.
Hezekiah, in a moment of great pride and lack of discretion, was overjoyed by the visit. He showed the Babylonian envoys his entire royal house, including his treasuries, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his armory, and all his storehouses. It is explicitly stated that there was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that he did not show them. This act was a fatal mistake. Instead of giving glory to God for his miraculous healing and the city’s deliverance from Assyria, Hezekiah chose to flaunt his worldly wealth and military might to foreign spies. This act of pride and misplaced trust would have severe consequences.
Isaiah’s Prophecy of Exile
The prophet Isaiah, who had just delivered a message of life and healing, returned to Hezekiah with a word of judgment. He asked the king what the men from Babylon had seen. Hezekiah honestly replied that they had seen everything in his house. Isaiah then delivered a chilling prophecy from the LORD: “Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and all that your fathers have stored up until this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the LORD.” The very wealth that Hezekiah had so proudly displayed would one day be plundered by the very nation whose envoys he had entertained.
The prophecy went even further, stating that some of Hezekiah’s own descendants would be taken away and would be made eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. This was a devastating pronouncement, signaling the future fall of the kingdom and the end of the Davidic line’s direct rule in Jerusalem. Hezekiah’s response to this terrible news is startlingly complacent. He said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good.” He seemed to be comforted by the fact that the disaster would not happen during his own lifetime, but rather that there would be peace and security in his days. This response reveals a self-centered perspective and a failure to grasp the gravity of the future calamity that his actions had set in motion.
Theological Themes and Significance
The events of 2 Kings 20 are rich in theological themes. The first and most prominent is the power of prayer. Hezekiah’s prayer to God was a model of sincerity and faith. It was a direct conversation with the Creator, one that moved God to change His announced plan. The story is a powerful testimony to the fact that God is not a rigid being whose will is unalterable. Instead, He is a personal God who listens to the cries of His people and is compassionate in His dealings with them.
The chapter also provides a stark lesson on the dangers of pride. Hezekiah’s display of his wealth to the Babylonian envoys was an act of human pride. It was a failure to give glory to God for the miraculous deliverance from the Assyrians and the healing of his illness. Instead of a testimony to God’s power, his palace became a monument to his own riches. This act of pride opened the door to a divine prophecy of future judgment, showing that God opposes the proud and that moments of great blessing can quickly turn into moments of great spiritual danger if we are not careful.
Finally, the chapter highlights the consequences of sin, even for a righteous king. While Hezekiah was a good king who pleased the LORD, his moment of pride led to a devastating future for his descendants and his nation. This demonstrates that sin, no matter how small it may seem, has far-reaching consequences. The story serves as a reminder that personal sin can have corporate effects, and that our actions, both good and bad, have a ripple effect that can extend for generations.
Practical Lessons for Today
The account of King Hezekiah’s life provides several practical lessons for modern believers. The first is a lesson about vulnerability and prayer. We are taught that even the most righteous of people are not immune to sickness or hardship. However, like Hezekiah, our response to such trials should be to turn to God in humble and earnest prayer. We are reminded that God is a God who hears our prayers and is merciful.
The second lesson is a strong warning about pride and seeking human validation. Hezekiah’s downfall came not from his suffering but from his pride in his recovery. We must be vigilant in giving God the glory for our blessings and successes. When we are lifted up, it is easy to become tempted to show off our achievements, wealth, or influence. The story of Hezekiah warns us that such pride can lead to a fall and can open the door for future judgment. Our focus should always be on God’s power, not our own.
Finally, the narrative about the Babylonian embassy teaches us to be discerning in our relationships and to be careful about what we show others. Not every person who expresses interest in our lives has good intentions. The Babylonian envoys were spies, and Hezekiah’s lack of wisdom in revealing his kingdom’s vulnerability led to its future downfall. We must be wise and prayerful about who we allow into our lives and what we share with them, protecting the blessings that God has given us and using them for His purposes.
Cross References
Isaiah 38:1-22: This chapter in the book of Isaiah is a parallel account of Hezekiah’s illness and healing. It provides additional detail, including a psalm of thanksgiving written by Hezekiah after his recovery. This psalm gives insight into his emotions and his gratefulness for being rescued from the pit of destruction. The account also specifies that the sundial belonged to Ahaz, Hezekiah’s father.
Isaiah 39:1-8: This chapter is the parallel account of the Babylonian embassy and the prophecy of exile. It is almost identical to the text in 2 Kings 20. The inclusion of this story in the book of Isaiah, a prophet who had already dealt with the Assyrian threat and delivered a message of hope, serves as a poignant conclusion to his ministry to Hezekiah. It shows that despite God’s mercy and deliverance, the nation’s ultimate fate was sealed by its repeated and ongoing sin.
Psalm 39:4-6: This psalm reflects on the brevity of human life, a theme relevant to Hezekiah’s illness. The psalmist prays for God to make him know his end and the measure of his days. The psalm’s contemplation of a life that is but a handbreadth and a vapor is a fitting backdrop to Hezekiah’s experience of being at the point of death.
Proverbs 16:18: This proverb states, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” This is a perfect summary of Hezekiah’s actions in the latter part of the chapter. His prideful display of his wealth and power to the Babylonians directly preceded the prophecy of his kingdom’s future destruction and exile.
Luke 12:16-21: The parable of the rich fool provides a New Testament parallel to Hezekiah’s pride. The man in the parable was blessed with abundance but chose to store his wealth for himself, boasting of his future security. He failed to acknowledge God or use his blessings for His purposes. Jesus’ condemnation of this man’s foolishness is a powerful reminder that our treasures are to be used for God’s kingdom, not for our own prideful display.