Hezekiah fell ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came and said to him, ‘The Lord says this, “Put your affairs in order, for you are going to die, you will not live.”’ Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and addressed this prayer to the Lord, ‘Ah, Lord, remember, I beg you, how I have behaved faithfully and with sincerity of heart in your presence and done what is right in your eyes.’ And Hezekiah shed many tears.

Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, ‘Go and say to Hezekiah, “The Lord, the God of David your ancestor, says this: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will cure you: in three days’ time you shall go up to the Temple of the Lord.” I will add fifteen years to your life. I will save you from the hands of the king of Assyria, I will protect this city.”’

‘Bring a fig poultice,’ Isaiah said, ‘apply it to the ulcer and he will recover.’ Hezekiah said, ‘What is the sign to tell me that I shall be going up to the Temple of the Lord?’ ‘Here’ Isaiah replied’’ ‘is the sign from the Lord that he will do what he has said. Look, I shall make the shadow cast by the declining sun go back ten steps on the steps of Ahaz.’ And the sun went back the ten steps by which it had declined.

You have held back my life, O Lord, from the pit of doom.

I said, ‘So I must go away,
  my life half spent,
assigned to the world below
  for the rest of my years.’

You have held back my life, O Lord, from the pit of doom.

I said, ‘No more shall I see the Lord
  in the land of the living,
no more shall I look upon men
  within this world.

You have held back my life, O Lord, from the pit of doom.

‘My home is pulled up and removed
  like a shepherd’s tent.
Like a weaver you have rolled up my life,
  you cut it from the loom.

You have held back my life, O Lord, from the pit of doom.

‘For you, Lord, my heart will live,
  you gave me back my spirit;
you cured me, kept me alive,
  changed my sickness into health.’

You have held back my life, O Lord, from the pit of doom.

Alleluia, alleluia!
Instruct me, Lord, in your way;
on an even path lead me.
Alleluia!