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Read the Bible

New King James Version

Isaiah 38:2

Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the LORD,

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Afflictions and Adversities;   Disease;   Hezekiah;   Prayer;   Thompson Chain Reference - Hezekiah;   Prayer;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Life, Natural;   Sickness;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Dial;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Hezekiah;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Death;   Text, Versions, and Languages of Ot;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Hezekiah;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Ararat;   Hezekiah;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Judah;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Life;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Hezekiah;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord.
Hebrew Names Version
Then Hizkiyahu turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the LORD,
King James Version
Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the Lord ,
English Standard Version
Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord ,
New American Standard Bible
Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD,
New Century Version
Hezekiah turned toward the wall and prayed to the Lord ,
Amplified Bible
Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD,
World English Bible
Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed to Yahweh,
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the Lord,
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to Yahweh
Berean Standard Bible
Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD,
Contemporary English Version
Hezekiah turned toward the wall and prayed,
Complete Jewish Bible
Hizkiyahu turned his face toward the wall and prayed to Adonai :
Darby Translation
And Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed to Jehovah,
Easy-to-Read Version
Hezekiah turned toward the wall that faced the Temple and began praying to the Lord .
George Lamsa Translation
Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall and prayed to the LORD, saying,
Good News Translation
Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed:
Lexham English Bible
Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to Yahweh,
Literal Translation
And Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to Jehovah,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then Ezechias turned his face towarde the wall, & prayed vnto the LORDE,
American Standard Version
Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto Jehovah,
Bible in Basic English
And Hezekiah, turning his face to the wall, made his prayer to the Lord, saying,
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD,
King James Version (1611)
Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed vnto the Lord,
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then Hezekia turned his face toward the wall, and prayed vnto the Lorde,
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Ezekias turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the Lord, saying,
English Revised Version
Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Esechie turnede his face to the wal, and preiede the Lord, and seide, Lord, Y biseche;
Update Bible Version
Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed to Yahweh,
Webster's Bible Translation
Then Hezekiah turned his face towards the wall, and prayed to the LORD,
New English Translation
Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord ,
New Living Translation
When Hezekiah heard this, he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord ,
New Life Bible
Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the Lord,
New Revised Standard
Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the Lord :
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then Hezekiah turned his face unto the wall, - and prayed unto Yahweh;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Ezechias turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord,
Revised Standard Version
Then Hezeki'ah turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the LORD,
Young's Literal Translation
And Hezekiah turneth round his face unto the wall, and prayeth unto Jehovah,
THE MESSAGE
Hezekiah turned away from Isaiah and, facing the wall, prayed to God : " God , please, I beg you: Remember how I've lived my life. I've lived faithfully in your presence, lived out of a heart that was totally yours. You've seen how I've lived, the good that I have done." And Hezekiah wept as he prayed—painful tears.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD,

Contextual Overview

1 2 Kings 20:1-11; 2 Chronicles 32:24-26">[xr] In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: "Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live."' 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the LORD, 3 and said, "Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 And the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying, 5 "Go and tell Hezekiah, "Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years. 6 I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city."' 7 And this is the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing which He has spoken: 8 Behold, I will bring the shadow on the sundial, which has gone down with the sun on the sundial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward." So the sun returned ten degrees on the dial by which it had gone down.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

turned: Hezekiah's couch was probably placed in a corner, which is the place of honour in the East; in which, turning on either side, he must turn his face to the wall; by which he would withdraw himself from those attending him in his apartment. 1 Kings 8:30, Psalms 50:15, Psalms 91:15, Matthew 6:6

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 18:42 - put his face 2 Kings 20:2 - he turned Esther 8:3 - besought him with tears Psalms 120:1 - my distress

Cross-References

Genesis 3:6
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.
Genesis 6:2
that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.
Genesis 6:4
There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.
Genesis 24:3
and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell;
Genesis 34:2
And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her and lay with her, and violated her.
Genesis 46:12
The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.
Judges 14:2
So he went up and told his father and mother, saying, "I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore, get her for me as a wife."
Judges 16:1
Now Samson went to Gaza and saw a harlot there, and went in to her.
2 Samuel 11:2
Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold.
1 Chronicles 2:3
Ruth 4:18-22; Matthew 1:2-6; Like 3:31-33">[xr] The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, and Shelah. These three were born to him by the daughter of Shua, the Canaanitess. Er, the firstborn of Judah, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; so He killed him.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall,.... Not figuratively to the wall of his heart, as Jerom; but literally, either to the wall of his bedchamber where he lay sick, that his tears might not be seen, and his prayers interrupted, and that he might deliver them with more privacy, freedom, and fervency; or else to the wall of the temple, as the Targum, towards which good men used to look when they prayed, 1 Kings 8:38, which was a type of Christ, to whom we should have respect in all our petitions, as being the only Mediator between God and man: and prayed unto the Lord; as follows:

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall - The wall of the room in which he was lying He was probably lying on a couch next the wall of his room. Eastern houses usually have such couches or ottomans running along on the sides of the room on which they recline, and on which they lie when they are sick. Hezekiah probably turned his face to the wall in order that his emotion and his tears might not be seen by the bystanders, or in order that he might compose himself the better for devotion. His prayer he wished, doubtless, to be as secret as possible. The Chaldee renders this, ‘Turned his face to the wall of the house of the sanctuary;’ that is, of the temple, so that it might appear that be prayed toward the temple. Thus Daniel; when in Babylon, is said to have prayed with his windows opened toward Jerusalem Daniel 6:10. The Mahometans pray everywhere with their faces turned toward Mecca. But there is no evidence in the Hebrew text that Hezekiah prayed in that manner. The simple idea is, that he turned over on his couch toward the wall of his room, doubtless, for the greater privacy, and to hide his deep emotion.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 38:2. Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall — The furniture of an eastern divan or chamber, either for the reception of company or for private use, consists chiefly of carpets spread on the floor in the middle; and of sofas, or couches ranged on one or more sides of the room, on a part raised somewhat above the floor. On these they repose themselves in the day, and sleep at night. It is to be observed that the corner of the room is the place of honour. Dr. Pococke, when he was introduced to the Sheikh of Furshout, found him sitting in the corner of his room. He describes another Arab Sheikh "as sitting in the corner of a large green tent, pitched in the middle of an encampment of Arabs; and the Bey of Girge as placed on a sofa in a corner to the right as one entered the room." - Harmer's Observ. ii. p. 60. Lady Mary Montague, giving an account of a visit which she made to the Kahya's lady at Adrianople, says, "She ordered cushions to be given me; and took care to place me in the corner, which is the place of honour." - Letter xxxiii. The reason of this seems to be, that the person so placed is distinguished, and in a manner separated, from the rest of the company, and as it were guarded by the wall on each side. We are to suppose Hezekiah's couch placed in the same situation; in which turning on either side, he must turn his face to the wall; by which he would withdraw himself from those who were attending upon him in his apartment, in order to address his private prayer to God.

Isaiah 38:3. And he said, I beseech thee, O JEHOVAH, remember now how I have endeavoured to walk before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart; and have done that which is good in thine eyes. And Hezekiah wept, and lamented grievously. - L.

Isaiah 38:4. Now [before Isaiah was gone out into the middle court] the word of JEHOVAH came unto him, saying, Go [back,] and say unto Hezekiah, Thus saith JEHOVAH the God of David thy father, I have heard thy supplication; I have seen thy tears. Behold [I will heal thee; and on the third day thou shalt go up into the house of JEHOVAH.

Isaiah 38:5. And] I will add unto thy days fifteen years. And I will deliver thee, and this city, from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will protect this city. And [Hezekiah said, By what sign shall I know that I shall go up into the house of JEHOVAH?

Isaiah 38:7. And Isaiah said,] This shall be the sign unto thee from JEHOVAH, that JEHOVAH still bring to effect this word which he hath spoken.

The words in the translation included within crotchets are supplied from the parallel place, 2 Kings 20:4-5, to make the narration more perfect. I have also taken the liberty, with Houbigant, of bringing forward the two last verses of this chapter, and inserting them in their proper places of the narration with the same mark. Kimchi's note on these two verses is as follows: "This and the following verse belong not to the writing of Hezekiah; and I see no reason why they are written here after the writing; for their right place is above, after And I will protect this city, Isaiah 38:6. And so they stand in the book of Kings," 2 Kings 20:7-8. The narration of this chapter seems to be in some parts an abridgment of that of 2 Kings 20:1-6. The abridger, having finished his extract here with the eleventh verse, seems to have observed, that the seventh and eighth verses of 2 Kings 20:7-8 were wanted to complete the narration: he therefore added them at the end of the chapter, after he had inserted the song of Hezekiah, probably with marks for their insertion in their proper places; which marks were afterwards neglected by transcribers. Or a transcriber might omit them by mistake, and add them at the end of the chapter with such marks. Many transpositions are, with great probability, to be accounted for in the same way.


 
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