2 Kings 20

Following the account in 2 Kings 19 of the defeat of the invasion by Sennacherib, king of Assyria, this chapter records the illness and recovery of Hezekiah, king of Judah, the visit of envoys from Babylon, and Hezekiah's death, bringing his story to a close.

Outline

• Verses 1–3 Hezekiah becomes sick unto death. When Isaiah tells him that he will die, Hezekiah turns his face to the wall, prays, and weeps bitterly.
• Verses 4–7 Before Isaiah has reached the middle of the city, the word of the LORD comes to him again: the LORD will heal Hezekiah so that on the third day he will go up to the house of the LORD, will add fifteen years to his life, and will deliver the city from Assyria. A lump of figs is laid on the boil, and Hezekiah recovers.
• Verses 8–11 Hezekiah asks for a sign. Isaiah cries to the LORD, and the shadow of the sun goes back ten degrees on the dial of Ahaz.
• Verses 12–15 Berodachbaladan, king of Babylon, sends letters and a present. Hezekiah shows the messengers his entire treasure house, his armory, and the royal storehouses.
• Verses 16–19 Isaiah prophesies that everything in the palace will be carried away to Babylon and that some of the king's descendants will become eunuchs there. Hezekiah replies that this word is good.
• Verses 20–21 The chapter notes that Hezekiah made a pool and a conduit and brought water into the city. He dies, and his son Manasseh becomes king.

Key Verses

• 2 Kings 20:5 "I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears." This is the verse most widely quoted to describe God as one who answers prayer.
• 2 Kings 20:17 "Shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left." This prediction explicitly names Babylon as the land of captivity and points ahead to the later Babylonian exile.

People and Places

• Isaiah is introduced as "the son of Amoz." This Amoz is a different person from the prophet Amos.
• David is mentioned as the reason God will defend the city.
• Ahaz is Hezekiah's father. A dial (sundial) bearing his name appears in the account.
• Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, is king of Babylon. In Isaiah 39:1 his name is spelled "Merodachbaladan."
• Places mentioned include Jerusalem, the house of the LORD, Babylon, and Assyria.

Points for Reflection

• The same account appears in Isaiah 38 and Isaiah 39; Isaiah 38 adds Hezekiah's psalm of thanksgiving. 2 Chronicles 32 states that Hezekiah's heart was lifted up (2 Chronicles 32:25) and records that the Babylonian envoys came to inquire about the wonder that had been done in the land (2 Chronicles 32:31).
• Verse 6 speaks of deliverance from Assyria as something still to come. For this reason, many interpreters hold that the illness occurred before the events of chapters 18–19.
• The Hebrew word rendered "dial" literally means "steps." Interpreters therefore differ over whether it refers to a sundial or to a staircase on which the shadow fell.
• The reversal of the death sentence after prayer raises questions about the relationship between providence and prayer. The Calvinist tradition commonly explains prayer itself as a means ordained by God, while the Arminian and Wesleyan traditions tend to place greater emphasis on God's personal response.
• Hezekiah's reply in verse 19 is read by some as a humble acceptance of the prophecy and by others as a statement concerned only with peace in his own day.
• The conduit of verse 20 is widely associated with the Siloam Tunnel discovered in Jerusalem.
• Hezekiah and Manasseh also appear in the genealogy of Jesus in the New Testament (Matthew 1:9–10).

In the Korean Church

Verse 5 and the prayer Hezekiah offered with his "face to the wall" are frequently cited in sermons on answered prayer and healing. They are also often used to encourage participation in early morning prayer meetings or dedicated periods of prayer. Verses 12–19 are preached as a warning against pride after receiving grace.