degrees, by which the sun is gone down on the degrees of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. And the sun returned backward ten degrees, on the degrees by which it had gone down. And Isaiah said: Let them take a lump of figs: and they bruised them, and applied them to the boil; and he recovered. THE WRITING OF HEZEKIAH KING OF JUDAH, WHEN HE HAD BEEN SICK, AND WAS RECOVERED FROM HIS SICKNESS. I said, when my days were just going to be cut off, I am deprived of the residue of my years! I said, I shall no more see JEHOVAH in the land of the living! world! My habitation is taken away, and is removed from me, like a shepherd's tent: My life is cut off, as by the weaver; he will sever me from the loom ; In the course of the day thou wilt finish my web. I roared until the morning, like the lion; So did he break to pieces all my bones. Like the swallow, like the crane, did I twitter ; I made a moaning like the dove. Mine eyes fail with looking upward: O Lord, contend thou for me; be thou my surety. What shall I say ? he hath given me a promise, and he hath performed it. Through the rest of my years will I reflect on this bitterness of my soul. For this cause shall it be declared, O JEHOVAH, concerning thee, That thou hast revived my spirit ; That thou hast restored my health, and prolonged my life. Thou hast rescued my soul from perdition; Yea thou hast cast behind thy back all my sins. Verily the grave shall not give thanks unto thee; death shall not praise thee; They that go down into the pit shall not await thy truth; 20 The father to the children shall make known thy faithfulness. JEHOVAH was present to save me: therefore will we sing our songs to the harp, All the days of our life, in the house of JEHOVAH. CHAP. XXXIX. 1 At that time Merodach Baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters, and ambassadors, and a present to Hezekiah; for he had heard, that he had been sick, 2 and was recovered. And Hezekiah was rejoiced at their arrival and he shewed them his magazines, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and his whole arsenal, and all that was contained in his treasures: there was not any thing in his house, and in all his dominion, that Hezekiah did not shew them. 13 And Isaiah the prophet came unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him: What say these men ? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said: They are come to me from a 4 distant country; from Babylon. And he said: What have they seen in thy house? And Hezekiah said: They have seen every thing in my house: there is nothing in my treasures, 5 which I have not shewn them. And Isaiah said unto Heze6 kiah: Hear thou the word of JEHOVAH God of Hosts. Behold, the days shall come, when all that is in thy house, and that thy fathers have treasured up unto this day, shall be carried away to Babylon: there shall not any thing be left, saith JEHOVAH. And of thy sons, which shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace 8 of the king of Babylon. And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah: Gracious is the word of JEHOVAH, which thou hast delivered! For, added he, there shall be peace, according to his faithful promise, in my days. CHAP. XL. 1 COMFORT ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God: 2 Speak ye animating words to Jerusalem, and declare unto her, That her warfare is fulfilled; that the expiation of her iniquity is accepted; That she shall receive at the hand of JEHOVAH [Blessings] double to the punishment of all her sins. degrees, by which the sun is gone down on the degrees of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. And the sun returned backward ten degrees, on the degrees by which it had gone down. And Isaiah said: Let them take a lump of figs: and they bruised them, and applied them to the boil; and he recovered. THE WRITING OF HEZEKIAH KING OF JUDAH, WHEN HE HAD BEEN SICK, AND WAS RECOVERED FROM HIS SICKNESS. I said, when my days were just going to be cut off, I am deprived of the residue of my years! I said, I shall no more see JEHOVAH in the land of the living! world! My habitation is taken away, and is removed from me, like a shepherd's tent: My life is cut off, as by the weaver; he will sever me from the loom; In the course of the day thou wilt finish my web. I roared until the morning, like the lion; So did he break to pieces all my bones. Like the swallow, like the crane, did I twitter; Mine eyes fail with looking upward: O Lord, contend thou for me; be thou my surety. What shall I say? he hath given me a promise, and he hath performed it. Through the rest of my years will I reflect on this bitterness of my soul. For this cause shall it be declared, O JEHOVAH, concerning thee, That thou hast revived my spirit ; That thou hast restored my health, and prolonged my life. Thou hast rescued my soul from perdition; Verily the grave shall not give thanks unto thee; death shall not praise thee; They that go down into the pit shall not await thy truth; And, as one of his council, hath informed him? 13 Whom hath he consulted, that he should instruct him, And teach him the path of judgement : That he should impart to him science, And inform him in the way of understanding? 15 Behold, the nations are as a drop from the bucket; 16 And Lebanon is not sufficient for the fire; Nor his beasts sufficient for the burnt-offering. 17 All the nations are as nothing before him; 18 They are esteemed by him as less than nought, and vanity. To whom therefore will ye liken God? And what is the model of resemblance, that ye will prepare for him? 19 The workman casteth an image; And the smith overlayeth it with plates of gold; And forgeth for it chains of silver. 25 He that cannot afford a costly oblation, chooseth a piece of 'wood that will not rot ; He procureth a skilful artist, To erect an image, which shall not be moved. 21 Will ye not know? will ye not hear? Hath it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have ye not understood it from the foundations of the earth? 22 It is He, that sitteth on the circle of the earth; 23 That reduceth princes to nothing; That maketh the judges of the earth a mere inanity. 24 Yea they shall not leave a plant behind them, they shall not be 25 sown, Their trunk shall not spread its root in the ground: If he but blow upon them, they instantly wither; And the whirlwind shall bear them away like the stubble. To whom then will liken me? ye And to whom shall I be equaled ? saith the Holy One 26 Lift up your eyes on high; And see, who hath created these. 27 He draweth forth their armies by number; He calleth them all by name: Through the greatness of his strength, and the mightiness of his power, Not one of them faileth to appear. Wherefore sayest thou then, O Jacob, And my cause passeth unregarded by my God. 29 He giveth strength to the faint, And to the infirm he multiplieth force. 30 The young men shall faint and be wearied; And the chosen youths shall stumble and fall; 31 But they that trust in JEHOVAH shall gather new strength; They shall put forth fresh feathers like the moulting eagle: They shall run and not be wearied; They shall march onward, and shall not faint. CHAP. XLI. 1 LET the distant nations repair to me with new force of mind; 2 And let the peoples recover their strength. Let them draw near; then let them speak; Who hath raised up the righteous man from the East; Hath call'd him to attend his steps ? Hath subdued nations at his presence; And given him dominion over kings? Hath made them like the dust before his sword; And like the driven stubble before his bow? 3 He pursueth them; he passeth in safety; 4 Who hath performed, and made these things, |