381 In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill . And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came 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 to the wall and prayed to the Lord , 3 and said , " Remember now , O Lord , I beseech You, how I have walked before You in truth and with a whole heart , and have done what is good in Your sight ." And Hezekiah wept bitterly . 4 Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah , saying , 5 "Go and say to Hezekiah , 'Thus says the Lord , the God of your father David , "I have heard your prayer , I have seen your tears ; behold , I will add fifteen e years to your life . 6 "I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria ; and I will defend this city ."' 7 "This shall be the sign to you from the Lord , that the Lord will do this thing that He has spoken : 8 "Behold , I will cause the shadow on the stairway , which has gone down with the sun on the stairway of Ahaz , to go back ten steps ." So the sun's shadow went back ten steps on the stairway on which it had gone down .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Isaiah 38:1-8
Commentary on Isaiah 38:1-8
(Read Isaiah 38:1-8)
When we pray in our sickness, though God send not to us such an answer as he here sent to Hezekiah, yet, if by his Spirit he bids us be of good cheer, assures us that our sins are forgiven, and that, whether we live or die, we shall be his, we do not pray in vain. See 2 Kings 20:1-11.