The big picture
2 Kings 20 opens in verse 1 with “In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 11 with “And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD : and he brought the shadow ten degrees…”, and closes in verse 21 with “And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.” Repeated or prominent terms include Hezekiah, LORD, house, Isaiah, degrees. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
2 Kings · King James Version · 212 Kings 20:1-7
1–7: In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the…
2 Kings 20:1–7 opens with “In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him…” and reaches “And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Kings 20 develops its own movement around Hezekiah, LORD, house, Isaiah, degrees, with particular weight carried by LORD, Hezekiah, Isaiah.
Context that brings the passage to life
“In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him…” Naming Amoz and Hezekiah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD , saying,” The line’s distinctive content terms include face, LORD, prayed. Its relationship to verses 1 and 3 shows what work it does in this passage.
“I beseech thee, O LORD , remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done…” Naming Hezekiah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
2 Kings 20:1-7
King James Version1In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD , Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.
2Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD , saying,
3I beseech thee, O LORD , remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
4And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying,
5Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD , the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD .
6And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.
7And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.
2 Kings 20:8-14
8–14: Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the LORD will…
2 Kings 20:8–14 opens with “And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I…” and reaches “Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Kings 20 develops its own movement around Hezekiah, LORD, house, Isaiah, degrees, with particular weight carried by Hezekiah, degrees, LORD.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 3 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up into the…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD , that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
2 Kings 20:8-14
King James Version8And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third day?
9And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD , that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?
10And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.
11And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD : and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.
12At that time Berodach-baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.
13And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.
14Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon.
2 Kings 20:15-21
15–21: He said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All…
2 Kings 20:15–21 opens with “And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are…” and reaches “And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Kings 20 develops its own movement around Hezekiah, LORD, house, Isaiah, degrees, with particular weight carried by Hezekiah, house, LORD.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 3 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD .” Naming Hear and Hezekiah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
2 Kings 20:15-21
King James Version15And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.
16And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD .
17Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD .
18And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.
19Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?
20And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
21And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
2 Kings 20:1 begins with “In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD , Set thine house in…”
Where the chapter turns
2 Kings 20:9 forms a natural hinge: “And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD , that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or…”
The final note
2 Kings 20:21 leaves the reader with “And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Hezekiah, LORD, house, Isaiah, degrees, Babylon help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What assumption drives Abraham's deception?
He assumes there is no fear of God in the place and that he will be killed.
How does the chapter expose that assumption?
Abimelech responds seriously to God's warning and confronts Abraham about wrongdoing.
KJV words made clear
- dominion
- responsibility or rule
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.