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Targum Isaiah 38
Hezekiah, sentenced to death by prophetic decree, turns his face toward the sanctuary wall and weeps before Jehovah, pleading his faithfulness. The sentence is reversed: fifteen years are added, Assyria is turned back, and the sundial of Ahaz runs backward as a confirming sign. Hezekiah's psalm of thanksgiving that follows distinguishes sharply between the grave, where Jehovah receives no praise, and the living, who can still serve in the house of the Shekinah — Jerusalem's sanctuary as the appointed place of His presence and the source of joy to all the earth. Verse 16 presses further: Jehovah has declared He will quicken all the dead, yet quickened Hezekiah's spirit first among them — a type-and-shadow of resurrection priority anchored in covenant obedience rather than merit.
1
In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Order thy household, for thou art dying, and shalt not live.
2
Then Hezekiah turned his face towards the wall of the house of the sanctuary, and prayed before the Lord,
3
And said, Hear my prayer, O Lord, remember, I beseech thee, how I have served before Thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and I have done that which is right in Thy eyes. And Hezekiah wept sore.
4
Then the words of prophecy came from before the Lord to Isaiah, saying,
5
Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, Thy prayer hath been heard by me, thy tears are observed by me: behold, I will add to thy days fifteen years;
6
And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.
7
And this shall be a sign unto thee from before the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that He hath promised.
8
Behold, I will turn back the shadow on the hour-lines by which the sun is gone down on the dial of Ahaz, ten hours backwards. And the sun returned ten hours on the figure of the hourlines, which it had gone down.
9
The Writing Of The Thanksgiving For The Miracle, Which Had Been Done For Hezekiah, The King Of The Tribe Of The House Of Judah, When He Had Been Sick, And Was Healed Of His Sickness.
10
I said in the sorrow of my days, I shall go into the gates of the grave; but because He remembered me for good, an addition hath been made to my years.
11
I thought, I shall not appear again before the terrible God, in the land of the house of His Shekinah, in which is length of life: and I shall no more serve before Him in the house of the sanctuary, from whence shall go forth joy unto all the inhabitants of the earth; neither shall I dwell in Jerusalem the holy city; my habitation is cut down.
12
From the children of my generation my days are taken away, they are cut off, and gone away from me; they are folded up like a shepherd's tent; my life is cut off like a weaver's web; from the glory of my kingdom I am gone into captivity; my days and my nights are ended.
13
I roar until the morning like a lion that roareth when he breaketh the bones of a beast; thus on account of my sorrow all my bones are broken; my days and my nights are come to an end.
14
As a swallow chirps which is caught, so I chirped; and I moan like a dove: I lifted up mine eyes, that refreshing to might come to me from (before) Him whose Shekinah is in the highest heavens: O Lord, hear my prayer; grant my petition.
15
What praise shall I utter and speak unto Him? For He hath multiplied His kindness towards me. With what shall I serve Him, and what shall I render unto Him for all the years He hath added to my life, and delivered my soul from bitterness.
16
O Lord, Thou hast said concerning all the dead, that Thou wilt quicken them, and Thou hast quickened my spirit before any of them: Thou hast quickened, Thou hast made me to live.
17
Behold, to them that obey the law, peace shall be multiplied before Thee; but Thou wilt bring bitterness to the wicked: therefore, when I knew the day of my death, I poured out my tears in prayer before Thee; my bitterness was great, but Thou hast had pleasure in my life, not to destroy it; for Thou hast cast all my sins far away from Thy presence.
18
For they that are in the grave do not praise Thee; neither do the dead celebrate Thee, nor do those that descend into the pit of the place of Abaddon hope for Thy salvation.
19
The living, the living shall praise Thee, as I do this day: the fathers unto their children shall make known Thy might, and They shall confess, saying, that all these things are truth.
20
The Lord has promised to save us: and we will sing the song of His praise all the days of our life in the house of the sanctuary of the Lord.
21
For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it on the boil, and he shall recover.
22
And Hezekiah said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the sanctuary of the Lord?
