Antiquities Book 10, Chapter 2
How Hezekiah Was Sick, And Ready To Die; And How God Bestowed Upon Him Fifteen Years Longer Life, [And Secured That Promise] By The Going Back Of The Shadow Ten Degrees.
1. Now king Hezekiah being thus delivered, after a surprising manner,
from the dread he was in, offered thank-offerings to God, with all his
people, because nothing else had destroyed some of their enemies, and
made the rest so fearful of undergoing the same fate that they departed
from Jerusalem, but that Divine assistance. Yet, while he was very
zealous and diligent about the worship of God, did he soon afterwards
fall into a severe distemper, insomuch that the physicians despaired of
him, and expected no good issue of his sickness, as neither did his
friends: and besides the distemper 4 itself, there was a very melancholy
circumstance that disordered the king, which was the consideration that
he was childless, and was going to die, and leave his house and his
government without a successor of his own body; so he was troubled at
the thoughts of this his condition, and lamented himself, and entreated
of God that he would prolong his life for a little while till he had
some children, and not suffer him to depart this life before he was
become a father. Hereupon God had mercy upon him, and accepted of his
supplication, because the trouble he was under at his supposed death was
not because he was soon to leave the advantages he enjoyed in the
kingdom, nor did he on that account pray that he might have a longer
life afforded him, but in order to have sons, that might receive the
government after him. And God sent Isaiah the prophet, and commanded him
to inform Hezekiah, that within three days' time he should get clear of
his distemper, and should survive it fifteen years, and that he should
have children also. Now, upon the prophet's saying this, as God had
commanded him, he could hardly believe it, both on account of the
distemper he was under, which was very sore, and by reason of the
surprising nature of what was told him; so he desired that Isaiah would
give him some sign or wonder, that he might believe him in what he had
said, and be sensible that he came from God; for things that are beyond
expectation, and greater than our hopes, are made credible by actions of
the like nature. And when Isaiah had asked him what sign he desired to
be exhibited, he desired that he would make the shadow of the sun, which
he had already made to go down ten steps [or degrees] in his house, to
return again to the same place, 5 and to make it as it was before. And
when the prophet prayed to God to exhibit this sign to the king, he saw
what he desired to see, and was freed from his distemper, and went up to
the temple, where he worshipped God, and made vows to him.
2. At this time it was that the dominion of the Assyrians was overthrown
by the Medes; 6 but of these things I shall treat elsewhere. But the
king of Babylon, whose name was Baladan, sent ambassadors to Hezekiah,
with presents, and desired he would be his ally and his friend. So he
received the ambassadors gladly, and made them a feast, and showed them
his treasures, and his armory, and the other wealth he was possessed of,
in precious stones and in gold, and gave them presents to be carried to
Baladan, and sent them back to him. Upon which the prophet Isaiah came
to him, and inquired of him whence those ambassadors came; to which he
replied, that they came from Babylon, from the king; and that he had
showed them all he had, that by the sight of his riches and forces he
might thereby guess at [the plenty he was in], and be able to inform the
king of it. But the prophet rejoined, and said, "Know thou, that, after
a little while, these riches of thine shall be carried away to Babylon,
and thy posterity shall be made eunuchs there, and lose their manhood,
and be servants to the king of Babylon; for that God foretold such
things would come to pass." Upon which words Hezekiah was troubled, and
said that he was himself unwilling that his nation should fall into such
calamities; yet since it is not possible to alter what God had
determined, he prayed that there might be peace while he lived. Berosus
also makes mention of this Baladan, king of Babylon. Now as to this
prophet [Isaiah], he was by the confession of all, a divine and
wonderful man in speaking truth; and out of the assurance that he had
never written what was false, he wrote down all his prophecies, and left
them behind him in books, that their accomplishment might be judged of
from the events by posterity: nor did this prophet do so alone, but the
others, which were twelve in number, did the same. And whatsoever is
done among us, Whether it be good, or whether it be bad, comes to pass
according to their prophecies; but of every one of these we shall speak
hereafter.
from the dread he was in, offered thank-offerings to God, with all his
people, because nothing else had destroyed some of their enemies, and
made the rest so fearful of undergoing the same fate that they departed
from Jerusalem, but that Divine assistance. Yet, while he was very
zealous and diligent about the worship of God, did he soon afterwards
fall into a severe distemper, insomuch that the physicians despaired of
him, and expected no good issue of his sickness, as neither did his
friends: and besides the distemper 4 itself, there was a very melancholy
circumstance that disordered the king, which was the consideration that
he was childless, and was going to die, and leave his house and his
government without a successor of his own body; so he was troubled at
the thoughts of this his condition, and lamented himself, and entreated
of God that he would prolong his life for a little while till he had
some children, and not suffer him to depart this life before he was
become a father. Hereupon God had mercy upon him, and accepted of his
supplication, because the trouble he was under at his supposed death was
not because he was soon to leave the advantages he enjoyed in the
kingdom, nor did he on that account pray that he might have a longer
life afforded him, but in order to have sons, that might receive the
government after him. And God sent Isaiah the prophet, and commanded him
to inform Hezekiah, that within three days' time he should get clear of
his distemper, and should survive it fifteen years, and that he should
have children also. Now, upon the prophet's saying this, as God had
commanded him, he could hardly believe it, both on account of the
distemper he was under, which was very sore, and by reason of the
surprising nature of what was told him; so he desired that Isaiah would
give him some sign or wonder, that he might believe him in what he had
said, and be sensible that he came from God; for things that are beyond
expectation, and greater than our hopes, are made credible by actions of
the like nature. And when Isaiah had asked him what sign he desired to
be exhibited, he desired that he would make the shadow of the sun, which
he had already made to go down ten steps [or degrees] in his house, to
return again to the same place, 5 and to make it as it was before. And
when the prophet prayed to God to exhibit this sign to the king, he saw
what he desired to see, and was freed from his distemper, and went up to
the temple, where he worshipped God, and made vows to him.
2. At this time it was that the dominion of the Assyrians was overthrown
by the Medes; 6 but of these things I shall treat elsewhere. But the
king of Babylon, whose name was Baladan, sent ambassadors to Hezekiah,
with presents, and desired he would be his ally and his friend. So he
received the ambassadors gladly, and made them a feast, and showed them
his treasures, and his armory, and the other wealth he was possessed of,
in precious stones and in gold, and gave them presents to be carried to
Baladan, and sent them back to him. Upon which the prophet Isaiah came
to him, and inquired of him whence those ambassadors came; to which he
replied, that they came from Babylon, from the king; and that he had
showed them all he had, that by the sight of his riches and forces he
might thereby guess at [the plenty he was in], and be able to inform the
king of it. But the prophet rejoined, and said, "Know thou, that, after
a little while, these riches of thine shall be carried away to Babylon,
and thy posterity shall be made eunuchs there, and lose their manhood,
and be servants to the king of Babylon; for that God foretold such
things would come to pass." Upon which words Hezekiah was troubled, and
said that he was himself unwilling that his nation should fall into such
calamities; yet since it is not possible to alter what God had
determined, he prayed that there might be peace while he lived. Berosus
also makes mention of this Baladan, king of Babylon. Now as to this
prophet [Isaiah], he was by the confession of all, a divine and
wonderful man in speaking truth; and out of the assurance that he had
never written what was false, he wrote down all his prophecies, and left
them behind him in books, that their accomplishment might be judged of
from the events by posterity: nor did this prophet do so alone, but the
others, which were twelve in number, did the same. And whatsoever is
done among us, Whether it be good, or whether it be bad, comes to pass
according to their prophecies; but of every one of these we shall speak
hereafter.