Hezekiah and Isaiah
Based on the biblical account in
2 Kings 20 and Isaiah 38, God added 15 years to King Hezekiah’s life in response to his plea.
Here are the key details regarding this event:
- The Context: Hezekiah was deathly ill and was told by the prophet Isaiah to "set his house in order" because he was going to die.
- The Plea: Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, wept bitterly, and prayed for God to remember his faithfulness.
- The Answer: God heard his prayer and, through Isaiah, promised to add 15 years to his life and deliver Jerusalem from the king of Assyria.
- The Sign: As a sign that he would recover, God made the shadow on the stairway of Ahaz go backward ten steps.
- Age: Scholars believe Hezekiah was approximately 39 years old when this event occurred.