Bible Strands
2 Kings 20:1
In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your house in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The prophet Isaiah confronts King Hezekiah during a mortal illness to deliver a divine declaration of imminent death.
The words — The Hebrew verb חָלָה (cha.Lah) denotes the onset of a severe sickness, while לָמוּת (la.Mut) explicitly frames the condition as a terminal event.
The thread — The narrative of Hezekiah’s terminal illness and prophetic announcement recurs in Isaiah 38:1 and 2 Chronicles 32:24, while the theme of near-death recovery appears in Philippians 2:27.
Why it lands — The text demands immediate practical preparation for death, explicitly removing assumptions of recovery or prolonged life.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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 order; for thou shalt die, and not live.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 38:1 In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your house in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’”
- 2 Chronicles 32:24 In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. So he prayed to the LORD, who spoke to him and gave him a sign.
- Philippians 2:27 He was sick indeed, nearly unto death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.
- Jonah 3:4 On the first day of his journey, Jonah set out into the city and proclaimed, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned!”
- 2 Kings 19:20 Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria.
- 2 Samuel 17:23 When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his affairs in order and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
- Jeremiah 18:7 At any time I might announce that a nation or kingdom will be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed.
- Philippians 2:30 because he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for your deficit of service to me.
- John 11:1 At this time a man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
- 2 Kings 19:2 And he sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the scribe, and the leading priests, all wearing sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz