2 Kings 20:4

4 Before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard, ^[a] the word of the LORD came to him, saying,

2 Kings 20:4 Meaning and Commentary

And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court,.... Of the king's palace, which is called the other court within the porch, 1 Kings 7:8 so it is according to the marginal reading, which we follow; but the textual reading is, "the middle city"; Jerusalem was divided into three parts, and this was the middle part Isaiah was entering into: but before he did, so it was,

[that] the word of the Lord came to him, saying; as follows.

2 Kings 20:4 In-Context

2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, saying,

3 “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and with wholehearted devotion; I have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

4 Before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard, the word of the LORD came to him, saying,

5 “Go back and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people that this is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: ‘I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. I will surely heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the house of the LORD.

6 I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for My sake and for the sake of My servant David.’”

Footnotes

• [a] LXX and an alternate MT reading; the other alternate reads the middle of the city