2 Reyes 20

Enfermedad de Ezequías

1 Por aquellos días Ezequías se enfermó gravemente y estuvo a punto de morir. El profeta Isaías hijo de Amoz fue a verlo y le dijo: «Así dice el SEÑOR: “Pon tu casa en orden, porque vas a morir; no te recuperarás”».

2 Ezequías volvió el rostro hacia la pared y le rogó al SEÑOR:

3 «Recuerda, SEÑOR, que yo me he conducido delante de ti con lealtad y con un corazón íntegro, y que he hecho lo que te agrada». Y Ezequías lloró amargamente.

4 No había salido Isaías del patio central, cuando le llegó la palabra del SEÑOR:

5 «Regresa y dile a Ezequías, gobernante de mi pueblo, que así dice el SEÑOR, Dios de su antepasado David: “He escuchado tu oración y he visto tus lágrimas. Voy a sanarte, y en tres días podrás subir al templo del SEÑOR.

6 Voy a darte quince años más de vida. Y a ti y a esta ciudad los libraré de caer en manos del rey de Asiria. Yo defenderé esta ciudad por mi causa y por consideración a David mi siervo”».

7 Entonces Isaías dijo: «Preparen una pasta de higos». Así lo hicieron; luego se la aplicaron al rey en la llaga, y se recuperó.

8 Ezequías le había preguntado al profeta:—¿Qué señal recibiré de que el SEÑOR me sanará, y de que en tres días podré subir a su templo?

9 Isaías le contestó:—Esta es la señal que te dará el SEÑOR para confirmar lo que te ha prometido: ¿Quieres que la sombra avance diez peldaños o que retroceda diez?

10 —Es fácil que la sombra se extienda diez peldaños —replicó Ezequías—, pero no que vuelva atrás.

11 Entonces el profeta Isaías invocó al SEÑOR, y el SEÑOR hizo que la sombra retrocediera diez peldaños en la escalinata de Acaz.

Mensajeros de Babilonia

12 En aquel tiempo Merodac^[a] Baladán hijo de Baladán, rey de Babilonia, le envió cartas y un regalo a Ezequías, porque supo que había estado enfermo.

13 Ezequías se alegró^[b] al recibir esto y les mostró a los mensajeros todos sus tesoros: la plata, el oro, las especias, el aceite fino, su arsenal y todo lo que había en ellos. No hubo nada en su palacio ni en todo su reino que Ezequías no les mostrara.

14 Entonces el profeta Isaías fue a ver al rey Ezequías y le preguntó:—¿Qué querían esos hombres? ¿De dónde vinieron?—De un país lejano —respondió Ezequías—. Vinieron a verme desde Babilonia.

15 —¿Y qué vieron en tu palacio? —preguntó el profeta.—Vieron todo lo que hay en él —contestó Ezequías—. No hay nada en mis tesoros que yo no les haya mostrado.

16 Entonces Isaías le dijo:—Oye la palabra del SEÑOR:

17 Sin duda vendrán días en que todo lo que hay en tu palacio, y todo lo que tus antepasados atesoraron hasta el día de hoy, será llevado a Babilonia. No quedará nada —dice el SEÑOR—.

18 Y algunos de tus hijos, tus propios descendientes, serán llevados para servir como eunucos en el palacio del rey de Babilonia.

19 —El mensaje del SEÑOR que tú me has traído es bueno —respondió Ezequías.Y es que pensaba: «Al menos mientras yo viva, sin duda que habrá paz y seguridad».

20 Los demás acontecimientos del reinado de Ezequías, y todo su poderío y cómo construyó el estanque y el acueducto que llevaba agua a la ciudad, están escritos en el libro de las crónicas de los reyes de Judá.

21 Ezequías murió, y su hijo Manasés lo sucedió en el trono.

2 Reyes 20 Commentary

Chapter 20

Hezekiah's sickness, His recovery in answer to prayer. (1-11) Hezekiah shows his treasures to the ambassadors from Babylon, His death. (12-21)

Verses 1-11 Hezekiah was sick unto death, in the same year in which the king of Assyria besieged Jerusalem. A warning to prepare for death was brought to Hezekiah by Isaiah. Prayer is one of the best preparations for death, because by it we fetch in strength and grace from God, to enable us to finish well. He wept sorely: some gather from hence that he was unwilling to die; it is in the nature of man to dread the separation of soul and body. There was also something peculiar in Hezekiah's case; he was now in the midst of his usefulness. Let Hezekiah's prayer, see Isa 38. interpret his tears; in that is nothing which is like his having been under that fear of death, which has bondage or torment. Hezekiah's piety made his sick-bed easy. "O Lord, remember now;" he does not speak as if God needed to be put in mind of any thing by us; nor, as if the reward might be demanded as due; it is Christ's righteousness only that is the purchase of mercy and grace. Hezekiah does not pray, Lord, spare me; but, Lord, remember me; whether I live or die, let me be thine. God always hears the prayers of the broken in heart, and will give health, length of days, and temporal deliverances, as much and as long as is truly good for them. Means were to be used for Hezekiah's recovery; yet, considering to what a height the disease was come, and how suddenly it was checked, the cure was miraculous. It is our duty, when sick, to use such means as are proper to help nature, else we do not trust God, but tempt him. For the confirmation of his faith, the shadow of the sun was carried back, and the light was continued longer than usual, in a miraculous manner. This work of wonder shows the power of God in heaven as well as on earth, the great notice he takes of prayer, and the great favour he bears to his chosen.

Verses 12-21 The king of Babylon was at this time independent of the king of Assyria, though shortly after subdued by him. Hezekiah showed his treasures and armour, and other proofs of his wealth and power. This was the effect of pride and ostentation, and departing from simple reliance on God. He also seems to have missed the opportunity of speaking to the Chaldeans, about Him who had wrought the miracles which excited their attention, and of pointing out to them the absurdity and evil of idolatry. What is more common than to show our friends our houses and possessions? But if we do this in the pride of ours hearts, to gain applause from men, not giving praise to God, it becomes sin in us, as it did in Hezekiah. We may expect vexation from every object with which we are unduly pleased. Isaiah, who had often been Hezekiah's comforter, is now is reprover. The blessed Spirit is both, ( john 16:7 john 16:8 ) . Ministers must be both, as there is occasion. Hezekiah allowed the justice of the sentence, and God's goodness in the respite. Yet the prospect respecting his family and nation must have given him many painful feelings. Hezekiah was indeed humbled for the pride of his heart. And blessed are the dead who die in the Lord; for they rest from their labours, and their works do follow them.

Footnotes

• [a] "Merodac " (mss. hebreos, LXX y Siríaca; véase Is 39:1); "Berodac " (TM).
• [b] "se alegró " (LXX, Vulgata, Siríaca y varios mss. hebreos; véase Is 39:2); "escuchó " (TM).

Chapter Summary

In this chapter is an account of Hezekiah's sickness, and of the means of his recovery, and of the sign given of it, 2 Kings 20:1 of the king of Babylon's congratulatory letter to him upon it, when he showed to the messengers that brought it his treasures, in the pride and vanity of his heart, 2 Kings 20:12 for which he was reproved by the prophet Isaiah, and was humbled, and submitted to the sentence pronounced on his house, 2 Kings 20:14, and the chapter is concluded with his reign and death, 2 Kings 20:20.