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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 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, 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; 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.
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