Single lesson
Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery
2 Kings 20:1–11; Isaiah 38:1–8
When King Hezekiah became gravely ill, he prayed to the Lord, and God gave him both a promise and a sign.
Before you teach
King Hezekiah became very sick and was close to death. Isaiah the prophet, son of Amoz, came to him with a hard message from the Lord: he was to put his affairs in order, because he was going to die. Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord. He asked God to remember how he had walked faithfully and done what was good in God's sight. As he prayed, Hezekiah wept deeply.
Describe the central teaching of Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery, using two details from the reading. When King Hezekiah became gravely ill, he prayed to the Lord, and God gave him both a promise and a sign.
Welcome: Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery
4 minIntroduce “Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery” and locate 2 Kings 20:1–11; Isaiah 38:1–8. When King Hezekiah became gravely ill, he prayed to the Lord, and God gave him both a promise and a sign. Invite each learner to name a detail or question they will listen for.
2 Kings 20:1, 2 Kings 20:10, Isaiah 38:8
Read and explain the passage
8 minKing Hezekiah became very sick and was close to death. Isaiah the prophet, son of Amoz, came to him with a hard message from the Lord: he was to put his affairs in order, because he was going to die.
God also promised to add fifteen years to Hezekiah's life. He said he would deliver Hezekiah and this city from the king of Assyria and defend the city for his own sake and for David's sake. Isaiah told them to place a cake of figs on Hezekiah's boil, and he recovered.
Isaiah cried out to the Lord, and the shadow moved back ten steps on the sundial of Ahaz. In this way, the Lord gave Hezekiah a sign that he would do what he had promised. What do you notice about Hezekiah's prayer and God's answer in this story?
Read the selected verses together, pausing at “Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery”. Use the source reading below and check the explanation against the words of the passage.
Isaiah 38:1, 2 Kings 20:1, 2 Kings 20:4, 2 Kings 20:6, Isaiah 38:5, 2 Kings 20:7, 2 Kings 20:11, 2 Kings 20:9, Isaiah 38:8
Discuss the details and their meaning
6 minUse the three questions below. Begin with ““Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord.” Which details explain how the account reaches this point?” and allow time to find the supporting verses. When King Hezekiah became gravely ill, he prayed to the Lord, and God gave him both a promise and a sign. Ask learners to explain which details support their answer and to identify a question they would like to explore further.
2 Kings 20:3, Isaiah 38:3, Isaiah 38:2, 2 Kings 20:6, Isaiah 38:5, 2 Kings 20:7, 2 Kings 20:11, 2 Kings 20:9, Isaiah 38:8
Make and respond: Story sequence booklet
9 minWork on “Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery: Story sequence booklet”. Follow the materials and steps below, using “Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery” as reading headings. Each learner should include at least two accurate details and their verse references. Share one observation from the finished sheet and explain how it connects with the central teaching.
2 Kings 20:1, 2 Kings 20:10, Isaiah 38:8
Closing: return to Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery
3 minRevisit 2 Kings 20:1–11; Isaiah 38:1–8. Invite a learner to summarise what the group has learned about Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery and another to support the summary with a verse. Give learners a moment to complete their response sheet. They can share a question or, if appropriate for the group, join the optional prayer.
2 Kings 20:1, 2 Kings 20:10, Isaiah 38:8
Questions to explore
“Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord.” Which details explain how the account reaches this point?
Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord. He asked God to remember how he had walked faithfully and done what was good in God's sight. As he prayed, Hezekiah wept deeply.
2 Kings 20:3, Isaiah 38:3, Isaiah 38:2
How does this moment affect the rest of the account: “God also promised to add fifteen years to Hezekiah's life.”?
God also promised to add fifteen years to Hezekiah's life. He said he would deliver Hezekiah and this city from the king of Assyria and defend the city for his own sake and for David's sake. Isaiah told them to place a cake of figs on Hezekiah's boil, and he recovered.
2 Kings 20:6, Isaiah 38:5, 2 Kings 20:7
What do you notice about Hezekiah's prayer and God's answer in this story?
Isaiah cried out to the Lord, and the shadow moved back ten steps on the sundial of Ahaz. In this way, the Lord gave Hezekiah a sign that he would do what he had promised.
2 Kings 20:11, 2 Kings 20:9, Isaiah 38:8
Make, think or respond
Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery: Story sequence booklet
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or pens
- coloured pencils or crayons
Try it together
- Fold a sheet into three panels or draw three columns. Label them “Beginning”, “What changes?”, “How it ends”.
- Read 2 Kings 20:1–11; Isaiah 38:1–8. Use “Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery” as your reading headings and add a short quotation or detail with its verse reference to each panel.
- Talk through your notes with an adult. Add a word, drawing or short quotation that helps you remember each part.
- Retell the account using your three panels, checking the order against the passage.
The finished sheet keeps the details of Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery connected to their Bible references and gives the group a way to explain what they noticed.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, read the selected verses aloud, prepare the three panels and let them respond with drawings or a few words. Use Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery as the retelling prompt.
- For older children, add verse references to the response sheet and explain a connection between Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery and the final part of the reading.
An optional closing prayer
“God, help us listen carefully as we read 2 Kings 20:1–11; Isaiah 38:1–8. Help us understand what we have read, ask thoughtful questions and respond with care for others. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
2 Kings 20
1 In those days Hezekiah was sick and dying. Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, “Yahweh says, ‘Set your house in order; for you will die, and not live.’ ”
2 Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed to Yahweh, saying,
3 “Remember now, Yahweh, I beg you, how I have walked before you in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4 Before Isaiah had gone out into the middle part of the city, Yahweh’s word came to him, saying,
5 “Turn back, and tell Hezekiah the prince of my people, ‘Yahweh, the God of David your father, says, “I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day, you will go up to Yahweh’s house.
6 I will add to your days fifteen years. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.” ’ ”
7 Isaiah said, “Take a cake of figs.” They took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.
8 Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What will be the sign that Yahweh will heal me, and that I will go up to Yahweh’s house the third day?”
9 Isaiah said, “This will be the sign to you from Yahweh, that Yahweh will do the thing that he has spoken: should the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?”
10 Hezekiah answered, “It is a light thing for the shadow to go forward ten steps. No, but let the shadow return backward ten steps.”
11 Isaiah the prophet cried to Yahweh; and he brought the shadow ten steps backward, by which it had gone down on the sundial of Ahaz.
Isaiah 38
1 In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him, and said to him, “Yahweh says, ‘Set your house in order, for you will die, and not live.’ ”
2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to Yahweh,
3 and said, “Remember now, Yahweh, I beg you, how I have walked before you in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in your sight.” Then Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4 Then Yahweh’s word came to Isaiah, saying,
5 “Go, and tell Hezekiah, ‘Yahweh, the God of David your father, says, “I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.
6 I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.
7 This shall be the sign to you from Yahweh, that Yahweh will do this thing that he has spoken.
8 Behold, I will cause the shadow on the sundial, which has gone down on the sundial of Ahaz with the sun, to return backward ten steps.” ’ ” So the sun returned ten steps on the sundial on which it had gone down.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.
Source passages
Something to make together
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