Hezekiah's Illness Receives a Reversed Sign

In those days Hezekiah is told to set his house in order, and he weeps toward the wall

In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, and said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

The death sentence, the wall, the appeal to a truthful walk, and tears are the king's whole first move. This prayer is this man's, in this illness. It does not guarantee extended life after every prayer, and it does not authorize rejecting medical care.

Fifteen years, a promise about the city, and a shadow that goes backward

Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying, Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years. And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.

And this shall be a sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he hath spoken; Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down. Added years are numbered, the city is again promised defense, and the sign is the backward shadow on Ahaz's steps. The sign is not speculative astronomy, not a method for forcing miracles, and not a charter to skip physicians.