The Skeptics Annotated Bible (352 page)

36 So
Sennacherib
king of Assyria
departed
, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.

37
And
it came to pass,
as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword
: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esar-haddon his son reigned in his stead.

(19.36-37)
“Sennacherib … departed … And … as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword.”
God made the sons murder their father. (See verse 7.)
God’s 115th Killing

(20.1-21)
Hezekiah’s sickness, figs, and the sun moving backwards
Hezekiah is sick. God and Isaiah tell him to get ready to die. He begs them to let him live, and they say, “OK, you can live for another 15 years.”

Then Isaiah cures Hezekiah with a lump of figs. But Hezekiah wants a sign from God that he will be healed, even though he was already healed with the figs.

God says that, sure, he can do a sign. How about he move the sun ahead or back ten degrees, whichever he’d prefer. Hezekiah says he’d like to see the sun go back ten degrees. So Isaiah shouts to God to move the sun back ten degrees and the sun moved back ten degrees.

Next Isaiah shows some Babylonians his belongings and Isaiah tells him that Babylon will steal his stuff and make his sons eunuchs. Hezekiah says, “Thanks. That’s good news,” and dies.

20
In those days was
Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah
the son of Amoz came to him, and
said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.

(20.1)
“Hezekiah
[was]
sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah … said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.”

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

3 I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now 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.

(20.3)
“And Hezekiah wept sore.”

4 And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying,

5 Turn again, and
tell Hezekiah
the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold,
I will heal thee
: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.

6 And
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 for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.

(20.5-6)
“Tell Hezekiah … I will heal thee … I will add unto thy days fifteen years.”

7 And Isaiah said,
Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.

(20.7)
“Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.”

8 And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah,
What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me,
and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third day?

(20.8)
“What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me?”
148 Is it okay to test God?
251 Why did God turn the sundial back ten degrees?

9 And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken:
shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?

(20.9)
“Shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?”

10 And
Hezekiah answered
, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but
let the shadow return backward ten degrees.

(20.10)
“Hezekiah answered … let the shadow return backward ten degrees.”

11 And
Isaiah
the prophet
cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward
, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.

(20.11)
“Isaiah … cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward.”

12 At that time Berodach-baladan,
the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.

(20.12)
“The son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.”

13 And
Hezekiah
hearkened unto them, and
shewed them all the house of his precious things
, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.

(20.13)
“Hezekiah … shewed them all the house of his precious things.”

14 Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon.

15 And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.

16 And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD.

17 Behold, the days come, that
all that is in thine house
, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day,
shall be carried into Babylon
: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.

18
And of thy sons
that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.

(20.17-18)
“All that is in thine house … shall be carried into Babylon … And of thy sons … shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”

19
Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken.
And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?

(20.19) “Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken.”

20 And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

21
And Hezekiah slept with his fathers
: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.

(20.21)
“And Hezekiah slept with his fathers.”

21
Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hephzi-bah.

2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

3 For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.