This verse from 2 Kings 20:4 is part of the story of King Hezekiah's illness and miraculous recovery. Let's break down what it means:
Context is Key: To understand the verse, you need to know the context. King Hezekiah was deathly ill. The prophet Isaiah told him to put his affairs in order because he was going to die (2 Kings 20:1). Hezekiah prayed fervently to God.
"Before Isaiah had gone out into the middle part of the city...": Isaiah was leaving the King's palace. He hadn't even made it to the central part of the city of Jerusalem yet. This emphasizes how quickly God responded to Hezekiah's prayer. He was already turning things around before Isaiah had gone very far.
"Yahweh’s word came to him, saying...": This indicates that God immediately changed his mind and had another message for Hezekiah. The phrase "Yahweh's word" suggests that the message that follows is from the Lord himself. The new message will contradict the first one.
In essence, this verse highlights the following:
God's Immediacy: God responded very quickly to Hezekiah's heartfelt prayer. The phrase "before Isaiah had gone out into the middle part of the city" is meant to emphasize the speed of God's response.
God's Mercy and Compassion: God heard Hezekiah's prayer and was moved by his distress.
Divine Reversal: God reversed the initial pronouncement of death and granted Hezekiah a longer life. It underscores the idea that even seemingly fixed decrees can be altered by sincere prayer and repentance.
In short, the verse emphasizes that God heard Hezekiah's prayer and sent Isaiah back with a new, merciful message almost immediately.
This verse from 2 Kings 20:4 is part of the story of King Hezekiah's illness and miraculous recovery. Let's break down what it means:
Context is Key: To understand the verse, you need to know the context. King Hezekiah was deathly ill. The prophet Isaiah told him to put his affairs in order because he was going to die (2 Kings 20:1). Hezekiah prayed fervently to God.
"Before Isaiah had gone out into the middle part of the city...": Isaiah was leaving the King's palace. He hadn't even made it to the central part of the city of Jerusalem yet. This emphasizes how quickly God responded to Hezekiah's prayer. He was already turning things around before Isaiah had gone very far.
"Yahweh’s word came to him, saying...": This indicates that God immediately changed his mind and had another message for Hezekiah. The phrase "Yahweh's word" suggests that the message that follows is from the Lord himself. The new message will contradict the first one.
In essence, this verse highlights the following:
God's Immediacy: God responded very quickly to Hezekiah's heartfelt prayer. The phrase "before Isaiah had gone out into the middle part of the city" is meant to emphasize the speed of God's response.
God's Mercy and Compassion: God heard Hezekiah's prayer and was moved by his distress.
Divine Reversal: God reversed the initial pronouncement of death and granted Hezekiah a longer life. It underscores the idea that even seemingly fixed decrees can be altered by sincere prayer and repentance.
In short, the verse emphasizes that God heard Hezekiah's prayer and sent Isaiah back with a new, merciful message almost immediately.