2 Kings – Chapter 20

Old Testament21 Verses

Chapter Summary

"In those days Ezechias was sick unto death: and Isaias, the son of Amos, the prophet, came and said to him: Thus saith the Lord God: Give…" — so begins 2 Kings 20. The chapter centers on Hezekiah, Isaiah and David. Across its 21 verses, two threads run through the text: healing and God's kingdom and kingship. The Church invites us to read this chapter within the whole sweep of salvation history, where every page points toward Christ.

1In those days Ezechias was sick unto death: and Isaias, the son of Amos, the prophet, came and said to him: Thus saith the Lord God: Give charge concerning thy house, for thou shalt die, and not llve.

2And he turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the Lord, saying:

3I beseech thee, O Lord, remember how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is pleasing before thee. And Ezechias wept with much weeping.

4And before Isaias was gone out of the middle of the court, the word of the Lord came to him, saying:

5Go back, and tell Ezechias, the captain of my people: Thus saith the Lord, the God of David, thy father: I have heard thy prayer, and I have seen thy tears: and behold I have healed thee: on the third day thou shalt go up to the temple of the Lord.

6And I will add to thy days fifteen years: and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of the Assyrians, and I will protect this city for my own sake, and for David, my servant's sake.

7And Isaias said: Bring me a lump of figs. And when they had brought it, and laid it upon his boil, he was healed.

8And Ezechias had said to Isaias: What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I will go up to the temple of the Lord the third day?

9And Isaias said to him: This shall be the sign from the Lord, that the Lord will do the word which he hath spoken: Wilt thou that the shadow go forward ten lines, or that it go back so many degrees?

10And Ezechias said: It is an easy matter for the shadow to go forward ten lines: and I do not desire that this be done, but let it return back ten degrees.

11And Isaias, the prophet, called upon the Lord, and he brought the shadow ten degrees backwards by the lines, by which it had already gone down on the dial of Achaz.

12At that time Berodach Baladan, the son of Baladan, king of the Babylonians, sent letters and presents to Ezechias: for he had heard that Ezechias had been sick.

13And Ezechias rejoiced at their coming, and he shewed them the house of his aromatical spices, and the gold, and the silver, and divers precious odours, and ointments, and the house of his vessels, and all that he had in his treasures. There was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominions, that Ezechias shewed them not.

14And Isaias, the prophet, came to king Ezechias, and said to him: What said these men? or from whence came they to thee? And Ezechias said to him: From a far country, they came to me out of Babylon.

15And he said: What did they see in thy house? Ezechias said: They saw all the things that are in my house: There is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.

16And Isaias said to Ezechias: Hear the word of the Lord.

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

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

19Ezechias said to Isaias: The word of the Lord, which thou hast spoken, is good: let peace and truth be in my days.

20And the rest of the acts of Ezechias, and all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought waters into the city, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda?

21And Ezechias slept with his fathers, and Manasses, his son reigned in his stead.

Important Verses in 2 Kings 20

In those days Ezechias was sick unto death: and Isaias, the son of Amos, the prophet, came and said to him: Thus saith the Lord God: Give charge concerning thy house, for thou shalt die, and not llve.

2 Kings 20:1

Go back, and tell Ezechias, the captain of my people: Thus saith the Lord, the God of David, thy father: I have heard thy prayer, and I have seen thy tears: and behold I have healed thee: on the third day thou shalt go up to the temple of the Lord.

2 Kings 20:5

And Ezechias had said to Isaias: What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I will go up to the temple of the Lord the third day?

2 Kings 20:8

Ezechias said to Isaias: The word of the Lord, which thou hast spoken, is good: let peace and truth be in my days.

2 Kings 20:19

Historical Context

2 Kings belongs to the Old Testament and was composed for the exiles in Babylon, called to repentance and hope. Chapter 20 of 25 moves toward the climax of the book as earlier promises and conflicts converge. It is a prophetic oracle addressed to Israel in a moment of covenant crisis or renewal with 21 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. Hezekiah, Isaiah, David and Manasses appear at the center of the events recorded here. The chapter begins: "In those days Ezechias was sick unto death: and Isaias, the son of Amos, the prophet, came and said to him: Thus saith…" The chapter ends with: "And Ezechias slept with his fathers, and Manasses, his son reigned in his stead. " In terms of historical background, Second Kings continues from Elijah's fiery departure and Elisha's ministry to the destruction of both kingdoms: Israel fell to Assyria in 722 BC and Judah to Babylon in 587 BC, when the Temple was burned. Catholic tradition dates the book to the period described in its introduction: Events from about 850 to 560 BC; final form during the Babylonian exile.

Who Wrote It

Unknown; compiled by prophetic circles, traditionally linked to Jeremiah

When It Was Written

Events from about 850 to 560 BC; final form during the Babylonian exile

Catholic Commentary

The prophet addresses Israel with a message rooted in covenant fidelity and the hope of restoration. A pivotal line is verse 1: "In those days Ezechias was sick unto death: and Isaias, the son of Amos, the prophet, came and said to him: Thus saith the Lord God: Give charge concerning thy…" The passage repeatedly touches on healing and restoration.

The Church teaches that every passage of Scripture must be read in light of Christ and the Magisterium (CIC 2578). Here, the prophets prepared for Christ and called Israel to repentance (CIC 64, 522). The spiritual sense invites believers to recognize healing and restoration as part of God's pedagogy of salvation.

The moral and spiritual import remains timely: Christ is the Divine Physician who heals both body and soul.. St. Jerome insisted that ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ; this chapter offers material for meditation, examination of conscience, and deeper love of God.

Main Teachings

  • Christ is the Divine Physician who heals both body and soul.
  • God's kingdom is not of this world; every earthly throne stands under His eternal reign.
  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.

People in This Chapter

Hezekiah16 mentionsIsaiah9 mentionsDavid2 mentionsManasses1 mentionAmos1 mention

Reflection for Today

In 2 Kings Chapter 20, the Church invites us to listen attentively to God's Word within the broader narrative of prophets, kings, and exile.

The Second Vatican Council reminded the faithful that Scripture should permeate Catholic spirituality (Dei Verbum, 21-26). 2 Kings Chapter 20 supports that call by drawing attention to humility before the mystery of God within the wider message that God sends prophets to call His people back.

As you continue through 2 Kings, carry this chapter's lesson into your family, parish, and work. Catholic faith is always ecclesial—God speaks to us as members of Christ's Body, not as isolated individuals.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 2 Kings Chapter 20 about?

2 Kings 20 contains 21 verses. It opens with "In those days Ezechias was sick unto death: and Isaias, the son of Amos, the prophet, came and said to him: Thus saith…" and closes with "And Ezechias slept with his fathers, and Manasses, his son reigned in his stead. ". The book as a whole is historical narrative with prophetic accounts.

What is a key verse in 2 Kings 20?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "In those days Ezechias was sick unto death: and Isaias, the son of Amos, the prophet, came and said to him: Thus saith the Lord God: Give charge concerning thy house, for thou…" It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in 2 Kings Chapter 20?

This chapter mentions Hezekiah, Isaiah, David, Manasses, Amos.

Who wrote 2 Kings and when?

Unknown; compiled by prophetic circles, traditionally linked to Jeremiah. Events from about 850 to 560 BC; final form during the Babylonian exile.

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