See Monday, Aug. 31, 2026 for the explanation of this 2-week limited series in 2 Kings.
2 Kings 20 Chapter Summary
Breakdown:
1 Judah’s Hezekiah falls ill; is told to put house in order
2-11 Hezekiah prays and recovers, and sign given for it
12-13 Hezekiah visited by Babylon’s Marduk-Baladan
13-19 Isaiah’s prophecy of Babylonian invasion 20-21 Closing statement of Hezekiah’s works and death; son Manasseh succeeds
Comparisons & Contrasts:
- Hezekiah’s prayer to God for deliverance from death extended his life by 15 years, vv. 2-11. Our prayer to Jesus for deliverance from sin and death extended our lives to eternity.
- Hezekiah’s life began well, but ended in pride and affliction. Jesus lived a perfect life and will reign in glory forever.
- Babylon will come “from a far country” to take away all that Hezekiah has, vv. 13-19. Jesus will come from a far country to restore all that sin has taken away.
Meaning:
God gave a promise to Hezekiah that he would recover from his illness, and gave him a choice between two miraculous signs. After Hezekiah chose, Isaiah prayed strongly, and the sign came to pass. Does this mean I should pray over the promises the Lord gives and not merely take them on by faith? Or perhaps Isaiah’s prayer, of which the content is not given, was for the sign and not the recovery? Praying over the promises is always a good idea; it shows interaction between what God said and our response of faith and acceptance to Him. This is seen when Hezekiah responded to the prophecy, “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good!” (v. 19).
Application:
Memory Verse:
