Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets
Volume I: A Kingdom Divided
Lesson 23 Hezekiah Consults Isaiah
the Second Book of the Kings 19:1—20:21
the Book of Isaiah 30:19–21
the Book of Isaiah 35:1–10
the Book of Isaiah 38:9–20
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
Rosarium Virginis Mariae (Rosary of the Virgin Mary)
ex libris (in our library)
glossary for Thus Says the LORD—Volume I
cross references in Thus Says the LORD—Volume I
next lesson: Manasseh Reigns in Judah
This material coordinates with Lesson 23 on pages 140–147 in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.
“Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, and I showed myself their Master, says the LORD. But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each man teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”—the Book of Jeremiah 31:31–34
welcome to Volume I of our in-depth study of the biblical prophets
We invite you to check out the sample first lesson and video from Volume I of this Turning to 
God’s Word 
two-part Catholic Bible study. Our online pages link to the free related lesson videos, a glossary, and cross references in the biblical text, and include maps, additional commentary, and prayers based on the primary Scripture in each lesson. Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided contains 28 lessons and has been granted an imprimatur. It may be purchased from our website shop. The companion 23-lesson Volume II: Restoration & Redemption also is available for purchase. If you have a Bible-study question or comment, click on the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” button on any study page.
open with prayer
It’s always wise to begin any Bible study with prayer, whether reading the Scriptures alone or meeting with others in a discussion study group. You can pray using your own words or use one of the opening prayers on our website. We especially like the following:
Lord Jesus, you promised to send your Holy Spirit
to teach us all things.
As we read and study your word today,
allow it to touch our hearts and change our lives. Amen.
let’s review—the Second Book of the Kings 18:1–37, the Book of Micah 1:1–5, the Book of Micah 3:5—4:3, the Book of Micah 5:2–4, the Book of Micah 6:1–3, and the Book of Micah 6:6–8
In Lesson 22 What Does the LORD Require? the people of the northern kingdom of Israel have been deported by the Assyrians, and the Assyrian king Sennacherib turns his attention to the southern kingdom of Judah where Hezekiah ascended to the throne following the death of his father Ahaz. Hezekiah’s reign is likened to the reign of David, and Hezekiah is praised for removing the high places. Micah prophesies the fall of the southern kingdom, and he tells the people that the LORD wants them to practice justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God. The biblical text leaves off at a bit of a cliffhanger, and readers are left wondering about the outcome of the Assyrian threat to Judah.
map notes—the rise of a new power
Although the LORD handily removes the Assyrian threat to Judah, troubles are not over for the people. The Second Book of the Kings 20:12–18 describes an envoy from Babylon visiting Judah, where the 
delegation is warmly welcomed by King Hezekiah. After the envoy leaves, Proto- (First) Isaiah comes to Hezekiah to question the king. The prophet then prophesies that Babylon will be responsible for the demise of the southern kingdom. This event actually will occur in waves beginning in 597 B.C. For many years Egypt was the most powerful force in the region, followed by Assyria. Babylon is on the verge of becoming the new force to be reckoned with, and it fairly quickly will be surpassed by the Persians. The conquests of Alexander the Great then will put the Greeks in control. By the time of Jesus, the Roman Empire will be firmly entrenched as the dominant power in the ancient world. Click on the map (right) to enlarge it. The original map is on page 145 in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided. The 
second volume of this Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study, Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume II: Restoration & Redemption, contains information about the geopolitical history of the descendants of Jacob during the post-exilic period.
cultivate an attitude of gratitude (52:53)
In this video, Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps examines something 
that present-day Christians can learn from Hezekiah about humility and faith. Hezekiah’s public prayer in the Second Book of the Kings 19:14–19 focuses on the Assyrians, who’ve been mocking the LORD, and not on the idea that God should save Judah because of anything the people have been doing to deserve saving. Everything in Hezekiah’s prayer is about the LORD. It’s easy to take credit for the good things that God does in our lives. In the secular world, when someone receives a good gift, people praise the 
generosity of the giver and not the worthiness of the recipient. In our spiritual lives, however, we frequently rush to take credit for the gifts that God gives us.
The Scripture ranges for the videos that accompany this Catholic Bible study match the ranges for the sets of questions in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided. You can follow along with the video as Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps discusses Lesson 23, “Hezekiah Consults Isaiah,” on pages 140–147 in the study book.
an apple that falls far from the tree
The nineteenth chapter in the Second Book of the Kings shows Judah facing a serious threat from Assyria, which recently conquered the northern kingdom using vastly stronger forces. Hezekiah, king of Judah, sends to consult with the prophet Proto- (First) Isaiah, a bold and unexpected move considering that Hezekiah is the son of Ahaz, the worst southern king to date. In the sixteenth chapter in the Second Book of the Kings, Ahaz refused to heed the prophet’s words or to accept the LORD’s offer to defeat Syria and Israel, who were attacking Judah at that time. Instead, Ahaz entered into a pact with Assyria.
WHY DO YOU THINK it is that the LORD comes to Judah’s aid?
Proto- (First) Isaiah, like many prophets before him, turned up on Ahaz’s doorstep to offer unsolicited advice. Ahaz’s son Hezekiah, who appears dissimilar to his father in almost every way imaginable, now sends to the same prophet to learn what the LORD thinks about the current threat from the Assyrians.
? When was the last time any king of Judah or Israel sent to a prophet to ask for help—as opposed to a prophet turning up to offer unsolicited counsel from the LORD?
? What do Hezekiah’s actions show about his character?
? How might Ahaz’s worship behavior recorded in the Second Book of the Kings 16:1–4 explain the enormous differences between Hezekiah and his father?
? What’s unusual about the message that Isaiah gives Hezekiah, and how does it differ from the basic message usually delivered by the prophets?
? What does the LORD require Hezekiah to do in order for God to deal with the Assyrian threat?
? What does this suggest about Hezekiah’s relationship with the LORD?
? In the Second Book of the Kings 19:34, what reason does the LORD give for defending Jerusalem?
? What might explain why the account of the defeat of the Assyrians is treated in such a matter-of-fact way and receives so little space?
WHAT DO YOU THINK about the signs given to Hezekiah?
The nineteenth and twentieth chapters in the Second Book of the Kings describe different situations in which the LORD provides a sign.
? What’s the purpose of a sign, and what’s it supposed to accomplish?
? Although Hezekiah didn’t ask the LORD for any sign in connection with the promised defeat of the Assyrians, in the Second Book of the Kings 19:29, the LORD offers a sign anyway. Consider why God does this.
? What sign does the LORD say will indicate that the Assyrians will be defeated?
? Consider whether the sign in the nineteenth chapter in the Second Book of the Kings meets the criteria for a sign.
? In the Second Book of the Kings 20:8, Hezekiah does ask for a sign from the LORD. What are the circumstances surrounding Hezekiah’s request?
? Why might the LORD offer Hezekiah a choice of signs?
? What does Hezekiah’s choice indicate about his relationship with the LORD?
? Consider why the biblical text appears to treat the sign in the nineteenth chapter in the Second Book of the Kings differently than the sign in the twentieth chapter.
? What do both signs have in common?
? What is it that both signs point toward?
more prophecy from Proto-Isaiah
Lesson 20 Isaiah Foresees Immanuel’s Birth in this Bible study looked at passages from Proto- (First) Isaiah, a prophet also known as Isaiah of Jerusalem. Now Lesson 23 focuses on three other passages from the same section of the Book of Isaiah. Deutero-Isaiah and Trito-Isaiah will be covered in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume II: Restoration & Redemption. More information about the prophets thought responsible for the Book of Isaiah can be found on this study’s online page for Lesson 20 Isaiah Foresees Immanuel’s Birth.
a Teacher is coming
In the Book of Isaiah 30:19–22, Proto- (First) Isaiah promised that God would send a Teacher to show the people how to act and what’s important to the LORD. This prophecy occurs at a time when Hezekiah’s religious reforms have been leading the people of Judah back to God. Hezekiah can be seen as a king who models right behavior toward the LORD. The Teacher who is coming later will be God himself. The prophecy suggests that the thing that’s missing in why the people are unable to carry out the will of God isn’t desire but understanding. The reasons men and women fail in relationship to God can vary. We can fail by lack of will to do the right thing, or we can fail by lack of understanding. Isaiah prophesies that God is going to help to teach us the way we should go—the right 
direction for our lives. You can learn more about what Jesus told his disciples regarding his role as a teacher in Lesson 17 I Am the Way, the Truth & the Life in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study The Gospel According to John: An Encounter with Grace & Truth.
hope—you could look it up in our archives
God’s basic message is “repent or die,” but there’s more to the LORD’s plan. The prophets look to a time of rejoicing over the salvation promised those who love the LORD. Proto- (First) Isaiah’s prophecies sound a hopeful note based on expectation of a Messiah. Learn more about the connection between “hope” and expectation by reading Lost in Translation, an online column in which Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps helps readers connect with ideas expressed in the original languages of the Scriptures. New Lost in Translation entries are posted on Mondays, and past entries are archived on our website. Contact us if you’d like to receive Lost in Translation by email every week.
the land is going to change
According to Proto- (First) Isaiah, the coming of the LORD to bring salvation to his people will be accompanied by very specific signs. The land itself is going to rejoice, which will be apparent because everything will begin springing to life. This is how the prophecy in the thirty-fifth chapter in the Book of Isaiah begins. These images suggest that the people have been dead in their sins, and that the land has been dead along with them. The Old Covenant connected the people to the land. First there will be a blossoming of the land, followed by the people suddenly showing the same signs of returning to life. The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the lame will be leap about, and the mute will sing for joy. The blossoming of the land is a sign of new life that will accompany the appearance of the LORD.
biblical vocabulary—the Holy Way
The idea of the spiritual life as a journey is ingrained in salvation history. The prophecy in the Book of Isaiah 35:8 suggests that the LORD is going to prepare a highway over which his people can pass as they travel from exile to the Promised Land. This Holy Way is patterned on what is arguably the most important journey in the Old Testament, the Exodus of the descendants of Jacob from Egypt to the land of Canaan. The word exodus translates as “a way out.” Proto- (First) Isaiah is prophesying a new exodus, a new way out of slavery. While this can be understood to refer to the return of God’s people to Jerusalem after the Babylonian Captivity, Christians interpret the new Exodus as the journey out of slavery to sin into the Promised Land of heaven. Can you recall any New Testament Gospel 
passages in which Jesus suggests such an interpretation? You can learn more about the Exodus out of Egypt in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study You Shall Have No Other God’s: The Book of Exodus.
Hezekiah’s written words
The Book of Isaiah 38:9–20 records words attributed to Hezekiah, so finding this material among the writings of Proto- (First) Isaiah is the first odd thing readers notice. The second is that although the text says that Hezekiah wrote these words after recovering from his illness, they appear to be written from the perspective of someone still struggling. The king is looking back on a time when things weren’t going well. Hezekiah recognizes that his difficulties were for his own good. The passage then transitions to a prophetic message, which may explain why it’s included in the Book of Isaiah—the dead are unable to praise God. From Hezekiah’s point of view, this would have been a literal understanding. How do his words become prophetic when seen in the light of the understanding that sin is equivalent to spiritual death? What difference does this make in the lives of present-day Christians?
what’s happening when & where
Click on the timeline for Lesson 23 to expand it. It also appears on page 147 in the study book.
t
he best Catholic commentary about Scripture
To find out more about how Church teaching is supported by Scripture passages in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided, check out the Index of Citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Links (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE*]) to the primary Scripture passages in the lesson and relevant paragraphs in the Catechism are provided here. Not every passage in the biblical text for this Catholic Bible study is referenced in a Catechism paragraph, however, including the following passages from this lesson: the Second Book of the Kings 19:1—20:21, the Book of Isaiah 30:19–21, and the Book of Isaiah 35:1–10.
the Book of Isaiah 38:1–22—paragraph 1502
ways our glossary might prove helpful
In addition to providing information about geographical locations, our glossary also points out 
persons and places mentioned in the biblical text under multiple names or spellings. If you can remember a name but aren’t sure in which lesson it shows up, you can find it in the glossary, which lists every proper noun in the primary biblical text for Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.
to learn more, read more Scripture
If you’re having difficulty with a particular passage of Scripture, it can be helpful to read the relevant 
cross references—but looking these up can take time. To make that easier, we’ve compiled the cross references from the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE)—the translation that we reprint in our study books. That list can be found at the top of every online study page, and it includes links to cross references in the primary biblical text for Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.
don’t forget about our indexes & extra online material
If you’re trying to locate information about a specific Scripture passage, you can look it up in the index at the back of the study book or sample lesson. If you want to find a particular commentary, you can look up its title in the topics index. To learn more about another book of the Bible for which there’s a Turning to God’s Word study, visit the online study directories to read the commentaries and watch any accompanying videos. Finally, if you have a question or would like to make a comment about any of our studies, you can use one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons to email our authors.
ex libris—Church documents & books about religious topics
Link to magisterial documents referred to in our Bible studies at ex libris—magisterial documents. 
This listing includes significant recent encyclicals as well as a number of historical Church documents. Recommended books related to Scripture study can be found at ex libris—main bookshelf.
wondering how to pronounce some of these words?
The following links are to readings from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. To listen, open one of the links and click on the audio icon above the printed text. Although not taken from the translations used in our study materials, the NIV readings provide an audio guide to pronunciation of words in this lesson’s primary biblical texts. A close online version of the translation of the Bible used in Catholic liturgy in the United States as well as an audio guide for daily Mass readings for the current month can be found on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
the Second Book of the Kings 19:1—20:21 (NIV)
the Book of Isaiah 30:19–21 (NIV)
the Book of Isaiah 35:1–10 (NIV)
the Book of Isaiah 38:9–20 (NIV)
close with Bible-based prayer related to this lesson
Many of our Catholic study groups like to conclude their discussions with a prayer based on the scriptural focus of their lesson, and some participants include Scripture-specific prayer in their individual study. If you’re uncomfortable composing your own Bible-based prayers, you can follow our four easy steps. If you prefer, you can use the following prayer based on this lesson’s biblical texts.
O God, you endowed Hezekiah with great faith
in your love and protection.
Help us also to trust that you’re with us
throughout all of the difficulties and challenges we face.
Teach us to be grateful for the many gifts that you’ve given us.
We ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus,
who stands as a sign pointing the way to eternal life. Amen.
Lesson 24 Manasseh Reigns in Judah—the Second Book of the Kings 21:1–26
Lesson 22 What Does the LORD Require?—the Second Book of the Kings 18:1–37, the Book of Micah 1:1–5, the Book of Micah 3:5—4:3, the Book of Micah 5:2–4, the Book of Micah 6:1–3, and the Book of Micah 6:6–8
you also may like our study of Scripture & the Rosary (digital only)
Scripture & the Rosary: New Testament Mysteries, Old Testament Parallels, a 26-lesson Catholic Bible study with an imprimatur, looks at the biblical foundations of the Rosary. The study includes lessons on Pope St. John Paul II’s Rosarium Virginis Mariae (Rosary of the Virgin Mary), the Apostles’ Creed, and the Luminous Mysteries as well as the original 15 Mysteries of the Rosary. Color photographs of stained glass windows depict key scenes in the lives of Jesus and Mary. Free digital lessons rotate throughout the year on our website.
start a Turning to God’s Word Bible study
Thank you for your interest in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets— Volume I: A Kingdom Divided
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Information about beginning this or one of our other Turning to God’s Word Bible studies can be found at start a Bible study. Tami, Matthew, and I always are available to answer your Bible-study questions or concerns. Contact us if you’d like to start one of our studies or have your schedule listed with other TtGW study groups on our website. —Jennifer
*There are seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament—the Books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees, as well as some passages in the Books of Esther and Daniel. Protestants usually refer to these works as “apocryphal,” a word that means “outside the (Protestant) canon” because they’re excluded from most Protestant Bibles. The word “deuterocanonical” means “second canon”; Catholics use that word to refer to any section of the Catholic Old Testament for which there are no extant, or existing, Hebrew manuscripts. All of the deuterocanonical books appear in the Septuagint, the earliest remaining versions of which date to the 1st century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament was in common use by Jews at the time of Jesus—but the same books aren’t found in existing Hebrew manuscripts, which aren’t as old as the oldest version of the Septuagint. Learn more by reading How Do Catholic & Protestant Bibles Differ?
Turning to God’s Word printed Bible studies use the 2006 Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) translation for all Scripture references except those to the Psalms, which are taken from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and published in 2020 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Scripture on the online study pages for Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided links to the 1966 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE). The New International Version (NIV) audio recordings follow the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV Catholic translations, but the NIV translation doesn’t include the deuterocanonical books and passages.
The 1966 RSVCE uses archaic pronouns and verb forms such as “thee,” “thou,” “didst” in the Psalms and in direct quotations attributed to God. The 2006 RSV2CE replaces those with more accessible English. A handful of significant translation changes in the RSV2CE include rendering almah as “virgin” in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 and restoring the term “begotten” in the Gospel According to John 3:16.
Numbering varies for some passages in this Bible study. Turning to God’s Word studies (print and digital) follow the numbering in the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSV2CE and RSVCE). Discrepancies in the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) are noted in the Index of Scripture Citations in the study book and the online sample.
You can learn more about the Psalms by viewing a sample lesson from the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers. The second part of that study, Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, is scheduled for publication in 2025. Some verse numbers may vary in different translations of the Psalms.