For God to give Hezekiah another fifteen years meant that he would live until the age of only fifty-four (2 Kings 18:2). The reason God extended Hezekiah’s life by only fifteen years was that, in the sight of God, Hezekiah was not a person who could be trusted to carry out God’s purpose. During his last fifteen years Hezekiah made a mistake that was so serious that it caused God’s kingdom on earth to be lost (ch. 39).

Or, with a languishing sickness.

Hezekiah’s use of this word indicates that he realized that he had been too hasty in the past and that his walk had not been proper in the sight of God. Thus, in his prayer he said that he would walk deliberately all his years. But when the visitors from Babylon came (Isa. 9:1-2), instead of walking in a deliberate way, he walked in a hasty way. See note Isa. 39:2¹.

See note Matt. 11:23^1d. In vv. 18-19 Hezekiah asked Jehovah in a selfish way to put him among the living so that he could praise Him. This indicates that he was for God, but in a selfish way. See note Isa. 39:8¹.