Hezekiah also had said is literally “And Hezekiah said.” This verse continues the flashback begun in the previous one, so Revised Standard Version renders the verb here as had said. Since the king asks a question, it is better rendered “had asked” (New International Version) or simply “asked” (Good News Translation). From the parallel text in 20.8 it is clear that he is speaking to Isaiah, so Revised English Bible renders this whole clause as “He asked Isaiah.”

What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?: With this question Hezekiah is asking for proof the he will recover and be able to worship in the Temple again. According to verse 8, the sign is the backward movement of the sun’s shadow. For sign see the comments on Isa 38.7 and 7.11. The Temple was higher than the royal palace, so when the king went to the Temple he literally would go up, but for many languages it is better to say simply “go” (Good News Translation).

Several translation examples for this verse are:

• Then Hezekiah asked [Isaiah], “What sign will there be that I can go up to the Temple?”

• Then Hezekiah asked for proof that he would be able to go to the Temple again.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .