Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed to Yahweh, saying,
Parallel Translations
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Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed to Yahweh, saying,
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Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying,
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Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying:
Examined in Scripture Analysis
Science (1)
Historical claims about the natural world, weighed against the scientific record.
Cross-references (4)
Passages linked to 2 Kings 20:2 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Psalms 50:15 Call on me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
- 1 Kings 8:30 Listen to the supplication of your servant, and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Yes, hear in heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive.
- Isaiah 38:2-3 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to Yahweh, and said, “Remember now, Yahweh, I beg you, how I have walked before you in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in your sight.” Then Hezekiah wept bitterly.
- Matthew 6:6 But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (13 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain That his mind might not be troubled.
That his mind might not be troubled.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 2Ki 20:2 Then he turned his face to the…
2Ki 20:2 Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying,
Ver. 2. Then he turned his face to the wall.] Not so much out of fear of death, - though nature at death will have a bout with the best; and to die actively is not every man’s happiness; quis enim vult mori? prorsus nemo, saith one; death in itself is nature’s slaughter-man, hell’s harbinger, &c., - {a} nor at all because he was uncertain whither he should go when he died, as Jerome would have it: but Isaiah’s message of death was so harsh and heavy to him, because he had then died without issue, as appeareth in that Manasseh was but twelve years old at his father’s death.
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{a} φοβερωτατον ο θανατος, περας γαρ. - Arist., Ethic., lib. iii. cap. 6.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain He turned his face to the wall; either because…
He turned his face to the wall; either because the temple lay that way; or rather, that by turning his face from the company he might intimate his desire of privacy, and so might with more freedom and fervency pour out his soul to God.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Turned his face - As he lay in his…
Turned his face - As he lay in his bed. He could not retire to his closet, but he retired as well as he could, turned from the company, to converse with God.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain 2Ki 20:2. Then he turned his face to the…
2Ki 20:2. Then he turned his face to the wall — As he lay in his bed. He could not retire to his closet; but he retired as well as he could; he turned from the company to converse with God. When we cannot be so private as we would in our devotions, nor perform them with the usual outward expressions of reverence and solemnity, yet we must not, therefore, omit them, but compose and address ourselves to them as well as we can.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain He turned his face to the wall - Contrast…
He turned his face to the wall - Contrast 1Ki 21:4. Ahab turned in sullenness, because he was too angry to converse; Hezekiah in devotion, because he wished to pray undisturbed.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Wall, towards the temple; (Chaldean, &c.) or that he…
Wall, towards the temple; (Chaldean, &c.) or that he might be less distracted, and indulge his grief without restraint.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain he turned his face to the wall--not like Ahab…
he turned his face to the wall--not like Ahab (Kg1 21:4), in fretful discontent, but in order to secure a better opportunity for prayer.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 2. Turned his face to the wall — Towards…
2. Turned his face to the wall — Towards the wall of his room, away from all present, so as not to be confused by the sight of men. This act was “not merely to collect his thoughts, or to conceal his tears, but as a natural expression of strong feeling. As Ahab turned his face towards the wall in anger, (1Ki_21:4,) so Hezekiah dies the same in grief.” — Alexander.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 2. Then he turned his face to the wall]…
2. Then he turned his face to the wall] He was in deep sorrow, and would pray without being observed. Ahab did the like, but it was in childish petulance (1Ki_21:4). If Manasseh was the eldest son of Hezekiah, the king was at this time childless, for Manasseh was but twelve years old at his father’s death. Hence not only his own life, but the succession of the house of David appeared likely to come to an end.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (2) Then he turned his face.—And he turned his…
(2) Then he turned his face.—And he turned his face round (1Ki_21:4). Hezekiah did so to avoid being disturbed in his prayer; and perhaps because grief instinctively seeks a hiding-place.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Then he turned his face to the wall i.e.…
Then he turned his face to the wall i.e. , away from those who were standing beside his bed, and might have distracted his attention, to pray with more concentration and earnestnessand prayed unto the Lord, saying . (comp. 2Ki_19:15) It was natural to Hezekiah, in every kind of affliction and distress, to take his trouble direct to God.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 20:2-3 Unlike Ahab, who went to bed in a…
20:2-3 Unlike Ahab, who went to bed in a royal pout (1 Kgs 21:4), Hezekiah . . . turned his face to the wall and prayed.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.