וישעיהו מאי בעי התם אמר רבה בר בר חנה אמר רבי יוחנן מלמד שחלה חזקיה והלך ישעיהו והושיב ישיבה על פתחו
The Gemara asks about the Biblical narrative cited above: What did Isaiah need to do there in the middle court, i.e., why was he there? The Gemara answers: Rabba bar bar Ḥana said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: This teaches that Hezekiah took ill, and Isaiah went and established a Torah academy at his door, so that Torah scholars would sit and occupy themselves with Torah outside his room, the merit of which would help Hezekiah survive.
(ב) בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וְחָמֵ֤שׁ שָׁנָה֙ הָיָ֣ה בְמָלְכ֔וֹ וְעֶשְׂרִ֤ים וָתֵ֙שַׁע֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ אֲבִ֖י בַּת־זְכַרְיָֽה׃ (ג) וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הַיָּשָׁ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֖ה דָּוִ֥ד אָבִֽיו׃ (ד) ה֣וּא ׀ הֵסִ֣יר אֶת־הַבָּמ֗וֹת וְשִׁבַּר֙ אֶת־הַמַּצֵּבֹ֔ת וְכָרַ֖ת אֶת־הָֽאֲשֵׁרָ֑ה וְכִתַּת֩ נְחַ֨שׁ הַנְּחֹ֜שֶׁת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֣ה מֹשֶׁ֗ה כִּ֣י עַד־הַיָּמִ֤ים הָהֵ֙מָּה֙ הָי֤וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מְקַטְּרִ֣ים ל֔וֹ וַיִּקְרָא־ל֖וֹ נְחֻשְׁתָּֽן׃ (ה) בַּיהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בָּטָ֑ח וְאַחֲרָ֞יו לֹא־הָיָ֣ה כָמֹ֗הוּ בְּכֹל֙ מַלְכֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֖וּ לְפָנָֽיו׃ (ו) וַיִּדְבַּק֙ בַּֽיהוָ֔ה לֹא־סָ֖ר מֵאַֽחֲרָ֑יו וַיִּשְׁמֹר֙ מִצְוֺתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ (ז) וְהָיָ֤ה יְהוָה֙ עִמּ֔וֹ בְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יֵצֵ֖א יַשְׂכִּ֑יל וַיִּמְרֹ֥ד בְּמֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֖וּר וְלֹ֥א עֲבָדֽוֹ׃ (ח) הֽוּא־הִכָּ֧ה אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֛ים עַד־עַזָּ֖ה וְאֶת־גְּבוּלֶ֑יהָ מִמִּגְדַּ֥ל נוֹצְרִ֖ים עַד־עִ֥יר מִבְצָֽר׃ (פ)
(2) He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years; his mother’s name was Abi daughter of Zechariah. (3) He did what was pleasing to the LORD, just as his father David had done. (4) He abolished the shrines and smashed the pillars and cut down the sacred post. He also broke into pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until that time the Israelites had been offering sacrifices to it; it was called Nehushtan. (5) He trusted only in the LORD the God of Israel; there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those before him. (6) He clung to the LORD; he did not turn away from following Him, but kept the commandments that the LORD had given to Moses. (7) And the LORD was always with him; he was successful wherever he turned. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and would not serve him. (8) He overran Philistia as far as Gaza and its border areas, from watchtower to fortified town.
(לה) וַיְהִי֮ בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַהוּא֒ וַיֵּצֵ֣א ׀ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֗ה וַיַּךְ֙ בְּמַחֲנֵ֣ה אַשּׁ֔וּר מֵאָ֛ה שְׁמוֹנִ֥ים וַחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה אָ֑לֶף וַיַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וְהִנֵּ֥ה כֻלָּ֖ם פְּגָרִ֥ים מֵתִֽים׃
(35) That night an angel of the LORD went out and struck down one hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp, and the following morning they were all dead corpses.
At one of the most critical junctures of Jewish history, with Assyrian King Sennacherib's vast army closing in on Jerusalem, Hezekiah King of Judah suddenly fell mortally ill. His entire body was covered with horrible sores. The prophet Isaiah came to him and said, "Thus says the Lord: Set your house in order, for you will die and not live" (Isaiah 38:1; Kings II, 20:1).
(א) בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם חָלָ֥ה חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ לָמ֑וּת וַיָּבֹ֣א אֵ֠לָיו יְשַׁעְיָ֨הוּ בֶן־אָמ֜וֹץ הַנָּבִ֗יא וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֜יו כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ צַ֣ו לְבֵיתֶ֔ךָ כִּ֛י מֵ֥ת אַתָּ֖ה וְלֹ֥א תִֽחְיֶֽה׃ (ב) וַיַּסֵּ֥ב אֶת־פָּנָ֖יו אֶל־הַקִּ֑יר וַיִּ֨תְפַּלֵּ֔ל אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ג) אָנָּ֣ה יְהוָ֗ה זְכָר־נָ֞א אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁ֧ר הִתְהַלַּ֣כְתִּי לְפָנֶ֗יךָ בֶּֽאֱמֶת֙ וּבְלֵבָ֣ב שָׁלֵ֔ם וְהַטּ֥וֹב בְּעֵינֶ֖יךָ עָשִׂ֑יתִי וַיֵּ֥בְךְּ חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ בְּכִ֥י גָדֽוֹל׃ (ס) (ד) וַיְהִ֣י יְשַׁעְיָ֔הוּ לֹ֣א יָצָ֔א העיר [חָצֵ֖ר] הַתִּֽיכֹנָ֑ה וּדְבַר־יְהוָ֔ה הָיָ֥ה אֵלָ֖יו לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ה) שׁ֣וּב וְאָמַרְתָּ֞ אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֣הוּ נְגִיד־עַמִּ֗י כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵי֙ דָּוִ֣ד אָבִ֔יךָ שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙ אֶת־תְּפִלָּתֶ֔ךָ רָאִ֖יתִי אֶת־דִּמְעָתֶ֑ךָ הִנְנִי֙ רֹ֣פֶא לָ֔ךְ בַּיּוֹם֙ הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י תַּעֲלֶ֖ה בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃ (ו) וְהֹסַפְתִּ֣י עַל־יָמֶ֗יךָ חֲמֵ֤שׁ עֶשְׂרֵה֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וּמִכַּ֤ף מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁוּר֙ אַצִּ֣ילְךָ֔ וְאֵ֖ת הָעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֑את וְגַנּוֹתִי֙ עַל־הָעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֔את לְמַֽעֲנִ֔י וּלְמַ֖עַן דָּוִ֥ד עַבְדִּֽי׃ (ז) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְשַֽׁעְיָ֔הוּ קְח֖וּ דְּבֶ֣לֶת תְּאֵנִ֑ים וַיִּקְח֛וּ וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ עַֽל־הַשְּׁחִ֖ין וַיֶּֽחִי׃
(1) In those days Hezekiah fell dangerously ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came and said to him, “Thus said the LORD: Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die; you will not get well.” (2) Thereupon Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD. He said, (3) “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before You sincerely and wholeheartedly, and have done what is pleasing to You.” And Hezekiah wept profusely. (4) Before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: (5) “Go back and say to Hezekiah, the ruler of My people: Thus said the LORD, the God of your father David: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears. I am going to heal you; on the third day you shall go up to the House of the LORD. (6) And I will add fifteen years to your life. I will also rescue you and this city from the hands of the king of Assyria. I will protect this city for My sake and for the sake of My servant David.”— (7) Then Isaiah said, “Get a cake of figs.” And they got one, and they applied it to the rash, and he recovered.—
(כד) בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם חָלָ֥ה יְחִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ עַד־לָמ֑וּת וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל֙ אֶל־יְהוָ֔ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ וּמוֹפֵ֖ת נָ֥תַן לֽוֹ׃ (כה) וְלֹא־כִגְמֻ֤ל עָלָיו֙ הֵשִׁ֣יב יְחִזְקִיָּ֔הוּ כִּ֥י גָבַ֖הּ לִבּ֑וֹ וַיְהִ֤י עָלָיו֙ קֶ֔צֶף וְעַל־יְהוּדָ֖ה וִירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ (כו) וַיִּכָּנַ֤ע יְחִזְקִיָּ֙הוּ֙ בְּגֹ֣בַהּ לִבּ֔וֹ ה֖וּא וְיֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְלֹא־בָ֤א עֲלֵיהֶם֙ קֶ֣צֶף יְהוָ֔ה בִּימֵ֖י יְחִזְקִיָּֽהוּ׃ (כז) וַיְהִ֧י לִֽיחִזְקִיָּ֛הוּ עֹ֥שֶׁר וְכָב֖וֹד הַרְבֵּ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד וְאֹֽצָר֣וֹת עָֽשָׂה־ל֠וֹ לְכֶ֨סֶף וּלְזָהָ֜ב וּלְאֶ֣בֶן יְקָרָ֗ה וְלִבְשָׂמִים֙ וּלְמָ֣גִנִּ֔ים וּלְכֹ֖ל כְּלֵ֥י חֶמְדָּֽה׃ (כח) וּמִ֨סְכְּנ֔וֹת לִתְבוּאַ֥ת דָּגָ֖ן וְתִיר֣וֹשׁ וְיִצְהָ֑ר וְאֻֽרָוֺת֙ לְכָל־בְּהֵמָ֣ה וּבְהֵמָ֔ה וַעֲדָרִ֖ים לָאֲוֵרֽוֹת׃ (כט) וְעָרִים֙ עָ֣שָׂה ל֔וֹ וּמִקְנֵה־צֹ֥אן וּבָקָ֖ר לָרֹ֑ב כִּ֤י נָֽתַן־לוֹ֙ אֱלֹהִ֔ים רְכ֖וּשׁ רַ֥ב מְאֹֽד׃ (ל) וְה֣וּא יְחִזְקִיָּ֗הוּ סָתַם֙ אֶת־מוֹצָ֞א מֵימֵ֤י גִיחוֹן֙ הָֽעֶלְי֔וֹן וַֽיַּישְּׁרֵ֥ם לְמַֽטָּה־מַּעְרָ֖בָה לְעִ֣יר דָּוִ֑יד וַיַּצְלַ֥ח יְחִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ בְּכָֽל־מַעֲשֵֽׂהוּ׃ (לא) וְכֵ֞ן בִּמְלִיצֵ֣י ׀ שָׂרֵ֣י בָּבֶ֗ל הַֽמְשַׁלְּחִ֤ים עָלָיו֙ לִדְרֹ֗שׁ הַמּוֹפֵת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָיָ֣ה בָאָ֔רֶץ עֲזָב֖וֹ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים לְנַ֨סּוֹת֔וֹ לָדַ֖עַת כָּל־בִּלְבָבֽוֹ׃ (לב) וְיֶ֛תֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י יְחִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ וַחֲסָדָ֑יו הִנָּ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים בַּחֲז֞וֹן יְשַֽׁעְיָ֤הוּ בֶן־אָמוֹץ֙ הַנָּבִ֔יא עַל־סֵ֥פֶר מַלְכֵי־יְהוּדָ֖ה וְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (לג) וַיִּשְׁכַּ֨ב יְחִזְקִיָּ֜הוּ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֗יו וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻהוּ֮ בְּֽמַעֲלֵה֮ קִבְרֵ֣י בְנֵי־דָוִיד֒ וְכָבוֹד֙ עָֽשׂוּ־ל֣וֹ בְמוֹת֔וֹ כָּל־יְהוּדָ֖ה וְיֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ מְנַשֶּׁ֥ה בְנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ (פ)
(24) At that time, Hezekiah fell deathly sick. He prayed to the LORD, who responded to him and gave him a sign. (25) Hezekiah made no return for what had been bestowed upon him, for he grew arrogant; so wrath was decreed for him and for Judah and Jerusalem. (26) Then Hezekiah humbled himself where he had been arrogant, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and no wrath of the LORD came on them during the reign of Hezekiah. (27) Hezekiah enjoyed riches and glory in abundance; he filled treasuries with silver and gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and all lovely objects; (28) and store-cities with the produce of grain, wine, and oil, and stalls for all kinds of beasts, and flocks for sheepfolds. (29) And he acquired towns, and flocks of small and large cattle in great number, for God endowed him with very many possessions. (30) It was Hezekiah who stopped up the spring of water of Upper Gihon, leading it downward west of the City of David; Hezekiah prospered in all that he did. (31) So too in the matter of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who were sent to him to inquire about the sign that was in the land, when God forsook him in order to test him, to learn all that was in his mind. (32) The other events of Hezekiah’s reign, and his faithful acts, are recorded in the visions of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. (33) Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and was buried on the upper part of the tombs of the sons of David. When he died, all the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem accorded him much honor. Manasseh, his son, succeeded him.
(ט) מִכְתָּ֖ב לְחִזְקִיָּ֣הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֑ה בַּחֲלֹת֕וֹ וַיְחִ֖י מֵחָלְיֽוֹ׃ (י) אֲנִ֣י אָמַ֗רְתִּי בִּדְמִ֥י יָמַ֛י אֵלֵ֖כָה בְּשַׁעֲרֵ֣י שְׁא֑וֹל פֻּקַּ֖דְתִּי יֶ֥תֶר שְׁנוֹתָֽי׃ (יא) אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙ לֹא־אֶרְאֶ֣ה יָ֔הּ יָ֖הּ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ הַחַיִּ֑ים לֹא־אַבִּ֥יט אָדָ֛ם ע֖וֹד עִם־י֥וֹשְׁבֵי חָֽדֶל׃ (יב) דּוֹרִ֗י נִסַּ֧ע וְנִגְלָ֛ה מִנִּ֖י כְּאֹ֣הֶל רֹעִ֑י קִפַּ֨דְתִּי כָאֹרֵ֤ג חַיַּי֙ מִדַּלָּ֣ה יְבַצְּעֵ֔נִי מִיּ֥וֹם עַד־לַ֖יְלָה תַּשְׁלִימֵֽנִי׃ (יג) שִׁוִּ֤יתִי עַד־בֹּ֙קֶר֙ כָּֽאֲרִ֔י כֵּ֥ן יְשַׁבֵּ֖ר כָּל־עַצְמוֹתָ֑י מִיּ֥וֹם עַד־לַ֖יְלָה תַּשְׁלִימֵֽנִי׃ (יד) כְּס֤וּס עָגוּר֙ כֵּ֣ן אֲצַפְצֵ֔ף אֶהְגֶּ֖ה כַּיּוֹנָ֑ה דַּלּ֤וּ עֵינַי֙ לַמָּר֔וֹם אֲדֹנָ֖י עָֽשְׁקָה־לִּ֥י עָרְבֵֽנִי׃ (טו) מָֽה־אֲדַבֵּ֥ר וְאָֽמַר־לִ֖י וְה֣וּא עָשָׂ֑ה אֶדַּדֶּ֥ה כָל־שְׁנוֹתַ֖י עַל־מַ֥ר נַפְשִֽׁי׃ (טז) אֲדֹנָ֖י עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם יִֽחְי֑וּ וּלְכָל־בָּהֶן֙ חַיֵּ֣י רוּחִ֔י וְתַחֲלִימֵ֖נִי וְהַחֲיֵֽנִי׃ (יז) הִנֵּ֥ה לְשָׁל֖וֹם מַר־לִ֣י מָ֑ר וְאַתָּ֞ה חָשַׁ֤קְתָּ נַפְשִׁי֙ מִשַּׁ֣חַת בְּלִ֔י כִּ֥י הִשְׁלַ֛כְתָּ אַחֲרֵ֥י גֵוְךָ֖ כָּל־חֲטָאָֽי׃ (יח) כִּ֣י לֹ֥א שְׁא֛וֹל תּוֹדֶ֖ךָּ מָ֣וֶת יְהַלְלֶ֑ךָּ לֹֽא־יְשַׂבְּר֥וּ יֽוֹרְדֵי־ב֖וֹר אֶל־אֲמִתֶּֽךָ׃ (יט) חַ֥י חַ֛י ה֥וּא יוֹדֶ֖ךָ כָּמ֣וֹנִי הַיּ֑וֹם אָ֣ב לְבָנִ֔ים יוֹדִ֖יעַ אֶל־אֲמִתֶּֽךָ׃
(9) A poem by King Hezekiah of Judah when he recovered from the illness he had suffered: (10) I had thought: I must depart in the middle of my days; I have been consigned to the gates of Sheol For the rest of my years. (11) I thought, I shall never see Yah, Yah in the land of the living, Or ever behold men again Among those who inhabit the earth. (12) My dwelling is pulled up and removed from me Like a tent of shepherds; My life is rolled up like a web And cut from the thrum. Only from daybreak to nightfall Was I kept whole, (13) Then it was as though a lion Were breaking all my bones; I cried out until morning. (Only from daybreak to nightfall Was I kept whole.) (14) I piped like a swift or a swallow, I moaned like a dove, As my eyes, all worn, looked to heaven: “My Lord, I am in straits; Be my surety!” (15) What can I say? He promised me, And He it is who has wrought it. All my sleep had fled Because of the bitterness of my soul. (16) My Lord, for all that and despite it My life-breath is revived;- You have restored me to health and revived me. (17) Truly, it was for my own good That I had such great bitterness: You saved my life From the pit of destruction, For You have cast behind Your back All my offenses. (18) For it is not Sheol that praises You, Not [the Land of] Death that extols You; Nor do they who descend into the Pit Hope for Your grace. (19) The living, only the living Can give thanks to You As I do this day; Fathers relate to children Your acts of grace:
(ד) יחזקיהו מלך יהודה עשה ד׳ דברים והסכימה דעתו לדעת המקום. גנז ספר רפואות והסכימה דעתו לדעת המקום. כתת נחש הנחושת והסכימה דעתו לדעת המקום. והסיר את הבמות והמזבחות ([והסכימה דעתו לדעת המקום]) שנאמר (דה׳׳ב לב) יחזקיהו הסיר את במותיו ואת מזבחותיו ויאמר ליהודה ולירושלים לאמר לפני מזבח אחד תשתחוו ועליו תקטירו . סתם מי גיחון (והסכימה דעתו לדעת המקום) שנאמר (שם) יחזקיהו סתם [את מוצא מימי] גיחון [העליון] ויישרם למטה מערבה לעיר דוד ויצלח יחזקיהו בכל מעשהו :
(4) King Hezekiah decided four things, and his decision was in accordance with the will of the Omnipresent God. He hid the Book of Healing, and his decision was in accordance with the will of the Omnipresent God. He broke apart the copper snake, and his decision was in accordance with the will of the Omnipresent God [as it says in II Kings 18:4, “Until those days, the children of Israel had been burning incense to it, and it was called Nekhushatan (‘the snake god’)”]. He removed the shrines and altars, and his decision was in accordance with the will of the Omnipresent God, as it says (II Chronicles 32:12), “Hezekiah removed His shrines and His altars and spoke to Judah and Jerusalem, and said: Will you bow down before one altar, and burn incense upon it?” He stopped up the waters of Gihon, and his decision was in accordance with the will of the Omnipresent God, as it says (II Chronicles 32:30), “Hezekiah stopped up the spring of the waters of [upper] Gihon, leading it downward, west of the City of David. And Hezekiah was successful in all that he did.”
גמ׳ תנו רבנן ששה דברים עשה חזקיה המלך על שלשה הודו לו ועל שלשה לא הודו לו גירר עצמות אביו על מטה של חבלים והודו לו כיתת נחש הנחשת והודו לו גנז ספר רפואות והודו לו ועל שלשה לא הודו לו קיצץ דלתות של היכל ושיגרן למלך אשור ולא הודו לו סתם מי גיחון העליון ולא הודו לו עיבר ניסן בניסן ולא הודו לו:
GEMARA: Apropos the people of Jericho, who were reprimanded for some of their actions and not reprimanded for others, the Gemara cites a similar baraita. The Sages taught: King Hezekiah performed six actions. With regard to three of them, the Sages of his generation conceded to him; and with regard to three of them, the Sages did not concede to him. Due to King Hezekiah’s father’s wickedness, he dragged the bones of his father Ahaz on a bier of ropes and did not afford him the respect due to a king, and the Sages conceded to him. He ground the copper snake that Moses fashioned in the desert because Israel worshipped it, and the Sages conceded to him. He suppressed the Book of Cures, and they conceded to him. And with regard to three actions, the Sages did not concede to him. He cut off the doors of the Sanctuary and sent them to the King of Assyria, and they did not concede to him because he thereby demeaned the Temple. He sealed the waters of the upper Gihon stream, diverting its water into the city by means of a tunnel, and they did not concede to him, because he harmed the local populace in the process and should have relied upon God (Me’iri). He intercalated the year, delaying the advent of the month of Nisan during Nisan, and they did not concede to him. The Gemara explains that he declared the first of Nisan to be the thirtieth of Adar and only then intercalated the year (see II Chronicles 30:2).
In Hezekiah's time, the people had come to rely on these cures instead of turning to God, perhaps praising and expressing their gratitude to the Book of Remedies rather than extolling the Almighty. The monarch hid the book that was leading people astray so that the ill would be compelled to recognize God (Rabbenu Bahya, 13th century, Spain).
(יא) הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֔ פֶּן־תִּשְׁכַּ֖ח אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ לְבִלְתִּ֨י שְׁמֹ֤ר מִצְוֺתָיו֙ וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֣יו וְחֻקֹּתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּֽוֹם׃ (יב) פֶּן־תֹּאכַ֖ל וְשָׂבָ֑עְתָּ וּבָתִּ֥ים טוֹבִ֛ים תִּבְנֶ֖ה וְיָשָֽׁבְתָּ׃ (יג) וּבְקָֽרְךָ֤ וְצֹֽאנְךָ֙ יִרְבְּיֻ֔ן וְכֶ֥סֶף וְזָהָ֖ב יִרְבֶּה־לָּ֑ךְ וְכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־לְךָ֖ יִרְבֶּֽה׃ (יד) וְרָ֖ם לְבָבֶ֑ךָ וְשָֽׁכַחְתָּ֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ הַמּוֹצִיאֲךָ֛ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם מִבֵּ֥ית עֲבָדִֽים׃
(11) Take care lest you forget the LORD your God and fail to keep His commandments, His rules, and His laws, which I enjoin upon you today. (12) When you have eaten your fill, and have built fine houses to live in, (13) and your herds and flocks have multiplied, and your silver and gold have increased, and everything you own has prospered, (14) beware lest your heart grow haughty and you forget the LORD your God—who freed you from the land of Egypt, the house of bondage;
(יז) וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ בִּלְבָבֶ֑ךָ כֹּחִי֙ וְעֹ֣צֶם יָדִ֔י עָ֥שָׂה לִ֖י אֶת־הַחַ֥יִל הַזֶּֽה׃ (יח) וְזָֽכַרְתָּ֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ כִּ֣י ה֗וּא הַנֹּתֵ֥ן לְךָ֛ כֹּ֖חַ לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת חָ֑יִל לְמַ֨עַן הָקִ֧ים אֶת־בְּרִית֛וֹ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥ע לַאֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ (פ)
(17) and you say to yourselves, “My own power and the might of my own hand have won this wealth for me.” (18) Remember that it is the LORD your God who gives you the power to get wealth, in fulfillment of the covenant that He made on oath with your fathers, as is still the case.
"Rabbi Levi said: Hezekiah mused, `It isn't good for people to enjoy constant good health until the day they die. This way they'll never think of repentance. But if they fall sick and then recover, they'll come to repent their sins.' God said to Hezekiah, `This is a good idea. And I'll start with you!'" (Bereshit Rabbah 65:9).