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   Below is an exposition of *what the original languages emphasize in   
   2 Kings 20*, as disclosed by *Rotherham’s formatting system*. The Hebrew   
   itself presses meaning*, using idiom first, then indentation, then symbols.   
      
   1. *The Time‑Marker Governs the Episode*   
      
   " was Hezekiah sick unto death…”   
      
   The *angle brackets* mark a *fronted temporal clause* in Hebrew. The   
   placement of “In those days” before the main clause links Hezekiah’s   
   illness *not to mere biography, but to a specific covenantal   
   moment*—likely the period of Assyrian threat (see 2 Kings 18‑19). The   
   structure signals that the sickness is a *divine appointment*, not a   
   random event.   
      
   2. *Yahweh’s Word Carries Decisive Authority*   
      
   "||Thus|| saith Yahweh”   
      
   The *double bars* on “Thus” reflect the Hebrew idiom for introducing   
   authoritative divine speech. This is not ordinary narration; it is   
   *direct utterance from God*, emphasized by the prophet’s role as   
   messenger. The same emphatic form reappears in verse 5, reinforcing the   
   *unalterable certainty* of Yahweh’s pronouncement.   
      
   3. *Hezekiah’s Prayer Appeals to Covenant Relationship*   
      
   "I beseech thee … remember … how I have walked before thee … with a   
   whole heart”   
      
   The *indentation* sets Hezekiah’s prayer apart as *direct, intimate   
   address*. The lack of emphasis symbols on the prayer’s content in   
   verse 3 shows that the Hebrew relies on *idiomatic repetition* (“I have   
   walked … I have done”) and *fronted appeal* (“remember”) to convey   
   earnestness. Hezekiah grounds his plea in *covenant loyalty*, not   
   personal merit.   
      
   4. *Yahweh’s Response Highlights Personal Attention*   
      
   "I have heard thy prayer,   
    > I have seen thy tears”   
      
   The *parallel lines*, visually set in indented balance, mirror Hebrew   
   poetic *synonymous parallelism*. The repetition of divine first‑person   
   action (“I have heard … I have seen”) emphasizes *Yahweh’s attentive,   
   compassionate engagement*. This is not a distant decree; it is a   
   *personal response to heartfelt supplication*.   
      
   5. *Divine Promise Structured with Cumulative Force*   
      
   "Behold me! about to heal thee,   
    >  shalt thou go up unto the house of Yahweh;   
    > And I will add unto thy days fifteen years,   
    > And  will I deliver thee, and   
   this city”   
      
   The *angle brackets* on “On the third day” and “out of the hand of the   
   king of Assyria” mark *preplaced elements* in the Hebrew promise. Each   
   fronted clause *prepares the hearer for a specific benefit*: restoration   
   to worship, extended life, and national deliverance. The stacking of   
   promises shows that Yahweh’s grace *extends beyond healing to covenantal   
   protection*.   
      
   6. *The Sign Demonstrates Yahweh’s Sovereign Control*   
      
   "||This′ unto thee|| is the sign from Yahweh”   
      
   The *acute accent* on “This′” and the *single bars* indicate *mild but   
   intentional stress* on the demonstrative pronoun. The Hebrew focuses   
   attention on *the very object* (the shadow’s reversal) that will confirm   
   Yahweh’s word. Hezekiah’s request for a greater sign (“let the shadow go   
   back′ ten steps”) is met by a *display of power over creation*,   
   emphasizing that *nothing is too hard for Yahweh*.   
      
   7. *Babylonian Embassy Framed by Divine Foreknowledge*   
      
   " … king of Babylon … sent letters … for he had heard′   
   that Hezekiah had been sick”   
      
   Again, *angle brackets* mark a *fronted temporal clause* linking this   
   event directly to the preceding miracle. The *acute accent* on “heard′”   
   subtly stresses that Babylon’s interest arises from *report of   
   Hezekiah’s healing*—a detail that becomes crucial in the following   
   prophecy. The structure implies *divine orchestration*: the same mercy   
   that healed Hezekiah now sets a test for his pride.   
      
   8. *Hezekiah’s Full Disclosure Receives Categorical Emphasis*   
      
   "there was |nothing| that Hezekiah shewed them not”   
      
   The *single bars* around “nothing” highlight the *completeness* of   
   Hezekiah’s display. The Hebrew uses the negative plus universal term to   
   stress *total, unreserved revelation*—an action that exposes his heart   
   to both the Babylonians and the reader.   
      
   9. *Judgment Oracle Uses Fronted Clauses to Build Gravity*   
      
   "Lo! days′ are coming, when all that is in thine house … shall be   
   carried into Babylon”   
      
   The *acute accent* on “days′” draws attention to the *certainty and   
   imminence* of the coming exile. The lengthy description of loss   
   (vv. 17‑18) is introduced by a *fronted predictive marker* (“Lo! days   
   are coming”), a Hebrew idiom for *inescapable future events*. The   
   structure *accumulates detail* (treasures, sons, eunuchs) to underscore   
   the *comprehensiveness* of the judgment.   
      
   10. *Hezekiah’s Final Response Reveals a Flawed Perspective*   
      
   "|Good| is the word of Yahweh … Is it not that    
   there shall be in my days?”   
      
   The *single bars* on “Good” stress Hezekiah’s *subjective   
   evaluation*—not that the word is morally good, but that he *accepts it   
   as fitting*. The *angle brackets* around “peace and stability” mark this   
   as the *focused benefit he seizes upon*. The Hebrew contrasts Yahweh’s   
   sweeping prophecy of future exile with Hezekiah’s *narrow, self‑centered   
   relief*. His response emphasizes *personal security over corporate   
   responsibility*, a subtle indictment of his later reign.   
      
   11. *Conclusion Returns to Historical Frame*   
      
   "Now  are ||they|| not written … ?”   
      
   The *angle brackets* again front a summarizing temporal clause, and the   
   *double bars* on “they” draw attention to the *written records* that   
   validate the account. This formal closing echoes the *authoritative   
   historiographic style* of Kings, reminding the reader that the events   
   are *part of a larger covenantal history*.   
      
   *Summary of Emphasized Theology*   
      
   2 Kings 20 emphasizes:   
      
         • Divine sovereignty over life and death*, exercised in response   
           to prayer.   
      
         • Yahweh’s attentive compassion* toward those who walk in   
           covenant loyalty.   
      
         • Miracles as confirmations of God’s word*, not merely acts of   
           power.   
      
         • The danger of pride after blessing*—Hezekiah’s healing leads to   
           a test he fails.   
      
         • Prophecy as certain and comprehensive*, with temporal markers   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)