This verse is parallel to 2 Kgs 20.7.

Now Isaiah had said: Now renders the common Hebrew conjunction, which is literally “And,” but it may be better to omit it or to render it “Before Hezekiah was healed,” since verses 21-22 are a flashback. In Hebrew the form of the verb rendered had said usually indicates the next event in a story. However, here it introduces a flashback, so Revised Standard Version correctly translates had said (also New Revised Standard Version, New International Version; similarly Contemporary English Version). Isaiah spoke these words before the events in verses 7-8.

Let them take a cake of figs, and apply it to the boil: The pronoun them probably refers to “Hezekiah’s servants” (Contemporary English Version). Isaiah tells them to apply a dressing to the king’s boil. Good News Translation renders these instructions as though the king is to do them himself (so the Septuagint), but this is not recommended. A cake of figs refers to a paste made from crushed raw figs that can be applied to a wound to help healing. New International Version and New American Bible use the technical expression “a poultice of figs” (similarly New Jerusalem Bible), while Good News Translation says “a paste made of figs,” and Contemporary English Version has “some mashed figs.” For figs see 28.4 and 34.4.

The Hebrew word translated boil can refer to a skin infection. Many versions say “boil,” but this term has also been rendered “open sore” (Contemporary English Version), “rash” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), “inflammation” (Revised English Bible), “ulcer” (New Jerusalem Bible), and “sick spot” (Bible en français courant). The use of the definite article with boil indicates that it is already known, so it probably refers back to Hezekiah’s sickness in verse 1. Usually a skin infection is not life threatening unless it becomes gangrenous.

That he may recover is literally “and he will live.” RSV/NRSV, New American Bible, and Bible en français courant render it as a purpose clause. Revised English Bible expresses it as a past event, saying “Hezekiah recovered.” It is best to translate it as a result clause; for example, New International Version and New Jerusalem Bible say “and he will recover” (similarly Good News Translation).

Our translation suggestions for this verse are:

• Isaiah had said, “Let them apply a poultice [made] of figs to the boil, and the king will live.”

• Isaiah had said, “Let them make a dressing from ground figs and put it on the boil. Then the king will live.”

• Isaiah had told them [or, Hezekiah’s servants] to take fruit of the fig tree, grind it, make a dressing of it, and apply it to the king’s skin infection, and he would live.

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 .