Isaiah38
New American Standard
1In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Set your house in order, for you are going to die and not live.’”
2Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord,
3and said, “Please, Lord, just remember how I have walked before You wholeheartedly and in truth, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept profusely.
4Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying,
5“Go and say to Hezekiah, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David says: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.
6And I will save you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will protect this city.”’
7“And this shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will perform this word that He has spoken:
8Behold, I will make the shadow on the stairway, which has gone down with the sun on the stairway of Ahaz, go back ten steps.” So the sun’s shadow went back ten steps on the stairway on which it had gone down.
9This is a writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery:
10I said, “In the middle of my life I am to enter the gates of Sheol; I have been deprived of the rest of my years.”
11I said, “I will not see the Lord, The Lord in the land of the living; I will no longer look on mankind among the inhabitants of the world.
12Like a shepherd’s tent my dwelling is pulled up and removed from me; As a weaver I rolled up my life. He cuts me off from the loom; From day until night You make an end of me.
13I composed my soul until morning. Like a lion—so He breaks all my bones, From day until night You make an end of me.
14Like a swallow, like a crane, so I twitter; I moan like a dove; My eyes look wistfully to the heights; Lord, I am oppressed, be my security.
15“What shall I say? For He has spoken to me, and He Himself has done it; I will walk quietly all my years because of the bitterness of my soul.
16Lord, by these things people live, And in all these is the life of my spirit; Restore me to health and let me live!
17Behold, for my own welfare I had great bitterness; But You have kept my soul from the pit of nothingness, For You have hurled all my sins behind Your back.
18For Sheol cannot thank You, Death cannot praise You; Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness.
19It is the living who give thanks to You, as I do today; A father tells his sons about Your faithfulness.
20The Lord is certain to save me; So we will play my songs on stringed instruments All the days of our life at the house of the Lord.”
21Now Isaiah had said, “Have them take a cake of figs and apply it to the boil, so that he may recover.”
22Then Hezekiah had said, “What is the sign that I will go up to the house of the Lord?”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Isaiah 38.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Hezekiah's sickness and recovery. (1-8). His thanksgiving. (9-22).
vv1-8
When we pray in our sickness, though God send not to us such an answer as he here sent to Hezekiah, yet, if by his Spirit he bids us be of good cheer, assures us that our sins are forgiven, and that, whether we live or die, we shall be his, we do not pray in vain. See II Kin. 20:1-11.
vv9-22
We have here Hezekiah's thanksgiving. It is well for us to remember the mercies we receive in sickness. Hezekiah records the condition he was in. He dwells upon this; I shall no more see the Lord. A good man wishes not to live for any other end than that he may serve God, and have communion with him. Our present residence is like that of a shepherd in his hut, a poor, mean, and cold lodging, and with a trust committed to our charge, as the shepherd has. Our days are compared to the weaver's shuttle, Job 7:6, passing and repassing very swiftly, every throw leaving a thread behind it; and when finished, the piece is cut off, taken out of the loom, and showed to our Master to be judged of. A good man, when his life is cut off, his cares and fatigues are cut off with it, and he rests from his labours. But our times are in God's hand; he has appointed what shall be the length of the piece. When sick, we are very apt to calculate our time, but are still at uncertainty. It should be more our care how we shall get safe to another world. And the more we taste of the loving-kindness of God, the more will our hearts love him, and live to him. It was in love to our poor perishing souls that Christ delivered them. The pardon does not make the sin not to have been sin, but not to be punished as it deserves. It is pleasant to think of our recoveries from sickness, when we see them flowing from the pardon of sin. Hezekiah's opportunity to glorify God in this world, he made the business, and pleasure, and end of life. Being recovered, he resolves to abound in praising and serving God. God's promises are not to do away, but to quicken and encourage the use of means. Life and health are given that we may glorify God and do good.
Key Words
הֵם: they (only used when emphatic)
יוֹם: a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
חִזְקִיָּה: Chizkijah, a king of Judah, also the name of two other Israelites
חָלָה: properly, to be rubbed or worn; hence (figuratively) to be weak, sick, afflicted; or (causatively) to grieve, make sick; also to stroke (in flattering), entreat
מוּת: to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
יְשַׁעְיָה: Jeshajah, the name of seven Israelites
נָבִיא: a prophet or (generally) inspired man
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
אָמוֹץ: Amots, an Israelite
בּוֹא: to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
Cross References
Isaiah 38The primary parallel account of Hezekiah's sickness, prayer, and recovery.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The explicit promise of fifteen added years and going up to the house of the Lord.
Supported by JFB
Direct parallel detail recording the miracle of the shadow turning back ten degrees on the dial.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Great Old Testament precedent of God miraculously altering the sun's natural course.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the vivid weaving metaphor of life being swiftly cut off from the loom.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallel recording Isaiah ordering a lump of figs as a plaster for the boil.
Supported by JFB
Mentions the Babylonian ambassadors sent to inquire of the wonder done in the land.
Supported by JFB
Uses the same phrase 'land of the living' in contrast to the grave.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Thematic connection that man lives by every word that proceeds from God's mouth.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallel imagery of God casting all sins behind His back or into depths.
Supported by John Calvin
Thematic parallel on the dead in the grave being unable to praise or remember God.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Verbal link to the ideal of walking before God with a perfect, sincere heart.
Supported by JFB
God's promise to defend and deliver Jerusalem for His own sake and David's.
Supported by John Calvin
Comparable personal psalm of distress, prayer, and deliverance composed after escaping death.
Supported by John Calvin
Hezekiah's exact sentiment: 'Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?'
Supported by Matthew Poole