1 In those days was Hezekiah sick and near death. Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him, and said to him, "Thus says Yahweh, 'Set your house in order, for you will die, and not live.'" 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to Yahweh, 3 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." Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 Then the word of Yahweh came to Isaiah, saying, 5 "Go, and tell Hezekiah, 'Thus says Yahweh, the God of David your father, "I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life. 6 I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city. 7 This shall be the sign to you from Yahweh, that Yahweh will do this thing that he has spoken. 8 Behold, I will cause the shadow on the sundial, which has gone down on the sundial of Ahaz with the sun, to return backward ten steps. So the sun returned ten steps on the sundial on which it had gone down."'" 9 The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and had recovered of his sickness. 10 I said, "In the middle of my life I go into the gates of Sheol. I am deprived of the residue of my years." 11 I said, "I won't see Yah, Yah in the land of the living. I will see man no more with the inhabitants of the world. 12 My dwelling is removed, and is carried away from me like a shepherd's tent. I have rolled up, like a weaver, my life. He will cut me off from the loom. From day even to night you will make an end of me. 13 I waited patiently until morning. He breaks all my bones like a lion. From day even to night you will make an end of me. 14 I chattered like a swallow or a crane. I moaned like a dove. My eyes weaken looking upward. Lord, I am oppressed. Be my security." 15 What will I say? He has both spoken to me, and himself has done it. I will walk carefully all my years because of the anguish of my soul. 16 Lord, men live by these things; and my spirit finds life in all of them: you restore me, and cause me to live. 17 Behold, for peace I had great anguish, but you have in love for my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption; for you have cast all my sins behind your back. 18 For Sheol can't praise you. Death can't celebrate you. Those who go down into the pit can't hope for your truth. 19 The living, the living, he shall praise you, as I do this day. The father shall make known your truth to the children. 20 Yahweh will save me. Therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of Yahweh. 21 Now Isaiah had said, "Let them take a cake of figs, and lay it for a poultice on the boil, and he shall recover." 22 Hezekiah also had said, "What is the sign that I will go up to the house of Yahweh?"
This chapter contains the record of an important transaction which occurred in the time of Isaiah, and in which he was deeply interested - the dangerous sickness, and the remarkable recovery of Hezekiah. It is introduced here, doubtless, because the account was drawn up by Isaiah (see Analysis of Isaiah. 36); and because it records his agency at an important crisis of the history. A record of the same transaction, evidently from the same hand, occurs in 2-Kings 20:1-11. But the account differs more than the records in the two previous chapters. It is abrigded in Isaiah by omitting what is recorded in Kings in Isaiah 38:4, and in the close of Isaiah 38:6, it is transposed in the statement which occurs in regard to the application of the 'lump of figs;' and it is enlarged by the introduction of the record which Hezekiah made of his sickness and recovery Isaiah 38:9-20.
The contents of the chapter are:
1. The statement of the dangerous sickness of Hezekiah, and the message of God to him by the prophet Isaiah 38:1.
2. The prayer which Hezekiah offered for his recovery Isaiah 38:3.
3. The assurance which God gave to him by the prophet that his days should be lengthened out fifteen years, and the sign given to confirm it by the retrocession of the shadow on the sun-dial of Ahaz Isaiah 38:5-8.
4. The record which Hezekiah made in gratitude to God for his recovery Isaiah 38:9-20; and
5. The statement of the manner in which his recovery was effected Isaiah 38:21-22.
Account of Hezekiah's dangerous sickness and miraculous recovery, Isaiah 38:1-9. Tender and beautiful song of thanksgiving, in which this pious king breathed out the sentiments of a grateful heart, when his life was, as it were, restored. This ode may be adapted to other cases; and will always afford profit and pleasure to those who are not void of feeling and piety, Isaiah 38:10-22.
INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 38
This chapter gives an account of Hezekiah's sickness, recovery, and thanksgiving on that account. His sickness, and the nature of it, and his preparation for it, as directed to by the prophet, Isaiah 38:1, his prayer to God upon it, Isaiah 38:2 the answer returned unto it, by which he is assured of living fifteen years more, and of the deliverance and protection of the city of Jerusalem from the Assyrians, Isaiah 38:4, the token of his recovery, the sun going back ten degrees on the dial of Ahaz, Isaiah 38:7, a writing of Hezekiah's upon his recovery, in commemoration of it, Isaiah 38:9, in which he represents the deplorable condition he had been in, the terrible apprehensions he had of things, especially of the wrath and fury of the Almighty, and his sorrowful and mournful complaints, Isaiah 38:10, he observes his deliverance according to the word of God; expresses his faith in it; promises to retain a cheerful sense of it; owning that it was by the promises of God that he had lived as other saints did; and ascribes his preservation from the grave to the love of God to him, of which the forgiveness of his sins was an evidence, Isaiah 38:15, the end of which salvation was, that he might praise the Lord, which he determined to do, on stringed instruments, Isaiah 38:18, and the chapter is closed with observing the means of curing him of his boil; and that it was at his request that the sign of his recovery was given him, Isaiah 38:21.
(Isaiah 38:1-8) Hezekiah's sickness and recovery.
(Isaiah 38:9-22) His thanksgiving.
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.