1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.
2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD,
3 And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
4 Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying,
5 Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.
6 And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.
7 And this shall be a sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he hath spoken;
8 Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down.
9 The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness:
10 I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years.
11 I said, I shall not see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world.
12 Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd's tent: I have cut off like a weaver my life: he will cut me off with pining sickness: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.
13 I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will he break all my bones: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.
14 Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me.
15 What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul.
16 O LORD, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live.
17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.
18 For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
19 The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.
20 The LORD was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD.
21 For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaister upon the boil, and he shall recover.
22 Hezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?
1 In those days H3117 was Hezekiah H2396 sick H2470 unto death. H4191 And Isaiah H3470 the prophet H5030 the son H1121 of Amoz H531 came H935 unto him, and said H559 unto him, Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Set thine house H1004 in order: H6680 for thou shalt die, H4191 and not live. H2421
2 Then Hezekiah H2396 turned H5437 his face H6440 toward the wall, H7023 and prayed H6419 unto the LORD, H3068
3 And said, H559 Remember H2142 now, O LORD, H3068 I beseech H577 thee, how I have walked H1980 before H6440 thee in truth H571 and with a perfect H8003 heart, H3820 and have done H6213 that which is good H2896 in thy sight. H5869 And Hezekiah H2396 wept H1058 H1065 sore. H1419
4 Then came the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 to Isaiah, H3470 saying, H559
5 Go, H1980 and say H559 to Hezekiah, H2396 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 the God H430 of David H1732 thy father, H1 I have heard H8085 thy prayer, H8605 I have seen H7200 thy tears: H1832 behold, I will add H3254 unto thy days H3117 fifteen H2568 H6240 years. H8141
6 And I will deliver H5337 thee and this city H5892 out of the hand H3709 of the king H4428 of Assyria: H804 and I will defend H1598 this city. H5892
7 And this shall be a sign H226 unto thee from the LORD, H3068 that the LORD H3068 will do H6213 this thing H1697 that he hath spoken; H1696
8 Behold, I will bring again H7725 the shadow H6738 of the degrees, H4609 which is gone down H3381 in the sun H8121 dial H4609 of Ahaz, H271 ten H6235 degrees H4609 backward. H322 So the sun H8121 returned H7725 ten H6235 degrees, H4609 by which degrees H4609 it was gone down. H3381
9 The writing H4385 of Hezekiah H2396 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 when he had been sick, H2470 and was recovered H2421 of his sickness: H2483
10 I said H559 in the cutting off H1824 of my days, H3117 I shall go H3212 to the gates H8179 of the grave: H7585 I am deprived H6485 of the residue H3499 of my years. H8141
11 I said, H559 I shall not see H7200 the LORD, H3050 even the LORD, H3050 in the land H776 of the living: H2416 I shall behold H5027 man H120 no more with the inhabitants H3427 of the world. H2309
12 Mine age H1755 is departed, H5265 and is removed H1540 from me as a shepherd's H7473 tent: H168 I have cut off H7088 like a weaver H707 my life: H2416 he will cut me off H1214 with pining sickness: H1803 from day H3117 even to night H3915 wilt thou make an end H7999 of me.
13 I reckoned H7737 till morning, H1242 that, as a lion, H738 so will he break H7665 all my bones: H6106 from day H3117 even to night H3915 wilt thou make an end H7999 of me.
14 Like a crane H5483 or a swallow, H5693 so did I chatter: H6850 I did mourn H1897 as a dove: H3123 mine eyes H5869 fail H1809 with looking upward: H4791 O LORD, H3068 I am oppressed; H6234 undertake H6148 for me.
15 What shall I say? H1696 he hath both spoken H559 unto me, and himself hath done H6213 it: I shall go softly H1718 all my years H8141 in the bitterness H4751 of my soul. H5315
16 O Lord, H136 by these things men live, H2421 and in all these things is the life H2416 of my spirit: H7307 so wilt thou recover H2492 me, and make me to live. H2421
17 Behold, for peace H7965 I had great bitterness: H4751 H4843 but thou hast in love H2836 to my soul H5315 delivered it from the pit H7845 of corruption: H1097 for thou hast cast H7993 all my sins H2399 behind H310 thy back. H1460
18 For the grave H7585 cannot praise H3034 thee, death H4194 can not celebrate H1984 thee: they that go down H3381 into the pit H953 cannot hope H7663 for thy truth. H571
19 The living, H2416 the living, H2416 he shall praise H3034 thee, as I do this day: H3117 the father H1 to the children H1121 shall make known H3045 thy truth. H571
20 The LORD H3068 was ready to save H3467 me: therefore we will sing my songs H5058 to the stringed instruments H5059 all the days H3117 of our life H2416 in the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068
21 For Isaiah H3470 had said, H559 Let them take H5375 a lump H1690 of figs, H8384 and lay it for a plaister H4799 upon the boil, H7822 and he shall recover. H2421
22 Hezekiah H2396 also had said, H559 What is the sign H226 that I shall go up H5927 to the house H1004 of the LORD? H3068
1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, Set thy house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.
2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto Jehovah,
3 and said, Remember now, O Jehovah, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
4 Then came the word of Jehovah to Isaiah, saying,
5 Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.
6 And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city.
7 And this shall be the sign unto thee from Jehovah, that Jehovah will do this thing that he hath spoken:
8 behold, I will cause the shadow on the steps, which is gone down on the dial of Ahaz with the sun, to return backward ten steps. So the sun returned ten steps on the dial whereon it was gone down.
9 The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness.
10 I said, In the noontide of my days I shall go into the gates of Sheol: I am deprived of the residue of my years.
11 I said, I shall not see Jehovah, `even' Jehovah in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world.
12 My dwelling is removed, and is carried away from me as 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 wilt thou make an end of me.
13 I quieted `myself' until morning; as a lion, so he breaketh all my bones: From day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.
14 Like a swallow `or' a crane, so did I chatter; I did moan as a dove; mine eyes fail `with looking' upward: O Lord, I am oppressed, be thou my surety.
15 What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: I shall go softly all my years because of the bitterness of my soul.
16 O Lord, by these things men live; And wholly therein is the life of my spirit: Wherefore recover thou me, and make me to live.
17 Behold, `it was' for `my' peace `that' I had great bitterness: But thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption; For thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.
18 For Sheol cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: They that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
19 The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: The father to the children shall make known thy truth.
20 Jehovah is `ready' to save me: Therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments All the days of our life in the house of Jehovah.
21 Now Isaiah had said, Let them take a cake of figs, and lay it for a plaster upon the boil, and he shall recover.
22 Hezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of Jehovah?
1 In those days hath Hezekiah been sick unto death, and come in unto him doth Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet, and saith unto him, `Thus said Jehovah: Give a charge to thy house, for thou `art' dying, and dost not live.'
2 And Hezekiah turneth round his face unto the wall, and prayeth unto Jehovah,
3 and saith, `I pray thee, O Jehovah, remember, I pray Thee, how I have walked habitually before Thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and that which `is' good in thine eyes I have done;' and Hezekiah weepeth -- a great weeping.
4 And a word of Jehovah is unto Isaiah, saying,
5 Go, and thou hast said to Hezekiah, Thus said Jehovah, God of David thy father, `I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tear, lo, I am adding to thy days fifteen years,
6 and out of the hand of the king of Asshur I deliver thee and this city, and have covered over this city.
7 And this `is' to thee the sign from Jehovah, that Jehovah doth this thing that He hath spoken.
8 Lo, I am bringing back the shadow of the degrees that it hath gone down on the degrees of Ahaz, by the sun, backward ten degrees:' and the sun turneth back ten degrees in the degrees that it had gone down.
9 A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah concerning his being sick, when he reviveth from his sickness:
10 `I -- I said in the cutting off of my days, I go in to the gates of Sheol, I have numbered the remnant of mine years.
11 I said, I do not see Jah -- Jah! In the land of the living, I do not behold man any more, With the inhabitants of the world.
12 My sojourning hath departed, And been removed from me as a shepherd's tent, I have drawn together, as a weaver, my life, By weakness it cutteth me off, From day unto night Thou dost end me.
13 I have set `Him' till morning as a lion, So doth He break all my bones, From day unto night Thou dost end me.
14 As a crane -- a swallow -- so I chatter, I mourn as a dove, Drawn up have been mine eyes on high, O Jehovah, oppression `is' on me, be my surety.
15 -- What do I say? seeing He said to me, And He Himself hath wrought, I go softly all my years for the bitterness of my soul.
16 Lord, by these do `men' live, And by all in them `is' the life of my spirit, And Thou savest me, make me also to live,
17 Lo, to peace He changed for me bitterness, And Thou hast delighted in my soul without corruption, For Thou hast cast behind Thy back all my sins.
18 For Sheol doth not confess Thee, Death doth not praise Thee, Those going down to the pit hope not for Thy truth.
19 The living, the living, he doth confess Thee.
20 Like myself to-day -- a father to sons Doth make known of Thy faithfulness, O Jehovah -- to save me: And my songs we sing all days of our lives In the house of Jehovah.'
21 And Isaiah saith, `Let them take a bunch of figs, and plaster over the ulcer, and he liveth.'
22 And Hezekiah saith, `What `is' the sign that I go up to the house of Jehovah!'
1 In those days Hezekiah was sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, Thus saith Jehovah: Set thy house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.
2 And Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed to Jehovah,
3 and said, Ah, Jehovah, remember, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept much.
4 And the word of Jehovah came to Isaiah, saying,
5 Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of David thy father: I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add to thy days fifteen years.
6 And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.
7 And this [shall be] the sign to thee from Jehovah, that Jehovah will do this thing that he hath spoken:
8 behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees which hath gone down with the sun on the dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned on the dial ten degrees, by which it had gone down.
9 The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness:
10 I said, In the meridian of my days I shall go to the gates of Sheol: I am deprived of the rest of my years.
11 I said, I shall not see Jah, Jah in the land of the living. With those who dwell where all has ceased to be, I shall behold man no more.
12 Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd's tent. I have cut off like a weaver my life. He separateth me from the thrum: -- from day to night thou wilt make an end of me.
13 I kept still until the morning; ... as a lion, so doth he break all my bones. From day to night thou wilt make an end of me.
14 Like a swallow [or] a crane, so did I chatter; I mourned as a dove; mine eyes failed [with looking] upward: Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me.
15 What shall I say? He hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done [it]. I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul.
16 Lord, by these things [men] live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit; and thou hast recovered me, and made me to live.
17 Behold, instead of peace I had bitterness upon bitterness; but thou hast in love delivered my soul from the pit of destruction; for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.
18 For not Sheol shall praise thee, nor death celebrate thee; they that go down into the pit do not hope for thy truth.
19 The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.
20 Jehovah was [purposed] to save me. -- And we will play upon my stringed instruments all the days of our life, in the house of Jehovah.
21 Now Isaiah had said, Let them take a cake of figs, and lay it for a plaster upon the boil, and he shall recover.
22 And Hezekiah had said, What is the sign that I shall go up into the house of Jehovah?
1 In those days was Hezekiah sick to 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 shall 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 sore.
4 Then came the word of Yahweh 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 to your days fifteen years.
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 steps, which is gone down on the dial of Ahaz with the sun, to return backward ten steps. So the sun returned ten steps on the dial whereon it was gone down.
9 The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness.
10 I said, In the noontide of my days I shall go into the gates of Sheol: I am deprived of the residue of my years.
11 I said, I shall not see Yah, Yah in the land of the living: I shall see man no more with the inhabitants of the world.
12 My dwelling is removed, and is carried away from me as 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 will you make an end of me.
13 I quieted [myself] until morning; as a lion, so he breaks all my bones: From day even to night will you make an end of me.
14 Like a swallow [or] a crane, so did I chatter; I did moan as a dove; my eyes fail [with looking] upward: Lord, I am oppressed, be my collateral.
15 What shall I say? he has both spoken to me, and himself has done it: I shall go softly all my years because of the bitterness of my soul.
16 Lord, by these things men live; Wholly therein is the life of my spirit: You restore me, and cause me to live.
17 Behold, [it was] for [my] peace [that] I had great bitterness: But you have in love to 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 to the children shall make known your truth.
20 Yahweh is [ready] to 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 plaster on the boil, and he shall recover.
22 Hezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of Yahweh?
1 In those days Hezekiah was ill and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him, and said to him, The Lord says, Put your house in order; for your death is near.
2 And Hezekiah, turning his face to the wall, made his prayer to the Lord, saying,
3 O Lord, keep in mind how I have been true to you with all my heart, and have done what is good in your eyes. And Hezekiah gave way to bitter weeping.
4 Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying,
5 Go to Hezekiah, and say, The Lord, the God of David, your father, says, Your prayer has come to my ears, and I have seen your weeping: see, I will give you fifteen more years of life.
6 And I will keep you and this town safe from the hands of the king of Assyria: and I will keep watch over this town.
7 And Isaiah said, This is the sign the Lord will give you, that he will do what he has said:
8 See, I will make the shade which has gone down on the steps of Ahaz with the sun, go back ten steps. So the shade went back the ten steps by which it had gone down.
9 The writing of Hezekiah, king of Judah, after he had been ill, and had got better from his disease.
10 I said, In the quiet of my days I am going down into the underworld: the rest of my years are being taken away from me.
11 I said, I will not see the Lord, even the Lord in the land of the living: I will not see man again or those living in the world.
12 My resting-place is pulled up and taken away from me like a herdsman's tent: my life is rolled up like a linen-worker's thread; I am cut off from the cloth on the frame: from day even to night you give me up to pain.
13 I am crying out with pain till the morning; it is as if a lion was crushing all my bones.
14 I make cries like a bird; I give out sounds of grief like a dove: my eyes are looking up with desire; O Lord, I am crushed, take up my cause.
15 What am I to say? seeing that it is he who has done it: all my time of sleeping I am turning from side to side without rest.
16 O Lord, for this cause I am waiting for you, give rest to my spirit: make me well again, and let me come back to life.
17 See, in place of peace my soul had bitter sorrow. but you have kept back my soul from the underworld; for you have put all my sins out of your memory.
18 For the underworld is not able to give you praise, death gives you no honour: for those who go down into the underworld there is no hope in your mercy.
19 The living, the living man, he will give you praise, as I do this day: the father will give the story of your mercy to his children.
20 O Lord, quickly be my saviour; so we will make my songs to corded instruments all the days of our lives in the house of the Lord.
21 And Isaiah said, Let them take a cake of figs, and put it on the diseased place, and he will get well.
22 And Hezekiah said, What is the sign that I will go up to the house of the Lord?
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Isaiah 38
Commentary on Isaiah 38 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 38
This chapter proceeds in the history of Hezekiah. Here is,
This is a chapter which will entertain the thoughts, direct the devotions, and encourage the faith and hopes of those that are confined by bodily distempers; it visits those that are visited with sickness.
Isa 38:1-8
We may hence observe, among others, these good lessons:-
Isa 38:9-22
We have here Hezekiah's thanksgiving-song, which he penned, by divine direction, after his recovery. He might have taken some of the psalms of his father David, and made use of them for his purpose; he might have found many very pertinent ones. He appointed the Levites to praise the Lord with the words of David, 2 Chr. 29:30. But the occasion here was extraordinary, and, his heart being full of devout affections, he would not confine himself to the compositions he had, though of divine inspiration, but would offer up his affections in his own words, which is most natural and genuine. He put this thanksgiving in writing, that he might review it himself afterwards, for the reviving of the good impressions made upon him by the providence, and that it might be recommended to others also for their use upon the like occasion. Note, There are writings which it is proper for us to draw up after we have been sick and have recovered. It is good to write a memorial of the affliction, and of the frame of our hearts under it,-to keep a record of the thoughts we had of things when we were sick, the affections that were then working in us,-to write a memorial of the mercies of a sick bed, and of our release from it, that they may never be forgotten,-to write a thanksgiving to God, write a sure covenant with him, and seal it,-to give it under our hands that we will never return again to folly. It is an excellent writing which Hezekiah here left, upon his recovery; and yet we find (2 Chr. 32:25) that he rendered not again according to the benefit done to him. The impressions, one would think, should never have worn off, and yet, it seems, they did. Thanksgiving is good, but thanksliving is better. Now in this writing he preserves upon record,