Isaiah 38:21

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.

Isaiah 38:21 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 38:21

For Isaiah had said
Before the above writing was made, which ends in the preceding verse; for this and the following are added by Isaiah, or some other person, taken out of ( 2 Kings 20:7 2 Kings 20:8 ) . The Septuagint version adds, "to Hezekiah"; but the speech seems rather directed to some of his servants, or those that were about him: let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaster upon the boil,
and he shall recover;
which was done, and he did accordingly recover. Aben Ezra, Jarchi, and. Kimchi, all of them say, that this was a miracle within a miracle, since figs are hurtful to ulcers; and so say others; though it is observed by some, that they are useful for the ripening and breaking of ulcers; however, it was not from the natural force of these figs, but by the power of God, that this cure was effected; for, without that, it was impossible so malignant an ulcer and so deadly a sickness as Hezekiah's were could have been cured, and especially so suddenly; nor were these figs used as a medicine, but as a sign of recovery, according to the Lord's promise, and as a means of assisting Hezekiah's faith in it.

Isaiah 38:21 In-Context

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?
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.