Isaiah 38:1-8

Hezekiah's Sickness and Recovery

1 1In those days Hezekiah became 2sick and was at the point of death. And 3Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: Set your house in order, for you shall die, you shall not recover."[a]
2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD,
3 and said, "Please, O LORD, remember how 4I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4 Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah:
5 "Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add 5fifteen years to your life.[b]
6 6I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and will defend this city.
7 "This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he has promised:
8 7Behold, I will make the shadow cast by the declining sun on the dial of Ahaz turn back ten steps." So the sun turned back on the dial the ten steps by which it had declined.[c]

Isaiah 38:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

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, Isa 38:1, his prayer to God upon it, Isa 38:2,3 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, Isa 38:4-6, the token of his recovery, the sun going back ten degrees on the dial of Ahaz, Isa 38:7,8, a writing of Hezekiah's upon his recovery, in commemoration of it, Isa 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, Isa 38:10-14, 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, Isa 38:15-17, the end of which salvation was, that he might praise the Lord, which he determined to do, on stringed instruments, Isa 38:18-20, 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, Isa 38:21,22.

Cross References 7

  • 1. For ver. 1-8, see 2 Kings 20:1-6, 9-11
  • 2. 2 Chronicles 32:24
  • 3. See Isaiah 1:1
  • 4. 2 Kings 18:5, 6
  • 5. 2 Kings 18:2, 13
  • 6. Isaiah 37:35
  • 7. [2 Kings 20:9, 10]

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. Or live; also verses 9, 21
  • [b]. Hebrew to your days
  • [c]. The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.