Isaiah 38

CHAPTER 38

Hezekiah’s Illness (38:1–22)

(2 Kings 20:1–11)

1–8 See 2 Kings 20:1–11 and comment.

9–14 Most of Isaiah Chapters 36–39 have already appeared in the book of 2 Kings¹⁵² (2 Kings Chapters 18–20); however, this psalm of Hezekiah recorded here in verses 9–20 is not included in the former book. Hezekiah’s psalm expresses thanksgiving to God for healing him from an otherwise fatal illness and granting him an extra fifteen years of life (see verses 1–6).

In verses 10–14, Hezekiah looks back at his illness and recalls how he felt stricken and abandoned by the Lord. He had lost hope of ever seeing the Lord again at the temple (verse 11). Hezekiah’s house (body) had been pulled down (verse 12). He had cried out to God to come to his aid (verse 14).

15–20 God did come to Hezekiah’s aid; He healed him. And here Hezekiah praises God for letting him live. Hezekiah recognizes that the anguish he had experienced was for his benefit (verse 17); it had humbled him and increased his faith. More important, Hezekiah’s illness had led him to repent, and as a result, God had forgiven him and put all his sins behind [His] back (verse 17). Therefore, Hezekiah can say: LORD, by such things (such gracious discipline) men live—their spirits live (verse 16). Hezekiah’s experience teaches us to be more concerned that our spirits live than that our bodies live; we should be more concerned with getting safely into heaven than with staying longer on this earth.

In verse 18, Hezekiah repeats a thought from the book of Psalms: the dead do not praise God (see Psalms 6:4–5; 88:6–12 and comments). It is the living who praise Him (Psalm 115:17–18); dead fathers cannot tell their children about God’s faithfulness! (verse 19).

21–22 These verses are repeated in 2 Kings 20:7–8. The sign Hezekiah had asked for is described in 2 Kings 20:9–11.