Isaiah 38
Isaiah 38 is part of “Woes and Hezekiah's Crisis” (28–39) in the outline of Isaiah.
Isaiah 38 summary
This chapter proceeds in the history of Hezekiah. Here is, I. His sickness, and the sentence of death he received within himself (Isa 38:1). II.
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This chapter proceeds in the history of Hezekiah. Here is, I. His sickness, and the sentence of death he received within himself (Isa 38:1). II. His prayer in his sickness (Isa 38:2, Isa 38:3). III. The answer of peace which God gave to that prayer, assuring him that he should recover, that he should live fifteen years yet, that Jerusalem should be delivered from the king of Assyria, and that, for a sign to confirm his faith herein, the sun should go back ten degrees (Isa 38:4-8). And this we read and opened before, Kg2 20:1, etc. But, IV. Here is Hezekiah's thanksgiving for his recovery, which we had not before (Isa 38:9-20). To which are added the means used (Isa 38:21), and the end the good man aimed at in desiring to recover (Isa 38:22). 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.
Source: Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Isaiah 38 (GNV)
Geneva Bible 1599 (public domain)
Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery
1About that time was Hezekiah sicke vnto the death, and the Prophet Isaiah sonne of Amoz came vnto him, and sayd vnto him, Thus sayth the Lord, Put thine house in an order, for thou shalt dye, and not liue. 2Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the Lord, 3And saide, I beseeche thee, Lord, remember nowe howe I haue walked before thee in trueth, and with a perfite heart, and haue done that which is good in thy sight: and Hezekiah wept sore. 4Then came the worde of the Lord to Isaiah, saying, 5Goe, and say vnto Hezekiah, Thus saith the Lord God of Dauid thy father, I haue heard thy prayer, and seene thy teares: behold, I will adde vnto thy dayes fifteene yeeres. 6And I will deliuer thee out of the hand of the King of Asshur, and this citie: for I will defende this citie. 7And this signe shalt thou haue of ye Lord, that ye Lord will do this thing that he hath spoken, 8Beholde, I will bring againe the shadowe of the degrees (whereby it is gone downe in the diall of Ahaz by the sunne) ten degrees backeward: so the sunne returned by tenne degrees, by the which degrees it was gone downe. 9The writing of Hezekiah King of Iudah, when he had bene sicke, and was recouered of his sickenesse. 10I saide in the cutting off of my dayes, I shall goe to the gates of the graue: I am depriued of the residue of my yeeres. 11I said, I shall not see the Lord, euen the Lord in the land of the liuing: I shall see man no more among the inhabitants of the world. 12Mine habitation is departed, and is remoued from me, like a shepheards tent: I haue cut off like a weauer my life: he will cut me off from the height: from day to night, thou wilt make an ende of me. 13I rekoned to the morning: but he brake all my bones, like a lion: from day to night wilt thou make an ende of me. 14Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourne as a doue: mine eies were lift vp on high: O Lord, it hath oppressed me, comfort me. 15What shall I say? for he hath said it to me, and he hath done it: I shall walke weakely all my yeeres in the bitternesse of my soule. 16O Lord, to them that ouerliue them, and to all that are in them, the life of my spirite shalbe knowen, that thou causedst me to sleepe and hast giuen life to me. 17Beholde, for felicitie I had bitter griefe, but it was thy pleasure to deliuer my soule from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sinnes behinde thy backe. 18For the graue cannot confesse thee: death cannot praise thee: they that goe downe into the pit, cannot hope for thy trueth. 19But the liuing, the liuing, he shall confesse thee, as I doe this day: the father to the children shall declare thy trueth. 20The Lord was ready to saue me: therefore we will sing my song, all the dayes of our life in the House of the Lord. 21Then said Isaiah, Take a lumpe of drye figs and lay it vpon the boyle, and he shall recouer. 22Also Hezekiah had said, What is ye signe, that I shall goe vp into the House of the Lord?