ISAIAH 38 COMME�TARYWritten and edited by Glenn Pease

PREFACE

I quote many commentators, and if any of them do not wish to be included in this way, they canlet me know and I will delete their contribution to this study. My e-mail is glenn_p86@yahoo.com

I�TRODUCTIO�

1. Ray Stedman, “Christians sometimes jokingly quote what are purported to be verses ofScripture, such as, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do," "God helps those who helpthemselves," etc. When they are asked for a reference, they reply, "The book of Hezekiah." Thereis no such book in the Bible, of course, but Chapters 36-39 of the book of Isaiah are the closestthing to it. These chapters are a prose account of the fading of Assyria from the biblical scene andthe rise of the nation Babylon. Assyria was the main threat to Israel in the first half of this book,while in the second half. Babylon becomes Israel's prime enemy. This occurs in the reign ofHezekiah, a godly king of Israel, who is here confronted with three attacks that most Christianswill confront at one time or another. Hezekiah faced an armed attack by Assyria; he suffered adangerous illness; and he faced a subtle threat from the ambassadors of Babylon. The chronologyof these events is important. An investigation of them reveals that this sickness occurred in themidst of the Assyrian invasion, and thus is part of that deliverance which God brought forHezekiah.

The chronology of Isaiah 36-39 Merodach Baladan died in 702 BC, so the visit to Hezekiah mayhave been in early 702 BC. The attempt by Sennacherib to take Jerusalem was 701 BC. Thusthe events of Isaiah 38, 39 precede 36,37! In 38:6 it says, “I will deliver you and this city from the

hand of the king of Assyria.” That is obviously not something God promised after He did it butprior. Isaiah finished reporting events related to Assyria and found it appropriate to save eventsrelated to Babylon for the next section of his book.”

2. This story was important enough for God to inspire it to be recorded in two places. It can beread again in II Kings 20:1-11

3. Alan Carr, “King Hezekiah was one of the greatest kings in the history of Judah. He was bornin 740BC and he died in 686BC. He was the king for 29 years. Under his leadership the nation ofJudah experienced many great religious reforms. His reign is summarized in 2 Kings 18:1-7.”

Hezekiah's Illness

1 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the pointof death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him andsaid, "This is what the LORD says: Put your house inorder, because you are going to die; you will not recover."

1. This was a fatal disease, and we know this because God himself as the Great Physician sentIsaiah to tell Hezekiah that it was fatal, and that he would have no chance to recover. He wasdestined to die. If ever there was a hopeless case, this was it. Doctors tell people all the time thatthey only have a short time to live, but they are proven wrong, and people go on to live for manyyears. But this is a direct message from God that he will die from this illness.

2. Here is the great paradox: It was a fatal disease that never became fatal. It was a sure thingthat did not happen. It had God's word that it would end in death, but it did not. It was not afifty-fifty chance that he would die, but a one hundred percent certainty, and yet he did not die.This is one of the great paradoxes of the Bible, and it all happened this way because, as we willsee, the power of prayer.

3. It would appear that God is in favor of telling it like it is when a person is going to die. Manyare in favor of not telling a dying person this bad news, but God is being thoughtful in doing so,for then he has time to put his house in order. If you do not tell a person they can go on andprocrastinate getting things in order, and the whole family suffers. It can be a blessing to knowyou are dying, for there are things you will do then that you otherwise would not.

4. Barnes, “What was the exact nature of this sickness is not certainly known. In Isa_38:21 it issaid that it was ‘a boil,’ and probably it was a pestilential boil. The pestilence or plague isattended with an eruption or boil. ‘�o one,’ says Jahn, ‘ever recovered from the pestilence unlessthe boil of the pestilence came out upon him, and even then he could not always be cured’(Biblical Antiquities, Section 190). The pestilence was, and is still, rapid in its progress. Itterminates the life of those who are affected with it almost immediately, and at the furthest withinthree or four days. Hence, we see one ground of the alarm of Hezekiah. Another cause of hisanxiety was, that he had at this time no children, and consequently he had reason to apprehendthat his kingdom would be thrown into contention by conflicting strife for the crown.

If you have any directions to give in regard to the succession to the crown, or in regard todomestic and private arrangements, let it be done soon. Hezekiah was yet in middle life. He cameto the throne when he was twenty-five years old 2Ki_18:2, and he had now reigned aboutfourteen years. It is possible that he had as yet made no arrangements in regard to the succession,and as this was very important to the peace of the nation, Isaiah was sent to him to apprize himof the necessity of leaving the affairs of his kingdom so that there should not be anarchy when he

should die. The direction, also, may be understood in a more general sense as denoting that hewas to make whatever arrangements might be necessary as preparatory to his death. We see here-

1. The boldness and fidelity of a man of God. Isaiah was not afraid to go in and freely tell evena monarch that he must die. The subsequent part of the narrative would lead us to suppose thatuntil this announcement Hezekiah did not regard himself as in immediate danger. It is evidenthere, that the physician of Hezekiah had not informed him of it - perhaps from the apprehensionthat his disease would be aggravated by the agitation of his mind on the subject. The duty was,therefore, left, as it is often, to a minister of religion - a duty which even many ministers are slowto perform, and which many physicians are reluctant to have performed.

2. �o danger is to be apprehended commonly from announcing to those who are sick their truecondition. Friends and relatives are often reluctant to do it, for fear of agitating and alarmingthem. Physicians often prohibit them from knowing their true condition, under the apprehensionthat their disease may be aggravated. Yet here was a case in which pre-eminently there might bedanger from announcing the danger of death. The disease was deeply seated. It was making rapidprogress. It was usually incurable. �ay, there was here a moral certainty that the monarch woulddie. And this was a case, therefore, which particularly demanded, it would seem, that the patientshould be kept quiet, and free from alarms. But God regarded it as of great importance that heshould know His true condition, and the prophet was directed to go to him and faithfully to stateit. Physicians and friends often err in this.

There is no species of cruelty greater than to suffer a friend to lie on a dying bed under adelusion. There is no sin more aggravated than that of designedly deceiving a dying man, andflattering him with the hope of recovery when there is a moral certainty that he will not, andcannot recover. And there is evidently no danger to be apprehended from communicating to thesick their true condition. It should be done tenderly, and with affection; but it should be donefaithfully. I have had many opportunities of witnessing the effect of apprizing the sick of theirsituation, and of the moral certainty that they must die. And I cannot now recall an instance inwhich the announcement has had any unhappy effect on the disease. Often, on the contrary, theeffect is to calm the mind, and to lead the dying to look up to God, and peacefully to repose onhim. And the effect of that is always salutary. �othing is more favorable for a recovery than apeaceful, calm, heavenly submission to God; and the repose and quiet which physicians so muchdesire their patients to possess, is often best obtained by securing confidence in God, and a calmresignation to his will.

3. Every man with the prospect of death before him should set his house in order. Death is anevent which demands preparation - a preparation which should not be deferred to the dyingmoment. In view of it, whether it comes sooner or later, our peace should be made with God andour worldly affairs so arranged that we can leave them without distraction, and without regret.

For thou shalt die, and not live - Thy disease is incurable. It is a mortal, fatal disease. TheHebrew is, ‘for thou art dead’ (מת mēth); that is, you are a dead man. A similar expression occursin Gen_20:3, in the address which God made to Abimelech: ‘Behold thou art a dead man, onaccount of the woman which thou hast taken.’ We have a similar phrase in our language, when aman is wounded, and when he says, ‘I am a dead man.’ This is all that we are required tounderstand here, that, according to the usual course of the disease, he must die. It is evident thatIsaiah was not acquainted himself with the secret intention of God; nor did he know thatHezekiah would humble himself, and plead with God; nor that God would by a miracle lengthenout his life.”

5. Gill, “This was about the time that Sennacherib invaded Judea, threatened Jerusalem with asiege, and his army was destroyed by an angel from heaven; but, whether it was before or afterthe destruction of his army, interpreters are not agreed. Some of the Jewish writers, as Jarchiupon the place, and others (a), say, it was three days before the ruin of Sennacherib's army; andthat it was on the third day that Hezekiah recovered, and went up to the temple, that thedestruction was; and that it was the first day of the passover; and that this was before the city ofJerusalem was delivered from him; and the fears of him seem clear from Isa_38:6 and some areof opinion that his sickness was occasioned by the consternation and terror he was thrown into,by reason of the Assyrian army, which threatened ruin to him and his kingdom. Though Josephus(b) says, that it was after his deliverance from it, and when he had given thanks to God for it;however, it is certain it was in the same year, since it was in the fourteenth year of Hezekiah'sreign that Sennacherib invaded Judea, and from this his sickness and recovery fifteen years wereadded to his days, and he reigned no more than twenty nine years, 2Ki_8:2 what this sickness wascannot be said with certainty; some have conjectured it to be the plague, since he had a malignantulcer, of which he was cured by a plaster of figs; but, be it what it will, it was a deadly one in itsown nature, it was a sickness unto death, a mortal one; though it was not eventually so, throughthe interposition of divine power, which prevented it. The reason of this sickness, which Jarchigives, that it was because he did not take to himself a wife, is without foundation; more likely thereason of it was, to keep him humble, and that he might not be lifted up with the deliverance, orbe more thankful for it:”

6. Henry, “We may hence observe, among others, these good lessons: - 1. That neither men'sgreatness nor their goodness will exempt them from the arrests of sickness and death. Hezekiah, amighty potentate on earth and a mighty favourite of Heaven, is struck with a disease, which,without a miracle, will certainly be mortal; and this in the midst of his days, his comforts, andusefulness. Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. It should seem, this sickness seized him whenhe was in the midst of his triumphs over the ruined army of the Assyrians, to teach us always torejoice with trembling. 2. It concerns us to prepare when we see death approaching: “Set thy

house in order, and thy heart especially; put both thy affections and thy affairs into the bestposture thou canst, that, when thy Lord comes, thou mayest be found of him in peace with God,with thy own conscience, and with all men, and mayest have nothing else to do but to die.” Ourbeing ready for death will make it come never the sooner, but much the easier: and those that arefit to die are most fit to live.”

7. Jim Bomkamp, “ We see in the scriptures that sometimes the prophetic word of the prophetswas not final but just a warning which could be averted by the actions of men after hearing thewarning. Here Isaiah tells Hezekiah that he is going to die of this illness, however after Hezekiahprays for healing the Lord heals him.”

8. Rich Cathers, “As best as we can figure, one of God’s concerns was the fact that Hezekiah atthe time had no heir to the throne. He would be the first male descendant of King David who hadnot passed on the rule of the nation to his son. Josephus tells us that this was the reason whyHezekiah himself was so upset at the news that he would die (Antiquities 10:2:1:26).

Hezekiah was upset because he didn’t yet have an heir to his throne. So God would give him hisrequest, and extend his life, also making it possible to have a son. But what a son! Hezekiah’s son,Manasseh was evil. Very evil. He was the exact opposite of his dad. (2Chr. 33:1-7) When God’s

judgment came on the nation of Judah from the Babylonians, it came primarily because ofManasseh (2Ki. 23:26)

Some have suggested that we ought to be careful what we ask for, because we just might get it.But I don’t think that’s the issue here. I don’t think Hezekiah was wrong in asking for life or fora son. I don’t think God was somehow trying to teach Hezekiah a lesson to be a little more carefulin what he asked for. God only answers our prayers with a "yes" when we’ve asked forsomething according to His will. John writes, (1 John 5:14-15 KJV) And this is the confidencethat we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: {15} And if weknow that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired ofhim. I’m a little uncomfortable with the idea that Hezekiah was asking God for something thatwasn’t in God’s will, but God gave it to him anyway.”

2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to theLORD,

1. Hezekiah knew just where to turn when he got this dreadful news. Putting his face to the wallwas not a necessity, but praying to the Lord was, for when you face death there is no otherresource you can turn to that can make a difference. A crisis of any kind leads the believer toautomatically turn to the Lord, for man cannot help in many situations, but God always can. He needs God's help because he has no son, and so if he dies the chain will be broken, and he willbecome a dead branch on the genealogy tree of Israel. He needs to live to have a son, and so heneeds a second opinion. He goes right to the top for that second opinion. Maybe the prophet hassome misunderstanding about what God's message to him was all about. Most of us wouldprobably accept the inevitable, but not Hezekiah. He believed it was still worth a shot atconvincing God to keep him alive. He was a never give up kind of guy.

2. Victor Yap, “Hezekiah’s future was very bleak; however, he did not give up and die, shut upand die, shrivel up and die, curl up and die, or own up and die. He did a most unexpected thing, amost unusual thing, and a most untried thing. He turned to the wall and implored God, whichwas an unusual move in the Bible. He left Isaiah alone, faced the wall, and sought the Lord rightthere and then. The first Hebrew word from his mouth was a passionate “Please?or “I pray?or “Ibeseech Thee?in KJV. �IV usually does not translate this word anywhere in the Bible, but thisopening word in a speech translates to a sense of urgency and drama. The other instances whenthis word was used to begin a speech were Joseph’s brother plea for Joseph’s forgiveness whentheir father Jacob died (Gen 50:17), �ehamiah’s prayer when he heard of Jerusalem’s plight(�eh 1:5), Daniel’s prayer when he learned of the seventy years of exile (Dan 9:4), the sailor’splea for God’s mercy before throwing Jonah into the sea (Jonah 1:14) and Jonah’s petulantprayer to die (Jonah 4:2).”

3. Henry, “Is any afflicted with sickness? Let him pray, Jam_5:13. Prayer is a salve for every sore,personal or public. When Hezekiah was distressed by his enemies he prayed; now that he was

sick he prayed. Whither should the child go, when any thing ails him, but to his Father?Afflictions are sent to bring us to our Bibles and to our knees. When Hezekiah was in health hewent up to the house of the Lord to pray, for that was then the house of prayer. When he was sickin bed he turned his face towards the wall, probably towards the temple, which was a type ofChrist, to whom we must look by faith in every prayer.”

4. Clarke, “The furniture of an eastern divan or chamber, either for the reception of company orfor private use, consists chiefly of carpets spread on the floor in the middle; and of sofas, orcouches ranged on one or more sides of the room, on a part raised somewhat above the floor. Onthese they repose themselves in the day, and sleep at night. It is to be observed that the corner ofthe room is the place of honor. Dr. Pococke, when he was introduced to the Sheikh of Furshout,found him sitting in the corner of his room. He describes another Arab Sheikh “as sitting in thecorner of a large green tent, pitched in the middle of an encampment of Arabs; and the Bey ofGirge as placed on a sofa in a corner to the right as one entered the room.” - Harmer’s Observ. 2p. 60. Lady Mary Montague, giving an account of a visit which she made to the Kahya’s lady atAdrianople, says, “She ordered cushions to be given me; and took care to place me in the corner,which is the place of honor.” - Letter 33. The reason of this seems to be, that the person so placedis distinguished, and in a manner separated, from the rest of the company, and as it were guardedby the wall on each side. We are to suppose Hezekiah’s couch placed in the same situation; inwhich turning on either side, he must turn his face to the wall; by which he would withdrawhimself from those who were attending upon him in his apartment, in order to address his privateprayer to God.”

5. Gill, “�ot figuratively to the wall of his heart, as Jerom; but literally, either to the wall of hisbedchamber where he lay sick, that his tears might not be seen, and his prayers interrupted, andthat he might deliver them with more privacy, freedom, and fervency; or else to the wall of thetemple, as the Targum, towards which good men used to look when they prayed, 1Ki_8:38, whichwas a type of Christ, to whom we should have respect in all our petitions, as being the onlyMediator between God and man: and prayed unto the Lord; as follows:”

3 "Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before youfaithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have donewhat is good in your eyes." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

1. I don't think Hezekiah ever thought God forgot his walk and devotion, but he is remindingGod of his worthiness to live longer. He has done a good job of being the kind of man God wantsin this world. He has lived a righteous life pleasing in his sight, and so there is not valid reason tolet his life slip away if it can be prevented. He has a good argument, and he follows it up withmany tears. There is no way he could fail to win God's sympathy with these two factors in hisfavor. He was a good and godly man, and he wanted desperately to live longer.

2. David Guzik, ““Remember now, O Lord: To our ears, Hezekiah’s prayer might almost sound

ungodly. In it, his focus is on self-justification and his own merits. It is pretty much as if Hezekiahprayed, “Lord, I’ve been such a good boy and You aren’t being fair to me. Remember what agood boy I’ve been and rescue me.”

3. We need to see his argument for life in the Old Testament context. He could not plead the bloodof Christ, and seek to plead the intercession of a Savior. He had only his own record offaithfulness and good works, which is what determined righteousness in that time. In �eh. 13:14we read a similar prayer, “Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out what I have sofaithfully done for the house of my God and its services.” Hezekiah is only 39 years old, and whowould not plead and weep before God when getting a death sentence at such an early age?

4. Victor Yap has a great deal of valuable information on Hezekiah. He wrote, “Hezekiahrecounted his life before God. His claims were audacious but not grandiose. First, he claimed thathe had walked before God faithfully like only David his ancestor (1 Kings 3:6, Ps 26:3) had. TheHebrew for verse 3 says, “I have walked before You in truth and with a perfect heart, and havedone good in Your sight.?Hezekiah had walked in nothing but the truth, had stepped up like noother successor had, and had done the best imitation of David there was. Hezekiah also claimedthat he walked before God with a perfect heart or with wholehearted devotion. Only three otherkings had achieved this feat: David (1 Kings 11:4), Asa (1 Kings 15:14), and Amaziah (2 Chron25:2).

Lastly, if that was not enough, his last claim was even bolder. He claimed that he did what wasgood in the eyes of God. It is well-known that ten southern kings, including David (1 Kings 11:38,14;8, 15:5), Asa (1 Kings 15:11), Jehoshaphat (1 Kings 22:43), Joash (2 Kings 12:2), Amaziah (2Ki 14:3), Azariah (2 Kings 15:3), Uzziah and his son Jotham (2 Kings 15:34), Hezekiah (2 Kings18:3), and Josiah (2 Kings 22:2), did what was right in the eyes of God, but Hezekiah was theonly one who did was right and good in God’s eyes, or so he claimed. He did not ask for his healthback but ask for the Lord’s mercy. However, the Lord did not dispute Hezekiah on his claim,deny him of the claim, or dismiss him for the claim.

�o king’s reign in the northern or southern kingdom was covered as much as Hezekiah’s in theBible. Other kings could succeed Hezekiah but no one could replace him. The Bible says,“Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kingsof Judah, either before him or after him. He held fast to the LORD and did not cease to followhim; he kept the commands the LORD had given Moses?(2 Kings 18:5-6). What separatedHezekiah from other good kings was that he had to work harder than other kings to overturn thepast wrongs. All the other kings except for Josiah had good fathers. �o king had a worse father aspredecessor and succeeded like Hezekiah. He successfully overturned the wicked practices of hisfather, Ahaz, who for sixteen years did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD his God,walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in the fire, on top of offeringsacrifices and burning incense at the high places, on the hilltops and under every spreading tree(2 Kings 16:2-4). So, Hezekiah wasn’t arrogant about his record. He was an outstanding king andhad done an excellent job.”

5. Henry, “The testimony of our consciences for us that by the grace of God we have lived a goodlife, and have walked closely and humbly with God, will be a great support and comfort to uswhen we come to look death in the face. And though we may not depend upon it as ourrighteousness, by which to be justified before God, yet we may humbly plead it as an evidence of

our interest in the righteousness of the Mediator. Hezekiah does not demand a reward from Godfor his good services, but modestly begs that God would remembers, not how he had reformedthe kingdom, taken away the high places, cleansed the temple, and revived neglected ordinances,but, which was better than all burnt-offerings and sacrifices, how he had approved himself to Godwith a single eye and an honest heart, not only in these eminent performances, but in an evenregular course of holy living: I have walked before thee in truth and sincerity, and with a perfect,

that is, an upright, heart; for uprightness is our gospel perfection.”

6. Jamison, “He mentions his past religious consistency, not as a boast or a ground forjustification; but according to the Old Testament dispensation, wherein temporal rewards (aslong life, etc., Exo_20:12) followed legal obedience, he makes his religious conduct a plea forasking the prolongation of his life.

walked — Life is a journey; the pious “walk with God” (Gen_5:24; 1Ki_9:4).

perfect — sincere; not absolutely perfect, but aiming towards it (Mat_5:45); single-minded inwalking as in the presence of God (Gen_17:1). The letter of the Old Testament legal righteousnesswas, however, a standard very much below the spirit of the law as unfolded by Christ (Mat_5:20-48; 2Co_3:6, 2Co_3:14, 2Co_3:17).

wept sore — Josephus says, the reason why he wept so sorely was that being childless, he wasleaving the kingdom without a successor. How often our wishes, when gratified, prove curses!Hezekiah lived to have a son; that son was the idolater Manasseh, the chief cause of God’s wrathagainst Judah, and of the overthrow of the kingdom (2Ki_23:26, 2Ki_23:27).”

7. Barnes, “The object which Hezekiah desired was evidently that his life might be spared, andthat he might not be suddenly cut off. He therefore makes mention of the former course of hislife, not with ostentation, or as a ground of his acceptance or justification, but as a reason why hislimb should not be cut off. He had not lived as many of the kings of Israel had done. He had notbeen a patron of idolatry. He had promoted an extensive and thorough reformation among thepeople. He had exerted his influence as a king in the service of Yahweh, and it was his purposestill to do it; and he, therefore, prayed that his life might be spared in order that he might carryforward and perfect his plans for the reformation of the people, and for the establishment of theworship of Yahweh.

How I have walked - How I have lived. Life, in the Scriptures, is often represented as a journey,and a life of piety is represented as walking with God (see Gen_5:24; Gen_6:9; 1Ki_9:4;1Ki_11:33).

In truth - In the defense and maintenance of the truth, or in sincerity.

And with a perfect heart - With a heart sound, sincere, entire in thy service. This had been hisleading aim; his main, grand purpose. He had not pursued his own ends, but his whole officialroyal influence bad been on the side of religion. This refers to his public character rather than tohis private feelings. For though, as a man, he might be deeply conscious of imperfection; yet as aking, his influence had been wholly on the side of religion, and he had not declined from the waysof God.

And have done that which is good - This accords entirely with the account which is given ofhim in 2Ki_18:3-5.

And Hezekiah wept sore - Margin, as Hebrew, ‘With great weeping.’ Josephus (Ant. x. 2. 1)says, that the reason why Hezekiah was so much affected was that he was then childless, and sawthat he was about to leave the government without a successor. Others suppose that it wasbecause his death would be construed by his enemies as a judgment of God for his stripping the

temple of its ornaments 2Ki_18:16. It is possible that several things may have been combined inproducing the depth of his grief. In his song, or in the record which he made to express his praiseto God for his recovery, the main reason of his grief which he suggested was, the fact that he wasin danger of being cut off in the midst of his days; that the blessings of a long life were likely to bedenied him (see Isa_38:10-12). We have here an instance in which even a good man may besurprised, alarmed, distressed, at the sudden announcement that he must die. The fear of death isnatural; and even those who are truly pious are sometimes alarmed when it comes.”

8. Gill, “ He puts the Lord in mind of his good walk and works, which are never forgotten byhim, though they may seem to be: and this he the rather did, because it might be thought that hehad been guilty of some very enormous crime, which he was not conscious to himself he had; itbeing unusual to cut men off in the prime of their days, but in such a case:

how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart; or rather, "that I have walkedbefore thee", as �oldius, since the manner of walking is declared in express terms; so theTargum, Syriac, and Arabic versions, and others; that the course of his life in the sight of God,having the fear of him upon his heart, and before his eyes, was according to the truth of his word,institutions, and appointments; that he walked in all the commandments and ordinances of theLord, and in the sincerity, integrity, and uprightness of his soul; and however imperfect hisservices were, as no man so walks as to be free from sin, yet he was sincere and withoutdissimulation in the performance of them; his intentions were upright, his views were purely tothe glory of God:

and have done that which is good in thy sight; agreeably both to the moral and ceremonial law, inhis own private and personal capacity as a man, in the administration of justice in hisgovernment as a king; and particularly in reforming the nation; in destroying idols, and idolworship; in breaking in pieces the brazen serpent, when used to idolatrous purposes; and insetting up the pure worship of God, and his ordinances; and which he does not plead asmeritorious, but mentions as well pleasing to God, which he graciously accepts of, andencourages with promises of reward:

and Hezekiah wept sore; not only because of his death, the news of which might be shocking tonature; but because of the distressed condition the nation would be in, having now the Assyrianarmy in it, or at least not wholly free from fears, by reason of that monarch; and besides, had noson to succeed him in the throne, and so difficulties and troubles might arise within themselvesabout a successor; and it may be, what troubled him most of all was, that dying without issue, theMessiah could not spring from his seed.”

9. Constable, “Perhaps Hezekiah turned his face to the wall to concentrate or to make his prayerprivate. Perhaps he felt completely devastated and withdrew into himself (cf. 1 Kings 21:4). Herequested God's mercy in the form of lengthened life, though he did not voice the request in somany words. He based his appeal on his godly walk before God and his wholehearted devotion toGod. Hezekiah was a good king who reformed his nation spiritually (cf. 2 Chron. 29—31). Heappealed for longer life on the basis of his godliness because God promised to bless the godly wholived under the Old Covenant with long life (Exod. 20:12; Deut. 5:33; 7:12-15; 30:16). His bittertears showed the depth of his sorrow. He would apparently die without an heir to the throne, inthe full strength of his manhood, and with his nation in an unsettled state.”

4 Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah:

1. Hezekiah is in prayer, and Isaiah has just left him to his privacy. God enters the picture againto tell Isaiah not to leave the building, but to return with an answer to Hezekiah's prayer. Herewe have an instant answer to a very major and serious prayer request. God so often delays hisanswers, but not this time.

2. Jamison, “In 2Ki_20:4, the quickness of God’s answer to the prayer is marked, “afore Isaiahhad gone out into the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him”; that is, before he had leftHezekiah, or at least when he had just left him, and Hezekiah was in the act of praying afterhaving heard God’s message by Isaiah (compare Isa_65:24; Psa_32:5; Dan_9:21).”

3. Calvin felt that there had to be a length of time between the bad news and the good news, forhe feels it was meant as a trial of Hezekiah, and it would be no trial if it only lasted a matter ofminutes. “Isaiah had departed, leaving the sting, as the saying is, in the wound, reckoning asabandoned him on whom he had pronounced sentence in the name of God himself. Yet with whattrembling uneasiness he was tormented, and even with what terror he was seized, may be partlylearned from the song. What interval of time elapsed between the Prophet's departure and returnwe know not, but it is certain that the glad tidings of life were not brought until, after long andsevere struggles, he perceived that he was utterly' ruined; for it was a severe trial of faith that heshould be kept plunged in darkness by the hiding of God's face. We have said that, while thedoctrine of consolation was taken away, still the faith of the good king was not extinguished so asnot to emit some sparks, because, by the secret influence of the Spirit, "groans that could not beuttered"

4. Many commentators disagree with Calvin and think that the good news came back to himright away. Barnes wrote, “In the parallel place in 2Ki_20:4, it is said, ‘And it came to pass, aforeIsaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came unto him.’ That is, themessage of God name to Isaiah before he had left Hezekiah; or as soon as he had offered hisprayer. This circumstance is omitted by Isaiah on the revision of his narrative which we havebefore us. But there is no contradiction. In this place it is implied that the message came to himsoon, or immediately.”

5 "Go and tell Hezekiah, 'This is what the LORD, the Godof your father David, says: I have heard your prayer andseen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life.

Go tell Hezekiah not to fret or to bother,For this is the word from the God of David your father.I have heard your prayer and seen your tears,And I am adding to your life another fifteen years.

1. God takes note of both his prayer and his tears, and he makes an executive decision to reversehis judgment and give Hezekiah a promise of more life instead of death. He decides that 15 moreyears will be given to him. That means that he will live to be 54 years old. That is still a short life,but it beats dying at age 39. Here we have the great power of prayer and tears to change thefuture. His intercession for himself proved to be a great success, and we can assume thatHezekiah became a man of prayer from this day forward. When you can convince God to giveyou 15 more years to life, that will be an incentive to keep on asking God for his guidance andwisdom to life life well.

1B. Constable, “Sometimes what God announced through His prophets seemed inevitable, butwhen His people prayed it became negotiable (cf. Gen. 32:26; Exod. 32:7-14; James 4:2).

2. Henry, “God has a gracious ear open to the prayers of his afflicted people. The same prophetthat was sent to Hezekiah with warning to prepare for death is sent to him with a promise that heshall not only recover, but be restored to a confirmed state of health and live fifteen years yet. AsJerusalem was distressed, so Hezekiah was diseased, that God might have the glory of thedeliverance of both, and that prayer too might have the honour of being instrumental in thedeliverance. When we pray in our sickness, though God send not to us such an answer as he heresent to Hezekiah, yet, if by his Spirit he bids us be of good cheer, assures us that our sins areforgiven us, that his grace shall be sufficient for us, and that, whether we live or die, we shall behis, we have no reason to say that we pray in vain. God answers us if he strengthens us with

strength in our souls, though not with bodily strength, Psa_138:3.”

3. Barnes, “ David is mentioned here, probably, because Hezekiah had a strong resemblance tohim 2Ki_18:3, and because a long and happy reign had been granted to David; and also becausethe promise had been made to David that there should not fail a man to sit on his throne (see thenote at Isa_37:35). As Hezekiah resembled David, God promised that his reign should belengthened out; and as he perhaps was then without a son and successor, God promised him alonger life, with the prospect that he might have an heir who should succeed him on the throne.

Behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years - This is perhaps the only instance in which anyman has been told exactly how long he would live. Why God specified the time cannot now beknown. It was, however, a full answer to the prayer of Hezekiah, and the promise is a fulldemonstration that God is the hearer of prayer, and that he can answer it at once. We learn here,that it is right for a friend of God to pray for life. In times of sickness, and even when there areindications of a fatal disease, it is not improper to pray that the disease may be removed, and thelife prolonged. If the desire be to do good; to advance the kingdom of God; to benefit others; or toperfect some plan of benevolence which is begun, it is not improper to pray that God wouldprolong the life. Who can tell but that he often thus spares useful lives when worn down with toil,and when the frame is apparently sinking to the grave, in answer to prayer? He does not indeedwork miracles as he did in the case of Hezekiah, but he may direct to remedies which had notbefore occurred; or he may himself give a sudden and unlooked-for turn to the disease, and

restore the sufferer again to health.”

4. Gill, “thus saith the Lord the God of David thy father; this is said, to show that he rememberedthe covenant he made with David his father, concerning the kingdom, and the succession of hischildren in it; and that he had a regard to him, as walking in his steps:

I have heard thy prayer; and therefore was not surely a foolish one, as Luther somewhere calls it,since it was heard and answered so quickly:

I have seen thy tears; which he shed in prayer, and so studiously concealed from others, when heturned his face to the wall:

behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years; that is, to the days he had lived already, andbeyond which it was not probable, according to the nature of his disease, he could live; andbesides, he had the sentence of death pronounced on him, and had it within himself, nor did hepray for his life; so that these fifteen years were over and above what he could or did expect tolive; and because it was unusual in such a case, and after such a declaration made, that a manshould live, and especially so long a time after, it is ushered in with a "behold", as a note ofadmiration; it being a thing unheard of, and unprecedented, and entirely the Lord's doing, andwhich, no doubt, was marvelous in the eyes of the king.”

5. Rich Cathers, “God knows and cares about your sorrow David wrote, (Psa 56:8 �LT) You keeptrack of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded eachone in your book. When Jesus’ friend Lazarus was sick, Jesus waited a few days before going tovisit the family. Jesus had known that Lazarus was going to die.(John 11:32-36 KJV) Then whenMary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, ifthou hadst been here, my brother had not died. {33} When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, andthe Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, {34} Andsaid, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. {35} Jesus wept. {36}Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!Some have said that Jesus was weeping because oftheir unbelief, and that’s possible. But note that He did not rebuke anyone for their unbelief asHe had when the disciples couldn’t heal the epileptic boy (Mark 9). He just weeps. He saw theirsorrow and He wept with them. The Jews could tell that He had loved Lazarus. God did notrebuke Hezekiah for being "weak" and being a "cry-baby". God is not unsympathetic towardsyour tears. When your tears toward God are genuine, He’s moved. You are His child and Hewon’t forget about you: (Isa 49:14-16 �ASB) But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, Andthe Lord has forgotten me." {15} "Can a woman forget her nursing child, And have nocompassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. {16}"Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.”

6. aBible.com has this: “DOES PRAYER CHA�GE GOD'S MI�D?

Some say God cannot change his mind without contradicting his unchanging nature. They saythat maybe God intended all along to heal Hezekiah. Withholding that news from Hezekiah, then,served to stimulate the intensity of his prayer. In this view, Hezekiah didn't change God's mind.But prayer helped him discover God's purpose so he could align his life and actions to it. Others,however, have another view. They agree that God doesn't change his mind the way people do. Butthey suggest a sovereign God can predetermine to change his course of action in response to our

prayers. His ultimate purposes are unchangeable, they say, but he builds options into hispurposes from the start. They see flexibility in the outcome to accommodate the variousresponses of people. In this view, God is something like a traveler who plans a destination butallows freedom to change the route or make spontaneous side trips along the way. God's methods,they say, aren't necessarily, set in concrete: people's actions can make a difference in the way Godworks. The Bible recounts other examples of times that God seemed to change his mind: Aftersaying he would destroy �ineveh, he didn't because they repented (Jonah 3:10-4:2). Earlier hehad intended to destroy the Israelites but did not when Moses interceded for them (Exodus 32:9-14).”

6 And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of theking of Assyria. I will defend this city.

1. Henry, “ A good man cannot take much comfort in his own health and prosperity unless withalhe see the welfare and prosperity of the church of God. Therefore God, knowing what lay nearHezekiah's heart, promised him not only that he should live, but that he should see the good of

Jerusalem all the days of his life (Psa_128:5), otherwise he cannot live comfortably. Jerusalem,which is now delivered, shall still be defended from the Assyrians, who perhaps threatened torally again and renew the attack. Thus does God graciously provide to make Hezekiah upon allaccounts easy.”

2. Jamison, “In 2Ki_20:8, after this verse comes the statement which is put at the end, in ordernot to interrupt God’s message (Isa_38:21, Isa_38:22) by Isaiah (Isa_38:5-8). will deliver — Thecity was already delivered, but here assurance is given, that Hezekiah shall have no more to fearfrom the Assyrians.”

3. Barnes, “The purport of this promise is, that he and the city should be finally and entirelydelivered from all danger of invasion from the Assyrians. It might be apprehended thatSennacherib would collect a large army, and return; or that his successor would prosecute thewar which he had commenced. But the assurance here is given to Hezekiah that he had nothingmore to fear from the Assyrians (see the notes at Isa_31:4-5; Isa_37:35). In the parallel place in2Ki_20:6, it is added. ‘I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.’In the parallel passage also, in 2Ki_20:7-8, there is inserted the statement which occurs in Isaiahat the end of the chapter Isa_38:21-22. It is evident that those two verses more appropriatelycome in here. Lowth conjectures that the abridger of the history omitted those verses, and whenhe had transcribed the song of Hezekiah, he saw that they were necessary to complete thenarrative, and placed them at the end of the chapter, with proper marks to have them inserted inthe right place, which marks were overlooked by transcribers. It is, however, immaterial wherethe statement is made; and it is now impossible to tell in what manner the transpositionoccurred.”

4. Gill, “So that it seems that Hezekiah's sickness was while the king of Assyria was near the cityof Jerusalem, and about to besiege it, and before the destruction of the Assyrian army; unless this

is said to secure Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from all fears of a return of that king,to give them fresh trouble: and I will defend this city; from the present siege laid to it, ruinthreatened it, or from any attack upon it, by the Assyrian monarch.”

5. Constable, “Verses 21 and 22 fit chronologically at this place in the narrative.”

7 " 'This is the LORD's sign to you that the LORD willdo what he has promised:

1. Barnes, “And this shall be a sign unto thee - That is, a sign, or proof that God would do whathe had promised, and that Hezekiah would recover and be permitted to go again to the temple ofthe Lord Isa_38:22; 2Ki_20:8. On the meaning of the word ‘sign,’ see Isa_7:11, note; Isa_7:14,note; compare the note at Isa_37:30. The promise was, that he should be permitted to go to thetemple in three days 2Ki_20:5.”

2. Gill, “And this shall be a sign unto thee from the Lord,.... And which it seems Hezekiah asked,and it was put to him which he would choose, whether the shadow on the sundial should goforward or backward ten degrees, and he chose the latter, 2Ki_20:8, which was a tokenconfirming and assuring that the Lord will do this thing that he hath spoken; recover Hezekiahfrom his sickness, so that on the third day he should go up to the temple; have fifteen years addedto his days; and the city of Jerusalem protected from the attempts of the Assyrian monarch.”

8 I will make the shadow cast by the sun go back the tensteps it has gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.' " So thesunlight went back the ten steps it had gone down.

1. Henry, “God is willing to show to the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, that theymay have an unshaken faith in it, and therewith a strong consolation. God had given Hezekiahrepeated assurances of his favour; and yet, as if all were thought too little, that he might expectfrom him uncommon favours, a sign is given him, an uncommon sign. �one that we know ofhaving had an absolute promise of living a certain number of years to come, as Hezekiah had,God thought fit to confirm this unprecedented favour with a miracle. The sign was the goingback of the shadow upon the sun-dial. The sun is a faithful measurer of time, and rejoices as a

strong man to run a race; but he that set that clock a going can set it back when he pleases, and

make it to return; for the Father of all lights is the director of them.”

2. Jamison, “bring again — cause to return (Jos_10:12-14). In 2Ki_20:9, 2Ki_20:11, the choice isstated to have been given to Hezekiah, whether the shadow should go forward, or go back, tendegrees. Hezekiah replied, “It is a light thing (a less decisive miracle) for the shadow to go down(its usual direction) ten degrees: nay, but let it return backward ten degrees”; so Isaiah cried toJehovah that it should be so, and it was so (compare Jos_10:12, Jos_10:14).

sundial of Ahaz — Herodotus (2.109) states that the sundial and the division of the day intotwelve hours, were invented by the Babylonians; from them Ahaz borrowed the invention. Hewas one, from his connection with Tiglath-pileser, likely to have done so (2Ki_16:7, 2Ki_16:10).“Shadow of the degrees” means the shadow made on the degrees. Josephus thinks these degreeswere steps ascending to the palace of Ahaz; the time of day was indicated by the number of stepsreached by the shadow. But probably a sundial, strictly so called, is meant; it was of such a size,and so placed, that Hezekiah, when convalescent, could witness the miracle from his chamber.Compare Isa_38:21, Isa_38:22 with 2Ki_20:9, where translate, shall this shadow go forward, etc.;the dial was no doubt in sight, probably “in the middle court” (2Ki_20:4), the point where Isaiahturned back to announce God’s gracious answers to Hezekiah. Hence this particular sign wasgiven. The retrogression of the shadow may have been effected by refraction; a cloud denser thanthe air interposing between the gnomon and dial would cause the phenomenon, which does nottake from the miracle, for God gave him the choice whether the shadow should go forward orback, and regulated the time and place. Bosanquet makes the fourteenth year of Hezekiah to be689 b.c., the known year of a solar eclipse, to which he ascribes the recession of the shadow. At allevents, there is no need for supposing any revolution of the relative positions of the sun and earth,but merely an effect produced on the shadow (2Ki_20:9-11); that effect was only local, anddesigned for the satisfaction of Hezekiah, for the Babylonian astronomers and king “sent toenquire of the wonder that was done in the land” (2Ch_32:31), implying that it had not extendedto their country. �o mention of any instrument for marking time occurs before this dial of Ahaz,700 b.c. The first mention of the “hour” is made by Daniel at Babylon (Dan_3:6).”

3. Barnes, “Behold, I will bring again the shadow - The shadow, or shade which is made by theinterception of the rays of the sun by the gnomon on the dial. The phrase ‘bring again’ (Hebrew,that is, I will cause it ;(shûb, to return שוב Hiphil, from) mēshıyb) means to cause to return משיבretrograde, or bring back. Septuagint, Στρέψω Strepsō - ‘I will turn back.’ Few subjects haveperplexed commentators more than this account of the sun-dial of Ahaz. The only other placewhere a sun-dial is mentioned in the Scriptures is in the parallel place in 2Ki_20:9-10, where theaccount is somewhat more full, and the nature of the miracle more fully represented: ‘This signshalt thou have of the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing which he hath spoken: Shall theshadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees? And Hezekiah answered, It is a lightthing for the shadow to go down ten degrees; nay, but let the shadow return backward tendegrees.’ That is, it would be in the usual direction which the shadow takes, for it to go down, andthere would be less that would be decisive in the miracle. He therefore asked that it might bemoved backward from its common direction, and then there could be no doubt that it was fromGod; 2Ki_20:11 : ‘And Isaiah the prophet cried unto Yahweh, and he brought the shadow tendegrees backward, by which had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.’

The shadow of the degrees - That is, the shadow made on the degrees; or indicated by thedegrees on the dial. But there has been much difficulty in regard to the meaning of the worddegrees. The Hebrew word (מעלה ma‛ălâh from עלה ‛âlâh, to ascend, to go up) means properlyan ascent; a going up from a lower to a higher region; then a step by which one ascends, applied

to the steps on a staircase, etc. 1Ki_10:19; Eze_40:26, Eze_40:31, Eze_40:34. Hence, it may beapplied to the ascending or descending figures or marks on a dial designating the ascent ordescent of the sun; or the ascent or descent of the shadow going up or down by steps or hoursmarked on its face. The word is applied to a dial nowhere else but here. Josephus understandsthis as referring to the stem in the house or palace of Ahaz. ‘He desired that he would make theshadow of the sun which he had already made to go down ten steps in his house, to return againto the same place, and to make it as it was before;’ by which he evidently regarded Hezekiah asrequesting that the shadow which had gone down on the steps of the palace should return to itsplace ten steps backward. It is possible that the time of day may have been indicated by theshadow of the sun on the steps of the palace, and that this may have constituted what was calledthe sun-dial of Ahaz; but the more probable interpretation is that which regards the dial as adistinct and separate contrivance. The Septuagint renders it by the word steps, yet understandingit as Josephus does, Ἀναβαθµοὺς τοῦ οικου τοῦ πατρός σου Anabathmous tou oikou tou patros

sou - ‘The steps of the house of thy father.’

Which is gone down on the sun-dial of Ahaz - Margin, ‘Degrees by,’ or ‘with the sun.’ Hebrew,literally, ‘which has descended on the steps; or degrees of Ahaz by, or with the sun (בשמשbashemesh), that is, by means of the sun, or caused by the progress of the sun. The shadow hadgone down on the dial by the regular course of the sun. Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah; and it isevident from this, that the dial had been introduced by him, and had been used by him tomeasure time. There is no mention of any instrument for keeping time in the Bible before this,nor is it possible, perhaps, to determine the origin or character of this invention, or to knowwhere Ahaz obtained it. Perhaps all that can be known on the subject has been collected byCalmer, to whose article (Dial) in his Dictionary, and to the Fragments of Taylor appended to hisDictionary (Fragments, ii.; cii.) the reader may be referred for a more full statement on thissubject than is consistent with the design of these notes.

The mention of the dial does not occur before the time of Ahaz, who lived 726 b.c.; nor is itcertainly known that even after his time the Jews generally divided their time by hours. The word‘hour’ (καἱρικός kairikos) occurs first in Tobit; and it has been supposed that the invention ofdials came from beyond the Euphrates (Herod. ii. 109). But others suppose that it came from thePhenicians, and that the first traces of it are discoverable in what Homer says (Odyss. xv. 402) of‘an island called Syria lying above Ortygia, where the revolutions of the sun are observed.’ ThePhenicians are supposed to have inhabited this island of Syria, and it is therefore presumed thatthey left there this monument of their skill in astronomy. About three hundred years after Homer,Pherecydes set up a sun-dial in the same island to distinguish the hours. The Greeks confess thatAnaximander, who lived 547 b.c., under the reign of Cyrus, first divided time by hours, andintroduced sun-dials among them.

This was during the time of the captivity at Babylon. Anaximander traveled into Chaldea, andit is not improbable that he brought the dial from Babylon. The Chaldeans were earlydistinguished for, their attention to astronomy, and it is probable that it was in Babylon that thesun-dial, and the division of the day into hours, was first used, and that the knowledge of that wasconveyed in some way from Chaldea to Ahaz. Interpreters have differed greatly in regard to theform of the sun-dial used by Ahaz, and by the ancients generally. Cyril of Alexandria and Jeromebelieved it was a staircase so disposed, that the sun showed the hours on it by the shadow. This, aswe have seen, was the opinion of Josephus; and this opinion has been followed by many others.Others suppose it was an obelisk or pillar in the middle of a smooth pavement on which the hourswere engraved, or on which lines were drawn which would indicate the hours.

Grotius, in accordance with the opinion of rabbi Elias Chomer, describes it thus: ‘It was aconcave hemisphere, in the midst of which was a globe, the shadow of which fell upon several

lines engraved on the concavity of the hemisphere; these lines, they say, were eight-and-twenty innumber.’ This description accords nearly with the kind of dial which the Greeks called scapha, aboat, or hemisphere, the invention of which the Greeks ascribed to a Cbaldean named Berosus(Vitruv. ix. 9). See the plate in Taylor’s Calmet, ‘Sun-dial of Ahaz’ (Figs. 1 and 2). Berosus was apriest of Belus in Babylon, and lived indeed perhaps 300 years after Ahaz; but there is nonecessity of supposing that he was the inventor of the dial. It is sufficient to suppose that he wasreputed to be the first who introduced it into Greece. He went from Babylon to Greece, where hetaught astronomy first at Cos, and then at Athens, where one of his dials is still shown.

Herodotus expressly says (i. 109), ‘the pole, the gnomon, and the division of the day into twelveparts, the Greeks received from the Babylonians.’ This sun-dial was portable; it did not requireto be constructed for a particular spot to which it should be subsequently confined; and thereforeone ready-made might have been brought from Babylon to Ahaz. That be had commerce withthese countries appears by his alliance with Tiglath-pileser 2Ki_16:7-8. And that Ahaz was a manwho was desirous of availing himself of foreign inventions, and introducing them into his capital,appears evident from his desire to have an altar constructed in Jerusalem, similar to the onewhich he had seen in Damascus 2Ki_16:10. The dial is now a well-known instrument, theprinciple of which is, that the hours are marked on its face by a shadow cast from the sun by agnomon. In order to the understanding of this miracle, it is not necessary to be acquainted withthe form of the ancient dial. It will be understood by a reference to any dial, and would have beensubstantially the same, whatever was the form of the instrument. The essential idea is, that theshadow of the gnomon which thus indicated a certain degree or hour of the day, was made to goback ten degrees or places. It may conduce, however, to the illustration of this subject to havebefore the eye a representation of the usual form of the ancient dial. Therefore, see the threeforms of dials which have been discovered and which are present in the book. The engravingrepresents:

1. A concave dial of white marble, found at Givita, in the year 1762.

2. Another concave dial, found at mount Tusculum, near Rome, in 1726.

3. A compound dial, preserved in the Elgin collection in the British Museum. It was found atAthens, supposed to have been used in marking the hours on one of the crossways of thecity.

The first two are considered to resemble, if indeed they be not identical with the famous dial ofAhaz.’

In regard to this miracle, it seems only necessary to observe that all that is indispensable to bebelieved is, that the shadow on the dial was made suddenly to recede from any cause. It is evidentthat this may have been accomplished in several ways. It may have been by arresting the motionof the earth in its revolutions, and causing it to retrograde on its axis to the extent indicated bythe return of the shadow, or it may have been by a miraculous bending, or inclining of the rays ofthe sun. As there is no evidence that the event was observed elsewhere; and as it is not necessaryto suppose that the earth was arrested in its motion, and that the whole frame of the universe wasadjusted to this change in the movement of the earth, it is most probable that it was aninclination of the rays of the sun; or a miraculous causing of the shadow itself to recede. This isthe whole statement of the sacred writer, and this is all that is necessary to be supposed. WhatHezekiah desired was a miracle; a sign that he should recover. That was granted. Theretrocession of the shadow in this sudden manner was not a natural event. It could be caused onlyby God; and this was all that was needed. A simple exertion of divine power on the rays of the sunwhich rested on the dial, deflecting those rays, would accomplish the whole result. It may beadded that it is not recorded, nor is it necessary to an understanding of the subject to suppose,

that the bending of the rays was permanent, or that so much time was lost. The miracle wasinstantaneous, and was satisfactory to Hezekiah, though the rays of the sun casting the shadowmay have again been soon returned to their regular position, and the shadow restored to theplace in which it would have been had it not been interrupted. �o infidel, therefore, can object tothis statement, unless lie can prove that this could not be done by him who made the sun, andwho is himself the fountain of power.

By which degrees it was gone down - By the same steps, or degrees on which the shadow haddescended. So the Septuagint express it; ‘so the sun re-ascended the ten steps by which theshadow had gone down. It was the shadow on the dial which had gone down. The sun wasascending, and the consequence was, of course, that the shadow on a vertical dial would descend.The ‘sun’ here means, evidently, the sun as it appeared; the rays, or the shining of the sun. Areturn of the shadow was effected such as would be produced by the recession of the sun itself.

4. Gill, “Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees,.... Or lines made on a dial plate, toshow the progress of the sun, and what time of day it was. Some think only the shadow wasbrought back by the power of God, the sun keeping its course as usual; but in the next clause thesun is expressly said to return ten degrees: besides, it is not easy to conceive how the shadow ofthe sun should go back, unless the sun itself did; if it had been only the shadow of it on Ahaz'sdial, it would not have fallen under the notice of other nations, or have been the subject of theirinquiry, as it was of the Babylonians, 2Ch_32:31,

which is gone down on the sundial of Ahaz, the first sundial we read of; and though there mightbe others at this time, yet the lines or degrees might be more plain in this; and besides, this mightbe near the king's bedchamber, and to which he could look out at, and see the wonder himself,the shadow to return ten degrees backward; what those degrees, lines, or marks on the dialshowed, is not certain. The Targum makes them to be hours, paraphrasing the words thus;

"behold, I will bring again the shadow of the stone of hours, by which the sun is gone down onthe dial of Ahaz, backwards ten degrees; and the sun returned ten hours on the figure of the stoneof hours, in which it went down;''

but others think they pointed out half hours; and others but quarters of hours; but, be it which itwill, it matters not, the miracle was the same:

so the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down; and so this day was longerby these degrees than a common day, be they what they will, and according as we suppose the sunwent back, suddenly, or as it usually moved, though in a retrograde way, and made the sameprogress again through these degrees. The Jews have a fable, that the day King Ahaz died wasshortened ten hours, and now lengthened the same at this season, which brought time right again.According to Gussetius, these were not degrees or marks on a sundial, to know the time of day,for this was a later invention, ascribed to Anaximene's, a disciple of Anaximander (c), twohundred years after this; but were steps or stairs built by Ahaz, to go up from the ground to theroof of the house, on the outside of it, and which might consist of twenty steps or more; and onwhich the sun cast a shadow all hours of the day, "and this declined ten of these steps", whichmight be at the window of Hezekiah's bedchamber.”

5. Jim Bomkamp, “ In 2 Kings 20:8 we read that the reason why the Lord gave Hezekiah a sign

that He would perform miraculous healing upon him was because Hezekiah had asked for a sign,“�ow Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I shallgo up to the house of the Lord the third day?” We shouldn’t normally seek a sign from the Lordin order to believe His word, for this is unbelief which is a sin. In Matt. 16:4, we read that Jesustaught us that we should not require a sign in order to believe what God has already said is true,rather signs are sought by those who are wicked, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks aftera sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them, and wentaway.” It is only the Lord’s graciousness that He chooses to answer Hezekiah’s request and givehim a sign to show him that He would answer his prayer to be healed.

We read the following from the Pulpit Commentary regarding sundials and this passage, “We areinformed by Herodotus that the sun-dial was an invention of the Babylonians…Sun-dials are ofseveral kinds. The one here spoken of seems to have consisted of a set of steps, with aperpendicular gnomen or pole at the top, the shadow of which receded up the steps as the sunrose in the heavens, and descended down them as the sun declined. We must suppose that the signwas given in the forenoon, when the shadow was gradually creeping up the steps.”

We do not know in what way the Lord caused this miracle to occur. For instance, it could havehappened in one of these ways: The Lord could have caused the refraction of the light from thesun to be bent. The Lord could have caused the earth’s rotation to temporarily reverse.

If this was the cause then other nations would have experienced this also and we would think thatthere would have possibly been some Assyrian or Babylonian inscription which would havementioned this event occurring.”

6. Constable, “The stairway of Ahaz was evidently an exterior stairway that led to his upperroom on the roof of the palace, where Ahaz had erected altars (2 Kings 23:12). This stairway wasprobably not built as a sundial, but it served that purpose as the sun cast its shadow on more orfewer steps depending on the time of day. That stairway may have been constructed as a sundial,or a different stairway constructed for that purpose could be in view. One writer believed it wasan obelisk that rested on a stepped base and served as a sundial.370 Evidently Hezekiah could seeit from his sickbed. The passing away of daylight on the stairway symbolized the passing away ofHezekiah's life, and the return of sunlight represented the restoration of life.

Was this miracle a local or a global phenomenon? What the Lord promised was the movement ofthe shadow, not the sun that cast the shadow. This opens the possibility for a local miracle inwhich the shadow moved backward while the earth continued to rotate as usual (cf. 2 Chron.32:31). The reference to King Ahaz recalls the earlier incident involving the sign that God gavethat king. God had told him to make the sign that he requested as high as heaven (7:11). �owGod gave Ahaz's son, Hezekiah, a sign from heaven. Ahaz had refused to ask for a sign becausehe did not want assurance that God would destroy his allies. Hezekiah requested a sign becausehe wanted assurance that God would spare his life. Ahaz did not want to trust God, but Hezekiahdid.”

9 A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness andrecovery:

1. Barnes, “The writing of Hezekiah - This is the title to the following hymn - a record whichHezekiah made to celebrate the goodness of God in restoring him to health. The writing itself ispoetry, as is indicated by the parallelism, and by the general structure. It is in many respectsquite obscure - an obscurity perhaps arising from the brevity and conciseness which are apparentin the whole piece. It is remarkable that this song or hymn is not found in the parallel passage inthe Book of Kings. The reason why it was omitted there, and inserted here, is unknown. It ispossible that it was drawn up for Hezekiah by Isaiah, and that it is inserted here as a part of hiscomposition, though adopted by Hezekiah, and declared to be his, that is, as expressing thegratitude of his heart on his recovery from his disease. It was common to compose an ode orhymn of praise on occasion of deliverance from calamity, or any remarkable interposition of God(see the notes at Isa_12:1; Isa_25:1; Isa_26:1). Many of the Psalms of David were composed onsuch occasions, and were expressive of gratitude to God for deliverance from impendingcalamity. The hymn or song is composed of two parts. In the first part Isa_38:10-14, Hezekiahdescribes his feelings and his fears when he was suffering, and especially the apprehension of hismind at the prospect of death; and the second part Isa_38:15-20 expresses praise to God for hisgoodness.”

2. Gill, “The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah,.... The Septuagint and Arabic versions call it a"prayer": but the Targum, much better,

"a writing of confession;''

in which the king owns his murmurings and complaints under his affliction, and acknowledgesthe goodness of God in delivering him out of it: this he put into writing, as a memorial of it, forhis own benefit, and for the good of posterity; very probably he carried this with him to thetemple, whither he went on the third day of his illness, and hung it up in some proper place, thatit might be read by all, and be sung by the priests and the Levites; and the Prophet Isaiah hasthought fit to give it a place among his prophecies, that it might be transmitted to future ages:”

3. Henry, “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 ofthem for his purpose; he might have found many very pertinent ones. He appointed the Levites to

praise the Lord with the words of David, 2Ch_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 mostnatural and genuine. He put this thanksgiving in writing, that he might review it himselfafterwards, for the reviving of the good impressions made upon him by the providence, and thatit might be recommended to others also for their use upon the like occasion. �ote, There arewritings which it is proper for us to draw up after we have been sick and have recovered. It isgood to write a memorial of the affliction, and of the frame of our hearts under it, - to keep arecord of the thoughts we had of things when we were sick, the affections that were then workingin us, - to write a memorial of the mercies of a sick bed, and of our release from it, that they maynever 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 whichHezekiah here left, upon his recovery; and yet we find (2Ch_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 thanks living is better.”

10 I said, "In the prime of my life must I go through the gates of death [a] and be robbed of the rest of my years?"

1. He saw death at an early age as being robbed of years that he should have a right to based onthe fact that most men lived beyond the 39 years he had lived. It is natural to expect to livesomewhere near the average age of people in your day, and so feel robbed if cut off much soonerthan the average. It does seem unfair to die young, or younger than most, but there is noguarantee that any godly person will live an average age. Some live much longer, and others livefar fewer years, and many factors are involved to determine that figure.

2. Barnes, “I said - Probably the words ‘I said’ do not imply that he said or spoke this openly oraudibly; but this was the language of his heart, or the substance of his reflections.

In the cutting off of my days - There has been considerable diversity of interpretation in regardto this phrase. Vitringa renders it as our translators have done. Rosenmuller renders it, ‘In themeridian of my days.’ The Septuagint, Ἐν τῷ ὕψει τῶν ἡµερῶν µου En tō hupsei tōn hēmerōn

mou - ‘In the height of my days,’ where they evidently read ברמי instead of בדמי, by the change ofa single letter. Aquila, and the Greek interpreters generally, rendered it, ‘In the silence of mydays.’ The word used here in Hebrew (דמי demıy) denotes properly stillness, quiet, rest; andGesenius renders it, ‘in the quiet of my days.’ According to him the idea is, ‘now when I mighthave rest; when I am delivered from my foes; when I am in the midst of my life, of my reign, andof my plans of usefulness, I must die.’ The sense is, doubtless, that he was about to be cut off inmiddle life, and when he had every prospect of usefulness, and of happiness in his reign.

I shall go to the gates of the grave - Hebrew, ‘Gates of sheol.’ On the meaning of the word sheol,and the Hebrew idea of the descent to it through gates, see the notes at Isa_5:14; Isa_14:9. Theidea is, that he must go down to the regions of the dead, and dwell with departed shades (see thenote at Isa_38:11).

The residue of my years - Those which I had hoped to enjoy; of which I had a reasonableprospect in the ordinary course of events. It is evident that Hezekiah had looked forward to along life, and to a prosperous and peaceful reign. This was the means which God adopted to showhim the impropriety of his desire, and to turn him more entirely to his service, and to apreparation for death. Sickness often has this effect on the minds of good people.”

3. Gill, “I said, in the cutting off of my days,.... When he was told that he should die, and hebelieved he should; this he calls a "cutting off" in allusion to the weaver's web, Isa_38:12 and acutting off "his days", he being now in the prime of his age, about thirty nine or forty years ofage, and not arrived to the common period of life, and to which, according to his constitution,and the course of nature, he might have attained. The Jews call such a death a cutting off, that is,

by the hand of God, which is before a man is fifty years of age. The Vulgate Latin version is, "inthe midst of my days"; as it was, according to the common term of life, being threescore and ten,and at most eighty, Psa_90:10,

I shall go to the gates of the grave; and enter there into the house appointed for all living, whichhe saw were open for him, and ready to receive him:

I am deprived of the residue of my days; the other thirty or forty years which he might expect tohave lived, according to the course of nature; of these he was bereaved, according to the sentenceof death he now had in him; what if the words were rendered, "I am visited with more of myyears (f)?" and so the sense be, when I was apprehensive that I was just going to be cut off, and tobe deprived of the days and years I might have lived, and hoped I should, to the glory of God,and the good of my subjects; just when I saw it was all over with me, I had a gracious visit ormessage from the Lord, assuring me that fifteen years should be added to my life: and so this ismentioned as a singular instance of divine goodness, in the midst of his distress; and to this sensethe Targum agrees,

"because he remembered me for good, an addition was made to my years.''

4. Henry, “He tells us what his thoughts were of himself when he was at the worst; and these hekeeps in remembrance, (1.) As blaming himself for his despondency, and that he gave up himselffor gone; whereas while there is life there is hope, and room for our prayer and God's mercy.Though it is good to consider sickness as a summons to the grave, so as thereby to be quickenedin our preparations for another world, yet we ought not to make the worse of our case, nor tothink that every sick man must needs be a dead man presently. He that brings low can raise up.Or, (2.) As reminding himself of the apprehensions he had of death approaching, that he mightalways know and consider his own frailty and mortality, and that, though he had a reprieve forfifteen years, it was but a reprieve, and the fatal stroke he had now such a dread of wouldcertainly come at last. Or, (3.) As magnifying the power of God in restoring him when his casewas desperate, and his goodness in being so much better to him than his own fears. Thus Davidsometimes, when he was delivered out of trouble, reflected upon the black and melancholyconclusions he had made upon his own case when he was in trouble, and what he had then said in

his haste, as Psa_31:22; Psa_77:7-9.

He reckoned that the number of his months was cut off in the midst. He was now about thirty-nine or forty years of age, and when he had a fair prospect of many years and happy ones, veryhappy, very many, before him. This distemper that suddenly seized him he concluded would bethe cutting off of his days, that he should now be deprived of the residue of his years, which in acourse of nature he might have lived (not which he could command as a debt due to him, butwhich he had reason to expect, considering the strength of his constitution), and with them heshould be deprived not only of the comforts of life, but of all the opportunities he had of servingGod and his generation.

He reckoned that he should go to the gates of the grave - to the grave, the gates of which arealways open; for it is still crying, Give, give. The grave is here put not only for the sepulchre of hisfathers, in which his body would be deposited with a great deal of pomp and magnificence (for hewas buried in the chief of the sepulchres of the kings, and all Judah did him honour at his death,

2Ch_32:33), which yet he himself took no care of, nor gave any order about, when he was sick;but for the state of the dead, that is, the sheol, the hades, the invisible world, to which he saw his

soul going.”

5. Constable, “The bulk of this section is a psalm of lamentation and thanksgiving that Hezekiahcomposed after his recovery (vv. 10-20). It is the only extant narrative in the Old Testamentwritten by a king of Judah after the time of Solomon.371 Compare �ebuchadnezzar, the king ofBabylon's, similar testimony of praise after God delivered him from insanity (Dan. 4:34-35). Thispsalm is also chiastic in structure. It begins with reference to the gates of Sheol and sorrow at theprospect of shortened days (v. 10), and it ends with reference to the house of the Lord and joy atthe prospect of lengthened days.”

11 I said, "I will not again see the LORD, the LORD, in the land of the living; no longer will I look on mankind, or be with those who now dwell in this world. [b]

1. We see that Hezekiah is having the same typical feelings as most people who face death. Theyreflect on what they will be missing in the land of the living. People are primary, and being in thepresence of people who are loved and important. Giving up people is the hard part of leaving thisworld, and seeing God work in this world so that life is filled with abundance of blessings. He willnot longer see the Lord in the land of the living, and he had not the �ew Testament hope of seeingthe Lord in the land of the living again in God's presence. It is a sad reflection that makes anyman long to escape death and continue in this life with all of its sins and folly. It is still the bestthat we know.

2. Henry, “He reckoned that he was deprived of all the opportunities he might have had ofworshiping God and doing good in the world (Isa_38:1): “I said,” [1.] “I shall not see the Lord, ashe manifests himself in his temple, in his oracles and ordinances, even the Lord here in the land of

the living.” He hopes to see him on the other side death, but he despairs of seeing him any moreon this side death, as he had seen him in the sanctuary, Psa_63:2. He shall no more see (that is,serve) the Lord in the land of the living, the land of conflict between his kingdom and thekingdom of Satan, this seat of war. He dwells much upon this: I shall no more see the Lord, even

the Lord; for a good man wishes not to live for any other end than that he may serve God andhave communion with him. [2.] “I shall see man no more.” He shall see his subjects no more,whom he may protect and administer justice to, shall see no more objects of charity, whom hemay relieve, shall see his friends no more, who were often sharpened by his countenance, as ironis by iron. Death puts an end to conversation, and removes our acquaintance into darkness,Psa_88:18.”

3. Jamison, “Lord ... Lord — The repetition, as in Isa_38:19, expresses the excited feeling of theking’s mind.

See the Lord (Jehovah) - figuratively for “to enjoy His good gifts.” So, in a similar connection(Psa_27:13). “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of theliving”; (Psa_34:12), “What man is he that desireth life that he may see good?”

world — rather, translate: “among the inhabitants of the land of stillness,” that is, Hades[Maurer], in parallel antithesis to “the land of the living” in the first clause. The Hebrew comesfrom a root, to “rest” or “cease” (Job_14:6).

4. Barnes, “I shall not see the Lord - In the original, the Hebrew which is rendered ‘Lord,’ is notYahweh, but יה יה yâhh yâhh. On the meaning of it, see the note at Isa_12:2 (compare the note atIsa_7:14). The repetition of the name here denotes emphasis or intensity of feeling - the deepdesire which he had to see Yahweh in the land of the living, and the intense sorrow of his heart atthe idea of being cut off from that privilege. The idea here is, that Hezekiah felt that he would notbe spared to enjoy the tokens of divine favor on earth; to reap the fruits of the surprising andremarkable deliverance from the army of Sennacherib; and to observe its happy results in theaugmenting prosperity of the people, and in the complete success of his plans of reformation.

I shall behold man no more - I shall see the living no more; I shall die, and go among the dead.He regarded it as a privilege to live, and to enjoy the society of his friends and fellow-worshippersin the temple - a privilege from which he felt that he was about to be cut off.

With the inhabitants of the world - Or rather, ‘among the inhabitants of the land of stillness;’that is, of the land of shades - sheol. He would not there see man as he saw him on earth, livingand active, but would be a shade in the land of shades; himself still, in a world of stillness. ‘I shallbe associated with them there, and of course be cut off from the privileges of the society of livingmen.’ (See Supplementary �ote at Isa_14:9.) The Hebrew word rendered ‘world’ (חדל chedel), isfrom חדל châdal, “to cease, to leave off, to desist; to become languid, flaccid, pendulous.” It thenconveys the idea of leaving off, of resting, of being still Jdg_5:6; Job_3:17; Job_14:6; Isa_2:22.Hence, the idea of frailty Psa_39:5; and hence, the word here denotes probably the place of rest,the region of the dead, and is synonymous with the land of silence, such as the grave and theregion of the dead are in contradistinction from the hurry and bustle of this world. Ourtranslation seems to have been made as if the word was חלד cheled, “life, lifetime”; hence, theworld Psa_17:14; Psa_49:2. The Vulgate renders it, ‘Habitatorem quietis.’ The Septuagintsimply: ‘I shall behold man no more.’

5. Gill, “I said, I shall not see the Lord, even the Lord in the land of the living,.... �ot any more, inthis world, though in the other, and that more clearly, even face to face: his meaning is, that heshould no more see him in the glass of the word; no more praise him in his house; worship him inhis temple; enjoy him in his ordinances; and see his beauty, power, and glory, in the sanctuary;and confess unto him, and praise his name (g). The Targum is,

"I shall no more appear before the face of the Lord in the land of the house of his Shechinah, inwhich is length of life; and I shall no more serve him in the house of the sanctuary.''

In the Hebrew text it is, "I shall not see Jah, Jah"; a word, the same with Jehovah; and isrepeated, to show the vehemency of his affection for the Lord, and his ardent desire ofcommunion with him: unless it should be rendered, "I shall not see the Lord's Lord in the land ofthe living (h)"; or the Lord's Christ in the flesh:

I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world; or "time" (i); of this fading

transitory world, which will quickly cease, as the word for it signifies: next to God, his concernwas, that he should no more enjoy the company of men, of his subjects, of his courtiers, of hisrelations, companions, and acquaintance; particularly of the saints, the excellent in the earth.”

6. Rich Cathers stresses the need of Hezekiah to have a son and an heir to the throne. He did liveto have that son, but the son turned out to be terrible. Cathers wrote, “I wonder if the real issuemay have more to do with parenting. I know that bad people aren’t always a result of badparenting, but I wonder if it could have been that when Hezekiah finally had a son, that he wasoverprotective of him and spoiled him? Could it be that he thought that he’d won the race byhaving a baby, and stopped short of the real race? The real race we run with our children is notin having them. It’s in raising them. The real race is to raise a godly man or woman.Illustration

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12 Like a shepherd's tent my house has been pulled down and taken from me.

Like a weaver I have rolled up my life, and he has cut me off from the loom; day and night you made an end of me.

1. Kyle, “I rolled or wound up my life, as the weaver rolls up the finished piece of cloth: i.e., I wassure of my death, namely, because God was about to give me up to death; He was about to cut meoff from the thrum (the future is here significantly interchanged with the perfect). Dallâh is thethrum, licium, the threads of the warp upon a loom, which becomes shorter and shorter thefurther the weft proceeds, until at length the piece is finished, and the weaver cuts through theshort threads, and so sets it free ( בצע, cf., Job_6:9; Job_27:8). The strophe closes with the deeplamentation which the sufferer poured out at that time: he could not help feeling that God wouldput an end to him (shâlam, syn. kâlâh, tâmam, gâmar) from day to night, i.e., in the shortest timepossible (compare Job_4:20).”

2. Henry, “To the same purport (Isa_38:12), “My age has departed and gone, and is removed fromme as a shepherd's tent, out of which I am forcibly dislodged by the pulling of it down in aninstant.” Our present residence is but like that of a shepherd in his tent, a poor, mean, and coldlodging, where we are upon duty, and with a trust committed to our charge, as the shepherd has,of which we must give an account, and which will easily be taken down by the drawing of one pinor two. But observe, It is not the final period of our age, but only the removal of it to anotherworld, where the tents of Kedar that are taken down, coarse, black, and weather-beaten, shall beset up again in the �ew Jerusalem, comely as the curtains of Solomon. He adds anothersimilitude: I have cut off, like a weaver, my life. �ot that he did by any act of his own cut off thethread of his life; but, being told that he must needs die, he was forced to cut off all his designsand projects, his purposes were broken off, even the thoughts of his heart, as Job's were,Job_17:11. Our days are compared to the weaver's shuttle (Job_7:6), passing and repassing veryswiftly, every throw leaving a thread behind it; and, when they are finished, the thread is cut off,and the piece taken out of the loom, and shown to our Master, to be judged of whether it be wellwoven or no, that we may receive according to the things done in the body. But as the weaver,when he has cut off his thread, has done his work, and the toil is over, so a good man, when hislife is cut off, his cares and fatigues are cut off with it, and he rests from his labours. “But did Isay, I have cut off my life? �o, my times are not in my own hand; they are in God's hand, and it ishe that will cut me off from the thrum (so the margin reads it); he has appointed what shall be thelength of the piece, and, when it comes to that length, he will cut it off.”

3. Jamison, “departed — is broken up, or shifted, as a tent to a different locality. The same imageoccurs (2Co_5:1; 2Pe_1:12, 2Pe_1:13). He plainly expects to exist, and not cease to be in anotherstate; as the shepherd still lives, after he has struck his tent and removed elsewhere.

I have cut off — He attributes to himself that which is God’s will with respect to him; becausehe declares that will. So Jeremiah is said to “root out” kingdoms, because he declares God’spurpose of doing so (Jer_1:10). The weaver cuts off his web from the loom when completed.Job_7:6 has a like image. The Greeks represented the Fates as spinning and cutting off thethreads of each man’s life.

he — God.

with pining sickness — rather, “from the thrum,” or thread, which tied the loom to theweaver’s beam.

from day ... to night — that is, in the space of a single day between morning and night(Job_4:20).

4. Barnes, “Mine age - The word which is used here ( דור dôr) means properly the revolvingperiod or circle of human life. The parallelism seems to demand, however, that it should be usedin the sense of dwelling or habitation, so as to correspond with the ‘shepherd’s tent.’ Accordingly,Lowth and �oyes render it, ‘Habitation.’ So also do Gesenius and Rosenmuller. The Arabic wordhas this signification; and the Hebrew verb דור dûr also means “to dwell, to remain,” as in theChaldee. Here the word means a dwelling, or habitation; that is, a tent, as the habitations of theOrientals were mostly tents.

Is departed - (נסע nıssa‛). The idea here is, that his dwelling was to be transferred from oneplace to another, as when a tent or encampment was broken up; that is, he was about to cease todwell on the earth, and to dwell in the land of silence, or among the dead.

From me as a shepherd’s tent - As suddenly as the tent of a shepherd is taken down, folded up,and transferred to another place. There is doubtless the idea here that he would continue to exist,but in another place, as the shepherd would pitch his tent or dwell in another place. He was to becut off from the earth, but he expected to dwell among the dead. The whole passage conveys theidea that he expected to dwell in another state - as the shepherd dwells in another place when hestrikes his tent, and it is removed.

I have cut off like a weaver my life - This is another image designed to express substantially thesame idea. The sense is, as a weaver takes his web from the loom by cutting the warp, or thethreads which bind it to the beam, and thus loosens it and takes it away, so his life was to be cutoff. When it is said, ‘I cut off’ (קפדתי qipadetiy), the idea is, doubtless, I AM cut off; or my life iscut off. Hezekiah here speaks of himself as the agent, because he might have felt that his sins andunworthiness were the cause. Life is often spoken of as a web that is woven, because an advanceis constantly made in filling up the web, and because it is soon finished, and is then cut off.

He will cut me off - God was about to cut me off.

With pining sickness - Margin, ‘From the thrum.’ Lowth, ‘From the loom.’ The word דלהdalâh means properly something hanging down or pendulous; anything pliant or slender. Hence,it denotes hair or locks Son_7:6. Here it seems to denote the threads or thrums which tied the webto the weaver’s beam. The image here denotes the cutting off of life as the weaver cuts his web outof the loom, or as he cuts off thrums. The word never means sickness.

From day even to night - That is, in the space of a single day, or between morning and night - asa weaver with a short web accomplishes it in a single day. The disease of Hezekiah was doubtlessthe pestilence; and the idea is, that God would cut him off speedily, as it were in a single day.

Wilt thou make an end of me - Hebrew, ‘Wilt thou perfect’ or ‘finish’ me; that is, wilt thou takemy life.

5. Clarke, “I shall be removed from this state to another, as a shepherd removes his tent from oneplace to another for the sake of his flock. Is not this a strong intimation of his belief in a futurestate?”

6. Gill, “ Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd's tent,.... Or, my habitation(k); meaning the earthly house of his tabernacle, his body; this was just going, in hisapprehension, to be unpinned, and removed like a shepherd's tent, that is easily taken down, and

removed from place to place. Some understand it of the men of his age or generation; so theTargum,

"from the children of my generation my days are taken away; they are cut off, and removed fromme; they are rolled up as a shepherd's tent;''

which being made of skins, as tents frequently were, such as the Arabian shepherds used, weresoon taken down, and easily rolled and folded up and carried elsewhere:

I have cut off like a weaver my life; who, when he has finished his web, or a part of it, as hepleases, cuts it off from the loom, and disposes of it: this Hezekiah ascribes to himself, either thatby reason of his sins and transgressions he was the cause of his being taken away by death sosoon; or this was the thought he had within himself, that his life would now be cut off, as theweaver's web from the loom; for otherwise he knew that it was the Lord that would do it,whenever it was, as in the next clause:

he will cut me off with pining sickness; which was now upon him, wasting and consuming himapace: or, "will cut me off from the thrum" (l); keeping on the metaphor of the weaver cutting offhis web from the thrum, fastened to the beam of his loom:

from day even tonight wilt thou make an end of me; he means the Lord by "he" in the precedingclause, and in this he addresses him; signifying that the affliction was so sharp and heavy uponhim, which was the first day of it, that he did not expect to live till night, but that God would puta period to his days, fill them up, and finish his life, and dispatch him out of this world.”

13 I waited patiently till dawn, but like a lion he broke all my bones; day and night you made an end of me.

1. Henry, “He reckoned that the agonies of death would be very sharp and severe: “He will cut

me off with pining sickness, which will waste me, and wear me off, quickly.” The distemperincreased so fast, without intermission or remission, either day or night, morning or evening, thathe concluded it would soon come to a crisis and make an end of him - that God, whose servantsall diseases are, would by them, as a lion, break all his bones with grinding pain, Isa_38:13. Hethought that next morning was the utmost he could expect to live in such pain and misery; whenhe had outlived the first day's illness the second day he repeated his fears, and concluded that thismust needs be his last night: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me. When we are sickwe are very apt to be thus calculating our time, and, after all, we are still at uncertainty. It shouldbe more our care how we shall get safely to another world than how long we are likely to live inthis world.”

1B. Constable, “The king had composed himself; he had prepared for a normal future. But theLord had interrupted his plans as an attacking lion surprises its prey and springs on it, breakingits bones.”

2. Jamison, “I reckoned ... that — rather, I composed (my mind, during the night, expecting reliefin the “morning,” so Job_7:4): for (“that” is not, as in the English Version, to be supplied) as alion He was breaking all my bones [Vitringa] (Job_10:16; Lam_3:10, Lam_3:11). The Hebrew, inPsa_131:2, is rendered, “I quieted.” Or else, “I made myself like a lion (namely, in roaring,through pain), He was so breaking my bones!” Poets often compare great groaning to a lion’sroaring, so, Isa_38:14, he compares his groans to the sounds of other animals (Psa_22:1)[Maurer].”

3. Barnes, “I reckoned - There has been considerable variety in interpreting this expression. TheSeptuagint renders it, ‘I was given up in the morning as to a lion.’ The Vulgate renders it, ‘Ihoped until morning;’ and in his commentary, Jerome says it means, that as Job in his troubleand anguish Isa_7:4 sustained himself at night expecting the day, and in the daytime waiting forthe night, expecting a change for the better, so Hezekiah waited during the night expecting reliefin the morning. He knew, says he, that the violence of a burning fever would very soon subside,and he thus composed himself, and calmly waited. So Vitringa renders it, ‘I composed my minduntil the morning.’ Others suppose that the word used here (שויתי shıvıythıy), means, ‘I mademyself like a lion,’ that is, in roaring. But the more probable and generally adopted interpretationis, ‘I looked to God, hoping that the disease would soon subside, but as a lion he crushed mybones. The disease increased in violence, and became past endurance. Then I chattered like aswallow, and mourned like a dove, over the certainty that I must die.’ Our translators, byinserting the word ‘that,’ have greatly marred the sense, as if he had reckoned or calculatedthrough the night that God would break his bones, or increase the violence of the disease,whereas the reverse was true. He hoped and expected that it would be otherwise, and with thatview he composed his mind.

As a lion so will he break all my bones - This should be in the past tense. ‘He (God) did crushall my bones.’ The connection requires this construction. The idea is, that as a lion crushes thebones of his prey, producing great pain and sudden death, so it was with God in producing greatpain and the prospect of sudden death.

From day even to night ... - (See the note at Isa_38:12) Between morning and night. That is, hispain so resembled the crushing of all the bones of an animal by the lion, that he could not hope tosurvive the day.

4. Gill, “I reckoned till morning,.... Or, "I set my time till the morning (m)"; he fixed and settledit in his mind that he could live no longer than to the morning, if he lived so long; he thought heshould have died before the night came on, and, now it was come, the utmost he could propose tohimself was to live till morning; that was the longest time he could reckon of. According to theaccents, it should be rendered, "I reckoned till morning as a lion"; or "I am like until themorning as a lion"; or, "I likened until the morning (God) as a lion"; I compared him to one;which agrees with what follows. The Targum is,

"I roared until morning, as a lion roars;''

through the force of the disease, and the pain he was in: or rather,

"I laid my bones together until the morning as a lion; "so indeed as a lion God" hath broken allmy bones (n):''

so will he break all my bones; or, "it will break"; that is, the sickness, as Kimchi and Jarchi; itlay in his bones, and so violent was the pain, that he thought all his bones were breaking inpieces; such is the case in burning fevers, as Jerom observes; so Kimchi interprets it of a burningfever, which is like a fire in the bones. Some understand this of God himself, to which our versiondirects, who may be said to do this by the disease: compare with this Job_16:14 and to this sensethe following clause inclines:

from day even tonight wilt thou make an end of me; he lived till morning, which was more thanhe expected, and was the longest time he could set himself; and now be reckoned that beforenight it would be all over with him as to this world. This was the second day of his illness; and thethird day he recovered, and went to the temple with his song of praise.”

14 I cried like a swift or thrush, I moaned like a mourning dove. My eyes grew weak as I looked to the heavens. I am troubled; O Lord, come to my aid!"

1. Henry, “ The complaints he made in this condition (Isa_38:14): “Like a crane, or swallow, so

did I chatter; I made a noise as those birds do when they are frightened.” See what a changesickness makes in a little time; he that, but the other day, spoke with so much freedom andmajesty, nor, through the extremity of pain or deficiency of spirits, chatters like a crane or a

swallow. Some think he refers to his praying in his affliction; it was so broken and interruptedwith groanings which could not be uttered that it was more like the chattering of a crane or aswallow than what it used to be. Such mean thoughts had he of his own prayers, which yet wereacceptable to God, and successful. He mourned like a dove, sadly, but silently and patiently. Hehad found God so ready to answer his prayers at other times that he could not but look upwards,in expectation of some relief now, but in vain: his eyes failed, and he saw no hopeful symptom,nor felt any abatement of his distemper; and therefore he prays, “I am oppressed, quiteoverpowered and ready to sink; Lord, undertake for me; bail me out of the hands of the serjeantthat has arrested me; be surety for thy servant for good, Psa_119:122. Come between me and thegates of the grave, to which I am ready to be hurried.” When we recover from sickness, the divinepity does, as it were, beg a day for us, and undertakes we shall be forthcoming another time andanswer the debt in full. And, when we receive the sentence of death within ourselves, we areundone if the divine grace do not undertake for us to carry us through the valley of the shadow ofdeath, and to preserve us blameless to the heavenly kingdom on the other side of it - if Christ donot undertake for us, to bring us off in judgment, and present us to his Father, and to do all thatfor us which we need, and cannot do for ourselves. I am oppressed, ease me (so some read it); for,when we are agitated by a sense of guilt and the fear of wrath, nothing will make us easy but

Christ's undertaking for us.”

2. Jamison, “Rather, “Like a swallow, or a crane” (from a root; “to disturb the water,” a birdfrequenting the water) [Maurer], (Jer_8:7).

chatter — twitter: broken sounds expressive of pain.

dove — called by the Arabs the daughter of mourning, from its plaintive note (Isa_59:11).

looking upward — to God for relief.

undertake for — literally, “be surety for” me; assure me that I shall be restored (Psa_119:122).

3. Barnes, “Like a crane - The word used here ( סוס sûs) usually denotes a horse. The rabbisrender it here ‘a crane.’ Gesenius translates it ‘a swallow;’ and in his Lexicon interprets the wordwhich is translated ‘a swallow’ ( עגור 'āgûr) to mean “circling,” making gyrations; and the wholephrase, ‘as the circling swallow.’ The Syriac renders this, ‘As the chattering swallow.’ TheVulgate, ‘As the young of the swallow.’ The Septuagint simply reads: ‘As the swallow.’ That twobirds are intended here, or that some fowl is denoted by the word עגור 'āgûr, is manifest fromJer_8:7, where it is mentioned as distinct from the סוס sûs (the crane) וסוס ועגור vesûs ve‛āgûr. Onthe meaning of the words Bochart may be consulted (Hieroz. i. 2. p. 602). It is probable that theswallow and the crane are intended. The swallow is well known, and is remarkable for itstwittering. The crane is also a well-known bird with long limbs made to go in the water. Its noisemay be expressive of grief.

So did I chatter - Peep, or twitter (see the note at Isa_8:19). The idea here is doubtless that ofpain that was expressed in sounds resembling that made by birds - a broken, unmeaningunintelligible sighing; or quick breathing, and moaning.

I did mourn as a dove - The dove, from its plaintive sound, is an emblem of grief. It is so usedin Isa_59:11. The idea is that of the lonely or solitary dove that is lamenting or mourning for itscompanion:

‘Just as the lonely dove laments its mate.’

Mine eyes fail - The word used here (דלו dâllû) means properly to hang down, to swing like thebranches of the willow; then to be languid, feeble, weak. Applied to the eye, it means that itlanguishes and becomes weak.

With looking upward - To God, for relief and comfort. He had looked so long and so intenselytoward heaven for aid, that his eyes became weak and feeble.

O Lord, I am oppressed - This was his language in his affliction. He was so oppressed andborne down, that he cried to God for relief.

Undertake for me - Margin, ‘Ease me.’ The word (ערב ‛ârab) more properly means, to becomesurety for him. See it explained in the the note at Isa_36:8. Here it means, be surety for my life;give assurance that I shall be restored; take me under thy protection (see Psa_119:122): ‘Besurety for thy servant for good.’

4. Gill, “Like a crane, or a swallow, so did I chatter,.... Rather, "like a crane and a swallow", likeboth; sometimes loud and clamorous, like a crane (o), when the pain was very acute andgrievous; and sometimes very low, through weakness of body, like the twittering of a swallow; orthe moan he made under his affliction was like the mournful voices of these birds at certaintimes. Some think he refers to his prayers, which were quick and short, and expressed not witharticulate words, but in groans and cries; at least were not regular and orderly, but interrupted,

and scarce intelligible, like the chattering of the birds mentioned:

I did mourn as a dove; silently and patiently, within himself, for his sins and transgressions; andbecause of his afflictions, the fruit of them:

mine eyes fail with looking upwards; or, "on high"; or, as the Septuagint and Arabic versionsexpress it, "to the height of heaven"; to the Lord there, whose Shechinah, as the Targum, is in thehighest heavens: in his distress he looked up to heaven for help, but none came; he looked andwaited till his eyes were weak with looking, and he could look no longer; both his eyes and hisheart failed him, and he despaired of relief; and the prayer he put up was as follows:

O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me; or, "it oppresseth me (p)"; that is, the disease; it layso heavy upon him, it bore him down with the weight of it, he could not stand up under it; it hadseized him, and crushed him; it held him fast, and he could not get clear of it; and thereforeentreats the Lord to "undertake" for him, to be his surety for good, as in Psa_119:122, herepresents his disease as a bailiff that had arrested him, and was carrying him to the prison of thegrave; and therefore prays that the Lord would bail him, or rescue him out of his hands, that hemight not go down to the gates of the grave. So souls oppressed with the guilt of sin, and havingfearful apprehensions of divine justice, should apply to Christ their surety, and take refuge in hisundertakings, where only peace and safety are to be enjoyed. So Gussetius renders the words, "Ihave unrighteousness, be surety for me" (q); and takes them to be a confession of Hezekiah,acknowledging himself guilty of unrighteousness, praying and looking to Christ the Son of God,and to his suretyship engagements, who, though not yet come to fulfil them, certainly would.”

15 But what can I say? He has spoken to me, and he himself has done this. I will walk humbly all my years because of this anguish of my soul.

1. Henry, “The grateful acknowledgment he makes of God's goodness to him in his recovery. Hebegins this part of the writing as one at a stand how to express himself (Isa_38:15): “What shall I

say? Why should I say so much by way of complaint when this is enough to silence all mycomplaints - He has spoken unto me; he has sent his prophet to tell me that I shall recover andlive fifteen years yet; and he himself has done it: it is as sure to be done as if it were done already.What God has spoken he will himself do, for no word of his shall fall to the ground.” God havingspoken it, he is sure of it (Isa_38:16): “Thou wilt restore me, and make me to live; not only restoreme from this illness, but make me to live through the years assigned me.” And, having this hope,

1. He promises himself always to retain the impressions of his affliction (Isa_38:15): “I will go

softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul, as one in sorrow for my sinful distrusts and

murmurings under my affliction, as one in care to make suitable returns for God's favour to meand to make it appear that I have got good by the providences I have been under. I will go softly,

gravely and considerately, and with thought and deliberation, not as many, who, when they haverecovered, live as carelessly and as much at large as ever.” Or, “I will go pleasantly” (so someunderstand it); “when God has delivered me I will walk cheerfully with him in all holyconversation, as having tasted that he is gracious.” Or, “I will go softly, even after the bitterness of

my soul” (so it may be read); “when the trouble is over I will endeavor to retain the impression ofit, and to have the same thoughts of things that I had then.”

2. Jamison, “The second part of the song passes from prayer to thanksgiving at the prayer beingheard.

What shall I say? — the language of one at a loss for words to express his sense of theunexpected deliverance.

both spoken ... and ... done it — (�um_23:19). Both promised and performed (1Th_5:24;Heb_10:23).

himself — �o one else could have done it (Psa_98:1).

go softly ... in the bitterness — rather, “on account of the bitterness”; I will behave myselfhumbly in remembrance of my past sorrow and sickness from which I have been delivered byGod’s mercy (see 1Ki_21:27, 1Ki_21:29). In Psa_42:4, the same Hebrew verb expresses the slowand solemn gait of one going up to the house of God; it is found nowhere else, hence Rosenmullerexplains it, “I will reverently attend the sacred festivals in the temple”; but this ellipsis would beharsh; rather metaphorically the word is transferred to a calm, solemn, and submissive walk oflife.

3. Barnes, “What shall I say? - This language seems to denote surprise and gratitude atunexpected deliverance. It is the language of a heart that is overflowing, and that wants words toexpress its deep emotions. In the previous verse he had described his pain, anguish, and despair.In this he records the sudden and surprising deliverance which God had granted; which was sogreat that no words could express his sense of it. �othing could be more natural than thislanguage; nothing would more appropriately express the feelings of a man who had beensuddenly restored to health from dangerous sickness, and brought from the borders of the grave.

He hath both spoken unto me - That is, he has promised. So the word is often used Deu_26:17;Jer_3:19. He had made the promise by the instrumentality of Isaiah Isa_38:5-6. The promiserelated to his recovery, to the length of his days, and to his entire deliverance from the hands ofthe Assyrians.

And himself hath done it - He himself has restored me according to his promise, when no oneelse could have done it.

I shall go softly - Lowth renders this, in accordance with the Vulgate, ‘Will I reflect.’ But theHebrew will not bear this construction. The word used here (דדה dâdâh) occurs in but one otherplace in the Bible Psa_42:4 : ‘I went with them to the house of God;’ that is, I went with them in asacred procession to the house of God; I went with a solemn, calm, slow pace. The idea here is, ‘Iwill go humbly, submissively, all my life; I will walk in a serious manner, remembering that I amtraveling to the grave; I will avoid pride, pomp, and display; I will suffer the remembrance of mysickness, and of God’s mercy to produce a calm, serious, thoughtful demeanour all my life.’ Thisis the proper effect of sickness on a pious mind, and it is its usual effect. And probably, one designof God was to keep Hezekiah from the ostentatious parade usually attendant on his lofty station;from being elated with his deliverance from the Assyrian; from improper celebrations of that

deliverance by revelry and pomp; and to keep him in remembrance, that though he was amonarch, yet he was a mortal man, and that he held his life at the disposal of God.

In the bitterness of my soul - I will remember the deep distress, the bitter sorrows of mysickness, and my surprising recovery; and will allow the remembrance of that to diffuseseriousness and gratitude over all my life.”

4. Gill, “ What shall I say?.... In a way of praise and thankfulness, for the mercies promised andreceived; I know not what to say; I want words to express the gratitude of my heart for thekindness bestowed. What shall I render to God for all his benefits? So the Targum,

"what praise shall I utter, and I will say it before him?''

for here begins the account of his recovery, and his thanksgiving for it:

he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it; the Lord had sent him a message by theprophet, and assured him that he should recover, and on the third day go up to the temple; andnow he had performed what he had promised, he was restored, and was come to the house of Godwith his thank offering; whatever the Lord says, he does; what he promises, he brings to pass:

I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul; before he did not reckon of a day to live,now he speaks of his years, having fifteen added to his days, during which time he should "gosoftly", in a thoughtful "meditating" frame of mind (r); frequently calling to remembrance, andrevolving in his mind, his bitter affliction, and recovery out of it, acknowledging the goodness andkindness of God unto him: or leisurely,

step by step, without fear of any enemies, dangers, or death, having a promise of such a length oftime to live: or go pleasantly and

cheerfully, after the bitterness of my soul (s), as it may be rendered; that is, after it is over, orbecause of deliverance from it. So the Targum,

"with what shall I serve him, and render to him for all the years he hath added to my life, andhath delivered me from the bitterness of my soul?''

16 Lord, by such things men live; and my spirit finds life in them too. You restored me to health and let me live.

1. Henry, “He will encourage himself and others with the experiences he had had of the goodnessof God (Isa_38:16): “By these things which thou hast done for me they live, the kingdom lives”(for the life of such a king was the life of the kingdom); “all that hear of it shall live and becomforted; by the same power and goodness that have restored me all men have their souls heldin life, and they ought to acknowledge it. In all these things is the life of my spirit, my spiritual life,that is supported and maintained by what God has done for the preservation of my natural life.”The more we taste of the loving-kindness of God in every providence the more will our hearts beenlarged to love him and live to him, and that will be the life of our spirit. Thus our souls live,and they shall praise him.

2. Jamison, “by these — namely, by God’s benefits, which are implied in the context (Isa_38:15,“He hath Himself done it” “unto me”). All “men live by these” benefits (Psa_104:27-30), “and inall these is the life of my spirit,” that is, I also live by them (Deu_8:3).

and (wilt) make me to live — The Hebrew is imperative, “make me to live.” In this view he addsa prayer to the confident hope founded on his comparative convalescence, which he expressed,“Thou wilt recover me” [Maurer].

3. Barnes, “O Lord, by these things men live - The design of this and the following verses isevidently to set forth the goodness of God, and to celebrate his praise for what he had done. Thephrase ‘these things,’ refers evidently to the promises of God and their fulfillment; and the ideais, that people are sustained in the land of the living only by such gracious interpositions as hehad experienced. It was not because people had any power of preserving their own lives, butbecause God interposed in time of trouble, and restored to health when there was no humanprospect that they could recover.

And in all these things - In these promises, and in the divine interposition.

Is the life of my spirit - I am alive in virtue only of these things.

So wilt thou recover me - Or so hast thou recovered me; that is, thou hast restored me tohealth.

4. Gill, “O Lord, by these things men live,.... �ot by bread only, but by the word of God: by thepromise of God, and by his power performing it; and by his favour and goodness continuallybestowed; it is in him, and by his power and providence, that they live and move, and have theirbeing, and the continuance of it; and it is his lovingkindness manifested to them that makes themlive comfortably and go on cheerfully:

and in all these things is the life of my spirit; what kept his soul in life were the same things, thepromise, power, and providence of God; what revived his spirit, and made him comfortable andcheerful, was the wonderful love and great goodness of God unto him, in appearing to him, andfor him, and delivering him out of his sore troubles. Ben Melech renders and gives the sense ofthe words thus; "to all will I declare and say, that in these", in the years of addition (the fifteenyears added to his days) "are the life of my spirit"; so Kimchi. The Targum interprets it of theresurrection of the dead,

"O Lord, concerning all the dead, thou hast said, that thou wilt quicken them; and before themall thou hast quickened my spirit:''

so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live; or rather, "and" or "for thou hast recovered (t) me,and made me to live"; for the Lord had not only promised it, but he had done it, Isa_38:15, and

so the Targum,

"and hast quickened me, and sustained me.''

17 Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back.

1. Jamison, ““Thou hast been lovingly attached to me from the pit”; pregnant phrase for, Thylove has gone down to the pit, and drawn me out from it. The “pit” is here simply death, inHezekiah’s sense; realized in its fullness only in reference to the soul’s redemption from hell byJesus Christ (Isa_61:1), who went down to the pit for that purpose Himself (Psa_88:4-6;Zec_9:11, Zec_9:12; Heb_13:20). “Sin” and sickness are connected (Psa_103:3; compareIsa_53:4, with Mat_8:17; Mat_9:5, Mat_9:6), especially under the Old Testament dispensation oftemporal sanctions; but even now, sickness, though not invariably arising from sin in individuals,

is connected with it in the general moral view.cast ... behind back — consigned my sins to oblivion. The same phrase occurs (1Ki_14:9;

�eh_9:26; Psa_50:17). Contrast Psa_90:8, “Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secretsins in the light of thy countenance.”

2. Barnes, “‘Loved my soul from the pit.’ The word which occurs here (חשקת châshaqtâ) denotesproperly to join or fasten together; then to be attached to anyone; to be united tenderly; toembrace. Here it means that God had loved him, and had thus delivered his soul from death.

Delivered it from the pit of corruption - The word rendered “corruption” (בלי belıy), denotesconsumption, destruction, perdition. It may be applied to the grave, or to the deep and darkabode of departed spirits; and the phrase here is evidently synonymous with sheol or hades. Thegrave, or the place for the dead, is often represented as a pit - deep and dark - to which the livingdescend (Job_17:16; Job_33:18, Job_33:24-25, Job_33:30; Psa_28:1; Psa_30:3; Psa_55:23;Psa_69:15; Psa_88:4; compare Isa_14:15, note, Isa_14:19, note).

For thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back - Thou hast forgiven them; hast ceased to punishme on account of them. This shows that Hezekiah, in accordance with the sentiment everywherefelt and expressed in the Bible, regarded his suffering as the fruit of sin.

3. Gill, “"thou hast embraced my soul from the pit of corruption (w)"; it seems to be an allusionto a tender parent, seeing his child sinking in a pit, runs with open arms to him, and embraces

him, and takes him out. This may be applied to a state of nature, out of which the Lord in lovedelivers his people; which is signified by a pit, or dark dungeon, a lonely place, a filthy one, veryuncomfortable, where they are starving and famishing; a pit, wherein is no water, Zec_9:11 andmay fitly be called a pit of corruption, because of their corrupt nature, estate, and actions; out ofthis the Lord brings his people at conversion, and that because of his great love to their souls, andhis delight in them; or it may be applied to their deliverance from the bottomless pit ofdestruction, which is owing to the Lord's being gracious to them, and having found a ransom forthem, his own Son, Job_33:24, and to this sense the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Arabicversions seem to incline; "for thou hast delivered my soul that it might not perish": in love totheir souls, and that they may not perish, he binds them up in the bundle of life, with the Lordtheir God; he redeems their souls from sin, Satan, and the law; he regenerates, renews, andconverts them, and preserves them safe to his everlasting kingdom and glory; in order to which,and to prevent their going down to the pit, they are put into the hands of Christ, redeemed by hisprecious blood, and are turned out of the broad road that leads to destruction:

for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back; as loathsome and abominable, and so as not to beseen by him; for though God sees all the sins of his people with his eye of omniscience, and in hisprovidence takes notice of them, and chastises for them, yet not with his eye of avenging justice;because Christ has took them on himself, and made satisfaction for them, and an end of them;they are removed from them as far as the east is from the west, and no more to be seen uponthem; nor will they be any more set before his face, or in the light of his countenance; but as theyare out of sight they will be out of mind, never more remembered, but forgotten; as what is castbehind the back is seen and remembered no more. The phrase is expressive of the full forgivenessof sins, even of all sins; see Psa_85:2, the object of God's love is the souls of his people; theinstance of it is the delivery of them from the pit of corruption; the evidence of it is the pardon oftheir sins.

4. “When God forgives our sins, He puts them behind His back. This is a human way of sayingGod does not see our sins any more. Forgiveness of sin and recovery from mortal illness are oftentwo sides of the same experience of God's saving power. God not only puts our sins out of sight;he also puts them out of reach (Mic 7:19; Ps 103:12), out of mind (Jer 31:34) and out of existence (Isa 43:25; 44:22; Ps 51:1, 9; Ac 3:19).” author unknown

5. Henry, “He magnifies the mercy of his recovery, on several accounts.(1.) That he was raised up from great extremity (Isa_38:17): Behold, for peace I had great

bitterness. When, upon the defeat of Sennacherib, he expected nothing but an uninterruptedpeace to himself and his government, he was suddenly seized with sickness, which embittered allhis comforts to him, and went to such a height that it seemed to be the bitterness of death itself -bitterness, bitterness, nothing but gall and wormwood. This was his condition when God sent himseasonable relief.

(2.) That it came from the love of God, from love to his soul. Some are spared and reprieved inwrath, that they may be reserved for some greater judgment when they have filled up themeasure of their iniquities; but temporal mercies are sweet indeed to us when we can taste thelove of God in them. He delivered me because he delighted in me (Psa_18:19); and the word heresignifies a very affectionate love: Thou hast loved my soul from the pit of corruption; so it runs inthe original. God's love is sufficient to bring a soul from the pit of corruption. This is applicableto our redemption by Christ; it was in love to our souls, our poor perishing souls, that he

delivered them from the bottomless pit, snatched them as brands out of everlasting burnings. In

his love and in his pity he redeemed us. And the preservation of our bodies, as well as the provisionmade for them, is doubly comfortable when it is in love to our souls - when God repairs the housebecause he has a kindness for the inhabitant.

(3.) That it was the effect of the pardon of sin: “For thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back,

and thereby hast delivered my soul from the pit of corruption, in love to it.” �ote, [1.] When Godpardons sin he casts it behind his back, as not designing to look upon it with an eye of justice andjealousy. He remembers it no more, to visit for it. The pardon does not make the sin not to havebeen, or not to have been sin, but not to be punished as it deserves. When we cast our sins behindour back, and take no care to repent of them, God sets them before his face, and is ready toreckon for them; but when we set them before our face in true repentance, as David did when hissin was ever before him, God casts them behind his back. [2.] When God pardons sins he pardonsall, casts them all behind his back, though they have been as scarlet and crimson. [3.] Thepardoning of the sin is the delivering of the soul from the pit of corruption. [4.] It is pleasantindeed to think of our recoveries from sickness when we see them flowing from the remission ofsin; then the cause is removed, and then it is in love to the soul.

(4.) That it was the lengthening out of his opportunity to glorify God in this world, which hemade the business, and pleasure, and end of life. [1.] If this sickness had been his death, it wouldhave put a period to that course of service for the glory of God and the good of the church whichhe was now pursuing, Isa_38:18. Heaven indeed praises God, and the souls of the faithful, whenat death they remove thither, do that work of heaven as the angels, and with the angels, there; butwhat is this world the better for that? What does that contribute to the support and advancementof God's kingdom among men in this state of struggle? The grave cannot praise God, nor the deadbodies that lie there. Death cannot celebrate him, cannot proclaim his perfections and favours, toinvite others into his service. Those who go down to the pit, being no longer in a state of probation,nor living by faith in his promises, cannot give him honour by hoping for his truth. Those that lierotting in the grave, as they are not capable of receiving any further mercy from God, so neitherare they capable of offering any more praises to him, till they shall be raised at the last day, andthen they shall both receive and give glory. [2.] Having recovered from it, he resolves not only toproceed, but to abound, in praising and serving God (Isa_38:19): The living, the living, he shall

praise thee. They may do it; they have an opportunity of praising God, and that is the main thingthat makes life valuable and desirable to a good man. Hezekiah was therefore glad to live, notthat he might continue to enjoy his royal dignity and the honour and pleasure of his latesuccesses, but that he might continue to praise God. The living must praise God; they live in vainif they do not. Those that have been dying and yet are living, whose life is from the dead, are in aspecial manner obliged to praise God, as being most sensibly affected with his goodness.Hezekiah, for his part, having recovered from this sickness, will make it his business to praiseGod: “I do it this day; let others do it in like manner.” Those that give good exhortations shouldset good examples, and do themselves what they expect from others. “For my part,” saysHezekiah, “the Lord was ready to save me; he not only did save me, but he was ready to do it justthen when I was in the greatest extremity; his help came in seasonably; he showed himself willingand forward to save me. The Lord was to save me, was at hand to do it, saved me a the first word;and therefore,” First, “I will publish and proclaim his praises. I and my family, I and my friends,I and my people, will have a concert of praise to his glory: We will sing my songs to the stringed

instruments, that others may attend to them, and be affected with them, when they are in themost devout and serious frame in the house of the Lord.” It is for the honour of God, and theedification of his church, that special mercies should be acknowledged in public praises,especially mercies to public persons, Psa_116:18, Psa_116:19. Secondly, “I will proceed and

persevere in his praises.” We should do so all the days of our life, because every day of our life isitself a fresh mercy and brings many fresh mercies along with it; and, as renewed mercies call forrenewed praises, so former eminent mercies call for repeated praises. It is by the mercy of Godthat we live, and therefore, as long as we live, we must continue to praise him, while we havebreath, nay, while we have being. Thirdly, “I will propagate and perpetuate his praises.” Weshould not only praise him all the days of our life, but the father to the children should make

known his truth, that the ages to come may give God the glory of his truth by trusting to it. It isthe duty of parents to possess their children with a confidence in the truth of God, which will gofar towards keeping them close to the ways of God. Hezekiah, doubtless, did this himself, and yetManasseh his son walked not in his steps. Parents may give their children many good things,good instructions, good examples, good books, but they cannot give them grace.”

18 For the grave [c] cannot praise you, death cannot sing your praise; those who go down to the pit cannot hope for your faithfulness.

1. Jamison, “death — that is, the dead; Hades and its inhabitants (Job_28:22; see on Isa_38:11).Plainly Hezekiah believed in a world of disembodied spirits; his language does not imply whatskepticism has drawn from it, but simply that he regarded the disembodied state as one incapableof declaring the praises of God before men, for it is, as regards this world, an unseen land ofstillness; “the living” alone can praise God on earth, in reference to which only he is speaking;Isa_57:1, Isa_57:2 shows that at this time the true view of the blessedness of the righteous deadwas held, though not with the full clearness of the Gospel, which “has brought life andimmortality to light” (2Ti_1:10).

hope for thy truth — (Psa_104:27). Their probation is at an end. They can no longer exercisefaith and hope in regard to Thy faithfulness to Thy promises, which are limited to the presentstate. For “hope” ceases (even in the case of the godly) when sight begins (Rom_8:24, Rom_8:25);the ungodly have “no hope” (1Th_4:13). Hope in God’s truth is one of the grounds of praise toGod (Psa_71:14; Psa_119:49). Others translate, “cannot celebrate.”

2. Barnes, “For the grave cannot praise thee - The Hebrew word here is sheol. It is put bymetonymy here for those who are in the grave, that is, for the dead. The word ‘praise’ here refersevidently to the public and solemn celebration of the goodness of God. It is clear, I think, thatHezekiah had a belief in a future state, or that he expected to dwell with ‘the inhabitants of theland of silence’ Isa_38:11 when he died. But he did not regard that state as one adapted to thecelebration of the public praises of God. It was a land of darkness; an abode of silence andstillness; a place where there was no temple, and no public praise such as he had beenaccustomed to. A similar sentiment is expressed by David in Psa_6:5 :

For in death there is no remembrance of thee;In the grave who shall give thee thanks?

In regard to the Jewish conceptions of the state of the dead, see the notes at Isa_14:15,Isa_14:19.

(See the Supplementary note at Isa_14:9; also the Prefatory Remarks by the Editor on theAuthor’s exposition of Job. The ideas entertained by the Author on the state of knowledge amongthe ancient saints regarding a future world, cannot but be regarded as especially unfortunate.After the fashion of some German critics, the Old Testament worthies are reduced to the samelevel with the heroes of Homer and Virgil, as far as this matter is concerned at least.)

Cannot hope for thy truth - They are shut out from all the means by which thy truth is broughtto the mind, and the offers of salvation are presented. Their probation is at an end; theirprivileges are closed; their destiny is sealed up. The idea is, it is a privilege to live, because this isa world where the offers of salvation are made, and where those who are conscious of guilt mayhope in the mercy of God.

3. Gill, “For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee,.... That is, they that are inthe grave, and under the power of death, they cannot celebrate the praises of God with theirbodily organs; their souls may praise him in heaven, but they in their bodies cannot till theresurrection morn, or as long as they are under the dominion of the grave; so the Targum,

"they that are in the grave cannot confess before thee, and the dead cannot praise thee;''

in like manner the Septuagint and Arabic versions: this shows the design of God in restoring himfrom his sickness, and the view he himself had in desiring life, which was to praise the Lord; andwhich end could not have been answered had he died, and been laid in the grave:

they that go down to the pit cannot hope for thy truth: for the performance of promises, in whichthe truth and faithfulness of God appear; or for the Messiah, the truth of all the types of theformer dispensation; those that go down to the pit of the grave, or are carried and laid there, canhave no exercise of faith and hope concerning these things.”

4. Ironside, “In reading his prayer we need to remember that Old Testament saints, howevergodly they might be, did not have the light on the after-life that has now been vouchsafed to thechildren of GOD. Our Lord JESUS CHRIST has brought life and immortality to light throughthe Gospel (II Timothy 1:10). He has revealed the truth as to that which GOD has prepared forthose who love Him. Having gone down unto death and come up in triumph, He has annulled himthat had the power of death, even the devil, and so delivers those who, through fear of death,were all their lifetime subject to bondage (Hebrews 2:14, 15). We know now that for the believerdeath simply means to be absent from the body and present with the Lord (II Corinthians 5:8),and that this is far better than any possible earthly experience (Philippians 1:23).”

19 The living, the living—they praise you,

as I am doing today; fathers tell their children about your faithfulness.

1. Jamison, “living ... living — emphatic repetition, as in Isa_38:11, Isa_38:17; his heart is so fullof the main object of his prayer that, for want of adequate words, he repeats the same word.

father to the children — one generation of the living to another. He probably, also, hints at hisown desire to live until he should have a child, the successor to his throne, to whom he mightmake known and so perpetuate the memory of God’s truth.

truth — faithfulness to His promises; especially in Hezekiah’s case, His promise of hearingprayer.

2. Barnes, “The living, the living - An emphatic or intensive form of expression, as in Isa_38:11,Isa_38:17. �othing would express his idea but a repetition of the word, as if the heart was full ofit.

The father to the children - One generation of the living to another. The father shall have sodeep a sense of the goodness of God that he shall desire to make it known to his children, and toperpetuate the memory of it in the earth.

3. Gill, “The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day,.... Every one of the living, orsuch who are both corporeally and spiritually alive; and therefore the word is repeated; none butsuch who are alive in a corporeal sense can praise the Lord in this world; and none but such whoare spiritually alive can praise him aright, and such do under a true sense of the greatness of hismercies, and of their own unworthiness; and such a one was Hezekiah; for the words may berendered, "as I am this day (x)"; that is, alive in both the above senses; and so did he praise God,in such a spiritual manner, even on the day he committed this to writing, and was now in thetemple offering up this thanksgiving:

the father to the children shall make known thy truth: not meaning himself, for at this time hehad no children; though, no doubt, when he had any, as he afterward had, particularlyManasseh, he took care to acquaint him with the truth and faithfulness of God in the fulfilling ofhis promises to him; and which every religious parent would do, and so transmit the memorythereof to future ages.'

20 The LORD will save me, and we will sing with stringed instruments all the days of our lives

in the temple of the LORD.

1. Barnes, “The Lord was ready to save me - He was prompt, quick to save me. He did nothesitate or delay.

Therefore we will sing my songs - That is, my family and nation. The song of Hezekiah wasdesigned evidently not as a mere record, but to be used in celebrating the praises of God, andprobably in a public manner in the temple. The restoration of the monarch was a fit occasion forpublic rejoicing; and it is probable that this ode was composed to be used by the company ofsingers that were employed constantly in the temple.

To the stringed instruments - We will set it to music, and will use it publicly (see the notes atIsa_5:12).

2. Gill, “The Lord was ready to save me,.... Or, "the Lord to save me (y)"; he was at hand to savehim; he was both able and willing to save him; he was a present help in time of need; he arose forhis help, and that right early; he very quickly delivered him out of his distress; he, who one dayexpected death every moment, was the next day in the temple praising God:

therefore will we sing my songs; which were made by him, or concerning him, or which heordered to be sung, as he did the Psalms of David, 2Ch_29:30,

to the stringed instruments: which were touched with the fingers, or struck with a quill or bow;which distinguishes them from wind instruments, which were blown with the mouth; each ofthese were used in the temple service:

all the days of our life; he had before said "we will sing", meaning his family and his friends withhim, his courtiers, princes, and nobles, or he and the singers of Israel; and this he determined todo as long as he and they lived; signifying, that the mercy granted would never be forgotten byhim, as well as there would be new mercies every day, which would call for praise andthankfulness: and this he proposed to do

in the house of the Lord; in the temple; not only privately, but publicly; not in his closet andfamily only, but in the congregation of the people; that the goodness of God to him might be moreknown, and the praise and glory given him be the greater.”

21 Isaiah had said, "Prepare a poultice of figs and applyit to the boil, and he will recover."

1. Henry, “In the last two verses of this chapter we have two passages relating to this story which

were omitted in the narrative of it here, but which we had 2 Kings 20, and therefore shall hereonly observe two lessons from them: - 1. That God's promises are intended not to supersede, butto quicken and encourage, the use of means. Hezekiah is sure to recover, and yet he must take a

lump of figs and lay it on the boil, Isa_38:21. We do not trust God, but tempt him, if, when wepray to him for help, we do not second our prayers with our endeavours. We must not putphysicians, or physic, in the place of God, but make use of them in subordination to God and tohis providence; help thyself and God will help thee. 2. That the chief end we should aim at, indesiring life and health, is that we may glorify God, and do good, and improve ourselves inknowledge, and grace, and meetness for heaven. Hezekiah, when he meant, What is the sign that I

shall recover? asked, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord, there to honourGod, to keep up acquaintance and communion with him, and to encourage others to serve him?Isa_38:22. It is taken for granted that if God would restore him to health he would immediatelygo up to the temple with his thank-offerings. There Christ found the impotent man whom he hadhealed, Joh_5:14. The exercises of religion are so much the business and delight of a good manthat to be restrained from them is the greatest grievance of his afflictions, and to be restored tothem is the greatest comfort of his deliverances. Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee.”

2. Barnes, “For Isaiah had said - In the parallel place in Kings the statement in these two verses isintroduced before the account of the miracle on the sun-dial, and before the account of hisrecovery 2Ki_20:7-8. The order in which it is introduced, however, is not material.

Let them take a lump of figs - The word used here ( דבלה debēlâh) denotes “a round cake” ofdried figs pressed together in a mass 1Sa_25:18. Figs were thus pressed together for preservation,and for convenience of conveyance.

And lay it for a plaster - The word used here (מרח mârach) denotes properly to rub, bruise,crush by rubbing; then to rub, in, to anoint, to soften. Here it means they were to take dried figsand lay them softened on the ulcer.

Upon the boil - (משחין mashechıyn). This word means a burning sore or an inflamed ulcerExo_9:9, Exo_9:11; Lev_13:18-20. The verb in Arabic means to be hot, inflamed; to ulcerate. Thenoun is used to denote a species of black leprosy in Egypt, called elephantiasis, distinguished bythe black scales with which the skin is covered, and by the swelling of the legs. Here it probablydenotes a pestilential boil; an eruption, or inflamed ulceration produced by the plague, thatthreatened immediate death. Jerome says that the plaster of figs was medicinal, and adapted toreduce the inflammation and restore health. There is no improbability in the supposition; nordoes anything in the narrative prohibit us from supposing that natural means might have beenused to restore him. The miracle consisted in the arrest of the shade on the sun-dial, and in theannouncement of Isaiah that he would recover. That figs, when dried, were used in the MateriaMedica of the ancients, is asserted by both Pliny and Celsus (see Pliny, �at. Hist. xxiii. 7; Celsus,v. 2, quoted by Lowth.)

3. Gill, “For Isaiah had said,.... Before the above writing was made, which ends in the precedingverse; for this and the following are added by Isaiah, or some other person, taken out of2Ki_20:7. The Septuagint version adds, "to Hezekiah"; but the speech seems rather directed tosome 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 wasdone, and he did accordingly recover. Aben Ezra, Jarchi, and. Kimchi, all of them say, that thiswas a miracle within a miracle, since figs are hurtful to ulcers; and so say others; though it isobserved 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 werecould have been cured, and especially so suddenly; nor were these figs used as a medicine, but asa sign of recovery, according to the Lord's promise, and as a means of assisting Hezekiah's faithin it.”

4. Kyle, “The text of Isaiah is not only curtailed here in a very forced manner, but it has got intoconfusion; for Isa_38:21 and Isa_38:22 are removed entirely from their proper place, althougheven the Septuagint has them at the close of Hezekiah's psalm. They have been omitted fromtheir place at the close of Isa_38:6 through an oversight, and then added in the margin, wherethey now stand (probably with a sign, to indicate that they were supplied). We therefore insertthem here, where they properly belong. “Then Isaiah said they were to bring (K. take) a fig-cake;

and they plaistered (K. brought and covered) the boil, and he recovered. And Hizkiyahu said (K. toIsaiah), What sign is there that (K. Jehovah will heal me, so that I go up) I shall go up into the

house of Jehovah?” As shechın never signifies a plague-spot, but an abscess (indicated byheightened temperature), more especially that of leprosy (cf., Exo_9:9; Lev_13:18), there is nosatisfactory ground, as some suppose, for connecting Hezekiah's illness (taken along withIsa_33:24) with the pestilence which broke out in the Assyrian army. The use of the figs does nothelp us to decide whether we are to assume that it was a boil (bubon) or a carbuncle (charbon).Figs were a well-known emmoliens or maturans, and were used to accelerate the rising of theswelling and the subsequent discharge. Isaiah did not show any special medical skill by orderinga softened cake of pressed figs to be laid upon the boil, nor did he expect it to act as a specific,and effect a cure: it was merely intended to promote what had already been declared to be thewill of God.”

5. Jim Bomkamp gives us some interesting information on natural remedies for miracles. “Ashappened in this instance with Hezekiah, we find many times in the scriptures that the Lord ledHis servants to apply what would otherwise be just common remedies to bring about amiraculous healing. For example:A. Elijah:

The widow of Zarephath’s son: 1 Kings 17:21, “21 Then he stretched himself upon the childthree times, and called to the Lord, and said, “O Lord my God, I pray Thee, let this child’s lifereturn to him.””

B. Elisha:

The Shunammite woman’s son: 2 Kings 4:34, “34 And he went up and lay on the child, and puthis mouth on his mouth and his eyes on his eyes and his hands on his hands, and he stretchedhimself on him; and the flesh of the child became warm.

Removing the poison from the porrage: 2 Kings 4:41,41 But he said, “�ow bring meal.” And hethrew it into the pot, and he said, “Pour it out for the people that they may eat.” Then there wasno harm in the pot.”

�aaman the leper: 2 Kings 5:14, “14 So he went down and dipped himself seven times in theJordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of alittle child, and he was clean.”

C. Jesus (and blind men):

John 9:6, “6 When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and

applied the clay to his eyes.”

Mark 7:33, “33 And He took him aside from the multitude by himself, and put His fingers intohis ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva.”

Mark 8:23, “23 And taking the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the village; andafter spitting on his eyes, and laying His hands upon him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?”

22 Hezekiah had asked, "What will be the sign that I willgo up to the temple of the LORD ?"

1. Gill, “ Hezekiah also had said,.... Unto Isaiah, as in 2Ki_20:8,

what is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord? both of his health, and of his going upto the temple with thanksgiving for it; though the former is not here mentioned, as it is elsewhere;partly because it is supposed in the latter, for without that he could not have gone up to thetemple; and partly because he was more solicitous for the worship and honour of God in hishouse, the for his health. The Syriac version transposes these verses, "Hezekiah had said, what isthe sign? &c. and Isaiah had answered, let them take a lump of figs", &c. as if this latter was thesign; whereas it was that of the sun's going down ten degrees on the dial of Ahaz, Isa_38:7; seeGill on Isa_38:7, Isa_38:8.

2. Jamison, “house of the Lord — Hence he makes the praises to be sung there prominent in hissong (Isa_38:20; Psa_116:12-14, Psa_116:17-19).

3. Barnes, “Hezekiah also had said - What evidence or proof have I that I shall be restored, andpermitted to go to the temple? The miracle on the sun-dial was performed in answer to thisrequest, and as a demonstration that he should yet be permitted to visit the temple of God (seethe note at Isa_38:7).

Footnotes:

1. Isaiah 38:10 Hebrew Sheol

2. Isaiah 38:11 A few Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts in the place of cessation

3. Isaiah 38:18 Hebrew Sheol