Isaiah 38, The King is Ill

Chapters 36 to 39 of Isaiah are historical passages, history that parallels that of 2 Kings 18-20 and 2 Chronicles 29-32. The previous two chapters in Isaiah covered Assyria's threats; the next two look toward the future invasion by Babylon.

After the Assyrians retreat, Hezekiah becomes severely ill.

Isaiah 38:1-3, A fatal illness

In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.”

Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD,“Remember, LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

Hezekiah's illness, not described here, is prophesied as fatal by Isaiah. Hezekiah weeps bitterly and prays in desparation.

Isaiah 38:4-6, Fifteen more years

Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: 

“Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.

Isaiah now has a new answer for Hezekiah. Hezekiah's prayer has been answered. Not only with Jerusalem be delivered from the Assyrians, but Hezekiah will be given fifteen more years.

Isaiah 38:7-8, Shadow backs up

“‘This is the LORD’s sign to you that the LORD will do what he has promised: I will make the shadow cast by the sun go back the ten steps it has gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.’” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had gone down.

The shadow on the stairs will back up ten steps. Apparently the sun's shadow on these stairs (built by Ahaz, Hezekiah's father) was watched somewhat like a sundial, indicating the change of time. Here is described the remarkable event of the shadow backing back up that stairs. These events are also described in 2 Kings 20.

Isaiah 38:9-14, My tent pulled down

A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery:

I said, “In the prime of my life

    must I go through the gates of death

    and be robbed of the rest of my years?”

I said, “I will not again see the LORD himself

    in the land of the living;

no longer will I look on my fellow man,

    or be with those who now dwell in this world.

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.

I waited patiently till dawn,

    but like a lion he broke all my bones;

    day and night you made an end of me.

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 being threatened; Lord, come to my aid!”

Hezekiah records his lament during his illness. He describes his illness as having his "tent" pulled down. Like many of David's psalms, Hezekiah's will begin in pain and end in praise.

The suddeness of death is described in verse 12; Motyer interrupts "day and night you made an end of me" to imply that one is healthy at dawn, but death comes in the night. The loneliness of the dying man is described in the sad cries of the various birds.

This psalm of praise and thanksgiving runs from verse 9 to verse 20. The parallel account in 2 Kings 20 does not include this psalm.

Isaiah 38:15-20, The grave cannot praise you

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.

Lord, by such things people live;

    and my spirit finds life in them too.

You restored me to health

    and let me live.

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.

For the grave cannot praise you,

    death cannot sing your praise;

those who go down to the pit

    cannot hope for your faithfulness.

The living, the living—they praise you,

    as I am doing today;

parents tell their children

    about your faithfulness.

The LORD will save me,

    and we will sing with stringed instruments

all the days of our lives

    in the temple of the LORD.

Hezekiah's lament turns to praise. Like David, he reminds God that he would not have been able to praise him from the grave. 

Early in his reign, Hezekiah restarted temple worship, including much singing. (See2 Chronicles 29:25-30.) Here Hezekiah promises to praise God with stringed instruments.

Isaiah 38:21-22, A poultice

Isaiah had said, “Prepare a poultice of figs and apply it to the boil, and he will recover.”

Hezekiah had asked, “What will be the sign that I will go up to the temple of the LORD?”

The chapter ends with a strange conversation -- Hezekiah had asked for a sign and Isaiah had said to apply a poultice to a boil. The passage in 2 Kings 20 is clearer, placing these verses before the request for a sign.  In that passage the healing poultice is applied, Hezekiah asks for a sign, and the shadow on the stairs is turned back.

Motyer argues that these verses here serve as a bridge into the next chapter, when a prince of Babylon visits Jerusalem.