Isaiah 38:5

KJV

Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.

KJV (with Strong's)

Go {H1980}, and say {H559} to Hezekiah {H2396}, Thus saith {H559} the LORD {H3068}, the God {H430} of David {H1732} thy father {H1}, I have heard {H8085} thy prayer {H8605}, I have seen {H7200} thy tears {H1832}: behold, I will add {H3254} unto thy days {H3117} fifteen {H2568}{H6240} years {H8141}.

Complete Jewish Bible

"Go and tell Hizkiyahu that this is what ADONAI, the God of David your ancestor, says: 'I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; therefore I will add fifteen years to your life.

Berean Standard Bible

“Go and tell Hezekiah that this is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: ‘I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.

American Standard Version

Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Isaiah 38:5 records a profound divine intervention in the life of King Hezekiah, delivering a message of hope and extended life through the prophet Isaiah. After Hezekiah's fervent prayer and tears in response to a prophecy of imminent death, the LORD, identifying Himself as the God of David, declares that He has heard the king's supplication and seen his sorrow, promising to add fifteen years to his life. This verse powerfully illustrates God's attentiveness to the prayers of His people and His sovereign power over life and death.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is a pivotal turning point within the narrative of King Hezekiah's illness and recovery, detailed in [Isaiah 38](/isaiah/38 "Isaiah 38 - Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery"). Immediately preceding this, the prophet Isaiah had delivered a grim message from God, instructing Hezekiah to "set his house in order" because he would die and not recover ([Isaiah 38:1](/isaiah/38-1 "Isaiah 38:1 - Hezekiah's Illness")). Overwhelmed with grief, Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed earnestly to the LORD, weeping bitterly ([Isaiah 38:2-3](/isaiah/38-2 "Isaiah 38:2-3 - Hezekiah's Prayer and Tears")). The divine response in [Isaiah 38:5](/isaiah/38-5 "Isaiah 38:5 - God's Promise to Hezekiah") comes swiftly, before Isaiah had even left the middle court, underscoring the immediacy and directness of God's answer. The narrative continues with God providing a miraculous sign to confirm His promise ([Isaiah 38:7-8](/isaiah/38-7 "Isaiah 38:7-8 - The Sign of the Sundial")) and Hezekiah's subsequent psalm of thanksgiving ([Isaiah 38:9-20](/isaiah/38-9 "Isaiah 38:9-20 - Hezekiah's Song of Thanksgiving")).
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** King Hezekiah reigned over Judah from approximately 715-686 BC, a period marked by significant political and spiritual challenges. His reign is largely remembered as one of reform and faithfulness to the LORD, particularly in contrast to his idolatrous father, Ahaz. The illness described in this chapter likely occurred around the time of the Assyrian King Sennacherib's invasion of Judah, as recorded in [Isaiah 36-37](/isaiah/36 "Isaiah 36-37 - Sennacherib's Invasion of Judah") and [2 Kings 18-19](/2_kings/18 "2 Kings 18-19 - Sennacherib's Invasion and God's Deliverance"). In ancient Near Eastern cultures, the life of a king was intrinsically linked to the well-being and stability of his nation, and a king's death without a clear successor could plunge the kingdom into crisis. Illness was often perceived as a sign of divine displeasure or a test, making Hezekiah's fervent prayer and God's merciful response particularly significant within this cultural framework.
* **Key Themes:** The passage powerfully highlights several major theological and narrative themes. Foremost is the **Efficacy of Prayer**, demonstrating that God is not only attentive to but also responsive to the earnest supplications of His people, even to the point of altering a previously declared outcome. This is closely tied to **God's Compassion and Personal Care**, as He explicitly acknowledges Hezekiah's "tears," revealing an intimate awareness of human suffering and emotional distress. The phrase "the God of David thy father" invokes the theme of **Covenant Faithfulness**, reminding Hezekiah and the reader of God's enduring promises to the Davidic dynasty, even in times of personal crisis. Ultimately, the verse underscores **Divine Sovereignty over Life and Death**, affirming God's ultimate authority to determine and extend life according to His perfect will, showcasing His power to intervene miraculously in human affairs.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **heard (Hebrew, _shâmaʻ'_):** This primitive root signifies not merely the physical act of hearing, but often implies intelligent perception, attention, and even obedience. When God "hears" prayer, it conveys His active engagement, understanding, and readiness to respond. It suggests a divine attentiveness that goes beyond mere auditory reception, encompassing a full comprehension of the supplication.
* **seen (Hebrew, _râʼâh'_):** This word, a primitive root, means to see in a literal or figurative sense, encompassing observation, discernment, and experience. When applied to God, His "seeing" of Hezekiah's tears implies a profound, empathetic awareness of his suffering and emotional state. It highlights God's intimate knowledge of His people's pain and His compassionate regard for their distress.
* **add (Hebrew, _yâçaph'_):** As a primitive root, this term means to augment, increase, or continue. In this context, it explicitly denotes an extension or prolongation of Hezekiah's life beyond what was previously determined. It emphasizes God's power to grant more than expected, to reverse a decree, and to provide a surplus of time, demonstrating His sovereign ability to intervene and alter circumstances.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Go, and say to Hezekiah,"**: This command establishes the prophetic nature of the message, with Isaiah serving as God's direct messenger. It signifies the immediate and authoritative nature of the divine communication.
* **"Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father,"**: This declaration asserts the divine origin and authority of the message. Identifying Himself as "the God of David thy father" grounds the promise in God's historical faithfulness to His covenant with King David, emphasizing His enduring commitment to the Davidic line and, by extension, to Hezekiah.
* **"I have heard thy prayer,"**: This clause directly addresses Hezekiah's recent fervent supplication. It affirms God's active reception and acknowledgment of his plea, indicating that the prayer has reached the divine ear and registered with purpose.
* **"I have seen thy tears:"**: This phrase highlights God's compassionate awareness of Hezekiah's deep emotional distress. It reveals a God who is not distant or indifferent, but one who intimately perceives and cares about the suffering and sorrow of His people.
* **"behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years."**: This is the core of the divine promise, a specific and measurable extension of life. The word "behold" draws attention to the miraculous nature of this decree, signifying a definitive and sovereign act of God to reverse the previous death sentence and grant a precise period of additional life.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs several powerful **literary devices**. **Direct Address** is prominent, as God speaks directly to Hezekiah through His prophet, emphasizing the personal and immediate nature of the divine communication. **Anthropomorphism** is evident in the phrases "I have heard thy prayer" and "I have seen thy tears," attributing human senses (hearing and seeing) to God. This device is used not to limit God, but to convey His intimate perception, empathetic engagement, and active responsiveness to human experience. The declaration "Thus saith the LORD" functions as a **Divine Fiat** or **Authoritative Decree**, highlighting God's absolute sovereignty and power to speak things into being or alter existing circumstances. Finally, the phrase "the God of David thy father" serves as **Covenantal Language**, invoking the historical and theological weight of God's enduring covenant with David, thereby grounding the present miraculous intervention in God's faithful character and His long-standing promises to His chosen lineage.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 38:5 stands as a profound testament to God's responsiveness to prayer, His compassionate nature, and His ultimate sovereignty over life. It illustrates that while God's decrees are absolute, His interaction with humanity involves a dynamic relationship where genuine repentance, earnest prayer, and heartfelt lament can move Him to act in ways that demonstrate His mercy and grace. This passage reinforces the biblical truth that God is intimately aware of our struggles, hears our cries, and sees our tears, inviting us to approach Him with confidence in times of distress. It also underscores that God's faithfulness extends across generations, honoring His covenant promises made to ancestors like David, and applying His steadfast love to their descendants.

* [Psalm 56:8](/psalm/56-8 "Psalm 56:8 - God Gathers Our Tears") - "Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?"
* [Psalm 66:19](/psalm/66-19 "Psalm 66:19 - God Has Heard My Prayer") - "But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer."
* [James 5:16](/james/5-16 "James 5:16 - The Effective Prayer of a Righteous Man") - "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The account of Hezekiah's miraculous healing and the extension of his life offers profound encouragement for believers today. It reminds us that God is not a distant deity, but one who is intimately involved in the lives of His children, attentive to their deepest sorrows and most fervent prayers. Hezekiah's example teaches us to bring our whole selves—our fears, our grief, our desperate pleas—before God, trusting in His compassion and sovereign power, even when circumstances seem insurmountable or a divine decree appears final. While God may not always grant our specific requests in the exact manner we desire, this passage assures us that He hears, He sees, and He acts according to His perfect will, which is always for our ultimate good and His glory. It calls us to cultivate a life of earnest prayer, confident that our tears and petitions are not unnoticed by the Almighty.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Hezekiah's prayer model a posture of humility and earnestness before God in the face of a dire prognosis?**
* **In what ways does this passage affirm God's intimate awareness of our personal struggles and emotions, particularly our tears?**
* **What does the phrase "the God of David thy father" reveal about God's faithfulness to His covenant promises, and how does that apply to us today?**
* **How might understanding God's sovereignty over life and death, as demonstrated here, shape our prayers for healing or extended life for ourselves or others?**

### FAQ
**Did God change His mind about Hezekiah's death?**

Answer: This passage presents a profound theological point about God's interaction with human prayer and repentance. While God's initial message through Isaiah was a clear declaration of Hezekiah's impending death ([Isaiah 38:1](/isaiah/38-1 "Isaiah 38:1 - Hezekiah's Illness")), Hezekiah's fervent prayer and tears prompted a divine response that altered the outcome. This is not a change in God's character or eternal purpose, but rather an example of His dynamic responsiveness to human free will, repentance, and intercession. God is sovereign, yet He is also relational. His decrees, particularly those concerning judgment or specific outcomes, can be contingent on human response. This demonstrates God's mercy and His willingness to relent or extend grace when His people turn to Him in humility, as seen in other biblical accounts like [Jonah 3:10](/jonah/3-10 "Jonah 3:10 - God Relents from Disaster").

**What significance does "the God of David thy father" hold in this verse?**

Answer: The phrase "the God of David thy father" is highly significant, invoking the enduring covenant God made with King David ([2 Samuel 7:12-16](/2_samuel/7-12 "2 Samuel 7:12-16 - The Davidic Covenant")). By identifying Himself in this way, God reminds Hezekiah (and the reader) of His faithfulness to His promises. The Davidic covenant guaranteed a perpetual dynasty and a lasting kingdom. Hezekiah, as a righteous king in the Davidic line, was a recipient of these covenant blessings. God's decision to extend Hezekiah's life not only demonstrates His compassion for the individual but also His commitment to upholding His broader covenant promises, ensuring the continuation of the Davidic line through which the Messiah would ultimately come. It underscores that God's actions are often rooted in His unwavering covenant loyalty.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The narrative of Hezekiah's extended life in Isaiah 38:5 finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. While Hezekiah received a temporary reprieve from physical death, an "addition to his days" of merely fifteen years, Christ conquered death eternally and offers everlasting life to all who believe. Hezekiah's earnest prayer and bitter tears in the face of death foreshadow Christ's own agonizing prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane, where He, too, faced the bitter cup of death for humanity's sake ([Matthew 26:36-46](/matthew/26-36 "Matthew 26:36-46 - Jesus Prays in Gethsemane")). Just as God heard Hezekiah's prayer and saw his tears, the Father always heard the Son ([John 11:41-42](/john/11-41 "John 11:41-42 - Jesus' Prayer at Lazarus' Tomb")), and through Christ's perfect obedience and sacrifice, humanity is offered a definitive victory over sin and death. The "God of David thy father" who extended Hezekiah's life is the same God who raised Jesus, the ultimate Son of David, from the dead ([Acts 13:32-33](/acts/13-32 "Acts 13:32-33 - God Raised Jesus from the Dead")), establishing an eternal kingdom and securing for believers an infinite "addition to days"—eternal life in His presence ([John 3:16](/john/3-16 "John 3:16 - God So Loved the World"); [Romans 6:23](/romans/6-23 "Romans 6:23 - The Gift of God is Eternal Life")). Thus, Hezekiah's story points beyond itself to the greater hope found in the resurrected Christ, who is our true and everlasting life.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Psalms 34:5

They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.

Psalms 34:6

This poor man cried, and the LORD heard [him], and saved him out of all his troubles.

1 John 5:14

¶ And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

1 John 5:15

And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Revelation 7:17

For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

Psalms 56:8

¶ Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: [are they] not in thy book?

Luke 1:13

But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.