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Commentary on Isaiah 38 verses 1–8
We may hence observe, among others, these good lessons: - 1. That neither men's greatness nor their goodness will exempt them from the arrests of sickness and death. Hezekiah, a mighty 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, and usefulness. Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. It should seem, this sickness seized him when he was in the midst of his triumphs over the ruined army of the Assyrians, to teach us always to rejoice 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 best posture 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." Our being ready for death will make it come never the sooner, but much the easier: and those that are fit to die are most fit to live. 3. 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 he went up to the house of the Lord to pray, for that was then the house of prayer. When he was sick in bed he turned his face towards the wall, probably towards the temple, which was a type of Christ, to whom we must look by faith in every prayer. 4. The testimony of our consciences for us that by the grace of God we have lived a good life, and have walked closely and humbly with God, will be a great support and comfort to us when we come to look death in the face. And though we may not depend upon it as our righteousness, 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 God for his good services, but modestly begs that God would remembers, not how he had reformed the 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 God with a single eye and an honest heart, not only in these eminent performances, but in an even regular 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. 5. God has a gracious ear open to the prayers of his afflicted people. The same prophet that was sent to Hezekiah with warning to prepare for death is sent to him with a promise that he shall not only recover, but be restored to a confirmed state of health and live fifteen years yet. As Jerusalem was distressed, so Hezekiah was diseased, that God might have the glory of the deliverance of both, and that prayer too might have the honour of being instrumental in the deliverance. When we pray in our sickness, though God send not to us such an answer as he here sent to Hezekiah, yet, if by his Spirit he bids us be of good cheer, assures us that our sins are forgiven us, that his grace shall be sufficient for us, and that, whether we live or die, we shall be his, 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. 6. A good man cannot take much comfort in his own health and prosperity unless withal he see the welfare and prosperity of the church of God. Therefore God, knowing what lay near Hezekiah'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 to rally again and renew the attack. Thus does God graciously provide to make Hezekiah upon all accounts easy. 7. God is willing to show to the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, that they may have an unshaken faith in it, and therewith a strong consolation. God had given Hezekiah repeated assurances of his favour; and yet, as if all were thought too little, that he might expect from him uncommon favours, a sign is given him, an uncommon sign. None that we know of having 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 going back 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.
When Hezekiah, king of Judah, was still sick and weeping, there came an angel, and said to him: "I have seen thy tears, and I have heard thy voice. Behold, I add unto thy time fifteen years. And this shall be a sign to thee from the Lord: Behold, I turn back the shadow of the degrees of the house of thy father, by which the sun has gone down, the ten degrees by which the shadow has gone down," so that day be a day of thirty-two hours. For when the sun had run its course to the tenth hour, it returned again. And again, when Joshua the son of Nun was fighting against the Amorites, when the sun was now inclining to its setting, and the battle was being pressed closely, Joshua, being anxious lest the heathen host should escape on the descent of night, cried out, saying, "Sun, stand thou still in Gibeon; and thou moon, in the valley of Ajalon," until I vanquish this people. And the sun stood still, and the moon, in their places, so that day was one of twenty-four hours. And in the time of Hezekiah the moon also turned back along with the sun, that there might be no collision between the two elemental bodies, by their bearing against each other in defiance of law. And Merodach the Chaldean, king of Babylon, being struck with amazement at that time-for he studied the science of astrology, and measured the courses of these bodies carefully-on learning the cause, sent a letter and gifts to Hezekiah, just as also the wise men from the east did to Christ.
(Vers. 4 seqq.) And the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying: Go and tell Hezekiah: Thus says the Lord God of David, your father: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your days, and I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will protect it. And this shall be a sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this word that he has spoken: Behold, I will turn back the shadow of the steps by which it has gone down on the sun dial of Ahaz ten steps backwards: and the sun returned ten steps by the same steps that it had gone down. The history, which is read consecutively in the volume of Kings, is referred to in a seemingly backwards order, as if it were a prophetic account. While Hezekiah was weeping with great sorrow, before Isaiah had left the middle part of the courtyard, the word of the Lord came to him, saying: Return and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. And Hezekiah said to Isaiah: What will be the sign that the Lord will heal me? To whom did the prophet respond: This will be the sign from the Lord that the Lord will do the word he has spoken: Do you want the shadow to approach by so many lines, or do you want it to go back the same number of steps? To whom Hezekiah said: It is easy for the shadow to advance ten lines, but I do not want it to happen; rather, I want it to go back ten steps. And when Isaiah invoked the power of the Lord, the sign was fulfilled. Isaiah was commanded to have a lump of fresh figs brought, which they did, and they placed it on the wound, and he was healed. But the Prophet of the Lord returns to the king by the command, in order to heal the one who had struck him; and he is called Hezekiah, the leader of his people, and the son of David, whose works he followed, for he did what was right in all things as David his father had done; and his prayer is heard, and tears are seen, for he walked before the Lord in truth and with a perfect heart, and he wept with great weeping; and he did what was pleasing in his eyes. Fifteen years are added to his life, which he did not ask for, and moreover, while he is still alive, the security of the kingdom is promised to him. But if, as some think, to live in the body is a condemnation, and according to what is said: Return, my soul, into your rest (Ps. 114:7). And in another place: Bring my soul out of prison (Ps. 141:8), death is to be desired so that we may be freed from prison: how then does the Lord now grant as a favor that he who was to be set free should still live for fifteen years in prison? However, a sign is given that the sun turns back by ten degrees, which we turn according to Symmachus into lines and a sundial, which understood the degrees in the lines in order to make a clearer sense to those reading. Whether the steps were constructed with mechanical skill, so that as the shadow descended, it would mark the hours. This sign was a type of both the present time and the future, so that just as the sun would return to the beginning of its course, so would Hezekiah's life return to the disclosed years; and for us who live in the week and the octave, through the resurrection of Christ, the spaces of life are extended. The holy places in this province are accustomed to show within the enclosed Temple the steps of the house of Hezekiah, or of Ahaz, which the sun descended through them. But I will never believe, not to mention Ahaz, who was a wicked king; but of any righteous king, that their house was in the Temple of God: since it is said that Solomon, among other things, offended God because he built on a high place, from where he used to look down on the courtyard of the Temple while walking in the tower of the palace (3 Kings 9).
The number seven, as has often been said, denotes the week occasioned by the sabbath of the Old Testament. The number eight signifies the Lord’s day, on which he clearly rose again, and this is relevant to the New [Testament]. When joined together, they are seen to make up the number fifteen.… Some commentators think that the fifteen additional years accorded to King Hezekiah are related to this parallel, so that the number fifteen is shown to have signified the course of his perfect life.
Prayer sometimes brings the dead back to life, but sometimes it may slay the living, as happened with the godly Peter. He brought Tabitha back to life by prayer, but he effected the death of Ananias and Sapphira. … The case of Hezekiah was also astonishing. Through prayer he added to the days of his life as king. He routed the mighty Assyrian army through the agency of a spiritual being.
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SUMMARY
Isaiah 38:5 records a profound divine intervention in the life of King Hezekiah, delivered through the prophet Isaiah. In response to Hezekiah's fervent prayer and tears after being told he would die, 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 intimate attentiveness to the prayers of His people and His sovereign power over the span of human life.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several powerful literary devices that enhance its theological impact and narrative drama. Direct Address is prominently featured, 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's infinite nature, but to convey His intimate perception, empathetic engagement, and active responsiveness to human experience and suffering. 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 initial declarations may seem 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.
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, and that His timing and methods are always perfect.
Questions for Reflection
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), 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 the Ninevites' repentance in Jonah 3:10.
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). By identifying Himself in this way, God reminds Hezekiah (and the reader) of His unwavering faithfulness to His promises. The Davidic covenant guaranteed a perpetual dynasty and a lasting kingdom, through which the Messiah would ultimately come. Hezekiah, as a righteous king in the Davidic line, was a direct 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. It underscores that God's actions are often rooted in His unwavering covenant loyalty and His grand redemptive plan.
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). Just as God heard Hezekiah's prayer and saw his tears, the Father always heard the Son (John 11:41-42), and through Christ's perfect obedience and sacrificial death, 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), establishing an eternal kingdom and securing for believers an infinite "addition to days"—eternal life in His presence (John 3:16; Romans 6:23). Thus, Hezekiah's story points beyond itself to the greater hope found in the resurrected Christ, who is our true and everlasting life, the source of eternal healing and salvation.