Old Testament
Isaiah 38
A King Reprieved from Death
Overview
Condemned by God to imminent death, King Hezekiah prays in bitter tears and receives through Isaiah a threefold promise of restored life, deliverance from Assyria, and a miraculous sign in the retreating shadow of the sundial; he is healed through a fig poultice and responds with a canticle that moves from lament at the gates of Sheol to grateful, lifelong praise in the Temple.
Passages
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Isaiah 38
1In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him, and said to him, “Yahweh says, ‘Set your house in order, for you will die, and not live.’”
2Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to Yahweh, 3and said, “Remember now, Yahweh, I beg you, how I have walked before you in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in your sight.” Then Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4Then Yahweh’s word came to Isaiah, saying, 5“Go, and tell Hezekiah, ‘Yahweh, the God of David your father, says, “I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life. 6I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city. 7This shall be the sign to you from Yahweh, that Yahweh will do this thing that he has spoken. 8Behold, I will cause the shadow on the sundial, which has gone down on the sundial of Ahaz with the sun, to return backward ten steps.”’” So the sun returned ten steps on the sundial on which it had gone down.
9The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and had recovered of his sickness:
10I said, “In the middle of my life I go into the gates of Sheol. I am deprived of the residue of my years.”
11I said, “I won’t see Yah, Yah in the land of the living. I will see man no more with the inhabitants of the world.
12My dwelling is removed, and is carried away from me like a shepherd’s tent. I have rolled up my life like a weaver. He will cut me off from the loom. From day even to night you will make an end of me.
13I waited patiently until morning. He breaks all my bones like a lion. From day even to night you will make an end of me.
14I chattered like a swallow or a crane. I moaned like a dove. My eyes weaken looking upward. Lord, I am oppressed. Be my security.”
15What will I say? He has both spoken to me, and himself has done it. I will walk carefully all my years because of the anguish of my soul.
16Lord, men live by these things; and my spirit finds life in all of them. You restore me, and cause me to live.
17Behold, for peace I had great anguish, but you have in love for my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption; for you have cast all my sins behind your back.
18For Sheol can’t praise you. Death can’t celebrate you. Those who go down into the pit can’t hope for your truth.
19The living, the living, he shall praise you, as I do today. The father shall make known your truth to the children.
20Yahweh will save me. Therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments all the days of our life in Yahweh’s house.
21Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a cake of figs, and lay it for a poultice on the boil, and he shall recover.” 22Hezekiah also had said, “What is the sign that I will go up to Yahweh’s house?”