Isaiah 38: Edit history

Isaiah 36–39 is a historical narrative section that largely parallels 2 Kings 18–20. This chapter follows Isaiah 37, which describes the withdrawal of the Assyrian army, but because verse 6 still presents deliverance as a future promise, the events are generally understood to have taken place earlier.

Outline

• Verses 1–3 Isaiah tells the ailing Hezekiah that he will die, and the king turns his face to the wall, weeping bitterly and praying.
• Verses 4–8 The LORD promises to add fifteen years to Hezekiah's life and to deliver him from Assyria, and gives a sign: the shadow on the sundial of Ahaz goes back ten degrees.
• Verses 9–20 The writing Hezekiah composed after his recovery, which moves from lament in the face of death (verses 10–14) to thanksgiving and praise (verses 15–20).
• Verses 21–22 An appended note records the instruction to lay a lump of figs on the boil and Hezekiah's request for a sign.

Key Verses

• Isaiah 38:5 "I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears" — widely quoted as a testimony to the God who answers prayer.
• Isaiah 38:17 "For thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back" — links physical recovery with the forgiveness of sins.

People and Places

• Hezekiah: King of Judah.
• Isaiah the prophet: Introduced as "the son of Amoz"; he is not to be confused with the prophet Amos.
• Ahaz: King of Judah and father of Hezekiah. The sundial named after him appears in the chapter.
• David: Mentioned in the phrase "the God of David thy father."
• Assyria: The empire threatening Judah at the time.

Points to Consider

• The same event is recorded in 2 Kings 20, but the psalm of verses 9–20 appears only in Isaiah, and the fig remedy and the request for a sign occur at different points in the narrative.
• The Hebrew word rendered "sundial" literally means "steps," so interpreters differ over whether it refers to the gradations of a sundial or to a palace stairway.
• Regarding the lengthening of Hezekiah's life after the announcement of his death, the Calvinist tradition holds that God's decree did not change, viewing the initial announcement as a warning intended to lead the king to prayer, while the Arminian tradition places greater emphasis on God's responsiveness to prayer.
• Verses 18–19 reflect the Old Testament understanding of death, in which no praise can be offered in Sheol, and are often read in comparison with the New Testament hope of the resurrection.

In the Korean Church

Verse 5 is frequently cited in sermons on tearful prayer and God's answer to it.