Focused Passage

Isaiah 38:1-8

Hezekiah’s Sickness, Prayer, and the LORD’s Added Years

Isaiah 38 moves from Hezekiah’s mortal illness and Isaiah’s announcement that he will die, to Hezekiah’s tearful prayer, to the LORD’s promise of healing, added years, and deliverance from Assyria, to the sign of the shadow turning back, and finally to Hezekiah’s written reflection on death, bitterness, divine discipline, forgiveness, and praise among the living.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your house in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’”

2Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD,

3saying, “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and with wholehearted devotion; I have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

4And the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying,

5“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.

6And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.

7This will be a sign to you from the LORD that He will do what He has promised:

8I will make the sun’s shadow that falls on the stairway of Ahaz go back ten steps.’” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had descended.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

In thoseהָהֵ֔םH1992Article | Pronoun - third person masculine pluraldaysבַּיָּמִ֣יםH3117Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine pluralHezekiahחִזְקִיָּ֖הוּH2396Noun - proper - masculine singularbecame mortallyלָמ֑וּתH4191Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructillחָלָ֥הH2470Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularThe prophetהַנָּבִ֗יאH5030Article | Noun - masculine singularIsaiahיְשַׁעְיָ֨הוּH3470Noun - proper - masculine singularsonבֶן־H1121Noun - masculine singular constructof Amozאָמ֜וֹץH531Noun - proper - masculine singularcameוַיָּב֣וֹאH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto himאֵ֠לָיוH413Preposition | third person masculine singularand saidוַיֹּ֨אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .אֵלָ֜יוH413Preposition | third person masculine singularThis is whatכֹּֽה־H3541Adverbthe LORDיְהוָה֙H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularsaysאָמַ֤רH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularPut your houseלְבֵיתֶ֔ךָH1004Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularin orderצַ֣וH6680Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singularforכִּ֛יH3588Conjunctionyouאַתָּ֖הH859Pronoun - second person masculine singularare about to dieמֵ֥תH4191Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularyou will notוְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlerecoverתִֽחְיֶֽה׃H2421Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Verse 2

Original words

Then Hezekiahחִזְקִיָּ֛הוּH2396Noun - proper - masculine singularturnedוַיַּסֵּ֧בH5437Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularhis faceפָּנָ֖יוH6440Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe wallהַקִּ֑ירH7023Article | Noun - masculine singularand prayedוַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֖לH6419Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe LORDיְהוָֽה׃H3068Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 3

Original words

sayingוַיֹּאמַ֗רH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularPleaseאָנָּ֤הH577InterjectionO LORDיְהוָה֙H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularrememberזְכָר־H2142Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular. . .נָ֞אH4994Interjection-אֵ֣תH853Direct object markerhowאֲשֶׁ֧רH834Pronoun - relativeI have walkedהִתְהַלַּ֣כְתִּיH1980Verb - Hitpael - Perfect - first person common singularbefore Youלְפָנֶ֗יךָH6440Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singularfaithfullyבֶּֽאֱמֶת֙H571Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singularand with wholeheartedוּבְלֵ֣בH3820Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singulardevotionשָׁלֵ֔םH8003Adjective - masculine singularI have doneעָשִׂ֑יתִיH6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular[what is] goodוְהַטּ֥וֹבH2896Conjunctive waw, Article | Adjective - masculine singularin Your sightבְּעֵינֶ֖יךָH5869Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | second person masculine singularAnd Hezekiahחִזְקִיָּ֖הוּH2396Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .בְּכִ֥יH1065Noun - masculine singularweptוַיֵּ֥בְךְּH1058Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularbitterlyגָדֽוֹל׃סH1419Adjective - masculine singular
Verse 4

Original words

And the wordדְּבַר־H1697Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularcameוַֽיְהִי֙H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶֽל־H413PrepositionIsaiahיְשַׁעְיָ֖הוּH3470Noun - proper - masculine singularsayingלֵאמֹֽר׃H559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 5

Original words

Goהָל֞וֹךְH1980Verb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteand tellוְאָמַרְתָּ֣H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular. . .אֶל־H413PrepositionHezekiahחִזְקִיָּ֗הוּH2396Noun - proper - masculine singularthat this is whatכֹּֽה־H3541Adverbthe LORDיְהוָה֙H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularthe Godאֱלֹהֵי֙H430Noun - masculine plural constructof your fatherאָבִ֔יךָH1Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularDavidדָּוִ֣דH1732Noun - proper - masculine singularsaysאָמַ֤רH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularI have heardשָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙H8085Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markeryour prayerתְּפִלָּתֶ֔ךָH8605Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularI have seenרָאִ֖יתִיH7200Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markeryour tearsדִּמְעָתֶ֑ךָH1832Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularBeholdהִנְנִי֙H2005Interjection | first person common singularI will addיוֹסִ֣ףH3254Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularfifteenחֲמֵ֥שׁH2568Number - feminine singular construct. . .עֶשְׂרֵ֖הH6240Number - feminine singularyearsשָׁנָֽה׃H8141Noun - feminine singulartoעַל־H5921Prepositionyour lifeיָמֶ֔יךָH3117Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 6

Original words

And I will deliver youאַצִּ֣ילְךָ֔H5337Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singular-וְאֵ֖תH853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerand thisהַזֹּ֑אתH2063Article | Pronoun - feminine singularcityהָעִ֣ירH5892Article | Noun - feminine singularfrom the handוּמִכַּ֤ףH3709Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular constructof the kingמֶֽלֶךְ־H4428Noun - masculine singular constructof Assyriaאַשּׁוּר֙H804Noun - proper - feminine singularI will defendוְגַנּוֹתִ֖יH1598Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular. . .עַל־H5921Prepositionthisהַזֹּֽאת׃H2063Article | Pronoun - feminine singularcityהָעִ֥ירH5892Article | Noun - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • MT and LXX; DSS includes for My sake and for the sake of My servant David; see 2 Kings 20:6.
Verse 7

Original words

Thisוְזֶה־H2088Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - masculine singularwill be a signהָא֖וֹתH226Article | Noun - common singularto youלְּךָ֥Preposition | second person masculine singularfromמֵאֵ֣תH854Preposition-m | Direct object markerthe LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularthatאֲשֶׁר֙H834Pronoun - relativeHeיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerwill doיַעֲשֶׂ֣הH6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularwhatהַדָּבָ֥רH1697Article | Noun - masculine singular. . .הַזֶּ֖הH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativeHe has promisedדִּבֵּֽר׃H1696Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 8

Original words

-הִנְנִ֣יH2005Interjection | first person common singularI will makeמֵשִׁ֣יבH7725Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singularthe sun’sבַּשֶּׁ֛מֶשׁH8121Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singularshadowצֵ֣לH6738Noun - masculine singular constructthatאֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativefallsיָרְדָה֩H3381Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularבְמַעֲל֨וֹתבְמַעֲל֨וֹתH4609Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural constructon the stairwayהַֽמַּעֲל֡וֹתH4609Article | Noun - feminine pluralof Ahazאָחָ֥זH271Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markergo backאֲחֹרַנִּ֖יתH322Adverbtenעֶ֣שֶׂרH6235Number - feminine singular constructstepsמַעֲל֑וֹתH4609Noun - feminine pluralSo the sunlightהַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙H8121Article | Noun - common singularwent backוַתָּ֤שָׁבH7725Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularthe tenעֶ֣שֶׂרH6235Number - feminine singular construct. . .מַעֲל֔וֹתH4609Noun - feminine pluralstepsבַּֽמַּעֲל֖וֹתH4609Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural-אֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativeit had descendedיָרָֽדָה׃סH3381Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.