CHAP. XXXVIII.
Hezekiah, being sick unto death, prays, and is assured that his life shall be prolonged; and that he shall be delivered from the Assyrians, 1-6. The sun goeth back ten degrees, as a sign to him, 7, 8. His recollection of his thoughts and prayer when he was sick; and his thanksgivings for recovery, 9-20. The means appointed for that end, 21, 22.
N those days
death.
a was Hezekiah sick unto And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, * Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.
2 Then Hezekiah dturned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD,
3 And said, Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiahh wept sore.
4 Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah, saying,
5 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.
6 And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.
a 2 Kings 20:1-11. 2 Chr. 32: 24. John 11:1-5. Acts 9:37. Phil. 2:27-30.
b 37:21. 39:3,4.
119:80.
h 2 Sam. 12:21,22. Ezra 10:1. Neh. 1:4. Ps. 6:8. 102:9. Hos. 12:4. Heb. 5:7.
* Heb. Give charge concern-† Heb. with great weeping.
ing thy house. 2 Sam. 17:23. Ec. 9:10.
c Jer. 18:7-10. Jon. 3:4,10. d 1 Kings 8:30. Ps. 50:15.91: 15. Matt. 6:6.
e Neh. 5:19. 13:14,22,31. Ps. 18:20-27. 20:1-3. Heb. 6:10. f Gen. 5:22,24. 6:9. 17:1. 1 Kings 2:4. 2 Chr. 31:20,21. Job 23:11,12. Ps. 16:8, 32:2. John 1:47. 2 Cor. 1:12. 1 John 3:21,22.
g 1 Kings 15:14. 1 Chr. 29:9,19. 2 Chr. 16:9. 25:2. Ps. 101:2.
i 2 Sam. 7:3-5. 1 Chr. 17:2
-4.
k 7:13,14. 1 Kings 8:25. 9:4,5 11:12,13. 15:4. 2 Chr. 34:3. Ps. 89:3,4. Matt. 22:32.
12 Kings 19:20. Ps. 34:5,6 Luke 1:13. 1 John 5:14,15.
m Ps. 39:12.56:8. 147:3. 2 Cor. 7:6. Rev. 7:17.
n Job 14:5. Ps. 116:15. Acts 27:24.
ο 12:6. 31:4, 37:35. 2 Chr. 32: 22. 2 Tim. 4:17.
more fervent in our prayers: and when they revile us for the Lord's sake, and for our reliance on him, and devoted obedience to him; they engage him on our side, and ensure our victory. Those exploits, in which powerful and wicked men glory, form a counterpart of the conduct of the devil, their father: and when their course is run, some unexpected event sends them to their "own place." But the Lord will defend his church, for his own sake, and that of his anointed King; and those, who fix their hopes and love on him, shall witness the destruction of all their enemies, and triumph in the most complete answer of their largest prayers.
NOTES.
CHAP. XXXVIII. V. 1-3. ( Notes , 2 Kings 20:1-3.)-'One reason of his great concern is 'supposed to be, because he should leave his 'kingdom in great distraction, under the terrors 'of a foreign invasion; and without any heir to 'take the government upon him: for Manasseh 'was not born till three years after this. Comp. 2 Kings 20:6. with 21:1.' Lowth . I have walk ed , &c. (3) Note , 2 Chr . 31:20,21.
V. 4-6. Notes , 2 Kings 20:4-6.- I will de fend this city . The other copy, 2 Kings 20:6. [129 8 Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the * sun-dial of Ahaz ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down.
7 And this shall be a sign unto thee || I have cut off like a weaver my life: a he from the LORD, that the LORD will do this will cut me off with pining sickness: from thing that he hath spoken:
9The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when she had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness.
10 I said, in the cutting off of my days I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years.
11 I said "I shall not see the LORD, even the Lord, in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world.
12 Mine age is departed, and is removed from me yas a shepherd's tent:
p 22. 7:11-14. 37:30
Gen. 9:
13. Judg. 6:17-22,37-39.
q Josh. 10:12-14. 2 Kings 20: 11. 2 Chr. 32:24,31. Matt.
16:1.
* Heb. degrees by, or, with the
sun.
12:1,&c. Ex. 15:1, &c. Judg. 5:1,&c. 1 Sam. 2:1-10. Ps. 18: title. 30:11,12. 107:17-22. 116:1-4. 113:18,19. Jon. 2:1
-9.
'adds, "for mine own sake, and for my servant 'David's sake;" and the sentence seems some'what abrupt without it.' Bp . Lowth . Hence 'it appears, that Hezekiah's sickness was be'fore the destruction of Sennacherib's army, 'though it be not mentioned till afterward, be'cause the sacred writer would not interrupt 'the thread of that story.' Lowth .-Certainly this language does not well accord to a remote danger; which a new attack from the Assyrians after the destruction of their army, must have been, if it ever took place.
V. 7, 8. Notes , 2 Kings 20:8—11. 2 Chr . 32: 31. The sun. (8) It is here expressly said, that "the sun returned," and not merely that "the shadow went backward." ( Note , Josh . 10:12-14.)
V. 9-13. Hezekiah afterwards recollected and recorded his thoughts during his sickness, both as condemning himself for his despondency, and as magnifying the power of God in his unexpected recovery. ( Notes , Ps . 142: title . Jon. 2:1,2.)-By the premature cutting off of his days before he was forty years old, he was, as he supposed, about to go down to "the gates of the grave," and to be deprived of the residue of those years, in which he had hoped to be very useful to his people.
In his attendance on the worship of the Lord at the temple, he had enjoyed many discoveries of his glory, and much ex experience of his love, which he supposed would now be terminated; and that he was to be excluded from beholding men any more, with the inhabitants of this world.
He concluded, that his remaining years of life were departed, as a shepherd's tent is removed: his work was finished, as a weaver's web, when it is cat out of the loom; for the Lord would finish his web of life in the course of a day; what is, he would make it very short: and, by pining sickness, he would soon make an end of him. So that in the evening he reckoned, that by the morning at the furthest, the Lord
day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.
13 I reckoned till morning, that , bas a lion, so will he break all my bones: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.
14 Like a crane, or a swallow, so did I chatter; d I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, 'I am oppressed; undertake for me.
15 & What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it : I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul.
16 O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit; so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live.
would terminate his life, as a lion crushes the bones of his prey. ( Notes , Job 10:14–17. 16:6 -16. Dan . 6:24. Hos . 5:13,14.)
V. 14, 15. Hezekiah's disease seems to have been very painful; and probably his mind also was discomposed by temptation: so that on recollection, he was conscious he had wanted firmness and patience; his prayers had been intermixed with fretfulness or despondency; and his complainings had been unmeaning, like the chattering of a crane or swallow; and excessive, like the mourning of the dove for its mate.
And whilst he looked to the Lord for relief, and it did not come, his eyes were weary, and his faith ready to fail. ( Notes , Ps. 69: 1-3.83:3-12.) But when he was thus bowed down with trouble, and like a debtor who is about to be cast into prison; he still looked to the Lord, to be his Surety, and to "undertake for him," that he might be set at liberty: nay, at this crisis, he was assured by the prophet that he should recover, and the gracious promise was soon accomplished.
He therefore scarcely knew how to express his gratitude, for so unexpected and welcome a deliverance: and he hoped, that he should walk humbly and circumspectly during the rest of his life, recollecting the bitterness of soul from which he had been rescued. “I will, so long as I live, 'remember the bitterness of my life." ... The 'remembrance of the misery I endured, shall 'continually excite me to renew my thankful'ness.' Lowth.
V. 16. As all men's lives are thy gift, so I shall always acknowledge the preservation of 'mine to be owing to thy goodness in promising, and faithfulness in making good thy 'promise.' Lowth . By these things the souls of men also are saved: and Hezekiah seems to have meant, that he trusted in the promises and faithfulness of God, for the eternal life of his soul, as well as the continuance of his temporal life.
thee, as I do this day; the father to the children shall make known thy truth. id adl
20 The LORD was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments, all the days of our life, in the house of the LORD.
21 | For * Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaister upon the boil , and he shall recover.
22 Hezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?
V. 17-20. Hezekiah had enjoyed much have been tempted to conclude that he meant peace, but it was at once turned into extreme to destroy us. But, if indeed our lives should bitterness. Yet the Lord out of love to him be prematurely cut off, and we "deprived of had spared his life, and delivered his body the residue of our years," and no longer alfrom "the pit of corruption;" nay, had "cast lowed to meet the Lord and his saints in his his sins behind his back," back," being being determined earthly sanctuary: yet, yet, if if Cliristians, Christians, we shall not to punish anish him for them. ( Notes , Jer . 31:31 remove to a more glorious assembly, behold -34. Mic . 7:18-20.) For death and the grave his glory more fully, and praise him in more more in more exalted
man's opportunities of praising
terminate man's opportunities God on earth, and of dependence on his prom-down to the gates of the grave." We should ises. ( Notes , Ps . 6:5. 30:6-10.88:10-12.) But always remember, that we now dwell in an the living might thus glorify him, im, and both oth earthly tabernacle, which must shortly be spread the knowledge of his truth and will taken down: and instead of being anxious to among their contemporarie ries, and also trans- | provide for it, or indulge it, we should be seekmit it down to posterity. ( Notes , Gen. 18:18,19. ing "a house not made with hands, eternal in
Deut . 6:6-9. Josh . 4:20-24. Ps . 71:17,18. 71:17,18. 78:3 -8.) "Thy wonderful mercy towards me shall 'be recorded to after ages; and fathers shall 'mention it to their children, as an instance of 'thy faithfulness.' Lowth .-Hezekiah purposed without delay to celebrate publicly the praises of the Lord, who had thus shewn his readiness to hear his prayers, and save him from death; and to continue so to do as long as he lived. The animation of the language, "The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day;" should not pass unnoticed.-Perhaps this hymn was constantly sung in the house of the Lord, during the remainder of Hezeki
the heavens." ( Notes , 2 Cor . 5:1-8.) Let us then daily endeavor to exercise repentance, faith, love, and good works: and then, whether the Lord cut us off by "pining sickness," or crush us by sudden death, we shall have no cause to complain or mourn.-In tedious suffering our hearts may be ready to fail us, when expecting help from the Lord; and our immense debt of sin, as well as our potent enemies, may alarm us: but our Surety has undertaken for us; and, as he paid our ransom, he will "rescue our souls from the pit of destruction, and cast all our sins behind his back," and "into the depths of the sea."-Let us be
ah's life. ( P. O. 2 Kings 20:1-11. John 5:1 ||lieve his promises, and wait upon him to make
-14.)
V 21, 22. Note , 2 Kings 20:7.
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS. Afflictions, and intimations of approaching death, should excite us to serious self-examination and fervent prayer, and remind us to settle all our concerns: and, as the testimony of our conscience, to the simplicity of our faith and obedience, must form one chief support in a dying hour; we should endeavor at all times so to live, that death may not sur ot surprise us when this evidence is dubious. Whatever may be conjectured or inferred from second causes,
them good: let us walk watchfully through our remaining years, remembering the bitter convictions and corrections which sin has occasioned, and the gracious deliverances which the Lord has vouchsafed us. Thus the grace, truth, and power of our God will be "the life of our souls:" after a few more interchanges of peace and bitterness, our sorrows will terminate, and our consolations will be perfected. -But, as we cannot praise God in the grave, let us embrace the present season of serving him among our fellow sinners; sinners; hoping in his word, extolling his perfections, blessing him for his mercies, and obeying his precepts. Let
we shall surely live till our measure of ser-us endeavor to make known his righteous
vices is accomplished: but it is just cause of regret and humiliation, when sloth or imprudence has induced us to neglect, what we might otherwise have performed. It is good for us to recollect, and in some cases to record, the circumstances, which relate to the frame of our minds under heavy calamities. The review will supply cause for humiliation and gratitude: we shall commonly find, that our faith, hope, and submission, were greatly alloyed with distrust, dejection, and impatience. Sometimes we inordinately desired life, at others we were sinfully reluctant to live: and when God had corrected us for our good, well
ness and salvation to all around us, and to those who are to follow us: bringing our children with us to the house of our God, and instructing them from his word; discoursing with them on all his wondrous works, shewing them how ready he is to save and bless those, who call upon him, and leading them to walk with us before him, "in all his ordinances and commandments;" that when we are removed, they may be capable of filling up our places to greater advantage, and hand down to their children, and to posterity those truths and instructions which hich they have received from us. ( Note , 2 Pet . 1:12-15.)