The big picture
Isaiah 38 opens in verse 1 with “In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 11 with “I said, I shall not see the LORD , even the LORD , in the land of the living: I shall…”, and closes in verse 22 with “Hezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD ?” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, Hezekiah, days, degrees, house. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Isaiah · King James Version · 22Isaiah 38:1-8
1–8: In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the…
Isaiah 38:1–8 opens with “In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto…” and reaches “Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 38 develops its own movement around LORD, Hezekiah, days, degrees, house, with particular weight carried by LORD, degrees, Hezekiah.
Context that brings the passage to life
“In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him…” Naming Amoz and Hezekiah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And said, Remember now, O LORD , I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and…” Naming Hezekiah and Remember keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD , the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy…” Naming David keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Isaiah 38:1-8
King James Version1In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. 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.
2Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD ,
3And 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 Hezekiah wept sore.
4Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying,
5Go, 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.
6And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.
7And this shall be a sign unto thee from the LORD , that the LORD will do this thing that he hath spoken;
8Behold, 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.
Isaiah 38:9-16
9–16: The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was…
Isaiah 38:9–16 opens with “The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness:” and reaches “O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 38 develops its own movement around LORD, Hezekiah, days, degrees, house, with particular weight carried by LORD, life, live.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness:” Naming Hezekiah and Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“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…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Isaiah 38:9-16
King James Version9The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness:
10I 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.
11I 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.
12Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd’s tent: I have cut off like a weaver my life: he will cut me off with pining sickness: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.
13I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will he break all my bones: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.
14Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD , I am oppressed; undertake for me.
15What 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.
16O 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.
Isaiah 38:17-22
17–22: Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my…
Isaiah 38:17–22 opens with “Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the…” and reaches “Hezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD ?” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 38 develops its own movement around LORD, Hezekiah, days, degrees, house, with particular weight carried by LORD, house, living.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption…” The line’s distinctive content terms include back, behind, bitterness. Its relationship to verses 18 shows what work it does in this passage.
Isaiah 38:17-22
King James Version17Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.
18For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
19The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.
20The 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 .
21For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaister upon the boil, and he shall recover.
22Hezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD ?
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Isaiah 38:1 begins with “In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD , Set thine house…”
Where the chapter turns
Isaiah 38:15 forms a natural hinge: “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.”
The final note
Isaiah 38:22 leaves the reader with “Hezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD ?”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, Hezekiah, days, degrees, house, Isaiah help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What changes Judah's public judgment?
Recognizing his own pledges forces him to acknowledge his broken obligation.
Why is this chapter important to the larger story?
It introduces Perez's line and begins a deeper view of Judah, who later offers himself for Benjamin.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.