Isaiah Chapter 38 — Hezekiah’s Prayer and Healing
King Hezekiah becomes terminally ill but prays to God for mercy. God heals him, grants him fifteen more years of life, and provides a miraculous sign.
1In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him, and said to him, “The LORD*LORD or GOD in all caps is from the Hebrew יהוה Yahweh except when otherwise noted as being from the short form יה Yah. says, ‘Set your house in order, for you will die, and not live.’ ”
2Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD,
3and said, “Remember now, LORD, 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 the LORD’s word came to Isaiah, saying,
5“Go, and tell Hezekiah, ‘The LORD, 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 the LORD, that the LORD 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.†Sheol is the place of the dead.
11I said, “I won’t see the LORD,‡Hebrew: יה Yah
12My dwelling is removed,
13I waited patiently until morning.
14I chattered like a swallow or a crane.
15What will I say?
16Lord, men live by these things;
17Behold, for peace I had great anguish,
18For Sheol*Sheol is the place of the dead. can’t praise you.
19The living, the living, he shall praise you, as I do today.
20The LORD will save me.
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 the LORD’s house?”
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Isaiah 38:5
“Go, and tell Hezekiah, ‘The LORD, 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."”
This verse demonstrates God's personal response to Hezekiah's earnest prayer and His power over life and death.
Isaiah 38:8
“Behold, 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.”
This miraculous sign serves as a powerful confirmation of God's promise to the king.
Isaiah 38:19
“The living, the living, he shall praise you, as I do today. The father shall make known your truth to the children.”
This verse emphasizes the purpose of life as a vessel for praising God and passing on truth to the next generation.
Chapter Summary
Isaiah Chapter 38 details King Hezekiah’s serious illness and his subsequent recovery. When Isaiah the prophet tells Hezekiah to set his house in order because he is about to die, Hezekiah turns to the wall, prays fervently, and weeps. In response, God sends Isaiah back to promise Hezekiah fifteen additional years of life and deliverance for Jerusalem from the Assyrians. To confirm this promise, God performs a miracle, making the shadow on the sundial of Ahaz move backward ten steps. The chapter then transitions into a poetic writing by Hezekiah, where he reflects on his fear of death and the bitterness of his suffering. He acknowledges that God’s discipline was for his own well-being and expresses gratitude for being delivered from the pit of destruction. He concludes by praising God’s salvation and promising to sing with stringed instruments in the house of the Lord. The chapter ends by mentioning the physical remedy used—a cake of figs—and Hezekiah’s request for a sign of his recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
After Isaiah told Hezekiah he would die, the king prayed and wept, reminding God of his faithful service. God heard his prayer and saw his tears, choosing to extend his life and protect Jerusalem from Assyria.
As a sign that God would fulfill His promise, the shadow on the sundial of Ahaz moved backward ten steps. This supernatural reversal of the sun's shadow confirmed that the king would indeed recover.
The poem is a reflection on his brush with death, describing his intense anguish and sense of hopelessness. It concludes with a song of praise, acknowledging that God delivered him from the pit of destruction.
Isaiah instructed that a cake of figs be applied as a poultice to Hezekiah's boil. This physical treatment was used in conjunction with the divine promise to bring about the king's recovery.
Study Note
The sundial mentioned in verse 8 is one of the earliest biblical references to a specific mechanical time-keeping device used in the ancient Near East.
Related Chapters
2 Kings Chapter 20
Provides a parallel historical account of Hezekiah's illness and the shadow on the sundial.
2 Chronicles Chapter 32
Summarizes Hezekiah's reign, including his miraculous healing and his response to it.
Psalm 116
A psalm of thanksgiving for deliverance from death that mirrors Hezekiah's poetic prayer.
Continue in the App
Get the full experience — immersive audio, instant explanations, highlights, notes, and reading plans.