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Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Isaiah 38:1-22

Hezekiah’s illness and recovery (38:1-22)The events recorded in Chapters 38 and 39 probably happened before those of the previous chapters. Hezekiah was about to die (38:1), but in answer to his prayer God gave him an extension of life. It seems that the reason for preserving Hezekiah’s life was to enable him to bring Judah through the time of conflict with Assyria (2-6). God gave Hezekiah a miraculous sign to confirm that this extension of life was according to the divine will (7-8).Hezekiah... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Isaiah 38:21

"Now Isaiah had said, Let them take a cake of figs, and lay it for a plaster upon the boil, and he shall recover. Hezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of Jehovah?"This injection of some pertinent fact into a narrative subsequently to its actual chronological occurrence is a typical feature of the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation. As an example, in Jonah, after the men cast lots and charged him with being the cause of the danger they were in, learned... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Isaiah 38:21

Isaiah 38:21. For Isaiah had said, &c.— Now Isaiah had said. "It seems to me extremely probable, (says Dr. Mead,) that the king's disease was a fever, which terminated in an abscess: for, in cases of this kind, those things are always proper which promote suppuration, especially digestive and resolving cataplasms, and dried figs are excellent for this intention. Thus the Omnipotent, who could remove this distemper by his word alone, chose to do it by the effect of natural remedies. And here... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 38:22

22. house of the Lord—Hence he makes the praises to be sung there prominent in his song (Isaiah 38:20; Psalms 116:12-14; Psalms 116:17-19). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Isaiah 38:9-22

Hezekiah’s record of his crisis 38:9-22The bulk of this section is a psalm of lamentation and thanksgiving that Hezekiah composed after his recovery (Isaiah 38:10-20). It is the only extant narrative in the Old Testament written by a king of Judah after the time of Solomon. [Note: The New Scofield . . ., p. 744. ] Compare King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon’s similar testimony of praise, after God delivered him from insanity (Daniel 4:34-35). This psalm is also chiastic in structure. It begins with... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Isaiah 38:21

The poem having ended, Isaiah now added a postscript giving more detail about Hezekiah’s recovery. Isaiah 38:21-22 are more smoothly integrated into the story of Hezekiah’s recovery in 2 Kings 20 than they are here. This fact has led scholars to speculate about which account was first, which was second, or did both draw from a common source? There is no way to answer this question for sure. Hezekiah had evidently suffered from a boil, but the boil was probably only a symptom of a more serious... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Isaiah 38:22

Hezekiah had requested the sign that God had sent (Isaiah 38:7-8). He wanted assurance that he would recover so he could worship the Lord again in public. He did not just anticipate recovering, but he looked forward to worshipping after he recovered.This chapter can stand alone in the text as a positive lesson on prayer, faith, and worship. But, as the next chapter reveals, chapter 38 also records the Lord’s preparation of Hezekiah for another very significant incident in his life. Ahaz had... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 38:1-22

Sickness and Recovery of HezekiahContinuation of the historical appendix to Isaiah’s prophecies. The chapter is parallel to 2 Kings 20:1-11 (where see notes), but contains a considerable addition in the shape of Hezekiah’s song of thanks-giving upon his recovery. Chronologically this chapter precedes 36 and 37: see on Isaiah 36:1.1-8. To Hezekiah in his sickness Isaiah promises 15 more years of life, and confirms the promise by a sign. 9-20. Hezekiah’s song of thanksgiving. 21, 22. The remedy... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Isaiah 38:21

(21) For Isaiah had said . . .—The direction implies some medical training on the part of Isaiah (see Note on Isaiah 1:6, and Introduction), such as entered naturally into the education of the prophet-priests. They were to Israel, especially in the case of leprosy and other kindred diseases, what the priests of Asclepios were to Greece. The Divine promise guaranteed success to the use of natural remedies, but did not dispense with them, and they, like the spittle laid on the eyes of the blind... read more

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