Isaiah 38:8 NIV

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Isaiah 38:8

Isaiah 38:8. Behold, I will bring again, &c.— The dial in use among the Jews was a kind of stairs; the time of the day was distinguished not by lines, but by steps, here called degrees; and the shade of the sun moved forward a new degree every half hour. The Jewish doctors and the ancient Christian fathers were of opinion, that the sun itself actually went backward. They endeavour to support this opinion by shewing that Merodach-baladan was incited by the view of this miracle to send his... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 38:8

8. bring again—cause to return (Joshua 10:12-14). In 2 Kings 20:9; 2 Kings 20:11, the choice is stated to have been given to Hezekiah, whether the shadow should go forward, or go back, ten degrees. Hezekiah replied, "It is a light thing (a less decisive miracle) for the shadow to go down (its usual direction) ten degrees: nay, but let it return backward ten degrees"; so Isaiah cried to Jehovah that it should be so, and it was so (compare Joshua 10:12; Joshua 10:14). sundial of Ahaz—HERODOTUS... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Isaiah 38:1-8

Hezekiah’s illness 38:1-8 read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Isaiah 38:7-8

The Lord also graciously gave Hezekiah a sign that He would indeed do what He had promised, in response to Hezekiah’s request for a sign (Isaiah 38:22; 2 Kings 20:8).The stairway of Ahaz was evidently an exterior stairway that led to his upper room on the roof of the palace, where Ahaz had erected altars (2 Kings 23:12). This stairway was probably not built as a sundial, but it served that purpose as the sun cast its shadow on more or fewer steps depending on the time of day. That stairway may... 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

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Isaiah 38:1-22

Added Years Isaiah 38:5 I. God adds Years to Many Men's Lives. For example: a. In recovery from sickness. The sickness seems unto death. Hope is gone, or wellnigh gone. But a 'favourable turn,' as we say, is taken, and another course of years is added unto the man's days. b. In the gradual strengthening of the constitution. A new and deeper spring seems to be found in the blood, which has 'earnest in it of far springs to be'. The delicate youth becomes a strong man. c. In escape from... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Isaiah 38:1-22

CHAPTER XXVIHAD ISAIAH A GOSPEL FOR THE INDIVIDUAL?THE two narratives, in which Isaiah’s career culminates-that of the Deliverance of Jerusalem {Isaiah 36:1-22; Isaiah 37:1-38} and that of the Recovery of Hezekiah {Isaiah 38:1-22; Isaiah 39:1-8}-cannot fail, coming together as they do, to suggest to thoughtful readers a striking contrast between Isaiah’s treatment of the community and his treatment of the individual, between his treatment of the Church and his treatment of single members. For... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Isaiah 38:1-22

CHAPTER 38 Hezekiah’s Sickness and Healing 1. Isaiah’s startling message (Isaiah 38:1 ) 2. Hezekiah’s prayer (Isaiah 38:2-3 ) 3. The prayer heard and the sign (Isaiah 38:4-8 ) 4. The king’s sorrow and joy, a psalm of praise (Isaiah 38:9-20 ) 5. The remedy for the recovery (Isaiah 38:21-22 ) The message of approaching death startled the king because at that time he had no son. If he had died what then would have become of the Messianic hope through the house of David? Beautiful it is... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Isaiah 38:8

38:8 Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which hath gone down on the {e} sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it had gone down.(e) Read 2 Kings 20:8 . read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Isaiah 38:1-22

HISTORICAL PARENTHESIS These chapters are a dividing line between what may be called Parts 1 and 2 of this book. They deal with Hezekiah’s reign whose history has been considered in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles. The chapters are not arranged chronologically, as the event of chapter 38, Hezekiah’s sickness and recovery, occurred prior to the siege of Sennacherib (chaps. 36-37). The prophecies preceding these chapters predict the rise of the Assyrian power as the enemy of Judah and God’s rod of... read more