The writing of Hezekiah - Here the book of Kings deserts us, the song of Hezekiah not being inserted in it. Another copy of this very obscure passage (obscure not only from the concise poetical style, but because it is probably very incorrect) would have been of great service. The MSS. and ancient Versions, especially the latter, will help us to get through some of the many difficulties which we meet with in it. read more
The Lord "Jehovah" - יה Yah , יה Yah , seems to be יהוה Yehovah , in MS. Bodl., and it was so at first written in another. So the Syriac. See Houbigant. I believe יהוה Yehovah was the original reading. See the note on Isaiah 12:2 ; (note). read more
Mine age - is removed from me as a shepherd's tent - רעי roi is put for רעה roeh , say the rabbis (Sal. Den Melec on the place); but much more probably is written imperfectly for רעים roim , shepherds. See note on Isaiah 5:1 . I shall be removed from this state to another, as a shepherd removes his tent from one place to another for the sake of his flock. Is not this a strong intimation of his belief in a future state? I read more
The last line of the foregoing verse תשלימני לילה עד מיום miyom ad layelah tashlimeni , "In the course of the day thou wilt finish my web; "or, as the common version has it, "From day even to night wilt thou make an end of me, "is not repeated at the end of this verse in the Syriac version; and a MS. omits it. It seems to have been inserted a second time in the Hebrew text by mistake. I reckoned till morning, etc. "I roared until the morning like the lion" - For שויתי shivvithi ,... read more
Like - a swallow "Like the swallow" - כסיס kesis ; so read two MSS., Theodot., and Hieron. Mine eyes fail - For דלו dallu the Septuagint read כלו calu , εξελιπον . Compare Psalm 69:4 ; Psalm 119:82 , Psalm 119:123 ; Lamentations 2:11 ; Lamentations 4:17 , in the Hebrew and in the Septuagint. O Lord "O Lord" - For יהוה Jehovah , thirty MSS. and eight editions read אדני Adonai . Undertake for me "Contend for me" - עשקה ashekah , with ש shin ,... read more
I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul "Through the rest of my years will I reflect on this bitterness of my soul" - אדדה eddaddeh ; recogitabo , Vulg., reputabo , Hieron. in loc. read more
By these things men live "For this cause shall it be declared" - Περι αυτης γαρ ανηγγελη σοι, και εξηγειρας μου την πνοην , Sept. They read in their copies רוחי ותחיי לך יחוו עליה not very different from the present text, from which all the ancient Versions vary. They entirely omit two words, בהן ולכל ulecol bahen ; as to which there is some variation in the MSS. One MS. has ובכל ubechol , and in all; two others וכל vechol , and all, and ten MSS. have בהם bahem , in them,... read more
For peace I had great bitterness "My anguish is changed into ease" - מר לי מר mar li mar , " mutata mthi est amaritudo ." Paronomasia; a figure which the prophet frequently admits. I do not always note it, because it cannot ever be preserved in the translation, and the sense seldom depends upon it. But here it perfectly clears up the great obscurity of the passage. See Lowth on the place. Thou hast rescued - חשכת chashachta , with כ caph , instead of ק koph ; so the... read more
Thy truth - אמתך אל el amittecha . A MS. omits אל el ; and instead of אל el , an ancient MS. and one edition read את eth . The same mistake as in Psalm 2:7 . read more
Get a Bible verse delivered to your inbox every day!
Read on Mobile
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 38:8
Which is gone down "By which the sun is gone down" - For בשמש bashshemesh , the Septuagint, Syriac, and Chaldee read השמש , hashshemesh . - Houbigant. In the history of this miracle in the book of Kings, ( 2 Kings 20:9-11 ;), there is no mention at all made of the sun, but only of the going backward of the shadow: which might be effected by a supernatural refraction. The first ὁ ἡλιος , the sun, in this verse is omitted in the Septuagint, MS. Pachom. read more