Verse 1
The phrase "In those days" evidently identifies the event in Hezekiah’s reign just referred to in chapters 36 and 37, namely: the siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib (cf. Isaiah 39:1). Isaiah 38:6 clarifies that Hezekiah became mortally ill before God delivered Jerusalem from Sennacherib. Consequently the events of chapters 38 and 39 must predate those of chapters 36 and 37. Since the Lord added 15 years to Hezekiah’s life (Isaiah 38:5), and since Hezekiah died about 686 B.C., [Note: Thiele, A Chronology . . ., p. 75.] the time when he became mortally ill was evidently early in 701 B.C.
The formal introduction of the prophet signals a new section of the book. Isaiah visited the king with a message from the Lord-to set his domestic affairs in order, because he would not recover from his illness but die (cf. 2 Samuel 17:23; 1 Kings 2:1-9). Sometimes what God announced through His prophets seemed inevitable, but when His people prayed it became negotiable (cf. Genesis 32:26; Exodus 32:7-14; James 4:2).
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