Isaiah 38:10 - Exposition

In the cutting off of my days ; literally, in the pausing of my days—which is taken by some to mean "the noon-tide of my life"—when my sun had reached its zenith, and might have been expected to begin to decline; by others to signify "the still tranquillity of my life," when it was gliding quietly and peacefully along without anything to disturb it. Isaiah 38:6 is against this latter view. I shall go to the gates of the grave ; rather, I shall enter in at the gates of hell (or, Çáäåò ) —the place of departed spirits (see the comment on Isaiah 14:9 ). Hezekiah bewails his fate somewhat as Antigone: ̓Αλλ ἔμ ὁ παγκοίτας Αἴδης ζῶσαν ἄγει τὰν ̓Αχέροντος ἀκτάν.