Isaiah 38:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and said, "Please, O Lord, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

NIV: "Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

NASB: and said, 'Please, Lord, just remember how I have walked before You wholeheartedly and in truth, and have done what is good in Your sight.' And Hezekiah wept profusely.

CSB: He said, "Please, Lord, remember how I have walked before you faithfully and wholeheartedly, and have done what pleases you." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

NLT: Remember, O Lord, how I have always been faithful to you and have served you single-mindedly, always doing what pleases you.' Then he broke down and wept bitterly.

KJV: And said, Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

NKJV: and said, “Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

Hezekiah hears that his severe illness is fatal (Isaiah 38:1). He weeps in anguish, aware that his death would end his family line and threaten God's promise to David (2 Samuel 7:16). In this situation, many people would send for doctors, magicians, priests, and anyone else who might promise life. Instead, Hezekiah turns to the Lord immediately in prayer. He does not turn to other gods or schemes. He reminds the Lord of his faithful walk. This is not as a claim to perfection, but rather a plea grounded in sincere devotion (2 Kings 18:5–6).

The Lord responds almost immediately (Isaiah 38:4–6), showing that this heartfelt prayer is what God desired. Some interpret this as a contradiction: that God predicted a death that did not happen. But the context says otherwise. God is gauging Hezekiah's response to dire news. As things stood, the condition was fatal—if nothing changed, Hezekiah would die. When the king prays, as God expected, the Lord expresses how that faith has earned the king more time, as God expected.

Isaiah 38:1–3 explains that King Hezekiah is seriously ill. Later verses mention the presence of a "boil" (Isaiah 38:21), which may mean a large tumor. The prophet visits the king with a message: Hezekiah should expect to die. He responds with mourning, turning away from Isaiah to weep. Hezekiah prays in desperation, noting his faithfulness to the Lord. God will reward that humility with fifteen more years of life (Isaiah 38:4–6).

Hezekiah becomes gravely ill. The only description given mentions a sort of "boil," so this may have been an aggressive tumor. Isaiah tells Hezekiah he will die, so the king prays and weeps. The Lord rewards Hezekiah's faithful dependence with a promise to add fifteen years to his life. God gives a miraculous sign by making the shadow on a staircase-like sundial move backward. After his recovery, Hezekiah writes a psalm describing his grief when he expected death and his joy after the Lord saved him. He commits to worshiping God in the temple for the rest of his life.

The events recorded here most likely happen before the Assyrian invasion described in the previous chapter. Isaiah is arranging his records to smoothly transition into later discussion of the Messiah. The Lord tells King Hezekiah to expect to die from an illness. When the king prays in grief, the Lord grants him fifteen more years and a miraculous sign. Hezekiah responds with a psalm describing both his despair and his renewed praise for the God who saves. Next, Isaiah records a visit from Babylonian messengers and God's prediction that peace will last until after Hezekiah has died.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).