Isaiah 38:21
Isaiah 38:21 in Multiple Translations
Now Isaiah had said, “Prepare a lump of pressed figs and apply it to the boil, and he will recover.”
For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaister upon the boil, and he shall recover.
Now Isaiah had said, Let them take a cake of figs, and lay it for a plaster upon the boil, and he shall recover.
And Isaiah said, Let them take a cake of figs, and put it on the diseased place, and he will get well.
Isaiah had said, “Prepare a dressing of figs and spread it on the skin sores so he may recover.”
Then said Isaiah, Take a lumpe of drye figs and lay it vpon the boyle, and he shall recouer.
And Isaiah saith, 'Let them take a bunch of figs, and plaster over the ulcer, and he liveth.'
Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a cake of figs, and lay it for a poultice on the boil, and he shall recover.”
For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaster upon the boil, and he will recover.
Now Isaias had ordered that they should take a lump of figs, and lay it as it plaster upon the wound, and that he should be healed.
I had previously said to Hezekiah’s servants, “Prepare an ointment from mashed figs, and spread it on his boil, and then he will recover.” So they did that, and Hezekiah recovered.
Berean Amplified Bible — Isaiah 38:21
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Isaiah 38:21 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר
יְשַׁעְיָ֔הוּ
יִשְׂא֖וּ
דְּבֶ֣לֶת
תְּאֵנִ֑ים
וְ/יִמְרְח֥וּ
עַֽל
הַ/שְּׁחִ֖ין
וְ/יֶֽחִי
וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר
ʼâmar
H559
to say
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
יְשַׁעְיָ֔הוּ
Yᵉshaʻyâh
H3470
Jeshaiah
N-proper
יִשְׂא֖וּ
nâsâʼ
H5375
to lift
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
דְּבֶ֣לֶת
dᵉbêlâh
H1690
fig cake
N-fs
תְּאֵנִ֑ים
tᵉʼên
H8384
fig
N-fp
וְ/יִמְרְח֥וּ
mârach
H4799
to rub
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
עַֽל
ʻal
H5921
upon
Prep
הַ/שְּׁחִ֖ין
shᵉchîyn
H7822
boil
Art | N-ms
וְ/יֶֽחִי
châyâh
H2421
to live
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Isaiah 38:21
וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר
ʼâmar
H559
"to say"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Definition: 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
Usage: Occurs in 4337 OT verses. KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. See also: Genesis 1:3; Genesis 18:23; Genesis 25:32.
יְשַׁעְיָ֔הוּ
Yᵉshaʻyâh
H3470
"Jeshaiah"
N-proper
Jeshaiah means 'Jehovah has saved' and is the name of several Israelites, including a son of Hananiah and a chief of the house of Elam, as mentioned in Nehemiah.
Definition: A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.25.3; son of: Jeduthun (H3038); brother of: Obed-edom (H5654), Mattithiah (H4993H), Gedaliah (H1436I), Zeri (H6874), Hashabiah (H2811I) § Isaiah or Jesaiah or Jeshaiah = "Jehovah has saved" 1) son of Hananiah, brother of Pelatiah, and grandson of Zerubbabel 2) a Benjamite 3) son of Athaliah and chief of the house of Elam who returned with Ezra 4) a chief of the descendants of Merari who returned with Ezra
Usage: Occurs in 39 OT verses. KJV: Isaiah, Jesaiah, Jeshaiah. See also: 2 Kings 19:2; 2 Chronicles 32:32; Isaiah 1:1.
יִשְׂא֖וּ
nâsâʼ
H5375
"to lift"
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to lift or raise something, and it's used in many ways, like lifting a burden or raising someone's status. It appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah, often talking about God lifting people up. It's about supporting or carrying something or someone.
Definition: : raise/take_up 1) to lift, bear up, carry, take 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to lift, lift up 1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure 1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted 1b2) to lift oneself up, rise up 1b3) to be borne, be carried 1b4) to be taken away, be carried off, be swept away 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to lift up, exalt, support, aid, assist 1c2) to desire, long (fig.) 1c3) to carry, bear continuously 1c4) to take, take away 1d) (Hithpael) to lift oneself up, exalt oneself 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to cause one to bear (iniquity) 1e2) to cause to bring, have brought
Usage: Occurs in 609 OT verses. KJV: accept, advance, arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring (forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease, exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further, give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable ([phrase] man), lade, lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, [idiom] needs, obtain, pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare, stir up, [phrase] swear, take (away, up), [idiom] utterly, wear, yield. See also: Genesis 4:13; Numbers 4:2; 1 Samuel 14:3.
דְּבֶ֣לֶת
dᵉbêlâh
H1690
"fig cake"
N-fs
A fig cake is a lump of pressed figs, a type of food mentioned in the Bible. It's made from figs that are pressed together.
Definition: fig cake, lump of pressed figs
Usage: Occurs in 5 OT verses. KJV: cake (lump) of figs. See also: 1 Samuel 25:18; 2 Kings 20:7; Isaiah 38:21.
תְּאֵנִ֑ים
tᵉʼên
H8384
"fig"
N-fp
This word refers to the fig tree or its fruit, and is used in the Bible to describe a common food source in ancient Israel. It appears in stories like the one about Jesus and the fig tree in Matthew.
Definition: fig, fig tree
Usage: Occurs in 35 OT verses. KJV: fig (tree). See also: Genesis 3:7; Jeremiah 8:13; Psalms 105:33.
וְ/יִמְרְח֥וּ
mârach
H4799
"to rub"
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
To rub or soften something by applying pressure is the meaning of this Hebrew word. It is used medically to apply a soothing plaster, and is translated as lay for a plaister.
Definition: (Qal) to rub
Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: lay for a plaister. See also: Isaiah 38:21.
עַֽל
ʻal
H5921
"upon"
Prep
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Definition: prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) 1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity) 1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion) 1h) to (as a dative)
Usage: Occurs in 4493 OT verses. KJV: above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, [idiom] with. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 24:13; Genesis 41:33.
הַ/שְּׁחִ֖ין
shᵉchîyn
H7822
"boil"
Art | N-ms
This word describes a boil or inflamed spot, which can refer to leprosy or other skin conditions in the Bible.
Definition: 1) boil, inflamed spot, inflammation, eruption 1a) of man, leprosy, of man and beast
Usage: Occurs in 12 OT verses. KJV: boil, botch. See also: Exodus 9:9; Leviticus 13:23; Isaiah 38:21.
וְ/יֶֽחִי
châyâh
H2421
"to live"
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
To live or have life is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which can also mean to revive or be quickened. It is used in the Bible to describe God's power to sustain life and restore people to health, as seen in the stories of the prophets and Jesus' miracles.
Definition: 1) to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to live 1a1a) to have life 1a1b) to continue in life, remain alive 1a1c) to sustain life, to live on or upon 1a1d) to live (prosperously) 1a2) to revive, be quickened 1a2a) from sickness 1a2b) from discouragement 1a2c) from faintness 1a2d) from death 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to preserve alive, let live 1b2) to give life 1b3) to quicken, revive, refresh 1b3a) to restore to life 1b3b) to cause to grow 1b3c) to restore 1b3d) to revive 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to preserve alive, let live 1c2) to quicken, revive 1c2a) to restore (to health) 1c2b) to revive 1c2c) to restore to life
Usage: Occurs in 239 OT verses. KJV: keep (leave, make) alive, [idiom] certainly, give (promise) life, (let, suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken, recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, ([idiom] God) save (alive, life, lives), [idiom] surely, be whole. See also: Genesis 5:3; 2 Samuel 16:16; Psalms 22:27.
Study Notes — Isaiah 38:21
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Isaiah 38:21 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 38:21
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 38:21
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 38:21
- Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 38:21
- Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 38:21
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Isaiah 38:21
- Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 38:21
- Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 38:21
- Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 38:21
- Sermons on Isaiah 38:21
Context — Hezekiah’s Song of Thanksgiving
19The living, only the living, can thank You, as I do today; fathers will tell their children about Your faithfulness.
20The LORD will save me; we will play songs on stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the house of the LORD.
21Now Isaiah had said, “Prepare a lump of pressed figs and apply it to the boil, and he will recover.”
22And Hezekiah had asked, “What will be the sign that I will go up to the house of the LORD?”Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 Kings 20:7–8 | Then Isaiah said, “Prepare a poultice of figs.” So they brought it and applied it to the boil, and Hezekiah recovered. Now Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the LORD will heal me and that I will go up to the house of the LORD on the third day?” |
| 2 | Mark 7:33 | So Jesus took him aside privately, away from the crowd, and put His fingers into the man’s ears. Then He spit and touched the man’s tongue. |
| 3 | John 9:6 | When Jesus had said this, He spit on the ground, made some mud, and applied it to the man’s eyes. |
Isaiah 38:21 Summary
[Isaiah 38:21 shows us that God can use simple, natural things to bring healing and restoration, just like the lump of pressed figs used to heal King Hezekiah's boil. This reminds us that God is our Healer, as seen in Exodus 15:26 and Psalm 103:3. We can trust in His power to heal us, whether through natural means or supernatural intervention, as seen in Mark 1:29-34. By trusting in God's power and wisdom, we can experience His healing and restoration in our lives, just like Hezekiah did.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the significance of the lump of pressed figs in Isaiah 38:21?
The lump of pressed figs was a remedy prescribed by Isaiah to heal King Hezekiah's boil, as seen in Isaiah 38:21, and it is a testament to God's power to heal through natural means, as also seen in the story of Naaman in 2 Kings 5:1-14.
Was Isaiah's instruction a miracle or just a natural remedy?
While Isaiah's instruction to apply a lump of pressed figs may seem like a natural remedy, it is still a manifestation of God's power and wisdom, as Isaiah was guided by God to provide this instruction, similar to how God guided the prophet Elisha in 2 Kings 4:1-7.
What can we learn from Hezekiah's experience in Isaiah 38:21?
Hezekiah's experience teaches us to trust in God's power to heal and to seek guidance from His servants, as seen in Isaiah 38:21, and to have faith that God can work through natural means, as also taught in Jeremiah 8:22 and Luke 10:34.
How does this verse relate to the rest of the chapter?
This verse is a continuation of Hezekiah's story, where he was given a sign that he would recover from his illness, as seen in Isaiah 38:1-22, and it shows how God is faithful to His promises, as stated in Isaiah 38:19 and Deuteronomy 7:9.
Reflection Questions
- What are some areas in my life where I need to trust in God's power to heal and restore, just like Hezekiah did?
- How can I, like Isaiah, be a vessel for God's wisdom and guidance in the lives of those around me?
- What are some natural remedies or instructions that God may be guiding me to use in my life, and how can I discern His voice in these matters?
- In what ways can I, like Hezekiah, express my gratitude to God for His faithfulness and healing power, as seen in Isaiah 38:19-20?
Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 38:21
For Isaiah had said,.... Before the above writing was made, which ends in the preceding verse; for this and the following are added by Isaiah, or some other person, taken out of 2 Kings 20:7.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Isaiah 38:21
For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaister upon the boil, and he shall recover. Lump of figs - a round cake of figs pressed into a mass (1 Samuel 25:18).
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Isaiah 38:21
This was rather a sign appointed by God, than a natural means of the cure; for if it had a natural faculty to ripen a sore, yet it could never cure such a dangerous and pestilential disease, at least in so little time.
Trapp's Commentary on Isaiah 38:21
Isaiah 38:21 For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay [it] for a plaister upon the boil, and he shall recover.Ver. 21. Let them take a lump of figs.] Commenciatur hic usus medicinae. The patient must pray, but withal make use of means; trust God, but not tempt him.
Ellicott's Commentary on Isaiah 38:21
(21) For Isaiah had said . . .—The direction implies some medical training on the part of Isaiah (see Note on Isaiah 1:6, and Introduction), such as entered naturally into the education of the prophet-priests. They were to Israel, especially in the case of leprosy and other kindred diseases, what the priests of Asclepios were to Greece. The Divine promise guaranteed success to the use of natural remedies, but did not dispense with them, and they, like the spittle laid on the eyes of the blind in the Gospel miracles (Mark 7:33, John 9:6), were also a help to the faith on which the miracle depended. Both this and the following verse seem, as has been said, to have been notes to Isaiah 38:8, supplied from the narrative of 2 Kings 20, and placed at the end of the chapter instead of at the foot of the page, as in modern MSS. or print. The word for “boil” appears in connection with leprosy in Exodus 9:9, Leviticus 13:18, but is used generically for any kind of abscess, carbuncle, and the like. (Comp. Job 2:7.)
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Isaiah 38:21
Verse 21. Let them take a lump of figs, c.] God, in effecting this miraculous cure, was pleased to order the use of means not improper for that end. "Folia, et, quae non maturuere, fici, strumis illinuntur omnibusque quae emollienda sunt discutiendave." - PLIN. Nat. Hist. xxiii. 7. "Ad discutienda ea, quae in corporis parte aliqua coierunt, maxime possunt-ficus arida," c. - CELSUS, v. 11. See the note on 2Kg 20:7. Philemon Holland translates the passage as a medical man: - "The milke or white juice that the figge tree yieldeth is of the same nature that vinegre: and therefore it will curddle milke as well as rennet, or rendles. The right season of gathering this milkie substance is before that the figs be ripe upon the tree and then it must be dried in the shadow: thus prepared, it is good to break impostumes, and keepe ulcer open."
Cambridge Bible on Isaiah 38:21
21, 22. Cf. 2 Kings 20:7-8. The verses are obviously out of their true places here. The pluperfects in the English Translation are ungrammatical (Driver, Tenses, pp. 84 ff.), and we must render And Isaiah said … And Hezekiah said.
Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 38:21
For Isaiah had said - In the parallel place in Kings the statement in these two verses is introduced before the account of the miracle on the sun-dial, and before the account of his recovery 2 Kings 20:7-8.
Whedon's Commentary on Isaiah 38:21
21, 22. For Isaiah had said — Introduced thus, these verses give the occasion for the previous song of gratitude.
Sermons on Isaiah 38:21
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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The Lump of Figs (Isaiah 38) by Dick Hussey | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the story of a young king who is given a message from God through the prophet Isaiah. The king is told to set his house in order because he w |
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Eyes to See (1 of 2) by Jackie Pullinger | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of seeing and having a clear vision from the beginning. They share personal experiences of witnessing the plight of the unborn |
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Isolation by Charles E. Cowman | Charles E. Cowman preaches about the transformative power of being 'taken aside by Jesus' in times of solitude and confinement, drawing parallels to the experiences of Paul in pris |
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(John) 12 - the Light Refused by Alan Redpath | In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the story of Jesus healing a man who was born blind. The preacher emphasizes that this story is not just about physical blindness, but also |
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The Unfinished Work of Christ by Vance Havner | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of taking action and not just receiving the word of God. He uses the analogy of mud being applied to one's eyes and the need |
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Founders Week Conference 1974 - 01 by Vance Havner | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of personal involvement in spreading the word of God. He highlights the significance of individuals sharing their faith with |
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Lake Johanna Conference by Vance Havner | In this sermon, the preacher reflects on various aspects of faith and the journey of a believer. The sermon begins with a question about a doctor's actions in the past, but quickly |