Isaiah 38

Isaiah 38:1

IN those dayes was Hezekiah sick] 2 Kin. 20. 1, 2. 2 Chron. 32. 24. Shortly after the deliverance from the Assyrian, Chap. 37. Thus will God have his in continuall exercise; that thereby he may enure them, to depend constantly upon him alone, and to aspire unto heaven, 2 Corinthians 1:9. & 2 Corinthians 5:2. 4.

unto death] His disease being in its own nature deadly.

Set thine house in order] Heb. Give charge concerning thine house. Chap. 48. 5.

thou shalt die and not live] Heb. thou art dead. no better then a dead man; as sure to die, as if already dead. So Genesis 20:3. John 3:18. Romans 7:30. Yet a secret reservation there was, though the message was peremptorie to humble and trie him: as Jonah 3:4.

Isaiah 38:2

turned his face toward the wall] As he lay in his bed; not out of sullennesse and discontent; as Ahab, 2 Kings 21:4. but out of seriousnesse and devotion; that he might be the more retired, and lesse distracted in prayer, 1 Kings 18:42.

Isaiah 38:3

how I have walked before thee] How I have carried my selfe carefully and faithfully, as in thy sight, Genesis 5:22. & Genesis 6:9. and 17. 1. Psalms 16:8. & Psalms 119:168. 1 King. 15. 5, 14. 2 Chron. 25. 2.

in thy sight] Heb. eyes. Jeremiah 26:14.

wept sore] Heb. with great weeping. 2 Samuel 13:36. As being much troubled; partly that he should die so soon after deliverance from so great a calamitie, as deemed unworthy to enjoy the blessed fruit of it, 2 King. 7. 2, 19, 20. partly foreseeing the danger, likely to befall Church and State, should he then be taken away, having as yet no issue; for his sonne Manasseh was not yet born. See vers. 5. 18. 2 Kings 21:1.

Isaiah 38:4

Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah] Before he was gotten back to his own house, ere he was out of the Kings court, 2 Kings 20:4.

Isaiah 38:5

I have seen thy tears] Taken speciall notice of them, and taken them to heart, Exodus 3:7. Psalms 56:8.

Isaiah 38:6

I will deliver thee] He promiseth, not to prolong his life onely, but to give him rest and quietnesse from the Assyrians; who might have returned to revenge their former discomfiture.

I will defend this citie] Chap. 37. 35.

Isaiah 38:7

a sign] For Hezekiah had craved a sign, for the confirmation of his faith, vers. 22. and this sign, being put to his choice, 2 King. 20. 8, 10.

Isaiah 38:8

the shadow] Together with the body of the Sunne it self making that shadow on the diall.

in the sunne-diall] Heb. in the degrees by, or, with the Sunne.

of Ahaz] Set up by him for publike use in some part of his palace.

the sunne returned ten degrees] These degrees were each of them, as is supposed, halfe an hour: so that day was seventeen hours long at least; if we suppose the sunne to have retired back suddenly so many degrees; or two and twenty full; if it went back in its ordinary pace; for then five hours must be spent in his regresse, and as many in his renewed progresse unto that point, from whence he retired: whereas their ordinarie day was but of twelve hours, John 11:9. and this then within two houres twice as long as the ordinary.

by which degrees it was gone down] Or, in the diall by which it had gone on. So that if we take the word of going down properly and strictly, it may seem, that this miraculous work began about five of the clock after noone, some houre before Sunne-set, the Sunne having then declined so many degrees. Howbeit, if we understand the words, not of the Sunnes, but of the shadows descending on the diall, it might commence from noon; some sort of dials being so composed, that the shadow descendeth. as the Sunne ascendeth; and ascendeth again as it descendeth. But the plainest way of interpretation will be, if the word of going down be understood to signifie any progresse simply, without consideration of ascent or descent properly so tearmed: as Judg. 11. 37. & 15. 11. 1 Samuel 23:6. 2 Samuel 23:21. 2 Kings 8:29. Jeremiah 18:2. and Jeremiah 22:1.

Isaiah 38:9

The writing of Hezekiah] This song of lamentation and gratulation, was left by him to posteritie, as a monument of his thankfulnesse; as the 51. Psalm by David, of his repentance.

was recovered of] Heb. lived from. vers. 16. 21.

Isaiah 38:10

in the cutting off of my dayes] When I was told I should die, vers. 1. 12. Lamentations 3:54.

the gates of the grave] Psalms 9:13.

the residue of my yeers] Of what time I might have further lived, vers. 12.

Isaiah 38:11

I shall not see the LORD] I shall not visit his Temple any more among the faithfull, Psalms 27:4. 13. & 42. 2. & 116. 9. vers. 22. Chap. 53. 4.

Isaiah 38:12

Mine age is departed] The ordinary tearm of yeers, which in course of nature I might have attained unto, is shortned, Psalms 55:23. & Psalms 89:45. & Psalms 102:24.

as a shepherds tent] Which is soon and suddenly taken down and removed, Jeremiah 4:20. Lamentations 2:6.

I have cut off like a weaver my life] As a Weaver cutteth off the web from the loame, when he hath wrought it out: or, as if he should cut it off from the loam, before it be wrought out, vers. 10.

with pining sicknesse] Or, from the thrum.

from day even to night] This very day; shortly, speedily, without longer delay, vers. 13. Or, continually, incessantly; untill thou hast made an end of me, Job 4:20.

Isaiah 38:13

I reckoned till morning] Or, while morning was yet. I made account over-night, that I should live till morning; but my pangs in the night perswaded me the contrary. Or, I made full account, ere the morning (that is, day, as Genesis 1:5.) was over, to have an end made of me.

that] Or, but.

as a lion] Jeremiah 50:17.

will he break] Or, he brake. Lamentations 3:4.

from day, &c.] See vers. 12.

Isaiah 38:14

so did I chatter] I was so opprest with sorrow, that I could not speak, but sigh and groane, Psalms 77:4. Or, I was so full of pain, that my prayers were very quick and short.

mourn as a dove] Chap. 59. 11. Ezekiel 7:16.

upward] Towards heaven, to God, for ease and relief, 2 Chronicles 20:12. Psalms 69:3. & Psalms 119:82. & 123. 1, 2.

I am oppressed, undertake for me] Or, ease me. Sorrow and grief both of body and mind do so oppresse me, and as deaths Sergeants, arrest me; that I cannot escape, unlesse thou bail, or rescue me, Job 17:3. Psalms 119:122.

Isaiah 38:15

he hath both spoken unto me] Or, concerning me. as Genesis 20:13. He hath passed a sentence of death upon me, vers. 1. which he will also put in execution, 2 Corinthians 1:9. Or, he hath passed his word for my recovery; and made it good, vers. 5.

I shall go softly all my yeers in the bitternesse of my soul] Or, quietly; or, cheerfully, Psalms 42:4. after (as Jeremiah 31:13.) the bitternesse of my soul, Job. 7. 11. & 10. 1. I shall from hence-forward have no joy of my life, as vers. 117. 1 Kings 21:27. Or, I shall passe the residue of my life quietly, after this bitter brunt is over, vers. 6. See Chap. 53. 8.

Isaiah 38:16

by those things] By thy free promises and gracious performances of them, Deuteronomy 8:3. Matthew 4:4. Chap. 64. 5.

to live] Or, make me whole. Vers. 9.

Isaiah 38:17

for peace I had great bitternesse] Or, on my peace came great bitternesse. Heb. bitter bitternesse. Whereas I made account to live at rest, being delivered from the enemy, I had unexpected grief upon grief, Job 29:18. and Job 30:15. Jeremiah 8:15. and Jeremiah 14:19.

thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit] Heb. thou hast loved my soul from the pit. that is, loved me, and saved me from it. A defective speech, such as ver. 14. 21. Chap. 1. 4. Jeremiah 46:27.

from the pit] Psal 30. 3. and 103. 4.

thou hast cast all my sinnes behind thy back] As no more minding, or remembring them, then we are wont to doe those things, that we cast out of sight behind our backs, Psalms 50:17. Chap. 43. 25. Jeremiah 31:34. He valueth the remission of his sinnes, and Gods favour therein shewed him, above life it self, Psalms 32:1. 5. and 63. 3. and 103. 3.

Isaiah 38:18

the grave cannot praise thee] Since that God hath placed man in this world to glorifie him, the godly take it as a sign of his wrath, when their dayes are shortned; either for that God seemeth to deeme them unworthy for their sinnes to do him service; or out of their zeal to Gods glory, seeing so few on earth that seek it, vers. 3. Psalms 6:5. and Psalms 30:9. and Psalms 80:18. and 88. 10,—12. and 102. 24 and 115. 17, 18.

Isaiah 38:19

the father to the children] All posteritie shall acknowledge (parents informing their children of it) thy mercy and goodnesse shewed unto me, Psal. 78. 3, 4. Joel 1. 3.

Isaiah 38:20

was ready to save me] See vers. 4.

the stringed instruments] Heb. Neginoth, Psal. 4. Habakkuk 3:19. Or, hand-instruments. For the word is more generall; and comprehendeth all instruments of musick managed with the hand; not such onely, as being stringed, are touched with the fingers, as Lute and Harp; or struck over with a quill, as the Cittern; or with a bow, as the Viol; but such also as are shaken to and fro, as the Cymbal; or beaten with the hand or stick, as the Timbrel: and are opposed to the Nehiloth, or wind-instruments; that are managed by the wind or breath, Psal. 5.

in the house of the LORD] This being one principall end and use of holy assemblies, to blesse the Lord in them for his benefits, Psalms 9:14. and 22. 22, 25. and 40. 10. and 66. 13,—15. and 111. 1. and 107. 32. and 149. 1. and 150. 1.

Isaiah 38:21

Isaiah had said] 2 Kings 20:7.

lay it] Heb. beat or, bruise it to be laid: as vers. 17.

he shall recover,] Heb. live. Vers. 9. Numbers 21:8-9.

Isaiah 38:22

What is the sign] 2 Kings 20:10.

go up to the house of the LORD] He desireth life and health, that he may have libertie to repair to Gods house, vers. 11. Psal. 42. 1, 2. and 84. 2. and 122. 1. Ezekiel 46:2; Ezekiel 46:10.