Isaiah 38 (résumé): Hezekiah’s illness

Isaiah News

Isaiah 38 has parallels in 2 Kings 20 and 2 Chronicles 32. Some people incorrectly presume that the Book of Isaiah is situated on a timescale after 2 Kings/2 Chronicles owing to its position in the Bible, but this is not the case. The chapter tells the same story seen in Kings/Chronicles of King Hezekiah’s terminal illness with a divine extension of 15 years given in answer to his prayer. This 15 year healing is confirmed by the solar sign: “The sunlight went back the ten steps it had gone”. Hezekiah’s response to his illness and recovery was: “In the prime of my life must I die?… like a weaver I have rolled up my life… my eyes grew weak… I am troubled Lord so please come to my aid… You restored me to health and let me live… for death cannot sing your praise… the living they praise you”.