Isaiah 38:1-9
Hezekiah <02396> [A.M. 3291. B.C. 718. was Hezekiah.]
Isaiah <03470> [And Isaiah.]
instructions .... household <01004 06680> [Set thine house in order. Heb. Give charge concerning thy house.]
illness ............................. die <04191> [for thou.]
turned <05437> [turned.]
Hezekiah's couch was probably placed in a corner, which is the place of honour in the East; in which, turning on either side, he must turn his face to the wall; by which he would withdraw himself from those attending him in his apartment.
Remember <02142> [Remember.]
<01980> [I have.]
wholehearted <08003> [a perfect.]
wept bitterly <01058> [wept.]
<01419> [sore. Heb. with great weeping.]
tell <0559> [and say.]
God <0430> [God.]
heard <08085> [I have heard.]
seen <07200> [I have seen.]
add <03254> [I will.]
make .............. then <07725> [I will bring.]
steps .... stairs ........... steps <04609 08121> [the sun dial. Heb. the degrees by, or, with the sun.]
Or, as the Hebrew might be rendered, "the steps of Ahaz." The researches of curious travellers in Hindostan, observes Bp. Stock, have lately discovered in that country, three observatories of similar form, the most remarkable of which is to be seen within four miles of Delhi, the ancient capital of the Mogul empire. A rectangled triangle, whose hypotenuse is a staircase, (apparently parallel to the axis of the earth,) bisects a zone, or coping of a wall, which wall connects the two terminating towers at right and left. The coping itself is of a circular form, and accurately graduated, to mark, by the gnomon above, the sun's progress before and after noon.
prayer <04385> [writing.]
sick <02470> [he had.]
We have here Hezekiah's thanksgiving song, which he penned by Divine direction, after his recovery. He might have used some of the Psalms of David his father, as he had appointed the Levites to praise the Lord with the words of David, 2 Ch 29:30, but the occasion here was extraordinary. His heart being full of devout affections, he would not confine himself to the compositions he had, though of Divine inspiration, but offered up his praises in his own words. The Lord put a new song into his mouth. He put his thanksgiving into writing, that he might review it himself afterwards, for the reviving of the good impressions made upon him by the providential interference, and that it might be recommended to others also for their use upon the like occasion. # 2Ch 29:30
