In those days was Hezekiah sick to death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, Thus said the LORD, Set your house in order: for you shall die, and not live.
A.
2 Kings 20:1-11 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live…
2 Chronicles 32:24 In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and prayed unto the LORD: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a sign.
John 11:1-5 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha…
and Isaiah
Isaiah 37:21 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent unto Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Whereas thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria:
Isaiah 39:3,4 Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country unto me, even from Babylon…
set thine house in order.
2 Samuel 17:23 And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
for thou
Jeremiah 18:7-10 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; …
Jonah 3:4,10 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown…
Hezekiah became mortally ill.
Hezekiah's illness is a pivotal moment in his life and reign. The nature of the illness is not specified, but it was severe enough to be life-threatening. This event tests Hezekiah's faith and reliance on God. It also serves as a backdrop for a miraculous healing, which is a testament to God's power and mercy.
The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him
Isaiah, a major prophet in the Hebrew Bible, plays a crucial role as God's messenger. His lineage, being the son of Amoz, establishes his authority and credibility. Isaiah's involvement highlights the close relationship between the prophet and the king, as well as the importance of prophetic guidance in the affairs of the nation.
and said, “This is what the LORD says:
This introduction underscores the divine authority behind Isaiah's message. It is not merely Isaiah's opinion but a direct communication from God. This phrase is a common prophetic formula, emphasizing that the message is to be taken seriously as the word of the LORD.
‘Put your house in order,
This command implies that Hezekiah should prepare for his impending death by settling his affairs, both personal and political. It suggests the importance of readiness and responsibility, reflecting the biblical principle of stewardship over one's life and duties.
for you are about to die;
The announcement of Hezekiah's impending death is direct and unequivocal. It serves as a reminder of human mortality and the sovereignty of God over life and death. This moment of crisis becomes an opportunity for Hezekiah to seek God's intervention.
you will not recover.’”
The initial prognosis is grim, indicating that without divine intervention, Hezekiah's condition is terminal. This sets the stage for a dramatic turn of events, as Hezekiah's subsequent prayer and God's response demonstrate the power of faith and prayer. This phrase also foreshadows the miraculous extension of Hezekiah's life, which is a testament to God's grace and the efficacy of earnest supplication.
• The phrase anchors the narrative in real history, tying Isaiah 38 to the broader accounts of 2 Kings 20:1 and 2 Chronicles 32:24.
• “Those days” follow Hezekiah’s dramatic deliverance from the Assyrians (Isaiah 37). God’s power over armies now shifts to His power over one man’s life, underscoring that the Lord rules nations and individuals alike (Psalm 33:10-15).
• By linking these events, Scripture reminds us that victories do not grant immunity from new trials; faith must be renewed daily (1 Corinthians 10:12).
• The text states plainly that the king’s sickness was lethal. Unlike minor ailments, this was humanly incurable (see 2 Kings 20:1).
• The gravity contrasts with Hezekiah’s previous vigor at thirty-nine years old (2 Kings 18:2), highlighting the frailty of even the godliest leaders (Psalm 39:4-5).
• God often uses physical weakness to deepen dependence on Him (2 Corinthians 12:9).
• Isaiah is both court historian and divine spokesman. His arrival signals that God is personally involved in Hezekiah’s crisis (Amos 3:7).
• The meeting occurs in private chambers, showing that God reaches rulers where physicians cannot (Psalm 118:8-9).
• Isaiah’s faithfulness to deliver hard truth models pastoral courage (Acts 20:27).
• The message carries ultimate authority; Isaiah is merely the mouthpiece (Jeremiah 1:9).
• Because “the LORD” (YHWH) speaks, the announcement is certain; no human opinion can override it (Numbers 23:19).
• God’s willingness to speak proves His covenant faithfulness even when the content is severe (Deuteronomy 7:9).
• The directive includes both practical and spiritual preparation—settling affairs, appointing successors, reconciling relationships (2 Samuel 17:23).
• Scripture urges similar readiness for all believers: “For man is like a breath” (Psalm 144:4); “You do not know what tomorrow will bring” (Proverbs 27:1; James 4:13-14).
• Hezekiah is reminded that stewardship extends to life’s final moments (1 Timothy 5:8).
• The decree is blunt: “for you are about to die; you will not recover”. Death is an appointment set by God (Hebrews 9:27).
• Yet divine pronouncements can invite intercession; Hezekiah’s later prayer shows that God may sovereignly ordain both the warning and the mercy (Isaiah 38:2-5).
• The statement underscores God’s prerogative over life span (Job 14:5) and calls every reader to number their days (Psalm 90:12).
Isaiah 38:1 records God’s sobering message to a righteous king: mortal illness, certain death, and a command to put his house in order. The verse affirms God’s sovereign right to summon anyone at any time, the need for continual readiness, and the importance of heeding prophetic truth. Far from despair, the passage sets the stage for fervent prayer and divine mercy, reminding us that the Lord who announces our end also holds the power of life in His hand.
XXXVIII.(1) In those days.--On any supposition, the narrative of Hezekiah's illness throws us back to a time fifteen years before his death, and therefore to an earlier date than the destruction of the Assyrian army, which it here follows. So in Isaiah 38:6, the deliverance of the city is spoken of as still future. Assuming the rectified chronology given above, we are carried to a time ten or eleven years before the invasion, which was probably in part caused by the ambitious schemes indicated in Isaiah 39. It follows from either view that we have no ground for assuming, as some commentators have done, (1) that the illness was an attack of the plague that destroyed the Assyrian army, or (2) that the treasures which Hezekiah showed to the Babylonian ambassadors were in part the spoil of that army.
Set thine house in order.--Literally, Give orders to thy house, euphemistic for "make thy will." The words are a striking illustration, like Jonah's announcement that Nineveh should be destroyed in three days (Jonah 3:4), of the conditional character of prophecy. It would seem as if Isaiah had been consulted half as prophet and half as physician as to the nature of the disease. It seemed to him fatal; it was necessary to prepare for death. The words may possibly imply a certain sense of disappointment at the result of Hezekiah's reign. In the midst of the king's magnificence and prosperity there was that in the inner house of the soul, as well as in that of the outer life, which required ordering.
Verse 1. - In those days. The illness of Hezekiah is fixed by ver. 5 (and 2 Kings 20:6) to the fourteenth year of his reign, or B.C. 714. The entire narrative of this chapter and the next is therefore thirteen or fourteen years earlier than that of ch. 36, 37, which belongs to Hezekiah's closing years, B.C. 701-698 (see the comment on Isaiah 26:l, 2). Sick unto death; i.e. attacked by a malady which, if it had run its natural course, would have been fatal. Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. This double designation of Isaiah, by his office and by his descent, marks the original independence of this narrative, which was not intended for a continuation of ch. 37. Thou shalt die, and not live. Prophecies were often threats, and, when such, were conditional, announcing results which would follow unless averted by prayer or repentance (compare Jonah's prophecy, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown," Jonah 3:4).