Isaiah 38 22

Isaiah 38:22 kjv

Hezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?

Isaiah 38:22 nkjv

And Hezekiah had said, "What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?"

Isaiah 38:22 niv

Hezekiah had asked, "What will be the sign that I will go up to the temple of the LORD?"

Isaiah 38:22 esv

Hezekiah also had said, "What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?"

Isaiah 38:22 nlt

And Hezekiah had asked, "What sign will prove that I will go to the Temple of the LORD?"

Isaiah 38 verses

Isaiah 38 22 Meaning

Isaiah 38:22 captures King Hezekiah's request for a specific sign to confirm God's promise of his miraculous recovery. Having been assured that his life would be extended, Hezekiah sought a tangible indication that he would regain full health and strength, enabling him to resume his crucial role in worship at the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. This was not a request born of disbelief but a desire for divine confirmation concerning a profound, life-altering intervention and his ability to re-engage with spiritual duties.

Isaiah 38 22 Context

Isaiah chapter 38 begins with King Hezekiah facing a terminal illness, likely during the time when Sennacherib of Assyria was threatening Jerusalem (701 BC). The prophet Isaiah delivers God's message: Hezekiah will die. In response, Hezekiah prays passionately and tearfully to God, recalling his faithful service. Before Isaiah has even left the king's presence, God sends him back with a new message: Hezekiah's prayer has been heard, he will be healed in three days, and his life will be extended by fifteen years. God also promises to deliver Judah from the Assyrian threat. This promise of healing is momentous, changing a divine decree. Verse 22 directly follows this extraordinary message. Hezekiah's question arises from a desire for concrete assurance for this unprecedented divine intervention, specifically linking his full recovery to the ability to physically return to the heart of Israelite worship: the Temple. This underscores the spiritual significance of his physical health and his role as king.

Isaiah 38 22 Word analysis

• Then Hezekiah said,

  • Then (וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyomer): A common Hebrew conjunctive introducing the next event or speech. It seamlessly continues the narrative flow, indicating an immediate response from Hezekiah after Isaiah delivered God's renewed message of life and healing.
  • Hezekiah (חִזְקִיָּהוּ - Chizqiyahu): King of Judah, known for his reforms and piety. His personal faith is highlighted throughout chapters 36-39. This direct mention establishes the speaker, underscoring the personal nature of the plea and its significance coming from the nation's spiritual and political leader.

• "What is the sign

  • What (מַה - mah): An interrogative particle, signifying a question.
  • is the sign (הָאוֹת - ha'ot): Hebrew for "the sign." The root אוֹת (ot) means a mark, token, wonder, or miracle. It signifies something given as proof or confirmation of a promise or divine intent. Hezekiah is asking for tangible, verifiable evidence from God. This isn't necessarily doubt but a desire for divine confirmation and reassurance, a pattern seen throughout biblical history (e.g., Gideon, Moses). The definite article "the" suggests Hezekiah knows a sign is appropriate for such a momentous promise.

• that I shall go up

  • that (כִּי - ki): Can mean "that," "for," or "because," linking the sign to the subsequent action. Here it connects the requested sign to the purpose or outcome it will signify.
  • I shall go up (אֶעֱלֶה - e'eleh): A verbal form of עָלָה (alah), meaning "to go up," "ascend." This specific phrasing (first person common singular imperfect) expresses a future intention or ability. In ancient Israel, "going up" often referred to pilgrimages or any travel up to Jerusalem, which was situated on hills, and specifically up to the Temple Mount. It implies a restoration to physical strength and the ability to participate in public worship. This ascent was a key ritual component of Jewish identity and religious life, signifying an ability to participate in the most central act of worship.

• to the house of the Lord?"

  • to the house (בֵּית - bet): "House of." This refers to a dwelling, but in this context, it clearly indicates the Temple.
  • of the Lord (יְהוָה - Yahweh): The personal, covenant name of God. This term identifies the Temple as His sacred dwelling place, the spiritual heart of the nation. For Hezekiah, returning to "the house of Yahweh" signifies not only his physical recovery but also his full restoration to spiritual service, communal worship, and his duties as a king leading his people in devotion to the one true God. His longing is for more than just life; it's for renewed communion with God and public participation in His worship.

Isaiah 38 22 Bonus section

The nature of Hezekiah's request implicitly positions him as a figure who, like many biblical patriarchs and judges (e.g., Abraham, Gideon), sought divine affirmation through a sign, a testament to a real, felt human need for tangible assurance in moments of extraordinary divine promises. This desire is often not evidence of faithlessness but of humanity grappling with the enormity of God's power and word. The specific focus on "going up to the house of the Lord" contrasts with the popular beliefs of his time that focused on personal longevity or prosperity alone. Hezekiah’s priority was not just extended life, but a return to spiritual normalcy and service, implicitly challenging the self-centered perspectives often associated with idolatrous worship that neglected communal spiritual duty. The eventual sign of the sun's shadow moving backward, a direct reversal of the natural order (Isaiah 38:8; 2 Kings 20:11), would have profoundly affirmed God's sovereign control over creation itself, thereby validating Hezekiah's miraculous healing and ability to ascend to the Temple, despite any human understanding of his medical prognosis.

Isaiah 38 22 Commentary

King Hezekiah's inquiry in Isaiah 38:22 reveals a profound understanding of his identity and duties, deeply intertwined with his relationship with the Lord and the Temple. Upon receiving God's astounding promise of life extension and healing, his immediate thought shifts from merely "being alive" to "being able to go to the house of the Lord." This request for a sign is not a demand of unbelief but an earnest seeking of confirmation for an unparalleled divine intervention, particularly one that would enable him to resume his royal and priestly functions connected to the Temple. It underlines the Temple's centrality not only as a place of worship but also as a symbol of life, community, and national well-being. For Hezekiah, full restoration meant a return to this sacred space, reaffirming God's continued presence and favor upon himself and his kingdom. His concern highlights that a true king of Israel recognized his physical and political health as secondary to his spiritual vitality and ability to lead his people in worshipping Yahweh. It demonstrates that the promise of life was intrinsically linked to his ability to glorify God publicly within the divine sanctuary.