Isaiah 38:5 kjv
Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.
Isaiah 38:5 nkjv
"Go and tell Hezekiah, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years.
Isaiah 38:5 niv
"Go and tell Hezekiah, 'This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life.
Isaiah 38:5 esv
"Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.
Isaiah 38:5 nlt
"Go back to Hezekiah and tell him, 'This is what the LORD, the God of your ancestor David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will add fifteen years to your life,
Isaiah 38 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 38:5 | "I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life." | Isa 38:5 (Fulfilment) |
| 2 Kings 20:5 | "Turn back and tell Hezekiah the leader of my people, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: "I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD." | 2 Kin 20:5 (Parallel Account) |
| John 11:35 | "Jesus wept." | John 11:35 (God's empathy) |
| Psalm 56:8 | "You have kept count of my wanderings; put all my tears in your bottle; are they not in your book?" | Ps 56:8 (God remembers) |
| Psalm 34:17 | "When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles." | Ps 34:17 (God hears) |
| Matthew 7:7 | "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." | Matt 7:7 (Prayer promised) |
| Romans 8:28 | "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." | Rom 8:28 (God's purpose) |
| Psalm 6:8 | "Away from me, all you workers of iniquity, for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping." | Ps 6:8 (God hears) |
| Psalm 116:9 | "I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living." | Ps 116:9 (Life's purpose) |
| Jeremiah 29:12 | "Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you." | Jer 29:12 (Prayer heard) |
| Hebrews 4:16 | "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." | Heb 4:16 (Confidence in prayer) |
| Luke 18:7 | "And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?" | Luke 18:7 (Persistent prayer) |
| Psalm 30:2 | "O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you healed me." | Ps 30:2 (God's healing) |
| Psalm 130:2 | "Hear my cry for mercy, O Lord, my plea for help." | Ps 130:2 (Plea heard) |
| Isaiah 40:31 | "but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." | Isa 40:31 (Waiting on God) |
| Matthew 6:14 | "For if you forgive other people when they sin, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." | Matt 6:14 (Forgiveness link) |
| James 5:16 | "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." | Jas 5:16 (Effectual prayer) |
| Psalm 126:5 | "May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy." | Ps 126:5 (Tears to joy) |
| Isaiah 61:3 | "and to appoint for those who mourn in Zion to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a mantle of praise instead of a spirit of despair." | Isa 61:3 (Mourning to joy) |
| 1 Corinthians 10:13 | "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide a way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." | 1 Cor 10:13 (God's faithfulness) |
Isaiah 38 verses
Isaiah 38 5 Meaning
The verse signifies God's assurance to King Hezekiah of Judah that He heard his prayer and saw his tears. Consequently, God will add fifteen years to his life and deliver him and his city from the hand of the king of Assyria. This is a direct intervention demonstrating God's mercy and power in response to humble petition and sincere grief.
Isaiah 38 5 Context
This verse occurs in the narrative of King Hezekiah's serious illness and subsequent miraculous recovery, as described in Isaiah chapter 38 and 2 Kings chapter 20. Hezekiah was in a dire state, facing imminent death from a painful boil. The prophet Isaiah brought him a message from God that he should set his house in order, for he would die and not recover. This message plunged Hezekiah into deep distress. Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, weeping profusely and praying earnestly to God. He recounted his faithful service and the sincerity of his heart. In response, God communicated through Isaiah another message: He had heard Hezekiah's prayer and seen his tears, and would grant him fifteen more years of life, also promising deliverance for Jerusalem from the Assyrian threat.
The historical context involves the precarious political situation of Judah under King Sennacherib of Assyria, who had previously besieged Jerusalem and threatened its existence. Hezekiah's prayer for life was intertwined with a plea for the city's survival.
Isaiah 38 5 Word Analysis
- "I" (אָנֹכִי - anokhi): This first-person singular pronoun emphasizes the speaker, God Himself, asserting His direct involvement and authority in the situation. It highlights that this is not an indirect or delegated message.
- "have heard" (שָׁמַעְתִּי - sham'ati): The verb "shama" (שָׁמַע) means to hear, listen, and, importantly in this context, to obey or heed. The perfect tense indicates a completed action, suggesting that God's hearing of the prayer was a definite and assured event prior to this statement. It conveys God's attentive listening to Hezekiah's desperate plea.
- "your prayer" (תְּפִלָּתֶךָ - tPhilipsphilekhá): "Tefilah" (תְּפִלָּה) is the standard Hebrew word for prayer. It implies supplication, petition, and communication with God. The possessive pronoun "your" personalizes the communication, showing God's specific attention to Hezekiah's private entreaties.
- "I" (אָנֹכִי - anokhi): Repetition for emphasis, reinforcing God's personal awareness.
- "have seen" (רָאִיתִי - ra'iti): The verb "ra'ah" (רָאָה) means to see. Similar to "sham'ati," the perfect tense indicates that God has already perceived and registered Hezekiah's tears. This implies more than just a visual act; it denotes an understanding and recognition of Hezekiah's deep emotion and suffering.
- "your tears" (דִּמְעָתֶךָ - dim'atekha): "Dim'ah" (דִּמְעָה) refers to tears, usually shed from sadness or pain. This highlights God's empathy and awareness of Hezekiah's grief, making it a factor in God's decision. Tears are a non-verbal expression of deep emotion that God takes into account.
- "Behold" (הִנֵּה - hinneh): This interjection serves to draw immediate attention. It signals that what follows is significant and should be closely observed or considered. It introduces the divine promise.
- "I will add" (יוֹסִיף - yosiph): The verb "yasaph" (יוֹסִיף) means to add, increase, or continue. The imperfect tense here indicates a future action, a granting of more time.
- "fifteen" (חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה - khamesh 'esreh): The specific number, fifteen, signifies a concrete and measurable extension of Hezekiah's life. This numerical detail adds specificity to God's promise.
- "years" (שָׁנִים - shanim): The basic unit of time, signifying the duration of the added life.
- "to your life" (לְחַיֶּיךָ - lekhayyeha): This phrase signifies the bestowal of continued existence, extending the period of Hezekiah's mortal life.
Words-Group Analysis:
- "I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears.": This entire phrase is a powerful declaration of God's responsiveness and attentiveness to His faithful, even in their most vulnerable moments. It highlights the divine inclination to listen to humble petitions and acknowledge genuine grief as grounds for divine action and compassion.
Isaiah 38 5 Bonus Section
The event of Hezekiah's extended life was further evidenced by the sign of the descending shadow on the sun dial of Ahaz (Isaiah 38:8), which also served as a testament to God's power over celestial mechanics, corroborating His promise and His responsiveness to Hezekiah's faith. This miraculous lengthening of life and the accompanying sign highlight a period where divine intervention was exceptionally visible in the earthly realm. Some theological discussions ponder the purpose of these extra years and whether they were solely for Hezekiah's personal benefit or for the nation's stability during a crucial geopolitical period.
Isaiah 38 5 Commentary
God's response to Hezekiah's prayer demonstrates a profoundly personal and merciful engagement with His people. The promise to extend Hezekiah's life by fifteen years and deliver Jerusalem was not based on Hezekiah's merit alone, but on God's compassionate hearing of his prayer and seeing his tears. This illustrates God's attentiveness to the cries of His servants, especially in times of despair. The addition of fifteen years also offers Hezekiah the opportunity for continued service and for his faith to mature, and it provides assurance to his people, including the upcoming birth of his son Manasseh. This divine intervention reinforces the truth that sincere prayer, coupled with profound sorrow and trust, moves the heart of God and can alter the course of events. It underscores God's active involvement in the lives of those who fear Him.