Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah:
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights God's incredible responsiveness, noting that His word came to Isaiah then, implying an immediate answer to Hezekiah's prayer. This swift divine intervention, before Isaiah had even left the king's presence, underscores how quickly faith can be answered.
Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah:
English Standard Version (ESV)
King Hezekiah is in dire straits, having just received a prophecy from Isaiah that he will die soon. In response, Hezekiah turns his face to the wall and prays fervently to God, recounting his faithful life and weeping. This verse marks the moment God's immediate reply comes to Isaiah.
Hezekiah had just received a dire prophecy of death. But before the prophet even left the king's presence, God's word returned.
This passage highlights the incredible speed at which God can act and respond to prayer.
A Prayer Answered in Minutes
Isaiah had delivered a heavy message: "Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live." (Isaiah 38:1). Hezekiah, in his distress, turned to the wall and prayed earnestly. The commentaries note that according to the parallel account in 2 Kings, God's message of hope and healing came back to Isaiah before he had even left the courtyard.
God's Listening Ear
This isn't just about a king's dramatic reprieve. It's a powerful reminder that God is not distant or slow to hear when His people cry out. His response can be immediate, even in the midst of our deepest crises.
Isaiah wasn't just delivering bad news; he was the crucial conduit for God's intervention. His role highlights the balance between divine sovereignty and human instrumentality.
In this narrative, Isaiah acts as God's direct mouthpiece, but his actions also demonstrate God working through a human vessel.
The Prophet's Recall
After Isaiah delivered the death sentence, he was recalled. God didn't bypass the prophet; He spoke to Isaiah again, instructing him to deliver a message of hope and healing. This shows that even when God's will is revealed, He often uses His chosen messengers to communicate and enact it.
Ask a follow-up
God's Grace Through Messengers
This interaction underscores that God's grace and mercy are often mediated through people. While God is all-powerful, He designed His plan to include human participation. Isaiah's role as the one who received and delivered both pronouncements – doom and deliverance – emphasizes the significance of faithful messengers in God's redemptive work.
Understand the original words
dābār · Hebrew Noun
An utterance, message, or decree from God that carries divine power and authority. It is more than just spoken words; it is the manifestation of God’s will and creative or corrective intent.
This passage unfolds during a moment of intense national crisis and personal peril for King Hezekiah. His illness occurs amidst or shortly after the Assyrian threat, highlighting how God's word and powerful intervention shaped both the king's faith and the destiny of his kingdom.
Late 8th Century BC
Hezekiah's Reign Begins
Hezekiah becomes king of Judah, a period marked by religious reforms and external threats, particularly from the Assyrian Empire.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Invasion and Siege of Jerusalem
Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah, conquering many cities and besieging Jerusalem. This event is a major crisis for the kingdom.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Hezekiah's Illness and Prayer
Hezekiah falls gravely ill. He turns to God in prayer, lamenting his condition and pleading for his life, fearing he will not see his kingdom prosper.
c. 701 BC
Divine Message and Healing
The prophet Isaiah, directed by God, delivers a message of hope to Hezekiah, promising him fifteen additional years of life and deliverance for Jerusalem.
c. 701 BC
Sign of the Sundial
A miraculous sign involving the sundial of Ahaz, where the shadow moves backward, confirms God's promise to Hezekiah.
c. 701 BC
Hezekiah's Song of Thanksgiving
After his recovery, Hezekiah composes a song of praise and gratitude to God for his deliverance and the extension of his life.
This verse highlights that obedience is more valuable to God than sacrifice, echoing Hezekiah's plea in Isaiah 38:3 where he emphasizes his faithfulness and good deeds to God.
Psalm 30:9Similar to Hezekiah's laments about not being able to praise God in death, David cries out, 'What profit is there in my silence if I go down to the pit?' showing a shared anxiety about being unable to thank God after death.
Psalm 119:122Hezekiah's plea, 'undertake for me,' is similar to David's prayer, 'Be surety for your servant,' demonstrating a shared reliance on God for protection and intervention in times of extreme distress.
Jeremiah 1:4Just as the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, this passage shows the direct divine communication to Isaiah, emphasizing God's active involvement in speaking through His prophets.
Luke 11:9Jesus' teaching to 'ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you' is reflected in Hezekiah's desperate prayer and the subsequent, immediate divine response to Isaiah.
barnesIsaiah 38:4: "Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying,"
Then came the word of the Lord - In the parallel place in 2 Kings 20:4 , it is said, 'And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came unto him.' That is, the message of God name to Isaiah before he had left Hezekiah; or as soon as he had offered his prayer. This circumstance is omitted by Isaiah on the revision of his narrative which we have before us. But there is no contradict…
cambridgeIsaiah 38:4: "Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying,"
4 . In 2 Kings 20:4 we read that “afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court,” this message came to him. So quickly was the king’s prayer answered. A somewhat similar instance of the revocation of one prophetic communication by another is that of Nathan in the matter of the building of the Temple ( 2 Samuel 7:3-4 ff.).
The verse highlights God's incredible responsiveness, noting that His word came to Isaiah then, implying an immediate answer to Hezekiah's prayer. This swift divine intervention, before Isaiah had even left the king's presence, underscores how quickly faith can be answered.
King Hezekiah is in dire straits, having just received a prophecy from Isaiah that he will die soon. In response, Hezekiah turns his face to the wall and prays fervently to God, recounting his faithful life and weeping. This verse marks the moment God's immediate reply comes to Isaiah.
King Hezekiah is in dire straits, having just received a prophecy from Isaiah that he will die soon. In response, Hezekiah turns his face to the wall and prays fervently to God, recounting his faithful life and weeping. This verse marks the moment God's immediate reply comes to Isaiah.
"Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah:" — The verse highlights God's incredible responsiveness, noting that His word came to Isaiah then, implying an immediate answer to Hezekiah's prayer. This swift divine intervention, before Isaiah had…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026