Isaiah 38:20Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In contrast, others find deeper significance, suggesting that Hezekiah, contemplating something grand, might have believed that his reign was eternal and that the prophecies concerning Christ as the son of David applied to him personally. Therefore, they argue that despite his fourteen years of rule, there is little evidence that he prioritized having offspring. However, upon realizing the end of his life, he turned his attention to those who would come after him, speaking of future children who would declare the truth of the Lord. Yet, his words did not align with reality, as Manasseh, his son, was a wicked and criminal king. It was his father's hope that Manasseh would be righteous and serve as a herald of God's glory to others.

For when trials arrive, past comforts do not aid the afflicted. Therefore, the perspective of Epicurus is misguided, for he believes that recalling former blessings mitigates current sufferings. Hezekiah expressed this sentiment, reflecting on the years of his reign during a time of distress, recalling the good gifts he had received. Now that he was safe and had escaped those trials, he contemplated the human experience and remarked, "Lord, if this is the manner of our existence, and this is the state into which we are born, You have chastised me but have also revitalized me, and after the Assyrian had retreated, You granted me peace; yet this peace became heavier than any sorrow, for when the people were returned to serenity and the city was at rest, I was the only one who wandered into the realm of death. But You have saved my soul from perishing, in this life and the next. You have borne my sins upon Your shoulders, that I may not despair over them but instead rely on Your mercy. For it is written: In death there is no remembrance of You; in the grave who will give You praise? (Psalm 6:6). Here, confession is not intended as repentance but as an acknowledgment of Your glory, as indicated in the Gospel: "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth" (Matthew 11:25). Those who descend into the grave do not place their trust in Your truth, but rather in Your mercy. For one who resides in hell does not rely on the truth of judgment but on God's compassion, particularly since the Saviour went down to hell to liberate the captives. In this context, the translation of the LXX offers greater clarity, substituting grave for hell. The living shall praise You, just as I do now. This confession is an act of admiration rather than admission of guilt; it is an expression of gratitude toward God, for praise does not come from a sinner's lips (Sirach 15:9). While hell and death do not confess or glorify You, the living celebrate Your name. Consequently, "A father will declare Your truth to his children" reflects the instruction found in Deuteronomy: "Ask of your father, and he will tell you; your elders, and they will speak to you" (Deuteronomy 32:7), illustrating how God's grace is to be proclaimed across generations. The LXX translates this as, "For from this time on I will bring forth sons who will proclaim Your righteousness.” The conjunction connects the previous with the subsequent idea: that is, since the living and he himself, while alive, would bless God, he would beget sons to declare that truth from this day forward. This promise was beyond his power, for the Prophet had not assured him of having sons, and the present life was what remained for him, especially since he bore a son as wicked as Manasseh, who filled Jerusalem with blood and did not bless but blasphemed God while persecuting His saints. Thus, the LXX might suggest that he said, "I will not father sons, but παιδία," referring to offspring, youths, or infants, so that through them, recognizing God's mercy, his descendants might proclaim His abundant mercy. Therefore, save me, O Lord, and all of us who believe in You and have been rescued by Your grace shall sing praises to You in Your temple for all our days.