Isaiah

Isaiah 38:16–20

¹⁶O Lord, by such things men live,

and in all of them my spirit finds life.

You have restored me to health

and have let me live.

¹⁷Surely for my own welfare

I had such great anguish;

but Your love has delivered me from the pit of oblivion,

for You have cast all my sins behind Your back.

¹⁸For Sheol cannot thank You;

Death cannot praise You.

Those who descend to the Pit

cannot hope for Your faithfulness.

¹⁹The living, only the living, can thank You,

as I do today;

fathers will tell their children

about Your faithfulness.

²⁰The LORD will save me;

we will play songs on stringed instruments

all the days of our lives

in the house of the LORD.

Read all of Isaiah 38

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Isaiah 38:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
O Lord	אֲדֹנָ֖י	’ă·ḏō·nāy	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H136 lord
by	עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם	‘ă·lê·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural	H5921 height
men live	יִֽחְי֑וּ	yiḥ·yū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H2421 live
and in all	וּלְכָל־	ū·lə·ḵāl-	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
my spirit	רוּחִ֔י	rū·ḥî	Noun - common singular construct; first person common singular	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
life	חַיֵּ֣י	ḥay·yê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H2416 alive, living
You have restored me to health	וְתַחֲלִימֵ֖נִי	wə·ṯa·ḥă·lî·mê·nî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - second person masculine singular; first person common singular	H2492 be healthy, strong
and have let me live	וְהַחֲיֵֽנִי׃	wə·ha·ḥă·yê·nî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; first person common singular	H2421 live

Isaiah 38:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Surely	הִנֵּ֥ה	hin·nêh	Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
for my own welfare	לְשָׁל֖וֹם	lə·šā·lō·wm	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H7965 completeness, soundness, welfare, peace
I had such great	מַר־	mar-	Adjective - masculine singular	H4751 bitter, bitterness
anguish	מָ֑ר	mār	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H4843 be bitter
but Your	וְאַתָּ֞ה	wə·’at·tāh	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
love	חָשַׁ֤קְתָּ	ḥā·šaq·tā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H2836 be attached to, love
has delivered me	נַפְשִׁי֙	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
from the pit	מִשַּׁ֣חַת	miš·ša·ḥaṯ	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct	H7845 pit
of oblivion	בְּלִ֔י	bə·lî	Noun - masculine singular	H1097 wearing out
for	כִּ֥י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
You have cast	הִשְׁלַ֛כְתָּ	hiš·laḵ·tā	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H7993 throw, fling, cast
all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
my sins	חֲטָאָֽי׃	ḥă·ṭā·’āy	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H2399 sin
behind	אַחֲרֵ֥י	’a·ḥă·rê	Preposition	H310 behind
Your back	גֵוְךָ֖	ḡê·wə·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H1460 back

Isaiah 38:18

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
Sheol	שְׁא֛וֹל	šə·’ō·wl	Noun - common singular	H7585 underworld
cannot	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
thank You	תּוֹדֶ֖ךָּ	tō·w·ḏe·kā	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singular; second person masculine singular	H3034 throw, cast
Death	מָ֣וֶת	mā·weṯ	Noun - masculine singular	H4194 death
cannot praise You	יְהַלְלֶ֑ךָּ	yə·hal·le·kā	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; second person masculine singular	H1984 shine
Those who descend	יֽוֹרְדֵי־	yō·wr·ḏê-	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H3381 come or go down, descend
to the Pit	ב֖וֹר	ḇō·wr	Noun - masculine singular	H953 pit, cistern, well
cannot	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
hope	יְשַׂבְּר֥וּ	yə·śab·bə·rū	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7663 inspect, examine
for	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Your faithfulness	אֲמִתֶּֽךָ׃	’ă·mit·te·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H571 firmness, faithfulness, truth

Isaiah 38:19

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The living	חַ֥י	ḥay	Adjective - masculine singular	H2416 alive, living
only the living	חַ֛י	ḥay	Adjective - masculine singular	H2416 alive, living
can thank You	יוֹדֶ֖ךָ	yō·w·ḏe·ḵā	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; second person masculine singular	H3034 throw, cast
as I do today	כָּמ֣וֹנִי	kā·mō·w·nî	Preposition; first person common singular	H3644 like, as, when
fathers	אָ֣ב	’āḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H1 father
will tell	יוֹדִ֖יעַ	yō·w·ḏî·a‘	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3045 know
their children	לְבָנִ֔ים	lə·ḇā·nîm	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural	H1121 son
about	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Your faithfulness	אֲמִתֶּֽךָ׃	’ă·mit·te·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H571 firmness, faithfulness, truth

Isaiah 38:20

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The LORD	יְהוָ֖ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
will save me	לְהוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי	lə·hō·wō·šî·‘ê·nî	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct; first person common singular	H3467 deliver
we will play songs	נְנַגֵּ֛ן	nə·nag·gên	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common plural	H5059 touch
on stringed instruments	וּנְגִנוֹתַ֧י	ū·nə·ḡi·nō·w·ṯay	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine plural	H5058 music
all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the days	יְמֵ֥י	yə·mê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H3117 day
of our lives	חַיֵּ֖ינוּ	ḥay·yê·nū	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common plural	H2416 alive, living
in	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the house	בֵּ֥ית	bêṯ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1004 house
of the LORD	יְהוָֽה׃	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh