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Isaiah 38:18

New American Standard Bible (NASB ©1995) [2]
— “For Sheol cannot thank You, Death cannot praise You; Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness.
King James Version (KJV 1769) [2]
— For the grave cannot praise thee, death can [not] celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
English Revised Version (ERV 1885)
— For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
American Standard Version (ASV 1901) [2]
— For Sheol cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: They that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
Webster's Revision of the KJB (WEB 1833)
— For the grave cannot praise thee, death can [not] celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
Darby's Translation (DBY 1890)
— For not Sheol shall praise thee, nor death celebrate thee; they that go down into the pit do not hope for thy truth.
Rotherham's Emphasized Bible (EBR 1902)
— For, hades, cannot praise thee, Nor, death, celebrate thee,—They who go down to the pit cannot wait for thy faithfulness.
Young's Literal Translation (YLT 1898)
— For Sheol doth not confess Thee, Death doth not praise Thee, Those going down to the pit hope not for Thy truth.
Douay-Rheims Challoner Revision (DR 1750)
— For hell shall not confess to thee, neither shall death praise thee: nor shall they that go down into the pit, look for thy truth.
Geneva Bible (GNV 1560)
— For the graue cannot confesse thee: death cannot praise thee: they that goe downe into the pit, cannot hope for thy trueth.
Original King James Bible (AV 1611) [2]
— For the graue cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: they that goe downe into the pit cannot hope for thy trueth.
Lamsa Bible (1957)
— But the living shall give thanks to thee, as I do this day; the father to the children shall make known thy truth.
Brenton Greek Septuagint (LXX, Restored Names)
— For they that are in the grave shall not praise thee, neither shall the dead bless thee, neither shall they that are in the grave{gr.Hades} hope for thy mercy.
Full Hebrew Names / Holy Name KJV (2008) [2] [3]
— For the grave cannot praise thee, death can [not] celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.

Strong's Numbers & Hebrew NamesHebrew Old TestamentColor-Code/Key Word Studies
For x3588
(3588) Complement
כִּי
kiy
{kee}
A primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjugation or adverb; often largely modified by other particles annexed.
the grave 7585
{7585} Prime
שְׁאוֹל
sh@'owl
{sheh-ole'}
From H7592; hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranian retreat), including its accessories and inmates.
cannot x3808
(3808) Complement
לֹא
lo'
{lo}
lo; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abstract negation); by implication no; often used with other particles.
praise 3034
{3034} Prime
יָדָה
yadah
{yaw-daw'}
A primitive root; used only as denominative from H3027; literally to use (that is, hold out) the hand; physically to throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or worship (with extended hands); intensively to bemoan (by wringing the hands).
z8686
<8686> Grammar
Stem - Hiphil (See H8818)
Mood - Imperfect (See H8811)
Count - 4046
thee, death 4194
{4194} Prime
מָוֶת
maveth
{maw'-veth}
From H4191; death (natural or violent); concretely the dead, their place or state (hades); figuratively pestilence, ruin.
can [not] celebrate 1984
{1984} Prime
הָלַל
halal
{haw-lal'}
A primitive root; to be clear (originally of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence to make a show; to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively to celebrate; also to stultify.
z8762
<8762> Grammar
Stem - Piel (See H8840)
Mood - Imperfect (See H8811)
Count - 2447
thee: they that go down 3381
{3381} Prime
יָרַד
yarad
{yaw-rad'}
A primitive root; to descend (literally to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively to fall); causatively to bring down (in all the above applications).
z8802
<8802> Grammar
Stem - Qal (See H8851)
Mood - Participle Active (See H8814)
Count - 5386
into the pit 953
{0953} Prime
בּוֹר
bowr
{bore}
From H0952 (in the sense of H0877); a pit hole (especially one used as a cistern or prison).
cannot x3808
(3808) Complement
לֹא
lo'
{lo}
lo; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abstract negation); by implication no; often used with other particles.
hope 7663
{7663} Prime
שָׂבַר
sabar
{saw-bar'}
The second form being used erroneously in Nehemiah 2:13, 15; a primitive root; to scrutinize; by implication (of watching) to expect (with hope and patience).
z8762
<8762> Grammar
Stem - Piel (See H8840)
Mood - Imperfect (See H8811)
Count - 2447
for x413
(0413) Complement
אֵל
'el
{ale}
(Used only in the shortened constructive form (the second form)); a primitive particle, properly denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, that is, near, with or among; often in general, to.
thy truth. 571
{0571} Prime
אֱמֶת
'emeth
{eh'-meth}
Contracted from H0539; stability; figuratively certainty, truth, trustworthiness.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary

See commentary on Isaiah 38:9-20.


Isaiah 38:15-20

_ _ The second part of the song passes from prayer to thanksgiving at the prayer being heard.

_ _ What shall I say? — the language of one at a loss for words to express his sense of the unexpected deliverance.

_ _ both spoken ... and ... done it — (Numbers 23:19). Both promised and performed (1 Thessalonians 5:24; Hebrews 10:23).

_ _ himself — No one else could have done it (Psalms 98:1).

_ _ go softly ... in the bitterness — rather, “on account of the bitterness”; I will behave myself humbly in remembrance of my past sorrow and sickness from which I have been delivered by God’s mercy (see 1 Kings 21:27, 1 Kings 21:29). In Psalms 42:4, the same Hebrew verb expresses the slow and solemn gait of one going up to the house of God; it is found nowhere else, hence Rosenmuller explains it, “I will reverently attend the sacred festivals in the temple”; but this ellipsis would be harsh; rather metaphorically the word is transferred to a calm, solemn, and submissive walk of life.


Isaiah 38:18

_ _ death — that is, the dead; Hades and its inhabitants (Job 28:22; see on Isaiah 38:11). Plainly Hezekiah believed in a world of disembodied spirits; his language does not imply what skepticism has drawn from it, but simply that he regarded the disembodied state as one incapable of declaring the praises of God before men, for it is, as regards this world, an unseen land of stillness; “the living” alone can praise God on earth, in reference to which only he is speaking; Isaiah 57:1, Isaiah 57:2 shows that at this time the true view of the blessedness of the righteous dead was held, though not with the full clearness of the Gospel, which “has brought life and immortality to light” (2 Timothy 1:10).

_ _ hope for thy truth — (Psalms 104:27). Their probation is at an end. They can no longer exercise faith and hope in regard to Thy faithfulness to Thy promises, which are limited to the present state. For “hope” ceases (even in the case of the godly) when sight begins (Romans 8:24, Romans 8:25); the ungodly have “no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Hope in God’s truth is one of the grounds of praise to God (Psalms 71:14; Psalms 119:49). Others translate, “cannot celebrate.”

Matthew Henry's Commentary

See commentary on Isaiah 38:9-22.

John Wesley's Explanatory Notes

Isaiah 38:18

Praise — The dead are not capable of glorifying thy name among men upon earth. They cannot expect nor receive the accomplishment of thy promised goodness in the land of the living.

Geneva Bible Translation Notes

Isaiah 38:18

For (u) the grave cannot praise thee, death can [not] celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.

(u) For as much as God has placed man in this world to glorify him, the godly take it as a sign of his wrath, when their days were shortened, either because they seemed unworthy for their sins to live longer in his service, or for their zeal to God's glory, seeing that there are so few in earth who regard it as in (Psalms 6:5, Psalms 115:17).

Cross-Reference Topical ResearchStrong's Concordance
the grave:

Psalms 6:5 For in death [there is] no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?
Psalms 30:9 What profit [is there] in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?
Psalms 88:11 Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? [or] thy faithfulness in destruction?
Psalms 115:17-18 The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence. ... But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the LORD.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do [it] with thy might; for [there is] no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

they that:

Numbers 16:33 They, and all that [appertained] to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
Proverbs 14:32 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.
Matthew 8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Luke 16:26-31 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that [would come] from thence. ... And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
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Chain-Reference Bible SearchCross References with Concordance

Nu 16:33. Ps 6:5; 30:9; 88:11; 115:17. Pv 14:32. Ec 9:10. Mt 8:12; 25:46. Lk 16:26.

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