Isaiah 38:2
Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD,
Original Language Analysis
וַיַּסֵּ֧ב
turned
H5437
וַיַּסֵּ֧ב
turned
Strong's:
H5437
Word #:
1 of 8
to revolve, surround, or border; used in various applications, literally and figuratively
חִזְקִיָּ֛הוּ
Then Hezekiah
H2396
חִזְקִיָּ֛הוּ
Then Hezekiah
Strong's:
H2396
Word #:
2 of 8
chizkijah, a king of judah, also the name of two other israelites
פָּנָ֖יו
his face
H6440
פָּנָ֖יו
his face
Strong's:
H6440
Word #:
3 of 8
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi
Cross References
Psalms 91:15He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.Psalms 50:15And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.Matthew 6:6But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.1 Kings 8:30And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.
Historical Context
Turning toward the wall in sickbed prayer was customary for privacy and concentration. Hezekiah prays toward the temple direction, aligning with Solomon's prayer (1 Kings 8:44-45).
Questions for Reflection
- How does physical posture in prayer reflect our heart's intensity and focus?
- What does immediate turn to prayer teach about priorities during crisis?
- How do we cultivate the instinct to pray first rather than panic or problem-solve first?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Hezekiah's response "Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall" depicts private, intense prayer. Facing the wall removes distractions, focusing entirely on God. This physical posture demonstrates desperate seeking of God's face. The immediacy "then" shows Hezekiah's instant turn to prayer upon hearing the death sentence. Rather than despairing or seeking human solutions, the king brings his crisis directly to God. This models appropriate response to devastating news—immediate, focused prayer.