The Meaning of Isaiah 38:18 Explained

Isaiah 38:18

KJV: For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.

YLT: For Sheol doth not confess Thee, Death doth not praise Thee, Those going down to the pit hope not for Thy truth.

Darby: For not Sheol shall praise thee, nor death celebrate thee; they that go down into the pit do not hope for thy truth.

ASV: For Sheol cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: They that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Isaiah 38:18 Mean?

Study Notes

grave Heb. "Sheol," (See Scofield " Habakkuk 2:5 ")
death
there is no work
Ecclesiastes 9:10 is no more a divine revelation concerning the state of the dead than any other conclusion of "the Preacher" Ecclesiastes 1:1 is such a revelation. Reasoning from the standpoint of man "under the sun" the natural man can see no difference between a dead man and a dead lion. Ecclesiastes 9:4 . A living dog is better than either. No one would quote Ecclesiastes 9:2 as a divine revelation. These reasonings of man apart from divine revelation are set down by inspiration just as the words of Satan; Genesis 3:4 ; Job 2:4 ; Job 2:5 are so set down. But that life and consciousness continue between death and resurrection is directly affirmed in Scripture.; Isaiah 14:9-11 ; Matthew 22:32 ; Mark 9:43-48 ; Luke 16:19-31 ; John 11:26 ; 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 ; Philippians 1:21-23 ; Revelation 6:9-11 .
grave Heb. "Sheol," (See Scofield " Habakkuk 2:5 ") .

Verse Meaning

Those who die cannot thank and praise God for delivering them from death, but Hezekiah could because God had promised him mercy.

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 38

1  Hezekiah, having received a message of death, by prayer has his life lengthened
8  The sun goes ten degrees backward, for a sign of that promise
9  His song of thanksgiving

What do the individual words in Isaiah 38:18 mean?

For cannot Sheol thank You Death cannot praise You cannot hope Those who go down to the pit for Your truth
כִּ֣י לֹ֥א שְׁא֛וֹל תּוֹדֶ֖ךָּ מָ֣וֶת יְהַלְלֶ֑ךָּ לֹֽא־ יְשַׂבְּר֥וּ יֽוֹרְדֵי־ ב֖וֹר אֶל־ אֲמִתֶּֽךָ

לֹ֥א  cannot 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
שְׁא֛וֹל  Sheol 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: שְׁאֹול  
Sense: sheol, underworld, grave, hell, pit.
תּוֹדֶ֖ךָּ  thank  You 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person feminine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: יָדָה 
Sense: to throw, shoot, cast.
מָ֣וֶת  Death 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָוֶת  
Sense: death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead.
יְהַלְלֶ֑ךָּ  cannot  praise  You 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: הָלַל 
Sense: to shine.
לֹֽא־  cannot 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יְשַׂבְּר֥וּ  hope 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׂבַר 
Sense: to inspect, examine, wait, hope, wait upon.
יֽוֹרְדֵי־  Those  who  go  down  to 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
ב֖וֹר  the  pit 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּור 
Sense: pit, well, cistern.
אֲמִתֶּֽךָ  Your  truth 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱמֶת  
Sense: firmness, faithfulness, truth.