What is the meaning of Isaiah 38:6?

And I will deliver you

God speaks directly to Hezekiah, assuring him of personal rescue.

• 2 Kings 20:6 parallels the promise, linking Hezekiah’s extended life to God’s active intervention.

• Psalm 34:17—“The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles”—echoes this personal dimension.

• The statement underscores that salvation is initiated and completed by the LORD, not by the king’s diplomacy or medical care just received (Isaiah 38:21–22).

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and this city

The promise broadens to include Jerusalem, showing that the welfare of God’s people is bound up with the king’s fate.

• Psalm 46:4–5 celebrates the security of the “city of God,” reinforcing that the LORD’s presence is its true defense.

• Jeremiah 33:9 later recalls Jerusalem as a “praise and renown” because of God’s past deliverance, pointing back to moments like this.

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from the hand of the king of Assyria

The threat is specific and historical—Sennacherib’s vast army (2 Kings 18:17).

• Isaiah 10:24–27 had already predicted that Assyria’s yoke would be broken.

• 2 Kings 19:35 records the literal overnight destruction of 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, a direct fulfillment of this verse.

• The precision of the promise confirms that Scripture deals with real events, not abstractions.

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I will defend this city

The LORD alone claims responsibility for Jerusalem’s safety.

• Isaiah 31:5 compares Him to “birds hovering overhead,” personally shielding Zion.

• Zechariah 2:5 later amplifies the idea: “I will be a wall of fire around it… and I will be the glory within it”.

• The words “I will defend” emphasize ongoing protection, inviting confidence for every generation that trusts the same Defender.

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summary

Isaiah 38:6 is God’s fourfold pledge: personal rescue for Hezekiah, corporate salvation for Jerusalem, freedom from a named oppressor, and continued divine guardianship. The verse assures believers that the LORD intervenes in concrete history, keeps His word in detail, and remains the sole, unfailing defender of all who rely on Him.