Isaiah 38:18
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
For the grave cannot praise you, death can not celebrate you: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for your truth.
American King James Version (AKJV)
For the grave cannot praise you, death can not celebrate you: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for your truth.
American Standard Version (ASV)
For Sheol cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: They that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
For the underworld is not able to give you praise, death gives you no honour: for those who go down into the underworld there is no hope in your mercy.
Webster's Revision
For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
World English Bible
For Sheol can't praise you. Death can't celebrate you. Those who go down into the pit can't hope for your truth.
English Revised Version (ERV)
For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
Barnes's Isaiah 38:18 Bible Commentary
All these gloomy and desponding views arose from the imperfect conception which they had of the future world. It was to them a world of dense and gloomy shades - a world of night - of conscious existence indeed - but still far away from light, and from the comforts which people enjoyed on the earth. We are to remember that the revelations then made were very few and obscure; and we should deem it a matter of inestimable favor that we have a better hope, and have far more just and clear views of the employments of the future world. Yet probably our views of that world, with all the light which we have, are much further from the reality than the views of the patriarchs were from those which we are permitted to cherish. Such as they are, however, they are fitted to elevate and cheer the soul. We shall not, indeed, live again on the earth, but we shall enter a world of light and glory, compared with which all that is glorious here shall fade away. Not far distant is that blessed world; and in our trials we may look to it not with dread, as Job did to the land of shades, but with triumph and joy.
Will not cease - Will not fail, or be missing. It will spring up and live.
Isaiah 38:18For the grave cannot praise thee - The Hebrew word here is sheol. It is put by metonymy here for those who are in the grave, that is, for the dead. The word 'praise' here refers evidently to the public and solemn celebration of the goodness of God. It is clear, I think, that Hezekiah had a belief in a future state, or that he expected to dwell with 'the inhabitants of the land of silence' Isaiah 38:11 when he died. But he did not regard that state as one adapted to the celebration of the public praises of God. It was a land of darkness; an abode of silence and stillness; a place where there was no temple, and no public praise such as he had been accustomed to. A similar sentiment is expressed by David in Psalm 6:5 :
For in death there is no remembrance of thee;
In the grave who shall give thee thanks?
continued...
Wesley's Isaiah 38:18 Bible Commentary
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.