Isaiah 38:13
“I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will he break all my bones: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Hezekiah describes the relentless, crushing power of his sickness, which breaks him as a lion breaks its prey.
Context
He endures the night in agony, counting the hours until dawn, as his body is ravaged by fever and pain.
What Does Isaiah 38:13 Mean?
From day to night, and then from night to day again. The cycle of suffering is endless, or so it feels. Hezekiah awaits the morning as if awaiting reprieve, but the morning brings no relief, only the continuation of pain. He imagines a lion breaking all his bones, and in this he speaks the truth of what pining sickness does. It crushes the frame, unmakes the body, leaves nothing whole.
Yet even in this darkness, Hezekiah speaks to God. He does not turn away or curse. He describes his agony to the One he believes is causing it or allowing it. This is faith of a different kind, not faith that denies the pain but faith that speaks the pain into the presence of God. The lion breaks his bones, but his voice still reaches heaven.
In the Original Language
shavar (שבר), 'break' -- to shatter, fracture, break into pieces as a predator breaks prey.
Application
In the midst of physical suffering, we may speak our anguish to God without pretending it is less than it is. Our broken cries reach Him.