Commentary for Isaiah 38:18

[For the grave shall not thank You Had I died, I would not thank You for the miracle of the downfall of Sennacherib, and I would not hope for the realization of Your promise that You promised me concerning him.]

For the grave, etc. The body which is in the grave; the negation לא is to be repeated after מות: death cannot celebrate thee; comp. Prov. 21:14.³⁶In the verse מתן בסתר יכפה אף ושחד בחק חמה עזה A gift in secret pacifieth anger, and a reward in the bosom strong wrath, the verb יכפה pacifieth must be repeated before חמה wrath.

ישברו They hope. Comp. Ps. 145:15. Many are surprised to find here the prophet declaring such things, as if denying the truth of the resurrection of the dead; but the body has no power, no knowledge, when the soul has left it; and why should we be surprised at it? Man has sometimes no understanding when the soul is in the body, much less after his death.