Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.

ISAIAH 38:17KJV
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Isaiah 38:17 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 38:17 mean?

Isaiah 38:17 describes someone who has gone through deep suffering but recognizes that God, out of love, has rescued them from destruction and has completely removed their sins. The verse expresses gratitude for God’s mercy in saving the speaker’s life and forgiving their wrongdoing.

King Hezekiah is speaking these words after recovering from a life-threatening illness. Hezekiah reflects on how his suffering (“great bitterness”) was turned into peace because God cared for him and saved him from death (“the pit of corruption”). Hezekiah is amazed that God has not only preserved his life but also chosen to forget his sins entirely.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 38:17

  • “Peace” (שָׁלוֹם, shalom): This word means more than just the absence of trouble; it often refers to wholeness, well-being, or restored relationship, which helps explain why Hezekiah contrasts it with his earlier “bitterness.”
  • “Bitterness” (מַר, mar and מָרַר, marar): These words point to a deep, painful experience, not just mild disappointment. Hezekiah’s suffering was intense and personal.
  • “Love” (חָשַׁק, chashaq): This word carries the sense of deep attachment or devotion, highlighting that God’s rescue comes from a place of genuine care.
  • “Pit” (שַׁחַת, shachat): This refers to a grave or a place of decay, emphasizing how close Hezekiah felt to death.
  • “Cast” (שָׁלַךְ, shalak): The idea is of throwing something far away, so when God “casts” sins behind His back, it means they are completely out of sight and no longer held against the person.

Why Isaiah 38:17 matters

  • Isaiah 38:17 helps clear up the idea that forgiveness is partial or temporary; the language shows that God’s forgiveness is total, with sins thrown out of sight.
  • The verse highlights that God’s rescue is motivated by love, not obligation, which deepens the sense of personal relationship in the passage.
  • This verse connects to the wider story of Hezekiah’s illness and recovery, showing that his physical healing is tied to spiritual restoration and forgiveness.

Where else these words appear

“back” Hebrew H1460 · used in 7 verses

  • Job 30:5 They were driven forth from among men,(they cried after them as after a thief;)
  • Proverbs 19:29 Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools.
  • Isaiah 50:6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

“love” Hebrew H2836 · used in 11 verses

  • Genesis 34:8 And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.
  • Exodus 38:28 And of the thousand seven hundred seventy and five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their chapiters, and filleted them.
  • Deuteronomy 21:11 And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife;

“corruption” Hebrew H1097 · used in 14 verses

  • Genesis 31:20 And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.
  • Job 4:11 The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad.
  • Job 38:41 Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.

“bitterness” Hebrew H4843 · used in 15 verses

  • Genesis 49:23 The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:
  • Ruth 1:20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
  • Isaiah 24:9 They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.