New English Translation
Isaiah 38:17
17“Look, the grief I experienced was for my benefit. You delivered me from the pit of oblivion. For you removed all my sins from your sight.
Isaiah 38:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness; but in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Indeed it was for my own peace That I had great bitterness; But You have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption, For You have cast all my sins behind Your back.
Context of Isaiah 38:17
15What can I say? He has decreed and acted. I will walk slowly all my years because I am overcome with grief. 16O sovereign master, your decrees can give men life; may years of life be restored to me. Restore my health and preserve my life.’ “Look, the grief I experienced was for my benefit. You delivered me from the pit of oblivion. For you removed all my sins from your sight. 18Indeed Sheol does not give you thanks; death does not praise you. Those who descend into the pit do not anticipate your faithfulness. 19The living person, the living person, he gives you thanks, as I do today. A father tells his sons about your faithfulness.
Read all of Isaiah 38Isaiah 38:17 word by word
הִנֵּ֥ה לְשָׁל֖וֹם מַר־לִ֣י מָ֑ר וְאַתָּ֞ה חָשַׁ֤קְתָּ נַפְשִׁי֙ מִשַּׁ֣חַת בְּלִ֔י כִּ֥י הִשְׁלַ֛כְתָּ אַחֲרֵ֥י גֵוְךָ֖ כָּל־חֲטָאָֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Behold, for peaceשָׁלוֹםshâlôm shâlôm · peace: well-beingH7965
- I had great bitternessמָרַרmârar · to provokeH4843
- I had great bitternessמַרmar mârâh · bitterH4751
- but thou hast in loveחָשַׁקchâshaq · to desireH2836
- to my soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
- from the pitשַׁ֫חַתshachath · Pit: hellH7845
- of corruptionבְּלִיbelîy · withoutH1097
- for thou hast castשָׁלַךְshâlak · to throwH7993
- all my sinsחֵטְאchêţ' · sinH2399
- behindאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- thy backגֵּוgêv · backH1460
Cross-references for Isaiah 38:17
- Job 3:25For the very thing I dreaded has happened to me, and what I feared has come upon me.
- Job 29:18“Then I thought, ‘I will die in my own home, my days as numerous as the grains of sand.
- Psalms 30:6In my self-confidence I said, “I will never be upended.”
- Psalms 30:3O Lord, you pulled me up from Sheol; you rescued me from among those descending into the grave.
- Psalms 40:2He lifted me out of the watery pit, out of the slimy mud. He placed my feet on a rock and gave me secure footing.
- Psalms 86:13For you will extend your great loyal love to me, and will deliver my life from the depths of Sheol.
- Psalms 88:4They treat me like those who descend into the grave. I am like a helpless man,
- Jonah 2:6I went down to the very bottoms of the mountains; the gates of the netherworld barred me in forever; but you brought me up from the Pit, O Lord, my God.
- Isaiah 43:25I, I am the one who blots out your rebellious deeds for my sake; your sins I do not remember.
- Psalms 10:2The wicked arrogantly chase the oppressed; the oppressed are trapped by the schemes the wicked have dreamed up.
- Psalms 85:2You pardoned the wrongdoing of your people; you forgave all their sin. (Selah)
- Jeremiah 31:34“People will no longer need to teach their neighbors and relatives to know me. For all of them, from the least important to the most important, will know me,” says the Lord. “For I will forgive their sin and will no longer call to mind the wrong they have done.”
- Micah 7:18There is no other God like you! You forgive sin and pardon the rebellion of those who remain among your people. You do not remain angry forever, but delight in showing loyal love.
Commentaries on Isaiah 38:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17For peace I had great bitterness "My anguish is changed into ease" - מר לי מר mar li mar, "mutata mthi est amaritudo." Paronomasia; a figure which the prophet frequently admits. I do not always note it, because it cannot ever be preserved in the translation, and the sense seldom depends upon it. But here it perfectly clears up the great obscurity of the passage. See Lowth on the place. Thou hast rescued - חשכת chashachta, with כ caph, instead of ק koph…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-22Verses 9-22 We have here Hezekiah's thanksgiving. It is well for us to remember the mercies we receive in sickness. Hezekiah records the condition he was in. He dwells upon this; I shall no more see the Lord. A good man wishes not to live for any other end than that he may serve God, and have communion with him. Our present residence is like that of a shepherd in his hut, a poor, mean, and cold lodging, and with a trust committed to our charge, as the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-20Hezekiah’s poem includes both lament (Isaiah 38:9–14) and praise (38:15–20). The praise remains restrained until the final verse.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-209-20. The prayer and thanksgiving song of Hezekiah is only given here, not in the parallel passages of Second Kings and Second Chronicles. Is 38:9 is the heading or inscription.Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 38:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 38
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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Commentaries