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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "for my welfare that I had great bitterness" is a powerful paradox; the intense suffering Hezekiah experienced was not a punishment, but a divine process for his ultimate peace and well-being. This profound insight reveals that even our deepest sorrows can be God's way of drawing us closer to Him, transforming bitterness into the very peace we crave.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
King Hezekiah, after narrowly escaping death and receiving a miraculous extension of his life, reflects on his near-death experience. He acknowledges the intense suffering he endured, but recognizes it as a catalyst for a profound spiritual renewal and a deeper understanding of God's merciful love. This verse captures his grateful realization that God's deliverance from the brink of destruction was an act of love, marked by the forgiveness of his sins.
We often think of suffering as the opposite of peace. But what if God uses bitterness to lead us to true peace?
Hezekiah declares, 'Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness.' This isn't a contradiction; it's a profound insight into God's work.
The Purpose of Pain
When we feel like we're at the bottom of a dark pit, God's love is the force that reaches down and pulls us out.
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Hezekiah recognizes that his deliverance was an act of pure love from God. The imagery is powerful and deeply personal.
Love's Redeeming Power
God's forgiveness is radical. It's not just wiping the slate clean, but utterly casting our sins away.
The ultimate proof and sign of Hezekiah's deliverance and God's love is the complete removal of his sins. This points to the profound nature of divine forgiveness.
The Finality of Forgiveness
Understand the original words
shalom · Hebrew Noun
A state of well-being, wholeness, peace, or completeness. It often implies reconciliation and a harmonious relationship with God and others.
chesed · Hebrew Noun
God’s steadfast, covenantal, and loyal love. It is a persistent, faithful affection that is not based on the merit of the recipient but on the character of the giver.
chattah · Hebrew Noun
Missing the mark of God's standard or law. It represents an act of rebellion or failure that separates humanity from a holy God, requiring atonement or forgiveness.
Hezekiah's intense illness and his subsequent miraculous recovery, framed by the terrifying Assyrian invasion, provide a powerful backdrop for his words. The verse reveals how extreme suffering and the realization of sin's consequence can lead to a profound appreciation of God's loving forgiveness and the peace that comes from being truly 'delivered'.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Invasion of Judah
King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah, conquering many cities and besieging Jerusalem. This event brought immense fear and destruction to the region.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Hezekiah's Illness and Near Death
King Hezekiah falls gravely ill, to the point of death. The prophet Isaiah delivers a message of doom, telling him to set his house in order.
c. 701 BC
Hezekiah's Prayer and Divine Reversal
Hezekiah weeps and prays for his life, pleading with God. God hears his prayer and sends Isaiah back with a message of healing and an additional 15 years of life.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Withdrawal from Jerusalem
Following a plague or other divine intervention, the Assyrian army withdraws from Jerusalem, sparing the city from destruction.
This Psalm expresses a similar sentiment of God turning deep sorrow and a near-death experience into rejoicing and restoration, mirroring Hezekiah's reflection on his bitterness leading to peace.
Micah 7:19This verse directly echoes the imagery of God casting sins behind His back, emphasizing the completeness of His forgiveness and remembrance of our iniquities no more.
Hebrews 12:10-11This passage in Hebrews speaks to the 'peaceable fruit' that God's discipline yields, paralleling Hezekiah's realization that his bitter affliction ultimately led to his well-being and restored peace.
Psalm 50:16-17This passage contrasts those who hold onto God's covenant with those who cast away His words, with the latter being rebuked for casting God's words behind them; Hezekiah's verse highlights the opposite – God casting sins behind His back, signifying complete forgiveness.
Isaiah 43:25This verse directly states God's action of blotting out transgressions and not remembering sins, providing a clear theological explanation for the imagery Hezekiah uses regarding his sins being cast behind God's back.
cambridgeIsaiah 38:17: "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."
17 . Behold, for peace … bitterness ) (lit. “it was bitter to me, bitter”), i.e. the bitterness of affliction was mercifully overruled so as to yield “peaceable fruit” through his recovery (cf. Hebrews 12:11 ). but thou hast in love … pit ] Lit. (according to the Hebrew text) “and thou hast loved my soul out of the pi…
bensonIsaiah 38:17: "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 38:17 . Behold, for peace I had great bitterness — “When I perceived and feared no evil, and seemed to enjoy my usual health, then this terrible evil came upon me.” The Hebrew, however, לשׁלום מר לו מר , may be properly rendered, Behold my grievous anguish is turned into ease; or, My great bitterness was unto p…
The phrase "for my welfare that I had great bitterness" is a powerful paradox; the intense suffering Hezekiah experienced was not a punishment, but a divine process for his ultimate peace and well-being. This profound insight reveals that even our deepest sorrows can be God's way of drawing us closer to Him, transforming bitterness into the very peace we crave.
King Hezekiah, after narrowly escaping death and receiving a miraculous extension of his life, reflects on his near-death experience. He acknowledges the intense suffering he endured, but recognizes it as a catalyst for a profound spiritual renewal and a deeper understanding of God's merciful love. This verse captures his grateful realization that God's deliverance from the brink of destruction was an act of love, marked by the forgiveness of his sins.
King Hezekiah, after narrowly escaping death and receiving a miraculous extension of his life, reflects on his near-death experience. He acknowledges the intense suffering he endured, but recognizes it as a catalyst for a profound spiritual renewal and a deeper understanding of God's merciful love. This verse captures his grateful realization that God's deliverance from the brink of destruction was an act of love, marked by the forgiveness of his sins.
"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." — The phrase "for my welfare that I had great bitterness" is a powerful paradox; the intense suffering Hezekiah experienced was not a punishment, but a divine process *for his ultimate peace and well-b…
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Last reviewed October 2026