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Isaiah 38:17
Behold, for peace I had great anguish, but you have in love for my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption; for you have cast all my sins behind your back.
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Interpretation

Isaiah 38:17 shows a sins behind back that is lived within limits and longings—see "have" and "behold". Give sins behind back when pressure tempts shortcuts—turn worship into posture.

Context

The setting is Isaiah—prophetic oracle, highlighting sins behind back. Within ch. 38, a small unit frames the emphasis. It edges toward prophetic hope & judgment. Watch the terms “have” and “behold”.

Authorship & Historical Background

Early sources associate Isaiah with Isaiah (son of Amoz). Critical study of Isaiah often concludes: Often read as a multi‑stage composition (Deutero/Trito‑Isaiah).. Scholars commonly date Isaiah 8th–5th century BC. Here the thread of prophetic hope & judgment comes into view. Chs 40–55 commonly exilic (Deutero). Chs 56–66 commonly post‑exilic (Trito). Exilic and post‑exilic horizons color sections of the book.

More details
Traditional:Isaiah son of Amoz
Modern scholarship:Multiple authors (Proto‑, Deutero‑, Trito‑Isaiah).
Date:8th–5th century BC
  • Chs 40–55 commonly exilic (Deutero).
  • Chs 56–66 commonly post‑exilic (Trito).
Manuscripts & Textual Witnesses
In the Masoretic tradition the Hebrew text is preserved, standardized between the 6th–10th centuries CE. The Dead Sea Scrolls (1947-1956 discoveries) provide manuscripts 1000+ years older than medieval texts, generally confirming the Masoretic Text's reliability with only minor variations. The Septuagint (Greek translation, 3rd-2nd century BCE) offers an independent textual witness. Variations between manuscripts are typically minor: spelling differences, word order, or clarifications that do not change the overall sense. Modern translations compare all available manuscripts to reconstruct the best reflects the earliest recoverable text text.
Sources & witness notes
MT