Isaiah 53:1-10

1 Who has believed what we have heard?^[a] And who has the arm of the Lord been revealed to?^[b]

2 He grew up before Him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He had no form or splendor that we should look at Him, no appearance that we should desire Him.

3 He was despised and rejected by men,^[c] a man of suffering who knew what sickness was.^[d] He was like one people turned away from;^[e] He was despised, and we didn't value Him.

4 Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.

5 But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds.

6 We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished Him for^[f] the iniquity of us all.^[g]

7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughter and like a sheep silent before her shearers, He did not open His mouth.^[h]

8 He was taken away because of oppression and judgment; and who considered His fate?^[i] For He was cut off from the land of the living; He was struck because of My people's rebellion.

9 They^[j] made His grave with the wicked, and with a rich man at His death,^[k] although He had done no violence and had not spoken deceitfully.^[l]

10 Yet the Lord was pleased to crush Him, and He made Him sick. When^[m] You make Him a restitution offering,^[n] He will see [His] seed, He will prolong His days, and the will of the Lord will succeed by His hand.

Isaiah 53:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 53

This chapter treats of the mean appearance of Christ in human nature, his sufferings in it, and the glory that should follow. It begins with a complaint of the small number of those that believed the report concerning him, the power of God not being exerted, Isa 53:1, the reason of this general disbelief was the meanness of his outward circumstances, and the want of comeliness in him; hence he was treated with general neglect and contempt, Isa 52:2,3 was the more unkind and ungenerous, since it was the griefs and sorrows of others he bore, and their sins also, for which he was wounded and bruised, that they might have healing, Isa 53:4-6, yet he took and bore all patiently, like a lamb at the slaughter, and the sheep under the shearer, Isa 53:7, which was the more extraordinary, since he was used, both in life and at death, in so rigorous and barbarous a manner, and all for the sins of others, having been guilty of none himself, Isa 53:8,9, and, what is most amazing, the Lord himself had a hand in grieving and bruising him, Isa 53:10, though for his encouragement, and a reward to him, as man and Mediator, for all his sufferings, it is intimated that he should succeed and prosper, have a numerous issue, should justify many, and have a portion and spoil divided with the great and mighty, Isa 53:10-12.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or believed our report
• [b]. Jn 12:38; Rm 10:16
• [c]. Jn 1:10-11
• [d]. Heb 4:15
• [e]. Lit And like a hiding of faces from Him
• [f]. Lit with; or has placed on Him
• [g]. 1 Pt 2:24-25
• [h]. Mt 26:63; 27:12-14; Ac 8:32-33
• [i]. Or and as for His generation, who considered [Him]?
• [j]. DSS; MT reads He
• [k]. Mt 27:57-60
• [l]. 1 Pt 2:22-23
• [m]. Or If
• [n]. 2 Co 5:21; 1 Pt 2:24