Isaiah 53:3-12

3 despised, and the last of men, a man of sorrows, and knowing sickness. And his cheer was as hid (from us,) and despised; wherefore and we areckoned not him. (he was despised, and the last of men, a man of sorrows, and knowing of suffering. And we hid our faces from him, for we despised him, and regarded him as if he was nothing, or of no account.)

4 Verily he suffered our sicknesses, and he bare our sorrows; and we areckoned him as a mesel, and smitten of God, and made low. (Truly he suffered our sicknesses, and he carried our sorrows; but we reckoned him like a leper, and struck by God, and abased, or made low.)

5 Forsooth he was wounded for our wickednesses, he was defouled for our great trespasses; the learning of our peace was on him, and we be made whole by his wanness. (And he was wounded for our wickednesses, he was defiled for our great trespasses; he suffered what should have been our chastising, or our punishment, and we be healed, or made whole, by his scourgings.)

6 All we erred as sheep, each man bowed into his own way, and the Lord putted in him the wickedness of us all. (We have all wandered astray like sheep, each one turned to his own way, but the Lord put on him all of our wickednesses.)

7 He was offered, for he would, and he opened not his mouth; as a sheep he shall be led to slaying, and he shall be dumb as a lamb before him that clippeth it, and he shall not open his mouth. (He was offered up, and he bare it, and he did not open his mouth; like a sheep he was led to his killing, and he was as silent as a lamb before him who clippeth it, yea, he did open his mouth.)

8 He is taken away from anguish and from doom; who shall tell out the generation of him? For he was cut down from the land of livers. I smote him for the great trespass of my people. (He was brought to trial and to judgement; and who shall tell out his future? And then he was cut down from the land of the living. I struck him down for the great trespass of my people.)

9 And he shall give unfaithful men for burying, and rich men for his death; for he did not wickedness, neither guile was in his mouth; (And in his death he was buried with the unfaithful, and with the rich, though he did not do any wickedness, nor any deceit, or lies, came out of his mouth;)

10 and the Lord would defoul him in sickness. If he putteth his life for sin, he shall see (his) seed long enduring, and the will of the Lord shall be (ad)dressed in his hand. (yet the Lord defiled him with suffering. He made his life an offering for sin; and so he shall see his children, or his descendants, and he shall long endure, or he shall live a long life, and in his hand the purpose of the Lord shall prosper.)

11 For that that his soul travailed, he shall see, and shall be filled [For-thy that he travailed, his soul shall see, and be fulfilled]. (So) That my just servant shall justify many men in his knowing, and he shall bear the wickednesses of them. (Because of what he suffered/Because he suffered, he shall see, and shall be fulfilled. Yea, my righteous servant shall justify many people by his suffering, and he shall carry their wickednesses.)

12 Therefore I shall yield, either deal, to him full many men, and he shall part the spoils of the strong fiends; for that that he gave his life into death, and was areckoned with felonious men; and he did away the sin of many men, and he prayed for trespassers. (And so I shall give to him a portion with the great, and he shall part the spoils with the strong; for he gave his life unto death, and was reckoned with criminals; and he did away the sin of many, and he prayed for trespassers.)

Isaiah 53:3-12 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.