Isaiah as a Mini-Bible

Isaiahchapter 53

12 verses · ASV

This chapter sends 261 cross-references outward and receives 489 — heaviest partner: Isaiah.

Chapter summary

Isaiah's fourth Servant Song reaches its center as a "we" voice asks who has believed the report and to whom the arm of Jehovah is revealed. The Servant grows up as a root out of dry ground, without form or comeliness — despised, rejected, a man of sorrows acquainted with grief. Then the confession turns: he bears our griefs, is wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities, with his stripes we are healed, and Jehovah lays on him the iniquity of us all. Silent as a lamb led to the slaughter, he is cut off out of the land of the living, his grave made with the wicked and with a rich man, though he did no violence. Jehovah makes his soul an offering for sin: he sees his seed, justifies many, and divides spoil, having poured out his soul unto death and made intercession for the transgressors — the chapter the New Testament applies directly to Jesus, from Philip's exposition in Acts 8:32-35 to 1 Peter 2:22-25.

Drafted from Matthew Henry, Calvin, Gill, Clarke, JFB, and Barnes.

Context

Prophecy · Isaiah — see the Isaiah overview for the book's full setting.

1 Isaiah as a Mini-Bible2 The Suffering Servant3 The Suffering Servant4 The Suffering Servant5 The Suffering Servant6 The Suffering Servant7 Lamb of God8 The Suffering Servant9 The Suffering Servant10 The Suffering Servant11 The Suffering Servant12 The Suffering Servant

1 Who hath believed our message? and to whom hath the arm of Jehovah been revealed?

2 For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

3 He was despised, and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he opened not his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.

8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who among them considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due?

9 And they made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death; although he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it pleased Jehovah to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper in his hand.

11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by the knowledge of himself shall my righteous servant justify many; and he shall bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors: yet he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

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