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The Prophet Isaiah, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.

Isaiahchapter 53

12 verses · Isaiah · 8th century BC · The Prophets

The Prophet Isaiah, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.

This chapter opens in the middle of a passage. The fourth of Isaiah's songs about the Servant begins three verses earlier, at Isaiah 52:13. Read Isaiah 52 from the start→

Show Isaiah 52:13 to 15, where this unit begins

52:13Behold, My Servant will prosper;He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.

52:14Just as many were appalled at Him—His appearance was disfigured beyond that of any man, and His form was marred beyond human likeness—

52:15so He will sprinkle many nations.Kings will shut their mouths because of Him.For they will see what they have not been told, and they will understand what they have not heard.

These verses are numbered in Isaiah 52.

The line breaks below follow the poem's own punctuation. The section titles are this site's own.

A.Despised and Rejected, No Beauty That We Should Desire Himvv. 1-3

Who has believed our message?And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him.

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

B.Wounded for Our Transgressions, Bruised for Our Iniquitiesvv. 4-6

Surely He took on our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken by God, struck down and afflicted.

But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.

C.As a Lamb Led to the Slaughter, a Grave with the Richvv. 7-9

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth.He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth.

By oppression and judgment He was taken away, and who can recount His descendants?For He was cut off from the land of the living;He was stricken for the transgression of My people.

He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.

D.It Pleased the LORD to Bruise Him: He Shall See His Seedvv. 10-12

Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.

After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied.By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He has poured out His life unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors.Yet He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.

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