(א) הֵ֤ן עַבְדִּי֙ אֶתְמָךְ־בּ֔וֹ בְּחִירִ֖י רָצְתָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֑י נָתַ֤תִּי רוּחִי֙ עָלָ֔יו מִשְׁפָּ֖ט לַגּוֹיִ֥ם יוֹצִֽיא׃ (ב) לֹ֥א יִצְעַ֖ק וְלֹ֣א יִשָּׂ֑א וְלֹֽא־יַשְׁמִ֥יעַ בַּח֖וּץ קוֹלֽוֹ׃ (ג) קָנֶ֤ה רָצוּץ֙ לֹ֣א יִשְׁבּ֔וֹר וּפִשְׁתָּ֥ה כֵהָ֖ה לֹ֣א יְכַבֶּ֑נָּה לֶאֱמֶ֖ת יוֹצִ֥יא מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ (ד) לֹ֤א יִכְהֶה֙ וְלֹ֣א יָר֔וּץ עַד־יָשִׂ֥ים בָּאָ֖רֶץ מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּלְתוֹרָת֖וֹ אִיִּ֥ים יְיַחֵֽילוּ׃ (פ)
(1) Behold My servant, whom I uphold; Mine elect, in whom My soul delighteth; I have put My spirit upon him, He shall make the right to go forth to the nations. (2) He shall not cry, nor lift up, Nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. (3) A bruised reed shall he not break, And the dimly burning wick shall he not quench; He shall make the right to go forth according to the truth. (4) He shall not fail nor be crushed, Till he have set the right in the earth; And the isles shall wait for his teaching.
(א) שִׁמְע֤וּ אִיִּים֙ אֵלַ֔י וְהַקְשִׁ֥יבוּ לְאֻמִּ֖ים מֵרָח֑וֹק יי מִבֶּ֣טֶן קְרָאָ֔נִי מִמְּעֵ֥י אִמִּ֖י הִזְכִּ֥יר שְׁמִֽי׃ (ב) וַיָּ֤שֶׂם פִּי֙ כְּחֶ֣רֶב חַדָּ֔ה בְּצֵ֥ל יָד֖וֹ הֶחְבִּיאָ֑נִי וַיְשִׂימֵ֙נִי֙ לְחֵ֣ץ בָּר֔וּר בְּאַשְׁפָּת֖וֹ הִסְתִּירָֽנִי׃ (ג) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לִ֖י עַבְדִּי־אָ֑תָּה יִשְׂרָאֵ֕ל אֲשֶׁר־בְּךָ֖ אֶתְפָּאָֽר׃ (ד) וַאֲנִ֤י אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙ לְרִ֣יק יָגַ֔עְתִּי לְתֹ֥הוּ וְהֶ֖בֶל כֹּחִ֣י כִלֵּ֑יתִי אָכֵן֙ מִשְׁפָּטִ֣י אֶת־יי וּפְעֻלָּתִ֖י אֶת־אֱלֹהָֽי׃ (ה) וְעַתָּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יי יֹצְרִ֤י מִבֶּ֙טֶן֙ לְעֶ֣בֶד ל֔וֹ לְשׁוֹבֵ֤ב יַֽעֲקֹב֙ אֵלָ֔יו וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לא [ל֣וֹ] יֵאָסֵ֑ף וְאֶכָּבֵד֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י יי וֵאלֹהַ֖י הָיָ֥ה עֻזִּֽי׃ (ו) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר נָקֵ֨ל מִֽהְיוֹתְךָ֥ לִי֙ עֶ֔בֶד לְהָקִים֙ אֶת־שִׁבְטֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב ונצירי [וּנְצוּרֵ֥י] יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְהָשִׁ֑יב וּנְתַתִּ֙יךָ֙ לְא֣וֹר גּוֹיִ֔ם לִֽהְי֥וֹת יְשׁוּעָתִ֖י עַד־קְצֵ֥ה הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ס)
(1) Listen, O isles, unto me, And hearken, ye peoples, from far: The LORD hath called me from the womb, From the bowels of my mother hath He made mention of my name; (2) And He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword, In the shadow of His hand hath He hid me; And He hath made me a polished shaft, In His quiver hath He concealed me; (3) And He said unto me: ‘Thou art My servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’ (4) But I said: ‘I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought and vanity; Yet surely my right is with the LORD, And my recompense with my God.’ (5) And now saith the LORD That formed me from the womb to be His servant, To bring Jacob back to Him, And that Israel be gathered unto Him— For I am honourable in the eyes of the LORD, And my God is become my strength— (6) Yea, He saith: ‘It is too light a thing that thou shouldest be My servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the offspring of Israel; I will also give thee for a light of the nations, That My salvation may be unto the end of the earth.’
(ד) אֲדֹנָ֣י יי נָ֤תַן לִי֙ לְשׁ֣וֹן לִמּוּדִ֔ים לָדַ֛עַת לָע֥וּת אֶת־יָעֵ֖ף דָּבָ֑ר יָעִ֣יר ׀ בַּבֹּ֣קֶר בַּבֹּ֗קֶר יָעִ֥יר לִי֙ אֹ֔זֶן לִשְׁמֹ֖עַ כַּלִּמּוּדִֽים׃ (ה) אֲדֹנָ֤י יי פָּתַֽח־לִ֣י אֹ֔זֶן וְאָנֹכִ֖י לֹ֣א מָרִ֑יתִי אָח֖וֹר לֹ֥א נְסוּגֹֽתִי׃ (ו) גֵּוִי֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לְמַכִּ֔ים וּלְחָיַ֖י לְמֹֽרְטִ֑ים פָּנַי֙ לֹ֣א הִסְתַּ֔רְתִּי מִכְּלִמּ֖וֹת וָרֹֽק׃ (ז) וַאדֹנָ֤י יי יַֽעֲזָר־לִ֔י עַל־כֵּ֖ן לֹ֣א נִכְלָ֑מְתִּי עַל־כֵּ֞ן שַׂ֤מְתִּי פָנַי֙ כַּֽחַלָּמִ֔ישׁ וָאֵדַ֖ע כִּי־לֹ֥א אֵבֽוֹשׁ׃ (ח) קָרוֹב֙ מַצְדִּיקִ֔י מִֽי־יָרִ֥יב אִתִּ֖י נַ֣עַמְדָה יָּ֑חַד מִֽי־בַ֥עַל מִשְׁפָּטִ֖י יִגַּ֥שׁ אֵלָֽי׃ (ט) הֵ֣ן אֲדֹנָ֤י יי יַֽעֲזָר־לִ֔י מִי־ה֖וּא יַרְשִׁיעֵ֑נִי הֵ֤ן כֻּלָּם֙ כַּבֶּ֣גֶד יִבְל֔וּ עָ֖שׁ יֹאכְלֵֽם׃
(4) The Lord GOD hath given me The tongue of them that are taught, That I should know how to sustain with words him that is weary; He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth mine ear To hear as they that are taught. (5) The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, And I was not rebellious, Neither turned away backward. (6) I gave my back to the smiters, And my checks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting. (7) For the Lord GOD will help me; Therefore have I not been confounded; Therefore have I set my face like a flint, And I know that I shall not be ashamed. (8) He is near that justifieth me; Who will contend with me? let us stand up together; Who is mine adversary? let him come near to me. (9) Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; Who is he that shall condemn me? Behold, they all shall wax old as a garment, The moth shall eat them up.
(13) Behold, My servant shall prosper, He shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high. (14) According as many were appalled at thee— So marred was his visage unlike that of a man, And his form unlike that of the sons of men— (15) So shall he startle many nations, Kings shall shut their mouths because of him; From that which had not been told them shall they see, And that which they had not heard shall they perceive. (1) 'Who would have believed our report? And to whom hath the arm of the LORD been revealed? (2) For he shot up right forth as a sapling, And as a root out of a dry ground; He had no form nor comeliness, that we should look upon him, Nor beauty that we should delight in him. (3) He was despised, and forsaken of men, A man of pains, and acquainted with disease, And as one from whom men hide their face: He was despised, and we esteemed him not. (4) Surely our diseases he did bear, and our pains he carried; Whereas we did esteem him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. (5) But he was wounded because of our transgressions, He was crushed because of our iniquities: The chastisement of our welfare was upon him, And with his stripes we were healed. (6) All we like sheep did go astray, We turned every one to his own way; And the LORD hath made to light on him The iniquity of us all. (7) He was oppressed, though he humbled himself And opened not his mouth; As a lamb that is led to the slaughter, And as a sheep that before her shearers is dumb; Yea, he opened not his mouth. (8) By oppression and judgment he was taken away, And with his generation who did reason? For 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 the rich his tomb; Although he had done no violence, Neither was any deceit in his mouth.’ (10) Yet it pleased the LORD to crush him by disease; To see if his soul would offer itself in restitution, That he might see his seed, prolong his days, And that the purpose of the LORD might prosper by his hand: (11) Of the travail of his soul he shall see to the full, even My servant, Who by his knowledge did justify the Righteous One to the many, And their iniquities he did bear. (12) Therefore will I divide him a portion among the great, And he shall divide the spoil with the mighty; Because he bared his soul unto death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet he bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.
(ח) וְאַתָּה֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל עַבְדִּ֔י יַעֲקֹ֖ב אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּחַרְתִּ֑יךָ זֶ֖רַע אַבְרָהָ֥ם אֹהֲבִֽי׃
(8) But thou, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, The seed of Abraham My friend;
(י) אַתֶּ֤ם עֵדַי֙ נְאֻם־יי וְעַבְדִּ֖י אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּחָ֑רְתִּי לְמַ֣עַן תֵּ֠דְעוּ וְתַאֲמִ֨ינוּ לִ֤י וְתָבִ֙ינוּ֙ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י ה֔וּא לְפָנַי֙ לֹא־נ֣וֹצַר אֵ֔ל וְאַחֲרַ֖י לֹ֥א יִהְיֶֽה׃ (ס)
(9) Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; Behold, thy king cometh unto thee, He is tzadik [righteous, cf. Isa. 53:2], and victorious, ani [lowly, afflicted, cf. Isa. 53:7], and riding upon a donkey, Even upon a colt the foal of a donkey.
(2) And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to reproaches and everlasting abhorrence. (3) And they that are wise [cf. yaskil, Isa. 52:13] shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn the many to righteousness [cf. Isa. 53:11] as the stars for ever and ever.
Targum Jonathan of Uzziel (1st Century?), Isaiah 52:13
Behold, my servant the Messiah shall prosper.
New Testament
Acts 8:26-35
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” 30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:
He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth. [Isaiah 53:7-8]
34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
Matthew 8:14-17 (NRSV)
14 When Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever; 15 he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she got up and began to serve him. 16 That evening they brought to him many who were possessed with demons; and he cast out the spirits with a word, and cured all who were sick. 17 This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah, “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.” [Isa. 53:4]
Luke 2:29-32 (NRSV)
29Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel. [cf. Isa. 49:6]
John 1:29 (NRSV) - John the Bapist's words
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" [cf. Isa. 53:4, 11]
מדבר במלך המשיח גשי הלום קרובי למלכות. ואכלת מן הלחם זה לחמה של מלכות. וטבלת פתך בחומץ אלו היסורין, שנאמר: (ישעיה נ"ג) והוא מחולל מפשעינו.
He is speaking of king Messiah; ‘Come hither,' draw near to the throne; ‘and eat of the bread,' that is, the bread of the kingdom; ‘and dip thy morsel in the vinegar,' this refers to his chastisements, as it is said, `But he was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities.' [Isa. 53:5]"
(יד) וַיֹּאמֶר֩ לָ֨ה בֹ֜עַז לְעֵ֣ת הָאֹ֗כֶל גֹּ֤שִֽׁי הֲלֹם֙ וְאָכַ֣לְתְּ מִן־הַלֶּ֔חֶם וְטָבַ֥לְתְּ פִּתֵּ֖ךְ בַּחֹ֑מֶץ וַתֵּ֙שֶׁב֙ מִצַּ֣ד הַקּֽוֹצְרִ֔ים וַיִּצְבָּט־לָ֣הּ קָלִ֔י וַתֹּ֥אכַל וַתִּשְׂבַּ֖ע וַתֹּתַֽר׃
Pesikta Rabbati
The Holy One brought forth the soul of the Messiah, and said to him, "Are you willing to be created and to redeem my children after 6,000 years?" He replied, "I am." God replied, "If so, you must take upon yourself chastisements in order to wipe away their iniquity," as it is written, "Surely our sicknesses he has carried." The Messiah answered, "I will take them upon me gladly."
למשיח מה שמו .... ורבנן אמרי חיוורא דבי רבי שמו שנאמר (ישעיהו נג, ד) אכן חליינו הוא נשא ומכאובינו סבלם ואנחנו חשבנוהו נגוע מוכה אלהים ומעונה
What is his [the Messiah's] name? .... The Rabbis said: His name is 'the leper scholar,' as it is written, Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him a leper, smitten of God, and afflicted. [Isa. 53:4]
Origen (184-235 AD), Contra Celsum, Book I, Ch. 55
Now I remember that on one occasion at a disputation held with certain Jews, who were reckoned wise men, I quoted these prophecies (Isa. 52-53). To which my Jewish opponent replied that these predictions bore reference to the whole people regarded as one individual as being in a state of dispersion and suffering, in order that many proselytes might be gained, on account of the dispersion of the Jews among numerous heathen nations. And this is the way he explained the words "Your form shall be of no reputation among men" and "a man under suffering." Many arguments were employed on that occasion during the discussion to prove that these predictions regarding one particular person were not rightly applied by them to the whole nation. And I asked to what character the expression would be appropriate, "this man bears our sins and suffers pain on our behalf," etc. But we seemed to press them hardest with the expression, "Because of the iniquities of my people was he led away to death."
(ח) מֵעֹ֤צֶר וּמִמִּשְׁפָּט֙ לֻקָּ֔ח וְאֶת־דּוֹר֖וֹ מִ֣י יְשׂוֹחֵ֑חַ כִּ֤י נִגְזַר֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּ֔ים מִפֶּ֥שַׁע עַמִּ֖י נֶ֥גַע לָֽמוֹ׃ (ט) וַיִּתֵּ֤ן אֶת־רְשָׁעִים֙ קִבְר֔וֹ וְאֶת־עָשִׁ֖יר בְּמֹתָ֑יו עַ֚ל לֹא־חָמָ֣ס עָשָׂ֔ה וְלֹ֥א מִרְמָ֖ה בְּפִֽיו׃
(8) By oppression and judgment he was taken away, And with his generation who did reason? For 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 the rich in his deaths; Although he had done no violence, Neither was any deceit in his mouth.’
Abraham of Cordova (c. 1600)
...the craft and guile of the lying Hieronymus (Jerome), who, in his version, so misused his inkpot as to trample on the word lamo [cf. Isa. 53:8].
David Kimchi (12th Century)
"in his deaths" was employed because they used to be put to death in many ways: some were burnt, some were slain, and others were stoned.
Abravanel (d. 1508)
lamo: in order to render it clear that the individual mentioned throughout is not some isolated man, but the whole nation collectively.
Christopher North, The Suffering Servant in Deutero-Isaiah (1948), p. 19
The fact is, of course, that the plurals are unintelligible in their context, that to attempt to reproduce them in a translation would only add to the obscurity, and that both words are almost certainly corrupt.
Solomon de Morini (Padua, 17th Century)
It should be remembered that this prophecy not only speaks at once both of the Israelitish nation and of the Messiah, but at the same time alludes also to any righteous one amongst them who may have been "a sign and a portent" of what happened to the people at large . . . all three are styled "my servant."