1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
God’s address to the faithful of Judah, begun at Is 52:1 and continuing throughout chapter 52, resumes in chapter 54 and continues through chapter 55. However, I believe that since this chapter predicts the rejection of the Messiah, it is likely addressed to the people of Judah, in general.
Understanding that the arm of the LORD is a title of Jesus (Yeshua), we see that this verse predicts rejection of Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) message by the people to whom He was sent.
2 For he shall grow 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 shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
he Jesus (Yeshua)
before him before the LORD (YHVH) from verse 1.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of anguish, and acquainted with calamity: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
anguish (מַכְאֹב֖וֺת) means anguish. calamity (חֹלִי) means calamity.
This verse emphasizes the prediction of rejection from verse 1.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.4Surely he hath borne our calamities, and carried our anguish: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
calamities, anguish See note at .
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: Jesus (Yeshua) is to be punished for our sins and receive our anguish (extreme pain) and our calamities (destruction in hell).
yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
we Isaiah, identifying himself and his nation with the majority of first century Jewish people might well include us before we were saved.
esteem in 17th Century English meant considered, as with our word ‘estimate’.
Before people understand the truth, they tend to believe that Jesus (Yeshua) got what was coming to Him.
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.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our reconciliation was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
our reconciliation ( שָׁלוֺמֵ֙נוּ֙) In English, the word ‘peace’ has no plural. In Hebrew, the plural of ( שָׁל֑וֺם) peace is (שָׁלֹמִם) reconciliation. Our peace, which does not appear in the Old Testament, would be written ( שָׁלֹמְנוּ) but the plural ( שָׁלֹמִינוּ) doesn’t work in Hebrew orthography; and it becomes ( שָׁלוֺמֵ֙נוּ֙ ). [מִ֙ים] assimilates to מֵ֙ which looks singular but is in fact plural: our reconciliation.
אֱלֹהִים, God, assimilates to אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ, our God, very similarly except that the yod is retained as part of the root] I believe that this occurs when a plural form is treated as a singular noun.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities:
This supports my changes in the previous verse.
the chastisement of our reconciliation was upon him Accepting His payment for our sins as establishing His Lordship (His purchase of us for Himself) reconciles us with God; and repairs the damage caused by Adam and Eve’s sin.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
he openeth not his mouth He makes no defense to escape punishment.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
8 [By death,] He was taken from oppression and by judgment: he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken, and who shall declare his generation?.
Changes proposed as an alternate reading (not as a correction).
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death
Because He was crucified with two thieves, by law, He should have been denied proper burial; but Joseph of Arimathaea interceded, with Pilate, and provided his own tomb for Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) burial
10 Yet it pleased the LORD 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 the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin When you accept His death as an offering for your sin;
he shall see his seed You become a child of God, by adoption, hence His offspring.
he shall prolong his days He will be resurrected, and live forever.
and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He will accomplish all He sets out to do.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
He shall see of the travail of his soul He shall see His life’s work.
by his knowledge by knowing Him
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; I will exalt and glorify Him
