The chastisement of our peace "The chastisement by which our peace is effected" - Twenty-one MSS. and six editions have the word fully and regularly expressed, שלמינו shelomeynu ; pacificationum nostrarum , "our pacification;" that by which we are brought into a state of peace and favor with God. Ar. Montan. read more
Who hath believed? Isaiah felt that he spoke, mainly, to unbelieving ears (see above, Isaiah 28:9-15 ; Isaiah 29:10-15 ; Isaiah 30:9-11 ; Isaiah 42:23 , etc.). The unbelief was likely to be intensified when so marvellous a prophecy was delivered as that which he was now commissioned to put forth. Still, of course, there is rhetorical exaggeration in the question, which seems to imply that no one would believe. Our report; literally, that which has been heard by us. But the word is... read more
Strange reception of Divine messages. Cheyne translates, "Who believed that which we heard? and the arm of Jehovah, unto whom did it become manifest?" Immediate reference is to the attitude of the people towards Isaiah's assurances of God's restoring mercies, and towards his call to prepare themselves for returning to their own land. Further and fuller reference is to the failure of Messiah to win the general acceptance of the people, to whom he brought the glad tidings of God's "so great... read more
The Messianic interpretation of the chapter was universally acknowledged by the Jews until the time of Aben Ezra. It was also assumed as indisputable by the Christian Fathers. Almost all Christian expositors down to the commencement of the nineteenth century took the same view. It was only under the pressure of the Christian controversy that the later Jews abandoned the traditional interpretation, and applied the prophecy In the present century a certain number of Christian commentators... read more
For he shall grow up ; rather, now he grew up. The verbs are, all of them, in the past, or completed tense, until Isaiah 53:7 , and are to be regarded as "perfects of prophetic certitude." As Mr. Cheyne remarks, "All has been finished before the foundations of the world in the Divine counsels." Before him; i.e. "before Jehovah"—under the fostering care of Jehovah (comp. Luke 2:40 , Luke 2:52 ). God the Father had his eye ever fixed upon the Son with watchfulness and tenderness and... read more
The depraved eye. "No beauty that we should desire him." In this prophetic picture of the Christ the question arises, "Who hath believed our report?" What wonderful attestation history gives to this!—"He came unto his own, and his own received him not." Whether the words, "he hath no form nor comeliness," apply to the physical features of Christ, we cannot say; for the Jews had no "art." They interpreted the words, "Thou shalt not make to thyself … the likeness of anything that is in heaven... read more
The attractive and the unattractive in Jesus Christ. The whole passage is exceedingly remarkable in that it ascribes to one man qualities and surroundings which are so opposed to one another that they seem to be positively inconsistent with each other. And the difficulty has been to find a reconciliation. But all perplexity disappears when they are referred to Jesus Christ; for in him were combined features of character and changes of circumstance which could not be united in any other child... read more
The sufferings of Jesus. It is the great object of Isaiah, in this chapter, to declare to his countrymen I. THE MESSIAH A SUFFERING MESSIAH . Hitherto Isaiah had looked upon the promised Redeemer on the side of his glories and his triumphs. His names were to be "Immanuel," or "God with us" ( Isaiah 7:14 ), "Wonderful," "Counsellor," "The Mighty God," "The Everlasting Father," "The Prince of Peace" ( Isaiah 9:6 ). "Of the increase of his government and peace there was to be no... read more
He is despised ; rather, was despised (comp. Isaiah 49:7 and Psalms 22:6 ). Men's contempt was shown, partly in the little attention which they paid to his teaching, partly in their treatment of him on the night and day before the Crucifixion. Rejected of men ; rather, perhaps, forsaken of men— "one from whom men held themselves aloof" (Cheyne); comp. Job 19:14 . Our Lord had at no time more than a "little flock" attached to him. Of these, after a time, "many went back, and... read more
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Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 53:4
Surely he Bath borne our griefs "Surely our infirmities he hath borne" - Seven MSS. (two ancient) and three editions have חליינו cholayeynu in the plural number. And carried our sorrows "And our sorrows, he hath carried them" - Seventeen MSS. (two ancient) of Dr. Kennicott's, two of De Rossi's, and two editions have the word הוא hu , he, before סבלם sebalam , "carrieth them, "in the text; four other MSS. have it in the margin. This adds force to the sense, and elegance to the... read more