To understand Y'shayahu / Isaiah 53: it must be read in context and one must be aware of who is "speaking." The first three lines are the last three lines of Y'shayahu / Isaiah 52:. The speaker is G-d (through Isaiah). G-d tells us that the gentile nations thought His servant was rejected by Him, lowly and subhuman -- only to be shocked to discover that the opposite is true. The speakers then shift to those gentile nations. . . They are shocked that the one they thought to be hated by G-d is actually His servant. They are speaking in the messianic era when they are shocked to see the formerly abused servant raised high, and lofty. So the one oppressed and afflicted formerly (the suffering servant) becomes exalted. Verse 7 says "He was persecuted and afflicted but did not open his mouth; like a sheep being led to the slaughter or a ewe that is silent before her shearers, he did not open his mouth." Y'shayahu / Isaiah 53:7: This claim is tied to "He was persecuted and afflicted." Jesus was not oppressed or afflicted save for a few hours -- from the time of his arrest to his death. That is not really the question. The one being persecuted and afflicted was the servant -- the servant who we are told "so will the many nations exclaim about him, and kings will shut their mouths (in amazement) for they will see that which had never been told to them, and will perceive things they had never heard. " Y'shayahu / Isaiah 52:15. (The quote is from the Artscroll Stone Edition translation, the link is to the Judaica Press translation). The nations did not see for themselves that Jesus was a messiah let alone more than a messiah. The nations were told by priests and followers about Jesus (including Paul, Peter and others). This is the opposite of the servant -- whom the nations despised only to discover with shock (seeing for themselves) that the servant was truly G-d's servant. Thus the one oppressed and afflicted must be the one these nations saw, for themselves, was exalted after being despised. There are verses describing the Jews this way. "For so said the L-rd G-d, "My people first went down to Egypt to sojourn there, but Assyria oppressed them for nothing." Y'shayahu / Isaiah 52:4. R' David Kimch (the Radak) (1160-1235 CE), wrote: "He mentions the two exiles, the Egyptian exile and the Babylonian exile, for the king of Assyria was also the king of Babylonia. He says, "My people first went down to Egypt to sojourn there, and similarly, Assyria oppressed them for nothing." Each one of them oppressed them for nothing, for Egypt had no right to enslave them and work hard with them, since they just came there to sojourn at first. Assyria, too, had no claim against them. Why, then, did Sennacherib exile the ten tribes and Nebuchadnezzar exile Judah and Benjamin? Although God had decreed that the Israelites would be enslaved in Egypt, the Egyptians were too harsh with them. Similarly, although God had decreed that Assyria would conquer them, the prophet states, "(Zech. 1:15) I was a little angry, but they helped to do harm," meaning that the gentiles went further than God's decree required." Here is a translation along with the Artscroll Stone Edition footnotes at the bottom of each response to aid in your understanding of the passage. Y'shayahu / Isaiah 52:13 Behold, My servant will succeed; he will be exalted and become high and exceedingly lofty. 14 Just as multitudes were astonished over you (saying) "His appearance is too marred to be a man's, and his visage to be human, 15 so will the many nations exclaim about him, and kings will shut their mouths (in amazement) for they will see that which had never been told to them, and will perceive things they had never heard. 53:1 Who would believe what we have heard! For whom has the arm of HaShem been revealed? 2 In the past he grew like a sapling or like the root from dry ground; he had neither form nor beauty. We saw him, but without a desirable appearance. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of pains and accustomed to being sick. As one from whom we would hide our faces; he was despised and we had no regard for him. 4 But in truth it was our ills and he carried our pains -- but we had regarded him diseased, stricken by G-d and afflicted! 5 He was wounded as a result (because of) our rebellious transgressions, and oppressed as a result our iniquities. The chastisement upon him was for our benefit, and through his wounds we were healed. 6 We have all strayed like sheep each of us turning his own way and HaShem inflicted upon him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was persecuted and afflicted but did not open his mouth; like a sheep being led to the slaughter or a ewe that is silent before her shearers, he did not open his mouth. 8 he was removed far away from the land where they lived and a plague came upon them (לָֽמוֹ / lamo) through the transgression of my people (the gentile nations). He submitted to the grave with the wicked and joined with the wealthy in his executions (בְּמֹתָ֑יו / b'motav) 9 He submitted himself to his grave like evil men; and the wealthy (submitted) to his executions for committing no crime and with no deceit in his mouth. 10 HaShem desired to oppress him and He afflicted him; if his physical being would acknowledge guilt he would see offspring and live long days and the desire or HaShem would succeed in his hand. 11. He (he servant) would see (the purpose) and be satisfied with his life's (not immortal soul) distress. With his knowledge My servant will cause the multitudes to be righteous; it is their וַעֲוֹנתָם / iniquities (for impulsive, lustful wrongdoings) that he will carry. 12. Therefore, I will assign him a portion in public and he will divide the mighty as spoils -- in return for having poured out his life for death and being counted among the wicked, for he bore the sin of the many, and prayed for the wicked. Footnotes from Artscroll Stone Edition: Isaiah 52:13 i.e. G-d's servant the people of Israel (Rashi) 52:15 Just as Israel had once been astonishingly degraded, so it will astonish the nations by its exaltedness when the time of redemption arrives. 53:1-3 this is the prophecy foretelling what the nations and their kings will exclaim when they witness Israel's rejuvenation. The nations will contrast their former scornful attitude toward the Jews (vv. 1-3) with their new realization of Israel's grandeur (vv 4-7). 53:5 we brought suffering upon Israel for our own selfish purposes; it was not, as we had claimed, that G-d was punishing Israel for its own evil behavior. 53:6 We sinned by inflicting punishment upon Israel. Such oppression is often described as "Hashem's punishment" (see 10:5, Habakkuk 1:12), for He decreed that it should happen (Abarbanel). 53:8 When Israel's exile is finally ended the nations will marvel that such a generation could have survived the expulsion from "the land of the living, i.e. Israel, that the nations had sinfully inflicted upon it. 53:9 Ordinary Jews chose to die like common criminals, rather than renounce their faith; and wealthy Jews were killed for no reason other than to enable their wicked conquerors to confiscate their riches (Radak). 53:10 That is, Israel. G-d replies to the nations that Israel's suffering was a punishment for its own sins; and when the people realize this and repent, they will be redeemed and rewarded. 53:11 Israel will teach the nations of G-d's righteousness.
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