Isaiah 53:4 kjv
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Isaiah 53:4 nkjv
Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
Isaiah 53:4 niv
Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.
Isaiah 53:4 esv
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
Isaiah 53:4 nlt
Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!
Isaiah 53 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 53 | He was pierced for our transgressions... | fulfillment in Christ's atonement |
| Matthew 8 | He took our illnesses and bore our diseases. | Christ's healing ministry |
| Mark 10 | For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve... | Christ's servant nature |
| Luke 22 | For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me:..." | Jesus referring to his suffering |
| John 1 | The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" | John the Baptist's proclamation |
| Romans 4 | He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. | Paul's explanation of atonement |
| 2 Cor 5 | God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. | theological understanding |
| Gal 3 | Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us... | freedom from the law's penalty |
| Heb 9 | And so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many... | perfecting sacrifice |
| 1 Pet 2 | He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross... | Peter's affirmation |
| 1 John 3 | But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. | purpose of Christ's coming |
| Ps 22 | All who see me mock me; they hurl insults at me, they shake their heads. | Davidic lament anticipating suffering |
| Zech 13 | "A third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name, and I will answer them; I will say, 'They are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.'" | refining through suffering |
| Mark 15 | He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death... | burial details |
| Luke 23 | ...he was handed over to them. | betrayal and handing over |
| John 19 | ...carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull... | carrying the cross |
| Acts 8 | He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb does not open its mouth, so he did not open his mouth. | silenced suffering |
| Rom 5 | Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned... | Adam's sin and Christ's antidote |
| 1 Cor 15 | For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. | resurrection connection |
| Heb 4 | For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. | High priestly empathy |
Isaiah 53 verses
Isaiah 53 4 Meaning
This verse powerfully states that the suffering servant, depicted as bearing the illnesses and pains of his people, was indeed afflicted for their transgressions. It asserts that what appeared as a personal punishment was actually a vicarious atonement, with the servant taking upon himself the iniquities of many.
Isaiah 53 4 Context
Chapter 53 of Isaiah is the climactic prophecy concerning the Suffering Servant, detailing his rejection, suffering, death, and eventual vindication. It provides a profound theological explanation for why this innocent one would endure such immense pain. Historically, the prophecies of Isaiah were given during a time of impending exile and the subsequent restoration of Israel, but they extend to a future, ultimate redemption. For the original audience, this servant represented a hope for the nation, a figure who would bear their collective guilt and usher in a new era. The chapter strongly contrasts with pagan notions of capricious gods or rulers who are merely subject to fate. Instead, it presents a deliberate, redemptive suffering ordained by God.
Isaiah 53 4 Word Analysis
- Surely (אָכֵן - 'akēn): An adverb emphasizing certainty, affirmation, or truth. It highlights that what follows is an undeniable reality.
- he has borne (נָשָׂא - nāsá): A Hebrew verb with a rich semantic range, meaning to carry, lift, bear, sustain, support, or endure. Here, it conveys the act of carrying the burden of sicknesses and pains, implying a complete assumption and enduring of them.
- our griefs (מַחֲלָאִים - maḥălā'îm): The plural of 'maḥălāh', meaning sickness, illness, disease, or weakness. It refers to physical ailments and maladies.
- and our sorrows (וְכַאֲבֵינוּ - wəḵā'ăḇênû): The conjunction 'wə-' (and) connects to the preceding noun, 'ḵā'ăḇênû' (our pains/sorrows/griefs), the plural of 'ḵā'ăḇ', denoting pain, anguish, or sorrow, often physical but can extend to emotional distress. This pair captures the totality of human suffering, both physical and emotional.
- yet we esteemed (וַאֲנַחְנוּ - wa'anāḥnû): The 'wə-' (and) can also mean "but" or "yet," introducing a strong contrast. 'Anāḥnû' means "we." This sets up the people's failure to recognize the servant's true role.
- him stricken (נָגֽוּעַ - nāgûa'): A passive participle of 'nāgáʿ', meaning to strike, smite, afflict, or plague. It describes one who has been actively afflicted or wounded, often as a mark of divine displeasure or judgment.
- smitten (מֻכֶּה - mukkēh): A passive participle of 'māḵâ', meaning to strike, smite, beat, or wound. It denotes one who has been physically beaten, wounded, or struck down, reinforcing the idea of suffering severe harm.
- of God (אֱלֹהִים - 'ĕlōhîm): The Hebrew word for God, often used in a plural form grammatically but understood monotheistically. This specifies the ultimate source of the smiting, indicating divine agency in the servant's affliction.
- and afflicted (וּמְנוּדֶּה - ūmənuḏēh): The 'ū-' (and) links to the previous statement. 'Mənuḏēh' (from root נוד - nūd) means to wander, move about, or be banished. It implies separation, excommunication, or being struck down with misfortune, often interpreted as social or divine rejection.
Words-group analysis
The phrase "borne our griefs and carried our sorrows" emphasizes a complete absorption and carrying of the collective human ailments. The terms "stricken" and "smitten of God" highlight not just suffering, but suffering as a result of divine action, understood vicariously. The conjunctions "and" and "yet" structurally frame the human misperception against the divine reality of the servant's redemptive work.
Isaiah 53 4 Bonus Section
The profound nature of this prophecy is highlighted by its dual application: first to Israel's corporate suffering and eventual purification through tribulation, and second, in its fullest sense, to the unique, atoning suffering of the Messiah. Scholars widely see this as one of the most detailed messianic prophecies in the Old Testament. The language used, especially "borne our griefs," strongly parallels the messianic claims in the New Testament concerning Christ's redemptive sacrifice. The intensity and the vicarious nature of the suffering described are unparalleled in any other religious or historical context of the time, setting this prophecy apart.
Isaiah 53 4 Commentary
This verse is a cornerstone of messianic prophecy, explicitly stating that the suffering endured by the Servant was not for his own faults but was a vicarious atonement for the sins and sufferings of the people. The Servant willingly carried the burdens of illness and pain, bearing the marks of God's judgment on behalf of others. This suffering was recognized by God but misunderstood by humanity, who initially saw the Servant as merely a casualty or deserving of punishment. This prophetic declaration points directly to the atoning work of Jesus Christ, who experienced immense physical suffering, emotional anguish, and the penal consequences of sin upon the cross, thereby bearing the iniquities of all who believe.