Isaiah 53:7 kjv
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.
Isaiah 53:7 nkjv
He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.
Isaiah 53:7 niv
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
Isaiah 53:7 esv
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
Isaiah 53:7 nlt
He was oppressed and treated harshly,
yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
Isaiah 53 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 53:7 | He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent: yea, he opened not his mouth. | Directly quoted/fulfilled by Jesus' silence before Pilate |
| Matthew 26:62-63 | Then the high priest stood up and said to him, "Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?" But Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to him, "I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." | Jesus' silence before the Sanhedrin |
| Mark 14:60-61 | And the high priest stood among them and questioned Jesus, saying, "Have you no answer to give? What is it that these men testify against you?" But he was silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" | Jesus' silence before the Sanhedrin |
| Luke 23:8-9 | When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, for he had been hearing about him for a long time, and he hoped to see some miracle performed by him. So he questioned him at length, but Jesus gave him no answer. | Jesus' silence before Herod |
| John 19:9 | and went again into the Praetorium and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave him no answer. | Jesus' silence before Pilate |
| Acts 8:32 | Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter; and like a lamb before its shearer is mute, so he opened not his mouth." | Directly quoted in reference to Jesus' suffering |
| 1 Peter 2:23 | When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued to entrust himself to him who judges justly. | Echoes the silence and entrustment of the servant |
| Psalm 22:7 | All who see me mock me; they make their sport of me; they wag their heads; | Describes suffering and public scorn |
| Psalm 38:13-14 | But I, like a deaf man, I do not hear, and like a mute man who does not open his mouth. I have become like a man who does not hear, and in whose mouth are no rebukes. | Expresses patient suffering and lack of complaint |
| Isaiah 53:3 | He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he despised and we esteemed him not. | Sets the stage for the servant's affliction |
| Isaiah 53:12 | Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors. | Highlights the outcome of his suffering and intercession |
| Matthew 12:18 | "Behold, my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will declare justice to the Gentiles." | Identifies the servant and his mission |
| John 1:29 | The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" | Jesus identified as the Lamb of God |
| 1 Corinthians 15:3 | For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, | Explains the purpose of Christ's death |
| Hebrews 10:14 | For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. | Emphasizes the completeness of Christ's sacrifice |
| 1 Peter 1:19 | but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. | Connects Christ's blood to the lamb imagery |
| Revelation 5:12 | saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" | Lamb is praised for his sacrifice |
| Revelation 13:8 | and by everyone whose dwelling is on earth who has not inscribed their names in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. | Lamb's sacrifice foundational to salvation |
| Genesis 22:7 | And Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." | Prefigures Abraham's willing sacrifice |
| Psalm 45:3-5 | Make ready your glittering sword; summon your shield! Mount and ride on in your majesty on account of truth and righteousness; let your right hand teach you awesome deeds. Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; the peoples fall under you. | Messianic psalm speaking of a conquering king |
Isaiah 53 verses
Isaiah 53 7 Meaning
Isaiah 53:7 describes the silent suffering of the suffering servant. He is oppressed but does not open his mouth. He is led like a lamb to the slaughter, and like a sheep before its shearers, he is mute. This voluntary submission to injustice, without complaint or resistance, highlights his profound obedience and willingness to bear the iniquity of others.
Isaiah 53 7 Context
Isaiah 53 is the climactic chapter of the "Suffering Servant songs" within the Book of Isaiah. This passage is set within the context of God's judgment on Israel and the surrounding nations, and it offers a profound prophecy of a chosen servant who would bear the sins of his people to bring about reconciliation and salvation. The prophet Isaiah, speaking in the 8th century BC, anticipates a future individual who embodies ultimate vicarious suffering for the transgressions of humanity. The audience would have understood themes of atonement and sacrifice from their covenantal relationship with God, but this servant's suffering is presented as a unique and comprehensive remedy for sin. There are no direct polemics against contemporary pagan beliefs in this specific verse, but its emphasis on one innocent individual bearing the sin of many stands in stark contrast to the often arbitrary and self-serving rituals of pagan worship which involved appeasement through appeasing angry deities with sacrifices, often including human sacrifice. This prophecy elevates the concept of atonement through righteous suffering, pointing towards a messianic fulfillment.
Isaiah 53 7 Word Analysis
"He was oppressed"
- Hebrew: hu'\ (hu) - he, it. This pronoun introduces the subject, the suffering servant.
- Hebrew: wə’ɪnnəgā’ₗₗₒ\t (’ĕnôgēllôttô) - oppressed, afflicted. This word conveys being pressed down, burdened, or crushed under heavy affliction. It signifies unjust suffering and mistreatment. The Niphal participle used here suggests a passive state of being subjected to this oppression.
"and afflicted"
- Hebrew: wə’ōnɪy\tₗ (’ĕnōyₗ) - afflicted, humbled. This word means to be made humble or to be tormented. It emphasizes the mental and emotional suffering, in addition to the physical. The root implies bringing low or causing sorrow.
"yet he opened not his mouth"
- Hebrew: ləmɒ’êpₗₗₗ ’ôpₗ\ɪnₗ (’al-pɪttæₗ-pɪv) - but not opened his mouth. The conjunction ’al ('al) is a strong negation, emphasizing the deliberate silence. This phrase highlights his meekness and self-restraint in the face of undeserved suffering. He does not plead his innocence or retaliate verbally.
"he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter"
- Hebrew: kₗætæn ₗ hænœₗₗₗ lₗ hₗ sₗæg hₗ wₗt khænæntən rø\æh - like a lamb to the slaughter he was brought.
- k’î- (kê) - like, as. This simile introduces a comparison.
- hæhænæntən rø
- lₗælₗ’œ t hæhæs æₗₗ¹œ (lô’ læ ₗ lælₗ sæla sₗₗä ə wₗ ) - to the slaughter. Refers to the place or act of slaughtering, strongly evoking sacrificial death.
- Hebrew: kₗætæn ₗ hænœₗₗₗ lₗ hₗ sₗæg hₗ wₗt khænæntən rø\æh - like a lamb to the slaughter he was brought.
"and as a sheep before its shearers is dumb"
- Hebrew: wəka ₗæs t ɒ ¹s ænnæ¹ ¹æ mə ¹æ t æ s¹a sæt¹¹ ɒ æₗ ¹ ¹ ¹æt ²æ’ ₗæ ² ² wəhəyæ\ ħæræ’ æl ¹əs ¹¹ æₗæt’ ₗ’ɒ ¹m ’ɒ¹ₗ ’ɒ¹ₗ ² ¹ sæ¹ yæt’ (wəħâpīk æshhæra bə ləezzare ₗœ¹ ’ænₗæ¹ m æsæpæ’ ) - and as a sheep before its shearers mute he is.
- k’əsₗ sₗa ¹ænnæ (k'e sæ¹ rû¹ ) - like sheep. Again, evokes a passive, unresisting creature.
- lə¹ezzare wæ ’el ’ ɒ l
"yea, he opened not his mouth."
- Hebrew: kæn pæ¹ pəæ p ’ɒ ¹ ¹ₗ ’ ɒ ¹ ¹* (kepæn pɪttæh ’eth-pɪvvô) - so he opened not his mouth. This repetition intensifies the concept of silence and lack of outcry. It confirms his unwavering refusal to defend himself verbally.
Words-group analysis
The passage employs potent similes that underscore the servant's quiet, sacrificial nature. The comparison to a "lamb to the slaughter" and a "sheep before its shearers" are not accidental. Lambs and sheep, in the Old Testament context, are frequently associated with innocent sacrifice (e.g., the Passover lamb in Exodus 12, or the daily sacrifices in Leviticus). Their vulnerability and docility in the face of death and harm mirror the servant's passive suffering. The repetition of "he opened not his mouth" (using different Hebrew phrases with similar meaning, though the original text repeats the same phrase essentially) emphasizes a deliberate, not accidental, silence, pointing to inner resolve and purpose, rather than simply an inability to speak.
Isaiah 53 7 Bonus Section
The Hebrew phrasing for "opened not his mouth" appears twice in quick succession for emphasis. The servant's silence is a deliberate choice, not an inability to speak. This quiet endurance, marked by innocence symbolized by the lamb, directly anticipates Jesus' own actions. When questioned by religious and political authorities, Jesus often remained silent (Matthew 27:12-14; Mark 15:4-5; Luke 23:9), choosing to bear the accusations rather than engage in self-defense, fulfilling this prophecy. This aspect of his suffering underscores the intentionality of his sacrificial act for humanity. The imagery also contrasts with how violent offenders or political dissidents would typically react when apprehended and questioned.
Isaiah 53 7 Commentary
This verse powerfully portrays the suffering servant's deliberate, unprotesting endurance of oppression and suffering. His silence in the face of injustice, compared to the mute resignation of a lamb being led to slaughter or a sheep being shorn, signifies his willing submission to God's plan for atonement. This is not the silence of fear or helplessness, but a chosen meekness that speaks volumes about his character and purpose. It foreshadows Christ's own silence before his accusers, demonstrating his obedience unto death and his acceptance of bearing the sins of the world without complaint.