march 31, 2011isaiah 53 – the jewish interpretation: valid or not? page 1 of 14 who is the...

March 31, 2011 Isaiah 53 – The Jewish Interpretation: Valid or Not? of 14

Who Is the Suffering Servant in “Isaiah 53”?

Part I – The Jewish Interpretation: Valid or Not?

A Counter-Missionary Education Lesson

by

Uri Yosef, Ph.D., Director of EducationVirtual Yeshiva of the Messiah Truth Project, Inc.

http://virtualyeshiva.com

[The article on this topic is located here - http://thejewishhome.org/counter/Isa53JP.pdf]

Copyright © Uri Yosef 2011 for the Messiah Truth Project, Inc.All rights reserved

Counter-Missionary Education

http://virtualyeshiva.com/

http://thejewishhome.org/counter/Isa53JP.pdf


Introduction

Testing of our hypothesis continues in the Validation stage of the Scientific Method with the verse-by-verse analysis of Segment 3 – Isaiah 53:5-8.

In the Segment 1 God’s “voice” tells us about Israel’s future status and influence in the world. In Segment 2 a change of “voice” takes place as we are projected into the future messianic era, where the leaders of the (Gentile) nations, witnessing the events, begin to reflect on their past attitude and conduct toward the Jewish people. They now realize that their previous images of Israel were completely different from what they are seeing, and they begin to understand their role in the suffering of Israel throughout her years of subjugation to them.

As we shall see, this “revelation and realization” continues in Segment 3.

Hypothesis: Israel is the servant in the Fourth Servant Song (“Isaiah 53”)


Segment 3 – Isaiah 53:5-8

The King James Version (KJV) translation is shown with pointers to cross-referenced passages in the New Testament. These references are taken from the New American Standard Bible (NASB). However, the corresponding passages below the table are quoted from the KJV for consistency.

Isaiah King James Version Translation Jewish Translation from the Hebrew Hebrew Text ʤʩʹ ʩ

53:5

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.(i)

But he was pained because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; the chastisement of our welfare was upon him, and with his wounds we were healed.

˒h ʒ ʕʍʑʮʬʕʬʖʧʍʮʠ˒ʤʍʥ˒h ʩʒʖh ʖʥʏʒʮʠʕʗʣʍʮʥʩʕʬʕ˒h ʒʮx ʬʍy ʔɦ˒ʮʟ˒ ʰʕʬʚʠʕʍyʑhx ʺ ʕyʗʡʏʧʔʡ˒

ʤ,ʢh

53:6

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.

We all went astray like sheep, we have turned, each one on his way, and the Lord inflicted upon him [or, accepted his prayers for] the iniquity of all of us.

˒h ʩʑʕsʯʠʖ˞ ʔ˒h ʕʗ˒h ʩʑhʕˣ˗ ʍyʔʣʍʬˇ ʩʑʠ

ʺ ʒʠˣˎ ʔʩʑˏʍɹʑʤʤʥʤʩʔʥʟ˒ ʰʕʗʯʖʥʏ

ʥ,ʢh

53:7

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.(ii)

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he would not open his mouth; like a lamb to the slaughter he would be brought, and like a ewe that is mute before her shearers, and he would not open his mouth.

ʠʖʬʍʥʤʓhʏʔhʠ˒ʤʍʥʔˏʑhʬʕʡ˒ʩʤʓʔʥʩʑʚʧ ʔsʍɹʑʩʕʤʩʓʦʍʦʖʢʩʒhʍɹʑʬʬʒʧʕyʍʫ˒ʧ ʔsʍɹʑʩʠʖʬʍʥʤʕʮʕʬʎʠʓh

ʟʥʩʑ

ʦ,ʢh

53:8

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.

From imprisonment and from judgment he was taken, and his generation who shall tell? For he was cut off from the land of the living; because of the transgression of my people, a plague came upon them.

ʨʕʍʑʑʮ˒ ʸ ʓʁʖ ʔʮʩʑʮx ʸ ˣː ʚ ʓʠʍʥʧʕ˟ʗʬ

ʸ ʔʦʍʢʑhʩʑʔʧʒʧˣˈ ʍʩʲ ʔʓʑʮʭʩʑʔʧʵ ʓyʓʠʒʮ

ʟx ʮʕʬʲ ʔʢʓhʩʑʔ

ʧ,ʢh


Segment 3 – Isaiah 53:5-8

Cross-referenced passages for the table on Slide 3

(i) Romans 4:25(KJV) – Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

1Corinthians 15:3(KJV) – For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; Hebrews 5:8(KJV) – Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; Hebrews 9:28(KJV) – So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. 1Peter 2:24-25(KJV) – (24) Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (25) For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now

returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. (ii) Matthew 26:63(KJV) – But Jesus held his peace, And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Matthew 27:12-14(KJV) – (12) And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. (13) Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? (14) And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marveled greatly. Mark 14:61(KJV) – But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? Mark 15:5(KJV) – But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marveled. Luke 23:9(KJV) – Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing. John 19:9(KJV) – And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. Acts 8:32-33(KJV) – (32) The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: (33) In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.


Testing the Hypothesis: Segment 3

Verification Stage

Who is speaking? The “voice” is that of leaders of the (Gentile) nations.

What is the message? The (Gentile) nations realize that their own sickness and sinfulness became the vehicle for oppressing the Jewish people throughout the years, not divine retribution against Israel for her own sinful behavior (Jeremiah 10:25, 50:7). In the messianic era, the (Gentile) nations will also benefit – they will be healed of their sickness of anti-Semitism, idolatry, and other abominations. Israel’s suffering, which they have inflicted, will eventually lead to the world’s redemption, from which the (Gentile) nations will also benefit.


53:5

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.(i)


ʬʕʬʖʧʍʮʠ˒ʤʍʥʑʮ˒h ʒ ʕʍʠʕʗʣʍʮʒʮ˒h ʩʒʖh ʖʥʏ

ʥʩʕʬʕ˒h ʒʮx ʬʍy ʔɦ˒ʮˣʺ ʕyʗʡʏʧʔʡ˒ ˒h ʕʬʚʠʕʍyʑhʟ

ʤ,ʢh


Testing the Hypothesis: Segment 3 (continued)Analysis of the highlighted mistranslations in this passage and their resolution:

1.

The expressions and are not interchangeable here [the corresponding Hebrew prepositions for the two cases are 7מ\- both are abbreviations of the preposition ;(-mei-\mi) -מ;ן meaning from, because, of]. Israel’s suffering was due to the sinful actions of the ,(MIN) מ;(Gentile) nations, not her vicarious atonement that expiated their sins.

2.

The Hebrew collective noun ה בור< Bח

(havuRAH) [more commonly, ה בור< Eח (habuRAH)] appears in the KJV as , i.e., blows or strokes, as imparted by a whip, whereas the Jewish translation has .

King James Version Translation Jewish Translation from the Hebrew Hebrew Text

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities

But he was pained because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities

ʬʕʬʖʧʍʮʠ˒ʤʍʥʑʮ˒h ʒʕ ʍʠʕʗʣʍʮʒʮ˒h ʩʒʖh ʥʏ௴

because of for

King James Version Translation

Jewish Translation from the Hebrew

Hebrew Text

and with his stripes and with his wounds ˣʺ ʕyʗʡʏʧʔʡ˒

stripeswounds

Hebrew Word

Transliteration Reference Correct Translation KJV Rendition

ʩʑʕy˒ˎ ʔʧʍʬ lehaburaTI Genesis 4:23 for giving me a bruise to my hurt

ʤʕy˒ˎ ʔʧ habuRAH Exodus 21:25(2x) a wound wound

ʤʕy˒ˎ ʔʧʍʥ vehabuRAH Isaiah 1:6 and contusions and bruises

ʩʕʖy ˒ˎ ʔʧ haburoTAI Psalms 38:6 my wounds my wounds

ʺ ˣʸ ˒ˎ ʔʧ habuROT Proverbs 20:30 contusions the blueness of a wound

ˣʺ ʕyʗʡʏʧʔʡ ˒ u'va'havuraTO Isaiah 53:5 and with his wounds and with his stripes


Testing the Hypothesis: Segment 3 (continued)Analysis of the highlighted mistranslations in this passage (continued):

3.

For the Hebrew phrase , which is an idiomatic expression, the KJV has , whereas the Jewish translation has . The first word in Hebrew phrase, א פ< Hר is the 3rd-person, singular, masculine, past tense ,(nirPA) נ; conjugation of the root verb רפא (RESH-FEI-ALEF), generally applied in the context of [to] heal, in the nif‘AL stem (the reflexive and passive form of the simple stem, QAL,

of the Hebrew verbs), giving it the meaning [he/it] was healed. The second word in the

Hebrew phrase, נו means to/for us. Thus, the literal translation of the ,(LAnu) ל< idiomatic phrase is [it] was healed for us, referring to an illness, and from which the idiomatic expression obtains the meaning .

Clearly, the KJV translation is in error on all counts which, unfortunately, slant it in the direction of the Christian point of view.

King James Version Translation

Jewish Translation from the Hebrew

Hebrew Text

we are healed. we were healed. ˒h ʕʬʚʠʕʍyʑhʟ

we are healed we were healed

נ א־ל< פ< Hר נ;ו

נ א־ל< פ< Hר נ;ו

Question: Does Israel (as God's servant) "fit" into Isaiah 53:5? Answer: YES!

we were healed


Testing the Hypothesis: Segment 3 (continued)


Who is speaking? The “voice” is that of the leaders of the (Gentile) nations.What is the message? God often used (Gentile) nations as His "rod of discipline“

to punish Israel, but they went beyond their specific mission, thereby causing Israel to suffer more than was intended (e.g., Isaiah 10:5, Habakkuk 1:12).Alternatively, the (Gentile) nations, like stray sheep, left the path of their designated mission to do whatever they wanted and, through it all, the Jewish people prayed and interceded on their behalf (e.g., Jeremiah 29:7).

The verb Eגיע Hפ is the 3rd-person, singular, masculine, past tense conjugation ,(hifGI'a) ה; of the root verb פגע (PEH-GImel-Ayin) in the hif‘IL stem (the active causative form of the Hebrew verb). This verb has common usage in the context of [to] hit, [to] hurt, [to] inflict, [to] insult, and less common usage in the context of [to] bid, [to] intercede, [to] pray, [to] request, [to] supplicate (e.g., Genesis 23:8, Isaiah 53:12, 59:16, Jeremiah 7:16, 27:18, Job 21:15, Ruth 1:16).


53:6

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.

We all went astray like sheep, we have turned, each one on his way, and the Lord inflicted upon him [or, accepted his prayers for] the iniquity of all of us.

˒h ʩʑʕsʯʠʖ˞ ʔ˒h ʕʗ˒h ʩʑhʕˣ˗ ʍyʔʣʍʬˇ ʩʑʠ

ʤʥʤʩʔʥˣˎ ʔʩʑˏʍɹʑʤʺ ʒʠʟ˒ ʰʕʗʯʖʥʏ

ʥ,ʢh




Who is speaking? The “voice” is that of the leaders of the (Gentile) nations.

What is the message? The Jewish people have been massacred like sheep being slaughtered, a common symbolism in the Hebrew Bible (e.g. Zechariah 11:4-7, Psalms 44:12,23). Psalms 44, in particular, depicts a nation in distress and the recurring oppression and persecution of Israel in exile and, while remaining loyal to God, her pleading for the strength to endure these conditions until the final redemption.


53:7

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.(ii)


ʠʖʬʍʥʤʓhʏʔhʠ˒ʤʍʥʔˏʑhʬʕʡ˒ʩʤʓʔʥʩʑʚʧ ʔsʍɹʑʩʕʤʩʓʦʍʦʖʢʩʒhʍɹʑʬʬʒʧʕyʍʫ˒ʧ ʔsʍɹʑʩʠʖʬʍʥʤʕʮʕʬʎʠʓh

ʟʥʩʑ

ʦ,ʢh



Who is speaking? The “voice” is that of the leaders of the (Gentile) nations.

What is the message? The change in attitude by the (Gentile) nations that takes place in Isaiah 53:4-7 culminates as each leader of the (Gentile) nations acknowledges how his own nation's iniquities inflicted the suffering on Israel, a people who survived the many expulsions from the “land of the living”, a phrase that is used in the Hebrew Bible in reference to the “Land of Israel” (e.g., Ezekiel 26:20,32:23,24,25,26,27,32), and all the unfair and unjust treatment throughout their time in exile.


53:8

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.


ʨʕʍʑʑʮ˒ ʸ ʓʁʖ ʔʮʩʑʮx ʸ ˣː ʚ ʓʠʍʥʧʕ˟ʗʬ

ʸ ʔʦʍʢʑhʩʑʔʧʒʧˣˈ ʍʩʭʩʑʔʧʵ ʓyʓʠʒʮʑʮʲ ʔʓ

ʲ ʔʢʓhʩʑʔˣʮʕʬʟ

ʧ,ʢh



Analysis of the highlighted mistranslation in this passage and its resolution:

1. The expressions and are not interchangeable here, as was also the case in v. 5 (see #1 on Page 6).

2. The word (laMO) is rendered as in the Jewish translation and as in the KJV. This word is actually a poetic form, and a synonym of, the Hebrew pronoun ם Rה ,meaning ,(laHEM) ל<them/themselves, for/from them/themselves, to/unto them/themselves, & they [have]. This form of the pronoun occurs 55 times in the Hebrew Bible.

King James Version Translation Jewish Translation from the Hebrew Hebrew Text

for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

because of the transgression of my people, a plague came upon them.

ʑʮʲ ʔʢʓhʩʑʔʲ ʔ ʓˣʮʕʬʟ

because of for

מו ל< upon them he

Hebrew Book # References

Genesis 2 9:26,27 Deuteronomy 4 32:32,35; 33:2(2x) Isaiah 11 16:4; 23:1; 26:14,16; 30:5; 35:8; 43:8; 44:7,15; 48:21; 53:8 Habakkuk 1 2:7

Psalms 22 2:4; 28:8; 44:4[3]*,11[10]; 49:14[13]; 55:20[19]; 56:8[7]; 58:5[4],8[7]; 59:9[8]; 64:6[5](2x); 66:7; 73:6,10,18; 78:24,66; 80:7[6]; 88:9[8]; 99:7; 119:165

Proverbs 1 23:20 Job 10 3:13[14]; 6:19; 14:21; 15:28; 22:17,19; 24:16,17; 30:13; 39:4

ˣʮʕʬ

Lamentations 4 1:19,22; 4:10,15 * Numbers in brackets, e.g., Psalms 44:4[3], identify respective verses in Christian Bibles



The 11 instances of מו in the Book of Isaiah are shown with their respective Jewish and ל<KJV translations:

The instance at Isaiah 44:15 is somewhat ambiguous, though an analysis of the verse in the context of the text around it, and the fact that the Hebrew word ל Rס Rפ (PEsel), idol, is a collective noun, resolves this ambiguity.

Passage In Isaiah

Correct Translation KJV Translation

16:4 …Become a hiding place for them… …be thou a covert to them… 23:1 …he appeared to them. …it is revealed to them. 26:14 …have put an end to any memory of them. …and made all their memory to perish. 26:16 …when Your chastening is upon them. …when thy chastening was upon them.

30:5 …a people that will not be of benefit to them…

…a people that could not profit them…

35:8 …and it shall be for them… …but it shall be for those… 43:8 …and deaf ones who have ears. …and the deaf that have ears. 44:7 …let them tell for themselves. …let them shew unto them.

44:15 …they made graven images and bowed to them.

…he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.

48:21 He made water run from a rock for them… …he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them…

53:8 …because of the transgression of my people, a plague came upon them.

…for the transgression of my people was he stricken.



There is additional evidence, from standard reference sources, about the meaning of מו .ל<

Evidence from a Hebrew-Hebrew dictionary Evidence from a Hebrew-English dictionary



Interim Summary – Segment 3: Isaiah 53:5-8

Our hypothesis:

Results of the verse-by-verse testing:

Hypothesis: Israel is the servant in the Fourth Servant Song (“Isaiah 53”)

Isaiah Jewish Translation from the Hebrew Who Is The "Speaker"?

Does Hypothesis

"Israel=Servant" Fit?

53:5


The (Gentile) Nations

YES

53:6 We all went astray like sheep, we have turned, each one on his way, and the Lord inflicted upon him [or, accepted his prayers for] the iniquity of all of us.


YES

53:7



YES

53:8



YES

march 31, 2011isaiah 53 – the jewish interpretation: valid or not? page 1 of 14 who is the...

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jewish interpretation

jewish people

servant song isaiah

gentile nations

verse analysis of segment

suffering of israel

suffering servant

crossreferenced passages