Isaiah 53:4–5
The servant bore our pains; by his wounds there is healing
Study it word by word4Surely our sicknesses he carried, and our pains he bore them; yet we considered him stricken, struck by Elohim and afflicted.
5But he was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; the correction of our peace was upon him, and by his wound we were healed.
In its context
2And he grew up like a young shoot before him, and like a root from a dry land; he had no form nor majesty that we should look at him, nor appearance that we should desire him.
3Despised and rejected by men, a man of pains and acquainted with sickness; and like one from whom the face is hidden, despised, and we did not esteem him.
…
6All of us like sheep went astray; each to his own way we turned; and YHWH caused to fall on him the iniquity of us all.
7He was mistreated, and he humbled himself, and he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a ewe that before her shearers is silent, and he did not open his mouth.
Its words in the original
- אָכֵןachen· surely; but
Surely, truly; but.
- חֳלָיֵcholaye· sickness
Sickness, disease; also suffering.
- נָשָׂאnasa· lift, carry, bear
Lift up, carry, bear. "Bear sin" is to suffer its consequences; said of God, "taking away" sin is forgiving it. "Lift up the eyes" is to look.
- מַכְאֹבֵיmachove· pain
Pain, suffering.
- סְבָלָsevala· carry, bear a load
Carry a load, bear a burden.
- חֲשַׁבְנֻchashavnu· think, count, devise
Think, consider; count something as something else ("count as", "credit as"). Also devise, design, plan, often evil: "the work of a skilled craftsman" is, literally, "the work of one who designs".
- נָגוּעַnagua· touch
Touch; also reach, or strike.
- מֻכֵּהmuke· strike
Strike, hit, wound; often, kill; also strike down, defeat.
- אֱלֹהִיםelohim· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- מְעֻנֶּהmeune· afflict
Afflict, oppress, make suffer; in a reflexive form, humble oneself, submit.
- מְחֹלָלmecholal· begin, profane
Begin, start doing something. In other forms the same verb means "profane", treat as common what is holy; also pierce.
- פְּשָׁעֵpeshae· transgression
A serious wrong against someone: rebellion, transgression.
- מְדֻכָּאmeduka· crush
To crush, to grind, to break in pieces. Said of things that crumble and of people who are oppressed or beaten down.
- עֲוֺנֹתֵיavonote· iniquity
Iniquity: wickedness, a serious wrong. The same word covers the wrong, the guilt it leaves and the punishment it brings.
- מוּסַרmusar· discipline, correction
Discipline: teaching that straightens, sometimes with punishment; it comes from the verb "discipline."
- שְׁלוֹמֵshelome· peace, well-being
"Shalom": peace in a wide sense; not only the absence of war, but being whole and well: health, safety, good relations. It is also the Hebrew greeting.
- חֲבֻרָתchavurat· bruise
Blow, bruise, welt.
- נִרְפָּאnirpa· heal
Heal, cure; restore.