The Suffering Servant in Yeshayahu 53/2/en
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The Suffering Servant in Yeshayahu 53
Exegetical Approaches
The Nation of Israel
"עַבְדִּי" – Radak and Ramban cite other verses in Yeshayahu where he refers to Yisrael with the title of servant.2 For example, "וְאַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל עַבְדִּי" (41:8), "אַל תִּירָא עַבְדִּי יַעֲקֹב" (44:2), and "עַבְדִּי אָתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל" (49:3). Ibn Ezra suggests that the verse is referencing every worshiper of Hashem.
"חֳלָיֵנוּ הוּא נָשָׂא" – Vicarious punishment?
- According to most of these sources these words represent the perspective of the other nations. Since they felt that they had been the ones who sinned, they thought they deserved the suffering which was inflicted on Israel. The nations therefore (mistakenly) concluded that Israel must have been suffering as an atonement for their sins. According to this understanding verse 6 is still part of the original thought of the nations.
- Ibn Ezra, in contrast, understands that the nations are admitting that they inflicted suffering on Israel. The hardships are referred to as "חֳלָיֵנוּ", as the nations are the ones who caused them. Ibn Ezra asserts that verse 6 is the truth the nations came to realize at the end.
"נִבְזֶה וַחֲדַל אִישִׁים" – When? Hoil Moshe says that the suffering refers to the nation's experience in exile, where they suffered in an exaggerated manner.
"הִנֵּה יַשְׂכִּיל עַבְדִּי" – When? Rashi writes that in the end of days is when the righteous among Israel will succeed, as a reward for their suffering.
"כִּי נִגְזַר מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים"
"וַיִּתֵּן אֶת רְשָׁעִים קִבְרוֹ" – Rashi asserts that the verse is describing all the times that people from the nation were willing to die in the hands of wicked people rather than transgress a commandment.
Other occurrences – These commentators are consistent explaining all the occurrences of a servant to refer to the nation of Israel.
Leader of Israel
King
Sources:Ibn Chiquitilla cited in R. Yehuda ibn Balaam,
Who is the servant?
- Ibn Chiquitilla explains the servant to be Chizkiyahu. However, Ibn Balaam notes that we don't know anything about Chizkiyahu suffering, and that the description of "לֹא תֹאַר לוֹ וְלֹא הָדָר" does not match him.3
- Abarbanel reads the chapter as referring to Yoshiyahu, one of the few historical figures of the period who suffered without sinning himself. Yoshiyahu did not suffer throughout his life rather only in his early death when he was killed in battle with Paroh Necho.
"הִנֵּה יַשְׂכִּיל עַבְדִּי" – When? In contrast to other commentators who assert that "יַשְׂכִּיל" is referring to future prosperity that will come upon the servant, Abarbanel understands it to refer to the success and perfection of Yoshiyahu in the beginning of his reign before he suffered. He understands "יַשְׂכִּיל" in the meaning of understanding, that Yoshiyahu learned to walk in Hashem's path and worshiped Him with all his heart.
"מִשְׁחַת מֵאִישׁ מַרְאֵהוּ" – The descriptions of the person being despicable are referring to Paroh Necho who fought against Yoshiyahu. The prophet is speaking in the name of the nation who are surprised how such a righteous man was killed by such a shamed enemy. This reading is a little surprising that the verses suddenly switch their subject from Yoshiyahu to Paroh Necho.
"חֳלָיֵנוּ הוּא נָשָׂא" – Vicarious punishment?
"נִבְזֶה וַחֲדַל אִישִׁים" – When?
"כִּי נִגְזַר מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים"
"וַיִּתֵּן אֶת רְשָׁעִים קִבְרוֹ"
Context of prophecy
Prophet
Sources:Opinion cited in R. Yehuda ibn Balaam, R. Saadia cited in Ibn Ezra, R. Eliezer of Beaugency,
"חֳלָיֵנוּ הוּא נָשָׂא" – Vicarious punishment? R. Eliezer of Beaugency explains that the prophet was sick thinking about the tragedies that were to come on the nation.
"נִבְזֶה וַחֲדַל אִישִׁים" – When? Yirmeyahu fits the description of a degraded servant of Hashem, as we have accounts of officers trying to kill and torture him.
"הִנֵּה יַשְׂכִּיל עַבְדִּי" – When?
"כִּי נִגְזַר מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים"
"וַיִּתֵּן אֶת רְשָׁעִים קִבְרוֹ"
"עַבְדִּי" – R. Saadia suggests that the servant can include all of the prophets who rebuked the nation and were disrespected while filling their role, or refer to a specific prophet. R. Eliezer of Beaugency explains the chapter according to the first option, however, R. Saadia himself explains it about Yirmeyahu since he is the only prophet that matches all the descriptions of the servant in Yeshayahu.4
Context of the Prophecy – Ibn Ezra notes that there is no relationship between the surrounding chapters of comfort and Yirmeyahu's suffering.
Mashiach
"חֳלָיֵנוּ הוּא נָשָׂא" – Vicarious punishment?
"נִבְזֶה וַחֲדַל אִישִׁים" – When? Ramban explains that the Mashiach is upset about the sins of Israel which delayed his coming. Ramban also describes that when the Mashiach first appears, he will be poor and riding on a horse, and all the people will mock and curse him.
"הִנֵּה יַשְׂכִּיל עַבְדִּי" – When?
"כִּי נִגְזַר מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים"
"וַיִּתֵּן אֶת רְשָׁעִים קִבְרוֹ"
"עַבְדִּי" – According to this approach the servant is the Mashiach. The main motivation is that this prophecy comes in the midst of prophecies of comfort, which many say are talking about the days of the Mashiach.
