Isaiah 53:5 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 53:5 mean?

Isaiah 53:5 describes someone who suffers and is wounded, not for his own wrongdoing, but because of the wrongs and failures of others. The verse says that the punishment he receives brings peace to others, and his injuries bring healing to them.

In the book of Isaiah, the prophet is speaking to the people of Israel about a "servant" figure who takes on suffering meant for others. This verse is part of a larger passage that describes the servant's pain and sacrifice, emphasizing that his suffering has a purpose: it brings benefit—peace and healing—to those who are guilty or broken.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 53:5

• "Wounded" (חָלַל, chalal): This word often means "pierced" or "profaned," suggesting a deep, violent injury. The verse highlights that the servant's suffering is severe and not accidental.
• "Transgressions" (פֶּשַׁע, pesha): This word refers to deliberate rebellion or breaking of trust, not just accidental mistakes. The verse stresses that the servant suffers for intentional wrongdoing by others.
• "Bruised" (דָּכָא, daka): This word means "crushed" or "broken," pointing to both physical and emotional pain. The servant's suffering is total, affecting body and spirit.
• "Iniquities" (עָוֹן, avon): This word means guilt or moral crookedness. The verse shows that the servant bears the weight of deep moral failure, not just minor faults.
• "Chastisement" (מוּסָר, musar): This word means discipline or correction, often with the goal of restoring order or peace. The punishment the servant endures is what brings peace (שָׁלוֹם, shalom)—a word that means wholeness or well-being—to others.
• "Stripes" (חַבּוּרָה, chabburah): This word refers to wounds or marks left by blows, underlining the physical cost of the servant's suffering.
• "Healed" (רָפָא, rapha): This word means to be made whole or restored, not just physically but in a fuller sense of well-being.

Why Isaiah 53:5 matters

• Isaiah 53:5 clarifies that the servant's suffering is not random or deserved, but purposeful—he suffers for the sake of others' wrongs, not his own.
• The verse emphasizes the idea of substitution: the servant takes on punishment so that others can have peace and healing, a theme that runs through the whole passage.
• Isaiah 53:5 connects to the wider message of Isaiah 53, which describes a mysterious figure whose pain brings hope and restoration to a community marked by failure and guilt.