The verse highlights a profound misunderstanding: the very suffering that was meant to redeem us was perceived by people as a sign of God's punishment upon him. They looked at his pain and saw divine judgment for his own sin, completely missing that his anguish was the direct consequence of carrying our sins and sorrows.
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is part of a larger prophecy describing a suffering Servant of God who will bear the iniquities of his people. Prior to this verse, the prophet has painted a picture of someone who will not appear outwardly glorious or powerful. Now, this verse contrasts the Servant's true, vicarious suffering with the people's misinterpretation and rejection of him during his humiliation.
Why did this innocent person suffer so intensely? The answer lies in a profound act of substitution.
Isaiah 53:4 reveals a critical misunderstanding of the Suffering Servant's pain. The verse states, "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows... yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted."
A False Accusation
Most people looking at his suffering assumed he was being punished by God for his own sins. They saw his affliction as a sign of divine judgment, as if he were a criminal deserving such a fate. This is highlighted by commentators who note the common association of such afflictions with leprosy and other severe divine punishments.
The True Reason
But the text clarifies that his suffering was not for himself. The sorrow and pain he endured were ours. He voluntarily took on the weight of our sicknesses, our pains, our griefs, and our sorrows. He stood in our place, bearing what we deserved so that we might be spared.
The Hebrew words for 'borne' and 'carried' aren't just about enduring pain; they imply a deeper, active removal.
The Hebrew words used for what the Servant did with our griefs and sorrows carry a powerful weight: 'borne' (nasa) and 'carried' (sabal). These are not passive terms. While they certainly involve enduring immense pain, their core meaning suggests more than just suffering through something.
Lifting and Removing
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'Nasa' often means to lift up, to carry a burden, or to take away. Think of someone lifting a heavy load off another's shoulders and carrying it themselves. This is what the Servant did with our sorrows – he took them upon himself and carried them away.
Active Atonement
Similarly, 'sabal' means to carry a burden, to be laden. When applied to sin and sorrow, it signifies an active, vicarious atonement. He didn't just endure our pains alongside us; he absorbed them, removed them from us, and dealt with them on our behalf. This active bearing is the foundation of his mediatorial work.
While the Servant bore our pains, 'we' looked at him and saw only divine judgment.
Isaiah 53:4 presents a stark contrast between the Servant's reality and the perception of 'us' – the people. He was bearing our griefs, but we saw him as:
The Blindness of Contempt
Commentators point out that these terms were often associated with diseases like leprosy, seen as a direct sign of God's wrath. The people's prejudice was so strong that they couldn't see past his outward suffering to understand its true, vicarious purpose. They judged him by appearances, failing to grasp the divine exchange that was taking place.
A Confession of Error
This part of the prophecy isn't just a description of past blindness; it's also a prophetic confession. It reveals that 'we' (those who eventually recognize him) will look back and acknowledge our profound error in judging him so harshly.
Understand the original words
pesha' · Hebrew Noun
A term denoting a failure to observe the law, a violation of a trust, or an act of rebellion against God’s authority. It implies a conscious breach of the covenant relationship.
avon · Hebrew Noun
A moral term referring to twistedness, perversity, or guilt. It signifies an act that deviates from the moral standard established by God, often carrying the idea of associated guilt and the need for punishment.
musar · Hebrew Noun
Discipline, correction, or punishment intended to bring about repentance or restoration. In a substitutionary context, it refers to the penalty suffered by one party to secure the welfare or peace of another.
shalom · Hebrew Noun
A state of wholeness, completeness, or reconciliation with God. It encompasses not just the absence of conflict, but the presence of divine well-being and covenantal harmony.
nakah · Hebrew Verb (Passive Participle)
To be struck down, beaten, or scourged. In a theological context, it is often used to describe divine judgment or the severe punishment inflicted upon an offender.
anah · Hebrew Verb (Passive Participle)
To be humbled, bowed down, or oppressed. It describes a state of suffering, whether physical, emotional, or situational, often under the heavy hand of external circumstances or judgment.
choli · Hebrew Noun
Literally 'sickness' or 'illness,' but used metaphorically to describe the frailty, pain, and suffering inherent in human life, especially as linked to the effects of sin.
'āwōn · Hebrew Noun
A term representing the moral failure of humanity and a state of being disconnected from God. It encompasses both the act of breaking God’s law and the resulting corruption of human nature.
Yahweh · Hebrew Proper Noun
Refers to the covenant name of God, YHWH, the self-existent one who revealed Himself to Israel as their Savior and Redeemer. It is the name signifying God's faithfulness to His promises.
tāʿâ · Hebrew Verb
The state of moral separation from God where humans act according to their own desires rather than His revealed will. It characterizes humanity's inherent tendency to drift away from divine authority.
The profound suffering described in Isaiah 53 wasn't an isolated event but a prophecy deeply rooted in Israel's history of exile and restoration. Its ultimate fulfillment in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ reshaped how this ancient text was understood, turning a message of national sorrow into a universal message of salvation.
c. 740 BC
Prophecy of Isaiah
Isaiah delivers his prophecies during a tumultuous period in Judah, offering messages of judgment and hope.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
Jerusalem and the Temple are destroyed by the Babylonians, leading to the exile of many Judeans.
c. 539 BC
Return from Exile
Cyrus the Great allows the Judeans to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple, marking the end of the Babylonian exile.
c. 515 BC
Second Temple Rebuilt
The Second Temple in Jerusalem is dedicated, a significant event for the returning exiles and their faith.
c. 200 BC - 100 BC
Isaiah Scroll Completion
The prophetic book of Isaiah, including chapter 53, is finalized and widely circulated among Jewish communities.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Crucifixion of Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth is crucified in Jerusalem under Roman authority, an event seen by Christians as the fulfillment of Isaiah 53.
c. AD 40-60
New Testament Writings
The Gospels and other New Testament letters are written, with many authors explicitly referencing Isaiah 53 to describe Jesus' suffering.
This passage directly quotes Isaiah 53:4, applying it to Jesus' miraculous healing of people's sicknesses, highlighting the Servant's empathetic bearing of human suffering.
1 Peter 2:24Peter directly alludes to Isaiah 53, stating that Christ 'bore our sins in his body on the tree,' emphasizing the substitutionary aspect of his suffering for our transgressions.
John 1:29John the Baptist calls Jesus the 'Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.' This echoes Isaiah's theme of the Servant bearing sorrows, linking it to the removal of sin through his sacrificial death.
Luke 22:44The passage describes Jesus in agony, praying more earnestly, and his sweat becoming like great drops of blood. This shows the profound personal grief and sorrow he experienced, which Isaiah foresaw he would bear on our behalf.
Romans 4:25Paul explains that Jesus 'was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.' This highlights the vicarious nature of Christ's death, directly fulfilling the prophecy in Isaiah 53:4 that his suffering was for our transgressions, not his own.
bensonIsaiah 53:4: "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted."
Isaiah 53:4-5 . Surely he hath borne our griefs — Whereas it may seem an incredible thing, that so excellent and glorious, and so innocent and holy a person should meet with this usage, it must be known that his griefs and miseries were not laid upon him for his own sake, but wholly for the sake of sinful men, in whose stead he stood, and for whose sins he suff…
clarkeIsaiah 53:4: "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted."
Surely he Bath borne our griefs "Surely our infirmities he hath borne" - Seven MSS. (two ancient) and three editions have חליינו cholayeynu in the plural number. And carried our sorrows "And our sorrows, he hath carried them" - Seventeen MSS. (two ancient) of Dr. Kennicott's, two of De Rossi's, and two editions have the word הוא hu, he, before סבלם sebalam,…
The verse highlights a profound misunderstanding: the very suffering that was meant to redeem us was perceived by people as a sign of God's punishment upon him. They looked at his pain and saw divine judgment for his own sin, completely missing that his anguish was the direct consequence of carrying our sins and sorrows.
This passage is part of a larger prophecy describing a suffering Servant of God who will bear the iniquities of his people. Prior to this verse, the prophet has painted a picture of someone who will not appear outwardly glorious or powerful. Now, this verse contrasts the Servant's true, vicarious suffering with the people's misinterpretation and rejection of him during his humiliation.
This passage is part of a larger prophecy describing a suffering Servant of God who will bear the iniquities of his people. Prior to this verse, the prophet has painted a picture of someone who will not appear outwardly glorious or powerful. Now, this verse contrasts the Servant's true, vicarious suffering with the people's misinterpretation and rejection of him during his humiliation.
"Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was…" — The verse highlights a profound misunderstanding: the very suffering that was meant to redeem us was perceived by people as a sign of God's punishment upon him. They looked at his pain and sa…
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Last reviewed October 2026
