The disfigured suffering servant (Isa 52:13-52:15)

“See!

My servant shall prosper.

He shall be exalted.

He shall be lifted up.

He shall be very high.

There were many

Who were astonished at him.

His appearance was so marred,

Beyond human semblance.

His form was beyond

That of mortals.

Thus he shall startle many nations.

Kings shall shut their mouths

Because of him.

What had not been told them,

They shall see.

What they have not heard,

They shall contemplate.”

Now Second Isaiah has the 4^th chant of the suffering servant. Here there is a painful description of this servant of Yahweh, who is going to prosper, be exalted, and be lifted up very high. Many people were astonished at his marred figure that was beyond human semblance. He hardly looked human, so that he startled many nations. Kings shut their mouths. They suddenly saw things that they did not know about. They contemplated things that they had not heard. Was this an individual or the country of Israel? Obviously the text is not clear, except to say that he or Israel was badly disfigured, but that he or they would prosper anyway.