Isaiah 53 Meter
| Differential | Cumulative | Syllables | Verse | # | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | הִנֵּ֥ה יַשְׂכִּ֖יל עַבְדִּ֑י יָר֧וּם | 52:13 | Through Truth My Son Prospers, Rises! | ||
| 8 | וְנִשָּׂ֛א וְגָבַ֖הּ מְאֹֽד׃ | And Carried, Exalted, Greatly! | |||
| 9 | כַּאֲשֶׁ֙ר שָׁמְמ֤וּ עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ רַבִּ֔ים | 52:14 | Just as people, appalled up at You | ||
| 8 | כֵּן־מִשְׁחַ֥ת מֵאִ֖ישׁ מַרְאֵ֑הוּ | So too He, mashed-past-human sight! | |||
| 42 | 9 | וְתֹאֲר֖וֹ מִבְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃ | The God-Man: born(e), beyond sons of men! | ||
| 9 | כֵּ֤ן יַזֶּה֙ גּוֹיִ֣ם רַבִּ֔ים עָלָ֛יו | 52:15 | Thus He sprays, shocks Gentiles up to Him | ||
| 8 | יִקְפְּצ֥וּ מְלָכִ֖ים פִּיהֶ֑ם | Kings shut their mouths in amazement! | |||
| 9 | כִּ֠י אֲשֶׁ֙ר לֹֽא־סֻפַּ֤ר לָהֶם֙ רָא֔וּ | For He Who was not told them, they see! | |||
| 77 | 9 | וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־שָׁמְע֖וּ הִתְבּוֹנָֽנוּ׃ | And He Whom they'd not heard, they well know! | ||
| 9 | מִ֥י הֶאֱמִ֖ין לִשְׁמֻעָתֵ֑נוּ | 53:1 | Who has believed in our reporting? | ||
| 9 | וּזְר֥וֹעַ יְהוָ֖ה עַל־מִ֥י נִגְלָֽתָה׃ | To whom revealed, the Arm of the Lord? | |||
| 9 | וַיַּ֙עַל כַּיּוֹנֵ֜ק לְפָנָ֗יו | 53:2 | He climbs like a sapling, before Him; | ||
| 9 | וְכַשֹּׁ֙רֶשׁ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ צִיָּ֔ה | like a Root, born from Parched Promised Land! | |||
| 4 | לֹא־תֹ֥אַר ל֖וֹ | Not God-man, Him! | |||
| 4 | וְלֹ֣א הָדָ֑ר | So no Glory | |||
| 4 | וְנִרְאֵ֥הוּ | will we then see! | |||
| 4 | וְלֹֽא־מַרְאֶ֖ה | No sight of Him | |||
| 133 | 4 | וְנֶחְמְדֵֽהוּ׃ | Will we desire! | ||
| 8 | נִבְזֶה֙ וַחֲדַ֣ל אִישִׁ֔ים | 53:3 | Despised and rejected by men, | ||
| 9 | אִ֥ישׁ מַכְאֹב֖וֹת וִיד֣וּעַ חֹ֑לִי | The Heartbreak Man well knows lovesick grief. | |||
| 9 | וּכְמַסְתֵּ֤ר פָּנִים֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ | Hiding our face from The Hiding Place, | |||
| 168 | 9 | נִבְזֶ֖ה וְלֹ֥א חֲשַׁבְנֻֽהוּ׃ | Despising, we didn't esteem Him | ||
| 9 | אָכֵ֤ן חֳלָיֵ֙נוּ֙ ה֣וּא נָשָׂ֔א | 53:4 | So true! All our griefs, He carried them! | ||
| 8 | וּמַכְאֹבֵ֖ינוּ סְבָלָ֑ם | And all our heartbreaks, He bore them! | |||
| 4 | וַאֲנַ֣חְנוּ | And we ourselves | |||
| 4 | חֲשַׁבְנֻ֔הוּ | did esteem Him | |||
| 5 | נָג֛וּעַ מֻכֵּ֥ה | Stricken down, Smited | |||
| 203 | 5 | אֱלֹהִ֖ים וּמְעֻנֶּֽה׃ | God, Violated! | ||
| 8 | וְהוּא֙ מְחֹלָ֣ל מִפְּשָׁעֵ֔נוּ | 53:5 | He, stabbed! Born(e) from revolts: ours! | ||
| 8 | מְדֻכָּ֖א מֵעֲוֹנֹתֵ֑ינוּ | He, crushed! Born(e) from twisting sins: ours! | |||
| 8 | מוּסַ֤ר שְׁלוֹמֵ֙נוּ֙ עָלָ֔יו | Our Penance to reconcile: Him! | |||
| 8 | וּבַחֲבֻרָת֖וֹ נִרְפָּא־לָֽנוּ׃ | Sewn up in His Wounds, we are healed! | |||
| 6 | כֻּלָּ֙נוּ֙ כַּצֹּ֣אן תָּעִ֔ינוּ | 53:6 | All of us, sheep! Wander | ||
| 6 | אִ֥ישׁ לְדַרְכּ֖וֹ פָּנִ֑ינוּ | Each to his own road, turns | |||
| 259 | 12 | וַֽיהוָה֙ הִפְגִּ֣יעַ בּ֔וֹ אֵ֖ת עֲוֹ֥ן כֻּלָּֽנוּ׃ | So God intercepted through Him, our twisting sins! | ||
| 7 | נִגַּ֙שׂ וְה֣וּא נַעֲנֶה֘ | 53:7 | Oppressed, He! Violated! | ||
| 7 | וְלֹ֣א יִפְתַּח־פִּיו֒ | Yet He opens not His Mouth | |||
| 7 | כַּשֶּׂה֙ לַטֶּ֣בַח יוּבָ֔ל | Like a sheep to slaughter, led | |||
| 8 | וּכְרָחֵ֕ל לִפְנֵ֥י גֹזְזֶ֖יהָ | Or a ewe, before her shearers | |||
| 9 | נֶאֱלָ֑מָה וְלֹ֥א יִפְתַּ֖ח פִּֽיו׃ | He is bound; He opens not His Mouth. | |||
| 9 | מֵעֹ֤צֶר וּמִמִּשְׁפָּט֙ לֻקָּ֔ח | 53:8 | Out from sterile cell and verdict, seized! | ||
| 8 | וְאֶת־דּוֹר֖וֹ מִ֣י יְשׂוֹחֵ֑חַ | Re(garding) His Descendants, who narrates? | |||
| 8 | כִּ֤י נִגְזַר֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּ֔ים | For cut out from The Land, His Lives! | |||
| 329 | 7 | מִפֶּ֥שַׁע עַמִּ֖י נֶ֥גַע לָֽמוֹ׃ | My people's revolt, strikes Him! | ||
| 9 | וַיִּתֵּ֤ן אֶת־רְשָׁעִים֙ קִבְר֔וֹ | 53:9 | So He bequeaths the wicked, His Grave | ||
| 7 | וְאֶת־עָשִׁ֖יר בְּמֹתָ֑יו | and to the rich, by His Deaths | |||
| 6 | עַ֚ל לֹא־חָמָ֣ס עָשָׂ֔ה | By God, He did no wrong: | |||
| 357 | 6 | וְלֹ֥א מִרְמָ֖ה בְּפִֽיו׃ | No deceit, in His Mouth! | ||
| 9 | וַיהוָ֞ה חָפֵ֤ץ דַּכְּאוֹ֙ הֶֽחֱלִ֔י | 53:10 | For God delights to crush Him with grief | ||
| 8 | אִם־תָּשִׂ֤ים אָשָׁם֙ נַפְשׁ֔וֹ | If He appoints for sin, His Soul | |||
| 9 | יִרְאֶ֥ה זֶ֖רַע יַאֲרִ֣יךְ יָמִ֑ים | He will see seed of unending days | |||
| 392 | 9 | וְחֵ֥פֶץ יְהוָ֖ה בְּיָד֥וֹ יִצְלָֽח׃ | So God, Delighted, gains by His Hand! | ||
| 5 | מֵעֲמַ֤ל נַפְשׁוֹ֙ | 53:11 | Born(e) from His Soul's Pangs | ||
| 4 | יִרְאֶ֣ה יִשְׂבָּ֔ע | He sees, He's filled! | |||
| 5 | בְּדַעְתּ֗וֹ יַצְדִּ֥יק | Through Truth, He makes pure! | |||
| 7 | צַדִּ֛יק עַבְדִּ֖י לָֽרַבִּ֑ים | My Righteous Son, for people! | |||
| 420 | 7 | וַעֲוֹנֹתָ֖ם ה֥וּא יִסְבֹּֽל׃ | For their twisting sins, He bears! | ||
| 8 | לָכֵ֞ן אֲחַלֶּק־ל֣וֹ בָרַבִּ֗ים | 53:12 | I give them - as plunder - to Him; | ||
| 8 | וְאֶת־עֲצוּמִים֘ יְחַלֵּ֣ק שָׁלָל֒ | He allots them, among the strong. | |||
| 6 | תַּ֗חַת אֲשֶׁ֙ר הֶעֱרָ֤ה | For their sakes, He poured out! | |||
| 4 | לַמָּ֙וֶת֙ נַפְשׁ֔וֹ | To death, His Soul! | |||
| 5 | וְאֶת־פֹּשְׁעִ֖ים נִמְנָ֑ה | With rebels, parcelled! | |||
| 6 | וְהוּא֙ חֵטְא־רַבִּ֣ים נָשָׂ֔א | Peoples' sins, He carried! | |||
| 462 | 5 | וְלַפֹּשְׁעִ֖ים יַפְגִּֽיעַ׃ ס | For rebels, He blocked! | ||
| 9 | רָנִּ֥י עֲקָרָ֖ה לֹ֣א יָלָ֑דָה | 54:1 | |||
| 9 | פִּצְחִ֙י רִנָּ֤ה וְצַהֲלִי֙ לֹא־חָ֔לָה | ||||
| 8 | כִּֽי־רַבִּ֧ים בְּֽנֵי־שׁוֹמֵמָ֛ה | ||||
| 9 | מִבְּנֵ֥י בְעוּלָ֖ה אָמַ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃ |
Isaiah 53:13-15 Weaving
- Hypothesis #1 presumes that 14 syllables are deliberately missing in Isaiah 53, with the extra 7 (to make 490) being supplied by the putatively-missing Hebrew text in Isaiah 53:11. So Isa53gold2.JPG shows 469 syllables, the 'control' from which Hypothesis #1 - #4 are crafted.
- Hypothesis #2 still adds the above text, and I can 'find' 14 extra syllables in verses 53:5-8 if I change elision assumptions. Isa53Hypo2.JPG shows them. So in Hypothesis #2, the total syllables would be 490, not the 469.
- Hypothesis #3 is that the 469 syllables you see are deliberate, and therefore the LXX translation in 53:10-11 is explanatory of the poetic ellipsis in 53:10-11. When you say those verses aloud you can feel the dramatic ellipsis, so the argument in favor of the text we have AS we have it, is strong. To test that, I made that video to sleuth out how the LXX compares, to see if there are any other things missing versus the Hebrew.
- Hypothesis #4 is like #3, but balances internally, and is short 28 syllables, not 21. It's the most likely answer because its internal meter accounting deliberately mirrors without any syllables missing (so no text is missing in Hebrew).
| Thread | Isaiah 52:13 | Isaiah 52:14 | Isaiah 52:15 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master of Bible |
יַשְׂכִּ֖יל
|
Yask-kil, mastery of Word causes Him to prosper. | הִתְבּוֹנָֽנוּ | Hit-bo-nanu, caused to intensively understand. | ||
| Slave-son | עַבְדִּ֑י | av'di, My Slave + Son | כַּאֲשֶׁ֙ר | k'asher, just as He who | כִּ֠י אֲשֶׁ֙ר | ki asher, because He who, w'asher, and He who |
| Rising Up | יָר֧וּם | yarum, He rises (poetic for promised incarnation) | וְתֹאֲר֖וֹ מִבְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם | wa toraó mi beni adam, His incarnation born from the sons of men (prepositional 'min' has verbal force, means out from, away from, separated from, beyond, born) | כֵּ֤ן יַזֶּה | ken yazáah, even so He will be caused to atone (literal, sprinkle) |
| Lifted Up | וְנִשָּׂ֛א | wa nissáh, He will be taken up, lifted up, made high | עָלֶ֙יךָ | aleyká, up at You (remember upness preposition and verb sound like the "El" prefix and suffix for "God", alpeh lamed) | עָלָ֛יו | alayw, literal: he going up (preposition has verbal force) |
| Exalted | וְגָבַ֖הּ | wa gaváah, to be exalted (but it's an active verb here) | (thread isn't woven through until Isaiah 53:10d, Isaiah 53:12, and Isaiah 54:1) | |||
| Vehemently | מאֹֽד | m'odth, vehemently | משְׁחַ֥ת מֵאִ֖ישׁ | mishhát me(y)ish, literal: disfigured face, beaten to a pulp, beyond human resemblance. | ||
| Equating Decree | כַּאֲשֶׁ֙ר כֵּן־ | k'asher, ken ("just as, even so" equivalent parallel idiom) | כֵּ֤ן | ken (chaining continues) | ||
| Going Low | שָׁמְמ֤וּ | shamemu, literal: they will be horrified / appalled, but "they" is "we", too. | יקְפְּצ֥וּ מְלָכִ֖ים פִּיהֶ֑ם | yiq'pitsú m'lekim pihem, kings will shut their mouths (in amazement) | ||
| Put Down | מִשְׁחַ֥ת מֵאִ֖ישׁ | mishhát me(y)ish, literal: disfigured face, beaten to a pulp, beyond human resemblance. | יזֶּה | yazáah, He will be caused to atone (literal: sprinkle) | ||
| For mankind |
רַבִּ֔ים וְתֹאֲר֖וֹ מִבְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם |
rabbim, literal: the masses, idiom for people; wa toaró mi beni adam, His incarnation from the sons of men. | גּוֹיִ֣ם רַבִּ֔ים | goyim rabbim, literal: the non-Jewish people, AKA Gentiles | ||
| Atoning for | מִשְׁחַ֥ת מֵאִ֖ישׁ | mishhát me ish, literal: disfigured face, beaten to a pulp, beyond human resemblance. | יַזֶּה | yazáah, He will be caused to atone (literal: sprinkle) | ||
| All who will hear / see | שָׁמְמ֤וּ עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ רַבִּ֔ים | sham'mu aleká rabbim, literla: the people will be horrified up at You. | יקְפְּצ֥וּ מְלָכִ֖ים פִּיהֶ֑ם לֹֽא־שָׁמְע֖וּ | yiq'pitsú m;lekim pihem, kings will shut their mouths (in amazement), sham'mu, literal: they (Gentiles) hear / listen / obey, play on the sound of shamemu (Isaiah 52:14) | ||
| מַרְאֵ֑הוּ | maré(y)hu, literal: sight of Him |
לָהֶם֙ רָא֔וּ לֹֽא־סֻפַּ֤ר הִתְבּוֹנָֽנוּ |
l'hem raou, literal: they (Gentiles) will see lo-supar, not been accounted / recounted / told, hitbonanu, intensively understand. | |||
| To and for Father | עבְדִּ֑י | av'di, my Slave + Son | עָלֶ֙יךָ | aleká, up at You (upness sound like the "El" and prefix and suffix for "God", aleph lamed) | עָלָ֛יו | alayw, literal: he going up (preposition has verbal force) |
Meter Shape
| Hebrew | Verse # | Hebrew | Verse # |
|---|---|---|---|
| הִנֵּ֥ה יַשְׂכִּ֖יל עַבְדִּ֑י יָר֧וּם | 52:13 | נִגַּ֙שׂ וְה֣וּא נַעֲנֶה֘ | 53:7 |
| וְנִשָּׂ֛א וְגָבַ֖הּ מְאֹֽד׃ | וְלֹ֣א יִפְתַּח־פִּיו֒ | ||
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֙ר שָׁמְמ֤וּ עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ רַבִּ֔ים | 52:14 | כַּשֶּׂה֙ לַטֶּ֣בַח יוּבָ֔ל | |
| כֵּן־מִשְׁחַ֥ת מֵאִ֖ישׁ מַרְאֵ֑הוּ | וּכְרָחֵ֕ל לִפְנֵ֥י גֹזְזֶ֖יהָ | ||
| וְתֹאֲר֖וֹ מִבְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃ | נֶאֱלָ֑מָה וְלֹ֥א יִפְתַּ֖ח פִּֽיו׃ | ||
| כֵּ֤ן יַזֶּה֙ גּוֹיִ֣ם רַבִּ֔ים עָלָ֛יו | 52:15 | מֵעֹ֤צֶר וּמִמִּשְׁפָּט֙ לֻקָּ֔ח | 53:8 |
| יִקְפְּצ֥וּ מְלָכִ֖ים פִּיהֶ֑ם | וְאֶת־דּוֹר֖וֹ מִ֣י יְשׂוֹחֵ֑חַ | ||
| כִּ֠י אֲשֶׁ֙ר לֹֽא־סֻפַּ֤ר לָהֶם֙ רָא֔וּ | כִּ֤י נִגְזַר֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּ֔ים | ||
| וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־שָׁמְע֖וּ הִתְבּוֹנָֽנוּ׃ | מִפֶּ֥שַׁע עַמִּ֖י נֶ֥גַע לָֽמוֹ׃ | ||
| מִ֥י הֶאֱמִ֖ין לִשְׁמֻעָתֵ֑נוּ | 53:1 | וַיִּתֵּ֤ן אֶת־רְשָׁעִים֙ קִבְר֔וֹ | 53:9 |
| וּזְר֥וֹעַ יְהוָ֖ה עַל־מִ֥י נִגְלָֽתָה׃ | וְאֶת־עָשִׁ֖יר בְּמֹתָ֑יו | ||
| וַיַּ֙עַל כַּיּוֹנֵ֜ק לְפָנָ֗יו | 53:2 | עַ֚ל לֹא־חָמָ֣ס עָשָׂ֔ה | |
| וְכַשֹּׁ֙רֶשׁ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ צִיָּ֔ה | וְלֹ֥א מִרְמָ֖ה בְּפִֽיו׃ | ||
| לֹא־תֹ֥אַר ל֖וֹ | וַיהוָ֞ה חָפֵ֤ץ דַּכְּאוֹ֙ הֶֽחֱלִ֔י | 53:10 | |
| וְלֹ֣א הָדָ֑ר | אִם־תָּשִׂ֤ים אָשָׁם֙ נַפְשׁ֔וֹ | ||
| וְנִרְאֵ֥הוּ | יִרְאֶ֥ה זֶ֖רַע יַאֲרִ֣יךְ יָמִ֑ים | ||
| וְלֹֽא־מַרְאֶ֖ה | וְחֵ֥פֶץ יְהוָ֖ה בְּיָד֥וֹ יִצְלָֽח׃ | ||
| וְנֶחְמְדֵֽהוּ׃ | מֵעֲמַ֤ל נַפְשׁוֹ֙ | 53:11 | |
| נִבְזֶה֙ וַחֲדַ֣ל אִישִׁ֔ים | 53:3 | יִרְאֶ֣ה יִשְׂבָּ֔ע | |
| אִ֥ישׁ מַכְאֹב֖וֹת וִיד֣וּעַ חֹ֑לִי | בְּדַעְתּ֗וֹ יַצְדִּ֥יק | ||
| וּכְמַסְתֵּ֤ר פָּנִים֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ | צַדִּ֛יק עַבְדִּ֖י לָֽרַבִּ֑ים | ||
| נִבְזֶ֖ה וְלֹ֥א חֲשַׁבְנֻֽהוּ׃ | וַעֲוֹנֹתָ֖ם ה֥וּא יִסְבֹּֽל׃ | ||
| אָכֵ֤ן חֳלָיֵ֙נוּ֙ ה֣וּא נָשָׂ֔א | 53:4 | לָכֵ֞ן אֲחַלֶּק־ל֣וֹ בָרַבִּ֗ים | 53:12 |
| וּמַכְאֹבֵ֖ינוּ סְבָלָ֑ם | וְאֶת־עֲצוּמִים֘ יְחַלֵּ֣ק שָׁלָל֒ | ||
| וַאֲנַ֣חְנוּ | תַּ֗חַת אֲשֶׁ֙ר הֶעֱרָ֤ה | ||
| חֲשַׁבְנֻ֔הוּ | לַמָּ֙וֶת֙ נַפְשׁ֔וֹ | ||
| נָג֛וּעַ מֻכֵּ֥ה | וְאֶת־פֹּשְׁעִ֖ים נִמְנָ֑ה | ||
| אֱלֹהִ֖ים וּמְעֻנֶּֽה׃ | וְהוּא֙ חֵטְא־רַבִּ֣ים נָשָׂ֔א | ||
| וְהוּא֙ מְחֹלָ֣ל מִפְּשָׁעֵ֔נוּ | 53:5 | וְלַפֹּשְׁעִ֖ים יַפְגִּֽיעַ׃ ס | |
| מְדֻכָּ֖א מֵעֲוֹנֹתֵ֑ינוּ | |||
| מוּסַ֤ר שְׁלוֹמֵ֙נוּ֙ עָלָ֔יו | רָנִּ֥י עֲקָרָ֖ה לֹ֣א יָלָ֑דָה | 54:1 | |
| וּבַחֲבֻרָת֖וֹ נִרְפָּא־לָֽנוּ׃ | פִּצְחִ֙י רִנָּ֤ה וְצַהֲלִי֙ לֹא־חָ֔לָה | ||
| כֻּלָּ֙נוּ֙ כַּצֹּ֣אן תָּעִ֔ינוּ | 53:6 | כִּֽי־רַבִּ֧ים בְּֽנֵי־שׁוֹמֵמָ֛ה | |
| אִ֥ישׁ לְדַרְכּ֖וֹ פָּנִ֑ינוּ | מִבְּנֵ֥י בְעוּלָ֖ה אָמַ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃ | ||
| וַֽיהוָה֙ הִפְגִּ֣יעַ בּ֔וֹ אֵ֖ת עֲוֹ֥ן כֻּלָּֽנוּ׃ |