Isaiah 53:3

KJV

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were [our] faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

KJV (with Strong's)

He is despised {H959} and rejected {H2310} of men {H376}; a man {H376} of sorrows {H4341}, and acquainted {H3045} with grief {H2483}: and we hid as it were {H4564} our faces {H6440} from him; he was despised {H959}, and we esteemed {H2803} him not.

Complete Jewish Bible

People despised and avoided him, a man of pains, well acquainted with illness. Like someone from whom people turn their faces, he was despised; we did not value him.

Berean Standard Bible

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

American Standard Version

He was despised, and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we esteemed him not.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Isaiah 53:3 profoundly depicts the Suffering Servant's experience of utter rejection and profound anguish at the hands of humanity. He is portrayed not merely as one who endures suffering, but as one intrinsically defined by it, a "man of sorrows" intimately familiar with grief. The verse highlights the collective human aversion to Him, as people actively turned away and failed to recognize His true worth, underscoring the depth of His humiliation and the world's spiritual blindness.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Isaiah 53 stands as the fourth and most detailed of the "Servant Songs" (Isaiah 42:1-4; Isaiah 49:1-6; Isaiah 50:4-9; Isaiah 52:13-53:12) within the book of Isaiah, specifically within the section often referred to as "Second Isaiah" (chapters 40-55). This chapter immediately follows a dramatic shift in tone, moving from the Servant's exaltation in [Isaiah 52:13](/isaiah/52-13 "Isaiah 52:13 - The Exalted Servant") to a stark portrayal of His suffering and disfigurement. Verse 3 serves as a foundational description of the Servant's despised status, setting the stage for the revelation in subsequent verses that His suffering is vicarious and redemptive, not a consequence of His own sin. It prepares the reader for the astonishing truth that "He was wounded for our transgressions" as articulated in [Isaiah 53:5](/isaiah/53-5 "Isaiah 53:5 - The Servant's Atoning Suffering").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Written during the Babylonian exile or shortly thereafter, the book of Isaiah addresses a people grappling with national humiliation and spiritual apathy. The concept of a suffering servant would have been counter-intuitive to Jewish expectations of a conquering Messiah who would liberate Israel from oppression. Instead, this passage introduces a radical paradigm: a servant who suffers *for* the people, bearing their sins and infirmities. This challenged the prevailing understanding of divine favor and punishment, suggesting that true redemption would come not through military might or political power, but through a humble, rejected figure. The cultural context of honor and shame would have made the Servant's public contempt particularly poignant, as it signified a complete loss of status and dignity.
* **Key Themes:** This verse contributes significantly to several overarching themes in Isaiah. Foremost is the theme of **Vicarious Suffering and Atonement**, as the Servant's profound grief and rejection are later revealed to be for the sake of others, a concept deeply explored in [Isaiah 53:4-6](/isaiah/53-4 "Isaiah 53:4-6 - The Servant Bears Our Sins"). It also highlights the theme of **Divine Humility and Self-Sacrifice**, presenting a God who identifies with human suffering to the point of being despised by humanity itself. Furthermore, the verse underscores **Humanity's Spiritual Blindness and Rejection of God's Messenger**, a recurring motif throughout prophetic literature where God's chosen ones are often met with resistance and scorn, as seen in the experiences of prophets like Jeremiah (e.g., [Jeremiah 20](/jeremiah/20 "Jeremiah 20 - Jeremiah's Complaint and God's Promise")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Rejected (Hebrew, _châdêl'_ H2310):** From the root meaning "to cease" or "to desist," this word signifies someone who is "vacant," "destitute," or "forbearing." In this context, it implies not merely a passive dismissal but an active cessation of regard, a casting aside. The Servant is rendered empty of honor, forsaken, and considered worthless, highlighting His complete abandonment by those He came to serve.
* **Sorrows (Hebrew, _makʼôb'_ H4341):** This term denotes deep anguish, pain, or affliction. It describes not just an occasional experience of sadness but a pervasive state of suffering that defines the Servant's very existence. The plural form ("sorrows") emphasizes the multitude and intensity of the pains He endures, suggesting a life steeped in profound emotional and physical distress.
* **Acquainted (Hebrew, _yâdaʻ'_ H3045):** This primitive root means "to know," often implying a deep, intimate, and experiential knowledge. To be "acquainted with grief" suggests more than a passing familiarity; it means the Servant has thoroughly experienced, understood, and become intimately identified with suffering. Grief is not an external observer but a constant companion, shaping His very being.
* **Esteemed (Hebrew, _châshab'_ H2803):** This versatile root means "to think," "to regard," "to value," or "to compute." In the negative ("we esteemed him not"), it conveys a profound lack of valuation or consideration. Humanity failed to reckon His true worth, to consider His significance, or to hold Him in any regard. This was an active choice to devalue and disregard Him, contrasting sharply with His inherent divine worth.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"He is despised and rejected of men;":** This opening clause immediately establishes the Servant's status among humanity. "Despised" (H959, _bâzâh_) indicates He was scorned and held in contempt, while "rejected" (H2310, _châdêl_) suggests He was cast aside, forsaken, and deemed worthless by human society. This is a powerful statement of His public humiliation and alienation.
* **"a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:":** This phrase delves into the Servant's internal state and identity. He is not just a man who *experiences* sorrow, but a "man of sorrows" (H4341, _makʼôb_), indicating that pain and anguish are intrinsic to His very being. To be "acquainted with grief" (H3045, _yâdaʻ_ with H2483, _chŏlîy_) means He possesses an intimate, experiential knowledge of human suffering, having fully entered into its depths.
* **"and we hid as it were [our] faces from him;":** This clause describes humanity's active response to the Servant. The act of hiding faces (H6440, _pânîym_ with H4564, _maçtêr_) signifies aversion, shame, or a deliberate turning away. It implies a reluctance to acknowledge Him, perhaps due to His disfigured appearance, the discomfort His truth brought, or a desire to avoid association with one so despised.
* **"he was despised, and we esteemed him not.":** This concluding clause reiterates and reinforces the initial statement, emphasizing the collective and deliberate nature of humanity's contempt. The repetition of "despised" underscores the intensity of His rejection, while "we esteemed him not" (H2803, _châshab_) clarifies that this was not mere ignorance but a conscious failure to recognize His value or worth.

#### Literary Devices
Isaiah 53:3 employs several powerful literary devices to convey the depth of the Servant's suffering and rejection. **Parallelism** is evident in the structure, particularly the synonymous parallelism between "He is despised and rejected of men" and "he was despised, and we esteemed him not," which reinforces the theme of societal contempt through repetition and restatement. The phrase "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" uses **Metaphor** and **Personification**, as sorrow and grief are not merely experiences but are almost personified as companions or intrinsic qualities that define the Servant's very essence. The vivid **Imagery** of "we hid as it were [our] faces from him" paints a picture of deliberate avoidance and aversion, allowing the reader to visualize humanity's turning away from the suffering Servant. The strategic **Repetition** of "despised" (H959, _bâzâh_) throughout the verse serves to hammer home the central theme of His profound humiliation and the world's active scorn.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 53:3 is a profound theological statement on the nature of redemptive suffering and humanity's response to divine truth. It reveals a God who does not remain distant from human pain but intimately identifies with it, choosing a path of humility and rejection to accomplish His saving purpose. The verse challenges our conventional notions of power and glory, presenting a Messiah who achieves victory not through triumph over enemies, but through self-emptying and endurance of scorn. This foreshadows the New Testament revelation of God's love expressed through the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, who, though divine, willingly embraced the lowest status for the salvation of humanity.

* [Psalm 22:6](/psalm/22-6 "Psalm 22:6 - A Worm and No Man")
* [Philippians 2:7-8](/philippians/2-7 "Philippians 2:7-8 - Christ's Humiliation")
* [Hebrews 4:15](/hebrews/4-15 "Hebrews 4:15 - Jesus, Our Sympathetic High Priest")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Isaiah 53:3 calls us to confront the profound humility of God, revealed in the Suffering Servant who was willing to be despised and rejected for our sake. It challenges our natural inclination to seek comfort, honor, and acceptance, instead inviting us to embrace a path of self-denial and identification with the marginalized, just as Christ did. This verse serves as a powerful reminder that true spiritual worth is often found not in worldly acclaim, but in a willingness to suffer for righteousness and to bear the burdens of others. It compels us to examine our own hearts: do we truly esteem Christ, or do we, in our pursuit of comfort or popularity, inadvertently "hide our faces" from His call to costly discipleship and radical love? Understanding His profound identification with human suffering should cultivate in us a deeper empathy for those who are hurting and rejected in our own communities, spurring us to extend compassion and solidarity where the world offers scorn.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what ways do I, consciously or unconsciously, "hide my face" from the suffering or demands of Christ in my daily life?**
* **How does the image of a "man of sorrows" challenge my expectations of what a powerful and victorious savior should look like?**
* **How can I better "esteem" Christ in my actions, words, and priorities, especially when it means going against popular opinion or personal comfort?**
* **What does Isaiah 53:3 teach me about God's empathy, and how might that inform my empathy for others who are despised or rejected?**

### FAQ
**Why is the Servant described as "acquainted with grief" rather than just experiencing it?**

Answer: The phrase "acquainted with grief" (Hebrew _y'du'a choli_) implies a deep, intimate, and experiential knowledge of suffering, rather than a superficial or fleeting encounter. The Hebrew word _yadaʻ_ (H3045) signifies knowing through personal experience, often implying a profound identification. This means the Servant didn't just witness grief; He entered into it, understood it from the inside out, and it became an intrinsic part of His identity. This profound familiarity highlights His unique capacity to empathize with human suffering, as He bore the full weight of it Himself. This is crucial for understanding His role as a compassionate High Priest, as described in [Hebrews 4:15](/hebrews/4-15 "Hebrews 4:15 - Jesus, Our Sympathetic High Priest"), who can sympathize with our weaknesses because He was tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sin.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 53:3 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the quintessential Suffering Servant, perfectly embodying the prophecy of one "despised and rejected of men." Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus experienced constant rejection from religious leaders, His own people, and ultimately, His disciples (e.g., [John 1:11](/john/1-11 "John 1:11 - Jesus Rejected by His Own")). He was indeed "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief," not only witnessing human pain but personally bearing its weight, from the agony in Gethsemane (as recounted in [Matthew 26:37-38](/matthew/26-37 "Matthew 26:37-38 - Jesus' Agony in Gethsemane")) to the physical and spiritual anguish of the cross. The world "hid as it were [our] faces from him," preferring darkness to light, as highlighted in [John 3:19](/john/3-19 "John 3:19 - Men Loved Darkness Rather Than Light"). His public humiliation, culminating in His crucifixion, was the ultimate act of being "despised" and "not esteemed" by humanity. Yet, it was precisely through this path of rejection and suffering that Christ accomplished our salvation, bearing our sins and offering reconciliation, a truth powerfully articulated by Peter in [1 Peter 2:24](/1_peter/2-24 "1 Peter 2:24 - Christ Bore Our Sins"). His willingness to embrace such contempt underscores the depth of God's love and the radical nature of His redemptive plan.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Matthew 26:67

Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote [him] with the palms of their hands,

John 1:10

He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

John 1:11

He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

Isaiah 53:10

¶ Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put [him] to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong [his] days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Hebrews 12:2

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:3

For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Isaiah 49:7

¶ Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, [and] his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, [and] the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.