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Journey of a Passage

Isaiah 52:13–15

"My servant shall be exalted": marred, anointed, sprinkling or startling

"Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high… his visage was so marred… So shall he sprinkle many nations." In 52:14 the Great Isaiah Scroll reads "I anointed" (mashachti) where the Masoretic Text has "disfigurement" (mishchat); 1QIsa-b agrees with the Masoretic Text. The verb of 52:15 (yazzeh) means "sprinkle" elsewhere, but the Greek and the parallel line suggest "startle": the same Hebrew word, two meanings.

Manuscript variant: witnesses differ in wording

The family tree

Each row is a language or text tradition. Witnesses in the same row may share ancestry, revise one another, or have an uncertain relationship; the line under each box says which. A solid arrow appears only where direct copying or a documented revised edition is established. Order by date never implies copying. Scroll sideways on a phone.

✓ contains it · ✕ does not · ❝ quotes part of it · ⓘ reports on manuscripts · ▢ pages lost · – no copy survives

  • Same line, through lost copies
  • Translation
  • Uncertain connection
Hebrew
  1. The oracle as first spoken or written8th–6th century BC (by section; debated)
  2. Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsa-a), Qumran Cave 1c. 125 BC (palaeography; reported)Descends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written
  3. 1QIsa-b (1Q8), Qumran Cave 11st century BC – 1st century AD (reported)Descends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written
  4. 4QIsa-c (4Q57), Qumran Cave 41st century AD (reported)Descends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written
  5. Masoretic Text (Leningrad Codex)AD 1008Descends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written
Greek
  1. Greek Isaiah (library: Giguet's French)Greek translation c. 2nd century BC; French 1872Translated from the Old Greek Isaiah
Latin
  1. Latin Vulgate (Clementine)Jerome c. AD 400, from Hebrew; edition 1592Translated from the Hebrew text Jerome used
English
  1. King James Bible1611Translated from printed Masoretic Hebrew
New Testament quotation
  1. Romans 15:21 (Greek New Testament; library: Statistical Restoration text)1st century AD; edition 2010sUncertain relationship to the verse (which wording it followed is the question)

Every witness, in order

  1. 8th–6th century BC (by section; debated)

    The oracle as first spoken or written

    – No copy survives

    No original survives. The oldest copies of Isaiah are the Qumran scrolls: the Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsa-a, about 125 BC, nearly complete), 1QIsa-b (1Q8) and some twenty other fragmentary manuscripts.

  2. c. 125 BC (palaeography; reported)

    Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsa-a), Qumran Cave 1

    ✓ Contains this passageDescends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written

    How the site knows this: Described from a published transcription of the manuscript. Described in the site's own words from Martin Abegg's transcription (ETCBC/CACCHT Dead Sea Scrolls dataset v2.0.5); the transcription itself is not reproduced. Photographs and DJD XXXII not yet checked.

    …so I anointed his appearance beyond that of a man… (if mashachti is read as a verb)

    Hebrew numbering: Isaiah 52:13–15. In 52:13 adds "and" before "he shall be exalted"; in 52:14 reads mashachti ("I anointed") where the Masoretic Text has mishchat ("disfigurement"), a one-letter difference that may be a variant spelling; "over you" and "the sons of the man" with the article; in 52:15 "sprinkle/startle many nations" as in the Masoretic Text. Otherwise the differences are of spelling (fuller use of vowel letters) and small grammatical forms.

  3. 1st century BC – 1st century AD (reported)

    1QIsa-b (1Q8), Qumran Cave 1

    ◐ Contains part of itDescends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written

    How the site knows this: Described from a published transcription of the manuscript. Described in the site's own words from Martin Abegg's transcription (ETCBC/CACCHT Dead Sea Scrolls dataset v2.0.5); the transcription itself is not reproduced. Photographs and DJD XXXII not yet checked.

    Hebrew numbering: Isaiah 52:13–15. In 52:13 the two verbs "lifted up" and "very high" are in a different order; in 52:14 "over him" for "over you" and the Masoretic "disfigurement"; 52:15 as the Masoretic Text.

  4. 1st century AD (reported)

    4QIsa-c (4Q57), Qumran Cave 4

    ◐ Contains part of itDescends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written

    How the site knows this: Described from a published transcription of the manuscript. Described in the site's own words from Martin Abegg's transcription (ETCBC/CACCHT Dead Sea Scrolls dataset v2.0.5); the transcription itself is not reproduced. Photographs and DJD XXXII not yet checked.

    Hebrew numbering: Isaiah 52:13–15. A fragmentary copy: only parts of these verses survive, and in the transcription much of the passage is restored by the editors. What survives agrees with the Masoretic Text.

  5. 1st century AD; edition 2010s

    Romans 15:21 (Greek New Testament; library: Statistical Restoration text)

    ✓ Contains this passageUncertain relationship to the verse (which wording it followed is the question)

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: the Greek New Testament editions in the library (Textus Receptus, Byzantine Textform, Statistical Restoration).

    ἀλλὰ καθὼς γέγραπται, “Οἷς οὐκ ἀνηγγέλη περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὄψονται, καὶ οἳ οὐκ ἀκηκόασιν, συνήσουσιν.”

    but as it is written: Those to whom nothing was announced about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand

    Paul applies 52:15 to his mission. KJV: "But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand."

  6. Jerome c. AD 400, from Hebrew; edition 1592

    Latin Vulgate (Clementine)

    ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from the Hebrew text Jerome used

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: Clementine Vulgate (1592 edition).

    Ecce intelliget servus meus, exaltabitur et elevabitur, et sublimis erit valde. Sicut obstupuerunt super te multi, sic inglorius erit inter viros aspectus ejus, et forma ejus inter filios hominum. Iste asperget gentes multas; super ipsum continebunt reges os suum: quia quibus non est narratum de eo viderunt, et qui non audierunt contemplati sunt.

    Latin numbering: Isaiah 52:13–15. Jerome translated Isaiah from Hebrew (c. AD 400).

  7. AD 1008

    Masoretic Text (Leningrad Codex)

    ✓ Contains this passageDescends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, a digital transcription of the Leningrad Codex.

    הִנֵּ֥ה יַשְׂכִּ֖יל עַבְדִּ֑י יָר֧וּם וְנִשָּׂ֛א וְגָבַ֖הּ מְאֹֽד׃ כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר שָׁמְמ֤וּ עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ רַבִּ֔ים כֵּן־מִשְׁחַ֥ת מֵאִ֖ישׁ מַרְאֵ֑הוּ וְתֹאֲר֖וֹ מִבְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃ כֵּ֤ן יַזֶּה֙ גּוֹיִ֣ם רַבִּ֔ים עָלָ֛יו יִקְפְּצ֥וּ מְלָכִ֖ים פִּיהֶ֑ם כִּ֠י אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־סֻפַּ֤ר לָהֶם֙ רָא֔וּ וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־שָׁמְע֖וּ הִתְבּוֹנָֽנוּ׃

    As many were appalled at you, so marred was his appearance beyond that of a man, and his form beyond the sons of men (v. 14)

    Hebrew numbering: Isaiah 52:13–15.

  8. 1611

    King James Bible

    ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from printed Masoretic Hebrew

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: King James Version (1769 text).

    Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

  9. Greek translation c. 2nd century BC; French 1872

    Greek Isaiah (library: Giguet's French)

    ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from the Old Greek Isaiah

    How the site knows this: Known here only through a translation.

    Voilà que mon serviteur comprendra; et il sera élevé, et il montera au comble de la gloire. Mais de même qu’à cause de toi beaucoup auront été dans la stupeur, de même ta forme sera sans honneur aux yeux des hommes, et ta gloire méprisée des fils des hommes. Et comme maintes nations s’étonneront de ses œuvres, les rois aussi se tiendront en silence; parce que ceux à qui rien de lui n’aura été annoncé verront, et ceux qui n’auront rien appris comprendront.

    Greek (digital file) numbering: Isaiah 52:13–15. Giguet's 1872 French of a printed Greek text (D check only); a C check needs Ziegler's Göttingen Isaiah or Rahlfs–Hanhart.

What changed, and why

Classification: a manuscript variant in 52:14 (1QIsa-a) of uncertain significance (it may be a spelling of the same word); a meaning problem in 52:15 with all witnesses agreeing on the text.

Romans 15:21 quotes the Greek of 52:15b for Paul's mission where Christ was not named.

Targum: "my servant the messiah shall prosper" (52:13), with the marred appearance applied to Israel (reported).

What the evidence shows

  • Independently documented1QIsa-a reads "I anointed" in 52:14. Described from a transcription.
  • Not independently verifiedThe "anointed" reading is original. Possibly a spelling variant; 1QIsa-b agrees with the Masoretic Text.
  • DisputedYazzeh means "sprinkle" in 52:15.

Sources

    Related lessons

    • Isaiah 52: How Beautiful upon the Mountains →"Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion": shake off the dust, loose the bonds; sold for nothing, redeemed without money; my name is reviled (52:1–6). "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings… that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!" The watchmen shout as they see the LORD return; "all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God" (vv. 7–10). Depart, touch no unclean thing, carry the temple vessels; you will not leave in haste: the LORD goes before you and behind you (vv. 11–12). Then the fourth Servant Song begins: "Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high," though his appearance was marred beyond human likeness; he will startle (or sprinkle) many nations, and kings will shut their mouths (vv. 13–15).
    • Investigation: The Fourth Servant Song, Phrase by Phrase →The fifteen verses of Isaiah 52:13–53:12 are among the most studied in the Bible. This investigation takes each significant phrase in turn: what the Hebrew says and where it is uncertain, what the Qumran copies and the Greek read, and how ancient Jewish and early Christian readers used it. It gives special attention to the phrases Max asked to be examined: rejected, wounded, bearing suffering, silent before accusers, cut off, assigned a grave, making many righteous, and bearing the sins of many.
    • Investigation: Who Is the Servant? →Isaiah 40–55 calls someone "my servant" more than twenty times. Sometimes the servant is plainly Israel/Jacob; sometimes the servant has a mission to Israel; in 52:13–53:12 he suffers and dies for others and is vindicated. Since B. Duhm (1892) scholars have spoken of four "Servant Songs" (42:1–9; 49:1–6; 50:4–9; 52:13–53:12). This investigation maps every servant text, then sets out the main identifications, each with the evidence for it in its own historical setting, and keeps the text, ancient Jewish reading, early Christian claims and modern historical judgment separate.