Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Harold Holmyard <hholmyard AT ont.com>]

Dear Yonah,

> One of the phrases that sticks out to me in Isaiah 53 is ידוע חלי inverse 3. חולי means 
> "sickness," just as we say that someone is חולה"sick." When was Jesus ever sick so that 
> he should be "familiar withsickness"? There are plenty of things in the text that do not 
> supportthe Christian notion of Jesus.
>  



HH: This word "sickness" also means "suffering" in general, according to 
A Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. See the following 
verses. I will capitalize the relevant word:

NIV Eccl. 6:2 God gives a man wealth, possessions and honor, so that he 
lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not enable him to enjoy 
them, and a stranger enjoys them instead. This is meaningless, a 
grievous EVIL.

NRSV Jer. 10:19  Woe is me because of my hurt! My wound is severe. But I 
said, “Truly this is my PUNISHMENT, and I must bear it.”
      
  
    

> This text is a metaphor for the nations looking at Israel (or at leastat the 
> righteous remnant of Israel) and being surprised at how theywere mistreated 
> in their innocence. A clear indicator of this comes inverse 8:
> מעצר וממשפט לקח    ואת דורו מי ישוחחכי נגזר מארץ חיים    מפשע עמי נגע למו
> It says that he was "cut off from the land of the living," which is aclear 
> reference to being forced out of the land of promise — EretsYisra'el.
>  



HH: The "land of the living" throughout the Bible is earth, in contrast 
with the underworld of the dead. Being cut off refers to a person being 
killed:

Is. 53:9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in 
his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Is. 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for 
our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and 
by his wounds we are healed.

Is. 53:7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; 
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her 
shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

Yours,
Harold Holmyard