Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Harold Holmyard <hholmyard3 AT earthlink.net>]

Dear Shoshanna,
> Dear Harold
>
> The translations you cite are not ones that I would respect, for 
> reasons that you all know.  So let's not start an argument.
>   

HH: You mentioned the translations, but you did not mention the 
interpretations. You wrote:
> > Anyway, it couldn't mean "pierced", because the subject is the people
> > of Israel, how could you pierce a collection of people?
> >
> >     
>
> HH: Even some Jewish interpreters have taken this to be an individual,
> not the people of Israel.
> http://isaiah53.com/
>
> Midrash Cohen
>
> ìElijah says to Messiah:îBear the suffering and punishment of thy Lord
> with which he chastises thee for the sins of Israel, as it is written,
> ëHe is pressed for our rebellion ñ crushed for our iniquitiesí until the
> end come"
>
> Midrash Thanhumi, Babylonian Talmud
>
> Rabbi Nahman says, the word ìman in the passageÖrefers to the Messiah,
> the son of David, as it is written, ìBehold the man whose name is Zemahî;
> there Jonathan interprets, Behold the man Messiah: as it is said, ìa man
> of pains and known to sickness.î
>
> Maimonides
>
> Regarding the mission by which Messiah will present himself, Öhe will
> not commend himself to our veneration by reason of his noble extraction;
> but the marvelous deeds he perform will show him to be the anticipated
> MessiahÖIsaiah states, ìHe grew like a tender plant, and as a root out
> of dry land, î signifying, that his exact descent will not be known,
> till his successful career will direct peopleís attention to itÖBut a
> noteworthy circumstance will be that crowned heads will stand amazedÖSo
> they will come in utter silence, as Isaiah predicts, ìAt him will kings
> shut their mouths, for what had not been told unto them shall they see,
> and what they never heard they understand.
>
> Yours,
> Harold Holmyard
>
>