(13) Behold, my servant . . .--There is absolutely no connection between Isaiah 52:12-13, absolutely no break between the close of Isa Iii. and the opening of Isaiah 53. The whole must be treated as an entirely distinct section (all the more striking, from its contrast to the triumphant tone of what precedes it), and finds its only adequate explanation in the thought of a new revelation made to the prophet's mind. That may have had, like other revelations, a starting-point in the prophet's own experience. He had seen partially good kings, like Uzziah and Jotham; one who almost realised his ideal of what a king should be, in Hezekiah. None of these had redeemed or regenerated the people. So far as that work had been done at all, it had been through prophets who spake the word of the Lord and were mocked and persecuted because they spake it. Something like a law was dawning upon his mind, and that law was the power of a vicarious suffering, the might of martyrdom in life and death. Did it not follow from this that that ideal must be wrought out on a yet wider scale in the great work of restoration to which he was looking forward? The Servant of the Lord, in all the concentric developments of the thought which the word implied, the nation, the prophetic kernel of the nation, the individual Servant identifying himself with both, must himself also be made perfect through suffering and conquer through apparent failure. Granting that such a law exists, it will be no wonder that we should find examples of its working both before and after the great fulfilment, in Isaiah himself, in Jeremiah, in the exiles of the captivity, in the heroes of the Maccabean struggle, in the saints and martyrs of the Church of Christ. It remains true that the Christ alone fulfils the idea of the perfect sufferer, as He alone fulfils that of the perfect King. Measuring Isaiah from a purely human stand-point, and by the standard of other poets, this manifold symbolism of "the Servant," will hardly seem strange to the student of literature who remembers the many aspects presented by the Beatrice of Dante, the St. George and Gloriana of Spenser, the Piers Plowman of Langland.

Shall deal prudently.--The words imply, as in Joshua 1:8; Jeremiah 10:21, the idea of prospering. The same verb is used of the "righteous branch" in Jeremiah 23:5, and is there so translated.

Shall be exalted.--It is noteworthy that the phrase impressed itself, through the LXX., on the mind of the Christ in reference to His crucifixion (John 3:14; John 8:28; John 12:32), on that of the Apostles in reference to His ascension (Acts 2:33; Philippians 2:9). (Comp. Isaiah 6:1; Isaiah 57:15; Psalm 89:27.) . . .

Verses 13-15. - PRELUDE TO THE "GREAT PASSIONAL." It is generally allowed by modern commentators that this passage is more closely connected with what follows it than with what precedes. Some would detach it altogether from ch. 52. and attach it to ch. 53. But this is not necessary. The passage has a completeness in itself. It is a connecting link. The exaltation of Israel, the collective "Servant of the Lord" (Isaiah 44:1, 21), brings to the prophet's mind the exaltation of the individual "Servant" (Isaiah 42:1-7; Isaiah 43:10; Isaiah 49:1-12), through which alone the full exaltation of Israel is possible. He is bound to complete his account of the individual "Servant" by telling of his exaltation, and of the road which led to it. This is done in ch. 53, in what has been called the "Great Passional." But the "Great Pas-signal" needs a "prelude," an "introduction," if only as indicative' of its greatness. And this prelude we have here, in these three verses, which briefly note

(1) the fact of the exaltation;

(2) the depth of the humiliation preceding it; and

(3) the far-extending blessedness which shall result to the world from both. Verse 13. - My Servant shall deal prudently; rather, shall deal wisely; i.e. shall so act throughout his mission as to secure it the most complete success. "Wisdom is justified of her children," and of none so entirely justified as of him "in whom were all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hid away" (Colossians 2:3). Exalted and extolled; or, high and lifted up - the same expressions as are used of the Almighty in Isaiah 6:1 and Isaiah 57:15. Even there, however, seems to the prophet rot enough; so he adds, "and exalted exceedingly" (comp. Isaiah 53:10-12 and Philippians 2:6-9).

Parallel Commentaries ...

Behold,
הִנֵּ֥ה (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

My Servant
עַבְדִּ֑י (‘aḇ·dî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

will act wisely;
יַשְׂכִּ֖יל (yaś·kîl)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7919: To be, circumspect, intelligent

He will be raised
יָר֧וּם (yā·rūm)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7311: To be high actively, to rise, raise

and lifted up
וְנִשָּׂ֛א (wə·niś·śā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

and highly
מְאֹֽד׃ (mə·’ōḏ)
Adverb
Strong's 3966: Vehemence, vehemently, wholly, speedily

exalted—
וְגָבַ֖הּ (wə·ḡā·ḇah)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1361: To soar, be lofty, to be haughty


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 52:13 Behold my servant shall deal wisely he (Isa Isi Is)