King James Version

What Does Isaiah 50:5 Mean?

“The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.”

Context

I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.

The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

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Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(5, 6) **The Lord God.**—*Jehovah Adonai, *as before. The Servant continues his soliloquy. What has come to him in the morning communings with God is, as in the next verse, that he too is to bear reproach and shame, as other disciples had done before him. The writer of Psalm 22:7, the much-enduring Job (Job 30:10), the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 20:7), were but foreshadowings of the sufferings that should fall on him. And all this the true Servant-Scholar accepts willingly. because it is his Father’s will. Here again we cannot fail to trace the influence of Isaiah’s words in all our Lord’s utterances as to His passion. (Comp. Matthew 16:21; Mark 10:34; Luke 18:32.)

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Isaiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Isaiah 50:5 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.