But it is we who have sinned more than they:  we have all gone astray in our ignorance, being without the knowledge of God, or of his law.  Yet the Lord hath permitted us to make them the subjects of our oppressive iniquity.

“He was oppressed, [or “exposed to pecuniary exactions”] and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth:  he was brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened, not his mouth.  He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who shall declare his generation, ["into his manner of life, who stoopeth to look?” according to the Hebrew] for he was cut off out of the land of the living; for, [or by] the transgression of my people was he stricken.  And he made his grave with the wicked; but with the rich were his deaths, [or tomb] because he had done no violence, neither was deceit in his mouth.”

Interpretation—­How passive and unresisting were they, when oppressed!—­They were afflicted, and they complained not; when through false accusations, and mistaken cruelty they were plundered, and condemned to die, they went like a Iamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so they opened not their mouth.  They were taken from the dungeon to be slain, they were wantonly massacred, and every man was their foe; and the cause of the sufferers who condescended to examine; for by the thoughtless crimes of my people, they suffered.  Yet notwithstanding their graves were appointed with the wicked; yet they were rich in their deaths.  This did God grant them, because they had not done iniquity.

Rabbi Isaac, author of the famous Munimen Fidei#, renders the original—­“on account of impieties was he given to his sepulchre, and on account of his riches was his death, because he did no violence, neither was deceit in his mouth”—­which he interprets thus:—­We (the former speakers) raised against them false accusations of impiety, on account of their religion, and refusing to worship our idols; but their riches was the real cause why we put them to death.  Nevertheless, they used no violence in opposition to our oppressions, neither would they forsake their religion, and deceitfully assent to ours in hypocrisy.*

“Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him:  he hath put him to grief.  When thou shalt make his soul a propitiation for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands.” [This proves that this prophecy cannot refer to any individual, but may refer to the Jewish nation, because one individual cannot be put to death, and yet “see his seed,” and “prolong his days.”] “After [or on account of] the travail of his soul, seeing he shall be satisfied, by his knowledge shall my righteous servant make many righteous [or show them righteousness,] and he shall bear the burden of their iniquities.”

That is—­After and for their sufferings, they shall be abundantly rewarded; by their superior knowledge of religious truth, shall they make many wise, “for many nations shall go, and say, come ye, and let us ascend to the mount of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways”—­Mic. iv. ch.