What is the significance of the imagery of "sheep" and "laid upon" or "attack" him in Isaiah 53:6?
NET All of us had wandered off like sheep; each of us had strayed off on his own path, but the Lord caused the sin of all of us to attack him. NIRV All of us are like sheep. We have wandered away from God. All of us have turned to our own way. And the Lord has placed on his servant the sins of all of us.
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Tim Maas
Supporter
Multiple locations in the Bible (both the Old and New Testaments) portray believers as sheep over whom God (or Christ) is their shepherd who goes seeking them when they wander away from the flock (in the case of believers, through sin), and also protects them from danger or predators (such as Satan, the sinful world, and their own fallen natures), going so far as to forfeit his own life in their defense. In this context, and because God made clear that the forgiveness of human sin required the shedding of blood (which was the purpose of the animal sacrifices offered on Israel's behalf in the Old Testament) (Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews 9:22), God ultimately became a sinless human in the person of Christ to offer Himself (through His death by crucifixion) in humanity's place as the full and final atoning sacrifice for the sin, with the sufficiency of that sacrifice in God's sight being proven by Christ's subsequent resurrection from the dead. As a result, humans who place their faith in Christ (rather than in their own imperfect righteousness) to be made acceptable in God's sight can obtain eternal life in God's presence.
Leslie Coutinho
Supporter
Isaiah 53:6: All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. God the Father created man in His image, both male and female, created He them in this universe. Lord God created a help meet from the dust of the ground, beast of the field, and fowls of the air for them and to have dominion over it because He didn't want them to be alone. (Gen 1:26-27/2:18-19) Having dominion as a shepherd, mankind went astray as a flock like the sheep in their own way. When Cain and Abel brought their offerings to the Lord God, Abel's offerings, the firstlings of the flock, were accepted by the Lord God. Cain’s offering was the fruit of the ground, He had no concern of respect for there was no cry of the blood of it. Cain failed to discern which led him astray as a sheep that strived his blood, which led him to sin. The sin that lieth at the door, the evil spirit led him to his anger and hatred of his brother, and he slew him. The cry of his blood from the ground went to God the Father. (Gen 4:4-8) Lord Jesus was the Shepherd right from the creation time, who was then sent to Moses to lead the people out of Egypt. The Israelites had gone astray, everyone in their own way, like a sheep that goes astray. (Exo 23:20-22/32:1-4) The Iniquity that was Laid on Him, was our Lord Jesus as a Lamb whose blood was shed on the Cross, that cried out to the God the Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing. For the days shall come, where there shall be famine on the land, not of bread and thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the Words of the Shepherd our Lord Jesus. (Amos 8:11) Though you go through this famine, the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall the Shepherd not be removed unto a corner, but thy eyes shall see, and thy ears shall hear behind thee saying this is the way walk in it. (Isa 30:20-21) To lay the iniquity of mankind, God the Father laid the iniquity on His Beloved Son who was and is our Shepherd today. When He was nailed on the cross by men, He said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." The chief priest and the rulers who delivered Lord Jesus to be condemned and to be crucified, said If He saved others, let Him save Himself, if He is Christ the chosen of God. (Lk 23:34-35/24:20) For then on the end of the sabbath day the guards of the grave saw angels from heaven rolling back the stone of the grave which was empty and said He is risen. When the guards came and told the priest and the rulers what they had seen, they gave a large amount of money to wrongly testify what they had seen. (Mat 28:4,11-12) These were the ones who were like sheep, turned everyone to their way, and were then led to go astray and not asking the Lord God for forgiveness of their sin. Matthew 26:3: Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
That illustrates the universal sinfulness of humanity and the substitutionary suffering of the Messiah. Let's focus on the imagery of sheep and the phrase "attack him" (NET), which is often translated as "laid on him" (ESV, KJV) or "caused to fall on him." 1. The Sheep Imagery The Bible frequently uses sheep to describe God's people, often highlighting their waywardness, vulnerability, and dependence (Psalm 23; John 10). Here, the comparison to sheep emphasizes how: All humanity is guilty—"All of us had wandered off like sheep." Sin is not just an occasional mistake but a habitual straying—"Each of us had strayed off on his own path." People choose their own ways instead of God's—just as sheep mindlessly wander into danger. Sheep without a shepherd are prone to getting lost, falling into trouble, and being defenseless. This paints a picture of mankind’s rebellion and helplessness apart from God. 2. "Attack Him" or "Laid Upon Him" The phrase "the Lord caused the sin of all of us to attack him" (NET) is a striking translation. Other versions translate it as "laid on Him", but the Hebrew word (פָּגַע pāga‘) can imply a violent striking or an encounter with force. This wording emphasizes: The weight and violence of sin—Sin was not gently placed on Him; it came with force. God’s sovereign action—The Lord Himself was the one who placed this burden on the Messiah. Substitutionary atonement—The Messiah (Jesus) took the full impact of sin’s punishment, even though He was innocent. Why Does This Matter? It shows that sin is serious and destructive. Our wandering, like sheep, has real consequences. It highlights the sacrificial love of Christ, who took on the punishment we deserved. It confirms the prophecy of Jesus’ substitutionary suffering on the cross, where He bore our sins so that we might be made righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21 - "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.") Conclusion Isaiah 53:6 paints a vivid picture of both human rebellion and divine mercy. We, like sheep, were lost in sin, but God intervened—not by punishing us, but by placing that punishment on Christ. The phrase "caused to attack him" underscores the intensity of Jesus’ suffering as He bore the full force of sin’s judgment, fulfilling God's plan of redemption.
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