💎 Isaiah 53:6 | Sides of the Diamond

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

It’s my favorite day of the week at Malachi Daily because we get to get nerdy with things. I’m a card-carrying Bible nerd - I can’t help myself. 🤓

In today’s email…

• 🗣️ Four Hebrew words that help us appreciate our verse

• ⛽️ My buddy missed his exit by 40 miles, and we are not much different

• 📚️ A few resources to go even deeper in study

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MEMORIZE 🧠 

All __ ____ ____ have ____ _____;

we have ______—____ ____—to his own ___;

and the ____ ___ laid on him

the ________ __ us all.

Isaiah 53:6

CONTEXT 📕 

Let’s slow down and look closer.

Isaiah 53:6 isn’t just poetic, like we discussed yesterday — it’s surgical. Every word cuts deep, exposing our condition and God’s compassion.

Here are four Hebrew words that unlock the heart of this verse:

1. Taʿinu (pronounced tah-ee-NOO) — “We have gone astray”

This verb comes from taʿah, meaning to wander, stagger, or err. It’s not a casual misstep. We are talking about a deliberate withdrawal.

In the Old Testament, this word often describes Israel’s rebellion, wandering from God’s path into sin (see Psalm 119:176, Psalm 95:10).

Think of a sheep leaving the safety of the flock, unaware of the dangers ahead. That’s a picture of us — choosing our own way, blind to the risk.

2. Paninu (pronounced pah-NEE-noo) — “We have turned”

Derived from panah, meaning to turn or face. This is very similar to taʿah, but from a different angle. You don’t paninu on accident, is the point.

Each of us has turned to our own way, facing away from God’s guidance. It’s a personal rebellion, a conscious choice to go it alone.

3. Derek (pronounced DEH-rek) — “Way”

This word means more than a physical path. It describes a journey, a direction, a manner of life.

We’ve each chosen our own derek, our own course, often leading us further from God. It’s the path of self-reliance, of doing what seems right in our own eyes.

Do you feel the repetition of these words? This is how the Bible “talks.”

It’s similar to “sin,” “transgression,” and “iniquity.” All different words. All similar ideas. The authors rotate the faces of a diamond so the audience can fully appreciate it.

4. Pagaʿ (pronounced pah-GAH) — “Laid on him”

This verb is intense. It means to strike, to meet with hostility, or to intercede.

God didn’t gently place our iniquity on the Servant. He caused it to collide with Him. Our sins struck the Servant with full force, and He bore the impact willingly.

APPLY AND RESPOND 🏃‍♂️ 

A few years ago, a pastor friend of mine was driving home late one night after visiting someone in the hospital. He missed his exit.

Not just by a little, he missed it by almost 40 miles.

He told me, “I was so deep in thought, I didn’t even realize how far I’d gone until my low gas light dinged.”

Isn’t that how wandering works?

You don’t always know you’re lost…until you are.

Isaiah doesn’t say we sprinted away. He says we turned. We drifted. Slowly. Quietly. Thoughtlessly. Until one day, we’re far from where we should be, running on fumes, wondering how we got here.

But God didn’t wait for us to turn back.

He intervened. He caused our sin to collide with Christ, before we even knew how far we’d gone.

• Check your fuel light: Are there places in your life where you’ve drifted spiritually, not by rebellion, but by neglect?

• Ask for help: If you’ve been trying to fix things on your own, confess that to a friend, mentor, or your small group. Remember: sheep don’t rescue themselves. They get found.

Pray 🙏
Father, I don’t always see how far I’ve drifted. But You do. And You sent Jesus to meet me in my wandering. Thank You for not waiting until I found my way home. Thank You for laying my sin on Him. Rescue me again today, not just from the obvious sins, but from the quiet ones I’ve gotten used to. Amen.

RESOURCES 📚️ 

Here are a few resources to help you dig deeper into the verse and its themes:

• 📚️ The Message of Isaiah by Barry G. Webb (Bible Speaks Today) (link)

• 📚️ Isaiah J. Alec Motyer (Tyndale OT Commentaries, Vol. 20) (link)

• 📚️ Isaiah: The Promise of the Messiah by John MacArthur (link)

• 📚 Isaiah: A Commentary by Brevard S. Childs (link)

• 💻️ Article: Isaiah and the Suffering Servant King by the Bible Project (link)

• 🎙️ Isaiah’s Anointed One podcast (link)

• 🎵 Isaiah 53:6 by Verses (Spotify | Apple)

• 🎵 Isaiah Kids’ Song (Baa Baa Doo Baa Baa) (Spotify | Apple)

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ANSWER KEY ✅ 

All we like sheep have gone astray;

we have turned—every one—to his own way;

and the Lord has laid on him

the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:6