ÉsaïeChapitre 50

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This is what the LORD says: Where is the certificate of divorce by which I sent your mother away? Or to which of my creditors did I sell you? No — it was for your own sins that you were sold, and for your transgressions that your mother was sent away.

Why was there no one there when I came? Why did no one answer when I called? Is my arm too short to redeem? Do I lack the strength to rescue? Look, at my rebuke I dry up the sea; I turn rivers into desert. Their fish rot for want of water and die of thirst.

I clothe the heavens in darkness and wrap them in sackcloth.

The Lord GOD has given me a well-taught tongue, so that I know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens me, he wakens my ear to listen like one who is taught.

The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I did not draw back.

I offered my back to those who struck me, my cheeks to those who tore out my beard. I did not hide my face from insult and spitting.

But the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I am not disgraced. Therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I will not be put to shame.

The one who vindicates me is near. Who dares to bring a charge against me? Let us confront each other. Who is my accuser? Let him come forward.

See, the Lord GOD helps me. Who then will condemn me? Look, they will all wear out like a garment; the moth will devour them.

Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of his servant? Whoever walks in darkness with no light at all, let him trust in the name of the LORD and lean on his God.

Look, all of you who kindle a fire and arm yourselves with firebrands: walk by the light of your own fire, by the brands you have set ablaze. This is what you will receive from my hand: you will lie down in torment.

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Résumé2

Chapitre 50

Main Theme: God’s faithfulness to Israel and the obedient suffering of the Lord’s servant as an example of trust in God.

Content: God defends Himself against accusations of having rejected Israel—there is no bill of divorce; the people’s own sins are the cause of their situation. The Lord’s servant appears as a loyal disciple who endures suffering and humiliation without turning back, because he trusts in God’s help. The chapter concludes with an exhortation to the godly to trust in the Lord, and a warning to those who rely on their own strength.

Key Words/Images:

Bill of Divorce (v.1): A rhetorical question showing that God has not rejected Israel—their suffering is due to their own sin.
Face like flint (v.7): The servant’s resolute endurance in suffering, because he knows God will help him.
Light and darkness (vv.10–11): Contrast between walking in darkness while trusting in God, and kindling one’s own fire, which leads to judgment.

Contexte historique

Historical and Cultural Context for Isaiah 50

Key Concepts

Bill of Divorce and Debt Slavery (v. 1)

The chapter opens with two legal images from Israelite law that God uses rhetorically. סֵפֶר כְּרִיתוּת (séfer kerītūt, "bill of divorce") refers to the document mentioned in Deuteronomy 24:1-4 that a man was required to give his wife upon divorce. The second image concerns selling children to creditors to cover debts, a practice regulated in Exodus 21:7 and 2 Kings 4:1. God's point is that Israel chose exile through its own sin—God has neither formally rejected them nor sold them to others.

The Servant Figure and "Limmudim" (vv. 4-9)

This passage is traditionally regarded as the third of four "Servant of the Lord" songs in Isaiah. The Hebrew לְשׁוֹן לִמּוּדִים (leshōn limmūdīm) means "tongue of disciples" or "tongue of the learned" and describes one who is trained to speak God's words. The expression יָעִיר לִי אֹזֶן ("he awakens my ear") uses a Hebrew idiom for being attentive and receptive—an image of daily revelation and guidance from God.

Physical Abuse (v. 6)

The description of blows to the back, having one's beard plucked out, and being spat upon represents extreme shame in the ancient Near East. Plucking someone's beard was a serious insult (cf. Nehemiah 13:25), and spitting in the face was the deepest form of contempt (Numbers 12:14; Deuteronomy 25:9). The servant willingly accepts this disgrace.

Flintstone and Legal Dispute (vv. 7-8)

חַלָּמִישׁ (ḥallāmīsh, "flintstone") was known as a very hard type of stone, used for knives and tools. The legal language in vv. 8-9 ("who will contend with me," "let us stand up together") reflects Israelite judicial practice where the parties stood face to face before the judge at the city gate.

Events and Customs

Fire and Torches as Self-Reliance (v. 11)

The closing verses use the image of people kindling their own lights (קֹדְחֵי אֵשׁ, "kindlers of fire") and walking in the glow of their own torches (זִיקוֹת, zīqōt). This contrasts with those who walk in darkness but trust in the Lord (v. 10). The image may refer to the use of torches in religious rituals or simply to human self-confidence—trusting in one's own wisdom rather than God's light.

Personnages

Aucun personnage connu dans ce chapitre.

Mots-clés6

Lord — A title that refers to God and his sovereign authority over all creation.
Servant — A person dedicated to serving and obeying God. In Isaiah 50, this refers to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who is God's perfect servant.
Light — A symbol of divine guidance, truth, and wisdom. In this context, light represents God's presence and help in dark times.
Ear — Used metaphorically to describe the ability to hear and obey God's word and guidance.
Cheek — In this context, a symbol of humility and suffering. To offer the cheek to one who strikes means to accept persecution without taking revenge.
Righteousness — God's righteous standard and morality, which people should pursue and which the Messiah fulfills completely.