Berean Standard Bible
2He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him.
The Pioneer Translation RenderingRendered from the original Hebrew
Isaiah 53:2
The Suffering Servant
He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no striking form, no majesty. We looked at him, and there was no appearance that we should desire him.
The Hebrew *יוֹנֵק* (yoneq) means a suckling or tender shoot — something newly emerged and fragile — preserved here rather than softened to a generic "plant." The phrase *לְפָנָיו* (before him) maintains the relational dynamic: the servant grows up in the presence of the one he serves, keeping the sender/servant distinction intact. *תֹאַר* (to'ar) and *הָדָר* (hadar) together convey outward form and splendour; both are negated, emphasising that nothing in his visible appearance would attract or commend him to observers.
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King James Version
2For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
Translation for Translators
T4T was designed as a tool for Bible translators, not as a devotional text. It makes implicit meaning explicit and flags figurative language with abbreviations. Gold [brackets] indicate translation notes. ◄Triangles► mark alternative renderings.Read more about how to read T4T →2While God watches, his servant will grow up appearing/seeming to be very insignificant/unimportant, like a weak young plant that shoots up from a root of a tree that is growing in dry ground. There will be nothing beautiful or majestic about him, nothing that would cause us to want to be with him.
Berean Standard Bible
King James Version
2
He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him.
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
Berean Standard Bible
King James Version
Translation for Translators
T4T was designed as a tool for Bible translators, not as a devotional text. It makes implicit meaning explicit and flags figurative language with abbreviations. Gold [brackets] indicate translation notes. ◄Triangles► mark alternative renderings.Read more about how to read T4T →2
He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him.
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
While God watches, his servant will grow up appearing/seeming to be very insignificant/unimportant, like a weak young plant that shoots up from a root of a tree that is growing in dry ground. There will be nothing beautiful or majestic about him, nothing that would cause us to want to be with him.
WLC
Hebrew, word by word
2
וַיַּ֨עַל light עָלָה ʻâlâh a primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative aris כַּיּוֹנֵ֜ק tender plant יוֹנֵק yôwnêq active participle of H3243 (יָנַק); a sucker; hence, a twig (of a tree felled and sprouting) tender plant. לְפָנָ֗יו fore פָּנִים pânîym plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun פָּנֶה; from H6437 (פָּנָה)); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (lite וְכַשֹּׁ֙רֶשׁ֙ bottom שֶׁרֶשׁ sheresh from H8327 (שָׁרַשׁ); a root (literally or figuratively) bottom, deep, heel, root. מֵאֶ֣רֶץ earth אֶרֶץ ʼerets from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land) [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins צִיָּ֔ה barren צִיָּה tsîyâh from an unused root meaning to parch; aridity; concretely, a desert barren, drought, dry (land, place), solitary place, wilderness. לֹא ere לֹא lôʼ or לוֹא; or לֹה; (Deuteronomy 3:11), a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles [idiom] before ־ תֹ֥אַר countenance תֹּאַר tôʼar from H8388 (תָּאַר); outline, i.e. figure or appearance [phrase] beautiful, [idiom] comely, countenance, [phrase] fair, [idiom] favoured, form, [idiom] goodly, ל֖וֹ וְלֹ֣א ere לֹא lôʼ or לוֹא; or לֹה; (Deuteronomy 3:11), a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles [idiom] before הָדָ֑ר glory הָדָר hâdâr from H1921 (הָדַר); magnificence, i.e. ornament or splendor beauty, comeliness, excellency, glorious, glory, goodly, honour, majesty. וְנִרְאֵ֥הוּ advise self רָאָה râʼâh a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative) advise self, appear, וְלֹֽא ere לֹא lôʼ or לוֹא; or לֹה; (Deuteronomy 3:11), a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles [idiom] before ־ מַרְאֶ֖ה appearance מַרְאֶה marʼeh from H7200 (רָאָה); a view (the act of seeing); also an appearance (the thing seen), whether (real) a shape (especially if handsome, comeliness; often plural th וְנֶחְמְדֵֽהוּ beauty חָמַד châmad a primitive root; to delight in beauty, greatly beloved, covet, delectable thing, ([idiom] great) delight, desire, goodly, lust, (be) pleasant (thing), precious ׃
He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him.
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