In isaiah 53 who is the prophet talking of throughout the chapter?
Answer:
The simple meaning of the verses is a reference to the nation of Israel. The nations recall the former scorn they had of Israel, and compare it with the grandeur that Israel will achieve in the time of its rejuvenation (as described in chap. 52).
Some midrashic and later sources interpret some of the verses as referring to the Messiah. “He was pained because of our sins,” for instance, is interpreted to refer to the Messiah, who is pained by the sins of Israel, which delay the possibility of his coming. The simple meaning, however, is a reference to the nation of Israel as a whole.
