Other body parts are mentioned here as the servant describes how he faced strong opposition and physical suffering for having accepted the mission to bring God’s word to others. He refers to his back, cheeks, beard, and face. The servant is giving examples of his obedience to the divine calling by his readiness to submit to all kinds of humiliation and suffering. In this he was much like Jeremiah (Jer 20.2; 37.15) and other prophets.

I gave my back to the smiters is a poetic way of saying that people beat the servant’s back. The smiters are those who beat him (see the comments on “smite” at 49.10). The verb gave indicates his willingness to undergo suffering. It does not mean that the servant literally offered or exposed his back so that the people who opposed him could strike him there. However, most translations could be read as though the servant actively sought opposition and suffering. That would be going too far. For this line Contemporary English Version suggests “I let them beat my back,” which conveys the sense of willingness to undergo suffering without actively seeking it. Another way of expressing the proper sense here would be “I was beaten on the back and did not resist” or “I allowed opponents to beat me on the back.”

And my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard is a second object of the verb gave. The servant also allowed those who opposed him to pull out the hairs of his beard. Being treated in this way was not only painful, it was also a traditional way of humiliating a man (see 7.20; 15.2; 2 Sam 10.4). All versions consulted maintain a literal translation here. The idea of painful treatment at the hands of enemies is the key. Instead of cheeks, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says “chin” for naturalness, which other languages may find helpful in this context of a beard.

I hid not my face from shame and spitting shows that the servant was willing to endure any kind of humiliation for the sake of his calling. I hid not my face from shame reflects his readiness to put up with physical and emotional humiliation. This clause may be rendered “I was willing to be put to shame physically.” There is a reference here not only to being treated shamefully but being insulted verbally as well. So shame may be translated “insult.” In many cultures spitting is a common way of showing contempt for a person. This is especially so if the spitting is done in someone’s face. So many translations keep face in its literal sense and describe what is happening in these two lines as one action; for example, New Revised Standard Version and Revised English Bible have “I did not hide my face from insult and spitting.” Another possibility is “People insulted me and spat in my face.”

For this verse Good News Translation places the idea of shame in the second line by rendering it “when they insulted me.” Then the actions of pulling out the servant’s beard and spitting in his face follow as two examples of insult. Other languages may find this model useful.

Translation examples for this verse are:

• I allowed opponents to beat me on the back,
and they pulled out the hairs of my beard;
I did not turn my face away
when they insulted me and spat on me.

• I let my back be beaten,
and the hairs of my beard be pulled out;
I did not turn my face
when I was insulted and spat upon.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .