titute.--[Hebrew: nrpa], Preter. Niph., hence "healing has been
bestowed upon us;"--[Hebrew: rpa] with [Hebrew: l], in the
signification "to bring healing," occurs also in chap. vi. 10, but
nowhere else. The healing is an individualising designation of
deliverance from the punishments of sin, called forth by the [Pg 286]
circumstance that disease occupied so prominent a place among them, and
had therefore been so prominently brought forward in what precedes. In
harmony with the Apostolic quotation, the expression clearly shows that
the punitive sufferings were already lying upon the persons speaking;
that by the Substitute they were not by any means delivered from the
future evils, but that the punishment, the inseparable companion of
sin, already existed, and was taken away by Him.

Ver. 6. "_All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one
to his own way, and the Lord hath made the iniquities of us all to fall
upon Him._"

_Calvin_ remarks: "In order the more strongly to impress upon the
hearts of men the benefits of Christ's death, the Prophet shews how
necessary is that healing which was mentioned before. There is herd an
elegant antithesis; for, in ourselves we are scattered, but, in Christ
collected; by nature we go astray and are carried headlong to
destruction,--in Christ we find the way in which we are led to the gate
of salvation; our iniquities cover and oppress us,--but they are
transferred to Christ by whom we are unburdened."--_All we_--in the
first instance, members of the covenant-people,--not, however, as
contrasted with the rest of mankind, but as partaking in the general
human destiny.--_We have turned every one to his own way_; we walked
through life solitary, forsaken, miserable, separated from God and the
good Shepherd, and deprived of His pastoral care. According to
_Hofmann_, the going astray designates the _liability_ to punishment,
but not the misery of the speakers; and the words also: "We have
turned," &c., mean, according to him, that they chose their own ways,
but not that they walked sorrowful or miserable. But the ordinary use
of the image militates against that view. In Ps. cxix. 176: "I go
astray like a lost sheep, seek thy servant," the going astray is a
figurative designation of being destitute of salvation. The misery of
the condition is indicated by the image of the scattered flock, also in
1 Kings xxii. 17: "I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills as sheep
that have