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Afflicted: participle passive Affected with continued or often repeated pain, either of body or mind; suffering grief or distress, of any kind; as afflicted at the loss of a child, by the rheumatism, or with losses.
Hebrew: ana [aw-naw’]: afflict [50], humble [11], force [5], exercised [2], sing [2], troubled [1], weakened [1]. [possibly rather identical with (`anah) through the idea of looking down or browbeating]; to depress literal or figurative, abase self, afflict (-ion, self), chasten self, deal hardly with, defile, force, humble (self), hurt, ravish, sing, speak, submit self, weaken, × in any wise. Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary. "To be afflicted, be bowed down, be humbled, be meek." This word, common to both ancient and modern Hebrew, is the source of several important words in the history and experience of Judaism: "humble, meek, poor, and affliction." ʿĀnâ often expresses harsh and painful treatment. Frequently the verb expresses the idea that God sends affliction for disciplinary purposes: "… the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart…" (Deut. 8:2); Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words.
The power of these words in Isaiah 53 are phenomenal when we consider all that is taking place in this punishment for sins and how it plays in the life of the believer.
This word ‘ana’ realizes the infallibility of man and his weaknesses and depravity to miss the mark and to commit sin even after the enlightenment of the born-again experience. There is a type of punishment involved with sin, but it is not there to kill, steal or destroy as these are the traits and workings of our adversary the devil. Ana focuses on the fallibility of man and what can God do to get man to respond to Him and to keep oneself free from the affairs of man where sin is concerned.
This would be like the punishment of a child if he misses the way and finds himself in a place of misfortune and loss. The greatest thing that a true parent can do is add ‘ana’ to the life of the child and discipline him accordingly. The thought here is to teach him and train him that is consequences in life to the idea of veering away from the messing of the Word of God and punishment is the outcome of the missing the mark. Proverbs 13:24 (NLT2) Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them. Proverbs 13:24 (TLB) If you refuse to discipline your son, it proves you don’t love him; for if you love him, you will be prompt to punish him.
But you may ask, what did Jesus do to require or earn affliction, ’ana’? Nothing, He did it for your sins and shortcomings and paid the price for all of it.
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