Isaiah 53 10

Isaiah 53:10 kjv

Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Isaiah 53:10 nkjv

Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.

Isaiah 53:10 niv

Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

Isaiah 53:10 esv

Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Isaiah 53:10 nlt

But it was the LORD's good plan to crush him
and cause him grief.
Yet when his life is made an offering for sin,
he will have many descendants.
He will enjoy a long life,
and the LORD's good plan will prosper in his hands.

Isaiah 53 verses

Isaiah 53 10 meaning

Isaiah 53:10 profoundly reveals that the immense suffering of the Servant was not a random misfortune or a punishment for His own sin, but a deliberate act in God's sovereign plan. It was the Lord's "pleasure"—meaning His will and determined purpose—to "bruise" and "put him to grief." The Servant willingly offers Himself as an "offering for sin," a substitutionary sacrifice to atone for humanity's transgressions. This ultimate sacrifice is affirmed and rewarded by God: the Servant will "see his offspring," implying a spiritual progeny of redeemed people, and "prolong his days," signifying resurrection and eternal existence. Ultimately, through the Servant, the redemptive "pleasure of the Lord shall prosper," achieving God's ultimate salvation plan.

Isaiah 53 10 Context

Isaiah 53:10 stands as the pinnacle of the fourth Servant Song (Isa 52:13-53:12), depicting the suffering and triumph of the Lord's chosen Servant. This chapter is embedded within a section of Isaiah (chapters 40-55) known for its comfort to Israel and its focus on God's redemptive work through His Servant, often contrasting the nation's failure with the Servant's faithfulness. Historically, the audience would have been exiles or post-exilic Jews, grappling with their national suffering and awaiting the Messiah. While they expected a conquering king, this passage dramatically reveals a Messiah who suffers, offering His life as a vicarious sacrifice for sin. The profound insight of verse 10, specifically, details the divine authorship behind the Servant's agony, the nature of His sacrifice as an asham (guilt offering), and the resulting glory, emphasizing that God's plan culminates in the Servant's vindication and success, fulfilling divine "pleasure" in a way far exceeding human expectations. It refutes any notion that the Servant's suffering was a mark of divine displeasure against Him.

Isaiah 53 10 Word analysis

• Yet it pleased (וַיהוָה חָפֵץ - waYHWH chaphets):
  • "Yet it pleased": Hebrew chaphets denotes deep desire, delight, or purpose. Here, it conveys God's deliberate and sovereign will, not an emotional enjoyment of suffering itself, but pleasure in the ultimate redemptive outcome achieved through the suffering. It signifies that the suffering was an intentional, essential part of God's saving plan, divinely initiated and approved.
  • "the Lord": The divine covenant name YHWH, highlighting God's personal involvement and commitment to His plan of salvation.
• to bruise him (דַּכְּאוֹ - dakka'o):
  • "to bruise": Hebrew dakka'o means "to crush," "oppress severely," "smash." It vividly portrays profound physical and spiritual suffering, humiliation, and destruction. This bruising is not arbitrary but inflicted by God's decree.
• he has put him to grief (הֶחֱלִי - heḥeli):
  • "put him to grief": Hebrew heḥeli means "to make him sick," "cause to suffer pain or illness." It extends the description of suffering beyond crushing to a deep internal anguish and physical deterioration, indicating debilitating sorrow and affliction imposed upon the Servant.
• When you make his soul an offering for sin (תָּשִׂים נַפְשׁוֹ אָשָׁם - tasim nafsho asham):
  • "When you make": This can be translated "if his soul makes itself" or "when his soul makes," implying a voluntary action on the Servant's part while also being aligned with God's directive. It highlights the Servant's willing participation.
  • "his soul": Hebrew nafsho refers to the very essence of a person, his life, himself. The offering is His very being.
  • "an offering for sin": Hebrew asham specifically denotes a "guilt offering" or "trespass offering" in Levitical law (e.g., Lev 5-6). It was offered to make restitution for specific transgressions, often unintentional, that violated God's holiness or others' rights, and frequently involved both atonement and restitution. Here, the Servant's life serves as the complete and ultimate asham, providing full expiation and satisfaction for sin.
• he shall see his offspring (יִרְאֶה זֶרַע - yir'eh zera):
  • "he shall see": Indicates a personal witness to the result.
  • "his offspring": Hebrew zera literally means "seed" or "descendants." In this messianic context, it signifies a vast spiritual posterity, those who are justified and saved through His sacrifice, establishing a spiritual lineage and community of believers.
• he shall prolong his days (יַאֲרִיךְ יָמִים - ya'arikh yamim):
  • "prolong his days": Not merely a long earthly life, which contradicts His death, but rather resurrection and eternal life, a post-suffering existence in vindication and glory, transcending mortal limits.
• and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand (וְחֵפֶץ יְהוָה בְּיָדוֹ יִצְלָח - vechaphets YHWH beyado yitslach):
  • "the pleasure of the Lord": Again, God's determined purpose and redemptive will.
  • "shall prosper": Hebrew yitslach means "to succeed," "flourish," "be effective," "come to fruition."
  • "in his hand": Signifies that the Servant Himself will be the agent through whom God's purpose is effectively carried out and accomplished. The success of God's redemptive plan is entrusted to and fulfilled by the Servant.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he has put him to grief.": This phrase establishes the divine initiative and authority behind the Servant's suffering. It's not human persecution primarily, but God's sovereign decision for a redemptive purpose, turning apparent defeat into part of a glorious plan. The passive recipient is an active participant in God's will.
• "When you make his soul an offering for sin": This clause marks the pivot from suffering to purpose. The Servant's ultimate suffering transforms into a specific act of atonement—a voluntary, costly, and complete sacrifice for human guilt, fulfilling the most profound demands of the sacrificial system. This highlights His priestly role.
• "he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days": These are the immediate and miraculous rewards of the Servant's obedient sacrifice. They explicitly speak of life after death (resurrection) and a spiritual family, demonstrating divine vindication and the expansive, lasting fruit of His work.
• "and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand": This culminates the verse, confirming the Servant's success in achieving God's overarching purpose. His suffering leads not to futility but to the flourishing and completion of God's salvific desire through His instrumentality.

Isaiah 53 10 Bonus section

• The passive form "to bruise him" (Niphal participle, though in MT it's active Qal infinitive, which is crucial, dakka'o often seen as God doing the action) implies God's active agency, not just allowing but intentionally orchestrating the suffering.
• The placement of "he has put him to grief" parallel to "it pleased the Lord to bruise him" strengthens the understanding that both actions proceed from divine volition.
• The Hebrew asham in the Old Testament, requiring specific restitution, finds its perfect fulfillment in Christ's offering, which not only atones for sin but provides the restitution of right relationship with God and the redemption of humanity.
• The Suffering Servant model uniquely refutes conventional ancient world wisdom that suffering signifies divine wrath or personal wrongdoing; here, it signifies divine love and redemptive purpose for others.
• The phrase "he shall see his offspring" provides a powerful bridge to the New Covenant, where the "seed" refers not just to biological descendants but to all who are born of God through faith in Christ.
• This verse underpins the concept of substitutionary atonement, a core doctrine of Christianity.

Isaiah 53 10 Commentary

Isaiah 53:10 reveals the heart of the gospel, showcasing a profound theological paradox. God, in His ultimate wisdom and love, wills the suffering of His own blameless Servant not for punishment, but for redemption. This "bruising" and "grief" are purposeful, orchestrated so that the Servant's life can be offered as the supreme asham, a guilt offering that provides full atonement and satisfies divine justice. This divine pleasure in the Servant's sacrifice is solely in its saving efficacy and the resultant glory. The immediate outcomes of this act are transformative: resurrection and eternal life ("prolong his days") and a vast spiritual lineage ("see his offspring"). Ultimately, through this Servant, God's ultimate plan of salvation will not just be achieved, but it will "prosper" abundantly, demonstrating the full triumph of divine love and righteousness over sin and death. This verse foretells Christ's voluntary suffering, His propitiatory death, His resurrection, and the global spread of His kingdom through spiritual children.