Isaiah 53 12

Isaiah 53:12 kjv

Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Isaiah 53:12 nkjv

Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.

Isaiah 53:12 niv

Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Isaiah 53:12 esv

Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

Isaiah 53:12 nlt

I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier,
because he exposed himself to death.
He was counted among the rebels.
He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.

Isaiah 53 12 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Isaiah 53:10Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him...Fulfillment of Suffering
Genesis 22:18"And in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed..."Abrahamic Covenant
Psalm 2:8"Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage..."Christ's universal reign
Psalm 22:27-28"All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord..."Universal worship
Psalm 72:11"May all nations serve him!"Royal prayer for nations
Psalm 110:3"Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power..."Willing sacrifice
Jeremiah 31:33-34"They shall all know me... for I will forgive their iniquity..."New Covenant and forgiveness
Daniel 7:14"and to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and...Christ's eternal kingdom
Matthew 1:21"you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."Salvation from sin
Matthew 20:28"just as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a"Servant leadership, atonement
Luke 24:47"and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name..."Proclamation of forgiveness
John 1:29"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"Christ as atonement for the world
John 3:16"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son..."God's love, world salvation
John 17:2-3"...giving to them eternal life. And this is eternal life, that they may know you..."Knowledge of God, eternal life
Acts 4:12"And in no one else is there any salvation, for there is no other name under heaven..."Salvation only in Jesus
Acts 13:47"For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, 'I have made you a light for the Gentiles...Mission to Gentiles
Romans 5:18-19"Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteous..."Justification by obedience
Romans 6:10"For the death he died he died to sin, once for all..."Finality of Christ's death
2 Corinthians 5:21"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become..."Vicarious atonement
Philippians 2:9"Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every..."Christ's exaltation
Hebrews 12:2"...who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross..."Endurance for the sake of joy
1 Peter 3:18"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous..."Substitutionary atonement
Revelation 5:9"and you were slain and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and..."Redemption of all peoples
Revelation 7:9"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from..."Great multitude from all nations

Isaiah 53 verses

Isaiah 53 12 Meaning

This verse declares that the suffering servant, through his obedient sacrifice, will achieve victory by seeing and being satisfied with his descendants, and by his knowledge, he will justify the many.

Isaiah 53 12 Context

Isaiah 53 is the fourth and final Servant Song, depicting a vicarious suffering servant. This chapter portrays the servant being despised, wounded, and dying, bearing the transgressions of many. The preceding verses (53:1-11) focus on the suffering and atoning death of this servant. Verse 12 serves as a climactic declaration of the consequences and ultimate success of this sacrificial work, moving from suffering to triumph and justification. The original audience, likely the exiles in Babylon, would have found this depiction of a suffering redeemer challenging to their understanding of God's power and vindication.

Isaiah 53 12 Word Analysis

  • וּלְכֵן (uw-le-ken): "And therefore." This conjunction connects the servant's suffering and death to the subsequent declaration of victory and justification, indicating a cause-and-effect relationship. It signifies the divinely appointed outcome of the suffering.
  • אַחֲלֹק (a-chal-qot): "I will divide" or "I will allot." This suggests the servant actively and generously distributing the spoils of victory. It implies a distribution of the results of his victory and atoning work.
  • לָרַב (la-rab): "a great amount" or "many." This emphasizes the vast scope of the reward and the extent of the people being brought to salvation and justification. It is not a limited reward but a significant and widespread one.
  • שָׁלָל (sha-lal): "plunder" or "spoils." In this context, it refers to the dividends of his suffering, the souls that are redeemed and brought to righteousness as a direct result of his sacrificial death. It is the victory achieved over sin and death.
  • וְאֶת־ (wə-et): "and." This conjunction links the two parts of the servant's reward: the division of the plunder and the intercession for the transgressors.
  • צַדִּיקִים (tsa-di-qim): "the righteous." This refers to those who are declared righteous by God, not on their own merit, but through the imputed righteousness of the servant.
  • יְחַלֵּק (ye-chal-leq): "he will divide." Similar to the earlier use of the root, this again highlights the generous distribution. Here, it is specifically the division of the righteous or the assurance of their righteousness.
  • בְּעָצְמָתוֹ (bə-atz-mo-to): "with his strength" or "by his might." This indicates the power and authority with which the servant acts. His victory and the justification of others are accomplished by his own inherent power, derived from his divine nature.
  • וְאֶת־ (wə-et): "and." Another connective particle linking the division of spoils/righteousness with his intercession.
  • בְּרַבִּים (bə-rab-bim): "the many." This reinforces the wide scope of the servant's impact, encompassing a multitude. It refers to those who benefit from his atoning sacrifice.
  • רְשָׁעִים (rə-sha-im): "the wicked" or "transgressors." This points to the individuals for whom the servant intercedes. They are characterized by their sinfulness and transgressions.
  • יַפְגִיעַ (yəf-gi-a): "he will plead" or "he will intercede." This verb signifies active intervention on behalf of others. The servant does not just die passively but actively advocates for sinners.

Phrase/Words Group Analysis:

  • "I will divide the plunder with the many": This phrase conveys the triumph of the servant over his enemies (sin, death, Satan). The "plunder" are the souls saved by his sacrifice. He generously shares this "spoils" with a multitude. This speaks to the vast number of people who will be redeemed.
  • "and divide the righteous with the strong": Some interpret this as dividing the spoils of righteousness among the righteous, or dividing strength with the righteous, making them righteous. However, the more common understanding is that he will apportion or bestow righteousness upon the many wicked. The LXX has "give a body" or "distribute the spoils," and some modern scholars suggest "he will make many righteous." The strength comes from him.
  • "He will intercede for the transgressors": This highlights the role of the servant as a mediator and advocate. Even though they are sinners ("transgressors"), he actively pleads their case before God, securing their acceptance. This links directly to his continued priestly ministry.

Isaiah 53 12 Bonus Section

This verse demonstrates a key theological concept: substitutionary atonement and vicarious intercession. The servant (understood as Christ) suffers in place of sinners and then advocates on their behalf. This "intercession for the transgressors" directly foreshadows Christ's ongoing priestly ministry described in the New Testament (Hebrews 7:25). The "strength" ("azmowto") mentioned can also refer to His divine nature, highlighting that His power to justify and save comes from His intrinsic being, not a delegated authority. The "many" for whom He intercedes is a direct echo of Romans 5:15-19, which contrasts the sin of the "one" Adam with the righteousness of the "one" Christ affecting "many."

Isaiah 53 12 Commentary

Isaiah 53:12 provides a triumphant conclusion to the suffering of the servant. It underscores that his painful sacrifice was not in vain but resulted in immense victory and widespread salvation. He will not only receive the "spoils" of his battle against sin and death—a vast multitude of redeemed souls—but he will also generously distribute this victory and the benefits of his sacrifice. Crucially, he actively intercedes for those who are inherently wicked and sinful, enabling them to be declared "righteous" by God. This verse points to the resurrection and exaltation of Christ, from which he extends his saving grace and mediation to all who believe, granting them His righteousness and eternal life. The breadth of his victory is immense, encompassing a multitude of people.