Isaiah 53:12 · Bible study
Isaiah 53:12 Commentary: Study: Victory Through Sacrifice and Intercession
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore Isaiah 53:12: how the Servant's self-sacrifice leads to exaltation, dividing spoil with the strong, and making intercession for transgressors.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The Servant’s voluntary death and intercession win him exaltation and victory, symbolised by a portion among the great and dividing spoil with the strong.
- Key words: rabbim (many/great), nefesh (soul/life), pag’a (make intercession/encounter).
- Main debate: Whether “the great” (rabbim) means the mighty or the multitude, and whether the Servant shares the spoil with his people or takes it as his own.
- Theological theme: Substitutionary atonement, priestly intercession, and vindication after suffering.
- Best use: Teaching the connection between Christ’s death and his risen reign; Good Friday and Easter preaching; reflection on the meaning of intercession.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Therefore I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He has poured out His life unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors. Yet He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Therefore I will give him a portion with the great. He will divide the plunder with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was counted with the transgressors; yet he bore the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressors.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Therefore will I 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 was numbered with the transgressors: yet he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Therefore I give a portion to him among the many, And with the mighty he apportioneth spoil, Because that he exposed to death his soul, And with transgressors he was numbered, And he the sin of many hath borne, And for transgressors he intercedeth.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Therefore will I assign 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 was reckoned with the transgressors; and he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Therefore will I distribute to him very many, and he shall divide the spoils of the strong, because he hath delivered his soul unto death, and was reputed with the wicked: and he hath borne the sins of many, and hath prayed for the transgressors.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Por tanto yo le daré parte con los grandes, y con los fuertes repartirá despojos; por cuanto derramó su vida hasta la muerte, y fué contado con los perversos, habiendo él llevado el pecado de muchos, y orado por los transgresores.
Por isso lhe darei a porção de muitos, e e com os poderosos ele repartirá despojo, pois derramou sua alma na morte, e foi contado com os transgressores; e levou sobre si o pecado de muitos, e intercedeu pelos transgressores.
C’ est pourquoi je lui donnerai sa part avec les grands;
Darum will ich ihm große Menge zur Beute geben, und er soll die Starken zum Raube haben, darum daß er sein Leben in den Tod gegeben hat und den Übeltätern gleich gerechnet ist und er vieler Sünde getragen hat und für die Übeltäter gebeten.
Daarom zal Ik Hem een deel geven van velen, en Hij zal de machtigen als een roof delen, omdat Hij Zijn ziel uitgestort heeft in den dood, en met de overtreders is geteld geweest, en Hij veler zonden gedragen heeft, en voor de overtreders gebeden heeft.
Perciò io gli darò la sua parte fra i grandi, ed egli dividerà il bottino coi potenti, perché ha dato se stesso alla morte, ed è stato annoverato fra i trasgressori, perch’egli ha portato i peccati di molti, e ha interceduto per i trasgressori.
Przetoż mu dam dział dla wielu, aby się dzielił korzyścią z mocarzami, ponieważ wylał na śmierć duszę swoję, a z przestępcami policzon będąc, on sam grzech wielu odniósł, i za przestępców się modlił.
Посему Я дам Ему часть между великими, и с сильными будет делить добычу, за то, что предал душу Свою на смерть, и к злодеям причтен был, тогда как Он понес на Себе грех многих и за преступников сделался ходатаем.
所以，我要使他 與位大的 同分，與 強盛的 均分 擄物。因為 他將命 傾倒，以致於死；他也被列 在 罪犯之中。他 卻擔當 多人 的罪，又為罪犯 代求。
For this cause he will have a heritage with the great, and he will have a part in the goods of war with the strong, because he gave up his life, and was numbered with the evil-doers; taking on himself the sins of the people, and making prayer for the wrongdoers.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Isaiah 53:12
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse announces the Servant’s reward after suffering. The language is taken from military victory: “divide the spoil with the strong” pictures a conqueror sharing the plunder. Barnes and the Cambridge Bible both note that the metaphor signals triumph over enemies. Keil and Delitzsch observe that the Hebrew word rabbim can mean either “great” or “many,” leading to two readings, the Servant receives a portion among the mighty, or he receives a multitude as his portion. But the central point is shared: the Servant’s voluntary death and his intercession for sinners are the basis for his exaltation. Clarke links “poured out his soul” to sacrificial imagery (Leviticus 17:11), and many commentators see the phrase “numbered with the transgressors” as directly fulfilled in Christ’s crucifixion between two thieves (Mark 15:28; Luke 22:37). The intercession that the Servant makes, begun on the cross (Luke 23:34) and continued in heaven, crowns his work, ensuring that his victory benefits the very transgressors for whom he died.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Mighty as rulers: The parallel with 'strong' (atzumim) and the context of kings bowing (Isaiah 52:15) suggest the Servant is exalted among earthly powers (Barnes, Cambridge Bible).
- Many as multitudes: The word rabbim often means 'many' in number; the Servant receives a vast people as his inheritance (Gill, Keil & Delitzsch, favored by the Septuagint 'inherit many').
- Spoil shared with followers: The preposition 'with' (et) and Psalm 110:3 suggest the Servant’s people participate in his victory (Keil & Delitzsch).
What is clear: The Servant is exalted by God because he willingly suffered death and interceded for sinners, turning apparent defeat into victory.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Interpretation of 'the great' (rabbim) | The Servant receives a share or has a portion among a group described as 'rabbim'. | Many commentators (Barnes, Cambridge Bible) understand it as 'the mighty', he is given a place among the powerful of the earth. Others (Gill, Keil & Delitzsch) take it as 'the many', he receives a multitude of followers as his reward. |
| Meaning of 'divide the spoil with the strong' | The phrase is a metaphor for victory after conflict. | Some read it as the Servant personally taking plunder from strong enemies (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown). Others (Keil, Gill) see it as sharing the spoils with his own people, who accompany him in battle. |
| Scope of 'the many' for whom sin is borne | The Servant bears the sin of 'rabbim' (many). | Clarke and Gill argue that 'many' means all humanity (all who sinned in Adam). Others (Matthew Henry, Poole, as suggested) limit it to those who believe, noting the context of justification 'by his knowledge' (Isaiah 53:11). |
| Nature of the Servant's intercession | The Servant makes intercession for transgressors as part of his saving work. | Some see this as a past act (the prayer from the cross, Luke 23:34), while others (Wesley, JFB) emphasize its ongoing character in heaven (Hebrews 7:25). Both views affirm a present reality. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Isaiah 53:12 is the final verse of the fourth Servant Song (Isaiah 52:13, 53:12), a poem that describes a figure who suffers vicariously for the sins of others and is then vindicated. The surrounding context, the promise of restoration after Babylon’s rule, frames the Servant as a deliverer whose affliction brings peace and healing to his people. The vocabulary of “portion” and “spoil” draws from the ancient Near Eastern practice of distributing plunder after a battle. In Hebrew, rabbim (many/great) and atzumim (mighty/numerous) blur the distinction between quantity and power: the Servant’s victory brings both a multitude of followers and dominion over earthly powers.
This verse also echoes earlier promises. Psalm 2:8, “Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance”, parallels God’s pledge to the king. Isaiah 49:24, 25 asks whether plunder can be taken from the mighty and answers that Yahweh will indeed rescue captives. The Servant’s “pouring out his soul to death” uses sacrificial language (Leviticus 17:11), connecting his death to atonement. The closing action, “made intercession for the transgressors”, identifies the Servant as a priestly figure, an intercessor like Moses (Exodus 32) but whose advocacy rests on his own sacrifice. Early Christian interpretation saw in this verse a complete summary of Christ’s work: humiliation, atonement, exaltation, and ongoing intercession.
Textual Notes
The Masoretic Text is well-attested for Isaiah 53:12. The main variant noted in the supplied sources is the verb for “made intercession”: a manuscript reads the preterite hiphgia where the Masoretic has the future yaphgia (Adam Clarke). The future form is often understood as a present or iterative action, while the preterite would emphasize a past event (the cross). The Septuagint renders the first line “he shall inherit many” instead of “I will give him a portion among the great,” a difference that shifts the subject from God to the Servant (Cambridge Bible). None of these variants alter the core theology of the verse.
Reception History
From the earliest days of the church, this verse was read as a prophecy of Christ’s death and resurrection. Luke 22:37 directly quotes “He was numbered with the transgressors” to explain Jesus’ arrest between thieves. Early church fathers like Justin Martyr and Irenaeus saw in the verse a summary of the atonement. During the Reformation, Luther and Calvin used it to argue for substitutionary atonement: the sinless Servant bears the sin of many. In later centuries, some Jewish interpreters understood the Servant as the nation of Israel suffering among the nations, though the messianic reading dominated Christian tradition. In modern times, Isaiah 53:12 remains a key text in debates about the identity of the Servant and the meaning of vicarious suffering. Its imagery of conquest through sacrifice continues to appear in hymns and liturgies, especially during Holy Week.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God’s promise of reward: “I will give him a portion with the great”, the Father exalts the Servant.
- The reason for the reward: He poured out his soul to death and was numbered with transgressors, his willing identification with sinners.
- The ongoing work: He bore sin and makes intercession, his sacrifice and advocacy benefit the guilty.
Five-point outline
- The divine initiative: “Therefore I will give him”, God is the active agent in the Servant’s vindication.
- The scope of victory: “Divide the spoil with the strong”, the Servant’s triumph reaches the mighty and the many.
- The depth of sacrifice: “Poured out his soul to death”, his life was given completely and voluntarily.
- The identification with sinners: “Counted with the transgressors”, he was treated as guilty though innocent.
- The eternal intercession: “Made intercession for the transgressors”, his priestly work continues.
Illustration hooks
- A soldier who shields comrades from an explosion, later awarded the highest medal for valor. His act of sacrifice secures both survival and honor.
- A parent who takes on a child’s debt, working extra jobs to pay it off, then sees the child restored to the family. The parent’s suffering leads to reconciliation.
- A lawyer who represents an indigent defendant, not only winning the case but later advocating for the client’s rehabilitation. The lawyer’s identification with the guilty person changes that person’s future.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “Was Jesus actually counted as a sinner on the cross, or only treated that way?”
- “If Jesus already made intercession, why do we need to pray for forgiveness now?”
- “How does Christ’s victory ‘with the strong’ relate to the power of sin in my daily life?”
Leading a Discussion
This verse is the climax of Isaiah’s portrait of the suffering Servant. It ties together humiliation and exaltation, sacrifice and victory. The language of war and plunder may feel far from the cross, but the early Christians saw in it the pattern of Christ’s triumph: what looked like defeat was actually a conquest.
Discussion questions
- What does the phrase “I will give him a portion with the great” tell us about God’s response to the Servant’s suffering? (Observation)
- The Servant “poured out his soul to death.” Why does the prophet use the image of pouring? What does it suggest about the Servant’s attitude? (Interpretation)
- Being “numbered with the transgressors” is a key detail. How does this connect to Jesus’ trial and crucifixion? (Interpretation)
- The verse says the Servant “bare the sin of many.” Who are the “many”? Does this mean everyone, or only those who believe? (Interpretation, note different views)
- Intercession is the Servant’s final act in this verse. How do you understand Jesus’ intercession today? (Application)
- Where do you see a pattern of suffering followed by vindication in your life or in the world? (Application)
- How does this verse shape your view of God’s justice and mercy? (Application)
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 3:15 | I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.” |
| Psalms 2:8 | Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance, the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession. |
| Psalms 22:14 | I am poured out like water. All my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax. It is melted within me. |
| Isaiah 49:24 | Shall the plunder be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captives be delivered? |
| Isaiah 49:25 | But Yahweh says, “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the plunder retrieved from the fierce, for I will contend with him who contends with you and I will save your children. |
| Isaiah 52:13 | Behold, my servant will deal wisely. He will be exalted and lifted up, and will be very high. |
| Isaiah 52:15 | so he will cleanse many nations. Kings will shut their mouths at him; for they will see that which had not been told them, and they will understand that which they had not heard. |
| Isaiah 53:6 | All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way; and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke connects the Hebrew word "rabbim" in this verse with Paul's Greek phrase "hoi polloi" in Romans 5. Both terms, he argues, refer to the entire human race who have sinned, showing that Christ died for every person. He also notes that Christ's intercession was literally fulfilled when he prayed for his persecutors at the cross.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues that the phrase about dividing the spoil means the Messiah’s conquests will be among the mighty and powerful, not just the weak. His victories over the world’s most formidable enemies come as the reward for pouring out his soul to death and making intercession for sinners.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Despite textual difficulties, the Cambridge Bible commentary finds the main thought clear: the Servant vicariously removes guilt and brings righteousness. The resurrection is necessarily implied--either as national restoration if the Servant is Israel personified, or as literal resurrection if an individual. The passage contrasts the true meaning of his afflictions with the false construction placed on them.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Therefore will I giue him a portion with the great, and he shall deuide the spoyle with the strong, because hee hath powred out his soule vnto death: and he was counted with the transgressers, and he bare the sinne of many, and prayed for the trespassers.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill sees the promised portion and spoil as two things at once. First, Christ is rewarded with dominion over the great ones of the earth and victory over Satan. Second, the many souls redeemed by his death become his allotted inheritance, a great multitude taken as prey from the mighty.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch reads the promise of victory as a reward for the Servant's complete self-sacrifice, even to pouring out His soul in death. They argue the "great" with whom He shares spoil are the mighty of the earth, not a multitude. The intercession they see as Christ praying for His enemies from the cross, not a heavenly plea.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry stresses that God himself actively bruised Christ and put him to grief. The suffering was not merely man's doing but the Father's direct act, delivering him up for our sin. This divine bruising was God's pleasure and purpose, making Christ's soul an offering for sin.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley emphasizes that Christ's intercession for sinners flows directly from His willing sacrifice. On earth He prayed for all, especially His executioners, and in heaven He continually presents that same sacrifice to the Father as if it were present, making a legal claim for the blessings He purchased.