Isaiah 53:12

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.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God the Father speaks, declaring what He will do for the Servant after the Servant's death and intercession have been completed.

The words — שָׁלָל (shalal) means "plunder" or "spoils," a term from military victory, applied here to one who died in defeat.

The thread — Jesus cites the "numbered with transgressors" phrase as prophecy fulfilled in Himself (Luke 22:37), and the crucifixion between two robbers enacts it (Mark 15:27). Hebrews 9:28 picks up "bore the sins of many" and the second coming.

Why it lands — The verse holds two facts together without resolving them: the Servant was counted among criminals, and God will give him the highest share. It asks the reader to accept that justice and reward can be inverted, and that intercession costs the intercessor his life.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

לָכֵ֞ןla./Khen<to>/ therefore אֲחַלֶּק־'a.cha.lek-I will allot a portionל֣וֹl/oto/ himבָרַבִּ֗יםva./ra.Bimamong the/ many [people]וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ with עֲצוּמִים֮'a.tzu.Mimmighty [people]יְחַלֵּ֣קye.cha.Lekhe will apportion שָׁלָל֒sha.Lal[the] plunder תַּ֗חַתTa.chatbecause אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.Sherthat הֶעֱרָ֤הhe.'e.Rahhe poured out לַמָּ֙וֶת֙la./Ma.vetto <the>/ death נַפְשׁ֔וֹnaf.Sh/olife/ his וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ with פֹּשְׁעִ֖יםpo.she.'Imtransgressors נִמְנָ֑הnim.Nahhe was numbered וְהוּא֙ve./Hu'and/ he חֵטְא־chet'-[the] sin of רַבִּ֣יםra.Bimmany [people]נָשָׂ֔אna.Sa'he bore וְלַפֹּשְׁעִ֖יםve./la./po.she.'Imand/ for the/ transgressors יַפְגִּֽיעַ׃ סyaf.Gi.a'he will make entreaty

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Luke 22:37 For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about Me is reaching its fulfillment.”
Hebrews 9:28 so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.
Mark 15:27 Along with Jesus, they crucified two robbers, one on His right and one on His left.
Luke 23:32 Two others, who were criminals, were also led away to be executed with Jesus.
Colossians 1:13 He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son,
1 John 2:12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven through His name.
Isaiah 53:6 We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.
Romans 8:34 Who is there to condemn us? For Christ Jesus, who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God—and He is interceding for us.
1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
Hebrews 9:26 Otherwise, Christ would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.