Isaiah 53:11
in Isaiah 53After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by the knowledge of himself shall my righteous servant justify many; and he shall bear their iniquities.
KJV
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
⋯
This verse in Isaiah 53
Commentary
18 notes on this verseThe manuscripts
"He shall see light": the word the Dead Sea Scrolls restored
The Hebrew text copied through the Middle Ages says the Servant "shall see and be satisfied"; two Isaiah scrolls from Qumran and the ancient Greek translation say he shall see *light*. The NIV, the NRSV, the CSB and the Berean text this site prints adopt it; the ESV, the NASB and the NKJV keep the Masoretic reading and note the scrolls beneath the line. What it changes: No doctrine. Nothing in Christian teaching about the Suffering Servant depends on this word.
And the Lord was pleased to crush him in infirmity. LXX: And the Lord desires to cleanse him from his wound. However, the Lord wanted to cleanse him from the wound that he had received from the soldier's spear. Whether to crush him in weakness and wound: of whom he himself said: Because whom you struck, they persecuted (Ps. 68:27). And through Zacharias God speaks: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered (Zech. 13:7).
This site's exposition
it pleased the Lord to bruise him
on Isaiah 53:10-11
The chapter's deepest sentence: it pleased the Lord to bruise him, the suffering not an accident intercepted but an offering appointed, when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, the asham of Leviticus 5, the trespass offering's own word, which Delitzsch presses as the vocabulary of the altar. Then the future on the far side of death, stated as flatly as the death was: he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand, which the older writers read as resurrection in the prophet's mouth, a dead man seeing offspring and lengthening days. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities: justification and sin-bearing joined in one clause, the sentence Paul's doctrine is built from, as the commentators state it.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
He has bought us with his own blood. He endured the cross, despising its shame, so that he might win our salvation. Therefore bow your necks to his yoke. For your soul will see the fruitful seed, that is, you will be sharers in those being kept for eternal life, that is, the saints who have been enriched with the hope of eternal life. For there was no idea of the resurrection of the dead among the Greeks, and the mystery until now was not set forth.
A commentator
Clement of RomeClement's First Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 16 · Written before 99.
proposed
For Christ is of those who are humble-minded, and not of those who exalt themselves over His flock. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Sceptre of the majesty of God, did not come in the pomp of pride or arrogance, although He might have done so, but in a lowly condition, as the Holy Spirit had declared regarding Him. For He says, "Lord, who has believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? We have declared [our message] in His presence: He is, as it were, a child, and like a root in thirsty ground; He has no form nor glory, yea, we saw Him, and He had no form nor comeliness; but His form was without eminence, yea, deficient in comparison with the [ordinary] form of men. He is a man exposed to stripes and suffering, and acquainted with the endurance of grief: for His countenance was turned away; He was despised, and not esteemed. He bears our iniquities, and is in sorrow for our sakes; yet we supposed that [on His own account] He was exposed to labour, and stripes, and affliction. But He was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we were healed. All we, like sheep, have gone astray; [every] man has wandered in his own way; and the Lord has delivered Him up for our sins, while He in the midst of His sufferings opens not His mouth. He was brought as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before her shearer is dumb, so He opens not His mouth. In His humiliation His judgment was taken away; who shall declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth. For the transgressions of my people was He brought down to death. And I will give the wicked for His sepulchre, and the rich for His death, because He did no iniquity, neither was guile found in His mouth. And the Lord is pleased to purify him by stripes. […]
A commentator
John ChrysostomDEMONSTRATION AGAINST THE PAGANS 4:12-13 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
[David] predicted that Christ would rise again. "You will not leave my soul in hell, nor will you allow your holy one to see corruption." Isaiah expressed the same thing in a different way. For he said, "The Lord wishes to cleanse him from his wounds, to show him light, to justify the righteous one who served many well."Isaiah established that the slaying of Christ was a ransom for humanity's sins when he said, "He has borne the sins of many." And he will free humankind from demons, for as Isaiah said, "He will divide the spoils of the strong." And the same prophet spoke out clearly that Christ did this through his death when he said, "Because his soul was delivered up to death." That Christ would be put in charge over the whole world he revealed by these words of his, "He shall inherit many."
However, I will show [Marcion] the death and burial and resurrection of Christ all indicated in a single sentence of Isaiah, who says, "His sepulchre was removed from the midst of them." Now there could have been no sepulchre without death and no removal of sepulchre except by resurrection.… "He shall divide the spoil of many, because he poured out his soul to death." For here is set forth the cause of this favor to him, even that it was to recompense him for his death.
A commentator
Apostolic ConstitutionsCONSTITUTIONS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES 3:19 · Written before 380.
proposed
If the Lord of heaven and earth underwent all his sufferings for us, how then do you make a difficulty to minister to such as are in want, who ought to imitate him who underwent servitude, and want, and stripes and the cross for us? We ought therefore also to serve the brethren, in imitation of Christ. For says he, "He who will be great among you, let him be your minister; and he who will be first among you, let him be your servant." For so did he really, and not in word only, fulfill the prediction of "serving many faithfully."
10 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 10, 11) If he shall offer his soul for sin, he shall see a long-lived seed, and the will of the Lord shall be prosperous in his hand. Because his soul hath laboured, he shall see and be filled: by his knowledge shall this My just servant justify many, and he shall bear their iniquities. LXX: If you shall give for sin, your soul shall see a long-lived seed: and the Lord will take away the evil of his anguish, to shew him light, and give him understanding. Justify the righteous servant for many: and he shall bear their iniquities. According to the Hebrew sense here: If he shall offer his soul for sin, he shall see a long-lived seed, which he hath sowed in good ground. Of whom it is written in the Gospel: He that soweth, went forth to sow; and again: The kingdom of heaven is likened to a man that sowed good seed in his field (Matthew XIII, 3). And the will of the Lord will be directed in his hand, so that whatever the Father desired will be fulfilled by his virtues, saying to the Father: I have kept those whom you gave me in your name. I have guarded them, and none of them perished except the son of perdition. (John 17:12). But the seed will see eternity, and the will of the Father will be directed in his hand: because his soul has labored for a long time, finding no rest among the Jews, and saying in the Gospel: Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests: but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head. (Matthew 8:10). And in this same place the Prophet says: I have labored and endured (Isaiah 1:14). Therefore, since he has labored, he will see the Churches rise in the whole world, and he will be filled with their faith. […]
The Medieval Church1 voice
And the reward for the labor of his teaching: because his soul has labored, in preaching and discoursing, he shall see, the gentiles converted to him, and be filled, as though having what he intended: I have meat to eat which you know not (John …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied,.... "The travail of his soul" is the toil and labour he endured, in working out the salvation of his people; his obedience and death, his sorrows and sufferings; particularly those birth throes of his soul, under a sense of divine wrath, for the allusion is to women in travail; and all the agonies and pains of death which he went through.
He shall justify not here and there one that is eminent and remarkable, but those of the many, the despised multitude. (4.) It is by faith that we are justified, by our consent to Christ and the covenant of grace; in this way we are saved, because thus God is most glorified, free grace most advanced, self most abased, and our happiness most effectually secured.
By mixing faith with the prophecy of this chapter we may improve our acquaintance with Jesus Christ and him crucified, with Jesus Christ and him glorified, dying for our sins and rising again for our justification. The Humiliation of the Messiah. 1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the L ORD revealed?
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
He shall see of the travail of his soul - This is the language of Yahweh, who is again introduced as speaking. The sense is, he shall see the fruit, or the result of his sufferings, and shall be satisfied. He shall see so much good resulting from his great sorrows; so much happiness, and so many saved, that the benefit shall be an ample compensation for all that he endured. The word rendered here ‘travail’ (עמל ‛âmâl), denotes properly labor, toil; wearisome labor; labor and toil which produce exhaustion; and hence, sometimes vexation, sorrow, grief, trouble.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Php 3:10). my . . . servant--Messiah (Isa 42:1; 52:13). righteous--the ground on which He justifies others, His own righteousness (1Jo 2:1). justify--treat as if righteous; forensically; on the ground of His meritorious suffering, not their righteousness. bear . . . iniquities-- (Isa 53:4, 5), as the sinner's substitute.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
IN these words we have God the Father speaking concerning His Son and declaring that since He had endured a soul travail, He would guarantee to Him a satisfactory reward. How delightful it is to observe the co-working of the various Persons of the sacred Trinity in the matter of salvation! It was so in the Creation. It was the Father who said, "Let there be light," and there was light. But we read concerning the Eternal Son that, "without Him was not anything made which was made," and we find express mention of the Spirit of God, who moved upon the face of the waters and created order out of chaos. Father, Son and Spirit worked together to make the world and, in the making of man, we all remember that gracious word, "Let Us make man in Our own image with Our own likeness." Even so is it in our salvation. The Father has chosen a people unto Himself. These people He has given unto the Son. To these people He has also given the Only-Begotten to be their salvation. It is through the abounding Grace of the Father that salvation comes to the chosen, but only through Jesus Christ, for everywhere He is the Savior. We are redeemed by His precious blood. He it is that will bring the many sons unto glory and is the Author and the Finisher of their faith. Yet not without the Holy Spirit, for the blessed Spirit graciously condescends to take of the things of Christ and show them unto us. What God ordains, the Spirit executes. What the Son purchases, the Holy Spirit bestows. 'Tis He who makes us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light—and when we are so meet—we are introduced to the inheritance by the hand of the glorious Son, and are led up to the Throne of the Eternal Father. Christians, live much in contemplation upon the God of your salvation! Magnify Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
IN these words we have God the Father speaking concerning His Son and declaring that since He had endured a soul travail, He would guarantee to Him a satisfactory reward. How delightful it is to observe the co-working of the various Persons of the sacred Trinity in the matter of salvation! It was so in the Creation. It was the Father who said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
Shall be satisfied “And be satisfied” - The Septuagint, Vulgate, Sryiac, and a MS. add the conjunction to the verb, וישבע vaigisba. Shall my righteous servant justify “Shall my servant justify” - Three MSS., (two of them ancient), omit the word צדיק tsaddik; it seems to be only an imperfect repetition, by mistake, of the preceding word. It makes a solecism in this place; for according to the constant usage of the Hebrew language, the adjective, in a phrase of this kind, ought to follow the substantive; and צדיק עבדי tsaddik abdi, in Hebrew, would be as absurd as “shall my servant righteous justify,” in English. Add to this, that it makes the hemistich too long.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
From the toil of his soul he would eat and be satisfied, and he would not rob and plunder.
2 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Therefore Because he did this, I will allot him an inheritance and a lot in public with the Patriarchs.
And it was the pleasure of the Lord to refine and to purify the remnant of His people, in order to cleanse their souls from sin, that they might see the kingdom of their messiah, that their sons and daughters might multiply, and prolong their days, and those that keep the law of the Lord shall prosper through His pleasure.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מֵעֲמַ֤ל | meamal | from [the] labor of | H5999 → | 55 times |
| נַפְשׁוֹ֙ | nafsho | self his | H5315 → | 754 times |
| יִרְאֶ֣ה | yireh | he will see | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| יִשְׂבָּ֔ע | yisba' | he will be satisfied | H7646 → | 97 times |
| בְּדַעְתּ֗וֹ | beda'to | by knowledge his | H1847 → | 92 times |
| יַצְדִּ֥יק | yatzdik | he will justify | H6663 → | 41 times |
| צַדִּ֛יק | tzadik | [the] righteous [one] | H6662 → | 206 times |
| עַבְדִּ֖י | ʾavdi | servant my | H5650 → | 799 times |
| לָֽרַבִּ֑ים | larabim | to <the> many [people] | H7227 → | 454 times |
| וַעֲוֹנֹתָ֖ם | vaavonotam | and iniquities their | H5771 → | 233 times |
| ה֥וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| יִסְבֹּֽל׃ | yisbol | he will bear | H5445 → | 9 times |
מֵעֲמַ֤לfrom [the] labor of
meamalH5999 →55 times
נַפְשׁוֹ֙self his
nafshoH5315 →754 times
יִרְאֶ֣הhe will see
yirehH7200 →1300 times
יִשְׂבָּ֔עhe will be satisfied
yisba'H7646 →97 times
בְּדַעְתּ֗וֹby knowledge his
beda'toH1847 →92 times
יַצְדִּ֥יקhe will justify
yatzdikH6663 →41 times
צַדִּ֛יק[the] righteous [one]
tzadikH6662 →206 times
עַבְדִּ֖יservant my
ʾavdiH5650 →799 times
לָֽרַבִּ֑יםto <the> many [people]
larabimH7227 →454 times
וַעֲוֹנֹתָ֖םand iniquities their
vaavonotamH5771 →233 times
ה֥וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
יִסְבֹּֽל׃he will bear
yisbolH5445 →9 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Peter 2:24He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”
it leads to
- Isaiah 53:4–6
Surely He took on our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken by God, struck down and afflicted.
- Matthew 8:17
This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took on our infirmities and carried our diseases.”
- Romans 6:11
So you too must count yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
- Revelation 22:2
down the middle of the main street of the city. On either side of the river stood a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh crop for each month.…
- 1 John 2:29
If you know that He is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him.
- Isaiah 53:4–6
Through
1 Peter 3:18For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit,
it leads to
- 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.
- 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…
- 2 Corinthians 5:21
God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
- Hebrews 9:28
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies11
On this verse
About Isaiah
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Apostolic Constitutions, CONSTITUTIONS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES 3:19; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3465: “The Suffering Christ Satisfied” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Clement of Rome, Clement's First Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 16; Cyril of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 5:1.53:11; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Chrysostom, DEMONSTRATION AGAINST THE PAGANS 4:12-13; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, AGAINST MARCION 3.19 and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.