Isaiah 53:11
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Near the close of Isaiah 53, this verse shifts from describing the servant's suffering to declaring its purpose and its successful outcome for many.
What Does Isaiah 53:11 Mean?
Isaiah 53:11 promises that the servant's suffering will not be in vain but will result in many being justified. After the dark description of his anguish and death, the tone turns to hope and vindication. He will "see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied" -- the labor and pain will yield an outcome that fulfills him. Suffering gives way to satisfaction, implying that the servant lives to see the fruit of what he endured.
The verse then states the heart of his accomplishment: "by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many." The righteous one makes others righteous; the just servant brings the unjust into a right standing. And the means is stated plainly: "for he shall bear their iniquities." His bearing of guilt is what justifies the many. Here the suffering of the chapter reaches its purpose -- not tragedy alone, but a deliberate exchange that benefits a great multitude. The New Testament builds its understanding of justification on this very pattern, fulfilled in Christ. Even read in its own light, the verse offers the comfort that the servant's pain accomplishes a saving result, and that those who could not justify themselves are justified through him.
In the Original Language
The Hebrew tsadaq in its causative form means to declare or make righteous, to justify; 'amal means toil, labor, or travail, the painful effort the servant endures.
Cross References
“For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”
- Romans 5:19
“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
- Isaiah 53:6
“Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”
- Romans 4:25
Application
Find assurance that the servant's suffering accomplished a saving purpose, justifying many who could never make themselves righteous before God.