Isaiah 53:12
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Because the servant gave himself unto death and interceded for sinners, God exalts him to share honor with the great, and he distributes his victory among those he saves.
Context
Divide a portion refers to the allotment of land or plunder in ancient Near Eastern warfare; the great and the strong are those who would normally claim the spoils; poured out his soul means to pour out the essence of oneself, total self-giving; intercession (paga) means to come between, to plead.
What Does Isaiah 53:12 Mean?
The poem ends with exaltation and reversal. The servant, who was despised and rejected, is now given a portion with the great. He, who possessed nothing, now divides the spoil with the strong. This is not the spoil of warfare or conquest, but the spoil of redemption: the souls saved, the hearts healed, the captives set free. He poured out his soul unto death, he held nothing back, and therefore he receives everything. He was numbered with transgressors, sharing their shame, so that they might share his glory. He bore the sin of many, absorbing it into his own sacrifice, so that many might live.
The final word is intercession. The servant does not merely accomplish redemption as a past event; he stands between God and sinners, pleading for them, making the case for their forgiveness. Even now, seated in glory, he speaks for us. We are never beyond the reach of his advocacy. This is the answer to the opening question: who has believed the report? All who have ever felt the touch of his mercy, all who have ever been held by his intercession, all whose sins have been borne by love rather than condemned by justice.
In the Original Language
paga (פגע), 'intercession/to encounter' -- to meet, to come between; used of stepping into another's path, of pleading or intervening
Application
Christ's work is not finished at the cross but continues in his intercession for us. We live under the shelter of his constant pleading with the Father on our behalf. This is the basis for our confidence: we are not alone or forgotten, but constantly remembered and advocated for by the one who loves us most.