Isaiah 53:11 - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Bible Comments

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.

Yah eh is still speaking Yahweh is still speaking.

He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied - He shall see the fruit of the travail of His soul, not a part of the travail of His soul; so the min (H4480) means in mee`ªmal (H5999). `Amal (H5998) does not refer to travail in childbirth, but the labour of the farmer, whence follows the gladdening harvest. He shall see such blessed fruits resulting from His sufferings (Matthew 26:38) as amply to repay Him for them (Isaiah 49:4-5; Isaiah 50:5; Isaiah 50:9). The 'satisfaction' in seeing the full fruit of His travail of soul in the conversion of Israel and the world is to be realized in the last days (Isaiah 2:2-4). The Hebrew for "shall be satisfied," yisbaa` (H7646), is, to be saturated; to be abundantly full.

By his knowledge - rather, by the knowledge (experimentally) of Him (John 17:3; Philippians 3:10).

Shall my righteous servant - `the righteous One, my Servant;' Messiah (Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 52:13).

Righteous - the ground on which He justifies others; His own righteousness (1 John 2:1).

Justify many - make many to be treated or accounted as if righteous, forensically, on the ground of His meritorious suffering and righteousness, not their righteousness. The Hiphil, or causative yatzeddiqu means makes righteous in the eye of the law, forensically, not referring to inherent moral improvement, but imputed righteousness. In Hebrew ( laarabiym (H7227)), the preposition lª- 'to' precedes "many," implying the actual communication of justification to believers. So Isaiah 14:3, Hebrew, 'My righteous Servant shall obtain justification for many.' [Compare with hitsediquw (H6663) tsªdaaqowt (H6666) the Greek New Testament terms, dikaiooo (G1344) dikaiosunee (G1343).] Isaiah 45:24; Jeremiah 23:6; Acts 13:38-39; Romans 3:21; Romans 3:28; Romans 4:5-8; Romans 4:25; Romans 5:16-19; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9.

For he shall bear their iniquities (Isaiah 53:4-5) - as the sinner's substitute.

Isaiah 53:11

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.