Isaiah 53:10-11
Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse reveals that the "pleasure of the LORD" (God's good will and plan) is not merely allowed to succeed through the suffering servant, but it actively "shall prosper in his hand." This highlights the servant's active role and divinely appointed authority in bringing about God's redemptive purposes, not just as a passive victim, but as the empowered agent through whom salvation is accomplished.
This passage marks a turning point in the prophecy, moving from the suffering servant's affliction to the ultimate purpose and triumph that arises from it. It explains that despite the immense pain and grief inflicted upon him, it was God's will for the servant to become a sacrifice for sin. Because of this ultimate atonement, the servant will see a spiritual offspring, live eternally, and God's plan of salvation will be fulfilled through him.
The passage states that God willed the Servant to be crushed and put to grief. This might sound harsh, but it reveals a deeper divine purpose.
Isaiah 53:10 begins with a profound statement: 'Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief.' This wasn't a tragic accident or a failure of God's plan. Instead, it was God's sovereign decision.
A Necessary Sacrifice
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Isaiah 53:10-11 is available in the Sola app.
The verse transitions from suffering to assurance: when the Servant's 'soul makes an offering for guilt,' He will see a reward. What is this sacrifice, and what is its guaranteed outcome?
Isaiah 53:10b speaks of the moment the Servant's 'soul makes an offering for guilt.' This phrase points to the atoning, substitutionary nature of His death.
The Meaning of the Offering
The Guaranteed Outcome
The verse assures us of the Servant's vindication and the success of His mission:
Understand the original words
ʾāšām · Hebrew Noun
A specific category of Old Testament sacrifice offered to make reparation for sins committed against God or others, requiring restitution and blood atonement.
ḥēpeṣ · Hebrew Noun
The purpose, desire, or intentional choice of God. It signifies His sovereign plan for history and redemption, which remains unthwarted by human action.
amal · Hebrew Noun
Extreme mental, emotional, or physical distress, often associated with travail or labor; it signifies the profound suffering experienced, particularly in the context of the Servant’s redemptive work.
tsaddiq · Hebrew Adjective
A person who conforms to the standard of God's law and character; in the context of the Servant, it refers to his absolute moral perfection and his unique status as the only one capable of justifying others.
ebed · Hebrew Noun
A term used for a dedicated agent or minister of God; it emphasizes the Servant's humble obedience and active role in fulfilling the Father's redemptive purpose.
tsadaq · Hebrew Verb
To be declared or reckoned as righteous in a legal or moral sense; it involves being acquitted of guilt and brought into a right relationship with God through faith or the work of the Mediator.
avon · Hebrew Noun
A deviation from God's standard, an act of rebellion, or moral perversity; it carries the weight of guilt and the resulting consequences of sin that require atonement.
sabal · Hebrew Verb
To carry, lift up, or take away the burden of sin or punishment; in the context of the Servant, it refers to the substitutionary atonement where he takes upon himself the penalty due to others.
This verse, written centuries before Jesus, uses the language of Israelite sacrifice to describe the suffering servant's atoning death and ultimate triumph. Its historical context lies in the prophetic pronouncements of judgment and future hope for Israel, later reinterpreted by Christians as a detailed foretelling of the Messiah's work.
c. 740 BC— this verse
Isaiah's Prophecy Given
Isaiah delivers prophecies during a time of Assyrian expansion and internal division in Israel and Judah, foretelling future judgment and eventual restoration.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonians conquer Judah, destroy Jerusalem and Solomon's Temple, and exile much of the population, fulfilling earlier prophecies of judgment.
c. 539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers the Babylonian Empire, allowing Jewish exiles to return to Judah and begin rebuilding the Temple.
c. 4 BC - AD 30/33
Life and Ministry of Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth lives, teaches, and performs miracles, culminating in his crucifixion and resurrection, seen by Christians as the fulfillment of prophecies like Isaiah 53.
c. AD 30-60
Early Church Growth
The message of Jesus's death and resurrection spreads rapidly through the Roman Empire, forming new communities of believers.
This psalm is a profound cry of suffering and abandonment, directly anticipating the themes of Christ's passion and prayerful endurance found in Isaiah 53, especially its focus on God's will in suffering.
Luke 23:44-46This passage describes the moment of Jesus' death on the cross, echoing the 'crushing' and 'grief' mentioned in Isaiah 53:10, and framing it as the ultimate act of surrender into God's hands.
Romans 5:8Paul highlights the immense love of God demonstrated by Christ's death for us while we were still sinners, which directly connects to the idea in Isaiah 53:10 that God's will in crushing His Son leads to reconciliation and salvation.
Philippians 2:5-11This passage describes Christ's humility and suffering as a voluntary act, leading to His exaltation, mirroring Isaiah 53:10's promise that the crushed servant will see His offspring and prosper.
Hebrews 10:12-14This text explains Christ's one sacrifice for sins as a finished work that makes perfect those who are being sanctified, directly illuminating the concept of His 'soul making an offering for guilt' in Isaiah 53:10 and its lasting impact.
wesleyIsaiah 53:10: "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand."
53:10 He - God was the principal cause of all his sufferings, tho' mens sins were the deserving cause. When - When thou, O God, shalt have made, thy son a sacrifice, by giving him up to death for the atonement of mens sins. His soul is here put for his life, or…
clarkeIsaiah 53:10: "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand."
To grief "With affliction" - For החלי hecheli, the verb, the construction of which seems to be hard and inelegant in this place, the Vulgate reads בחלי bocholi, in infirmitate, "with infirmity." When thou shalt make his soul "If his soul shall make" - For תשי…
The verse reveals that the "pleasure of the LORD" (God's good will and plan) is not merely allowed to succeed through the suffering servant, but it actively "shall prosper in his hand." This highlights the servant's active role and divinely appointed authority in bringing about God's redemptive purposes, not just as a passive victim, but as the empowered agent through whom salvation is accomplished.
This passage marks a turning point in the prophecy, moving from the suffering servant's affliction to the ultimate purpose and triumph that arises from it. It explains that despite the immense pain and grief inflicted upon him, it was God's will for the servant to become a sacrifice for sin. Because of this ultimate atonement, the servant will see a spiritual offspring, live eternally, and God's plan of salvation will be fulfilled through him.
This passage marks a turning point in the prophecy, moving from the suffering servant's affliction to the ultimate purpose and triumph that arises from it. It explains that despite the immense pain and grief inflicted upon him, it was God's will for the servant to become a sacrifice for sin. Because of this ultimate atonement, the servant will see a spiritual offspring, live eternally, and God's plan of salvation will be fulfilled through him.
"Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand…" — The verse reveals that the "pleasure of the LORD" (God's good will and plan) is not merely allowed to succeed through the suffering servant, but it actively "shall prosper in his hand." This high…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
