In this verse the LORD tells how he will reward his servant and why he will do it. He will do it because his servant suffered for others.

This verse has exegetical problems that are similar to those in verses 10-11. Is the servant’s death real or metaphorical? If he really died, how can he share in the rewards of those who are great and powerful? The statements about his rewards in verses 10-12 seem to conflict with those about his death unless his death is a metaphor for suffering. The translation of this verse cannot be fully certain because of these exegetical problems as well as some grammatical ones. So we suggest that translators follow standard versions as their models. In translations that have footnotes it is important to note there that certain parts of the rendering are uncertain.

Therefore I will divide him a portion with the great: The conjunction Therefore links this verse as the result of the preceding line. God will honor his servant greatly, because he bears the sins of many people. I will divide him a portion means that God will assign something good to him. Revised Standard Version supplies the direct object a portion since it is implied by the Hebrew verb rendered divide, which can also mean “to assign” or “to share.” This same verb occurs in the next line with the spoil as its object. It is very likely that the spoil is implied in this line also. The Hebrew adjective rendered the great (rabbim) is the same one translated “many” in verse 11 and 52.14. This adjective can refer to greatness in number, as well as in power or honor. It is not certain which sense it has here. Some versions give it the meaning of “the many”; for example, New Jerusalem Bible renders this line as “Hence I shall give him a portion with the many.” For New Jerusalem Bible “the many” are those for whom the servant suffered. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh considers “the many” to be the object of the verb divide by saying “Assuredly, I will give him the many as his portion.” However, like Revised Standard Version, most versions view the adjective for the great as grammatically parallel to the strong in the next line (New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New International Version, Revised English Bible, Bible en français courant). The great are the important/powerful/influential people. The text does not identify who these people are. Translators may use the sense of “the many” or “the great” here.

And he shall divide the spoil with the strong uses military terms. The Hebrew noun for spoil refers to the rewards of a victorious army, plundering those they defeated (see the comments on 8.4 and 9.3). The strong refers to the victorious army, but the context gives no information concerning their identity, so it is as vague as the great in the previous line. It is likely that these are simply general expressions for what Good News Translation calls “the great and powerful.”

The first two lines of this verse are idiomatic language for the LORD greatly rewarding his servant. The idioms here may not be meaningful in many languages. Bible en français courant uses less figurative language by saying “That is why I place him on the level with the greatest, it is with the most powerful that he will divide the spoil” (similarly Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Good News Translation uses nonfigurative language: “And so I will give him a place of honor, a place among the great and powerful.” This is quite clear and may be a valid option in some languages.

Because he poured out his soul to death gives the reason why Yahweh will honor his servant. The Hebrew verb rendered poured out means to uncover something or to pour out the contents of a cup or pot. It is used here in the figurative expression he poured out his soul to death. Traditionally this expression has been understood to refer to the servant dying willingly. But many scholars question whether it means he actually died. Revised English Bible and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh say “he exposed himself to death” (similarly New Jerusalem Bible), which means he faced a life-threatening situation, but not that he died. New American Bible has “he surrendered himself to death,” which clearly implies that he died. Bible en français courant is similar with “he deprived himself until he died of it,” and so is Good News Translation with “He willingly gave his life.” Since the meaning of this figurative expression is unclear, translators may follow either the sense of exposing himself to death or the sense of dying willingly. For soul (nephesh in Hebrew), see 1.14 and 26.8.

And was numbered with the transgressors means the servant was treated in the same way as criminals. The Hebrew verb rendered was numbered has a passive form that can carry a reflexive sense, so this line may be translated “and he numbered himself as one of the transgressors,” which means he willingly let himself be treated as a criminal. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says “and he let himself be counted among the evildoers” (similarly Bible en français courant). Good News Translation uses an active verb, saying “and shared the fate of evil men.” The Hebrew word for transgressors comes from the same root as the one rendered “transgressions” in verse 5 (see the comments there). Transgressors are criminals who defy the law.

The last two lines of this verse begin with the common Hebrew connector (literally “and”), which Revised Standard Version renders yet (also New Revised Standard Version). New Jerusalem Bible and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh are similar with “whereas.” These versions see a contrast between these two lines and the previous one: the servant was treated as a sinner, but in reality he bore the sins of many people. Some versions treat this connector as a logical connector that introduces the reason why he was treated as a sinner; for example, New International Version and Revised English Bible use “For.” Good News Translation and Bible en français courant omit this connector, so they view the last two lines as giving more reasons for the LORD honoring the servant. We slightly prefer viewing this connector as a contrastive one.

He bore the sin of many: The Hebrew verb rendered bore is the same one translated “borne” in verse 4. The phrase “to bear sin” occurs frequently in Exodus and Leviticus and almost nowhere else; it usually refers to accepting responsibility for one’s own sin. By using this expression here, the LORD implies that his servant was treated as though he were being punished, like the transgressors, for his own sin, when in fact he was not. Most translations stay close to the Hebrew and speak of “bearing sin.” Bible en français courant (1997) chooses a more meaningful expression by rendering this line as “he took upon himself the sins of the human masses.” Good News Translation is rather free, saying “He took the place of many sinners.” Instead of sin, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “guilt” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says “punishment,” which are acceptable models (compare the comments on “iniquities” in verse 11). The Hebrew word for sin is singular in Masoretic Text, but Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends the plural “sins” (Bible en français courant). We prefer the singular, as in most versions. Many repeats the keyword from verse 11 and 52.14-15. Here it refers to all those for whom the servant suffered.

And made intercession for the transgressors means the servant spoke/pleaded on behalf of sinners (compare Jer 15.11). The text says he interceded for the sinners, but it does not say to whom he made the intercession. From the context we can assume he addressed it to Yahweh. In languages where the idea of intercession cannot be used except by making explicit all the actors involved (the one who intercedes, those on whose behalf intercession is made, and the person to whom the intercession is made), Yahweh can be identified as the person who receives the intercession. The Hebrew verb rendered made intercession for is in the imperfect form, so it has either a future or continuous sense. Like Revised Standard Version, most versions use past tense, but past continuous tense would be more accurate (so New Jerusalem Bible with “was … interceding for”). Future tense is also possible, but none of the versions consulted use it. There is a textual problem with the Hebrew word rendered the transgressors in Masoretic Text. Dead Sea Scrolls and some ancient versions have “their transgressions,” which Hebrew Old Testament Text Project prefers. New English Bible and New American Bible follow the reading in Dead Sea Scrolls, but most recent versions do not adopt it; for example, Bible en français courant and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch have “the guilty ones,” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “sinners,” and New Jerusalem Bible uses “the rebellious.” Translators may follow either reading. For this whole line Bible en français courant has “and he intervened in favor of the guilty ones” (similarly Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Good News Translation renders it freely, saying “and prayed that they [the sinners] might be forgiven.”

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• Therefore I will give him a share with the many,
he will receive spoils with the powerful;
because he exposed his life to the threat of death,
he was regarded as though he were a transgressor.
Yet he bore the sins of many,
making entreaty for their transgressions.

• So I will give him a share with the great,
he will receive a reward with the strong.
He exposed himself to death,
counting himself as one of the sinners,
but he bore the punishment for many,
interceding for the sinners.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .