He Shall Divide the Spoil with the Strong
Howard Crosby, LL.D. Isaiah 53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong… This is generally interpreted as picturing a conqueror sharing with other fellow-conquerors in the booty of the conquered. But could that figure have any analogy in Christ's triumph" Who could be His fellow-conquerors? What could be the booty of His conquered ones? Much better is it to consider "the strong," or the "mighty ones," to represent the powers of darkness, who have made spoil of the human race, and the division of the spell with them by Messiah to be the rescue of souls from their grasp. The "many" (ver. 11) whom He saves will then be the spoil He snatches from the great enemy, and we can read the whole passage: "By the knowledge of Him shall My righteous Servant give righteousness to many, and He Himself shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide Him the many as His portion, and he shall divide the spoil with the mighty ones." This allusion to the powers of evil gives completeness to the prophetic description. The humble birth, unattractive position in society, and unfavoured career through life, are given in vers. 2, 3. His partnership with distress and His own sufferings are exhibited in vers. 4, 5, 6. His meekness is portrayed in ver. 7. Then comes the apparent failure of His life, followed by its complete triumph in saving souls. We need a word regarding the enemy triumphed over to make the wonderful prophetic sketch complete. (Howard Crosby, LL.D.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. WEB: Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.