48:15 I, I have spoken –
yes, I have summoned him;
I lead him and he will succeed. 1
53:10 Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill,
once restitution is made, 2
he will see descendants and enjoy long life, 3
and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him.
54:17 No weapon forged to be used against you will succeed;
you will refute everyone who tries to accuse you. 4
This is what the Lord will do for his servants –
I will vindicate them,” 5
says the Lord.
55:11 In the same way, the promise that I make
does not return to me, having accomplished nothing. 6
No, it is realized as I desire
and is fulfilled as I intend.” 7
1 tn Heb “and his way will be prosperous.”
2 tn The meaning of this line is uncertain. It reads literally, “if you/she makes, a reparation offering, his life.” The verb תָּשִׂים (tasim) could be second masculine singular,in which case it would have to be addressed to the servant or to God. However, the servant is only addressed once in this servant song (see 52:14a), and God either speaks or is spoken about in this servant song; he is never addressed. Furthermore, the idea of God himself making a reparation offering is odd. If the verb is taken as third feminine singular, then the feminine noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) at the end of the line is the likely subject. In this case one can take the suffixed form of the noun as equivalent to a pronoun and translate, “if he [literally, “his life”] makes a reparation offering.”
3 sn The idiomatic and stereotypical language emphasizes the servant’s restoration to divine favor. Having numerous descendants and living a long life are standard signs of divine blessing. See Job 42:13-16.
3 tn Heb “and every tongue that rises up for judgment with you will prove to be guilty.”
4 tn Heb “this is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication from me.”
4 tn Heb “so is the word which goes out from my mouth, it does not return to empty.” “Word” refers here to divine promises, like the ones made just prior to and after this (see vv. 7b, 12-13).
5 tn Heb “but it accomplishes what I desire, and succeeds [on the mission] which I send it.”