Tag Archives: Isaiah 53:12

The Victory of the Suffering Servant: Verb Patterns and Poetic Syntax in Isaiah 53:12

Isaiah 53:12 לָכֵ֞ן אֲחַלֶּק־לֹ֣ו בָרַבִּ֗ים וְאֶת־עֲצוּמִים֮ יְחַלֵּ֣ק שָׁלָל֒ תַּ֗חַת אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֶעֱרָ֤ה לַמָּ֨וֶת֙ נַפְשֹׁ֔ו וְאֶת־פֹּשְׁעִ֖ים נִמְנָ֑ה וְהוּא֙ חֵטְא־רַבִּ֣ים נָשָׂ֔א וְלַפֹּשְׁעִ֖ים יַפְגִּֽיעַ Focus on the Cohortative and Imperfect: אֲחַלֶּק and יְחַלֵּק The verse begins with אֲחַלֶּק, a cohortative form of the root ח־ל־ק (“to divide,” “to apportion”), conveying volition or resolve — “I will apportion.” This form expresses divine intent. The verb יְחַלֵּק (same root) is a piel imperfect 3ms and shifts the focus to the Servant’s role in distributing the spoils, a poetic inversion of earlier suffering.… Learn Hebrew
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