Isaiah 63
63
1Who is this coming from Edom, from the town of Bozrah#63:1. Bozrah was an important Edomite town. with clothes stained crimson? Who is this wearing robes of splendor, leaning forward in his great strength as he marches?#63:1. Once again, quotation marks are avoided in translating the books of the prophets due to the problems of deciding which are the prophet's own words and which are the Lord's. Since the prophets were speaking for the Lord, the distinction is a minor one. In this passage where there appears to be a dialogue going on, the change in speaker is represented by a new paragraph.
It is me, the one who always speaks goodness and truth, the one who has the power to save.
2Why are your clothes red, like you've been treading grapes in a winepress?
3I've been treading the winepress by myself; from the nations around no one came to help me. So in my anger I trod them down as if they were grapes, in my fury I trampled them. It's their blood that has stained my clothes. 4For I decided this was the day of my vengeance; the year of my redemption has come. 5I looked around, but no one came to help; I was shocked that there was no one to assist me. So I saved them through my own strength alone, and my own anger kept me going. 6I trampled down the nations in my anger; in my fury I made them drunk, and spilled their blood upon the ground.
7I want to tell everyone about the Lord's trustworthy love. I will praise the Lord for everything he's done for us—all the good things he has done for the descendants of Israel because of his kindness and his infinite trustworthy love. 8He said, “Aren't they my people, children who wouldn't lie to me?” So he became their Savior. 9He suffered with them in all their suffering, and the angel of his presence#63:9. “The angel of his presence”: the exact implications of this phrase have been debated so is left as usually translated. Angel means messenger. In whatever case, it is God who is the “agent of salvation.” saved them. In his love and kindness he redeemed them. He picked them up and carried them all throughout those years long ago. 10But they rebelled against him, and caused his Holy Spirit grief, so to them he became like an enemy and he fought against them.
11Then they#63:11. “They”: the Hebrew text reads “he” at this point, and so could refer to the Lord. However, in the context of what follows, it is more likely that this refers to the Israelites. thought back to the days of old when Moses led his people out of Egypt. They shouted out, “Where is the one who took Israel through the sea, along with the shepherds of his flock? Where is the one who placed his Holy Spirit among his people? 12Where is the one who lifted Moses' right hand, and who used his amazing power to divide the sea in front of them, giving him such a wonderful, enduring reputation? 13Where is the one who led them through the depths of the sea?” They were like a horse running through the desert, they didn't stumble. 14Like cattle descending into a valley, the Lord's Spirit gave them rest. This is how you led your people, earning a glorious reputation for yourself.
15Lord, look down on us from heaven! Watch from your high home, in your holiness and glory! Where is your enthusiasm and power? You're not showing me your feelings of sympathy and kindness! 16But you are still our Father, even though Abraham wouldn't know us and Israel wouldn't acknowledge us. You, Lord, are our Father; you have always been called our Redeemer from long ago. 17Lord, why do you make us wander from your ways, and make us stubborn so we don't respect you? Come back to us for the sake of your servants, the tribes that belong to you. 18Your Temple belonged to us for a little while, but then our enemies invaded and destroyed it. 19We were yours from ancient times, but we've ended up like people you've never ruled, never identified as yours.
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
Isaiah 63
63
The Lord’s Day of Vengeance
1Who is this coming from Edom#Ps 137:7; Is 34:5–6; Ezk 25:12–14; 35:1–15; Ob 1–14; Mal 1:2–5
in crimson-stained garments from Bozrah —
this one who is splendid in his apparel,
striding in his formidable#63:1 Syr, Vg read apparel, striding forward in might?
It is I, proclaiming vindication,#63:1 Or righteousness
powerful to save.
2Why are your clothes red,
and your garments like one who treads a winepress?#Rv 19:13–15
3I trampled the winepress alone,
and no one from the nations was with me.
I trampled them in my anger
and ground them underfoot in my fury;
their blood spattered my garments,
and all my clothes were stained.
4For I planned the day of vengeance,#Is 34:8; 61:2; Jr 46:10
and the year of my redemption#63:4 Or blood retribution came.
5I looked, but there was no one to help,#Is 59:16
and I was amazed that no one assisted;
so my arm accomplished victory for me,
and my wrath assisted me.
6I crushed nations in my anger;
I made them drunk with my wrath#Is 29:9; 51:17; Jr 51:39
and poured out their blood on the ground.#Rv 14:20
Remembrance of Grace
7I will make known the Lord’s faithful love
and the Lord’s praiseworthy acts,
because of all the Lord has done for us —
even the many good things
he has done for the house of Israel,
which he did for them based on his compassion
and the abundance of his faithful love.
8He said, “They are indeed my people,
children who will not be disloyal,”
and he became their Savior.
9In all their suffering, he suffered,#63:9 Alt Hb tradition reads did not suffer#Jdg 10:16
and the angel of his presence saved them.
He redeemed them
because of his love and compassion;#Dt 7:7–8
he lifted them up and carried them
all the days of the past.#Dt 1:31; 32:10–12; Is 46:3
10But they rebelled
and grieved his Holy Spirit.#Ps 51:11; 78:40; 106:33; Is 48:16; Ac 7:51; Eph 4:30
So he became their enemy
and fought against them.
11Then he#63:11 Or they remembered the days of the past,
the days of Moses and his people.
Where is he who brought them out of the sea
with the shepherds#63:11 LXX, Tg, Syr read shepherd of his flock?
Where is he who put his Holy Spirit among the flock?
12He made his glorious strength
available at the right hand of Moses,
divided the water before them#Ex 14:21; Ps 74:13
to make an eternal name for himself,
13and led them through the depths
like a horse in the wilderness,
so that they did not stumble.
14Like cattle that go down into the valley,
the Spirit of the Lord gave them#63:14 Lit him rest.
You led your people this way
to make a glorious name for yourself.
Israel’s Prayer
15Look down from heaven and see#Dt 26:15; Ps 80:14
from your lofty home — holy and beautiful.
Where is your zeal and your might?
Your yearning#63:15 Lit The agitation of your inward parts and your compassion
are withheld from me.
16Yet you are our Father,
even though Abraham does not know us
and Israel doesn’t recognize us.
You, Lord, are our Father;
your name is Our Redeemer#Is 41:14; 43:14
from Ancient Times.
17Why, Lord, do you make us stray from your ways?
You harden our hearts so we do not fear#63:17 Lit our heart from fearing you.#Is 6:10
Return, because of your servants,
the tribes of your heritage.
18Your holy people had a possession#63:18 Or Your people possessed your holy place
for a little while,
but our enemies have trampled down
your sanctuary.#Ps 74:3–7; Is 64:11
19We have become like those you never ruled,
like those who did not bear your name.#Dt 28:10; Is 43:7; 65:1
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