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 Victory over the Nations
1 #
Is 34.5-17; Jr 49.7-22; Ez 25.12-14; 35.1-15; Am 1.11,12; Ob 1-14; Ml 1.2-5. Who is this coming
from Bozrah#63.1 Bozrah: The main city of Edom. in Edom
with clothes stained red?
Who is this hero marching
in his glorious uniform?
“It's me, the Lord!
I have won the battle,
and I can save you!”
2What are those red spots?
Your clothes look stained
from trampling on grapes.#63.2 trampling on grapes: This is one way that grapes were crushed to make them into juice.
3 #
Rev 14.20; 19.15;
Rev 19.13. “I alone trampled the grapes!
None of the nations helped.
I trampled nations in my anger
and stained my clothes
with their blood.
4I did this because I wanted
to take revenge—
the time had come
to rescue my people.
5 #
Is 59.16. No one was there to help me
or to give support;
my mighty arm won the battle,
strengthened by my anger.
6In my fury I trampled on nations
and made them drunk;
their blood poured out
everywhere on earth.”
The Lord's Goodness to His People
7I will tell about the kind deeds
the Lord has done.
They deserve praise!
The Lord has shown mercy
to the people of Israel;
he has been kind and good.
8The Lord rescued his people,
and said, “They are mine.
They won't betray me.”
9It troubled the Lord
to see them in trouble,
and his angel saved them.#63.9 It … them: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
The Lord was truly merciful,
so he rescued his people.
He took them in his arms
and carried them all those years.
10Then the Lord's people
turned against him and made
his Holy Spirit sad.
So he became their enemy
and attacked them.
11But his people remembered
what had happened
during the time of Moses.#63.11 But … Moses: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Didn't the Lord#63.11 the Lord: Or “Moses.” bring them
and their leaders
safely through the sea?
Didn't he#63.11 he: Or “Moses.” give them
his Holy Spirit?
12 #
Ex 14.21. The glorious power of the Lord
marched beside Moses.
The Lord will be praised forever
for dividing the sea.
13He led his people across
like horses running wild
without stumbling.
14His Spirit gave them rest,
just as cattle find rest
when led into a valley.#63.14 His … valley: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
The name of the Lord was praised
for doing these things.
A Prayer for Mercy and Help
15Please, Lord, look down
from your holy and glorious
home in the heavens
and see what's going on.
Have you lost interest?
Where is your power?
Show that you care about us#63.15 us: Hebrew “me.”
and have mercy!
16 #
3 Macc 2.21,22. Our ancestors Abraham and Jacob
have both rejected us.
But you are still our Father;
you have been our protector
since ancient times.
17Why did you make us turn away
from you, our Lord?
Why did you make us want
to disobey you?
Please change your mind!
We are your servants,
your very own people.
18For a little while,
your temple belonged to us;#63.18 For … us: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
and now our enemies
have torn it down.
19We act as though you
had never ruled us
or called us your people.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
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