Isaiah 63
Expanded Bible
The Lord Judges His People
63 Who is this coming from Edom [34:5],
from the city of Bozrah, ·dressed in red [or in crimson-stained garments; C Edom means “red”]?
Who is this dressed in ·fine clothes [honorable clothing; or royal garments]
and marching forward with his great power?
He says, “I, the Lord, speak ·what is right [in righteousness].
I ·have the power [am mighty] to save you.”
2 Someone asks, “Why are your clothes bright red
as if you had ·walked [stomped; trodden] on the grapes to make wine?”
3 The Lord answers, “I have ·walked [stomped; trodden] in the winepress alone,
and no one among the nations ·helped [L was with] me.
I was angry and ·walked [stomped; trod] on the nations
and crushed them because of my anger.
Blood splashed on my clothes,
and I stained all my clothing.
4 ·I chose a time to punish people [L …for the day of vengeance was in my heart],
and the ·time [year] has come for me to ·save [redeem].
5 I looked around, but I saw no one to help me.
I was ·surprised [shocked; appalled] that no one supported me [59:16].
So ·I used my own power to save my people [L my own arm accomplished salvation/victory];
my own ·anger [wrath] ·supported [sustained; upheld] me.
6 While I was angry, I ·walked on the [trampled] nations.
In my ·anger [wrath] I ·punished them [made them drunk; 49:26; 51:23]
and poured their ·blood [L juice] on the ·ground [earth].”
The Lord’s Kindness to His People
7 I will tell about the Lord’s ·kindness [lovingkindness; loyalty; covenant love]
and praise him for everything he has done.
I will praise the Lord for the many good things he has given us
and for his goodness to the ·people [L house] of Israel.
·He has shown great mercy to us […according to his compassion]
and ·has been very kind to us [according to his great lovingkindness/loyalty/covenant love].
8 He said, “[L Surely] These are my people;
my children will not ·lie to [deal falsely with; betray] me.”
So he saved them.
9 When they ·suffered [were distressed/afflicted], he ·suffered [was distressed/afflicted] also.
·He sent his own angel to save them [L The angel/messenger of his presence/face saved them; Ex. 14:19].
Because of his love and kindness, he saved them.
·Since long ago [L All the days of old] he has ·picked [lifted] them up and carried them [Deut. 32:10–12].
10 But they ·turned [rebelled] against him [Ex. 15:24; Num. 14:11; Ps. 78:17]
and ·made his Holy Spirit very sad [grieved his Holy Spirit; Ps. 78:40].
So he became their enemy,
and he fought against them.
11 But then his people remembered ·what happened long ago [L the days of old],
in the days of Moses and the Israelites with him.
Where is the Lord who brought the people ·through [up out of] the sea [Ex. 14:19–22],
with the ·leaders of his people [L shepherds of the flock; C probably Moses, Aaron and the tribal leaders]?
Where is the one
who put his ·Holy Spirit [or holy spirit] among them,
12 who led Moses by the right hand
with his ·wonderful power [L glorious arm],
who divided the water before them [Ex. 14:21]
to make ·his name famous [a reputation/name for himself] forever,
13 who led the people through the ·deep waters [depths]?
Like a horse walking ·through a desert [in the wilderness],
the people did not stumble.
14 Like cattle that go down to the valley,
the Spirit of the Lord gave ·the people a place to rest [them rest].
Lord, that is the way you led your people,
and by this you ·won [made] for yourself ·wonderful fame [a glorious reputation/name].
A Prayer for Help
15 Lord, look down from the heavens and see;
look at us from your ·wonderful [glorious] and holy ·home [abode] in heaven.
Where is your ·strong love [zeal] and power?
Why are you ·keeping [holding back] your ·love [tenderness] and ·mercy [compassion] from us?
16 You are our father.
[L …though] Abraham doesn’t know ·we are his children [L us],
and Israel doesn’t recognize us.
Lord, you are our father.
·You are called [or Your name is] “·the one who has always saved us [our redeemer from of old].”
17 Lord, why are you making us wander from your ways?
Why do you make ·us stubborn [L our hearts hard] so that we don’t ·honor [fear] you?
For our sake come back to us,
your servants, ·who belong to you [L the tribes of your inheritance].
18 Your ·people [or holy people] had ·your Temple [possession of your holy place; or possession of a land] for a while,
but now our enemies have ·walked on your holy place and crushed it [trampled down your sanctuary].
19 We have become like people you never ruled over,
like those who have never ·worn [been called by] your name.
Isaiah 63
Amplified Bible
God’s Vengeance on the Nations
63 Who is this who comes from Edom,
With crimson-stained garments from Bozrah [in Edom],
This One (the Messiah) who is majestic in His apparel,
Marching in the greatness of His might?
“It is I, [the One] who speaks in righteousness [proclaiming vindication], mighty to save.”
2
Why is Your apparel red,
And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press?
3
“I have trodden the wine trough alone,
And of the peoples there was no one with Me.
I also trod them in My anger
And trampled them in My wrath;
And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments,
And I stained all My clothes.
4
“For the day of vengeance [against ungodliness] was in My heart,
And My year of redemption [of those who put their trust in Me—the year of My redeemed] has come.
5
“I looked, but there was no one to help,
And I was amazed and appalled that there was no one to uphold [truth and right].
So My own arm brought salvation to Me,
And My wrath sustained Me.
6
“I trampled the peoples in My anger
And made them drunk with [the cup of] My wrath,
And I spilled their lifeblood on the earth.”
God’s Ancient Mercies Recalled
7
I will tell of the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
According to all that the Lord has done for us,
And His great goodness toward the house of Israel,
Which He has shown them according to His compassion
And according to the abundance of His lovingkindnesses.
8
For He said, “Be assured, they are My people,
Sons who will not be faithless.”
So He became their Savior [in all their distresses].
9
In all their distress He was distressed,
And the [a]angel of His presence saved them,
In His love and in His compassion He redeemed them;
And He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.(A)
10
But they rebelled
And grieved His Holy Spirit;
Therefore He changed into their enemy,
And He fought against them.
11
Then His people remembered the days of old, of Moses [and they said],
Where is He who brought our fathers up out of the [Red] Sea, with the shepherds of His flock [Moses and Aaron]?
Where is He who put His Holy Spirit in their midst,
12
Who caused His glorious arm and infinite power to go at the right hand of Moses,
Dividing the waters before them to make for Himself an everlasting name,
13
Who led them through the depths [of the Red Sea],
Like a horse in the wilderness, [so that] they did not stumble?
14
Like the cattle that go down into the valley [to find better pasture and rest],
The Spirit of the Lord gave them rest.
So You led Your people [O Lord]
To make for Yourself a beautiful and glorious name [preparing the way for the acknowledgment of Your name by all nations].
“You Are Our Father”
15
Look down from heaven and see from Your lofty dwelling place, holy and glorious.
Where are Your zeal and Your mighty acts [Your miracles which you did for Your people]?
The stirring of Your heart and Your compassion are restrained and withheld from me.
16
For [most certainly] You are our Father, even though Abraham [our ancestor] does not know us
And Israel does not acknowledge us.
You, O Lord, are [still] our Father,
Our Redeemer from everlasting is Your name.
17
O Lord, why do You cause us to stray from Your ways
And harden our heart from fearing You [with reverence and awe]?
Return for Your servants’ sake, the tribes of Your heritage.
18
Your holy people possessed Your sanctuary for [only] a little while;
Our adversaries have trampled it down.
19
We have become like those over whom You have never ruled,
Like those who were not called by Your name.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 63:9 See note Gen 16:7.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
