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The Victorious Divine Warrior

63 Who is this who comes from Edom,[a]
dressed in bright red, coming from Bozrah?[b]
Who[c] is this one wearing royal attire,[d]
who marches confidently[e] because of his great strength?
“It is I, the one who announces vindication,
and who is able to deliver!”[f]
Why are your clothes red?
Why do you look like someone who has stomped on grapes in a vat?[g]
“I have stomped grapes in the winepress all by myself;
no one from the nations joined me.
I stomped on them[h] in my anger;
I trampled them down in my rage.
Their juice splashed on my garments,
and stained[i] all my clothes.
For I looked forward to the day of vengeance,
and then payback time arrived.[j]
I looked, but there was no one to help;
I was shocked because there was no one offering support.[k]
So my right arm accomplished deliverance;
my raging anger drove me on.[l]
I trampled nations in my anger;
I made them drunk[m] in my rage;
I splashed their blood on the ground.”[n]

A Prayer for Divine Intervention

I will tell of the faithful acts of the Lord,
of the Lord’s praiseworthy deeds.
I will tell about all[o] the Lord did for us,
the many good things he did for the family of Israel,[p]
because of[q] his compassion and great faithfulness.
He said, “Certainly they will be my people,
children who are not disloyal.”[r]
He became their deliverer.
Through all that they suffered, he suffered too.[s]
The messenger sent from his very presence[t] delivered them.
In his love and mercy he protected[u] them;
he lifted them up and carried them throughout ancient times.[v]
10 But they rebelled and offended[w] his holy Spirit,[x]
so he turned into an enemy
and fought against them.
11 His people remembered the ancient times.[y]
Where is the one who brought them up out of the sea,
along with the shepherd of[z] his flock?
Where is the one who placed his holy Spirit among them,[aa]
12 the one who made his majestic power available to Moses,[ab]
who divided the water before them,
gaining for himself a lasting reputation,[ac]
13 who led them through the deep water?
Like a horse running through the wilderness[ad] they did not stumble.
14 As an animal that goes down into a valley to graze,[ae]
so the Spirit of the Lord granted them rest.
In this way[af] you guided your people,
gaining for yourself an honored reputation.[ag]
15 Look down from heaven and take notice,
from your holy, majestic palace!
Where are your zeal[ah] and power?
Do not hold back your tender compassion![ai]
16 For you are our father,
though Abraham does not know us
and Israel does not recognize us.
You, Lord, are our father;
you have been called our Protector from ancient times.[aj]
17 Why, Lord, do you make us stray[ak] from your ways,[al]
and make our minds stubborn so that we do not obey you?[am]
Return for the sake of your servants,
the tribes of your inheritance!
18 For a short time your special[an] nation possessed a land,[ao]
but then our adversaries knocked down[ap] your holy sanctuary.
19 We existed from ancient times,[aq]
but you did not rule over them;
they were not your subjects.[ar]

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 63:1 sn Edom is here an archetype for the Lord’s enemies. See 34:5.
  2. Isaiah 63:1 tn Heb “[in] bright red garments, from Bozrah.”
  3. Isaiah 63:1 tn The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis; note the first line of the verse.
  4. Isaiah 63:1 tn Heb “honored in his clothing”; KJV, ASV “glorious in his apparel.”
  5. Isaiah 63:1 tc The Hebrew text has צָעָה (tsaʿah), which means “stoop, bend” (51:14). The translation assumes an emendation to צָעַד (tsaʿad, “march”; see BDB 858 s.v. צָעָה).
  6. Isaiah 63:1 tn Heb “I, [the one] speaking in vindication [or “righteousness”], great to deliver.”
  7. Isaiah 63:2 tn Heb “and your garments like one who treads in a vat?”
  8. Isaiah 63:3 sn Nations, headed by Edom, are the object of the Lord’s anger (see v. 6). He compares military slaughter to stomping on grapes in a vat.
  9. Isaiah 63:3 tn Heb “and I stained.” For discussion of the difficult verb form, see HALOT 170 s.v. II גאל. Perhaps the form is mixed, combining the first person forms of the imperfect (note the alef prefix) and perfect (note the תי- ending).
  10. Isaiah 63:4 tn Heb “for the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my revenge came.” The term גְּאוּלַי (geʾulay) is sometimes translated here “my redemption,” for the verbal root גאל often means “deliver, buy back.” A גֹּאֵל (goʾel, “kinsman-redeemer”) was responsible for protecting the extended family’s interests, often by redeeming property that had been sold outside the family. However, the responsibilities of a גֹּאֵל extended beyond financial concerns. He was also responsible for avenging the shed blood of a family member (see Num 35:19-27; Deut 19:6-12). In Isa 63:4, where vengeance is a prominent theme (note the previous line), it is probably this function of the family protector that is in view. The Lord pictures himself as a blood avenger who waits for the day of vengeance to arrive and then springs into action.
  11. Isaiah 63:5 sn See Isa 59:16 for similar language.
  12. Isaiah 63:5 tn Heb “and my anger, it supported me”; NIV “my own wrath sustained me.”
  13. Isaiah 63:6 sn See Isa 49:26 and 51:23 for similar imagery.
  14. Isaiah 63:6 tn Heb “and I brought down to the ground their juice.” “Juice” refers to their blood (see v. 3).
  15. Isaiah 63:7 tn Heb “according to all which.”
  16. Isaiah 63:7 tn Heb “greatness of goodness to the house of Israel which he did for them.”
  17. Isaiah 63:7 tn Heb “according to.”
  18. Isaiah 63:8 tn Heb “children [who] do not act deceitfully.” Here the verb refers to covenantal loyalty.
  19. Isaiah 63:9 tn Heb “in all their distress, there was distress to him” (reading לוֹ [lo] with the margin/Qere).
  20. Isaiah 63:9 tn Heb “the messenger [or “angel”] of his face”; NIV “the angel of his presence.”sn This may refer to the “angel of God” mentioned in Exod 14:19, who in turn may be identical to the divine “presence” (literally, “face”) referred to in Exod 33:14-15 and Deut 4:37. Here in Isa 63 this messenger may be equated with God’s “holy Spirit” (see vv. 10-11) and “the Spirit of the Lord” (v. 14). See also Ps 139:7, where God’s “Spirit” seems to be equated with his “presence” (literally, “face”) in the synonymous parallelistic structure.
  21. Isaiah 63:9 tn Or “redeemed” (KJV, NAB, NIV), or “delivered.”
  22. Isaiah 63:9 tn Heb “all the days of antiquity”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “days of old.”
  23. Isaiah 63:10 tn Or “grieved, hurt the feelings of.”
  24. Isaiah 63:10 sn The phrase “holy Spirit” occurs in the OT only here (in v. 11 as well) and in Ps 51:11 (51:13 HT), where it is associated with the divine presence.
  25. Isaiah 63:11 tn Heb “and he remembered the days of antiquity, Moses, his people.” The syntax of the statement is unclear. The translation assumes that “his people” is the subject of the verb “remembered.” If original, “Moses” is in apposition to “the days of antiquity,” more precisely identifying the time period referred to. However, the syntactical awkwardness suggests that “Moses” may have been an early marginal note (perhaps identifying “the shepherd of his flock” two lines later) that has worked its way into the text.
  26. Isaiah 63:11 tn The Hebrew text has a plural form, which if retained and taken as a numerical plural, would probably refer to Moses, Aaron, and the Israelite tribal leaders at the time of the Exodus. Most prefer to emend the form to the singular (רָעָה, raʿah) and understand this as a reference just to Moses.
  27. Isaiah 63:11 sn See the note at v. 10.
  28. Isaiah 63:12 tn Heb “who caused to go at the right hand of Moses the arm of his splendor.”
  29. Isaiah 63:12 tn Heb “making for himself a lasting name.”
  30. Isaiah 63:13 tn Heb “in the desert [or “steppe”].”
  31. Isaiah 63:14 tn The words “to graze” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
  32. Isaiah 63:14 tn Or “so” (KJV, ASV), or “thus” (NAB, NRSV).
  33. Isaiah 63:14 tn Heb “making for yourself a majestic name.”
  34. Isaiah 63:15 tn This probably refers to his zeal for his people, which motivates him to angrily strike out against their enemies.
  35. Isaiah 63:15 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “the agitation of your intestines and your compassion to me they are held back.” The phrase “agitation of your intestines” is metonymic, referring to the way in which one’s nervous system reacts when one feels pity and compassion toward another. אֵלַי (ʾelay, “to me”) is awkward in this context, where the speaker represents the nation and, following the introduction (see v. 7), utilizes first person plural forms. The translation assumes an emendation to the negative particle אַל (ʾal). This also necessitates emending the following verb form (which is a plural perfect) to a singular jussive (תִתְאַפָּק, titʾappaq). The Hitpael of אָפַק (ʾafaq) also occurs in 42:14.
  36. Isaiah 63:16 tn Heb “our protector [or “redeemer”] from antiquity [is] your name.”
  37. Isaiah 63:17 tn Some suggest a tolerative use of the Hiphil here, “[why do] you allow us to stray?” (cf. NLT). Though the Hiphil of תָעָה (taʿah) appears to be tolerative in Jer 50:6, elsewhere it is preferable or necessary to take it as causative. See Isa 3:12; 9:15; and 30:28, as well as Gen 20:13; 2 Kgs 21:9; Job 12:24-25; Prov 12:26; Jer 23:13, 32; Hos 4:12; Amos 2:4; Mic 3:5.
  38. Isaiah 63:17 tn This probably refers to God’s commands.
  39. Isaiah 63:17 tn Heb “[Why do] you harden our heart[s] so as not to fear you.” The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).sn How direct this hardening is, one cannot be sure. The speaker may envision direct involvement on the Lord’s part. The Lord has brought the exile as judgment for the nation’s sin and now he continues to keep them at arm’s length by blinding them spiritually. The second half of 64:7 might support this, though the precise reading of the final verb is uncertain. On the other hand, the idiom of lament is sometimes ironic and hyperbolically deterministic. For example, Naomi lamented that Shaddai was directly opposing her and bringing her calamity (Ruth 1:20-21), while the author of Ps 88 directly attributes his horrible suffering and loneliness to God (see especially vv. 6-8, 16-18). Both individuals make little, if any, room for intermediate causes or the principle of sin and death which ravages the human race. In the same way, the speaker in Isa 63:17 (who evidences great spiritual sensitivity and is anything but “hardened”) may be referring to the hardships of exile, which discouraged and even embittered the people, causing many of them to retreat from their Yahwistic faith. In this case, the “hardening” in view is more indirect and can be lifted by the Lord’s intervention. Whether the hardening here is indirect or direct, it is important to recognize that the speaker sees it as one of the effects of rebellion against the Lord (note especially 64:5-6).
  40. Isaiah 63:18 tn Or “holy” (ASV, NASB, NRSV, TEV, NLT).
  41. Isaiah 63:18 tn Heb “for a short time they had a possession, the people of your holiness.”
  42. Isaiah 63:18 tn Heb “your adversaries trampled on.”
  43. Isaiah 63:19 tn Heb “we were from antiquity” (see v. 16). The collocation of הָיָה, מִן, and עוֹלָם (hayah, min, and ʿolam) occurs only here.
  44. Isaiah 63:19 tn Heb “you did not rule them; your name was not called over them.” The expression “the name is called over” indicates ownership; see the note at 4:1. As these two lines stand, they are very difficult to interpret. They appear to be stating that the adversaries just mentioned in v. 18 have not been subject to the Lord’s rule in the past, perhaps explaining why they could commit the atrocity described in v. 18b.

Katonda lw’Aliwoolera Eggwanga n’Okununula Abantu be

63 (A)Ani ono ava mu Edomu mu kibuga Bozula
    anekaanekanye mu ngoye emyufu.
Ani ono ali mu ngoye za bakabaka
    akumba mu bukulu bw’ekitiibwa kye?

“Ye nze alangirira obutuukirivu,
    ow’amaanyi okulokola.”

Lwaki oyambadde ebyambalo ebimyufu
    ng’eby’omusogozi w’omu ssogolero lya wayini?

(B)“Nva kulinnyirira amawanga nga emizabbibu,
    tewali n’omu yajja kunnyambako.
Nabalinnyiririra mu busungu
    era omusaayi gwabwe
ne gusammukira ku ngoye zange,
    era guyiise ku byambalo byange.
Kubanga olunaku olw’okununula abantu bange lwali lutuuse,
    olunaku olw’okuwoolera eggwanga abalabe baabwe.
(C)Natunula naye nga tewali n’omu ayinza kunnyamba,
    newuunya okulaba nga tewaali n’omu ayinza kunkwatirako.
Kale omukono gwange ne gundeetera obuwanguzi,
    era obusungu bwange ne bunnyweza.
(D)Mu busungu bwange nalinnyirira abantu,
    mu kiruyi kyange ne mbatamiiza,
    omusaayi gwabwe ne nguyiwa ku ttaka.”

(E)Ndibuulira ku bulungi bwa Mukama,
    ebikolwa ebyamugwanyisa okutenderezebwa,
    okusinziira ku byonna Mukama by’atukoledde;
weewaawo ebirungi ebingi by’akoledde ennyumba ya Isirayiri,
    okusinziira ku kisa kye,
    okusinziira ku bungi bw’okwagala kwe okutajjulukuka.
(F)Yagamba nti, “Ddala bantu bange,
    abaana aboobulenzi abatannimbelimbe,”
    era bw’atyo n’afuuka omulokozi waabwe.
(G)Yabonaabonera wamu nabo mu kubonaabona kwabwe kwonna,
    era malayika ayimirira mu maaso ge n’abawonya.
Mu kwagala kwe n’ekisa kye yabanunula;
    yabayimusa
    n’abeetikka mu nnaku zonna ez’edda.
10 (H)Naye baajeema
    ne banyiiza Mwoyo Mutukuvu,
kyeyava abakyukira n’afuuka omulabe waabwe
    era ye kennyini n’abalwanyisa.

11 (I)Ne balyoka bajjukira ennaku ez’edda,
    ennaku ez’edda eza Musa n’abantu be;
aluwa oyo eyabayisa mu nnyanja n’omulunzi w’ekisibo kye.
    Aluwa oyo eyateeka Mwoyo Mutukuvu wakati mu bo
12 (J)eyatuma omukono gwe ogw’ekitiibwa
    ogw’amaanyi okubeera ku mukono gwa Musa ogwa ddyo,
eyayawulamu amazzi nga balaba,
    yeekolere erinnya ery’emirembe n’emirembe?
13 (K)Ani eyabakulembera n’abayisa mu buziba?
    Ng’embalaasi mu nsi eyeetadde enjereere tebeesittala.
14 Ng’ente ezigenda mu nsi eyeetadde,
    Omwoyo wa Mukama yabawummuza.
Bw’otyo bwe wakulembera abantu bo
    okwekolera erinnya ery’ettendo.
15 (L)Tunula wansi ng’oli waggulu mu ggulu olabe,
    ng’oli ku ntebe yo ey’ekitiibwa egulumidde entukuvu.
Obunyiikivu bwo n’ebikolwa byo eby’amaanyi biri ludda wa?
    Obulungi bwo n’ekisa bitukwekeddwa.
16 (M)Ggwe Kitaffe,
    wadde nga Ibulayimu tatumanyi
    era nga Isirayiri tatutegeera,
Ayi Mukama Katonda, ggwe Kitaffe Omununuzi waffe
    okuva edda n’edda lye linnya lyo.
17 (N)Ayi Mukama Katonda, lwaki otuleka ne tuva ku makubo go,
    n’okakanyaza omutima gwaffe, ne tutakutya?
Komawo olw’obulungi bw’abaddu bo
    amawanga g’omugabo gwo.
18 (O)Abantu bo abatukuvu baali mu kifo kyo ekitukuvu akaseera katono,
    naye kaakano abalabe baffe bakirinnyiridde.
19 Ffe tuli bantu bo okuva edda n’edda;
    naye bo tobafuganga,
    tebayitibwanga linnya lyo.

Ziua răzbunării Domnului şi a răscumpărării

63 – Cine este Acesta, Care vine din Edom,
    Care vine cu hainele roşii din Boţra?!
Cine este Acesta, înveşmântat atât de frumos,
    păşind atât de plin de putere?!

– Eu sunt, Cel Ce vorbesc cu dreptate
    şi Care am putere să mântuiesc!

– De ce-Ţi sunt hainele roşii
    şi veşmintele ca ale unuia care calcă în teasc?

– Eu singur am călcat în teasc,
    iar dintre popoare n-a fost nimeni cu Mine.
Le-am călcat în mânia Mea,
    le-am călcat în picioare în furia Mea.
Sângele lor Mi-a stropit hainele,
    astfel că pe toate Mi le-am pătat.
Căci ziua răzbunării era în inima Mea
    şi anul răscumpărării Mele sosise.
M-am uitat şi nu era nimeni să Mă ajute;
    am fost uimit căci nu era nimeni să Mă sprijine;
prin urmare, puterea Mea Mi-a adus izbândă
    şi mânia Mea M-a sprijinit.
Am călcat în picioare popoare în mânia Mea,
    le-am îmbătat în furia Mea
        şi le-am vărsat sângele pe pământ.

Laudă şi mărturisire

„Voi vesti îndurările Domnului
    şi isprăvile Domnului,
        potrivit cu tot ceea ce a făcut Domnul pentru noi;
voi vesti marea Lui bunătate
    faţă de Casa lui Israel,
pe care i-a arătat-o potrivit îndurării Sale
    şi potrivit bogăţiei dragostei Lui.
El a zis: «Negreşit, ei sunt poporul Meu,
    fiii care nu Mă vor trăda»,
        şi astfel El a devenit Mântuitorul lor.
În tot ce au suferit,
    a suferit împreună cu ei,
        iar Îngerul Prezenţei Sale i-a izbăvit.
În dragostea şi în mila Sa
    El i-a răscumpărat;
i-a ridicat şi i-a purtat
    în toate zilele din vechime.
10 Dar ei s-au răzvrătit
    şi L-au întristat pe Duhul Său cel Sfânt.
De aceea El S-a făcut duşmanul lor
    şi a luptat El Însuşi împotriva lor.

11 Atunci ei şi-au adus aminte[a] de zilele străvechi,
    de zilele când Moise Îi conducea poporul.
Unde este Acela Care i-a trecut prin mare
    împreună cu păstorul turmei Sale?
Unde este Acela Care a pus printre ei
    Duhul Său cel Sfânt,
12 Acela Care Şi-a trimis braţul slăvit
    să-i fie mână dreaptă lui Moise,
Acela Care a despărţit apele înaintea lor
    pentru a-Şi face un renume veşnic,
13         Acela Care i-a condus prin adâncuri?
Asemenea unui cal ce aleargă prin pustie,
    ei nu s-au împiedicat
14 şi asemenea unor vite ce coboară în câmpie,
    aşa i-a condus Duhul Domnului la odihnă.
În felul acesta Ţi-ai călăuzit Tu poporul,
    pentru a-Ţi face un Nume slăvit.

15 Priveşte din ceruri şi vezi,
    din Locuinţa Ta sfântă şi slăvită!
Unde-Ţi sunt râvna şi puterea?
    Fiorul Tău lăuntric şi compasiunea Ta
        s-au retras de la mine.
16 Totuşi Tu eşti Tatăl nostru,
    chiar dacă Avraam nu ne cunoaşte,
        chiar dacă Israel nu ne recunoaşte;
Tu, Doamne, eşti Tatăl nostru,
    din vechime Tu Te numeşti «Răscumpărătorul nostru»!
17 De ce, Doamne, ne-ai făcut să rătăcim de la căile Tale?
    De ce ne-ai împietrit inimile, ca să nu ne mai temem de Tine?
Întoarce-Te, de dragul robilor Tăi,
    de dragul seminţiilor ce-Ţi sunt moştenire!
18 Pentru puţină vreme poporul Tău cel sfânt a avut parte de Lăcaşul Tău,
    dar acum duşmanii noştri l-au călcat în picioare.
19 Am fost multă vreme ca unii care nu erau sub stăpânirea Ta,
    ca unii peste care nu era chemat Numele Tău.[b]

Footnotes

  1. Isaia 63:11 Sau: Fie ca El să-Şi aducă aminte
  2. Isaia 63:19 Sau: Suntem ai Tăi din vechime; / peste ei însă nu ai stăpânit, / iar ei nu au purtat Numele Tău.

God’s Day of Vengeance and Redemption

63 Who is this coming from Edom,(A)
    from Bozrah,(B) with his garments stained crimson?(C)
Who is this, robed in splendor,
    striding forward in the greatness of his strength?(D)

“It is I, proclaiming victory,
    mighty to save.”(E)

Why are your garments red,
    like those of one treading the winepress?(F)

“I have trodden the winepress(G) alone;
    from the nations no one was with me.
I trampled(H) them in my anger
    and trod them down in my wrath;(I)
their blood spattered my garments,(J)
    and I stained all my clothing.
It was for me the day of vengeance;(K)
    the year for me to redeem had come.
I looked, but there was no one(L) to help,
    I was appalled that no one gave support;
so my own arm(M) achieved salvation for me,
    and my own wrath sustained me.(N)
I trampled(O) the nations in my anger;
    in my wrath I made them drunk(P)
    and poured their blood(Q) on the ground.”

Praise and Prayer

I will tell of the kindnesses(R) of the Lord,
    the deeds for which he is to be praised,
    according to all the Lord has done for us—
yes, the many good things(S)
    he has done for Israel,
    according to his compassion(T) and many kindnesses.
He said, “Surely they are my people,(U)
    children who will be true to me”;
    and so he became their Savior.(V)
In all their distress he too was distressed,
    and the angel(W) of his presence(X) saved them.[a]
In his love and mercy he redeemed(Y) them;
    he lifted them up and carried(Z) them
    all the days of old.(AA)
10 Yet they rebelled(AB)
    and grieved his Holy Spirit.(AC)
So he turned and became their enemy(AD)
    and he himself fought(AE) against them.

11 Then his people recalled[b] the days of old,
    the days of Moses and his people—
where is he who brought them through the sea,(AF)
    with the shepherd of his flock?(AG)
Where is he who set
    his Holy Spirit(AH) among them,
12 who sent his glorious arm(AI) of power
    to be at Moses’ right hand,
who divided the waters(AJ) before them,
    to gain for himself everlasting renown,(AK)
13 who led(AL) them through the depths?(AM)
Like a horse in open country,
    they did not stumble;(AN)
14 like cattle that go down to the plain,
    they were given rest(AO) by the Spirit of the Lord.
This is how you guided your people
    to make for yourself a glorious name.

15 Look down from heaven(AP) and see,
    from your lofty throne,(AQ) holy and glorious.
Where are your zeal(AR) and your might?
    Your tenderness and compassion(AS) are withheld(AT) from us.
16 But you are our Father,(AU)
    though Abraham does not know us
    or Israel acknowledge(AV) us;
you, Lord, are our Father,
    our Redeemer(AW) from of old is your name.
17 Why, Lord, do you make us wander(AX) from your ways
    and harden our hearts(AY) so we do not revere(AZ) you?
Return(BA) for the sake of your servants,
    the tribes that are your inheritance.(BB)
18 For a little while(BC) your people possessed your holy place,
    but now our enemies have trampled(BD) down your sanctuary.(BE)
19 We are yours from of old;
    but you have not ruled over them,
    they have not been called[c] by your name.(BF)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 63:9 Or Savior in their distress. / It was no envoy or angel / but his own presence that saved them
  2. Isaiah 63:11 Or But may he recall
  3. Isaiah 63:19 Or We are like those you have never ruled, / like those never called