Isaiah 63:1-6. The Day of Vengeance in Edom These verses form a detached oracle, representing the final triumph of Jehovah over the enemies of His people. The image presented is one of the most impressive and awe-inspiring in the O.T., and it is difficult to say which is most to be admired, the dra... [ Continue Reading ]
On _Bozrah_, a city of Edom, see on ch. Isaiah 34:6. _with dyed garments_ Better, WITH BRIGHT COLOURED GARMENTS. The word for "dyed" means literally "sharp," "piercing." The mention of Edom as the scene of a judgement which is obviously universal (see Isaiah 63:3_; Isaiah 63:6_), including all the... [ Continue Reading ]
The meaning of Jehovah's appearing is not yet explained, and so the dialogue proceeds. _Wherefore_art thou _red in thine apparel_ Better, WHEREFORE IS THERE RED ON THINE APPAREL; the form of the question indicating that the red colour is not that of the vesture itself but is something adventitious.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the day of vengeance_ announced in ch. Isaiah 61:2. is _in mine heart_ i.e. in my purpose. _the year of my redeemed_ Another rendering, preferred by many authorities, is THE YEAR OF MY REDEMPTION: the plural being taken as expressing the abstract idea, in accordance with a common Hebr. usage. The... [ Continue Reading ]
Comp. ch. Isaiah 59:16. The verse explains why it is that Jehovah treads the winepress "_alone_" (Isaiah 63:3). The expectation that some human helper would appear on the side of Jehovah is more remarkable here than in ch. Isaiah 59:16, where the judgement was on Israel itself, and the complaint mig... [ Continue Reading ]
Repetition of the thought of Isaiah 63:3. _And I will tread down the people_ R.V. rightly, AND I TROD DOWN THE PEOPLES, though the verb differs from either of those in Isaiah 63:3. Past tenses are to be restored throughout. _make_( MADE) _them drunk_ Some MSS., as well as the first printed edition... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will mention_ lit. "commemorate," but with the implied idea of praise, as 1 Chronicles 16:4; Psalms 45:17; Psalms 71:16; Isaiah 26:13, &c. _the praises of the Lord_ the PRAISEWORTHY DEEDS, as ch. Isaiah 60:6. _and the great goodness_ Cf. Psalms 145:7, where the expression occurs. _according to... [ Continue Reading ]
Celebration of Jehovah's past mercies to Israel, a frequent feature of O.T. prayers (Psalms 77:10-15; Psalms 78:1-4; Psalms 89:1 f., Psalms 105:1 f., Psalms 106:2; Nehemiah 9:5 ff., &c.).... [ Continue Reading ]
Isaiah 63:7 to Isaiah 64:12. A Prayer of the People for the Renewal of Jehovah's former Lovingkindness (1) Isaiah 63:7. The prayer begins with thankful commemoration of Jehovah's goodness to the nation in the days of old (Isaiah 63:7). The reference is to the time of Moses and Joshua, when Jehovah'... [ Continue Reading ]
The retrospect goes back to the beginning of the nation's history, when Jehovah's affection for His people was still unimpaired. Cf. Hosea 11:1, "When Israel was a child then I loved him." _children_( SONS) that _will not lie_ Contrast ch. Isaiah 1:2; Isaiah 30:9. _so he was their Saviour_ AND HE... [ Continue Reading ]
_In all their affliction he was afflicted_ (lit. "there was affliction to Him"). This is the sense of the _Qĕrê_, which substitutes _lô_(to him) for the _lô"_(not) of the _Kĕthîb_(see on ch. Isaiah 9:3). It is impossible to obtain a good sense from the consonantal text; and it is accordingly rejecte... [ Continue Reading ]
_and vexed his holy Spirit_ Comp. Acts 7:51; Ephesians 4:30. Except here and in Isaiah 63:11 and Psalms 51:11 the predicate "holy" is never in the O.T. used of the spirit of Jehovah. It is perhaps impossible to determine the exact connotation of the word in this connexion. It cannot be accidental th... [ Continue Reading ]
The rebellion of the people, by which Jehovah is made to be their enemy, and their vain regrets. Comp. Deuteronomy 32:15 ff.... [ Continue Reading ]
In adversity the people realised the privilege they had forfeited by their rebellion, and longed for a return of the days of Moses. _Then he_(i.e. Israel) _remembered &c._. Since the second half of the verse contains obviously words of the people, the subject of "remembered" must be Israel, not Jeh... [ Continue Reading ]
Render with R.V. THAT CAUSED HIS GLORIOUS ARM TO GO AT THE RIGHT HAND OF MOSES &c.; accompanying him with its wonder-working power symbolized by the "rod of God" (Exodus 17:9). The reference in the latter part of the verse is not, as some have thought, to the bringing forth of water from the rock (c... [ Continue Reading ]
_the deep_ R.V. THE DEPTHS; Hebr. _těhômôth_, see on ch. Isaiah 51:10. _as a horse in the wilderness_ treading as firmly and securely as the horse on the open pasture. Comp. the parallelism Psalms 106:9: "He led them through the depths as through a pasture-land.... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THE CATTLE THAT GO DOWN INTO THE VALLEY (R.V.). It is doubtful whether this clause does not continue Isaiah 63:13, adding a second image of the security with which Israel went down into the depths of the sea. It has certainly a more forcible sense in that connexion than if taken as an illustrati... [ Continue Reading ]
A piteous appeal to the Divine clemency, based on Israel's filial relation to Jehovah. _Look down from heaven, and behold_ (Psalms 80:14). By a natural anthropomorphism the O.T. attributes the prevalence of evil on earth to a suspension of Jehovah's watchfulness; hence He is said to come down from... [ Continue Reading ]
The verse reads: FOR THOU ART OUR FATHER; FOR ABRAHAM KNOWETH US NOT AND ISRAEL DOTH NOT RECOGNISE US; THOU JEHOVAH ART OUR FATHER; OUR REDEEMER FROM OF OLD IS THY NAME. Jehovah is the Father of Israel, i.e. the Creator and founder of the nation (Deuteronomy 32:6; Malachi 2:10; cf. Exodus 4:22; Hose... [ Continue Reading ]
Render: WHY SHOULDEST THOU LEAVE US TO WANDER, O JEHOVAH, FROM THY WAYS; AND HARDEN OUR HEART SO THAT WE FEAR THEE NOT? etc. Israel had rejected God's guidance, and He had given them up to their sins; how long was this to last? The idea underlying this plea seems to be that the people's faint aspira... [ Continue Reading ]
Expostulation with Jehovah for the hard treatment which makes righteousness and true religion impossible to the nation.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The people … while_ The want of an acc. to the verb excites suspicion, for it is hardly possible to take "thy sanctuary" as the obj. common to the two clauses. The text of the LXX., which reads "mountain" instead of "people" and has the verb in the first pers. plu., is perhaps to be preferred: FOR... [ Continue Reading ]
Render: WE ARE BECOME (AS THOSE) OVER WHOM FROM OF OLD THOU HAST NOT BORNE RULE, OVER WHOM THY NAME HAS NOT BEEN CALLED. The visible splendours of Jehovah's kingship have been absent throughout the later period of the nation's history. Comp. ch. Isaiah 26:13, and (for the second part of the verse) D... [ Continue Reading ]