Isaiah 63:2

The meaning of Jehovah's appearing is not yet explained, and so the dialogue proceeds.

Whereforeart 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. "Red" ("âdôm) is suggested by Edom, just as the figure of the winepress may be suggested by the resemblance of Boçrâh(Isaiah 63:1) to bâçîr(vintage). The figure, however, is in itself an appropriate one; the winepress appearing "as an emblem on the coins of Bostra during the Roman rule" (Cheyne, Comm.).

3 ff. Jehovah's answer, disclosing the reason of His appearing.

I have trodden the winepress or winetrough. The word (pûrâh), from a root meaning to "foam," seems to be poetic, although the only other instance of its use is prosaic enough (Haggai 2:16). For the image of the winepress cf. Lamentations 1:15; Joel 3:13.

and of the peoples (R.V.) there was none ( no man) with me See Isaiah 63:5.

for I will tread them &c. Render and I trod them &c. The substitution of past tenses for futures throughout the verse is imperatively demanded by the sense, although it requires a series of changes in the vowel-points (Vavconsec. for simple Vav). The reason of the Massoretic punctuation was the desire to make it plain that the prophecy relates to the future. This of course is true; but though the event be in itself future, it is represented in the vision as past, from the standpoint of the Divine speaker. Otherwise, the verse would contain no answer to the question of Isaiah 63:2.

their blood R.V. their lifeblood; lit., "their juice." The word occurs only here and in Isaiah 63:6. shall be sprinkled was sprinkled (2 Kings 9:33; see on ch. Isaiah 52:15).

I will stain Rather, I have defiled. (The form in the original is Aramaic.)