Isaiah 63:2-12

2 Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like the one who 1treads in the wine press?
3 "2I have trodden the wine trough alone, And from the peoples there was no man with Me. I also 3trod them in My anger And 4trampled them in My wrath; And 5their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, And I stained all My raiment.
4 "For the 6day of vengeance was in My heart, And My year of redemption has come.
5 "I looked, and there was 7no one to help, And I was astonished and there was no one to uphold; So My 8own arm brought salvation to Me, And My wrath upheld Me.
6 "I 9trod down the peoples in My anger And made them 10drunk in My wrath, And I poured out their lifeblood on the earth."

God's Ancient Mercies Recalled

7 I shall make mention of the 11lovingkindnesses of the LORD, the praises of the LORD, According to all that the LORD has granted us, And the great 12goodness toward the house of Israel, Which He has granted them according to His 13compassion And according to the abundance of His lovingkindnesses.
8 For He said, "Surely, they are 14My people, Sons who will not deal falsely." So He became their 15Savior.
9 In all their affliction 16He was afflicted, And the 17angel of His presence saved them; In His 18love and in His mercy He 19redeemed them, And He 20lifted them and carried them all the days of old.
10 But they 21rebelled And grieved His 22Holy Spirit; Therefore He turned Himself to become their enemy, He fought against them.
11 Then 23His people remembered the days of old, of Moses. Where is 24He who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of His flock? Where is He who 25put His Holy Spirit in the midst of them,
12 Who caused His 26glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses, Who 27divided the waters before * them to make for Himself an everlasting name,

Isaiah 63:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 63

This chapter contains a prophecy of the vengeance of Christ upon the enemies of his church in the latter day, whereby complete salvation would be obtained for them; and this illustrated by the mercies of God to the people of Israel of old; and is concluded with the church s prayer to him. The account of the vengeance taken by Christ on his enemies is introduced by a colloquy between him and his church; who puts a question, in which he is described by the places from whence he came, by his apparel, and by his manner of walking; to which he returns an answer, Isa 63:1, then a second question is put, about the colour of his garments; for which he gives a reason, Isa 63:2,3 it being the time of his vengeance on his enemies, and of the redemption of his people, Isa 63:4 the manner in which he performed both is observed, Isa 63:5 and the thorough work he would make; and the entire riddance of all his enemies is determined upon, Isa 63:6, which puts the prophet, or the church, in mind of former mercies bestowed upon Israel of old, the peculiar people and children of God, the Lord had a great opinion of, and favour for, whom he dealt very tenderly with, and redeemed, and saved, and preserved, Isa 63:7-9 though they acted an ungrateful part to him, which is aggravated by the various kind steps of Providence, in leading them through the Red sea, guiding them in the wilderness, and bringing them to rest safely in Canaan's land, for his own glory, Isa 63:10-14 and all is closed with the church's prayer to God, imploring his grace and mercy; pleading relation to him; expostulating with him about their present case, and observing the difference between them and their enemies, Isa 63:15-19 and which prayer is continued in the next chapter.

Cross References 27

  • 1. Revelation 19:13, 15
  • 2. Revelation 14:20; Revelation 19:15
  • 3. Isaiah 22:5; Isaiah 28:3
  • 4. Micah 7:10
  • 5. Revelation 19:13
  • 6. Isaiah 34:8; Isaiah 35:4; Isaiah 61:2; Jeremiah 51:6
  • 7. Isaiah 59:16
  • 8. Psalms 44:3; Isaiah 40:10; Isaiah 52:10
  • 9. Isaiah 22:5; Isaiah 34:2; Isaiah 65:12
  • 10. Isaiah 29:9; Isaiah 51:17, 21
  • 11. Psalms 25:6; Psalms 92:2; Isaiah 54:8, 10
  • 12. 1 Kings 8:66; Nehemiah 9:25, 35
  • 13. Psalms 51:1; Psalms 86:5, 15; Isaiah 54:7, 8; Ephesians 2:4
  • 14. Exodus 6:7; Isaiah 3:15; Isaiah 51:4
  • 15. Isaiah 60:16
  • 16. Judges 10:16
  • 17. Exodus 23:20-23; Exodus 33:14, 15
  • 18. Deuteronomy 7:7, 8
  • 19. Isaiah 43:1; Isaiah 52:9
  • 20. Deuteronomy 1:31; Deuteronomy 32:10-12; Isaiah 46:3
  • 21. Psalms 78:40; Psalms 106:33; Acts 7:51; Ephesians 4:30
  • 22. Psalms 51:11; Isaiah 63:11
  • 23. Psalms 106:44, 45
  • 24. Isaiah 51:10
  • 25. Num 11:17, 25, 29; Haggai 2:5
  • 26. Exodus 6:6; Exodus 15:16
  • 27. Exodus 14:21, 22; Isaiah 11:15; Isaiah 51:10

Footnotes 6

  • [a]. Lit "juice"
  • [b]. Lit "defiled"
  • [c]. Lit "brought down their juice to the earth"
  • [d]. Another reading is "He was not an adversary"
  • [e]. Some mss read "shepherd"
  • [f]. Lit "him"
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