Isaiah 63:10-19

10 Forsooth they excited him to wrathfulness, and tormented the spirit of his holy; and he was turned into an enemy of them, and he overcame them in battle. (But they rebelled against him, and tormented his Holy Spirit; and he was turned into their enemy, and he defeated them in battle.)
11 And he had mind on the days of the world, of Moses, and of his people. Where is he, that led them out of the sea, with the shepherds of his flock? Where is he, that setted the spirit of his holy in the middle thereof; (And then they remembered the old days, the days of Moses, and his people, and they said, Where is he, who led them out of the Red Sea, or out of the Sea of Reeds/who led them up from the Nile River, with the shepherds of his flock? Where is he, who put his Holy Spirit within him?)
12 which led out Moses to the right half in the arm of his majesty? which parted waters before them, that he should make to himself a name everlasting; (who led them out by the right hand of Moses with his majestic arm? who parted the waters before them, so that he would make an everlasting name for himself?)
13 which led them out through depths of waters, as an horse not stumbling in desert, (who led them out through the depths of the waters, like a horse not stumbling in the wilderness,)
14 as a beast going down in the field? The Spirit of the Lord was the leader thereof; so thou leddest thy people, that thou madest to thee a name of glory. (like a beast going down into the field? The Spirit of the Lord was their leader; so thou leddest thy people, and thou madest a glorious name for thyself.)
15 Behold thou from heaven, and see from thine holy dwelling place, and from the seat of thy glory. Where is thy fervent love, and thy strength, the multitude of thine entrails, and of thy merciful doings? They withheld themselves on me (Why hast thou withheld thyself from us?).
16 Forsooth thou art our father, and Abraham knew not us, and Israel knew not us. Thou, Lord, art our father, and our again-buyer; thy name is from the world. (For thou art our father, though Abraham knew us not, and Israel, or Jacob, knew us not. Thou, Lord, art our father, and our Redeemer; thy name is from forever.)
17 Lord, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways? thou hast made hard our heart, that we dreaded not thee? be thou converted, for thy servants, the lineages of thine heritage. (Lord, why hast thou let us go astray from thy ways? hast thou hardened our hearts, so that we do not fear thee?/so that we do not have reverence for thee? return thou for the sake of thy servants, the tribes of thy inheritance.)
18 They had as nought thine holy people in possession, and our enemies defouled thine hallowing. (For a little while they had thy holy people in possession, and our enemies defiled thy sanctuary.)
19 We be made as in the beginning, when thou were not Lord of us, neither thy name was called to help on us. (And we were made like in the beginning, when thou were not Lord of us, and we did not call on thy name for help/and we were not called by thy name.)

Isaiah 63:10-19 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.