Isaiah 63

1 Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.

[I ask], “Who is this who is coming from Bozrah [city] in Edom, whose clothes are stained red [from blood]? Who is this who is wearing beautiful robes?” [He replies], “It is I, [Yahweh], declaring that I have defeated [your enemies], and I am able to rescue you!”

2 Why art thou red in thy apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winepress?

[I ask him], “What are those red spots on your clothes? It appears that [SIM] you have been treading/tramping on grapes [to make wine].”

3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in my anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.

[He replies], “I have been treading on [my enemies, not] on grapes. I did it myself; no one helped me. I punished them because I was very angry with them, and my clothes became stained with their blood.

4 For the day of vengeance is in my heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.

I did that because it was time for me [SYN] to get revenge; it was time to rescue [my people from those who had oppressed them].

5 And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore my own arm brought salvation to me; and my fury, it upheld me.

I searched for someone who would enable me to help [my people], but I was amazed/shocked that there was no one to help me. So I defeated [their enemies] with my own power/strength [MTY]; I was able [PRS] to do that because of my being very angry.

6 And I will tread down the people in my anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.

Because I was extremely angry, I punished the nations; I caused them [to stagger like] [MET] drunk men, and I caused their blood to pour out on the ground.”

7 I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.

I will tell about Yahweh faithfully loving his people, and I will praise him for all that he has done. Yahweh has done good things for [us] people [MTY] of Israel; he has acted mercifully toward us, and he has steadfastly and faithfully loved us.

8 For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour.

Yahweh said, “These are my people; they will not deceive me;” so he rescued us.

9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bore them, and carried them all the days of old.

When we had many troubles, he was sad [also]. He sent his angel to rescue us. Because he loved us and was merciful to us, he saved us; [it was as though] he picked our ancestors up and carried them all those years [during which they were oppressed in Egypt].

10 But they rebelled, and vexed his Holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.

But we rebelled against him, and we caused his Holy Spirit to be sad. So he became [like] [MET] an enemy who fought against us.

11 Then he remembered the days of old, Moses, and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his Holy Spirit within him?

Then we thought about [what happened] long ago, during the time when Moses led [our ancestors out of Egypt]. We cried out, “Where is the one who brought our ancestors through the [Red] Sea while Moses led them? Where is the one who sent his Holy Spirit to be among our ancestors?

12 That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting name?

Where is the one who showed his glorious power [MTY], and caused the water to separate when Moses lifted his arm above it, with the result that he will be honored/praised forever?

13 That led them through the deep, as an horse in the wilderness, that they should not stumble?

Where is the one who led our ancestors while they walked through the sea bed? They were like [SIM] horses that were racing along and never stumbled.

14 As a beast goeth down in the valley, the Spirit of the LORD caused him to rest: so didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name.

They were like [SIM] cattle that walk down into a valley [to rest], and the Spirit of Yahweh enabled them to go to a place where they could rest. Yahweh, you led your people, and you caused yourself [MTY] to (get a wonderful reputation/be greatly honored).”

15 Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy heart and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained?

[Yahweh], look down from heaven; look down on us from your holy and glorious home. You were [RHQ] previously very concerned [about us], and you acted powerfully [to help us]. But it seems that you do not act mercifully and zealously for us any more.

16 Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.

You are our father. Abraham does not know [what is happening to] us, and Jacob is not concerned about us, [either], but Yahweh, you are our father; you rescued us long ago.

17 O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants’ sake, the tribes of thy inheritance.

Yahweh, why did you cause us to wander away from your road [RHQ]? Why did you cause us to be stubborn, with the result that we no [longer] revere you [RHQ]? Help us like you did previously, because we are the people who serve you and belong to you.

18 The people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while: our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary.

We, your holy people, possessed your sacred temple for only a short time, [and now] our enemies have destroyed it.

19 We are thine: thou never didst bear rule over them; they were not called by thy name.

Now it seems as though we never were ruled by you, as though we were never part of your family [MTY].