63:1 Who is this who comes from Edom, 1
dressed in bright red, coming from Bozrah? 2
Who 3 is this one wearing royal attire, 4
who marches confidently 5 because of his great strength?
“It is I, the one who announces vindication,
and who is able to deliver!” 6
64:6 We are all like one who is unclean,
all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in your sight. 7
We all wither like a leaf;
our sins carry us away like the wind.
1 sn Edom is here an archetype for the Lord’s enemies. See 34:5.
2 tn Heb “[in] bright red garments, from Bozrah.”
3 tn The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis; note the first line of the verse.
4 tn Heb “honored in his clothing”; KJV, ASV “glorious in his apparel.”
5 tc The Hebrew text has צָעָה (tsa’ah), which means “stoop, bend” (51:14). The translation assumes an emendation to צָעַד (tsa’ad, “march”; see BDB 858 s.v. צָעָה).
6 tn Heb “I, [the one] speaking in vindication [or “righteousness”], great to deliver.”
7 tn Heb “and like a garment of menstruation [are] all our righteous acts”; KJV, NIV “filthy rags”; ASV “a polluted garment.”