Isaiah 1:17

1:17 Learn to do what is right!

Promote justice!

Give the oppressed reason to celebrate! ¹ 

Take up the cause of the orphan!

Defend the rights of the widow! ² 

Isaiah 63:1

The Victorious Divine Warrior

63:1 Who is this who comes from Edom, ³ 

dressed in bright red, coming from Bozrah? ⁴ 

Who ⁵  is this one wearing royal attire, ⁶ 

who marches confidently ⁷  because of his great strength?

“It is I, the one who announces vindication,

and who is able to deliver!” ⁸ 

[1:17]  ¹ tn The precise meaning of this line is uncertain. The translation assumes an emendation of חָמוֹץ (khamots, “oppressor [?]”) to חָמוּץ (khamuts, “oppressed”), a passive participle from II חָמַץ (khamats, “oppress”; HALOT 329 s.v. II חמץ) and takes the verb II אָשַׁר (’ashar) in the sense of “make happy” (the delocutive Piel, meaning “call/pronounce happy,” is metonymic here, referring to actually effecting happiness). The parallelism favors this interpretation, for the next two lines speak of positive actions on behalf of the destitute. The other option is to retain the MT pointing and translate, “set right the oppressor,” but the nuance “set right” is not clearly attested elsewhere for the verb I אשׁר. This verb does appear as a participle in Isa 3:12 and 9:16 with the meaning “to lead or guide.” If it can mean to “lead” or “rebuke/redirect” in this verse, the prophet could be contrasting this appeal for societal reformation (v. 17c) with a command to reorder their personal lives (v. 17a-b). J. A. Motyer (The Prophecy of Isaiah, 47) suggests that these three statements (v. 17a-c) provide “the contrast between the two ends of imperfect society, the oppressor and the needy, the one inflicting and the other suffering the hurt. Isaiah looks for a transformed society wherever it needs transforming.”

[1:17]  ² tn This word refers to a woman who has lost her husband, by death or divorce. The orphan and widow are often mentioned in the OT as epitomizing the helpless and impoverished who have been left without the necessities of life due to the loss of a family provider.

[63:1]  ³ sn Edom is here an archetype for the Lord’s enemies. See 34:5.

[63:1]  ⁴ tn Heb “[in] bright red garments, from Bozrah.”

[63:1]  ⁵ tn The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis; note the first line of the verse.

[63:1]  ⁶ tn Heb “honored in his clothing”; KJV, ASV “glorious in his apparel.”

[63:1]  ⁷ 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).

[63:1]  ⁸ tn Heb “I, [the one] speaking in vindication [or “righteousness”], great to deliver.”