Isaiah 63:15-19

63:15 Look down from heaven and take notice,

from your holy, majestic palace!

Where are your zeal ¹  and power?

Do not hold back your tender compassion! ² 

63:16 For you are our father,

though Abraham does not know us

and Israel does not recognize us.

You, Lord, are our father;

you have been called our protector from ancient times. ³ 

63:17 Why, Lord, do you make us stray ⁴  from your ways, ⁵ 

and make our minds stubborn so that we do not obey you? ⁶ 

Return for the sake of your servants,

the tribes of your inheritance!

63:18 For a short time your special ⁷  nation possessed a land, ⁸ 

but then our adversaries knocked down ⁹  your holy sanctuary.

63:19 We existed from ancient times, ¹⁰ 

but you did not rule over them,

they were not your subjects. ¹¹ 

[63:15]  ¹ tn This probably refers to his zeal for his people, which motivates him to angrily strike out against their enemies.

[63:15]  ² tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “the agitation of your intestines and your compassion to me they are held back.” The phrase “agitation of your intestines” is metonymic, referring to the way in which one’s nervous system reacts when one feels pity and compassion toward another. אֵלַי (’elay, “to me”) is awkward in this context, where the speaker represents the nation and, following the introduction (see v. 7), utilizes first person plural forms. The translation assumes an emendation to the negative particle אַל (’al). This also necessitates emending the following verb form (which is a plural perfect) to a singular jussive (תִתְאַפָּק, tit’appaq). The Hitpael of אָפַק (’afaq) also occurs in 42:14.

[63:16]  ³ tn Heb “our protector [or “redeemer”] from antiquity [is] your name.”

[63:17]  ⁴ tn Some suggest a tolerative use of the Hiphil here, “[why do] you allow us to stray?” (cf. NLT). Though the Hiphil of תָעָה (ta’ah) appears to be tolerative in Jer 50:6, elsewhere it is preferable or necessary to take it as causative. See Isa 3:12; 9:15; and 30:28, as well as Gen 20:13; 2 Kgs 21:9; Job 12:24-25; Prov 12:26; Jer 23:13, 32; Hos 4:12; Amos 2:4; Mic 3:5.

[63:17]  ⁵ tn This probably refers to God’s commands.

[63:17]  ⁶ tn Heb “[Why do] you harden our heart[s] so as not to fear you.” The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).

[63:18]  ⁷ tn Or “holy” (ASV, NASB, NRSV, TEV, NLT).

[63:18]  ⁸ tn Heb “for a short time they had a possession, the people of your holiness.”

[63:18]  ⁹ tn Heb “your adversaries trampled on.”

[63:19]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “we were from antiquity” (see v. 16). The collocation עוֹלָם + מִן + הָיָה (hayah + min + ’olam) occurs only here.

[63:19]  ¹¹ tn Heb “you did not rule them, your name was not called over them.” The expression “the name is called over” indicates ownership; see the note at 4:1. As these two lines stand they are very difficult to interpret. They appear to be stating that the adversaries just mentioned in v. 18 have not been subject to the Lord’s rule in the past, perhaps explaining why they could commit the atrocity described in v. 18b.