Isaiah 63:16-19

Context

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.¹

63:17 Why, Lord, do you make us stray² from your ways,³

and make our minds stubborn so that we do not obey you?⁴

Return for the sake of your servants,

the tribes of your inheritance!

63:18 For a short time your special⁵ nation possessed a land,⁶

but then our adversaries knocked down⁷ your holy sanctuary.

63:19 We existed from ancient times,⁸

but you did not rule over them,

they were not your subjects.⁹

[63:16] ¹tn Heb “our protector [or “redeemer”] from antiquity [is] your name.”

[63:17] ²tn 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] ³tn This probably refers to God’s commands.

[63:17] ⁴tn 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] ⁵tn Or “holy” (ASV, NASB, NRSV, TEV, NLT).

[63:18] ⁶tn Heb “for a short time they had a possession, the people of your holiness.”

[63:18] ⁷tn Heb “your adversaries trampled on.”

[63:19] ⁸tn Heb “we were from antiquity” (see v. 16). The collocation עוֹלָם + מִן + הָיָה (hayah + min + ’olam) occurs only here.

[63:19] ⁹tn 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.