Isaiah

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.

1Who is this coming from Edom, from the city of Bozrah, with clothes stained red? Who is this dressed in splendor, marching with great strength? "It is I. I speak what is right, and I am strong enough to save."

2Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?

2Why are your clothes red? Why do they look like the clothes of someone who crushes grapes in a winepress?

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

3"I crushed them in the winepress alone. No one from the nations was with me. I trampled them in my anger and stamped on them in my fury. Their blood splashed on my clothes and stained everything I wore.

NoteA winepress was a stone tub where grapes were crushed underfoot to make juice. Red juice splashed on the worker's clothes, which is why the picture fits blood-stained clothing.

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

4The day to punish my enemies was set in my heart. The year to set my people free had come.

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

5I looked around, but no one was there to help. I was shocked that no one stepped in. So my own arm won the victory, and my own anger kept me going.

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

6I trampled the nations in my anger. In my fury I made them stagger like drunk men, and I poured their blood out on the ground."

7I 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.

7I will tell about the LORD's faithful love and the things he has done that deserve praise. I will tell all he has done for us. He has been very good to the people of Israel, because he is kind and his love never runs out.

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

8He said, "They really are my people. They are children who will not betray me." So he became the one who saved them.

9In 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 bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

9When they suffered, he suffered with them. The angel who stands in his presence rescued them. He loved them and felt for them, so he set them free. He lifted them up and carried them, all through the years long ago.

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

10But they turned against him and made his Holy Spirit grieve. So he turned around and became their enemy, and he himself fought against them.

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

11Then his people remembered the days long ago, the days of Moses. They asked, "Where is the one who brought us up out of the sea, with the shepherds who led his flock? Where is the one who put his Holy Spirit among them?

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

12Where is the one who sent his mighty arm to lead them by the hand of Moses? He split the water in front of them so his name would be remembered forever.

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

13He led them through the deep water. They walked as surely as a horse runs in open country, and they did not stumble."

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

14Like cattle walking down into a green valley, they were given rest by the Spirit of the LORD. That is how you led your people, and that is how you made your name great.

15Look 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 bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained?

15Look down from heaven and see. Look from your holy and glorious home. Where is your burning care and your power? You are holding back your deep feeling and your mercy toward me.

NoteThe KJV says "the sounding of thy bowels." In older English, the bowels were thought of as the place where deep feeling lived, the way we say "heart" today.

16Doubtless 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.

16But you are our father. Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not claim us. Still, LORD, you are our father. You are the one who buys us back. That has been your name forever.

17O 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 thine inheritance.

17LORD, why do you let us wander away from your paths? Why do you let our hearts grow so hard that we stop respecting you? Come back to us. We are your servants, the tribes that belong to you.

NoteThe KJV asks why God "made us to err." The Hebrew here is closer to letting people go astray, not forcing them to sin.

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

18Your holy people held your holy place for only a short time. Now our enemies have trampled it down.

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

19We have become like people you never ruled, like people who were never called by your name.