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Selected Verse: Isaiah 63:6 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Isa 63:6	Strong Concordance	And I will tread down [0947] the people [05971] in mine anger [0639], and make them drunk [07937] in my fury [02534], and I will bring down [03381] their strength [05332] to the earth [0776].
	King James	And 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.

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
Rather, preterites, "I trod down . . . made them drunk." The same image occurs Isa 51:17, Isa 51:21-23; Psa 75:8; Jer 25:26-27. will bring down . . . strength to . . . earth--rather, "I spilled their life-blood (the same Hebrew words as in Isa 63:3) on the earth" [LOWTH and Septuagint].

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

Rather, preterites, "I trod down . . . made them drunk." The same image occurs Isa 51:17, Isa 51:21-23; Psa 75:8; Jer 25:26-27.

will bring down . . . strength to . . . earth--rather, "I spilled their life-blood (the same Hebrew words as in Isa 63:3) on the earth" [LOWTH and Septuagint].

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
And I will tread them down - Or rather, 'I did tread them down.' The allusion here is to a warrior who tramples on his foes and treads them in the dust (see the notes at Isa 25:10). And made them drunk - That is, I made them reel and fall under my fury like a drunken man. In describing the destruction of Idumea in Isa 34:5, Yahweh says that his sword was made drunk, or that it rushed intoxicated from heaven. See the notes on that verse. But here he says that the people, under the terrors of his wrath, lost their power of self-command, and fell to the earth like an intoxicated man. Kimchi says that the idea is, that Yahweh extended the cup of his wrath for them to drink until they became intoxicated and fell. An image of this kind is several times used in the Scriptures (see the notes at Isa 51:17; compare Psa 75:8). Lowth and Noyes render this, 'I crushed them.' The reason of this change is, that according to Kennicott, twenty-seven manuscripts (three of them ancient) instead of the present Hebrew reading ואשׁכרם va'ăshakerēm, 'And I will make them drunk,' read ואשׁברם va'ăshaberēm, 'I will break or crush them.' Such a change, it is true, might easily have been made from the similarity of the Hebrew letters, כ (k) and ב (b). But the authority for the change does not seem to me to be sufficient, nor is it necessary. The image of making them stagger and fall like a drunken man, is more poetic than the other, and is in entire accordance with the usual manner of writing by the sacred penman. The Chaldee renders it, 'I cast to the lowest earth the slain of their strong ones.' And I will bring down their strength - I subdued their strong places, and their mighty armies. Such is the sense giver, to the passage by our translators. But Lowth and Noyes render it, more correctly, 'I spilled their life-blood upon the ground.' The word which our translators have rendered 'strength' (נצח nētsach), is the same word which is used in Isa 63:3, and which is rendered there 'blood' (see the note at that verse). It is probably used in the same sense here, and means that Yahweh had brought their blood to the earth; that is, he had spilled it upon the ground. So the Septuagint renders it, 'I shed their blood (κατήγαγον τὸ αίμα katēgagon to haima) upon the earth.' This finishes the vision of the mighty conqueror returning from Edom. The following verse introduces a new subject. The sentiment in the passage is, that Yahweh by his own power, and by the might of his own arm, would subdue all his foes and redeem his people. Edom in its hostility to his people, the apt emblem of all his foes, would be completely humbled; and in its subjugation there would be the emblem and the pledge that all his enemies would be destroyed, and that his own church would be safe. See the notes at Isa. 34; Isa 35:1-10.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

And I will tread them down - Or rather, 'I did tread them down.' The allusion here is to a warrior who tramples on his foes and treads them in the dust (see the notes at Isa 25:10).

And made them drunk - That is, I made them reel and fall under my fury like a drunken man. In describing the destruction of Idumea in Isa 34:5, Yahweh says that his sword was made drunk, or that it rushed intoxicated from heaven. See the notes on that verse. But here he says that the people, under the terrors of his wrath, lost their power of self-command, and fell to the earth like an intoxicated man. Kimchi says that the idea is, that Yahweh extended the cup of his wrath for them to drink until they became intoxicated and fell. An image of this kind is several times used in the Scriptures (see the notes at Isa 51:17; compare Psa 75:8). Lowth and Noyes render this, 'I crushed them.' The reason of this change is, that according to Kennicott, twenty-seven manuscripts (three of them ancient) instead of the present Hebrew reading ואשׁכרם va'ăshakerēm, 'And I will make them drunk,' read ואשׁברם va'ăshaberēm, 'I will break or crush them.' Such a change, it is true, might easily have been made from the similarity of the Hebrew letters, כ (k) and ב (b). But the authority for the change does not seem to me to be sufficient, nor is it necessary. The image of making them stagger and fall like a drunken man, is more poetic than the other, and is in entire accordance with the usual manner of writing by the sacred penman. The Chaldee renders it, 'I cast to the lowest earth the slain of their strong ones.'

And I will bring down their strength - I subdued their strong places, and their mighty armies. Such is the sense giver, to the passage by our translators. But Lowth and Noyes render it, more correctly, 'I spilled their life-blood upon the ground.' The word which our translators have rendered 'strength' (נצח nētsach), is the same word which is used in Isa 63:3, and which is rendered there 'blood' (see the note at that verse). It is probably used in the same sense here, and means that Yahweh had brought their blood to the earth; that is, he had spilled it upon the ground. So the Septuagint renders it, 'I shed their blood (κατήγαγον τὸ αίμα katēgagon to haima) upon the earth.' This finishes the vision of the mighty conqueror returning from Edom. The following verse introduces a new subject. The sentiment in the passage is, that Yahweh by his own power, and by the might of his own arm, would subdue all his foes and redeem his people. Edom in its hostility to his people, the apt emblem of all his foes, would be completely humbled; and in its subjugation there would be the emblem and the pledge that all his enemies would be destroyed, and that his own church would be safe. See the notes at Isa. 34; Isa 35:1-10.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Drunk - They go as it were to and fro, not knowing what to do with themselves. Bring down - Whatever it is wherein their strength lies, he will bring to the very dust, to nothing.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
And make them drunk in my fury "And I crushed them in mine indignation" - For ואשכרם vaashkerem, and I made them drunken, twenty-seven MSS., (three ancient), twelve of De Rossi's, and the old edition of 1488, have ואשברם vaashabberem, and I crushed them: and so the Syriac and Chaldee. The Septuagint have omitted this whole line.

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³ I have trodden [01869] the winepress [06333] alone; and of the people [05971] there was none [0376] with me: for I will tread [01869] them in mine anger [0639], and trample [07429] them in my fury [02534]; and their blood [05332] shall be sprinkled [05137] upon my garments [0899], and I will stain [01351] all my raiment [04403].

²⁶ And all the kings [04428] of the north [06828], far [07350] and near [07138], one [0376] with another [0251], and all the kingdoms [04467] of the world [0776], which are upon the face [06440] of the earth [0127]: and the king [04428] of Sheshach [08347] shall drink [08354] after [0310] them.
²⁷ Therefore thou shalt say [0559] unto them, Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635], the God [0430] of Israel [03478]; Drink [08354] ye, and be drunken [07937], and spue [07006], and fall [05307], and rise [06965] no more, because [06440] of the sword [02719] which I will send [07971] among you.

⁸ For in the hand [03027] of the LORD [03068] there is a cup [03563], and the wine [03196] is red [02560]; it is full [04392] of mixture [04538]; and he poureth out [05064] of the same [02088]: but the dregs [08105] thereof, all the wicked [07563] of the earth [0776] shall wring them out [04680], and drink [08354] them.

²¹ Therefore hear [08085] now this, thou afflicted [06041], and drunken [07937], but not with wine [03196]:
²² Thus saith [0559] thy Lord [0113] the LORD [03068], and thy God [0430] that pleadeth [07378] the cause of his people [05971], Behold, I have taken out [03947] of thine hand [03027] the cup [03563] of trembling [08653], even the dregs [06907] of the cup [03563] of my fury [02534]; thou shalt no more [03254] drink it again [08354]:
²³ But I will put [07760] it into the hand [03027] of them that afflict [03013] thee; which have said [0559] to thy soul [05315], Bow down [07812], that we may go over [05674]: and thou hast laid [07760] thy body [01460] as the ground [0776], and as the street [02351], to them that went over [05674].

¹⁷ Awake [05782], awake [05782], stand up [06965], O Jerusalem [03389], which hast drunk [08354] at the hand [03027] of the LORD [03068] the cup [03563] of his fury [02534]; thou hast drunken [08354] the dregs [06907] of the cup [03563] of trembling [08653], and wrung them out [04680].

¹ The wilderness [04057] and the solitary place [06723] shall be glad [07797] for them; and the desert [06160] shall rejoice [01523], and blossom [06524] as the rose [02261].
² It shall blossom [06524] abundantly [06524], and rejoice [01523] even with joy [01525] and singing [07444]: the glory [03519] of Lebanon [03844] shall be given [05414] unto it, the excellency [01926] of Carmel [03760] and Sharon [08289], they shall see [07200] the glory [03519] of the LORD [03068], and the excellency [01926] of our God [0430].
³ Strengthen [02388] ye the weak [07504] hands [03027], and confirm [0553] the feeble [03782] knees [01290].
⁴ Say [0559] to them that are of a fearful [04116] heart [03820], Be strong [02388], fear [03372] not: behold, your God [0430] will come [0935] with vengeance [05359], even God [0430] with a recompence [01576]; he will come [0935] and save [03467] you.
⁵ Then the eyes [05869] of the blind [05787] shall be opened [06491], and the ears [0241] of the deaf [02795] shall be unstopped [06605].
⁶ Then shall the lame [06455] man leap [01801] as an hart [0354], and the tongue [03956] of the dumb [0483] sing [07442]: for in the wilderness [04057] shall waters [04325] break out [01234], and streams [05158] in the desert [06160].
⁷ And the parched ground [08273] shall become a pool [098], and the thirsty land [06774] springs [04002] of water [04325]: in the habitation [05116] of dragons [08577], where each lay [07258], shall be grass [02682] with reeds [07070] and rushes [01573].
⁸ And an highway [04547] shall be there, and a way [01870], and it shall be called [07121] The way [01870] of holiness [06944]; the unclean [02931] shall not pass over [05674] it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men [01980], though fools [0191], shall not err [08582] therein.
⁹ No lion [0738] shall be there, nor any ravenous [06530] beast [02416] shall go up [05927] thereon, it shall not be found [04672] there; but the redeemed [01350] shall walk [01980] there:
¹⁰ And the ransomed [06299] of the LORD [03068] shall return [07725], and come [0935] to Zion [06726] with songs [07440] and everlasting [05769] joy [08057] upon their heads [07218]: they shall obtain [05381] joy [08057] and gladness [08342], and sorrow [03015] and sighing [0585] shall flee away [05127].

⁵ For my sword [02719] shall be bathed [07301] in heaven [08064]: behold, it shall come down [03381] upon Idumea [0123], and upon the people [05971] of my curse [02764], to judgment [04941].

¹⁰ For in this mountain [02022] shall the hand [03027] of the LORD [03068] rest [05117], and Moab [04124] shall be trodden down [01758] under him, even as straw [04963] is trodden down [01758] for the dunghill [01119] [04087] [04325].