Isaiah 63:2

Wherefore art thou red in thy apparel,.... Christ having satisfied the church as to her first question, concerning his person, who he was; she puts a second to him, about the colour of his garments,

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

Having inquired of the person, now he inquires the reason of his habit being thus sprinkled.

Isaiah 63:2 Wherefore [art thou] red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?Ver. 2. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel?] The wondering Church had proposed two questions in Isaiah 63:1 - viz., Who that was? and why so bloodied? To the first she bad an answer in few, but very full in Isaiah 63:1. To the second, she here again presseth for an answer; and the rather because, candor magis quam cruor, clemency would better beseem a Saviour than cruelty. Augustine.

(2) Wherefore art thou red . . .?—The wondering question shows that the colour is not that of the warrior’s usual dress. The Hebrew word for “red” (âdom) connects itself with Edom (comp. Genesis 25:30), as batsir (“vintage”) probably with Bozrah.

Verse 2. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel] For ללבושך lilebushecha, twenty-nine MSS. (nine ancient) of Kennicott's, and thirty of De Rossi's, and one edition, have ללבושיך lilebusheycha in the plural; so the Septuagint and Syriac. And all the ancient Versions read it with מ mem, instead of the first ל lamed. But the true reading is probably מלבושך malbushecha in the singular, as in Isaiah 63:3. - L.

2. The meaning of Jehovah’s appearing is not yet explained, and so the dialogue proceeds. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel] Better, Wherefore is there red on thine apparel; the form of the question indicating that the red colour is not that of the vesture itself but is something adventitious. “Red” (’βdτm) is suggested by Edom, just as the figure of the winepress may be suggested by the resemblance of Boηrβh (Isaiah 63:1) to bβηξr (vintage). The figure, however, is in itself an appropriate one; the winepress appearing “as an emblem on the coins of Bostra during the Roman rule” (Cheyne, Comm.). 3 ff. Jehovah’s answer, disclosing the reason of His appearing. I have trodden the winepress] or winetrough. The word (pϋrβh), from a root meaning to “foam,” seems to be poetic, although the only other instance of its use is prosaic enough (Haggai 2:16). For the image of the winepress cf. Lamentations 1:15; Joe 3:13. and of the peoples (R.V.) there was none (no man) with me] See Isaiah 63:5. for I will tread them &c.] Render and I trod them &c. The substitution of past tenses for futures throughout the verse is imperatively demanded by the sense, although it requires a series of changes in the vowel-points (Vav consec. for simple Vav). The reason of the Massoretic punctuation was the desire to make it plain that the prophecy relates to the future. This of course is true; but though the event be in itself future, it is represented in the vision as past, from the standpoint of the Divine speaker. Otherwise, the verse would contain no answer to the question of Isa 63:2. their blood] R.V. their lifeblood; lit., “their juice.” The word occurs only here and in Isaiah 63:6. shall be sprinkled] was sprinkled (2 Kings 9:33; see on ch. Isaiah 52:15). I will stain] Rather, I have defiled. (The form in the original is Aramaic.)

Wherefore art thou red? - The inquiry of the people. Whence is it that that gorgeous apparel is stained with blood? And thy garment like him that treadeth in the wine-fat?

2. The next question is, Wherefore… red in thine apparel — Why bespattered as if with red grape juice, like him that treadeth in the winefat or winepress.