Isaiah 63 10

Isaiah 63:10 kjv

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

Isaiah 63:10 nkjv

But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; So He turned Himself against them as an enemy, And He fought against them.

Isaiah 63:10 niv

Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them.

Isaiah 63:10 esv

But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them.

Isaiah 63:10 nlt

But they rebelled against him
and grieved his Holy Spirit.
So he became their enemy
and fought against them.

Isaiah 63 verses

Isaiah 63 10 Meaning

This verse describes a time of severe tribulation and divine discipline for Israel. It states that because they vexed God's Holy Spirit, the Lord turned against them and became their enemy, bringing them into distress and defeat. This suffering was a direct consequence of their persistent rebellion against God.

Isaiah 63 10 Context

Isaiah 63 describes the powerful, victorious return of the LORD from judgment, crushing His enemies like grapes in a winepress. This imagery transitions into the historical experience of Israel, particularly their exile and subsequent return. Verse 10 speaks to a specific cause of their suffering: their persistent rebellion and the grieving of God's Holy Spirit. This leads to God Himself turning against them as an adversary, resulting in profound distress. The immediate context is the post-exilic period, where Israel had faced judgment but was being reminded of the root causes of that judgment and the ongoing need for repentance and reliance on God. The broader context is God's overarching relationship with Israel, marked by covenant faithfulness but also by His just response to their sin.

Isaiah 63 10 Word Analysis

• "But" (Hebrew: וְ – wə)
  • A conjunction, typically indicating opposition or a continuation with a contrary element.
  • Signifies a shift from God's victorious action (in preceding verses) to Israel's response and its consequences.
• "they rebelled" (Hebrew: וַיְמָרוּ – wayimərû)
  • Root: מָרָה (mārah) – to be stubborn, rebellious, defiant, to disobey.
  • This word highlights a wilful and persistent opposition to God's will and authority.
  • Reflects a deep-seated attitude of defiance, not merely isolated incidents of disobedience.
• "and grieved" (Hebrew: וַיְמָרְרוּ – wayəmarərû)
  • Root: מָרַר (mārar) – to be bitter, to make bitter, to embitter, to cause grief or sorrow.
  • While sharing a similar root with "rebelled" (mārah), this verb emphasizes the emotional impact on the Spirit of God.
  • It conveys the sense of causing sorrow and deep disappointment to the Holy Spirit.
• "his Holy Spirit" (Hebrew: רוּחַ קָדְשׁוֹ – rûaḥ qɔḏšô)
  • rûaḥ – Spirit, breath, wind. Refers to the Spirit of God, the divine presence and power.
  • qɔḏeš – holiness, sacredness, set-apartness.
  • The addition of "his" emphasizes divine possession and ownership, signifying the Spirit as distinctly belonging to God.
  • Grieving the Holy Spirit implies acting contrary to His nature, His promptings, and His presence in and with His people.
• "so he turned" (Hebrew: וַיַּהֲפֹךְ – wayyahəpôḵ)
  • Root: הָפַךְ (hāp̄aḵ) – to turn, to overthrow, to transform, to change.
  • Indicates a complete reversal of disposition and action on God's part towards them.
  • This is not a change in God's character, but a change in His relational posture as a consequence of their actions.
• "them" (Hebrew: אֹתָם – ʾōṯām)
  • Pronoun referring back to Israel, the subject of God's covenant.
• "into an enemy" (Hebrew: לְצָר – ləṣār)
  • Root: צָרָה (ṣārāh) – distress, adversity, tribulation, enemy, adversary, trouble.
  • Suggests that God, who was their protector and deliverer, became their source of opposition and hardship.
  • The use of ṣār can refer to an external enemy or internal trouble/distress, implying both externally imposed hardships and the inner turmoil of being alienated from God.
• "and he afflicted" (Hebrew: וַיָּשֵׁם – wayyāšēm)
  • Root: שׂוּם (śûm) or שִׂים (śīm) – to set, to put, to appoint, to make.
  • In this context, with the preposition "against" (lə), it means to inflict or to cause something upon them.
  • It signifies active causation of suffering.
• "them" (Hebrew: אֹתָם – ʾōṯām)
  • Again, referring to Israel.
• "with the same" (Hebrew: כְּסֹרְרָם – kəṣōrəṟām)
  • Prefix: כְּ (kə) – like, as.
  • Root: סָרַר (sārar) – to turn aside, to be rebellious, to act stubbornly.
  • This powerful adverbial phrase means "like their rebellion" or "in proportion to their stubbornness/rebellion."
  • It directly links the nature and degree of their affliction to the nature and degree of their rebellion, emphasizing divine retribution that matches the sin.

Isaiah 63 10 Bonus Section

The concept of God "turning against" His people can seem harsh, but it is consistently presented in scripture as a consequence of their chosen path, not an arbitrary abandonment of His character. It reflects the reality of relationship: if one party persistently rejects and offends the other, the relationship is inevitably altered. The Spirit's grieving is significant because He is the very instrument of God's presence, conviction, and empowerment. To grieve Him is to resist the very means God uses to draw people to Himself. This verse serves as a potent reminder for believers in the New Testament era, echoing warnings not to grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30) lest their walk become characterized by divine disfavor and internal distress, a far cry from the freedom and guidance the Spirit offers. The severity here for Israel should provoke self-examination regarding our own receptivity to the Spirit's voice and our resistance to His leading.

Isaiah 63 10 Commentary

Israel's history with God is a profound paradox: a covenant of love met by persistent rebellion. This verse captures the tragic outcome of such opposition. The Holy Spirit, God's intimate presence and active agent, was not only resisted but deeply grieved by Israel's continued defiance. This grievous act had a profound consequence: God Himself, the covenant partner, became their adversary. This transformation from protector to opponent signifies the seriousness of their sin – it fractured the relational bond. The affliction they suffered was not random but directly proportional to their own stubborn turning away from God. It underscores that God's judgment is righteous, reflecting the very nature of the sin it addresses. This teaches that turning from God and grieving His Spirit invites dire consequences, transforming His intended blessings into severe trials.