The Meaning of Isaiah 63:10 Explained

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.

YLT: And they have rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit, And He turneth to them for an enemy, He Himself hath fought against them.

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

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

Discover Isaiah 63:10

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Isaiah 63:10?

MEANING: What does Isaiah 63:10 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Isaiah 63:10 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Isaiah 63:10?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Isaiah 63:10 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Even though the Israelites pledged themselves to follow the Lord faithfully, they rebelled against Him and so grieved His Holy Spirit. This verse helps us understand what grieving the Holy Spirit involves, namely, rebelling against the Lord (cf. Ephesians 4:30). This verse, the next, and Psalm 51:11 are the only places in the Old Testament where "holy" describes God"s "Spirit." We offend the holiness of God when we rebel against Him. Of course, we also offend His love since we "grieve" or "hurt" Him. Holy behavior is impossible without a will that is compliant rather than rebellious toward God.
"Most commentators recognize that the understanding of the Holy Spirit here and in Isaiah 63:11 is close to the fully developed NT concept of the third person of the Trinity. Here he is clearly a person who is capable of being hurt by human behavior, and in Isaiah 63:11 he is the empowering and enabling presence in the human spirit. As Delitzsch says, "He is the Spirit who is both holy in himself and capable of producing holiness." In Isaiah 63:12, although the adjective "holy" is not used, the same Spirit is the one who guides and provides for the people of God." [1]
However, these verses make perfectly good sense if we read "holy spirit" in place of "Holy Spirit." Yahweh, the angel of His presence, and the Holy Spirit are distinguishable as three persons of the Trinity.
The Israelites" rebellion led God to oppose them by fighting against them, resisting them. It was not God who changed but His people. He consistently resists sin.

Context Summary

Isaiah 63:10-19 - Salvation Obstructed By Rebellion
The exhortation of the Apostle against grieving the Holy Spirit is based on Isaiah 63:10. See Ephesians 4:30. There is no limit to the gracious work which the Holy Spirit will do in and for us, if only we will take jealous care of our behavior toward Him. Be especially heedful about thy speech! The least uncharitableness hurts Him, as frost the spring-blossoms.
But God never forgets the blessed past and labors to restore it. See what He will do! His power shall work through a human wrist, Isaiah 63:12. Before Him the waters part and leave a path for His chosen. All that would cause us to stumble is taken out of the way and we are led as on a level plain. As cattle descend into the hollows of the hills at noon, to escape the sultry heat, so will God's Spirit cause us to rest. Oh, claim that these promises be realized! He is Father, Redeemer, the Eternal, the Lover of souls! Even when we believe not and have forfeited all claim on Him, He remaineth faithful and cannot deny Himself! [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 63

1  Christ shows who he is
2  What his victory over his enemies
7  And what his mercy toward his church
10  In his just wrath he remembers his free mercy
15  The church, in her prayer
17  And complaint, professes her faith

What do the individual words in Isaiah 63:10 mean?

But they rebelled and grieved - Spirit His Holy so He turned Himself against them as an enemy [And] He fought against them
וְהֵ֛מָּה מָר֥וּ וְעִצְּב֖וּ אֶת־ ר֣וּחַ קָדְשׁ֑וֹ וַיֵּהָפֵ֥ךְ לָהֶ֛ם לְאוֹיֵ֖ב ה֥וּא נִלְחַם־ בָּֽם

וְהֵ֛מָּה  But  they 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
מָר֥וּ  rebelled 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: מָרָה  
Sense: to be contentious, be rebellious, be refractory, be disobedient towards, be rebellious against.
וְעִצְּב֖וּ  and  grieved 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָצַב 
Sense: to hurt, pain, grieve, displease, vex, wrest.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
ר֣וּחַ  Spirit 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
קָדְשׁ֑וֹ  His  Holy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.
וַיֵּהָפֵ֥ךְ  so  He  turned  Himself 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָפַךְ  
Sense: to turn, overthrow, overturn.
לָהֶ֛ם  against  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
לְאוֹיֵ֖ב  as  an  enemy 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
ה֥וּא  [And]  He 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
נִלְחַם־  fought 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: לָחַם 
Sense: to fight, do battle, make war.
בָּֽם  against  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural

What are the major concepts related to Isaiah 63:10?

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