Yesaya 6:3

6:3 They called out to one another, “Holy, holy, holy ¹  is the Lord who commands armies! ²  His majestic splendor fills the entire earth!”

Yesaya 25:9

25:9 At that time they will say, ³ 

“Look, here ⁴  is our God!

We waited for him and he delivered us.

Here ⁵  is the Lord! We waited for him.

Let’s rejoice and celebrate his deliverance!”

Yesaya 63:1

The Victorious Divine Warrior

63:1 Who is this who comes from Edom, ⁶ 

dressed in bright red, coming from Bozrah? ⁷ 

Who ⁸  is this one wearing royal attire, ⁹ 

who marches confidently ¹⁰  because of his great strength?

“It is I, the one who announces vindication,

and who is able to deliver!” ¹¹ 

Yesaya 66:1

66:1 This is what the Lord says:

“The heavens are my throne

and the earth is my footstool.

Where then is the house you will build for me?

Where is the place where I will rest?

[6:3]  ¹ tn Some have seen a reference to the Trinity in the seraphs’ threefold declaration, “holy, holy, holy.” This proposal has no linguistic or contextual basis and should be dismissed as allegorical. Hebrew sometimes uses repetition for emphasis. (See IBHS 233-34 §12.5a; and GKC 431-32 §133.k.) By repeating the word “holy,” the seraphs emphasize the degree of the Lord’s holiness. For another example of threefold repetition for emphasis, see Ezek 21:27 (Heb. v. 32). (Perhaps Jer 22:29 provides another example.)

[6:3]  sn Or “The Lord who commands armies has absolute sovereign authority!” The basic sense of the word “holy” is “set apart from that which is commonplace, special, unique.” In this context the Lord’s holiness is first and foremost his transcendent sovereignty as the ruler of the world. He is “set apart” from the world over which he rules. Note the emphasis on the elevated position of his throne in v. 1 and his designation as “the king” in v. 5. At the same time his holiness encompasses his moral authority, which derives from his royal position. As king he has the right to dictate to his subjects how they are to live; indeed his very own character sets the standard for proper behavior. He is “set apart” from his subjects in a moral sense as well. He sets the standard; they fall short of it. Note that in v. 5 Isaiah laments that he is morally unworthy to be in the king’s presence.

[6:3]  ² tn Perhaps in this context, the title has a less militaristic connotation and pictures the Lord as the ruler of the heavenly assembly. See the note at 1:9.

[25:9]  ³ tn Heb “and one will say in that day.”

[25:9]  ⁴ tn Heb “this [one].”

[25:9]  ⁵ tn Heb “this [one].”

[63:1]  ⁶ sn Edom is here an archetype for the Lord’s enemies. See 34:5.

[63:1]  ⁷ tn Heb “[in] bright red garments, from Bozrah.”

[63:1]  ⁸ tn The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis; note the first line of the verse.

[63:1]  ⁹ tn Heb “honored in his clothing”; KJV, ASV “glorious in his apparel.”

[63:1]  ¹⁰ tc The Hebrew text has צָעָה (tsa’ah), which means “stoop, bend” (51:14). The translation assumes an emendation to צָעַד (tsa’ad, “march”; see BDB 858 s.v. צָעָה).

[63:1]  ¹¹ tn Heb “I, [the one] speaking in vindication [or “righteousness”], great to deliver.”