Isa 63:9 | NETfull | STEP | Through all that they suffered, he suffered too. The messenger sent from his very presence delivered them. In his love and mercy he protected them; he lifted them up and carried them throughout ancient times.

Isaiah 63:9

9 Through all that they suffered, he suffered too. ^{▼▼ Heb “in all their distress, there was distress to him” (reading לוֹ [lo] with the margin/Qere).}
The messenger sent from his very presence ^{▼▼ Heb “the messenger [or “angel”] of his face”; NIV “the angel of his presence.”} ^{▼▼ This may refer to the “angel of God” mentioned in Exod 14:19, who in turn may be identical to the divine “presence” (literally, “face”) referred to in Exod 33:14–15 and Deut 4:37. Here in Isa 63 this messenger may be equated with God’s “holy Spirit” (see vv. 10–11) and “the Spirit of the Lord” (v. 14). See also Ps 139:7, where God’s “Spirit” seems to be equated with his “presence” (literally, “face”) in the synonymous parallelistic structure.} delivered them.
In his love and mercy he protected ^{▼▼ Or “redeemed” (KJV, NAB, NIV), or “delivered.”} them;
he lifted them up and carried them throughout ancient times. ^{▼▼ Heb “all the days of antiquity”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “days of old.”}