Isaiah 61:1-3
New English Translation
The Lord Will Rejuvenate His People
61 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,
because the Lord has chosen[a] me.[b]
He has commissioned[c] me to encourage[d] the poor,
to help[e] the brokenhearted,
to decree the release of captives,
and the freeing of prisoners,
2 to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor,
the day when our God will seek vengeance,[f]
to console all who mourn,
3 to strengthen those who mourn in Zion,
by giving them a turban, instead of ashes,
oil symbolizing joy,[g] instead of mourning,
a garment symbolizing praise,[h] instead of discouragement.[i]
They will be called oaks of righteousness,[j]
trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor.[k]
Footnotes
- Isaiah 61:1 tn Heb “anointed,” i.e., designated to carry out an assigned task.
- Isaiah 61:1 sn The speaker is not identified, but he is distinct from the Lord and from Zion’s suffering people. He possesses the divine spirit, is God’s spokesman, and is sent to release prisoners from bondage. The evidence suggests he is the Lord’s special servant, described earlier in the servant songs (see 42:1-4, 7; 49:2, 9; 50:4; see also 51:16).
- Isaiah 61:1 tn Or “sent” (NAB); NCV “has appointed me.”
- Isaiah 61:1 tn Or “proclaim good news to.”
- Isaiah 61:1 tn Heb “to bind up [the wounds of].”
- Isaiah 61:2 tn Heb “to announce the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of our God’s vengeance.
- Isaiah 61:3 tn Heb “oil of joy” (KJV, ASV); NASB, NIV, NRSV “the oil of gladness.”
- Isaiah 61:3 tn Heb “garment of praise.”
- Isaiah 61:3 tn Heb “a faint spirit” (so NRSV); KJV, ASV “the spirit of heaviness”; NASB “a spirit of fainting.”
- Isaiah 61:3 tn Rather than referring to the character of the people, צֶדֶק (tsedeq) may carry the nuance “vindication” here, suggesting that God’s restored people are a testimony to his justice. See v. 2, which alludes to the fact that God will take vengeance against the enemies of his people. Cf. NAB “oaks of justice.”
- Isaiah 61:3 tn Heb “a planting of the Lord to reveal splendor.”
Isaiah 61:1-3
Lexham English Bible
The Year of Yahweh’s Favor
61 The Spirit of the Lord Yahweh is upon me,
because Yahweh has anointed me,
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the brokenhearted,[a]
to proclaim[b] release to the captives
and liberation to those who are bound,
2 to proclaim[c] the year of Yahweh’s favor,
and our God’s day of vengeance,
to comfort all those in mourning,
3 to give[d] for those in mourning in Zion,
to give them a head wrap instead of ashes,
the oil of joy instead of mourning,
a garment of praise instead of a faint spirit.
And they will be called[e] oaks of righteousness,
the planting of Yahweh, to show his glory.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 61:1 Literally “those broken of heart”
- Isaiah 61:1 Literally “call”
- Isaiah 61:2 Literally “call”
- Isaiah 61:3 Literally “place”
- Isaiah 61:3 Literally “it will be called to them”
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software