to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
    (A)to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
(B)the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
    the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
(C)that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
    the planting of the Lord, (D)that he may be glorified.[a]
(E)They shall build up the ancient ruins;
    they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
    the devastations of many generations.

(F)Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks;
    foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers;
(G)but you shall be called the priests of the Lord;
    they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God;
(H)you shall eat the wealth of the nations,
    and in their glory you shall boast.
(I)Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion;
    instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot;
therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion;
    they shall have everlasting joy.

(J)For I the Lord love justice;
    I hate robbery and wrong;[b]
(K)I will faithfully give them their recompense,
    (L)and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
Their offspring shall be known among the nations,
    and their descendants in the midst of the peoples;
all who see them shall acknowledge them,
    that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 61:3 Or that he may display his beauty
  2. Isaiah 61:8 Or robbery with a burnt offering

to provide for those who grieve in Zion—
    to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
    a mantle of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”

“Then people will call them[a] “Oaks of Righteousness”,
    “The Planting of the Lord”,
        in order to display his splendor.
They will rebuild the ancient ruins;
    they will restore the places long devastated;
they will build again the ruined cities,
    they will build again[b] the places devastated for many generations.
Strangers will stand and feed your flocks,
    and foreigners will work your land
        and dress your vines.
But as for you, you will be called priests of the Lord,
    and[c] you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealth of the nations,
    and you will boast about their riches.
Instead of your shame you will receive double,
    and instead of disgrace people will shout with joy over your[d] inheritance;
therefore you[e] will inherit a double portion in their land;
    everlasting joy will be yours.”[f]

“For I, the Lord, love justice,
    and[g] I hate robbery and iniquity;
I will faithfully present your reward[h]
    and make an everlasting covenant with you.[i]
Your[j] offspring will be known among the nations,
    and your[k] descendants among the people.[l]
All who see them will acknowledge them,
    that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed.”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 61:3 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read they will be called
  2. Isaiah 61:4 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX lacks again
  3. Isaiah 61:6 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX lacks and
  4. Isaiah 61:7 So 1QIsaa; MT reads their
  5. Isaiah 61:7 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX reads they
  6. Isaiah 61:7 So 1QIsaa; MT reads theirs; LXX reads over their head
  7. Isaiah 61:8 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT lacks and
  8. Isaiah 61:8 So 1QIsaa; MT LX read present their reward
  9. Isaiah 61:8 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read with them
  10. Isaiah 61:9 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read Their
  11. Isaiah 61:9 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read their
  12. Isaiah 61:9 Lit. peoples