Isaiah 61:3-9
New English Translation
3 to strengthen those who mourn in Zion,
by giving them a turban, instead of ashes,
oil symbolizing joy,[a] instead of mourning,
a garment symbolizing praise,[b] instead of discouragement.[c]
They will be called oaks of righteousness,[d]
trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor.[e]
4 They will rebuild the perpetual ruins
and restore the places that were desolate;[f]
they will reestablish the ruined cities,
the places that have been desolate since ancient times.
5 [g] “Foreigners will take care of[h] your sheep;
foreigners will work in your fields and vineyards.
6 You will be called, ‘the Lord’s priests,
servants of our God.’[i]
You will enjoy[j] the wealth of nations
and boast about[k] the riches you receive from them.[l]
7 Instead of shame, you will get a double portion;[m]
instead of humiliation, they will rejoice over the land they receive.[n]
Yes,[o] they will possess a double portion in their land
and experience lasting joy.
8 For I, the Lord, love justice
and hate robbery and sin.
I will repay them because of my faithfulness;[p]
I will make a permanent covenant with them.
9 Their descendants will be known among the nations,
their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will recognize that
the Lord has blessed them.”[q]
Footnotes
- 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 61:4 tn Heb “and the formerly desolate places they will raise up.”
- Isaiah 61:5 sn The Lord speaks in vv. 7-8 (and possibly v. 9). It is not clear where the servant’s speech (see vv. 1-3a) ends and the Lord’s begins. Perhaps the direct address to the people signals the beginning of the Lord’s speech.
- Isaiah 61:5 tn Heb “will stand [in position] and shepherd.”
- Isaiah 61:6 tn The Hebrew text adds, “it will be said concerning you.”
- Isaiah 61:6 tn Heb “eat” (KJV, NAB, NASB); NIV “feed on”; NLT “be fed with.”
- Isaiah 61:6 tc The form in the Hebrew text probably needs to be emended to יִתְאַמְּרוּ (yitʾammeru), a Hitpael from אָמַר (ʾamar), meaning “boast about” (see HALOT 67 s.v. II אמר, HALOT 416 s.v. ימר, and BDB 56 s.v. אָמַר).
- Isaiah 61:6 tn Heb “their glory” (i.e., riches).
- Isaiah 61:7 tn Heb “instead of your shame, a double portion.”
- Isaiah 61:7 tn Heb “and [instead of] humiliation they will rejoice [over] their portion.” The term תַחַת (takhat, “instead of”) is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
- Isaiah 61:7 tn Heb “therefore” (so KJV, NASB); NIV “and so.”
- Isaiah 61:8 tn Heb “in faithfulness”; NASB, NRSV, NLT “faithfully.”
- Isaiah 61:9 tn Heb “all who see them will recognize them, that they [are] descendants [whom] the Lord has blessed.”
Isaiah 61:3-9
Expanded Bible
3 and to help the ·sorrowing [mourning] people of ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C location of the Temple; 59:20].
I will give them a ·crown [garland; headdress] to replace their ashes,
and the oil of ·gladness [joy] to replace their ·sorrow [mourning],
and ·clothes [a garment] of praise to replace their ·spirit of sadness [discouragement; heavy heart].
Then they will be called ·Trees of Goodness [or Oaks of Righteousness],
trees planted by the Lord to show his ·greatness [glory; C manifest presence].
4 They will rebuild the ·old [ancient] ruins
and restore the places destroyed long ago [58:12].
They will repair the ruined cities
that were destroyed for ·so long [generations].
5 ·Foreigners [Strangers] will come to tend your sheep.
·People from other countries [Foreigners] will ·tend [plow] your fields and vineyards.
6 You will be called priests of the Lord;
you will be named the ·servants [ministers] of our God.
You will ·have riches from all the nations on earth [L eat the wealth of nations],
and ·you will take pride in them [L in their glory you will boast].
7 Instead of ·being ashamed [your shame], you will receive ·twice as much wealth [a double portion].
Instead of being ·disgraced [dishonored; humiliated], they will ·be happy because of what they receive [L rejoice over their portion].
They will receive a double share of the land,
so ·their happiness will continue forever [L everlasting joy will be theirs].
8 “I, the Lord, love justice.
I hate ·stealing [robbery] and ·everything that is wrong [wrongdoing].
·I will be fair and give my people what they should have [L I will reward/give wages in truth/faithfulness],
and I will make an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with them that will continue forever.
9 ·Everyone in all nations will know the children of my people [L Their descendants/seed will be known among the nations/Gentiles],
and their ·children [offspring] will be known among the ·nations [peoples].
Anyone who sees them will know
that they are ·people [descendants; seed] the Lord has blessed.”
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