Isaiah 61:4-9

61:4 They will rebuild the perpetual ruins

and restore the places that were desolate; ¹ 

they will reestablish the ruined cities,

the places that have been desolate since ancient times.

61:5 ² “Foreigners will take care of ³  your sheep;

foreigners will work in your fields and vineyards.

61:6 You will be called, ‘the Lord’s priests,

servants of our God.’ ⁴ 

You will enjoy ⁵  the wealth of nations

and boast about ⁶  the riches you receive from them. ⁷ 

61:7 Instead of shame, you will get a double portion; ⁸ 

instead of humiliation, they will rejoice over the land they receive. ⁹ 

Yes, ¹⁰  they will possess a double portion in their land

and experience lasting joy.

61:8 For I, the Lord, love justice

and hate robbery and sin.

I will repay them because of my faithfulness; ¹¹ 

I will make a permanent covenant with them.

61:9 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.” ¹² 

[61:4]  ¹ tn Heb “and the formerly desolate places they will raise up.”

[61:5]  ² 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.

[61:5]  ³ tn Heb “will stand [in position] and shepherd.”

[61:6]  ⁴ tn The Hebrew text adds, “it will be said concerning you.”

[61:6]  ⁵ tn Heb “eat” (KJV, NAB, NASB); NIV “feed on”; NLT “be fed with.”

[61:6]  ⁶ tc The form in the Hebrew text is probably a corruption of יִתְאַמְּרוּ (yit’ammÿru), a Hitpael from אָמַר (’amar), meaning “boast about” (see HALOT 67 s.v. II אמר, HALOT 416 s.v. ימר, and BDB 56 s.v. אָמַר).

[61:6]  ⁷ tn Heb “their glory” (i.e., riches).

[61:7]  ⁸ tn Heb “instead of your shame, a double portion.”

[61:7]  ⁹ tn Heb “and [instead of] humiliation they will rejoice [over] their portion.” The term תָחָת (takhat, “instead of”) is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).

[61:7]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “therefore” (so KJV, NASB); NIV “and so.”

[61:8]  ¹¹ tn Heb “in faithfulness”; NASB, NRSV, NLT “faithfully.”

[61:9]  ¹² tn Heb “all who see them will recognize them, that they [are] descendants [whom] the Lord has blessed.”