Isaiah 61:4-9
New English Translation
4 They will rebuild the perpetual ruins
and restore the places that were desolate;[a]
they will reestablish the ruined cities,
the places that have been desolate since ancient times.
5 [b] “Foreigners will take care of[c] your sheep;
foreigners will work in your fields and vineyards.
6 You will be called, ‘the Lord’s priests,
servants of our God.’[d]
You will enjoy[e] the wealth of nations
and boast about[f] the riches you receive from them.[g]
7 Instead of shame, you will get a double portion;[h]
instead of humiliation, they will rejoice over the land they receive.[i]
Yes,[j] 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;[k]
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.”[l]
Footnotes
- 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.”
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