61:3 to strengthen those who mourn in Zion,
by giving them a turban, instead of ashes,
oil symbolizing joy, 1 instead of mourning,
a garment symbolizing praise, 2 instead of discouragement. 3
They will be called oaks of righteousness, 4
trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor. 5
61:6 You will be called, ‘the Lord’s priests,
servants of our God.’ 6
You will enjoy 7 the wealth of nations
and boast about 8 the riches you receive from them. 9
61:10 I 10 will greatly rejoice 11 in the Lord;
I will be overjoyed because of my God. 12
For he clothes me in garments of deliverance;
he puts on me a robe symbolizing vindication. 13
I look like a bridegroom when he wears a turban as a priest would;
I look like a bride when she puts on her jewelry. 14
1 tn Heb “oil of joy” (KJV, ASV); NASB, NIV, NRSV “the oil of gladness.”
2 tn Heb “garment of praise.”
3 tn Heb “a faint spirit” (so NRSV); KJV, ASV “the spirit of heaviness”; NASB “a spirit of fainting.”
4 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.”
5 tn Heb “a planting of the Lord to reveal splendor.”
6 tn The Hebrew text adds, “it will be said concerning you.”
7 tn Heb “eat” (KJV, NAB, NASB); NIV “feed on”; NLT “be fed with.”
8 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).
9 tn Heb “their glory” (i.e., riches).
10 sn The speaker in vv. 10-11 is not identified, but it is likely that the personified nation (or perhaps Zion) responds here to the Lord’s promise of restoration.
11 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.
12 tn Heb “my being is happy in my God”; NAB “in my God is the joy of my soul.”
13 tn Heb “robe of vindication”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “robe of righteousness.”
14 tn Heb “like a bridegroom [who] acts like a priest [by wearing] a turban, and like a bride [who] wears her jewelry.” The words “I look” are supplied for stylistic reasons and clarification.