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
1 tn Heb “and the formerly desolate places they will raise up.”
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.
3 tn Heb “will stand [in position] and shepherd.”
4 tn The Hebrew text adds, “it will be said concerning you.”
5 tn Heb “eat” (KJV, NAB, NASB); NIV “feed on”; NLT “be fed with.”
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).
7 tn Heb “their glory” (i.e., riches).