Discovery BoxIsaiah 61:4-9 
Context61:4 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
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).
8 tn Heb “instead of your shame, a double portion.”
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).
10 tn Heb “therefore” (so KJV, NASB); NIV “and so.”
11 tn Heb “in faithfulness”; NASB, NRSV, NLT “faithfully.”
12 tn Heb “all who see them will recognize them, that they [are] descendants [whom] the Lord has blessed.”
