Isaiah 61:4-6

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 

[61:4]  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).