Isaiah

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CHAPTER 61

The Anointed Bearer of Glad Tidings

1^* The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,

because the LORD has anointed me;

He has sent me to bring good news to the afflicted,

to bind up the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives,

release to the prisoners,^a

2To announce a year of favor from the LORD

and a day of vindication by our God;

To comfort all who mourn;^b

3to place on those who mourn in Zion

a diadem instead of ashes,

To give them oil of gladness instead of mourning,

a glorious mantle instead of a faint spirit.

Restoration and Blessing

They will be called oaks of justice,

the planting of the LORD to show his glory.

4They shall rebuild the ancient ruins,

the former wastes they shall raise up

And restore the desolate cities,

devastations of generation upon generation.^c

5Strangers shall stand ready to pasture your flocks,

foreigners shall be your farmers and vinedressers.

6^* You yourselves shall be called “Priests of the LORD,”

“Ministers of our God” you shall be called.

You shall eat the wealth of the nations

and in their riches you will boast.^d

7Because their shame was twofold^*

and disgrace was proclaimed their portion,

They will possess twofold in their own land;

everlasting joy shall be theirs.^e

God’s Word of Promise

8For I, the LORD, love justice,

I hate robbery and wrongdoing;

I will faithfully give them their recompense,

an everlasting covenant I will make with them.^f

9Their offspring shall be renowned among the nations,

and their descendants in the midst of the peoples;

All who see them shall acknowledge them:

“They are offspring the LORD has blessed.”

Thanksgiving for God’s Deliverance

10^* I will rejoice heartily in the LORD,

my being exults in my God;

For he has clothed me with garments of salvation,

and wrapped me in a robe of justice,

Like a bridegroom adorned with a diadem,

as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.^g

11As the earth brings forth its shoots,

and a garden makes its seeds spring up,

So will the Lord GOD make justice spring up,

and praise before all the nations.

* [61:1–2] The prophet proclaims that he has been anointed by the Lord to bring good news (cf. 40:9) to the afflicted and to comfort Zion. The background to the “year of favor” is the jubilee year of release from debts (Lv 25:10–11; Is 49:8).

* [61:6] The bestowal of a new name suggests a new identity and mission. The whole people will be priests (cf. Ex 19:6), even ministering to nations who will serve God’s people.

* [61:7] Twofold: Israel was punished double for infidelity (40:2); the blessings of its restoration will also be double.

* [61:10–11] The new life of the restored Zion is expressed in nuptial (cf. also 62:5) and agricultural (cf. v. 3; 60:21) imagery.

a. [61:1] Is 40:9; 42:1; 48:16; 52:7; 58:7; Lk 4:18–19.

b. [61:2] Mt 5:4.

c. [61:4] Is 58:12.

d. [61:6] Ex 19:6; 1 Pt 2:9.

e. [61:7] Is 40:2.

f. [61:8] Is 55:3; 54:9–10; 59:21.

g. [61:10] 1 Sm 2:1; Ps 138:1–2.