Isaiah 61:4

Isaiah 61:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.
• New International Version (NIV)They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.
• English Standard Version (ESV)They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations, And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations.

Context of Isaiah 61:4

2To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance and retribution of our God, To comfort all who mourn, 3To grant to those who mourn in Zion the following: To give them a turban instead of dust [on their heads, a sign of mourning], The oil of joy instead of mourning, The garment [expressive] of praise instead of a disheartened spirit. So they will be called the trees of righteousness [strong and magnificent, distinguished for integrity, justice, and right standing with God], The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, They will raise up and restore the former desolations; And they will renew the ruined cities, The desolations (deserted settlements) of many generations. 5Strangers will stand and feed your flocks, And foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers. 6But you shall be called the priests of the Lord; People will speak of you as the ministers of our God. You will eat the wealth of nations, And you will boast of their riches.

Isaiah 61:4 word by word

וּבָנוּ֙ חָרְב֣וֹת עוֹלָ֔ם שֹׁמְמ֥וֹת רִֽאשֹׁנִ֖ים יְקוֹמֵ֑מוּ וְחִדְּשׁוּ֙ עָ֣רֵי חֹ֔רֶב שֹׁמְמ֖וֹת דּ֥וֹר וָדֽוֹר׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And they shall buildבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
• the oldעוֹלָם‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm · forever: antiquityH5769
• wastesחׇרְבָּהchorbâh · desolationH2723
• they shall raise upקוּםqûm · to arise: establishH6965
• the formerרִאשׁוֹןri'shôn ri'shôn · first: previousH7223
• desolationsשָׁמֵםshâmêm · be desolate: destroyedH8074
• and they shall repairחָדַשׁchâdash · to renewH2318
• the wasteחֹ֫רֶבchôreb · desolationH2721
• citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• of manyדּוֹרdôr dôr · generationH1755

Cross-references for Isaiah 61:4

• Isaiah 49:6He says, “It is too trivial a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will also make You a light to the nations That My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
• Isaiah 58:12And your people will rebuild the ancient ruins; You will raise up and restore the age-old foundations [of buildings that have been laid waste]; You will be called Repairer of the Breach, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
• Ezekiel 36:23I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord,” says the Lord God, “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight.
• Amos 9:14Also I shall bring back the exiles of My people Israel, And they will rebuild the deserted and ruined cities and inhabit them: They will also plant vineyards and drink their wine, And make gardens and eat their fruit.

Commentaries on Isaiah 61:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4"And they that spring from thee" - A word is lost here likewise. After ובנו ubanu, "they shall build," add ממך mimmecha, they that spring from thee. Four MSS. have it so, (two of them ancient), and one of mine has it in the margin, and it is confirmed by Isaiah 58:12, where the sentence is the very same, this word being here added. Kimchi makes the same remark: "the word ממך mimmecha is omitted here; but is found in Isaiah 58:12." The desolations of many…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4And they shall build the old wastes - (See the notes at Isaiah 58:12).Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-9Verses 4-9 Promises are here made to the Jews returned out of captivity, which extend to all those who, through grace, are delivered out of spiritual thraldom. An unholy soul is like a city that is broken down, and has no walls, like a house in ruins; but by the power of Christ's gospel and grace, it is fitted to be a habitation of God, through the Spirit. When, by the grace of God, we attain to holy indifference as to the affairs of this world; when…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. old wastes--Jerusalem and the cities of Judah which long lay in ruins (see on Is 58:12).Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 61:4

• Church
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning

In the dictionaries

• Beauty
• Joyful
• Preach
• Proclaim
• Raise
• Abstinence
• Builder
• Citizenship
• Ethics
• Isaiah

Commentaries on Isaiah 61

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings