English Standard Version
Isaiah 61:3
3to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.
Isaiah 61:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.
- New International Version (NIV)and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
- New King James Version (NKJV)To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.
Context of Isaiah 61:3
1The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. 4They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. 5Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks; foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers;
Read all of Isaiah 61Isaiah 61:3 word by word
לָשׂ֣וּם׀ לַאֲבֵלֵ֣י צִיּ֗וֹן לָתֵת֩ לָהֶ֨ם פְּאֵ֜ר תַּ֣חַת אֵ֗פֶר שֶׁ֤מֶן שָׂשׂוֹן֙ תַּ֣חַת אֵ֔בֶל מַעֲטֵ֣ה תְהִלָּ֔ה תַּ֖חַת ר֣וּחַ כֵּהָ֑ה וְקֹרָ֤א לָהֶם֙ אֵילֵ֣י הַצֶּ֔דֶק מַטַּ֥ע יְהוָ֖ה לְהִתְפָּאֵֽר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- To appointשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
- unto them that mournאָבֵל'âbêl · mourningH57
- in Zionצִיּוֹןtsîyôn · ZionH6726
- to giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- unto them beautyפְּאֵרpe'êr · headdressH6287
- for ashesאֵ֫פֶר'êpher · ashesH665
- the oilשֶׁ֫מֶןshemen · oilH8081
- of joyשָׂשׂוֹןώâώôn ώâώôn · rejoicingH8342
- for mourningאֵ֫בֶל'êbel · mourningH60
- the garmentמַעֲטֶהma‛ăţeh · mantleH4594
- of praiseתְּהִלָּהtehillâh · praiseH8416
- for the spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
- of heavinessכֵּהֶהkêheh · faintH3544
- that they might be calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call byH7121
- treesאַ֫יִל'ayil · terebinthH352
- of righteousnessצֶ֫דֶקtsedeq · righteousnessH6664
- the plantingמַטָּעmaţţâ‛ · plantationH4302
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- that he might be glorifiedפָּאַרpâ'ar · to beautifyH6286
Cross-references for Isaiah 61:3
- Isaiah 12:1You will say in that day: "I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.
- Esther 4:1When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and he cried out with a loud and bitter cry.
- Esther 8:15Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal robes of blue and white, with a great golden crown and a robe of fine linen and purple, and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.
- Esther 9:22as the days on which the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and gifts to the poor.
- Psalms 30:11You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
- Ezekiel 16:8"When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love, and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness; I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord God, and you became mine.
- Psalms 23:5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
- Psalms 45:7you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
- Psalms 104:15and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart.
- Ecclesiastes 9:8Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head.
- John 16:20Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.
- Isaiah 61:10I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
- Zechariah 3:5And I said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by.
- Luke 15:22But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.
- Revelation 7:9After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
- Isaiah 60:21Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified.
Commentaries on Isaiah 61:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion "To impart gladness to the mourners of Zion" - A word necessary to the sense is certainly lost in this place, of which the ancient Versions have preserved no traces. Houbigant, by conjecture, inserts the word ששון sason, gladness, taken from the line next but one below, where it stands opposed to אבל ebel, sorrow or mourning, as the word lost here was to אבלי abeley, mourners: I follow him. - L. Beauty for ashes "A…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3To appoint unto them - Hebrew, To place;‘ that is, to place happiness before them; to give them joy arid consolation. That mourn in Zion - (See the notes at Isaiah 1:8). The mourners in Zion mean those who dwelt in Jerusalem; then all those who are connected with the church of God - his poor and afflicted people. To give unto them beauty for ashes - In the Hebrew there is here a beautiful paronomasia, which cannot be transferred to our language - אפר תחת…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3Putting ashes on one's head showed mourning (note the change from the judgment in Isaiah 3:16–25). Mourning would turn into joy. In Hebrew, the words for crown of beauty and ashes form a wordplay. oil of joy: A face covered with oil showed blessing and well-being (see Psalms 45:8; 133:2). The remnant would begin as small shoots. They would seem weak and unimportant at first. But over time, they would grow strong and large, like great oak trees (see Isaiah…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. To appoint ... to give--The double verb, with the one and the same accusative, imparts glowing vehemence to the style. beauty for ashes--There is a play on the sound and meaning of the Hebrew words, peer, epher, literally, "ornamental headdress" or tiara (Eze 24:17), worn in times of joy, instead of a headdress of "ashes," cast on the head in mourning (2Sa 13:19). oil of joy--Perfumed ointment was poured on the guests at joyous feasts (Psa 23:5; 45:7…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 61:3
In the dictionaries
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
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