TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Isaiah 61:4–9. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Promises are here made to the Jews now returned out of captivity, and settled again in their own land, which are to be extended to the gospel church, and all believers, who through grace are delivered out of spiritual thraldom; for they are capable of being spiritually applied.
I.It is promised that their houses shall be rebuilt (Isa 61:4), that their cities shall be raised out of the ruins in which they had long lain, and be fitted up for their use again: They shall build the old wastes; the old wastes shall be built, the waste cities shall be repaired, the former desolations, even the desolations of many generations, which it was feared would never be repaired, shall be raised up. The setting up of Christianity in the world repaired the decays of natural religion and raised up those desolations both of piety and honesty which had been for many generations the reproach of mankind. An unsanctified 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 repaired, it is put in order again, and fitted to be a habitation of God through the Spirit. And they shall do this, those that are released out of captivity; for we are brought out of the house of bondage that we may serve God, both in building up ourselves to his glory and in helping to build up his church on earth.
II.Those that were so lately servants themselves, working for their oppressors and lying at their mercy, shall now have servants to do their work for them and be at their command, not of their brethren (they are all the Lord's freemen), but of the strangers, and the sons of the alien, who shall keep their sheep, till their ground, and dress their gardens, the ancient employments of Abel, Cain, and Adam: Strangers shall feed your flocks, Isa 61:5. When, by the grace of God, we attain to a holy indifference as to all the affairs of this world, buying as though we possessed not - when, though our hands are employed about them, our hearts are not entangled with them, but reserved entire for God and his service - then the sons of the alien are our ploughmen and vine-dressers.
III.They shall not only be released out of their captivity, but highly preferred and honourably employed (Isa 61:6):
"While the strangers are keeping your flocks, you shall be keeping the charge of the sanctuary; instead of being slaves to your task-masters, you shall be named the priests of the Lord, a high and holy calling." Priests were princes' peers, and in Hebrew were called by the same name. You shall be the ministers of our God, as the Levites were. Note, Those whom God sets at liberty he sets to work; he delivers them out of the hands of their enemies that they may serve him, Luk 1:74, Luk 1:75; Psa 116:16. But his service is perfect freedom, nay, it is the greatest honour. When God brought Israel out of Egypt he took them to be to him a kingdom of priests, Exo 19:6. And the gospel church is a royal priesthood, Pe1 2:9. All believers are made to our God kings and priests; and they ought to conduct themselves as such in their devotions and in their whole conversation, with holiness to the Lord written upon their foreheads, that men may call them the priests of the Lord.
IV.The wealth and honour of the Gentile converts shall redound to the benefit and credit of the church, Isa 61:6.
The Gentiles shall be brought into the church. Those that were strangers shall become fellow-citizens with the saints; and with themselves they shall bring all they have, to be devoted to the glory of God and used in his service; and the priests, the Lord's ministers, shall have the advantage of it. It will be a great strengthening and quickening, as well as a comfort and encouragement, to all good Christians, to see the Gentiles serving the interests of God's kingdom.
1.They shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, not which they have themselves seized by violence, but which are fairly and honourably presented to them, as gifts brought to the altar, which the priests and their families lived comfortably upon. It is not said, "You shall hoard the riches of the Gentiles, and treasure them," but, "You shall eat them;" for there is nothing better in riches than to use them and to do good with them.
2.They shall boast themselves in their glory. Whatever was the honour of the Gentiles converts before their conversion - their nobility, estates, learning, virtue, or places of trust and power - it shall all turn to the reputation of the church to which they have joined themselves; and whatever is their glory after their conversion - their holy zeal and strictness of conversation, their usefulness, their patient suffering, and all the displays of that blessed change which divine grace has made in them - shall be very much for the glory of God and therefore all good men shall glory in it.
V.They shall have abundance of comfort and satisfaction in their own bosoms, Isa 61:7.
The Jews no doubt were thus privileged after their return; they were in a new world, and now knew how to value their liberty and property, the pleasures of which were continually fresh and blooming. Much more do all those rejoice whom Christ has brought into the glorious liberty of God's children, especially when the privileges of their adoption shall be completed in the resurrection of the body.
1.They shall rejoice in their portion; they shall not only have their own again, but (which is a further gift of God) they shall have the comfort of it, and a heart to rejoice in it, Ecc 3:13. Though the houses of the returned Jews, as well as their temple, be much inferior to what they were before the captivity, yet they shall be well pleased with them and thankful for them. It is a portion in their land, their own land, the holy land, Immanuel's land, and therefore they shall rejoice in it, having so lately known what it was to be strangers in a strange land. Those that have God and heaven for their portion have reason to say that they have a worthy portion and to rejoice in it.
2.Everlasting joy shall be unto them, that is, a joyful state of their people, which shall last long, much longer than the captivity had lasted. Yet that joy of the Jewish nation was so much allayed, so often interrupted, and so soon brought to an end, that we must look for the accomplishment of this promise in the spiritual joy which believers have in God and the eternal joy they hope for in heaven.
3.This shall be a double recompence to them, and more than double, for all the reproach and vexation they have lain under in the land of their captivity: "For your shame you shall have double honour, and in your land you shall possess double wealth, to what you lost; the blessing of God upon it, and the comfort you shall have in it, shall make an abundant reparation for all the damages you have received. You shall be owned not only as God's sons, but as his first-born (Exo 4:22), and therefore entitled to a double portion." As the miseries of their captivity were so great that in them they are said to have received double for all their sins (Isa 40:2), so the joys of their return shall be so great that in them they shall receive double for all their shame. The former is applicable to the fulness of Christ's satisfaction, in which God received double for all our sins; the latter to the fulness of heaven's joys, in which we shall receive more than double for all our services and sufferings. Job's case illustrates this: when God turned again his captivity, he gave him twice as much as he had before.
VI.God will be their faithful guide and a God in covenant with them (Isa 61:8):
I will direct their work in truth. God by his providence will order their affairs for the best, according to the word of his truth. He will guide them in the ways of true prosperity, by the rules of true policy. He will by his grace direct the works of good people in the right way, the true way that leads to happiness; he will direct them to be done in sincerity and then they are pleasing to him. God desires truth in the inward parts; and, if we do our works in truth, he will make an everlasting covenant with us; for to those that walk before him and are upright he will certainly be a God all-sufficient. Now, as a reason both of this and of the foregoing promise, that God will recompense to them double for their shame, those words come in, in the former part of the verse, I the Lord love judgment. He loves that judgment should be done among men, both between magistrates and subjects and between neighbour and neighbour, and therefore he hates all injustice; and, when wrongs are done to his people by their oppressors and persecutors, he is displeased with them, not only because they are done to his people, but because they are wrongs, and against the eternal rules of equity. If men do not do justice, he loves to do judgment himself in giving redress to those that suffer wrong and punishing those that do wrong. God pleads his people's injured cause, not only because he is jealous for them, but because he is jealous for justice. To illustrate this, it is added that he hates robbery for burnt-offering. He hates injustice even in his own people, who honour him with what they have in their burnt-offerings, much more does he hate it when it is against his own people; if he hates robbery when it is for burnt-offerings to himself, much more when it is for burnt-offerings to idols, and when not only his people are robbed of their estates, but he is robbed of his offerings. It is a truth much to the honour of God that ritual services will never atone for the violation of moral precepts, nor will it justify any man's robbery to say, "It was for burnt-offerings," or Corban - It is a gift. Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, to do justly and love mercy better than thousands of rams; nay, that robbery is most of all hateful to God which is covered with this pretence, for it makes the righteous God to be the patron of unrighteousness. Some make this a reason of the rejection of the Jews upon the bringing in of the Gentiles (Isa 61:6), because they were so corrupt in their morals, and, while they tithed mint and cummin, made nothing of judgment and mercy (Mat 23:23), whereas God loves judgment and insists upon that, and he hates both robbery for burnt offerings and burnt-offerings for robbery too, as that of the Pharisees, who made long prayers that they might the more plausibly devour widows' houses. Others read these words thus: I hate rapine by iniquity, that is, the spoil which the enemies of God's people had unjustly made of them; God hated this, and therefore would reckon with them for it.
VII.God will entail a blessing upon their posterity after them (Isa 61:9):
Their seed (the children of those persons themselves that are now the blessed of the Lord, or their successors in profession, the church's seed) shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation, Psa 22:30.
1.They shall signalize themselves and make their neighbours to take notice of them: They shall be known among the Gentiles, shall distinguish themselves by the gravity, seriousness, humility, and cheerfulness of their conversation, especially by that brotherly love by which all men shall know them to be Christ's disciples. And, they thus distinguishing themselves, God shall dignify them, by making them the blessings of their age and instruments of his glory, and by giving them remarkable tokens of his favour, which shall make them eminent and gain them respect from all about them. Let the children of godly parents love in such a manner that they may be known to be such, that all who observe them may see in them the fruits of a good education, and an answer to the prayers that were put up for them; and then they may expect that God will make them known, by the fulfilling of that promise to them, that the generation of the upright shall be blessed.
2.God shall have the glory of this, for every one shall attribute it to the blessing of God; all that see them shall see so much of the grace of God in them, and his favour towards them, that they shall acknowledge them to be the seed which the Lord has blessed and doth bless, for it includes both. See what it is to be blessed of God. Whatever good appears in any it must be taken notice of as the fruit of God's blessing and he must be glorified in it.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
3 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
(Verse 3-5) And they shall be called in her strong justices, the plantation of the Lord, to glorify. And they shall build the ancient places that were waste, and shall raise up the desolate cities, that were destroyed for generations and generations. And strangers shall stand and shall feed your flocks: and the sons of strangers shall be your husbandmen and your vinedressers. LXX: And they shall be called the generations of justice: the planting of the Lord to glory. And they shall build everlasting desolate places, which were previously deserted, they shall be raised up and renew deserted cities, desolate in generations, and foreigners shall come, and they shall feed your sheep, and the plowmen and vintners of other nations. After the Apostles, and the apostolic men have taken on the spirit of ashes and mourning, the oil of joy, and the garment, or according to the Septuagint, the robe of glory and praise: then they shall be called the generations of righteousness, the glorious planting of the Lord. Or according to the Hebrew, the strong ones, strong with the justice of God, or (according to Al. ut) the planting of the Lord for glorification: so that when they have been glorified, or they themselves have glorified the Lord, they shall build deserted cities from ancient times, and raise up ancient ruins, both the people of Judah and all the nations, who will have not only the knowledge of building and restoring cities, but they shall also be excellent shepherds, so that the old shepherds, to whom God had spoken through Ezekiel saying: O shepherds of Israel, do the shepherds feed themselves and not the sheep? (Ezek. 34:2) Let them hear with the apostle Peter: 'Feed my sheep' (John 21:17). And in a wondrous way, they shall move from being stone workers and shepherds to being farmers, that is, ploughmen and vintners, so that they may say with the Apostle: 'We are God's building, we are God's farm' (1 Corinthians 3:9). Finally, the Savior asks the scribes and Pharisees, the vintners and farmers of the Jews, what he should do to the evil vintners and farmers. And they answered: 'He will destroy the evil ones and give the vineyard to other farmers' (Matthew 21:41). He said to them: 'The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce its fruit' (ibid., 43). These matters do not require interpretation. For how many of the leaders of the Churches are from the Jews, not from foreigners and people of foreign nations? They, who formerly served idols and were strangers to the covenant of God and outsiders to his promises, now lead the Churches and tame the stubborn hearts of the gentiles, previously untamed, to bear the fruits of faith; so that they may multiply the sowing of the Lord's teaching through the abundance of good works.
For the Savior cultivates us through the holy people of faith. And these are called God’s coworkers.… And the gladness will be everlasting; for we do not expect the reward to be in things of this age but in exceeding hope and life without limit for those who are noble concerning thought and speech.
This is said to the holy apostles, “Do not be distressed when you are persecuted, tortured and disgraced among all and endure death of a thousand vanities. For through your sufferings the nations will gain salvation, and they will have a portion among those rejoicing.”
Continue studying Isaiah 61:4 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
Summary
Isaiah 61:4 presents a powerful prophecy of comprehensive restoration, detailing the profound reversal of long-standing devastation. Following the declaration of the Messiah's anointing to bring good news and healing, this verse describes the tangible, physical, and spiritual rebuilding of what was once utterly ruined. It speaks to the divine capacity to transform desolate landscapes and broken communities, promising a renewal so complete that it addresses the cumulative decay of many generations, establishing a new era of flourishing and divine presence.
Context
Literary Context
Isaiah 61 opens with a profound Messianic prophecy, often referred to as the "Manifesto of the Messiah," where the anointed one declares his mission in Isaiah 61:1-3. The speaker, filled with the Spirit of the Lord, is commissioned to bring good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to captives, and comfort those who mourn. Verse 4 then immediately shifts to the practical, visible outcomes of this anointing, providing concrete examples of the promised restoration. It transitions from the spiritual and emotional healing described in the preceding verses to the physical and communal rebuilding that will follow, demonstrating that God's restoration is holistic, encompassing both the inner person and the external environment. This verse sets the stage for further descriptions of the restored community's blessed state and their distinguished role among the nations in Isaiah 61:5-9.
Historical & Cultural Context
The primary historical backdrop for this prophecy is the Babylonian exile, a period of immense national trauma for Judah. Jerusalem, its temple, and its cities were utterly destroyed, leaving behind "wastes" and "desolations" that persisted for generations. The people were scattered, their identity challenged, and their land laid waste. For the ancient Israelites, the city, particularly Jerusalem, was not just a collection of buildings but the very center of their national and religious life, symbolizing God's presence among them. Its destruction represented a profound theological crisis and a sign of divine judgment. Therefore, the promise of rebuilding "old wastes" and "waste cities" resonated deeply with their longing for return, the restoration of their land, and the re-establishment of their covenant relationship with God. This promise of physical restoration was inextricably linked to their spiritual and national identity, signifying a return to divine favor and a renewed future.
Key Themes
Isaiah 61:4 contributes significantly to several overarching themes in Isaiah and broader biblical theology. Foremost is the theme of Divine Restoration, emphasizing God's power and intent to reverse even the most entrenched ruin, bringing life out of death and beauty out of ashes, as explicitly stated in Isaiah 61:3. It highlights Hope in Desolation, asserting that no state of brokenness, however long-standing ("desolations of many generations"), is beyond God's transformative power. The verse also underscores the theme of New Creation and Rebuilding, not just physically but also spiritually and socially, leading to a renewed community and a restored relationship with God. This comprehensive restoration is ultimately a work of the Anointed Messiah, whose mission encompasses both spiritual liberation and tangible, communal renewal, foreshadowing the comprehensive work of Christ in establishing a new spiritual reality and ultimately, a new heaven and new earth, as envisioned in Revelation 21.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
A primitive root meaning to build (literally and figuratively). It encompasses the acts of establishing, constructing anew, and even obtaining children, suggesting a generative and foundational act. In this context, it signifies the comprehensive act of reconstruction and re-establishment of what was utterly ruined, implying a return to order and flourishing.
A feminine noun derived from a root meaning drought or desolation. It refers to a decayed place, a desolate area, or destruction. Its use here vividly portrays the extent of the ruin and emptiness that the land and cities had become, emphasizing the dire state from which restoration is promised, a state of utter abandonment and decay.
Properly a revolution of time, an age or generation. It can also refer to a dwelling or posterity. The phrase "desolations of many generations" uses this word to underscore the profound, long-term, and entrenched nature of the devastation, indicating that the ruin was not recent but had accumulated over a vast span of time, making the promised reversal all the more miraculous and a testament to divine power.
Verse Breakdown
"And they shall build the old wastes"
This opening clause immediately sets the tone of active and comprehensive restoration. The "old wastes" refer to places that have been ruined for a long time, signifying deep-seated destruction. The verb "build" (bânâh) indicates a foundational re-establishment and construction anew, not just minor repairs, but a complete transformation of the desolate landscape.
"they shall raise up the former desolations"
This phrase reiterates and intensifies the promise of rebuilding. "Raise up" (qûwm) implies causing something to stand upright again after it has fallen, suggesting a revival from a state of collapse and utter ruin. "Former desolations" emphasizes that the ruin is not new, but a long-standing, ingrained condition that will be completely reversed by divine power.
"and they shall repair the waste cities"
This clause specifically focuses on urban centers, which were vital for community life, commerce, and worship in ancient Israel. "Repair" (châdash) means to make new or rebuild, signifying a renewal and restoration of functionality, habitability, and vibrancy to cities that had been rendered uninhabitable and lifeless.
"the desolations of many generations."
This concluding phrase serves as an emphatic summary, highlighting the extensive and prolonged nature of the destruction. It underscores that the ruin was not temporary but had endured for a vast period, affecting multiple generations. This detail magnifies the scope and miraculous nature of the promised divine intervention and the thoroughness of the restoration.
Literary Devices
Isaiah 61:4 employs several literary devices to amplify its powerful message of comprehensive restoration. Parallelism is prominently featured, particularly synonymous parallelism, where ideas are repeated using different but related phrases to reinforce the central theme. Phrases like "build the old wastes," "raise up the former desolations," and "repair the waste cities" all convey the same core idea of reconstruction and renewal, emphasizing the thoroughness and completeness of the divine work. The careful Repetition of terms like "wastes" (chorbâh) and "desolations" (shâmêm) further underscores the pervasive nature of the destruction that is to be reversed, creating a vivid mental picture of the devastation. The concluding phrase, "the desolations of many generations," functions as a form of Hyperbole, vividly portraying the extreme duration and depth of the ruin, thereby magnifying the miraculous power of God's promised restoration. This also contributes to powerful Imagery of a land and its cities utterly ruined over a long period, making the reversal all the more striking and hopeful.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Isaiah 61:4 stands as a profound testament to God's unwavering commitment to restoration and His ultimate triumph over decay and destruction. Theologically, it affirms God's sovereignty over history and His redemptive purpose to bring order out of chaos, life out of death, and beauty out of ashes. It speaks to the enduring nature of God's covenant faithfulness, promising to restore His people and their land after periods of judgment and exile. This restoration is not merely physical but encompasses spiritual renewal, social justice, and the re-establishment of a vibrant, God-centered community. The verse points forward to an eschatological hope where all things are made new, a vision that finds its ultimate expression in the new heaven and new earth.
Reflection and Application
Isaiah 61:4 offers profound hope and a compelling call to action for believers today. It assures us that no personal "waste" or "desolation"—whether from past mistakes, trauma, spiritual dryness, or the brokenness of our world—is beyond God's power to restore. He is the divine builder and repairer, capable of transforming even the most entrenched ruin into places of flourishing and beauty. This verse encourages us to bring our brokenness to Him, trusting in His restorative power and acknowledging His sovereign ability to make all things new. Furthermore, it highlights the Church's ongoing mission as agents of God's restoration in the world. As followers of Christ, empowered by the Spirit, we are called to participate in the rebuilding of communities, ministering to the hurting, advocating for justice, and bringing the hope of the Gospel to those living in spiritual desolation. It reminds us that God is actively working to reverse the effects of sin and decay, transforming "waste cities" into places that reflect His glory and goodness, demonstrating His redemptive love to a broken world.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who are "they" who shall build and repair in this verse?
The "they" in Isaiah 61:4 refers to the people of God, specifically those who have been liberated and comforted by the Messiah, as described in the preceding verses. While the ultimate power and initiative for restoration come from God through the Anointed One, the prophecy indicates that the restored community will actively participate in the physical and spiritual rebuilding. This implies a partnership between divine power and human cooperation, where the recipients of God's grace become agents of His ongoing work in the world. This can be understood as the returning exiles physically rebuilding Jerusalem, but also prophetically as the Church, empowered by the Spirit, engaging in spiritual and social renewal, embodying the mission of Christ.
Is this prophecy only about physical rebuilding, or does it have a deeper meaning?
While the immediate historical context of Isaiah 61:4 certainly points to the physical rebuilding of Jerusalem and Judah after the Babylonian exile, the prophecy carries a much deeper, multi-layered meaning. It extends beyond mere physical reconstruction to encompass spiritual, social, and relational restoration. The "wastes" and "desolations" can symbolize the brokenness caused by sin, spiritual decay, and societal injustice. Therefore, the rebuilding signifies the restoration of dignity, community, covenant relationship with God, and the flourishing of righteousness. Ultimately, this prophecy finds its deepest fulfillment in the spiritual work of Jesus Christ, who rebuilds broken lives and establishes a new spiritual temple—the Church—from the "wastes" of sin and spiritual death, as seen in passages like 1 Peter 2:5.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Isaiah 61:4 finds its most profound and comprehensive fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While the immediate context speaks to the physical restoration of Israel after exile, the New Testament clearly identifies Jesus as the Anointed One of Isaiah 61:1-2, who came to proclaim good news and liberty. His ministry inaugurated a new era of spiritual rebuilding. Jesus, through His atoning death and resurrection, addresses the deepest "desolations of many generations"—the ruin caused by sin, spiritual death, and separation from God. He rebuilds broken lives, transforming hearts of stone into hearts of flesh, as powerfully prophesied in Ezekiel 36:26. The Church, composed of believers from every nation, becomes the "waste cities" that are repaired and raised up, a spiritual dwelling for God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:19-22). Through Christ, individuals are reconciled to God, communities are transformed by the Gospel, and the process of cosmic restoration is set in motion, culminating in the new heaven and new earth where God makes all things new, a promise echoed in Revelation 21:5. Thus, Jesus is not merely a restorer of physical structures but the ultimate rebuilder of humanity and creation itself, bringing about a comprehensive and eternal renewal.