Isaiah 61 · Verse 4

Isaiah 61:4

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.

Isaiah 61:4, King James Version

Isaiah 61:4 in other translations

BSB	They will rebuild the ancient ruins; they will restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations.
WEB	They will rebuild the old ruins. They will raise up the former devastated places. They will repair the ruined cities that have been devastated for many generations.
ASV	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.
YLT	And they have built the wastes of old, The desolations of the ancients they raise up, And they have renewed waste cities, The desolations of generation and generation.
DARBY	And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the places desolate from generation to generation.
BBE	And they will be building again the old broken walls, and will make new the old waste places, and will put up again the towns which have been waste for long generations.
Webster	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.

What does Isaiah 61:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

4. old wastes--Jerusalem and the cities of Judah which long lay in ruins (see on Is 58:12).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 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 Isa 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 Isa 58:12." The desolations of many generations - It seems that these words cannot refer to the Jews in the Balbylonish captivity, for they were not there many generations; but it may refer to their dispersions and state of ruin since the advent of our Lord; and consequently this may be a promise of the restoration of the Jewish people.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 61:4-9

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, though our hands are employed about them, our hearts are not entangled with them, but preserved entire for God and his service, then the sons of the alien are our ploughmen and vine-dressers. Those whom He sets at liberty, he sets to work. His service is perfect freedom; it is the greatest honour. All believers are made, to our God, kings and priests; and always ought to conduct themselves as such. Those who have the Lord for their portion, have reason to say, that they have worthy portion, and to rejoice in it. In the fulness of heaven's joys we shall receive more than double for all our services and sufferings. God desires truth, and therefore hates all injustice. Nor will it justify any man's robbery to say, it was for burnt-offerings; and that robbery is most hateful which is under this pretence. Let the children of godly parents be such, that all may see the fruits of a good education; an answer to the prayers for them, in the fruit of God's blessing.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Isaiah 61:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וּבָנוּ֙u.va.Nuand they will rebuildH1129

חָרְב֣וֹתcha.re.Vot[the] ruins ofH2723

עוֹלָ֔םo.LamantiquityH5769

שֹׁמְמ֥וֹתsho.me.Mot[the] desolate [places]H8074

רִֽאשֹׁנִ֖יםri.sho.NimformerH7223

יְקוֹמֵ֑מוּye.ko.Me.muthey will raise upH6965

וְחִדְּשׁוּ֙ve.chi.de.Shuand they will renewH2318

עָ֣רֵי'A.rei[the] cities ofH5892

חֹ֔רֶבCho.revdevastationH2721

שֹׁמְמ֖וֹתsho.me.Mot[the] desolate [places] ofH8074

דּ֥וֹרDora generationH1755

וָדֽוֹר\׃va.Dorand a generationH1755

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 61:4

Isaiah 58:12
And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
Amos 9:14-15
And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God.
Ezekiel 36:33-36
Thus saith the Lord God; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded. And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited. Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the Lord have spoken it, and I will do it.
Ezekiel 36:23-26
And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
Isaiah 49:6-8
And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee. Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

49:6-8; 58:12; Eze 36:23-26,33-36; Am 9:14,15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Isaiah 61:3
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.
Isaiah 61:4
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.
Isaiah 61:5
And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.

Read all of Isaiah 61

Isaiah 61:4 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y edificarán los desiertos antiguos, y levantarán los asolamientos primeros, y restaurarán las ciudades asoladas, los asolamientos de muchas generaciones.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et ils bâtiront ce qui était ruiné dès longtemps, ils relèveront les désolations anciennes, et ils renouvelleront les villes ruinées, les lieux désolés de génération en génération.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und sie werden die uralten Trümmer aufbauen, die Verwüstungen der Vorzeit aufrichten; und sie werden die verödeten Städte erneuern, was wüst lag von Geschlecht zu Geschlecht.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et ædificabunt deserta a sæculo, et ruinas antiquas erigent, et instaurabunt civitates desertas, dissipatas in generationem et generationem.