Isaiah 61:1–3
God’s anointed one comes to bind up the brokenhearted and comfort all who mourn
Study it word by word1The spirit of Adonai YHWH is upon me, because YHWH has anointed me to bring good news to the humble; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and to the prisoners opening of the prison,
2to proclaim the year of favor of YHWH and the day of vengeance of our Elohim, to comfort all who mourn;
3to appoint for those who mourn in Zion, to give them a headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit; and they will be called terebinths of righteousness, the planting of YHWH, to glorify himself.
In its context
…
4And they will build the ancient ruins; the former desolations they will raise up; and they will renew the ruined cities, the desolations of generation after generation.
5And strangers will stand and shepherd your flocks, and foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers.
Its words in the original
- רוּחַruach· spirit, wind, breath
The basic idea is "air in motion". The same word can be "wind"; "breath", the air that is breathed and keeps life; or "spirit": the mood or inner strength of a person, or the Spirit of God, his presence and power at work.
- אֲדֹנָadona· Adonai, Lord
"Adonai": "my Lord", said only to God. It is a title of respect that acknowledges his authority. It is not another god besides YHWH: often it goes with his name, "Adonai YHWH", Lord YHWH.
- יְהוִהyehvi· YHWH (with Adonai)
The four letters of God's name, YHWH (see "YHWH"). They almost always go with "Adonai"; then Jews, when reading, said "Elohim" so as not to repeat "Adonai".
- מָשַׁחmashach· anoint
Anoint: pour oil on someone or something to set them apart for God; also smear.
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- בַשֵּׂרvaser· bring news
Bring news, announce it. Almost always good news; sometimes the news of a defeat (1 Samuel 4:17).
- עֲנָוִיםanavim· humble, afflicted
Humble, afflicted: one who is low, by his condition or by his attitude; meek.
- שְׁלָחַshelaach· send, stretch out
Send; stretch out (the hand); let go, send away, set free.
- חֲבֹשׁchavosh· bind; saddle
Bind, tie on; saddle an animal; bandage a wound.
- נִשְׁבְּרֵיnishbre· break
Break, shatter; break down.
- לֵבlev· heart
Heart. In Hebrew it is not only the place of feelings: it is the center of the person, where one thinks, decides and wills; also the middle of something.
- קְרֹאkero· call, proclaim
Call: speak out to someone, summon, invite, give a name, proclaim; also read aloud. "Call on the name of YHWH" is to pray to him and worship him.
- שְׁבוּיִםshevuyim· take captive
Take captive, carry off as prisoners in war.
- דְּרוֹרderor· liberty, flowing
Liberty proclaimed for those who had been sold or were in debt. Said of myrrh, free-flowing (Exodus 30:23).
- אֲסוּרִיםasurim· bind
Tie, bind; from there, imprison, keep a prisoner; harness (an animal).
- פְּקַחpekach· opening, release
An opening (of a prison): release, freedom for the prisoner.
- שְׁנַתshenat· year
Year.
- רָצוֹןratson· favor, will
What pleases: favor, goodwill, will; also willfulness, whim.
- יוֹםyom· day
Day: the hours of light, or a whole day from one evening to the next. Also an indefinite time or age ("in the day that...", "in those days").
- נָקָםnakam· vengeance
Vengeance: the punishment that does justice for an offense.
- אלֹהֵיlohe· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- נַחֵםnachem· relent, be sorry, comfort
A verb of deep feeling, with two uses: "comfort" someone, and "be sorry" for something or "relent". Said of God, it expresses his grief at evil or that he does not carry out a punishment he had announced; not that he had made a mistake (compare Numbers 23:19).
- אֲבֵלִיםavelim· mourning
Mourning, grieving over a death.
- שׂוּםsum· put, set
Put, place, set; appoint, establish; make something into something.
- צִיּוֹןtsiyon· Zion
Zion: the fortified hill of Jerusalem that David took from the Jebusites; later the name is used for all Jerusalem and for the temple mount.
- תֵתtet· give, put, set
Give, in a very wide sense: hand over, put, place, grant, allow, make something be.
- פְּאֵרpeer· headdress
Ornament for the head; headdress.
- אֵפֶרefer· ashes
Ashes. "Dust and ashes" is a way of saying one is of very little account.
- שֶׁמֶןshemen· oil
Olive oil. It was used for food, light, and perfume, and also to consecrate something or someone to God (anoint).
- שָׂשׂוֹןsason· joy, gladness
Joy, lively gladness.
- אֵבֶלevel· mourning
Mourning, grief for one who has died.
- מַעֲטֵהmaate· garment
A garment, clothing that wraps around.
- תְהִלָּהtehila· praise
Praise; deeds worthy of praise; a song of praise.
- כֵּהָהkeha· dim, faint
Dim, faded, gone dark; of a person, faint, weak.
- אֵילֵיele· ram
Ram: the male sheep. Also a leader, a strong tree, or a pillar.
- צֶּדֶקtsedek· righteousness, what is right
Righteousness: what is right, what is as it should be; just (weights, judgment).
- מַטַּעmata· planting, plantation
A planting: the place planted (a garden or vineyard) or what is planted.
- הִתְפָּאֵרhitpaer· have the honor; glorify
Have the honor; "be pleased to" is a courtesy formula. In other passages, glorify, boast, or adorn.