Isaiah 61:4 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.
Isaiah 61:4 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.
Isaiah 61:4 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.
Isaiah 61:4 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.
Isaiah 61:4 nlt
They will rebuild the ancient ruins,
repairing cities destroyed long ago.
They will revive them,
though they have been deserted for many generations.
Isaiah 61 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference (Short Note) |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 58:12 | "And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in." | Directly echoes Isa 61:4, highlighting personal responsibility and reward for justice. |
| Neh 2:17 | "Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.”" | Illustrates the literal fulfillment of rebuilding cities after desolation in the post-exilic period. |
| Zech 1:16 | "Therefore thus says the Lord, 'I have returned to Jerusalem with compassion; my house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts, and a measuring line shall be stretched over Jerusalem.'" | Prophecy of divine intent for rebuilding Jerusalem, including the Temple, post-exile. |
| Amos 9:11 | "“In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old," | Prophecy of restoring David's fallen kingdom, interpreted spiritually in Acts 15. |
| Ezek 36:33 | "Thus says the Lord God: On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places shall be rebuilt." | God's promise to restore cities and re-inhabit the land alongside spiritual cleansing. |
| Jer 30:18 | "“Thus says the Lord: Behold, I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob and have compassion on his dwelling places; the city shall be rebuilt on its mound, and the palace shall stand where it used to be." | Promise of literal rebuilding and repopulation of desolate places for Jacob. |
| Ezra 1:1-3 | "Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia... so that the house of the Lord in Jerusalem may be built." | King Cyrus's decree allowing the exiles to return and rebuild the Temple, beginning a physical restoration. |
| Ps 102:16 | "For the Lord will build up Zion; he will appear in his glory;" | Emphasizes God's personal agency in rebuilding and glorious appearing. |
| Isa 44:26 | "who confirms the word of his servant and performs the counsel of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited,’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be rebuilt,’ and of her ruins, ‘I will raise them up’;" | Direct divine promise to rebuild Jerusalem and other cities. |
| Isa 49:8 | "Thus says the Lord: 'In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will preserve you and give you as a covenant to the people, to restore the land, to allot the desolate heritages," | The Servant's role in restoring the desolate land and its heritage. |
| Isa 60:10 | "Foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you; for in my wrath I struck you, but in my favor I have had mercy on you." | God uses even foreign nations to contribute to Jerusalem's rebuilding. |
| Isa 62:4 | "You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married;" | Expresses a radical transformation from desolation to covenantal joy and fruitfulness. |
| Hag 1:8 | "Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified, says the Lord." | Encouragement to physically rebuild the temple after the exile. |
| Zech 8:3 | "Thus says the Lord: 'I have returned to Zion and will dwell in your midst. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Faithfulness, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the Holy Mountain.'" | God's return implies restoration and establishment of holiness in the city. |
| Mal 3:1 | "Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple..." | Foretells the coming of the Messiah to His Temple, signifying renewed presence and order. |
| Luke 4:18-19 | "“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor... to set at liberty those who are oppressed," | Jesus quotes the preceding verses of Isaiah 61, identifying himself as the Anointed One who fulfills this mission. |
| Acts 15:16-17 | "‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord..." | Quoting Amos 9, showing how OT restoration prophecies are fulfilled spiritually through Christ. |
| Eph 2:19-22 | "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints... built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord." | Spiritual building and rebuilding of the Church, new covenant temple, through Christ. |
| Rev 21:2 | "And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." | The ultimate, glorious restoration of a holy city in the new creation, spiritual fulfillment. |
| Rom 8:21 | "...that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God." | The broader cosmic renewal and restoration that will accompany the complete fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. |
| Titus 2:13-14 | "...waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works." | Redemption and purification of a people, preparing them for the restored creation. |
| Isa 54:11 | "“O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in antimony, and lay your foundations with sapphires." | Describes a magnificent, divinely-wrought rebuilding of Jerusalem beyond its former glory. |
Isaiah 61 verses
Isaiah 61 4 Meaning
Isaiah 61:4 conveys a profound divine promise of restoration. It declares that the anointed Servant will empower and enable a transformed people to completely rebuild and renew what has been utterly devastated and left desolate for long generations. This encompasses the physical restoration of ancient ruins and destroyed cities, signaling a comprehensive renewal of the land and its community from prolonged desolation.
Isaiah 61 4 Context
Isaiah 61 opens with the declaration of the Messiah, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me." This verse (v.1) establishes the speaker as a divine agent empowered to bring good news, healing, and freedom to the oppressed. The entire chapter outlines the mission of this Anointed One, who embodies comfort, spiritual liberation, and justice. Verse 4 specifies one concrete outcome of this anointing: the comprehensive restoration of what was broken.
Historically, this prophecy was spoken to Judah, either facing impending destruction and exile (Assyrian/Babylonian periods) or during the subsequent exile, or in the post-exilic period when remnants had returned to a devastated land. The Babylonian invasion had left Jerusalem and many other cities in utter ruin, walls broken, buildings burnt, and the land lying desolate for many decades. For the original audience, the words offered immense hope of physical and national renewal after generations of suffering and shame. It directly counters the despair arising from seeing their spiritual and cultural centers turned into rubble and wasteland, which was largely perceived as a divine judgment for unfaithfulness. The promise speaks to Yahweh's power to reverse what seemed irreversibly destroyed.
Isaiah 61 4 Word analysis
And they shall rebuild (וּבָנוּ - uvanu): This phrase indicates a direct and active engagement in reconstruction. The verb "rebuild" (from banah) denotes physical construction and restoration. "They" refers to the redeemed people of God, empowered by the Spirit of the Anointed One, engaging in the tangible work of restoration. It highlights active participation under divine direction.
the ancient ruins (חָרְבוֹת עוֹלָם - ḥorḇōt ‘ōlām):
- Ḥorḇōt (from ḥarbah) means "desolations," "waste places," "ruins." It implies total devastation, an abandoned state.
- ‘Ōlām denotes "ancient," "everlasting," "long duration." The combination signifies ruins that have stood for a very long time, emphasizing the magnitude and depth of the destruction, making the promise of rebuilding even more miraculous.
they shall raise up (יְקוֹמְמוּ - yeqōmemu): From qum, meaning "to rise," "to stand." In the Hiphil conjugation, it means "to cause to stand up," "to raise up," or "restore." This is a strong verb suggesting revival, setting back on one's feet, indicating not just superficial repair but a profound resurrection from a fallen state.
the former devastations (שֹׁמְמוֹת רִאשֹׁנִים - shōməmōt rishōnīm):
- Shōməmōt (from shamem) also means "desolations," "waste places," similar to ḥorḇōt. It points to places made desolate by violence or abandonment.
- Rishōnīm means "former," "first," "ancient." Like ‘ōlām, this reiterates that the destruction is not recent but has been in place for an extended period, amplifying the need and scale of restoration.
they shall repair (וְחִדְּשׁוּ - veḥiddeshu): From ḥadash, meaning "to renew," "to repair," "to restore to newness." This goes beyond mere rebuilding; it implies making something new or restoring its original vigor and beauty. It suggests renovation and revitalization, not just structural repair, pointing to comprehensive healing.
the ruined cities (עָרֵי חֹרֶב - ‘arē ḥōreḇ):
- ‘Arē (from ‘ir) means "cities of." Cities are centers of life, community, governance, and culture. Their ruin signifies the collapse of social and political structures.
- Ḥōreḇ signifies "desolation" or "ruin," similar to ḥarbah. It specifically names cities as the objects of this intense restoration, highlighting the rebuilding of societal hubs.
the devastations of many generations (שֹׁמְמוֹת דּוֹר וָדוֹר - shōməmōt dor vador):
- Shōməmōt is again "devastations," reinforcing the previous mentions.
- Dor vador (literally "generation and generation") is an idiom signifying "many generations," "successive generations," or "from age to age." This powerfully underscores the enduring nature of the destruction and suffering, and thus the depth and long-term significance of the promised divine intervention.
"And they shall rebuild the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations": These two parallel phrases emphasize the long duration and comprehensiveness of the prior destruction, but more importantly, the assured and active nature of the future restoration. The repetition signals emphasis and divine certainty.
"they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations": This further deepens the scope. "Ruined cities" specify the places of human habitation and societal organization. The addition "of many generations" again stresses the historical depth of the damage and implies the grand scale of the promised renewal—something that transcends individual lifetimes.
Isaiah 61 4 Bonus section
The active role attributed to "they" (וּבָנוּ, יְקוֹמְמוּ, וְחִדְּשׁוּ) indicates that while the restoration is divinely initiated and empowered by the Anointed One, God's people are called to be active participants in the process. This isn't just a passive reception of blessings but an engaged partnership in the work of renewal. The imagery of rebuilding "cities" specifically highlights the social and communal dimensions of salvation. It's not just about individual souls but about the renewal of communal life, structures, and public spaces, fostering flourishing in society. The cumulative effect of the multiple phrases describing the extensive nature of the destruction ("ancient ruins," "former devastations," "devastations of many generations") serves to magnify the wonder and scale of the promised restoration, declaring that God’s redemptive power far surpasses the destructive capacity of sin and human failure, even across vast spans of time.
Isaiah 61 4 Commentary
Isaiah 61:4 encapsulates a divine promise of complete and long-awaited restoration through the Anointed One. It directly addresses the visible signs of a nation's judgment and long-term suffering: physical ruins and desolate cities that speak of generations of loss. The triple use of verbs—rebuild, raise up, repair—shows a progressive and thorough renewal that encompasses not just physical construction but a revitalization from fundamental damage. The emphasis on "ancient ruins," "former devastations," and "many generations" underlines that no desolation, however old or entrenched, is beyond God's power to reverse. This prophecy finds an initial, partial fulfillment in the post-exilic return and rebuilding efforts but ultimately points to the Messiah's redemptive work. Through Jesus, spiritual ruins in the human heart are rebuilt, communal structures of grace are raised up, and the desolate places of our lives and society are renewed, all culminating in the New Heavens and New Earth. It offers profound hope that divine intervention brings full restoration from even the deepest, most prolonged brokenness.