Isaiah 61 8

Isaiah 61:8 kjv

For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

Isaiah 61:8 nkjv

"For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery for burnt offering; I will direct their work in truth, And will make with them an everlasting covenant.

Isaiah 61:8 niv

"For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them.

Isaiah 61:8 esv

For I the LORD love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

Isaiah 61:8 nlt

"For I, the LORD, love justice.
I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering
and make an everlasting covenant with them.

Isaiah 61 verses

Isaiah 61 8 Meaning

Isaiah 61:8 declares God's inherent character as one who loves justice and utterly abhors injustice, specifically highlighting robbery and wrongdoing. Because of this unwavering moral foundation, the Lord promises to faithfully grant recompense to His people for their suffering and to establish an enduring, everlasting covenant with them. This verse provides the divine rationale for the preceding promises of restoration and blessing, affirming that God's actions are rooted in His righteous nature.

Isaiah 61 8 Context

Isaiah 61 opens with a prophetic declaration, often understood as spoken by the Anointed One (Messiah), stating His mission to bring good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to captives, and usher in a time of divine favor and comfort for mourners. The preceding verses (v.4-7) detail the glorious restoration and honor awaiting the exiles of Judah, who will rebuild ancient ruins and receive double for their shame and dishonor. They are promised a status as priests and ministers of God, drawing sustenance from the wealth of nations. Verse 8 acts as the foundational explanation and theological anchor for these lavish promises. It establishes that the grand restoration is not arbitrary but flows directly from God's intrinsic moral character and His commitment to justice and righteousness. Historically, the audience would have been exiles or those suffering from oppression, longing for vindication and restoration after experiencing profound injustice.

Isaiah 61 8 Word analysis

• For I, the LORD, love justice;

  • I, the LORD (כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה - Kî ʾănî YHWH): Emphatic first-person divine declaration. "YHWH" is God's covenant name, signifying His unchanging, eternal, and personal nature. The phrase underscores the personal involvement and absolute authority of God in this pronouncement.
  • love (אֹהֵב - ʾōhēv): Not a mere preference, but a deep, essential aspect of His being. It denotes an active, committed affection.
  • justice (מִשְׁפָּט - mišpāṭ): Encompasses legal justice, righteousness, equitable judgment, and proper societal order. It refers to what is right according to God's standard. This signifies that God's very being is aligned with upholding fairness and righteousness.

• I hate robbery and wrong.

  • I hate (שׂנֵא - śōnēʾ): A strong verb expressing complete abhorrence and enmity. This is not passive disapproval but active detestation.
  • robbery (גֶזֶל - gezel): Ill-gotten gain, plunder, what is seized unlawfully by violence or exploitation. It directly counters "justice" (mišpāṭ).
  • and wrong (בְּעוֹלָה - bəʿōlāh): This word often means 'burnt offering' in other contexts, but here it contextually signifies grave iniquity, injustice, or gross wickedness, particularly an act that consumes or entirely removes something through unrighteous means (similar to how a burnt offering is entirely consumed). It refers to the injustice itself, especially fraudulent or violent taking. Some ancient versions (LXX) translate it as 'unrighteousness.' It’s a polemic against systems and actions that undermine proper order and ethical behavior.

• I will faithfully give them their recompense

  • I will faithfully give (וְנָתַתִּי פְעֻלָּתָם בֶּאֱמֶת - wənnāttattî fəʿullātām beʾĕmet): "Give" (נָתַתִּי - nātan) means to bestow or grant. "Faithfully" (בֶּאֱמֶת - beʾĕmet) means in truth, with certainty, reliability, and justice. God's action is not arbitrary but flows from His consistent, truthful character.
  • their recompense (פְעֻלָּתָם - fəʿullātām): Their reward, their due, what they have earned or are entitled to, often after suffering or labor. In the context of the previous verses, it is the reward for their faithfulness despite suffering, and a restoration beyond their due based on grace.

• and make an everlasting covenant with them.

  • make... covenant (וּבְרִית... אֶכְרֹת - ûvrît... ʾekrōṯ): "Cutting a covenant" is a Hebrew idiom (kārat berît) referring to the solemn establishment of a binding agreement, often accompanied by blood sacrifices. It denotes a foundational, formal, and unbreakable divine commitment.
  • everlasting (עוֹלָם - ʿōlām): Perpetual, eternal, enduring through all generations. This emphasizes the permanence and irreversible nature of God's commitment, unlike temporary human treaties. It assures the enduring future of the promises.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and wrong.": This pair of contrasting statements forms a strong ethical declaration of God's character. It highlights His moral absolutes—what He champions and what He rejects. This is the bedrock on which His interaction with humanity, particularly Israel, is based. It acts as a divine justification for both judgment and salvation.
  • "I will faithfully give them their recompense and make an everlasting covenant with them.": This pair outlines God's response rooted in His character. The recompense (reward/restoration) is a manifestation of His love for justice, rectifying the injustices suffered by His people. The "everlasting covenant" underscores the ultimate, eternal security of these promises, cementing God's commitment beyond any human failure or historical circumstance.

Isaiah 61 8 Bonus section

The contrast between God's "love for justice" and His "hatred for robbery and wrong" (specifically gezel and bəʿōlāh) also serves as an implicit polemic. In the ancient Near East, many deities were capricious, amoral, or even associated with injustice in their myths. YHWH, the God of Israel, stands distinct as fundamentally righteous, embodying ultimate justice. This also challenged the human tendency to use religious ritual (e.g., sacrifices) as a substitute for ethical conduct. By coupling His hatred of injustice with His identity, God asserts that true worship and relationship with Him are inseparable from practicing justice in society. His promised "everlasting covenant" to those who have suffered for righteousness reinforces the truth that suffering in this life for God’s name will be eternally vindicated, unlike temporary alliances or human agreements that inevitably fail.

Isaiah 61 8 Commentary

Isaiah 61:8 is a powerful declaration that anchors the extravagant promises of restoration and blessing in the unchangeable character of God. The opening "For" signals that this verse is the reason for everything promised earlier in the chapter – the deliverance, double honor, and role as priests to the nations. God’s commitment to His people stems directly from who He is: inherently just and utterly opposed to all forms of injustice, represented by "robbery and wrong" (gezel and ʿōlāh). This moral clarity means He cannot ignore suffering or allow injustice to prevail indefinitely.

The promise of "recompense" is God’s faithful act of setting things right, balancing the scales that were tipped by the oppression His people endured. It signifies vindication and restoration. This is then solidified by an "everlasting covenant," not a temporary agreement but a divine, perpetual bond. This covenant secures the future of God's people and the fulfillment of His promises, providing assurance of lasting security and blessings beyond any earthly measure. Ultimately, this verse reveals a God who is both morally perfect and personally committed to His creation, acting on behalf of the afflicted to establish a lasting kingdom of righteousness and peace, powerfully fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who came to inaugurate this new, eternal covenant.