רוּחַ ה' אֱלֹהִים עָלָי יַעַן מָשַׁח ה' אֹתִי לְבַשֵּׂר עֲנָוִים שְׁלָחַנִי לַחֲבֹשׁ לְנִשְׁבְּרֵי לֵב לִקְרֹא לִשְׁבוּיִם דְּרוֹר וְלַאֲסוּרִים פְּקַח קוֹחַ

The spirit of prophecy in the name of the Lord God is upon me. I have been sent to deliver these prophesies and to reveal future events only because the Lord has anointed me to herald to the humble; He sent me to bind the broken-hearted, a poetic depiction of the removal of the suffering of the downtrodden, to proclaim liberty for captives and implant in them the hope of freedom, and release for the imprisoned [pekah··], taking out [lakaḥ] the imprisoned. Alternatively, this means to awaken the imprisoned from their oppressed state. Others explain that koaḥ is the location to which these people were taken, such as a prison, which God will open.

לִקְרֹא שְׁנַת רָצוֹן לַה' ויוֹם נָקָם לֵאלֹהֵינוּ לְנַחֵם כָּל אֲבֵלִים

To proclaim beforehand a year of favor for the Lord, a year in which on one hand God will be accessible and which will be characterized by a spirit of reconciliation, and conversely, a day of vengeance for our God as well. The consolation of Zion will include the punishment of Israel’s enemies, as described below (see 63:1–6). The purpose of the day is to comfort all mourners taking part in the national mourning for the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of Israel;

לָשׂוּם לַאֲבֵלֵי צִיּוֹן – לָתֵת לָהֶם פְּאֵר תַּחַת אֵפֶר שֶׁמֶן שָׂשׂוֹן תַּחַת אֵבֶל מַעֲטֵה תְהִלָּה תַּחַת רוּחַ כֵּהָה וְקֹרָא לָהֶם אֵילֵי הַצֶּדֶק מַטַּע ה' לְהִתְפָּאֵר

to provide for the mourners of Zion, to give them splendor instead of ashes. It was customary to place dirt or ashes on one’s head as a demonstration of mourning or at a time of distress. The prophet promises that these expressions of mourning will be replaced with clothing, hats, and jewelry. Likewise, festive oil, a colorful description of the oil that would be spread upon a person at a time of joy, will be given to them instead of mourning, a garment of praise will be worn instead of a spirit of despondency or weakness. Rather than remaining in a sour mood, focused on the negative aspects of life, the children of Zion will be wrapped in a glow of light that will provide them with honor and greatness. At that time, they will be called pillars of [eilei] righteousness. The children of Zion will be paradigms of righteousness and stability, and they will also be called the planting of the Lord, to be adorned in splendor. Others interpret the word eilei as referring to trees, just as the conclusion of the verse deals with planting. Alternatively, eilei means the great ones or officers.

וּבָנוּ חָרְבוֹת עוֹלָם שֹׁמְמוֹת רִאשֹׁנִים יְקוֹמֵמוּ וְחִדְּשׁוּ עָרֵי חֹרֶב שֹׁמְמוֹת דּוֹר וָדוֹר

When the redemption arrives, they will rebuild ancient ruins that have lain in wreckage for centuries, and former desolations will be restored, and they will renew ruined cities, the desolations of many generations. You will then not only be liberated and transformed into free people, but you will also be granted your rightful exalted status.

וְעָמְדוּ זָרִים וְרָעוּ צֹאנְכֶם וּבְנֵי נֵכָר אִכָּרֵיכֶם וְכֹרְמֵיכֶם

Strangers, other nations, will stand of their own volition and shepherd your flocks and foreigners will be your farmers and your vineyard workers, attending to all your agricultural needs, not because you rule over the other nations, but due to the universal recognition of your lofty status and your mission.

וְאַתֶּם כֹּהֲנֵי ה' תִּקָּרֵאוּ מְשָׁרְתֵי אֱלֹהֵינוּ יֵאָמֵר לָכֶם חֵיל גּוֹיִם תֹּאכֵלוּ וּבִכְבוֹדָם תִּתְיַמָּרוּ

And you, the entire nation, will be called priests of the Lord; servants of our God will be said of you. While other nations will be engaged in agriculture on your behalf and for themselves, you will be free to serve God, which will benefit all humankind. Therefore, you will consume the wealth of the nations, and enjoy the fruit of their labor and their possessions, and in their glory will you revel [tityamaru]. Since you will attain the highest status, any honor or achievement that others merit will be easily accomplished by you. Some commentaries associate tityamaru with temura, exchange, meaning that you will take their place. Alternatively, it is related to mar, master, as you will be their masters, or to the term meri, fat, as you will enjoy the fat of their land.

תַּחַת בָּשְׁתְּכֶם מִשְׁנֶה וכְלִמָּה יָרֹנּוּ חֶלְקָם לָכֵן בְּאַרְצָם מִשְׁנֶה יִירָשׁוּ שִׂמְחַת עוֹלָם תִּהְיֶה לָהֶם

Instead of your doubled shame that you suffered in the past, as you were embarrassed in your own eyes and in the eyes of others, and instead of the disgrace that they, the gentile nations, would sing, that it, Israel’s suffering, is their portion; they, Israel, will therefore doubly take possession in their land; eternal joy will be theirs. Some interpret the verse as saying that Israel would speak of its own disgrace in the form of a dirge. Alternatively, the verse means that instead of enduring their shame, your redeemed children will sing and rejoice in their portion.

כִּי אֲנִי ה' אֹהֵב מִשְׁפָּט שֹׂנֵא גָזֵל בְּעוֹלָה וְנָתַתִּי פְעֻלָּתָם בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְרִית עוֹלָם אֶכְרוֹת לָהֶם

For I am the Lord, who loves justice, hates robbery with iniquity. Throughout the generations, Israel was robbed and oppressed, while the offending gentiles were never brought to justice. In the Messianic Era, God will rectify this situation. I will give them their recompense in truth, and an everlasting covenant will I establish with them.

וְנוֹדַע בַּגּוֹיִם זַרְעָם וְצֶאֱצָאֵיהֶם בְּתוֹךְ הָעַמִּים כָּל רֹאֵיהֶם יַכִּירוּם כִּי הֵם זֶרַע בֵּרַךְ ה'

Their descendants will be known among the nations. Not only will they be clearly identified with the nation of Israel, but they will also be praised as such, and their offspring will be prominent and highly regarded among the peoples; consequently, all who see them will recognize them for they are the descendants of the blessed of the Lord. Wherever they are, it will be evident that they are more blessed than the peoples of the other nations.

שׂוֹשׂ אָשִׂישׂ בַּה' תָּגֵל נַפְשִׁי בֵּאלֹהַי כִּי הִלְבִּישַׁנִי בִּגְדֵי יֶשַׁע מְעִיל צְדָקָה יְעָטָנִי כֶּחָתָן יְכַהֵן פְּאֵר וְכַכַּלָּה תַּעְדֶּה כֵלֶיהָ

In the role of spokesman for Israel, the prophet responds to the announcements of redemption in the previous passage: I will be gladdened in the Lord when the redemption arrives; my soul will exult in my God, as He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, with a robe of triumph has He cloaked me (see commentary on 5:16), like a groom who exhibits splendor, whose clothing is as magnificent as the priestly garments, and who leads all the celebrants, and like a bride who bedecks herself with her ornaments and wedding attire. So too, I will rejoice in the glory that will adorn me at the time of the redemption.

כִּי כָאָרֶץ תּוֹצִיא צִמְחָהּ וּכְגַנָּה זֵרוּעֶיהָ תַצְמִיחַ – כֵּן ה' אֱלֹהִים יַצְמִיחַ צְדָקָה וּתְהִלָּה נֶגֶד כָּל הַגּוֹיִם

For like the earth produces its growth and like the garden sprouts its seeds, so the Lord God will sprout strength and praise, success and light, before all the nations. The prophet compares the redemption to a plant that suddenly sprouts from a seed concealed in the ground. Just as the land will produce vegetation sooner or later, and the garden will cause the decomposed seeds long buried in the ground to sprout, so too the nation of Israel, although currently demeaned, contains the potential for redemption, and when the time comes, its greatness will be revealed before all the nations.