The Meaning of Isaiah 61:3 Explained

Isaiah 61:3

KJV: 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.

YLT: To appoint to mourners in Zion, To give to them beauty instead of ashes, The oil of joy instead of mourning, A covering of praise for a spirit of weakness, And He is calling to them, 'Trees of righteousness, The planting of Jehovah -- to be beautified.'

Darby: to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, that beauty should be given unto them instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of the spirit of heaviness: that they might be called terebinths of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified.

ASV: to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Isaiah 61:3 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Fifth, proclaiming good news means He would give joy to the mourners among the Israelites in place of their sorrows. Sixth, it means they would become a blessing like large trees are, flourishing in righteousness by demonstrating the saving and enabling grace of God, and so glorifying Him. God"s righteousness would make them strong and durable.

Context Summary

Isaiah 61:1-11 - "the Acceptable Year Of The Lord"
Messiah's mission, Isaiah 61:1-3. At Nazareth our Lord applied these words to Himself. Let us care for the outcasts as He did; but to do so, we need to be anointed with the Holy Spirit, who rested so mightily on Him. The acceptable year is clearly that of Leviticus 25:8-13. Our Lord, when quoting this, stopped at the comma, Isaiah 61:2, because the day of vengeance is not yet. See Luke 4:19. Mark that it is only for a day! God not only delivers, but anoints and crowns.
Messiah's kingdom, Isaiah 61:4-9. In days yet future, the ruined cities of Palestine shall be restored. In a spiritual sense, we also may appropriate this promise. When we receive the Pentecostal gift, we also witness the restoration of the wastes, which our sins have caused in our own lives and in the lives of others. Let us clasp to our hearts Isaiah 61:7-9.
Messiah's joy, Isaiah 61:10-11. Jesus is the true bridegroom of the soul; and we may appropriate our side of these happy words. Note this combination of imputed and imparted righteousness. The one is put on as a garment, Isaiah 61:10; the other blossoms out from within, Isaiah 61:11. Oh, that from our lives God would cause righteousness and praise to spring forth! [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 61

1  The office of Christ
4  The forwardness
7  And blessing of the faithful

What do the individual words in Isaiah 61:3 mean?

to console mourners in Zion to give them beauty for ashes the oil of joy mourning the garment of praise the spirit of heaviness that may be called they oaks of righteousness the planting of Yahweh that He may be glorified
לָשׂ֣וּם ׀ לַאֲבֵלֵ֣י צִיּ֗וֹן לָתֵת֩ לָהֶ֨ם פְּאֵ֜ר תַּ֣חַת אֵ֗פֶר שֶׁ֤מֶן שָׂשׂוֹן֙ אֵ֔בֶל מַעֲטֵ֣ה תְהִלָּ֔ה ר֣וּחַ כֵּהָ֑ה וְקֹרָ֤א לָהֶם֙ אֵילֵ֣י הַצֶּ֔דֶק מַטַּ֥ע יְהוָ֖ה לְהִתְפָּאֵֽר

לָשׂ֣וּם ׀  to  console 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
לַאֲבֵלֵ֣י  mourners 
Parse: Preposition-l, Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: אָבֵל  
Sense: mourning.
צִיּ֗וֹן  in  Zion 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צִיּׄון  
Sense: another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books.
לָתֵת֩  to  give 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
פְּאֵ֜ר  beauty 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: פְּאֵר  
Sense: head-dress, ornament, turban.
אֵ֗פֶר  ashes 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵפֶר  
Sense: ashes.
שֶׁ֤מֶן  the  oil 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֶׁמֶן  
Sense: fat, oil.
שָׂשׂוֹן֙  of  joy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׂשֹׂון  
Sense: gladness, joy, exultation, rejoicing.
אֵ֔בֶל  mourning 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵבֶל  
Sense: mourning.
מַעֲטֵ֣ה  the  garment 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַעֲטֶה  
Sense: wrap, mantle.
תְהִלָּ֔ה  of  praise 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: תְּהִלָּה  
Sense: praise, song or hymn of praise.
ר֣וּחַ  the  spirit 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
כֵּהָ֑ה  of  heaviness 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: כֵּהֶה  
Sense: dim, dull, colourless, be dark, faint.
וְקֹרָ֤א  that  may  be  called 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Pual, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
אֵילֵ֣י  oaks 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אַיִל 
Sense: ram.
הַצֶּ֔דֶק  of  righteousness 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: צֶדֶק  
Sense: justice, rightness, righteousness.
מַטַּ֥ע  the  planting 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַטָּע  
Sense: place or act of planting, planting, plantation.
יְהוָ֖ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לְהִתְפָּאֵֽר  that  He  may  be  glorified 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hitpael, Infinitive construct
Root: פָּאַר 
Sense: to glorify, beautify, adorn.