7 Instead of your shame (you shall have) double; and instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be to them.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
Instead of your shame. He confirms the former statement, in which he said that believers who, clothed with sackcloth and covered with ashes, mourned, shall be sprinkled with the oil of gladness. This change of mourning into joy is again promised. There shall be a double reward. Some interpret the word double as meaning that they who have been redeemed by God shall be happy both before God and before men. But I do not know that there are solid grounds for that interpretation. I choose rather to adopt a more simple view; as if the Prophet had said, "The prosperity of the Church shall be so great as togo far beyond all the calamities and afflictions by which she is now oppressed." If, therefore, she is now weary of her condition, she ought to look to that day when she shall be most happy, as Paul contrasts "an eternal weight of glory" with "the momentary lightness of afflictions." (2-Corinthians 4:17) And instead of disgrace they shall rejoice in their portion. Wicked men vaunt over us and indulge in wantonness, because they think that they have the superiority; but the Lord promises that ere long he will cause good men, rescued from their tyranny, to obtain their portion. This began to be done, indeed, when the people returned from captivity; but a clearer proof has been exhibited in Christ, and is exhibited every day, and will at length be completed at his last coming, when all things shall be fully renewed, and the wicked shall be thrown down, that we may obtain the inheritance of the world. This is the reason why he says, by way of acknowledgment, that the earth is the portion of those wicked men; for they now boast that they are the lords of the world, but they shall at length feel that it belongs peculiarly and specially to the children of God. And they shall have everlasting joy. This may relate to the outward condition of the Church; ibr he daily supplies his people with ground of thanksgiving; but as they must also devour many griefs, and are surrounded by manifold sorrow, this prediction is not fulfilled but when joy of spirit reigns and holds the pre-eminence in our hearts, accompanied by that "peace which (as Paul says) surpasses all understanding," (Philippians 4:7,) which the children of God alone enjoy when they have the testimony of adoption, He calls it everlasting, in order to shew how greatly it differs from the joy of wicked men, which is momentary and quickly passes away, and is even changed into "gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 8:12.)
For your shame - That is, instead of the reproach and humiliation which you have been called to experience.
You shall have double - A double inheritance or reward (see the notes at Isaiah 40:2).
And for confusion - The word 'confusion' here means the same as a blush of shame, and refers to the scenes of humiliation and sorrow which the nation had passed through on account of its sins.
They shall rejoice - There is here a change from the second to the third person - a change which is not unfrequent in Isaiah. The same persons, however, are intended.
In their portion - That is, you shall be permitted to rejoice in the augmented privileges which you shall enjoy. They will be more than a compensation for all the calamities which you have been called to endure.
Therefore in their land - This is to be regarded as addressed to the exiles in Babylon, and the promise is, that the people of God would be restored again to their own land, and to more than their former privileges and blessings there.
The double - Double of what they formerly possessed; that is, their blessings would be greatly increased and multiplied. Applied to the times of the Messiah, to which the prophet undoubtedly refers, it means that the privileges of the friends of God would be far greater than had been enjoyed even in the most favored times under the former dispensation.
Everlasting joy - (See the notes at Isaiah 35:10).
For your shame "Instead of your shame" - The translation of this verse, which is very confused, and probably corrupted in the Hebrew, is taken from the Syriac Version; except that the latter has not expressed the word משנה mishneh, double, in the first place. Five MSS. add the conjunction ו vau to שמחת simchath. The Syriac reads תרנו taronnu, and תירשו tirashu, in the second person, "ye shall rejoice, ye shall inherit. "And for להם lahem, to them, two MSS., (one of them ancient), three of De Rossi's, and the Syriac, read לכם lachem, to you, in the second person likewise.
The Version of the Septuagint is imperfect in this place; the first half of the verse is entirely omitted in all the printed copies. It is supplied by MSS. Pachom. and 1. D. 2 in the following manner: -
Αντι της αισχυνης ὑμων της διπλης,
Και αντι της εντροπης αγαλλιασεται ἡ μερις αυτων·
Δια τουτο την γην αυτων εκ δευτερου-
"Instead of your shame ye shall have double,
And instead of your confusion their portion shall rejoice;
Therefore, they shall possess their land a second time."
In which the two MSS. agree, except that 1. D. 2 has by mistake ἡμερας, day, for ἡ μερις, the part. And Cod. Marchal., in the margin, has pretty nearly the same supplement as from Theodotion. - L.
For your shame [ye shall have] (m) double; and [for] confusion (n) they shall rejoice in (o) their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the (p) double: everlasting joy shall be to them.
(m) Abundant recompence as this word is used, (Isaiah 40:2).
(n) That is, the Jews.
(o) That is, of the Gentiles.
(p) While the Gentiles had dominion over the Jews in times past, now they will have double authority over them and possess twice as much.
For your shame you shall have double,.... Or, "for your double shame" (b); instead of being a reproach, a proverb, a taunt, and a curse, as the Jews now are everywhere; being converted, they will have double honour, both in things civil and religious, be in great esteem with Christ, and all his people:
and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion; instead of the confusion and reproach they have long lain under; or of that they shall be thrown into, when first awakened and convinced of their sin, of unbelief and rejection of the Messiah; they shall rejoice in Christ their portion, and in all those spiritual blessings they will see themselves blessed with in him; they will now have the double portion of the firstborn, they once were, and to which there may be an allusion, as some think; or, as others, to the double portion of the spirit of Elijah on Elisha; they shall now have the spirit of grace and supplication poured upon them, and all the gifts and graces of the Spirit bestowed on them, all which will be cause of joy and rejoicing to them:
therefore in their land they shall possess the double; not only in the land of the Gentiles, where they have suffered reproach, shall they have double honour; but in their own land, the land of Israel, to which they shall be restored; they shall enjoy great plenty of all kind of blessings, temporal and spiritual:
everlasting joy shall be unto them; for after this they shall no more be carried captive, or be dispossessed either of their civil or religious privileges; see Isaiah 35:10.
(b) "pro pudore vestro duplici", Gataker, Vitringa; "loco pudoris vestri duplicis", Piscator.
double--Instead of your past share, ye shall have not merely as much, but "double" as much reward (Isaiah 40:2; Zac 9:12; compare the third clause in this verse).
confusion--rather, "humiliation," or "contumely."
rejoice--They shall celebrate with jubilation their portion [MAURER]. Transition from the second to the third person.
in their land--marking the reference to literal Israel, not to the Church at large.
everlasting joy-- (Isaiah 35:10).
The shame of banishment will then be changed into an excess of joy, and honourable distinction. "Instead of shame ye will have double, and (instead) of insult they rejoice at their portion: thus in their land they will possess double; everlasting joy will they have. For I Jehovah love right, hate robbery in wickedness; and give them their reward in faithfulness, and conclude an everlasting covenant with them. And their family will be known among the nations, and their offspring in the midst of the nations: all who see them will recognise them, for they are a family that Jehovah hath blessed." The enigmatical first half of Isaiah 61:7 is explained in Isaiah 61:2, where mishneh is shown to consist of double possession in the land of their inheritance, which has not only been restored to them, but extended far beyond the borders of their former possession; and yârōnnū chelqâm (cf., Isaiah 65:14) denotes excessive rejoicing in the ground and soil belonging to them (according to the appointment of Jehovah): chelqâm as in Micah 2:4; and mishneh as equivalent not to כבוד משׁנה, but to ירשּׁה משׁנה. Taking this to be the relation between Isaiah 61:7 and Isaiah 61:7, the meaning of lâkhēn is not, "therefore, because they have hitherto suffered shame and reproach;" but what is promised in Isaiah 61:7 is unfolded according to its practical results, the effects consequent upon its fulfilment being placed in the foreground; so that there is less to astonish us in the elliptically brief form of Isaiah 61:7 which needed explanation. The transition from the form of address to that of declaration is the same as in Isaiah 1:29; Isaiah 31:6; Isaiah 52:14-15. וּכלמּה is a concise expression for כלמה ותחת, just as וּתהלּתי in Isaiah 48:9 is for תהלתי וּלמען. Chelqâm is either the accusative of the object, according to the construction of רנּן, which occurs in Psalm 51:16; or what I prefer, looking at חמה in Isaiah 42:25, and וּזבחיך in Isaiah 43:23, an adverbial accusative = בחלקם. The lxx, Jerome, and Saad. render the clause, in opposition to the accents, "instead of your double shame and reproach;" but in that case the principal words of the clause would read הלקכם תּרנּוּ. The explanation adopted by the Targum, Saad., and Jerome, "shame on the part of those who rejoice in their portion," is absolutely impossible. The great majority of the modern commentators adopt essentially the same explanation of Isaiah 61:7 as we have done, and even A. E. Kimchi does the same. Hahn's modification, "instead of your shame is the double their portion, and (instead) of the insult this, that they will rejoice," forces a meaning upon the syntax which is absolutely impossible. The reason for the gracious recompense for the wrong endured is given in Isaiah 61:8, "Jehovah loves the right," which the enemies of Israel have so shamefully abused. "He hates בּעולה גזל, i.e., not rapinam in holocausto (as Jerome, Talmud b. Succa 30a, Luther, and others render it; Eng. ver. "robbery for burnt-offering") - for what object would there be in mentioning sacrifices here, seeing that only heathen sacrifices could be intended, and there would be something worse than gâzēl to condemn in them? - but robbery, or, strictly speaking, "something robbed in or with knavery" (lxx, Targ., Syr., Saad.), which calls to mind at once the cruel robbery or spoiling that Israel had sustained from the Chaldeans, its bōzezı̄m (Isaiah 42:24) - a robbery which passed all bounds. עולה is softened from עולה (from עול, עול), like עלתה in Job 5:16, and עולת in Psalm 58:3 and Psalm 64:7; though it is doubtful whether the punctuation assumes the latter, as the Targum does, and not rather the meaning holocaustum supported by the Talmud. For the very reason, therefore, that Israel had been so grievously ill-treated by the instruments of punishment employed by Jehovah, He would give those who had been ill-treated their due reward, after He had made the evil, which He had not approved, subservient to His own salutary purposes. פּעלּה is the reward of work in Leviticus 19:13, of hardship in Ezekiel 29:20; here it is the reward of suffering. This reward He would give בּאמת, exactly as He had promised, without the slightest deduction. The posterity of those who have been ill-treated and insulted will be honourably known (נודע as in Proverbs 31:23) in the world of nations, and men will need only to catch sight of them to recognise them (by prominent marks of blessing), for they are a family blessed of God. כּי, not quod (because), although it might have this meaning, but nam (for), as in Genesis 27:23, since hikkı̄r includes the meaning agnoscere (to recognise).
Double - Honour. Portion - Of honour, that God will give them.
*More commentary available at chapter level.