Isaiah 61:4 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

And they shall build the old wastes— The meaning is, that the persons thus delivered by the Messiah, and anointed by his Spirit, should endeavour, and that with success, to bring to the knowledge and worship of the true God the Gentiles, for many ages alienated from him; and should apply themselves to the building up, confirming, and restoring them: the prophet representing the whole world in its spiritual aspect, under the appearance of a country wholly laid waste and desolate by an enemy; by which enemy we are here to understand the wicked one, the great enemy of man. The strangers and aliens in the next verse, which is wholly metaphorical, mean all those who were enemies to the church, and afterwards brought to its true service and obedience. See chap. Isaiah 58:12 Isaiah 49:8 Isaiah 54:3. Instead of ploughmen in the 5th verse, we may read husbandmen.