Isaiah 60:1-22 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

The Glories of the New Jerusalem. This, with Isaiah 61 f., is marked by close imitation of the style of 2 Is.

Isaiah 60:1-3. The prophet, taking for his standpoint the fulfilment of his prediction, pictures as accomplished facts Zion's coming glories. While all other nations lie in darkness, Yahweh bids Zion stand forth radiant in the light of the prosperity He bestows. The nations are drawn to Zion's bright light.

Isaiah 60:3. rising: i.e. dawn.

Isaiah 60:4-9. He bids her behold her exiled children brought home from distant lands, her daughters carried carefully upon the hip (cf. mg.), as is the custom of the Oriental nurse. Then shall her face become radiant, and her heart beat wildly for joy. Into her shall flow the treasures of sea and land. The Bedouin tribes send droves of camels. Sheba's inhabitants (1 Kings 10*) come and proclaim Yahweh's praises. From the N. Arabian tribes Kedar and Nebaioth flocks arrive for the sacrifices of the glorified Temple. From the West ships, so numerous that their sails are like clouds, come unerringly as homing-doves treasure-laden. The seafarers too, those of Tarshish in the van, bring returning exiles, and precious metals, as a tribute to Yahweh's name.

Isaiah 60:5. be enlarged: read, throb.

Isaiah 60:6. Midian and Ephah: cf. Genesis 25:4. Here apparently representative of the camel-owning Bedouin tribes of neighbouring deserts. Sheba: in S.W. Arabia.

Isaiah 60:7. Kedar, Nebaioth: cf. Genesis 25:13 *; N. Arabian nomads. minister unto: emend seek eagerly.

Isaiah 60:8. Windows: the lattice openings of their cotes.

Isaiah 60:9. Read, Surely the ships (or mariners) gather to me, which fits what follows.

Isaiah 60:10-16. The immigrants shall build up Zion's walls, their kings minister to her needs; for Yahweh's impulsive anger is now replaced by gracious mercy. So great shall be the throng of incoming proples, bringing their treasures, their kings leading the way, that the gates of Zion must be open day and night. To beautify the Temple, poor beside the glories of its predecessor, shall come the most precious woods from Lebanon's forests. The children of Zion's arrogant oppressors shall be her humble suppliants, recognising the dwelling-place of the mighty Yahweh. Hitherto avoided by the traveller, because of her poverty and meanness, she shall now become a proud city. From the nations and their kings she shall receive new strength, and shall realise that Yahweh is indeed her redeemer.

Isaiah 60:11. led with them: emend, leading them.

Isaiah 60:17-22. In the new city gold and silver shall replace brass and iron: Peace shall be her magistrate, and Right her governor. Violence and ruin shall no more be found in her midst: the walls which protect her shall be called Deliverance and the gates through which throng the peoples and their treasures shall be called Renown. She shall need no sun or moon, for Yahweh shall ever be her light and beauty, and His is light that knows no setting. All her inhabitants shall then be upright; they shall never be dispossessed, but, increasing as a tree planted by Yahweh might be expected to grow, they shall become a numerous people. Yahweh will hasten the accomplishment of her glory in His own good time.

Isaiah 60:21. Read probably, The branch (i.e. shoot) of Yahweh's planting, the work of His hands..

Related Commentaries of Isaiah 60:1

Isaiah 60:1-22

1 Arise, shine;a for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.

2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.

5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundanceb of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.

6 The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD.

7 All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.

8 Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?

9 Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.

10 And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee.

11 Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forcesc of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought.

12 For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.

13 The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious.

14 The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

15 Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.

16 Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

17 For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.

18 Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.

19 The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.

20 Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.

21 Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.

22 A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time.