Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth.
Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth. A princely and spiritual progeny shall be the fruit of this spiritual union (Isaiah 49:20-21; Isaiah 54:1). The allusion is to the custom of wishing to a newly-married pair a numerous and mighty offspring (Genesis 24:60; Ruth 4:11-12). The distinguished forefathers, David and Solomon, shall be eclipsed by their more glorious sons (Isaiah 60:17). The "children" are spiritual children. Solomon had divided Israel into twelve departments, with an officer over each (1 Kings 4:7). David, too, had made his sons princes under him, (2 Samuel 8:18, margin.) So also Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11:23). As the fathers of the King did in their limited land, so will the King do in all the earth (cf. Psalms 72:11). Instead of the twelve patriarchs, your boast heretofore, shall be the twelve apostles, "sitting upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matthew 19:28); along with them others "reigning" under King Messiah "on the earth" (Revelation 5:10).