Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 60

Verse 1

Arise. Compare Isaiah 51:9 , Isaiah 51:17 , "awake"; Isaiah 52:2 , "awake"; Isaiah 60:1 , "arise"; and contrast the cry to Babylon (Isaiah 47:1 ), "come down, sit in the dust". See App-82 . This refers to the future.

shine. Compare 2 Samuel 23:4 .

thy light: i.e. Israel's glory.

the glory of the LORD. Hebrew. kabod. See Isaiah 4:2 , Isaiah 4:5 ; Isaiah 6:3 ; Isaiah 35:2 ; Isaiah 40:5 ; Isaiah 58:8 ; and Isaiah 60:2 here. Compare Psalms 106:20 . Jeremiah 2:11 .Haggai 2:3 , Haggai 2:7 , Haggai 2:9 .

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

Verse 2

behold. Figure of speech Asterismos , to call attention to the condition of the nations just before Israel's future glory shines forth.

people = peoples.

Verse 3

the Gentiles = nations.

Verse 4

all they, &c. This is still future.

sons . . . daughters. These are not Gentiles therefore, but true Israelites (Jeremiah 31:10 ). Compare Ezekiel 34:11-15 .

nursed, &c. Carried on the shoulders. So Chaldee and Septuagint. See note on Isaiah 49:22 .

Verse 5

flow together: or, according to the Targum and Syriac, "shall be lightened", as in Psalms 34:5 .

fear = praise. Hebrew. pahad. A Homonym, with two meanings: (1) to fear, as in Deuteronomy 28:66 . Job 23:15 ; but (2) to rejoice, here and Hosea 3:5 = praise. See note there.

be enlarged = opened as with joy.

of the sea = of the rich seafaring peoples, for which "sea" is put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct).

converted = turned.

forces = fullness, riches, wealth, or resources. This prophecy looks far beyond the return under Ezra-Nehemiah. See verses: Isaiah 60:12 , Isaiah 60:15 , &c.

Verse 6

The multitude = A stream.

Sheba. Compare Psalms 72:10 . Both descended from Abraham and Keturah.

Verse 7

Kedar. See Isaiah 21:16 , Isaiah 21:17 ; Isaiah 42:11 .

together = out.

the. Some codices, with one early printed edition, Septuagint, and Syriac, read "and the".

Nebaioth. A tribe allied to Kedar, descended from Ishmael (Genesis 25:13 ).

glorify = beautify.

house of My glory = My beautiful house.

Verse 8

Who are these . . . ? Referring probably to the ships whose sails are compared to wings, developed in next verse.

Verse 9

isles = maritime lands. See note on Isaiah 11:11 .

shall wait. Compare Isaiah 42:4 ; Isaiah 51:5 .

ships of Tarshish. See note on Isaiah 2:16 .

shall wait. Compare Isaiah 42:4 ; Isaiah 51:5 .

first = in the first place, or rank.

from far. This looks beyond Babylon.

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .

the Holy One of Israel. See note on Isaiah 1:4 .

Verse 10

the sons of strangers. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 12:43 .Leviticus 22:25; Leviticus 22:25 ). These were expressly excluded.

strangers = foreigners.

in My wrath. Compare Isaiah 54:8 . Zechariah 1:15 .

Verse 11

thy gates shall be open. Hebrew they shall keep thy gates open. The word "they" is impersonal: i.e. they who are continually bringing the exiles with their riches. Compare the same idiom in Luke 12:20 , "they demand thy soul".

not be shut. These coming times are already being foreshadowed, for this has already been the case for the past few years. This looks beyond the Ezra- Nehemiah period, for see Nehemiah 13:19 .

Verse 12

the nation. shall perish. This is still future.

Verse 13

the. Some codices, with one early printed edition, Septuagint, and Vulgate, read "and the".

the place of My feet: i.e. the Temple. Compare Isaiah 35:2 .Psalms 99:5 ; Psalms 132:7 . Figure of speech Periphrasis .

feet. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia .

Verse 14

afflicted = oppressed. See Isaiah 1:7 , Isaiah 1:8 ; Isaiah 6:12 ; Isaiah 7:16 .

shall come, &c. Not fulfilled yet. Matthew 8:11 refers to this. Compare Malachi 1:11 .

Verse 15

forsaken. The type of the forsaken wife is changed to that of the forsaken Land. See note on Isaiah 1:4 . eternal. This cannot refer to the prosperity of any past period of Israel's history.

of many generations = of generation after generation.

Verse 16

thou shalt know, &c. Reference to Pentateuch. See notes on Isaiah 1:24 ; Isaiah 41:14 , &c.

the LORD am thy Saviour. This constitutes another Jehovah title. Hebrew = Jehovah moshi'ek.

Redeemer. Compare Isaiah 41:14 ; Isaiah 43:14 ; Isaiah 44:6 , Isaiah 44:24 , &c. (ten times in all, in Isaiah. Compare Proverbs 23:11 .

the mighty One of Jacob. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 49:24 ). Compare Isaiah 49:26 . Psalms 132:2-5 . Including the whole natural seed, as well as the spiritual seed of Israel. See notes on Genesis 32:28 ; Genesis 43:6 ; Genesis 45:26 , Gen 45:30 .

Verse 17

For brass. Note the correspondence (by contrast)of this verse with Isaiah 3:24 . Compare also Isaiah 1:23-26 .

thine exactors = thy tax-gatherers. See Luke 3:13 .

righteousness = righteous. The very opposite to what they have been. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), for righteous.

Verse 18

Violence shall, &c. Compare Genesis 6:11 , Genesis 6:13 . Some codices, with three early printed editions, Septuagint, and Syriac, read "So shall violence", &c.

walls. Compare Isaiah 26:1 .

Salvation: or, Victory.

Verse 20

Thy sun . . . go down. These prophecies

mourning. See note on Isaiah 3:26 . yet await

Verse 21

Thy People . . . all righteous. fulfilment.

for ever. This settles the whole question as to any fulfilment in the past.

My planting. Hebrew text has "His planting", but "My plantings" in the margin, with some codices, four early printed editions, Aramaean, Syriac, and Vulgate.

glorified = get Myself glory.

Verse 23

A little one = The little one: i.e. he who has no sons, or few.

his = its. might be glorified.