CHAPTER 60

Is 60:1–22. Israel’s Glory after Her Affliction.

An ode of congratulation to Zion on her restoration at the Lord’s second advent to her true position as the mother church from which the Gospel is to be diffused to the whole Gentile world; the first promulgation of the Gospel among the Gentiles, beginning at Jerusalem [Lu 24:47], is an earnest of this. The language is too glorious to apply to anything that as yet has happened.

1. Arise—from the dust in which thou hast been sitting as a mourning female captive (Is 3:26).

shine—or, “be enlightened; for thy light cometh”; impart to others the spiritual light now given thee (Is 60:3). The Margin and Gesenius translate, “Be enlightened”; be resplendent with posterity; imperative for the future indicative, “Thou shalt be enlightened” (Is 58:8, 10; Eph 5:8, 14).

glory of the Lord—not merely the Shekinah, or cloud of glory, such as rested above the ark in the old dispensation, but the glory of the Lord in person (Je 3:16, 17).

is risen—as the sun (Mal 4:2; Lu 1:78, Margin).

2. darkness … earth—the rest of the earth: in contrast with “light … upon thee” (Is 60:1). The earth will be afterwards enlightened through Israel (Is 9:2).

be seen—conspicuously: so the Hebrew.

3. (Is 2:3; 11:10; 43:6; 49:22; 66:12).

kings—(Is 49:7, 23; 52:15).

thy rising—rather, “thy sun-rising,” that is, “to the brightness that riseth upon thee.”

4. Lift up … eyes—Jerusalem is addressed as a female with eyes cast down from grief.

all they … they—The Gentile peoples come together to bring back the dispersed Hebrews, restore their city, and worship Jehovah with offerings.

nursed at thy side—rather “carried at thy side.” It is the custom in the East to carry the children astride on the hip, with the arms around the body (Is 66:12).

5. see—(Is 60:4), namely, the bringing back of thy sons.

flow together—rather, “overflow with joy” [Lowth]; or, from a different Hebrew root, “be bright with joy” [Gesenius] (Job 3:4).

fear—rather, beat with the agitation of solemn joy at the marvellous sight [Horsley] (Je 33:9).

be enlarged—swell with delight. Grief, on the contrary, contracts the heart.

abundance of … sea—the wealth of the lands beyond the sea, as in Solomon’s time, the type of the coming reign of the Prince of peace.

converted—rather, “be turned,” instead of being turned to purposes of sin and idolatry.

forces—rather, “riches.”

6. camels—laden with merchandise; the camel is “the ship of the desert” (compare Is 30:6).

cover thee—so many of them shall there be.

dromedaries—They have one hunch on the back, whereas the camel has two: distinguished for swiftness (Je 2:23).

Midian—east of the Elanitic branch of the Red Sea, and stretching northward along Mount Seir. Associated with the Ishmaelites in traffic (Ge 37:25, 28).

Ephah—part of Midian, east of the Dead Sea. It abounded in camels (Jdg 6:5).

Sheba—in Arabia-Felix, famed for frankincense and gold (Ps 72:15; Je 6:20), which they traded in (Is 45:14; Job 6:19; Ez 27:22).

7. Kedar—(Is 21:16; So 1:5), in the south of Arabia-Deserta, or north of Arabia-Petraea; they traded in flocks (Ez 27:21).

Nebaioth—son of Ishmael, as was Kedar. Father of the Nabatheans in Arabia-Petraea.

minister—by coming up as an acceptable sacrifice.

come up with acceptance—that is, acceptably. The rams offering themselves voluntarily (Ps 68:30; Ro 12:1; 1 Pe 2:5), without waiting for any other priest, answer to believers strong in faith and lamb-like meekness; and in the white fleece-like robe of sanctity [Vitringa].

house of my glory—the temple (Ez 41:1–26; Hag 2:7, 9; Mal 3:1).

8. The prophet, seeing in vision new hosts approaching quickly like a cloud of doves, asks who they are.

9. (see on Is 42:4).

Tarshish first—The ships of Tartessus (see on Is 2:16; Is 23:1, that is, vessels that trade to the most distant regions) will be among the foremost to bring back the scattered Israelites (Is 66:20).

their silver—The nations among whom the Jews have been scattered shall help them with their money in returning (Is 60:5–7, 11, 16), as was the case at the return from Babylon (Ezr 1:4; compare Ps 68:30, 31).

unto the name … to the Holy One—rather, because of the name—because of the Holy One (compare Is 55:5) [Lowth].

10. kings … minister unto thee—(See on Is 60:7; Is 49:23).

in my wrath I smote thee—(Is 54:7, 8; 57:17).

11. (Rev 21:25). The gates are ever open to receive new offerings and converts (Is 26:2; Ac 14:27; Rev 3:8). In time of peace the gates of a city are open: so, under the Prince of peace, there shall be no need of barring gates against invaders.

forces—riches.

be brought—as willing captives to the truth; or, if not willingly, be bought by judgments to submit to Israel (Is 60:12, 14). Gesenius explains it, “may come escorted by a retinue.”

12. For—the reason which will lead Gentile kings and people to submit themselves; fear of the God in Israel (Zec 14:17).

13. glory—that is, the trees which adorned Lebanon; emblem of men eminent in natural gifts, devoting all that is in them to the God of Israel (Ho 14:5, 6).

fir … pine … box—rather, “the cypress … ilex … cedar.”

place of my sanctuary—Jerusalem (Je 3:17).

place of my feet—no longer the ark (Je 3:16), “the footstool” of Jehovah (Ps 99:5; 132:7; 1 Ch 28:2); but “the place of His throne, the place of the soles of His feet, where He will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever,” in the new temple (Ez 43:7).

14. The sons—Their fathers who “afflicted” Israel having been cut off by divine judgments (Is 14:1, 2; 49:23).

The Zion of the Holy One—The royal court of the Holy One. Maurer translates, “Zion, the sanctuary (holy place) of Israel” (Is 57:15; Ps 46:4).

15. forsaken—(Ps 78:60, 61).

no man went through thee—Thy land was so desolate that no traveller, or caravan, passed through thee; true only of Israel, not true of the Church (La 1:4).

excellency—glory, that is, for ever honored.

16. suck—Thou shalt draw to thyself and enjoy all that is valuable of the possessions of the Gentiles, &c. (Is 49:23; 61:6).

know—by the favors bestowed on thee, and through thee on the Gentiles.

17. Poetically, with figurative allusion to the furniture of the temple; all things in that happy age to come shall be changed for the better.

exactors—namely, of tribute.

righteousness—All rulers in restored Jerusalem shall not only be peaceable and righteous, but shall be, as it were, “peace” and “righteousness” itself in their administration.

18. (Is 2:4). Not only shall thy walls keep thee safe from foes, but “Salvation” shall serve as thy walls, converting thy foes into friends, and so ensuring thee perfect safety (Is 26:1, 2).

gates—once the scene of “destruction” when victorious foes burst through them (Ne 1:3); henceforth to be not only the scene of praises, but “Praise” itself; the “gates,” as the place of public concourse, were the scene of thanksgivings (2 Ch 31:2; Ps 9:14; 24:7; 100:4). “Judah,” the favored tribe, means “praise.”

19. The sun and moon, the brightest objects by day and night, shall be eclipsed by the surpassing glory of God manifesting Himself to thee (Is 30:26; Zec 2:5; Rev 21:23; 22:5).

20. There shall be no national and spiritual obscuration again as formerly (Joe 2:10; Am 8:9).

mourning … ended—(Is 25:8; Rev 21:4).

21. all righteous—(Is 4:3; 52:1; Rev 21:27).

inherit … land—(Is 49:8; 54:3; 65:9; Ps 37:11, 22; Mt 5:5).

branch of my planting—(Is 61:3; Ps 92:13; Mt 15:13).

work of my hands—the converted Israelites (Is 29:23; 45:11).

that I may be glorified—the final end of all God’s gracious dealings (Is 49:3; 61:3).

22. little one—Even one, and that the smallest in number and rank, shall be multiplied a thousandfold in both respects (Mic 5:2; Mt 13:31, 32).

his time—not our time; we might wish to hasten it, but it will come in due time, as in the case of Jesus’ first coming (Ga 4:4); so in that of the restoration of Israel and the conversion of the world (Is 66:8; Hab 2:3; Ac 1:7; Heb 10:37).