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60 Arise [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you—rise to a new life]! Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you!(A)

For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and dense darkness [all] peoples, but the Lord shall arise upon you [O Jerusalem], and His glory shall be seen on you.(B)

And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.(C)

Lift up your eyes round about you and see! They all gather themselves together, they come to you. Your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be carried and nursed in the arms.

Then you shall see and be radiant, and your heart shall thrill and tremble with joy [at the glorious deliverance] and be enlarged; because the abundant wealth of the [Dead] [a]Sea shall be turned to you, unto you shall the nations come with their treasures.(D)

A multitude of camels [from the eastern trading tribes] shall cover you [Jerusalem], the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all the men from Sheba [who once came to trade] shall come, bringing gold and frankincense and proclaiming the praises of the Lord.(E)

All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you [as the eastern pastoral tribes join the trading tribes], the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you; they shall come up with acceptance on My altar, and My glorious house I will glorify.

Who are these who fly like a cloud, and like doves to their windows?

Surely the isles and distant coastlands shall wait for and expect Me; and the ships of Tarshish [shall come] first, to bring your sons from afar, their silver and gold with them, for the name of the Lord your God, for the Holy One of Israel, because He has beautified and glorified you.

10 Foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you; for in My wrath I smote you, but in My favor, pleasure, and goodwill I have had mercy, love, and pity for you.

11 And your gates shall be open continually, they shall not be shut day or night, that men may bring to you the wealth of the nations—and their kings led in procession [your voluntary captives].(F)

12 For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you in that day [Jerusalem] shall perish; yes, those nations shall be utterly laid waste.

13 The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, the cypress, the plane, and the pine [trees] together, to beautify the place of My sanctuary; and I will make the place of My feet glorious.

14 The sons of those who afflicted you shall come bending low to you, and all those who despised you shall bow down at your feet, and they shall call you the City of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.(G)

15 Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, so that no man passed through you, I will make you [Jerusalem] an eternal glory, a joy from age to age.

16 You shall suck the milk of the [Gentile] nations and shall suck the breast of kings; and you shall recognize and know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

17 Instead of bronze I will bring gold, and instead of iron I will bring silver; and instead of wood, bronze, and instead of stones, iron. [Instead of the tyranny of the present] I will appoint peace as your officers and righteousness as your taskmasters.

18 Violence shall no more be heard in your land, nor devastation or destruction within your borders, but you shall call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.

19 The sun shall no more be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you, but the Lord shall be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory and your beauty.(H)

20 Your sun shall no more go down, nor shall your moon withdraw itself, for the Lord shall be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended.

21 Your people also shall all be [uncompromisingly and consistently] righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified.

22 The least one shall become a thousand [a clan], and the small one a strong nation. I, the Lord, will hasten it in its [appointed] time.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 60:5 Prior to well into the twentieth century, scholars could only speculate as to what Isaiah might have meant here by “the abundant wealth of the [Dead] Sea” that would one day be turned over to Jerusalem. Of course, the Dead Sea, which for ages had been considered only a place of death and desolation, was ruled out as a possible meaning. Then suddenly it was discovered that the waters of the Dead Sea contain important chemicals. In a.d. 1935 G.T.B. Davis wrote, “One is almost staggered by the computed wealth of the chemical salts of the Dead Sea. It is estimated that the potential value of the potash, bromine, and other chemical salts of its waters is... four times the wealth of the United States!” (G.T.B. Davis, Rebuilding Palestine) Isaiah himself did not know this, but the God who caused the Dead Sea to play a part in His program in the last days knew all about it, and He led the prophet to so prophesy here in this verse.

The Gentiles Bless Zion

60 Arise, (A)shine;
For your light has come!
And (B)the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
And deep darkness the people;
But the Lord will arise over you,
And His glory will be seen upon you.
The (C)Gentiles shall come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.

“Lift(D) up your eyes all around, and see:
They all gather together, (E)they come to you;
Your sons shall come from afar,
And your daughters shall be nursed at your side.
Then you shall see and become radiant,
And your heart shall swell with joy;
Because (F)the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,
The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.
The multitude of camels shall cover your land,
The dromedaries of Midian and (G)Ephah;
All those from (H)Sheba shall come;
They shall bring (I)gold and incense,
And they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord.
All the flocks of (J)Kedar shall be gathered together to you,
The rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you;
They shall ascend with (K)acceptance on My altar,
And (L)I will glorify the house of My glory.

“Who are these who fly like a cloud,
And like doves to their roosts?
(M)Surely the coastlands shall wait for Me;
And the ships of Tarshish will come first,
(N)To bring your sons from afar,
(O)Their silver and their gold with them,
To the name of the Lord your God,
And to the Holy One of Israel,
(P)Because He has glorified you.

10 “The(Q) sons of foreigners shall build up your walls,
(R)And their kings shall minister to you;
For (S)in My wrath I struck you,
(T)But in My favor I have had mercy on you.
11 Therefore your gates (U)shall be open continually;
They shall not be shut day or night,
That men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles,
And their kings in procession.
12 (V)For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish,
And those nations shall be utterly ruined.

13 “The(W) glory of Lebanon shall come to you,
The cypress, the pine, and the box tree together,
To beautify the place of My sanctuary;
And I will make (X)the place of My feet glorious.
14 Also the sons of those who afflicted you
Shall come (Y)bowing to you,
And all those who despised you shall (Z)fall prostrate at the soles of your feet;
And they shall call you The City of the Lord,
(AA)Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

15 “Whereas you have been forsaken and hated,
So that no one went through you,
I will make you an eternal excellence,
A joy of many generations.
16 You shall drink the milk of the Gentiles,
(AB)And milk the breast of kings;
You shall know that (AC)I, the Lord, am your Savior
And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

17 “Instead of bronze I will bring gold,
Instead of iron I will bring silver,
Instead of wood, bronze,
And instead of stones, iron.
I will also make your officers peace,
And your magistrates righteousness.
18 Violence shall no longer be heard in your land,
Neither [a]wasting nor destruction within your borders;
But you shall call (AD)your walls Salvation,
And your gates Praise.

God the Glory of His People

19 “The (AE)sun shall no longer be your light by day,
Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you;
But the Lord will be to you an everlasting light,
And (AF)your God your glory.
20 (AG)Your sun shall no longer go down,
Nor shall your moon withdraw itself;
For the Lord will be your everlasting light,
And the days of your mourning shall be ended.
21 (AH)Also your people shall all be righteous;
(AI)They shall inherit the land forever,
(AJ)The branch of My planting,
(AK)The work of My hands,
That I may be glorified.
22 (AL)A little one shall become a thousand,
And a small one a strong nation.
I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 60:18 devastation

The Future Glory of Israel

60 (A)Arise, shine, for your light has come,
    and (B)the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
    and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
    and his glory will be seen upon you.
(C)And nations shall come to your light,
    and kings to the brightness of your rising.

(D)Lift up your eyes all around, and see;
    they all gather together, they come to you;
(E)your sons shall come from afar,
    and your daughters shall be carried on the hip.
Then you shall see and (F)be radiant;
    your heart shall thrill and exult,[a]
because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,
    (G)the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
A multitude of camels shall cover you,
    the young camels of (H)Midian and (I)Ephah;
    all those from (J)Sheba shall come.
(K)They shall bring gold and frankincense,
    and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord.
All the flocks of (L)Kedar shall be gathered to you;
    the rams of (M)Nebaioth shall minister to you;
(N)they shall come up with acceptance on my altar,
    (O)and I will beautify my beautiful house.

Who are these that fly like a cloud,
    and (P)like doves to their windows?
For (Q)the coastlands shall hope for me,
    (R)the ships of Tarshish first,
(S)to bring your children from afar,
    their silver and gold with them,
for the name of the Lord your God,
    and for the Holy One of Israel,
    because (T)he has made you beautiful.

10 (U)Foreigners shall build up your walls,
    and (V)their kings shall minister to you;
for in my wrath I struck you,
    but in my favor I have had mercy on you.
11 (W)Your gates shall be open continually;
    day and night they shall not be shut,
(X)that people may bring to you the wealth of the nations,
    with their kings led in procession.
12 (Y)For the nation and kingdom
    that will not serve you shall perish;
    those nations shall be utterly laid waste.
13 (Z)The glory of Lebanon shall come to you,
    the cypress, the plane, and (AA)the pine,
to beautify the place of my sanctuary,
    and I will make the place of my feet glorious.
14 (AB)The sons of those who afflicted you
    shall come bending low to you,
(AC)and all who despised you
    shall bow down at your feet;
(AD)they shall call you the City of the Lord,
    the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

15 (AE)Whereas you have been forsaken and hated,
    with no one passing through,
(AF)I will make you majestic forever,
    a joy from age to age.
16 (AG)You shall suck the milk of nations;
    you shall nurse at the breast of kings;
and you shall know that (AH)I, the Lord, am your Savior
    and your Redeemer, (AI)the Mighty One of Jacob.

17 Instead of bronze I will bring gold,
    and instead of iron I will bring silver;
instead of wood, bronze,
    instead of stones, iron.
I will make your overseers peace
    (AJ)and your taskmasters righteousness.
18 (AK)Violence shall no more be heard in your land,
    devastation or destruction within your borders;
(AL)you shall call your walls Salvation,
    and your gates Praise.

19 (AM)The sun shall be no more
    your light by day,
nor for brightness shall the moon
    give you light;[b]
but the Lord will be your everlasting light,
    and your God will be your glory.[c]
20 Your sun shall no more go down,
    nor your moon withdraw itself;
for the Lord will be your everlasting light,
    and (AN)your days of mourning shall be ended.
21 (AO)Your people shall all be righteous;
    (AP)they shall possess the land forever,
(AQ)the branch of my planting, the work of my hands,
    that I might be glorified.[d]
22 (AR)The least one shall become a clan,
    and the smallest one a mighty nation;
(AS)I am the Lord;
    in its time I will hasten it.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 60:5 Hebrew your heart shall tremble and grow wide
  2. Isaiah 60:19 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint, Targum add by night
  3. Isaiah 60:19 Or your beauty
  4. Isaiah 60:21 Or that I might display my beauty