The Glory of the New Jerusalem
At length the dark clouds of sin and impending judgement roll away
before the prophet's vision, and in three magnificent Chapter s (60
62) he hails the rising sun of Jerusalem's prosperity. Ch. 60, a
prophecy complete in itself, is a continuous apostrophe to the ideal... [ Continue Reading ]
_for thy light is come_ Cf. ch. Isaiah 58:8; Isaiah 58:10; Isaiah
59:9. It is the light of the promised salvation, so long looked for in
vain. The perfect tenses are used from the ideal standpoint of the
future.... [ Continue Reading ]
The image in these strikingly beautiful verses is that of a city
glittering in the first rays of the morning sun. Zion is no doubt
addressed in the feminine gender, but the personification is much less
complete than in ch. Isaiah 49:18 ff., Isaiah 51:17 ff., Isaiah 52:1
ff., Isaiah 54:1 ff. The name... [ Continue Reading ]
While Zion is thus illuminated by the presence of Jehovah the heathen
world still lies in darkness. Jerusalem is the one point of light on
the earth's surface, to which the nations and their kings are
attracted. For _people_read with R.V. PEOPLES.
_but the Lord &c._ Better: BUT UPON THEE (emphatic)... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the Gentiles_ AND NATIONS (R.V.).... [ Continue Reading ]
_shall be nursed at_thy _side_ Rather, SHALL BE NURSED ON THE SIDE,
i.e. carried on the hip, the Eastern mode of carrying young children.
Cf. ch. Isaiah 66:12; Isaiah 49:22. The idea, therefore, is the same
as in ch. Isaiah 49:22 f.; the nurses who bring back the children
representing the heathen na... [ Continue Reading ]
In this and the two following strophes two things are closely
associated: the restoration of Zion's banished children, and the
influx of wealth from all parts of the world. The first half of Isaiah
60:4 is repeated literally from ch. Isaiah 49:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
_and flow_together] See ch. Isaiah 2:2. But the right translation is
that of R.V. AND BE LIGHTENED (cf. Psalms 34:5). The two verbs are
identical in form but belong to distinct roots.
_thine heart shall fear_ Lit., SHALL THROB, obviously from joy, as in
Jeremiah 33:9. These are perhaps the only two... [ Continue Reading ]
A _multitude of camels_ Cf. Ezekiel 26:10; Job 22:11. The word for
"multitude" is used of Jehu's small escort in 2 Kings 9:17. Perhaps
"train of camels."
_dromedaries_ properly "young camels." The word does not occur in the
O.T. elsewhere; amongst the Arabs it denotes, according to some of the
nat... [ Continue Reading ]
The promise of Isaiah 60:5 is expanded in two pictures, seen from
Jerusalem's commanding position between the desert and the sea. The
first is a procession of camels and flocks representing the tribute of
the East.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Kedar_(see on ch. Isaiah 21:16) … _Nebajoth_ Cf. Genesis 25:13 &c.
The identification of the latter tribe with the Nabatæans of the
classical writers is disputed by some eminent authorities, but it is
at least a significant circumstance that "Nabataei et Cedrei" are
bracketed together by Pliny, as... [ Continue Reading ]
_as doves to their windows_ Genesis 8:9. The point of comparison is
rather the swiftness of the flight, than the whiteness of the wings
and sails.... [ Continue Reading ]
From the East the prophet turns to the West, and describes the ships
of the Mediterranean "like white doves upon the wing" converging on
Jerusalem. These also bring from afar the exiled sons of Zion, as well
as rich treasures from the nations.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Surely the isles shall wait for me_ ch. Isaiah 42:4; Isaiah 51:5.
Duhm proposes to read "For to me shall the seafarers be gathered"
(substituting ציים [see on ch. Isaiah 23:13] for איים, and
slightly changing the verb). Some such sense would better explain the
word "first" in the following line.
_... [ Continue Reading ]
_the sons of strangers_ STRANGERS (R.V.), as in ch. Isaiah 56:3;
although the reference here is not to individual proselytes, but to
foreigners in general. It is not even certain that the verse implies a
willing cooperation of heathen converted to the religion of Israel,
although this is to be presu... [ Continue Reading ]
For _Therefore_read AND (R.V. "also").
_the_ RICHES _of_ NATIONS] as Isaiah 60:5.
_and_that _their kings_may be _brought_ R.V. AND THEIR KINGS LED WITH
THEM; a circumstantial clause. Some commentators would change the
passive participle into an active: "their kings being the leaders."
The alterati... [ Continue Reading ]
Comp. Zechariah 14:17-18. The verse is objected to by Duhm and Cheyne
on account of its prosaic character and unrhythmical structure, and
also because it violates the strophic arrangement which these writers
find in the chapter. It certainly seems to intrude awkwardly between
Isaiah 60:11 and Isaiah... [ Continue Reading ]
Forest trees from Lebanon shall be brought for the adornment of the
Temple. It is difficult to say whether the reference be to building
materials for the sacred edifice, or to ornamental trees planted in
the Temple-courts. The former view, though less poetic, is more
probable; and it is certainly un... [ Continue Reading ]
The homage done to Zion by her former oppressors is probably to be
regarded as the consequence of the new glory which accrues to the
Sanctuary (Isaiah 60:13).
_The sons also … feet_ The LXX. reads simply: "And there shall come
crouching unto thee the sons of thine afflicters and despisers." The
wor... [ Continue Reading ]
INSTEAD OF THY BEING _forsaken and hated_ Cf. ch. Isaiah 49:14;
Isaiah 49:21; Isaiah 54:6; Isaiah 54:11.
_so that no man went through thee_ WITH NONE PASSING BY (or through).... [ Continue Reading ]
Instead of being shunned and hated by all nations, Zion shall become
the joy of the whole earth, her wants being abundantly supplied from
the best that the nations can bestow.... [ Continue Reading ]
For the figure in the first half of the verse, cf. ch. Isaiah 49:23;
the second half is repeated from Isaiah 49:26.... [ Continue Reading ]
_For brass … gold &c._ Cf. ch. Isaiah 9:10; 1 Kings 10:21; 1 Kings
10:27, and the opposite experience, 1 Kings 14:26 f.
_I will also make, &c._ Render: AND I WILL APPOINT PEACE AS THY
GOVERNMENT, AND RIGHTEOUSNESS AS THY RULER. The word for _officers_is
an abstract noun (like "management" or "magist... [ Continue Reading ]
The inner order and security of the commonwealth shall correspond to
its material splendour, a double contrast to its present (or past)
condition.... [ Continue Reading ]
_wasting nor destruction_ ch. Isaiah 59:7; Isaiah 51:19.
_thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, &c._ This rendering is decidedly
preferable to that of most recent commentators: "thou shalt call
Salvation thy walls, &c." Moreover the _rule_in such cases (although
Isaiah 60:17 furnishes an exception)... [ Continue Reading ]
_thy glory_ THY BEAUTY; Isaiah 60:7; Isaiah 9:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
Comp. Revelation 21:23: "And the city had no need of the sun, neither
of the moon, to shine in it; for the glory of God did lighten it, and
the Lamb is the light thereof"; and Isaiah 22:5. It is not implied
that the sun and moon shall cease to exist; all that is said is that
the new Jerusalem shall... [ Continue Reading ]
_the days of thy mourning_ Cf. ch. Isaiah 57:18; Isaiah 61:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
The community, composed exclusively of righteous persons, shall
possess the land for ever; and Jehovah shall be glorified in them.
_inherit_ Better: POSSESS.
_the branch of my planting_ i.e. "which I have planted." Cf. ch.
Isaiah 61:3. The word for _branch_denotes strictly a "shoot"; so also
in ch... [ Continue Reading ]
_A little one … a small one_ Better perhaps: THE LEAST … THE
SMALLEST. The word for "thousand" (_"éleph_) means also a larger or
smaller group of families, "clan" or TRIBE. This is doubtless the
sense in which it is employed here: comp. the parallel "nation" in the
next line.
_will hasten it in his... [ Continue Reading ]