Isaiah 60

Isaiah 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 [ Luke 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 ( Isaiah 3:26 , Isaiah 52:1 Isaiah 52:2 ).
shine--or, "be enlightened; for thy light cometh"; impart to others the spiritual light now given thee ( Isaiah 60:3 ). The Margin and GESENIUS translate, "Be enlightened"; be resplendent with posterity; imperative for the future indicative, "Thou shalt be enlightened" ( Isaiah 58:8 Isaiah 58:10 , Ephesians 5:8 Ephesians 5:14 ).
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 ( Jeremiah 3:16 Jeremiah 3:17 ).
is risen--as the sun ( Malachi 4:2 , Luke 1:78 , Margin).

2. darkness . . . earth--the rest of the earth: in contrast with "light . . . upon thee" ( Isaiah 60:1 ). The earth will be afterwards enlightened through Israel ( Isaiah 9:2 ).
be seen--conspicuously: so the Hebrew.

3. ( Isaiah 2:3 , 11:10 , 43:6 , 49:22 , 66:12 ).
kings--( Isaiah 49:7 Isaiah 49:23 , 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 ( Isaiah 66:12 ).

5. see--( Isaiah 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] ( Jeremiah 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."