Isaiah 60

12. For--the reason which will lead Gentile kings and people to submit themselves; fear of the God in Israel ( Zechariah 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 ( Hosea 14:5 Hosea 14:6 ).
fir . . . pine . . . box--rather, "the cypress . . . ilex . . . cedar."
place of my sanctuary--Jerusalem ( Jeremiah 3:17 ).
place of my feet--no longer the ark ( Jeremiah 3:16 ), "the footstool" of Jehovah ( Psalms 99:5 , 132:7 , 1 Chronicles 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 ( Ezekiel 43:7 ).

14. The sons--Their fathers who "afflicted" Israel having been cut off by divine judgments ( Isaiah 14:1 Isaiah 14:2 , 49:23 ).
The Zion of the Holy One--The royal court of the Holy One. MAURER translates, "Zion, the sanctuary (holy place) of Israel" ( Isaiah 57:15 , Psalms 46:4 ).

15. forsaken--( Psalms 78:60 Psalms 78:61 ).
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 ( Lamentations 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. ( Isaiah 49:23 , 61:6 , Isaiah 66:11 Isaiah 66:12 ).
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. ( Isaiah 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 ( Isaiah 26:1 Isaiah 26:2 ).
gates--once the scene of "destruction" when victorious foes burst through them ( Nehemiah 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 Chronicles 31:2 , Psalms 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 ( Isaiah 30:26 , Zechariah 2:5 , Revelation 21:23 , 22:5 ).

20. There shall be no national and spiritual obscuration again as formerly ( Joel 2:10 , Amos 8:9 ).
mourning . . . ended--( Isaiah 25:8 , Revelation 21:4 ).

21. all righteous--( Isaiah 4:3 , 52:1 , Revelation 21:27 ).
inherit . . . land--( Isaiah 49:8 , 54:3 , 65:9 , Psalms 37:11 Psalms 37:22 , Matthew 5:5 ).
branch of my planting--( Isaiah 61:3 , Psalms 92:13 , Matthew 15:13 ).
work of my hands--the converted Israelites ( Isaiah 29:23 , 45:11 ).
that I may be glorified--the final end of all God's gracious dealings ( Isaiah 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 ( Micah 5:2 , Matthew 13:31 Matthew 13:32 ).
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 ( Galatians 4:4 ); so in that of the restoration of Israel and the conversion of the world ( Isaiah 66:8 , Habakkuk 2:3 , Acts 1:7 , Hebrews 10:37 ).