Discovery BoxIsaiah 60:1--62:12 
Context60:1 “Arise! Shine! For your light arrives!
The splendor 1 of the Lord shines on you!
60:2 For, look, darkness covers the earth
and deep darkness covers 2 the nations,
but the Lord shines on you;
his splendor 3 appears over you.
60:3 Nations come to your light,
kings to your bright light.
They all gather and come to you –
your sons come from far away
and your daughters are escorted by guardians.
60:5 Then you will look and smile, 5
you will be excited and your heart will swell with pride. 6
For the riches of distant lands 7 will belong to you
and the wealth of nations will come to you.
60:6 Camel caravans will cover your roads, 8
young camels from Midian and Ephah.
All the merchants of Sheba 9 will come,
bringing gold and incense
and singing praises to the Lord. 10
60:7 All the sheep of Kedar will be gathered to you;
the rams of Nebaioth will be available to you as sacrifices. 11
They will go up on my altar acceptably, 12
and I will bestow honor on my majestic temple.
60:8 Who are these who float along 13 like a cloud,
who fly like doves to their shelters? 14
60:9 Indeed, the coastlands 15 look eagerly for me,
the large ships 16 are in the lead,
bringing your sons from far away,
along with their silver and gold,
to honor the Lord your God, 17
the Holy One of Israel, 18 for he has bestowed honor on you.
60:10 Foreigners will rebuild your walls;
their kings will serve you.
Even though I struck you down in my anger,
I will restore my favor and have compassion on you. 19
60:11 Your gates will remain open at all times;
they will not be shut during the day or at night,
so that the wealth of nations may be delivered,
with their kings leading the way. 20
60:12 Indeed, 21 nations or kingdoms that do not serve you will perish;
such nations will be totally destroyed. 22
60:13 The splendor of Lebanon will come to you,
its evergreens, firs, and cypresses together,
to beautify my palace; 23
I will bestow honor on my throne room. 24
60:14 The children of your oppressors will come bowing to you;
all who treated you with disrespect will bow down at your feet.
They will call you, ‘The City of the Lord,
Zion of the Holy One of Israel.’ 25
60:15 You were once abandoned
and despised, with no one passing through,
but I will make you 26 a permanent source of pride
and joy to coming generations.
60:16 You will drink the milk of nations;
you will nurse at the breasts of kings. 27
Then you will recognize that I, the Lord, am your deliverer,
your protector, 28 the powerful ruler of Jacob. 29
60:17 Instead of bronze, I will bring you gold,
instead of iron, I will bring you silver,
instead of wood, I will bring you 30 bronze,
instead of stones, I will bring you 31 iron.
I will make prosperity 32 your overseer,
and vindication your sovereign ruler. 33
60:18 Sounds of violence 34 will no longer be heard in your land,
or the sounds of 35 destruction and devastation within your borders.
You will name your walls, ‘Deliverance,’
and your gates, ‘Praise.’
60:19 The sun will no longer supply light for you by day,
nor will the moon’s brightness shine on you;
the Lord will be your permanent source of light –
the splendor of your God will shine upon you. 36
60:20 Your sun will no longer set;
your moon will not disappear; 37
the Lord will be your permanent source of light;
your time 38 of sorrow will be over.
60:21 All of your people will be godly; 39
they will possess the land permanently.
I will plant them like a shoot;
they will be the product of my labor,
through whom I reveal my splendor. 40
60:22 The least of you will multiply into 41 a thousand;
the smallest of you will become a large nation.
When the right time comes, I the Lord will quickly do this!” 42
61:1 The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me,
because the Lord has chosen 43 me. 44
He has commissioned 45 me to encourage 46 the poor,
to help 47 the brokenhearted,
to decree the release of captives,
and the freeing of prisoners,
61:2 to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor,
the day when our God will seek vengeance, 48
to console all who mourn,
61:3 to strengthen those who mourn in Zion,
by giving them a turban, instead of ashes,
oil symbolizing joy, 49 instead of mourning,
a garment symbolizing praise, 50 instead of discouragement. 51
They will be called oaks of righteousness, 52
trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor. 53
61:4 They will rebuild the perpetual ruins
and restore the places that were desolate; 54
they will reestablish the ruined cities,
the places that have been desolate since ancient times.
61:5 55 “Foreigners will take care of 56 your sheep;
foreigners will work in your fields and vineyards.
61:6 You will be called, ‘the Lord’s priests,
servants of our God.’ 57
You will enjoy 58 the wealth of nations
and boast about 59 the riches you receive from them. 60
61:7 Instead of shame, you will get a double portion; 61
instead of humiliation, they will rejoice over the land they receive. 62
Yes, 63 they will possess a double portion in their land
and experience lasting joy.
61:8 For I, the Lord, love justice
and hate robbery and sin.
I will repay them because of my faithfulness; 64
I will make a permanent covenant with them.
61:9 Their descendants will be known among the nations,
their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will recognize that
the Lord has blessed them.” 65
61:10 I 66 will greatly rejoice 67 in the Lord;
I will be overjoyed because of my God. 68
For he clothes me in garments of deliverance;
he puts on me a robe symbolizing vindication. 69
I look like a bridegroom when he wears a turban as a priest would;
I look like a bride when she puts on her jewelry. 70
61:11 For just as the ground produces its crops
and a garden yields its produce,
so the sovereign Lord will cause deliverance 71 to grow,
and give his people reason to praise him in the sight of all the nations. 72
62:1 “For the sake of Zion I will not be silent;
for the sake of Jerusalem 73 I will not be quiet,
until her vindication shines brightly 74
and her deliverance burns like a torch.”
62:2 Nations will see your vindication,
and all kings your splendor.
You will be called by a new name
that the Lord himself will give you. 75
62:3 You will be a majestic crown in the hand of the Lord,
a royal turban in the hand of your God.
62:4 You will no longer be called, “Abandoned,”
and your land will no longer be called “Desolate.”
Indeed, 76 you will be called “My Delight is in Her,” 77
and your land “Married.” 78
For the Lord will take delight in you,
and your land will be married to him. 79
62:5 As a young man marries a young woman,
so your sons 80 will marry you.
As a bridegroom rejoices over a bride,
so your God will rejoice over you.
62:6 I 81 post watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;
they should keep praying all day and all night. 82
You who pray to 83 the Lord, don’t be silent!
62:7 Don’t allow him to rest until he reestablishes Jerusalem, 84
until he makes Jerusalem the pride 85 of the earth.
62:8 The Lord swears an oath by his right hand,
by his strong arm: 86
“I will never again give your grain
to your enemies as food,
and foreigners will not drink your wine,
which you worked hard to produce.
62:9 But those who harvest the grain 87 will eat it,
and will praise the Lord.
Those who pick the grapes will drink the wine 88
in the courts of my holy sanctuary.”
62:10 Come through! Come through the gates!
Prepare the way for the people!
Build it! Build the roadway!
Remove the stones!
Lift a signal flag for the nations!
62:11 Look, the Lord announces to the entire earth: 89
“Say to Daughter Zion,
‘Look, your deliverer comes!
Look, his reward is with him
and his reward goes before him!’” 90
62:12 They will be called, “The Holy People,
the Ones Protected 91 by the Lord.”
You will be called, “Sought After,
City Not Abandoned.”
1 tn Or “glory” (so most English versions).
2 tn The verb “covers” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
3 tn Or “glory” (so most English versions); TEV “the brightness of his presence.”
4 tn Heb “Lift up around your eyes and see!”
5 tn Or “shine,” or “be radiant” (NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
6 tn Heb “and it will tremble and be wide, your heart.”
7 tn Heb “the wealth of the sea,” i.e., wealth that is transported from distant lands via the sea.
8 tn Heb “an abundance of camels will cover you.”
9 tn Heb “all of them, from Sheba.”
10 tn Heb “and they will announce the praises of the Lord.”
11 tn Heb “will serve you,” i.e., be available as sacrifices (see the next line). Another option is to understood these “rams” as symbolic of leaders who will be subject to the people of Zion. See v. 10.
12 tc Heb “they will go up on acceptance [on] my altar.” Some have suggested that the preposition עַל (’al) is dittographic (note the preceding יַעֲלוּ [ya’alu]). Consequently, the form should be emended to לְרָצוֹן (lÿratson, “acceptably”; see BDB 953 s.v. רָצוֹן). However, the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa has both לרצון followed by the preposition על, which would argue against deleted the preposition. As the above translation seeks to demonstrate, the preposition עַל (’al) indicates a norm (“in accordance with acceptance” or “acceptably”; IBHS 218 §11.2.13e, n. 111) and the “altar” functions as an objective accusative with a verb of motion (cf. Gen 49:4; Lev 2:2; Num 13:17; J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 2:534, n. 14).
13 tn Heb “fly” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); NAB, NIV “fly along.”
14 tn Heb “to their windows,” i.e., to the openings in their coops. See HALOT 83 s.v. אֲרֻבָּה.
15 tn Or “islands” (NIV); CEV “distant islands”; TEV “distant lands.”
16 tn Heb “the ships of Tarshish.” See the note at 2:16.
17 tn Heb “to the name of the Lord your God.”
18 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
19 tn Heb “in my favor I will have compassion on you.”
20 tn Or “led in procession.” The participle is passive.
21 tn Or “For” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); TEV “But.”
22 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.
23 tn Or “holy place, sanctuary.”
24 tn Heb “the place of my feet.” See Ezek 43:7, where the Lord’s throne is called the “place of the soles of my feet.”
25 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
26 tn Heb “Instead of your being abandoned and despised, with no one passing through, I will make you.”
27 sn The nations and kings are depicted as a mother nursing her children. Restored Zion will be nourished by them as she receives their wealth as tribute.
28 tn Or “redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
29 sn See 1:24 and 49:26.
30 tn The words “I will bring you” are supplied in the translation; they are understood by ellipsis (see the preceding lines).
31 tn The words “I will bring you” are supplied in the translation; they are understood by ellipsis (see the first two lines of the verse).
32 tn Or “peace” (KJV and many other English versions).
33 tn The plural indicates degree. The language is ironic; in the past Zion was ruled by oppressive tyrants, but now personified prosperity and vindication will be the only things that will “dominate” the city.
34 tn The words “sounds of” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
35 tn The words “sounds of” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
36 tn Heb “and your God for your splendor.”
37 sn In this verse “sun” and “moon” refer to the Lord’s light, which will replace the sun and moon (see v. 19). Light here symbolizes the restoration of divine blessing and prosperity in conjunction with the Lord’s presence. See 30:26.
38 tn Heb “days” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
39 tn Or “righteous” (NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “just.”
40 tn Heb “a shoot of his planting, the work of my hands, to reveal splendor.”
41 tn Heb “will become” (so NASB, NIV).
42 tn Heb “I, the Lord, in its time, I will quickly do it.”
43 tn Heb “anointed,” i.e., designated to carry out an assigned task.
44 sn The speaker is not identified, but he is distinct from the Lord and from Zion’s suffering people. He possesses the divine spirit, is God’s spokesman, and is sent to release prisoners from bondage. The evidence suggests he is the Lord’s special servant, described earlier in the servant songs (see 42:1-4, 7; 49:2, 9; 50:4; see also 51:16).
45 tn Or “sent” (NAB); NCV “has appointed me.”
46 tn Or “proclaim good news to.”
47 tn Heb “to bind up [the wounds of].”
48 tn Heb “to announce the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of our God’s vengeance.
49 tn Heb “oil of joy” (KJV, ASV); NASB, NIV, NRSV “the oil of gladness.”
50 tn Heb “garment of praise.”
51 tn Heb “a faint spirit” (so NRSV); KJV, ASV “the spirit of heaviness”; NASB “a spirit of fainting.”
52 tn Rather than referring to the character of the people, צֶדֶק (tsedeq) may carry the nuance “vindication” here, suggesting that God’s restored people are a testimony to his justice. See v. 2, which alludes to the fact that God will take vengeance against the enemies of his people. Cf. NAB “oaks of justice.”
53 tn Heb “a planting of the Lord to reveal splendor.”
54 tn Heb “and the formerly desolate places they will raise up.”
55 sn The Lord speaks in vv. 7-8 (and possibly v. 9). It is not clear where the servant’s speech (see vv. 1-3a) ends and the Lord’s begins. Perhaps the direct address to the people signals the beginning of the Lord’s speech.
56 tn Heb “will stand [in position] and shepherd.”
57 tn The Hebrew text adds, “it will be said concerning you.”
58 tn Heb “eat” (KJV, NAB, NASB); NIV “feed on”; NLT “be fed with.”
59 tc The form in the Hebrew text is probably a corruption of יִתְאַמְּרוּ (yit’ammÿru), a Hitpael from אָמַר (’amar), meaning “boast about” (see HALOT 67 s.v. II אמר, HALOT 416 s.v. ימר, and BDB 56 s.v. אָמַר).
60 tn Heb “their glory” (i.e., riches).
61 tn Heb “instead of your shame, a double portion.”
62 tn Heb “and [instead of] humiliation they will rejoice [over] their portion.” The term תָחָת (takhat, “instead of”) is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
63 tn Heb “therefore” (so KJV, NASB); NIV “and so.”
64 tn Heb “in faithfulness”; NASB, NRSV, NLT “faithfully.”
65 tn Heb “all who see them will recognize them, that they [are] descendants [whom] the Lord has blessed.”
66 sn The speaker in vv. 10-11 is not identified, but it is likely that the personified nation (or perhaps Zion) responds here to the Lord’s promise of restoration.
67 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.
68 tn Heb “my being is happy in my God”; NAB “in my God is the joy of my soul.”
69 tn Heb “robe of vindication”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “robe of righteousness.”
70 tn Heb “like a bridegroom [who] acts like a priest [by wearing] a turban, and like a bride [who] wears her jewelry.” The words “I look” are supplied for stylistic reasons and clarification.
71 tn Or perhaps, “righteousness,” but the context seems to emphasize deliverance and restoration (see v. 10 and 62:1).
72 tn Heb “and praise before all the nations.”
73 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
74 tn Heb “goes forth like brightness.”
75 tn Heb “which the mouth of the Lord will designate.”
76 tn Or “for”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “but.”
77 tn Hebrew חֶפְצִי־בָהּ (kheftsi-vah), traditionally transliterated “Hephzibah” (so KJV, ASV, NIV).
78 tn Hebrew בְּעוּלָה (bÿ’ulah), traditionally transliterated “Beulah” (so KJV, ASV, NIV).
79 tn That is, the land will be restored to the Lord’s favor and once again enjoy his blessing and protection. To indicate the land’s relationship to the Lord, the words “to him” have been supplied at the end of the clause.
80 tc The Hebrew text has “your sons,” but this produces an odd metaphor and is somewhat incongruous with the parallelism. In the context (v. 4b, see also 54:5-7) the Lord is the one who “marries” Zion. Therefore several prefer to emend “your sons” to בֹּנָיִךְ (bonayikh, “your builder”; e.g., NRSV). In Ps 147:2 the Lord is called the “builder of Jerusalem.” However, this emendation is not the best option for at least four reasons. First, although the Lord is never called the “builder” of Jerusalem in Isaiah, the idea of Zion’s children possessing the land does occur (Isa 49:20; 54:3; cf. also 14:1; 60:21). Secondly, all the ancient versions support the MT reading. Thirdly, although the verb בָּעַל (ba’al) can mean “to marry,” its basic idea is “to possess.” Consequently, the verb stresses a relationship more than a state. All the ancient versions render this verb “to dwell in” or “to dwell with.” The point is not just that the land will be reinhabited, but that it will be in a relationship of “belonging” to the Israelites. Hence a relational verb like בָּעַל is used (J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 2:581). Finally, “sons” is a well-known metaphor for “inhabitants” (J. de Waard, Isaiah, 208).
81 sn The speaker here is probably the prophet.
82 tn Heb “all day and all night continually they do not keep silent.” The following lines suggest that they pray for the Lord’s intervention and restoration of the city.
83 tn Or “invoke”; NIV “call on”; NASB, NRSV “remind.”
84 tn “Jerusalem” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons; note the following line.
85 tn Heb “[the object of] praise.”
86 tn The Lord’s right hand and strong arm here symbolize his power and remind the audience that his might guarantees the fulfillment of the following promise.
87 tn Heb “it,” the grain mentioned in v. 8a.
88 tn Heb “and those who gather it will drink it.” The masculine singular pronominal suffixes attached to “gather” and “drink” refer back to the masculine noun תִּירוֹשׁ (tirosh, “wine”) in v. 8b.
89 tn Heb “to the end of the earth” (so NASB, NRSV).
90 sn As v. 12 indicates, the returning exiles are the Lord’s reward/prize. See also 40:10 and the note there.
91 tn Or “the redeemed of the Lord” (KJV, NAB).
