Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 60:9
Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.
9. Surely the isles shall wait for me ] ch. Isa 42:4, Isa 51:5. Duhm proposes to read “For to me shall the seafarers be gathered” (substituting [see on ch. Isa 23:13 ] for , and slightly changing the verb). Some such sense would better explain the word “first” in the following line.
ships of Tarshish ] See on ch. Isa 2:16.
glorified thee ] beautified thee (as Isa 60:7).
10 ff. The restoration of Zion’s material prosperity through the labour and gifts of foreign peoples.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Surely the isles – On the meaning of the word isles in Isaiah, see the notes at Isa 41:1.
Shall wait for me – (See the notes at Isa 41:4).
And the ships of Tarshish – (See the notes at Isa 2:16). The main idea here is clear. These ships were the principal vessels known to the Hebrews as employed in foreign commerce, and the prophet employs the name to denote ships in general that sailed to distant ports. They will be employed in importing the most valuable productions of distant climes to Zion, and in collecting those who should be converted to God; that is, the commerce of the world would be made tributary to religion, and the ships that sail to distant lands would be employed in advancing the cause of salvation.
First – Among the first, in the first rank; they shall be among the most active and useful agents in diffusing the knowledge of the truth. Twenty-five manuscripts and the Syriac read it, As at the first. Jarchi and Kimchi suppose it means, as at the first; that is, as in the time of Solomon. But the idea is, that the ships which trade to the most distant regions will be among the principal instrumentalities employed in the conversion of the pagan world to Christianity. To some extent this has already been done. The servants of God have been borne already to almost every pagan land; and the time may come when it shall be deemed an essential object of those engaged in foreign commerce to diffuse a knowledge of civilization, and of the arts of life; of science, and of pure religion.
To bring thy sons from far – Those who shall be converted from distant lands – as if they were to come personally and worship at Jerusalem (see the notes at Isa 49:22).
Unto the name of the Lord thy God – Lowth renders this, Because of the name. So the Septuagint, dia to onoma, etc. The idea is, that all this wealth would be devoted to Yahweh, and employed in his service.
Because he hath glorified thee – He has honored thee by imparting to thee the true religion, and making me the means of diffusing it around the world.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Isa 60:9
Surely the isles shall wait for Me
The ships of Tarshish
The ships of Tarshish coming from the extreme end of the European island-region, as the leaders of the fleet brining Lions children from afar.
(F. Delitzsch, D. D.)
Missionary ships
The ships of Tarshish, transport-ships, shall lie ready to carry members from far distant regions to the Church, or, which is equivalent, to carry the ministers of the Church to remote parts to preach the Gospel, and to bring in souls to join themselves to the Lord. (M. Henry.)
The enlargement of the Church
I. WHO ARE BROUGHT. Thy sons, i.e such as are designed to be so, those children of God that are scuttled abroad (Joh 11:52).
II. WHAT THEY SHALL BRING WITH THEM. They live at such a distance that they cannot bring their flocks and their rams; but, like those who live remote from Jerusalem, when they come up to worship at the feast, they shall bring their silver and their gold with them. When we give up ourselves to God we must, with ourselves, give up all we have to Him. If we honour Him with our spirits, we will honour Him with our substance.
III. TO WHOM THEY SHALL DEVOTE AND DEDICATE THEMSELVES AND ALL THEY ARE WORTH. To the name of the Lord thy God; to God as the Lord of all, and the Churchs God and King, even to the Holy One of Israel, whom Israel worships as a holy One, in the beauty of holiness, because He hath glorified thee. The honour God puts upon His Church and people should not only engage us to honour them, but invite us to join ourselves to them. We will go with you, for God is with you (Zec 8:23). (C. H.Spurgeon.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 9. The ships of Tarshish first – “The ships of Tarshish among the first”] For barishonah twenty-five MSS. and the Syriac read kebarishonah, “as at the first.” The ships of Tarshish AS at the first; that is, as they brought gold and silver in the days of Solomon.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The isles: see Isa 41:1; 49:18. The ships, viz. to convey them to me.
Of Tarshish, i.e. those that traffic by sea, as before; see Isa 2:16; these lying most convenient for that employment. In naming this he implies by a synecdoche all that had commerce with other nations. First; preferring this before any other business they take in hand. This hath undergone the various senses of divers interpreters; such as are not futilous and vain, I conceive, may run into one of these two: either,
1. By reading it with a supplement of the note of similitude, which is frequent, as at first, or formerly, viz. as in the days of Solomon, who was a type of Christ, the matter here spoken of seeming to suit with it, 1Ki 10:12; see 2Ch 9:21, &c. Or rather,
2. By taking the word first, as the Hebrews mostly do, not so much with reference to time or order as to dignity; namely, they shall have the precedency and honour of bringing themselves and conducting others: this may be true also as to time, and so verified in the wise men coming the first to Christ when he was born, and as the firstfruits of the rest of the Gentiles.
To bring thy sons, begotten by the word,
from far, from the remotest parts: this may be understood with reference either to place or state; at how great a distance soever either in place or state, they shall come to Christ, who hath sons abroad in Gods decree, not yet called, other sheep that he will bring into his fold, Joh 10:16. Their: their may refer either to the merchants bringing traffic with them, as Isa 60:6; or the Jews, as Israel came out of Egypt with all their treasure with them, and what others gave them, Ezr 1:4, as also the vessels that were sent back with them, Ezr 1:7.
Unto the name, i.e. to the Lord himself, by a periphrasis; or to his temple, where his name was placed, the type of the church; compare 2Sa 7:13, with 1Ch 17:12; or in the name of the Lord; or for his sake, who is the Holy One; the like metonymies having been formerly and frequently pointed at.
He hath glorified thee; he will spread thy fame, and make thee honourable in the eyes of the world, and that especially in setting up the ministry of the gospel in the midst of thee. The name of God, and so also of Israel, were contemptible among the Gentiles before the coming of Christ and spreading of the gospel, but (as a consolation to his people) it is promised they shall both be honourable; and here God by an enallage of the person speaks of himself in the third person.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. (see on Isa42:4).
Tarshish firstTheships of Tartessus (see on Isa2:16; Isa 23:1, that is,vessels that trade to the most distant regions) will be among theforemost to bring back the scattered Israelites (Isa66:20).
their silverThenations among whom the Jews have been scattered shall help them withtheir money in returning (Isa 60:5-7;Isa 60:11; Isa 60:16),as was the case at the return from Babylon (Ezr1:4; compare Psa 68:30;Psa 68:31).
unto the name . . . to theHoly Onerather, because of the namebecause ofthe Holy One (compare Isa 55:5)[LOWTH].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Surely the isles shall wait for me;…. The Targum is,
“for my Word.”
The Messiah, and his coming. The isles of Great Britain may more especially be intended, who, as they waited for his Gospel, and readily received it, and embraced it, as soon as it was brought to them, which was very early; so there are many here now waiting for the spiritual coming of Christ, and the glory of his churches in the latter day, and perhaps more than in any other part of the world besides:
and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them; this is to be understood of the Jews converted in distant parts of the world, who shall be brought in transport ships to the churches of Christ, particularly in Judea; and the ships of Tarshish shall be used in that service principally, they shall be the chief that shall be employed. Most of the Jewish commentators, as Jarchi, Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and Ben Melech, think there is a want of the particle of similitude “as”, and that it should be rendered, “and the ships of Tarshish, as at first”; and then the sense is, they shall be made use of now to bring, the converted Jews with their substance from foreign parts, as they had been in Solomon’s time, for bringing gold and silver, and other things to him, from distant places, 2Ch 9:21 but by Tarshish here is not meant Tartessus in Spain, as Vitringa; nor Tarsus in Cilicia; but the sea itself; which is so called; and so the Targum renders it, “the ships of the sea”; and Jarchi observes that this is the name of the sea; and what ships can be better understood than ours of Great Britain, so famous for shipping, and which claims the sovereignty of the seas? these may be principally employed in bringing great numbers of converts from different places to the church of God; and as Israel, when they came out of Egypt, came forth with silver and gold; and when they came out of Babylon, they were furnished with gold and silver, and everything convenient for their journey, and for the rebuilding of their city and temple,
Ps 105:37 so when they are gathered from their present dispersion, and are called and converted, they shall come with their tribes to the church of Christ, and honour the Lord with their substance, and promote the interest of religion by it, as it follows:
unto the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel; that is, their persons shall be brought unto him, and their riches also; they shall give up themselves, and all they have, to the Lord, and devote themselves and their substance to his glory, and the good of his interest; even to him whose name was detestable to them, but now precious; and whom they will own with the church to be the Lord their God, their Redeemer and Sanctifier:
because he hath glorified thee; the church; caused such a glory to arise upon her, and upon that a defence; so that it will continue, and be so visible and manifest as to draw persons from all parts, though the most distant, to come unto her, and join themselves with her.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| The Enlargement of the Church. | B. C. 706. |
9 Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee. 10 And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee. 11 Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought. 12 For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. 13 The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious. 14 The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
The promises made to the church in the foregoing verses are here repeated, ratified, and enlarged upon, designed still for the comfort and encouragement of the Jews after their return out of captivity, but certainly looking further, to the enlargement and advancement of the gospel church and the abundance of spiritual blessings with which it shall be enriched.
I. God will be very gracious and propitious to them. We must begin with that promise, because thence all the rest take rise. The sanctuary that was desolate begins to be repaired when God causes his face to shine upon it, Dan. ix. 17. All the favour that the people of God find with men is owing to the light of God’s countenance and his favour to them (v. 10): “All shall now make court to thee, for in my wrath I smote thee, while thou wast in captivity” (and the sufferings of the church, especially by its corruptions, decays, and divisions, against which these promises will be its relief, are sad tokens of God’s displeasure), “But now in my favour have I had mercy on thee, and therefore have all this mercy in store for thee.”
II. Many shall be brought into the church, even from far countries (v. 9): Surely the isles shall wait for me, shall welcome the gospel, and shall attend God with their praises for it and their ready subjection to it. The ships of Tarshish, transport-ships, shall lie ready to carry members from far distant regions to the church, or (which is equivalent) to carry the ministers of the church to remote parts, to preach the gospel and to bring in souls to join themselves to the Lord. Observe, 1. Who are brought–thy sons, that is, such as are designed to be so, those children of God that are scattered abroad, John xi. 52. 2. What they shall bring with them. They live at such a distance that they cannot bring their flocks and their rams; but, like those who lived remote from Jerusalem (who, when they came up to worship at the feast, because they could not bring their tithes in kind, turned them into money), they shall bring their silver and gold with them. Note, When we give up ourselves to God we must with ourselves give up all we have to him. If we honour him with our spirits, we shall honour him with our substance. 3. To whom they shall devote and dedicate themselves and all they are worth–to the name of the Lord thy God, to God as the Lord of all and the church’s God and King, even to the Holy One of Israel (whom Israel worships as a Holy One, in the beauty of holiness), because he has glorified thee. Note, The honour God puts upon his church and people should not only engage us to honour them, but invite us to join ourselves to them. We will go with you, for God is with you, Zech. viii. 23.
III. Those that come into the church shall be welcome; for so spacious is the holy city that though, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, yet still there is room. “Therefore thy gates shall be open continually (v. 11), not only because thou hast no reason to fear thy enemies, but because thou hast reason to expect thy friends.” It is usual with us to leave our doors open, or leave some one ready to open them, all night, if we look for a child or a guest to come in late. Note, Christ is always ready to entertain those that come to him, is never out of the way, nor can they ever come unseasonably; the gate of mercy is always open, night and day, or shall soon be opened to those that knock. Ministers, the door-keepers, must be always ready to admit those that offer themselves to the Lord. God not only keeps a good house in his church, but he keeps open house, that at any time, by the preaching of the word, in season and out of season, the forces of the Gentiles, and the kings or commanders of those forces, may be brought into the church. Lift up your heads, O you gates! and let such welcome guests as these come in.
IV. All that are about the church shall be made in some way or other serviceable to it. Though dominion is far from being founded in men’s grace, it is founded in God’s; and he that made the inferior creatures useful to man will make the nations of men useful to the church. The earth helped the woman. All things are for your sakes. So here (v. 10), “Even the sons of strangers, that have neither knowledge of thee nor kindness for thee, that have always been aliens to the commonwealth of Israel, even they shall build up thy wall, and their kings shall in that and other things ministers unto thee and not think it any disparagement to them to do so.” This was fulfilled when the king of Persia, and the governors of the provinces by his order, were aiding and assisting Nehemiah in building the wall about Jerusalem. Rather than Jerusalem’s walls shall lie still in ruins, the sons of the stranger shall be raised up to build them. Even those that do not belong to the church may be a protection to it. And the greatest of men should not think it below them to minister to the church, but rejoice that they are in a capacity, and have a heart, to do it any service. Nay, it is the duty of all to do what they can in their places to advance the interests of God’s kingdom among men; it is at their peril if they do not; for (v. 12), The nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; not that they must perish by the sword or by human anathemas, or as if this gave any countenance to the using of external force for the propagating of the gospel, or as if men might be compelled by penalties and punishments to come into the church; by no means. But those who will not by faith submit to Jesus Christ, the King of the church, and serve him, shall perish eternally, Ps. ii. 12. Those that will not be subject to Christ’s golden sceptre, to the government of his word and Spirit, that will not be brought under, or kept in, by the discipline of his family, shall be broken in pieces by his iron rod. Bring them forth and slay them before me, Luke xix. 27. Nations of such shall be utterly and eternally wasted, when Christ shall come to take vengeance on those that obey not his gospel, 2 Thess. i. 8.
V. There shall be abundance of beauty added to the ordinances of divine worship (v. 13): The glory of Lebanon, the strong and stately cedars that grow there, shall come unto thee, as of old to Solomon, when he built the temple (2 Chron. ii. 16), and with them shall be brought other timber, proper for the carved work thereof, which the enemy had broken down, Psa 74:5; Psa 74:6. The temple, the place of God’s sanctuary, shall be not only rebuilt, but beautified. It is the place of his feet, where he rests and resides, Ezek. xliii. 7. The ark is called his footstool, because it was under the mercy-seat, Ps. cxxxii. 7. This he will make glorious in the eyes of his people and of all their neighbours. The glory of the latter house, to which this refers, though in many instances inferior, was yet really greater than the glory of the former, because Christ came to that temple, Mal. iii. 1. It was likewise adorned with goodly stones and gifts (Luke xxi. 5), to which this promise may have some reference; yet so slightly did Christ speak of them there that we must suppose it to have its full accomplishment in the beauties of holiness, and the graces and comforts of the Spirit, with which gospel ordinances are adorned and enriched.
VI. The church shall appear truly great and honourable, v. 14. The people of the Jews, after their return out of captivity, by degrees became more considerable, and made a better figure than one would have expected, after they had been so much reduced, and than any of the other nations recovered that had been in like manner humbled by the Chaldeans. It is probable that many of those who had oppressed them in Babylon, when they were themselves driven out by the Persians, made their court to the Jews for shelter and supply and were willing to scrape acquaintance with them. This prophecy is further fulfilled when those that have been enemies to the church are wrought upon by the grace of God to see their error, and come, and join themselves to it: “The sons of those that afflicted thee, if not they themselves, yet their children, shall crouch to thee, shall beg pardon for their folly and beg an interest in thy favour and admission into thy family,” 1 Sam. ii. 36. A promise like this is made to the church of Philadelphia, Rev. iii. 9. And it is intended to be, 1. A mortification to the proud oppressors of the church, that have afflicted her, and despised her, and taken a pleasure in doing so; they shall be brought down; their spirits shall be broken, and their condition shall be so mean and miserable that they shall be glad to be obliged to those whom they have most studied to disoblige. Note, Sooner or later God will pour contempt upon those that put contempt upon his people. 2. An exaltation to the poor oppressed ones of the church; and this is the honour that shall be done to them, they shall have an opportunity of doing good to those who have done evil to them and saving those alive who have afflicted and despised them. It is a pleasure to a good man, and he accounts it an honour, to show mercy to those with whom he has found no mercy. Yet this is not all. “They shall not only become suppliants to thee for their own interest, but they shall give honour to thee: They shall call thee, The city of the Lord; they shall at length be convinced that thou art a favourite of heaven, and the particular care of the divine providence.” That city is truly great and honourable, it is strong, it is rich, it is safe, it is beautiful, it is the most desirable place that can be to live in, which is the city of the Lord, which he owns, in which he dwells, in which religion is uppermost. Such a one is Zion; it is the place which God has chosen to put his name there; it is the Zion of the Holy One of Israel; therefore, we may be sure, it is a holy city, else the Holy One of Israel would never be called the patron of it.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
9. Surely the islands shall wait for me. After having employed every eulogium that he could find for extolling that wonderful benefit of restoration, Isaiah introduces God himself as speaking, that the discourse may carry greater weight. This “waiting” is supposed by some to denote desire; as if he had said that this is done, because nations beyond the seas shall, as it were, hunger after him; because they shall feel that they are destitute of life and salvation. Others view it as simply denoting hope. But sometimes it likewise means “to observe,” in which sense David employs it. “Wicked men wait for my soul;” that is, “they lay snares for my life.” (Psa 56:6) In that sense it may be understood in this passage. “They shall wait for,” that is, they shall observe my will; as servants are wont to comply with the will of their masters. Do not wonder, therefore, that so many shall flow into the Church; for “the islands,” which at present sometimes despise and sometimes fight against me, shall be so attentive to me as to execute whatever I shall command. And indeed from the remainder of the verse it is manifest that he now speaks of that kind of obedience.
And the ships of Tarshish. If it be thought preferable, the particle כ ( caph,) as, may be here supplied in this manner: “As the ships of Tarshish formerly traded with Judea, and brought what was necessary for building the temple and for the use of men, so they shall again renew their traffic, and that navigation which had been broken off shall bring them back to their former course. By “Tarshish,” that is, Cilicia, he means, συνεκδοχικῶς by a figure of speech in which a part is taken for the whole, all the naval intercourse and all the traffic which they carried on with foreign nations. It may also be supposed simply to mean, “The ships of Tarshish, which now proudly despise my Church, shall be subjected to my authority, and shall bring sons to her from distant countries.”
Their silver and gold with them. He again repeats what he had formerly said, that the Gentiles shall yield obedience to God in such a manner as to offer themselves and all that they have. The Popish doctors, as I remarked a little before, display consummate impudence in abusing these proofs for defending that tyrannical and theatrical (156) display by which Roman antichrist, and his attendants, wish to attain fame and distinction. Abounding in luxury, adorning themselves with gold and jewels, and indeed with the attire of a harlot, they are not ashamed of representing the Holy Spirit as the author of this wickedness; so that, whenever gold and silver are mentioned in Scripture, they apply it to their luxury. In. this respect they certainly are very like the Jews, who rise to ecstatic delight at the mention of gold and silver, and hope to wallow in them, when Messiah comes. Thus the Papists think of nothing else than gold and silver, and their understandings are so much dazzled by that empty display that they cannot raise them to heaven. But such stupidity does not need a lengthened refutation.
To the name of Jehovah thy God. The general meaning is, that God intends to elevate his Church to the highest honor, and to adorn her with necessary ornaments. And that believers may not have their minds disturbed by any doubt of so illustrious a promise, or ascribe anything to their own merits, God himself promises that he will be the author of this event, for he will glorify thee. Besides, the Prophet declares that the riches of the Gentiles, which he appeared to represent, a little before, as the prey of the Church or the prize of victory, shall be a sacred offering to God; and thus he states more clearly what I have said, that there is nothing which we ought to desire more earnestly than that the whole world should bow to the authority of God.
(156) “ Et Persiques.” “And Persian.” The reference is to that love of display which has always prevailed in Asiatic countrics. Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(9) The isles . . .i.e., as in Isa. 49:1, the far-off maritime regions of the West.
Ships of Tarshish.These are, as in Isa. 2:16, the first-class trading ships, whether trading with that country (Spain) or in the Indian Ocean. (Comp. 1Ki. 10:22; 1Ki. 22:48.) The mention of silver and gold may, therefore, point to Ophir as well as Spain.
The Holy One of Israel.We note once more the recurrence of the characteristic Name.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. The isles shall wait for me The people of the “isles” and of the seacoast naturally mariners are also eager to become Zion’s tributaries, and to bring to her the wealth of commerce. (Isa 42:4.) Apostolic zeal and labour wrought them at once with greatest success. The figurative descriptions in these verses imply a glorious diffusion of the Gospel over peoples hitherto unfriendly to Zion. The language throughout is in Isaiah’s accustomed drapery.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Isa 60:9 Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.
Ver. 9. Surely the isles shall wait for me. ] They shall come off freely, et non quasi angariati ad auditum verbi et sacramentorum usum. And this is taken to be God’s answer, a declaring the cause of that wonderful concourse. Isa 60:8
And the ships of Tarshish first,
Because he hath glorified thee.
a Huic admirationi Messias ipse respondet.
b Ennead. 7, lib. v.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
isles = maritime lands. See note on Isa 11:11.
shall wait. Compare Isa 42:4; Isa 51:5.
ships of Tarshish. See note on Isa 2:16.
shall wait. Compare Isa 42:4; Isa 51:5.
first = in the first place, or rank.
from far. This looks beyond Babylon.
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.
the Holy One of Israel. See note on Isa 1:4.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the isles: Isa 42:4, Isa 42:10, Isa 49:1, Isa 51:5, Isa 66:19, Isa 66:20, Gen 9:27, Gen 10:2-5, Psa 72:10, Zep 2:11
the ships: Isa 2:16, 1Ki 10:22, 1Ki 22:48
thy sons: Isa 60:4, Psa 68:30, Psa 68:31, Zec 14:14, 2Co 8:4, 2Co 8:5, Gal 3:26, Gal 4:26
unto: Exo 33:19, Exo 34:5-7, Jos 9:9, 1Ki 8:41, 1Ki 10:1, Pro 18:20, Jer 3:17, Joh 17:26, Act 9:15
because: Isa 14:1, Isa 14:2, Isa 43:4, Isa 52:1-6, Isa 55:5, Isa 57:17, Jer 30:19, Luk 2:32
Reciprocal: Gen 10:5 – isles Exo 35:22 – every man Num 31:28 – levy Psa 71:22 – O thou Psa 97:1 – let the multitude of isles Isa 23:1 – ye ships Isa 24:15 – isles Isa 45:24 – even Isa 49:12 – these shall Jer 31:10 – declare Eze 27:12 – General Eze 27:25 – ships Eze 39:7 – the Holy Jon 1:3 – Tarshish Joh 12:23 – The hour Eph 2:13 – were
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Isa 60:9. Surely the isles shall wait for me The countries remote from Judea, and especially the islands and continents of Europe, generally intended by the term isles. And the ships To convey them to me; of Tarshish first Those that traffic by sea. In naming this, he implied all places that had commerce with other nations. Concerning Tarshish, see note on Isa 2:16. To bring thy sons from far From the most distant countries; their silver and their gold with them With all their treasure; unto the name of the Lord To be presented to the Lord, and employed for the advancement of his glory, and the benefit of his church and people. Because he hath glorified thee He will make thee honourable in the eyes of the world, and that especially by setting up the ministry of the gospel in the midst of thee.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
60:9 Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships {k} of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, to the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.
(k) The Gentiles that are now enemies, will become friends and set forth the Church.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
They are a combination of Gentiles and Israelites who have come to bring gifts and to escort God’s chosen people back to their land. Watts believed King Artaxerxes of Persia was the speaker in Isa 60:9-10 a, Isa 60:11-12, Isa 60:14, Isa 60:17 a, Isa_60:18, and Isa_60:21 a, as well as in Isa 61:4; Isa 61:6-7; Isa 61:10-11. [Note: Watts, Isaiah 34-66, pp. 291-92, 296-97.] Gentiles and Israelites are waiting for God because they have come to worship Him for what He has done in Israel’s experience and character. Israel will finally fulfill her calling as a kingdom of priests, bringing all other kingdoms to the Holy One of Israel-her God (Exo 19:5-6).