Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 60:4
Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at [thy] side.
4. 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. Isa 66:12, Isa 49:22. The idea, therefore, is the same as in ch. Isa 49:22 f.; the nurses who bring back the children representing the heathen nations. see Muir, Life of Mahomet, p. 8 (abridged Ed.): ‘Thou gavest me this bite upon my back, when I carried thee on my hip’.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
4, 5. 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 Isa 60:4 is repeated literally from ch. Isa 49:18.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Lift up thine eyes – Jerusalem is here addressed as a female with eyes cast down from grief. She is directed to lift them up, and to see the great multitudes that were flocking to her. Wherever she could turn her eyes, she would behold them hastening to come to her. In this verse and the following verses, the prophet goes into a particular statement of what he referred to in general terms in Isa 60:3. The first thing which be specifies is, that the dispersed sons and daughters of the Jewish people would be gathered back.
Thy sons shall come from far – They who have been driven into exile into distant lands shall again return. This is in accordance with the predictions so often made in Isaiah, that the scattered sons of the Jewish people would be again collected (see the notes at Isa 49:17-18.)
And thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side – The Septuagint renders this, And thy daughters shall be borne upon the shoulders ( ep’ omon arthesontai). Lowth also says, that one manuscript reads it upon shoulders, and another has both shoulder and side. The translation of the Septuagint, and these different readings of the manuscripts have probably been caused by the supposed improbability of the fact, that children were nursed or carried on the side (compare Isa 49:22). But Sir John Chardin says that it is the general custom in the East to carry the children astride upon the hip, with the arms around the body. The word, however, which is rendered nursed in our translation ( te’amanah from ‘aman), means, properly, to stay, to sustain, support; to bear or carry a child Num 11:12; hence, to be faithful, firm. It is not certain that it is in any instance used in the sense of nursing; but it more probably means here, they shall be borne. It implies that the church would evince deep solicitude for the education and welfare of the young – as a mother does for her children; and that it would be one of the blessings of those times that that solicitude should be felt and manifested.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Isa 60:4-5
Lift up thine eyes round about
The Gentiles gathered
I.
THE GATHERING OF THE GENTILES TO ZION. From every quarter–from far–from beyond the sea. With all the forces.
II. ZIONS EMOTIONS. She sees and overflows with joy. (R. A. Bertram.)
Nursed at thy side
Rather, on thy side, i.e carried on the hip, the
Eastern mode of carrying young children (Isa 66:12). (Prof. J. Skinner, D. D.)
Church-membership
The Churchs children first be nursed at her side, not sent out to be nursed among strangers. They that would enjoy the dignities and privileges of Christs family must submit to the discipline of it. (M. Henry.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 4. Shall be nursed at thy side – “Shall be carried at the side.”] For teamanah, shall be nursed, the Septuagint and Chaldee read tinnasenah, shall be carried. A MS. has al catheph tinnasenah, “shall be carried on the shoulder;” instead of al tsad teamanah, “shall be nursed on the side.” Another MS. has both catheph and tsad. Another MS. has it thus: : tinnasenah : teamanah, with a line drawn over the first word. Sir John Chardin says that it is the general custom in the east to carry their children astride upon the hip with the arm round their body. His MS. note on this place is as follows: – Coutume en Orient de porter les enfans sur le coste a; califourchon sur la hanche: cette facon est generale aux Indes; les enfans se tiennent comme cela, et la personne qui les porte les embrasse et serre par le corps; parceque sont (ni) emmaillottes, ni en robes qui les embrassent. “In the east it is the custom to carry the children on the haunch, with the legs astride. This is the general custom in India. The children support themselves in this way, and the arm of the nurse goes round the body and presses the child close to the side; and this they can easily do, as the children are not swathed, nor encumbered with clothes.” Non brachiis occidentalium more, sed humeris, divaricatis tibiis, impositos circumferunt. “They carry them about, not in their arms after the manner of the western nations, but on their shoulders; the children being placed astride.” Cotovic. Iter. Syr. cap. xiv. This last quotation seems to favour the reading al catheph, on the shoulder, as the Septuagint likewise do: but upon the whole I think that al tsad tinnasenah is the true reading, which the Chaldee favours; and I have accordingly followed it. See Isa 66:12. – L. This mode of carrying children is as common in India as carrying them in the arms is in Europe.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Lift up thine eyes round abrupt; or in a circle; into all parts of the earth: it seems to relate to the apostles and disciples, with their successors, carrying the gospel into all parts of the world. And in regard it would be as it were a thing incredible, he bids them lift up their eyes, as if they were to behold it in some vision, or upon some watch tower in Jerusalem: there is the like expression Isa 49:18.
All they gather themselves together: he speaks more particularly, either of the Jews flocking from all parts to Jerusalem, when they shall hear of their return from Babylon, which may be true in the type; or especially, of the coming in of some of all nations to the gospel.
Thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side; the same thing, only for elegancy sake expressed in its parts; the sense respects both persons and place; as to persons, Thy sons and thy daughters also shall be brought unto thee tenderly, as it were in arms, Isa 49:22, where by thy side, by equivalent expressions of arms, bosoms, and shoulders, is supplied with reference to them both, and may import they shall be brought unto the church of Christ as unto their mother; and it may be further observed, that where the masculine gender is joined with the feminine of the same species, it notes multitude and variety, as Ecc 2:8, men singers and women singers, i.e. all sorts and variety of vocal music: and as to place, Both thy sons and thy daughters that are not only near, but also afar off, shall come to thee, as we say, far and near, Act 2:39; or it is the same with what was said before, round about in all quarters of the world; from far noting the longitude, and ad latus, at or on thy side, the latitude, and even those that perhaps were before at enmity one with another.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. Lift up . . . eyesJerusalemis addressed as a female with eyes cast down from grief.
all they . . . theyTheGentile peoples come together to bring back the dispersed Hebrews,restore their city, and worship Jehovah with offerings.
nursed at thy siderather”carried at thy side.” It is the custom in the East tocarry the children astride on the hip, with the arms around the body(Isa 66:12).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Lift up thine eyes round about, and see,…. The Gentiles and kings coming to Christ and his church; the vast number of converts flocking from all parts of the world to join themselves to the church of Christ, and to behold the wonderful work of God among the Jews now converted. The Targum is,
“lift up thine eyes O Jerusalem, round about, and see all the children of the people of thy captivity:”
all they gather themselves, and come to thee: this seems to have respect not to the Gentiles, as before; but to the Jews themselves, who are scattered up and down in the world; but now, being in a wonderful manner converted, shall gather together in a body, and go up to Jerusalem, where a Christian church of them will be formed, and to which they will join themselves; or this may respect the kings,
Isa 60:2:
thy sons shall come from far; such as are of the seed of Abraham, children of the Jews, and now born again, and so Zion’s sons; these shall come from the furthest parts of the earth, where they are, and incorporate themselves with their brethren:
and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side; by the ministers of the word, and with the sincere milk of it, and the breasts of Gospel ordinances; see 1Th 2:7. The Targum is, “shall be carried at their sides” s: and the Septuagint and Arabic versions, on their shoulders; and so refers to the manner of their being brought, and not to their bringing up; see Isa 49:22, but the former sense is best. Ben Melech interprets it of their being nursed up at the side of great personages, kings and queens, according to Isa 49:23. The word “thy” is not in the original; and it may be as well: rendered “at their side”, as is supplied by some t.
s “Ad latus portabuntur”, Vitringa. t “ad latus illorum”, Gataker.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Zion is now exhorted, as in Isa 49:18, to lift up her eyes, and turn them in all directions; for she is the object sought by an approaching multitude. “Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: they all crowd together, they come to thee: thy sons come from afar, and thy daughters are carried hither upon arms.” The multitude that are crowding together and coming near are the diaspora of her sons and daughters that have been scattered far away (Isa 11:12), and whom the heathen that are now drawing near to her bring with them, conducting them and carrying them, so that they cling “to the side” (Isa 66:12) of those who are carrying them upon their arms and shoulders (Isa 49:22). is softened from , the pausal form for (compare the softening in Rth 1:13), from , to keep, fasten, support; whence , , a foster-father, a nurse who has a child in safe keeping.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Vs. 4-9: ELECT FROM EVERY NATION
1. One of the basic purposes of the New Covenant community, in this age, is to call out from among the Gentiles a people for Messiah’s name and kingdom, (Act 15:13-18).
2. Here is the gathering of these elect ones to Zion, (vs. 4-5).
a. Sons and daughters, whom she has never known, are seen coming to her from afar, (vs. 4; Isa 43:6-7; Isa 49:18-22).
b. Thus will Zion be “enlarged” – as with radiance, and overflowing heart, she welcomes her dear ones home, (vs. 5a; Psa 34:5; Psa 36:9).
c. To her shall flow the abundance of the sea (Isa 23:18; Isa 24:14-16), and the “wealth of nations” (comp. Pro 13:22; Isa 61:6); so will she be greatly enriched, (vs. 5b).
3. Homage and tribute will be paid her from the East, (vs. 6-7).
a. Multitudes will come from Midian, Ephah and Sheba -bringing gold and frankincense, and extolling the name of Jehovah, (vs. 6; Isa 42:10).
b. The sons of Ishmael (the Arabs) will approach her, in such humble readiness to serve, as to find acceptance at God’s altar, (vs. 7; comp. Gen 25:13).
c. So will the Lord glorify Zion – the house of His glory! (Psa 132:13-14; Zec 8:3; Mic 3:12; Mic 4:1-2; Isa 2:2; Jer 3:17; comp. 1Co 3:9; Eph 2:19-22; 1Ti 3:15; 1Pe 2:4-10).
4. Fleets from the West are hastily bringing her children home! (vs. 8-9).
a. The multitude that the prophet envisions is likened unto a cloud of doves, (vs. 8).
b. “The Isles” are pictured as waiting for the Lord; the ships of Tarshish foremost to bring His people to Zion – with great riches, (vs. 9a).
c. This is for the name of Zion’s God, the Holy One of Israel, who has glorified her, (vs. 9b; Isa 55:5).
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
4. Lift up thine eyes round about. By a variety of expressions he confirms that promise of the restoration of the Church which appeared to be altogether incredible. Nor was it easy to convince the Jews of this, while the state of their affairs was so wretched and confused. At that time the kingdom of Judah alone remained, and grew less every day, till it was utterly ruined; but when the people were led into captivity amidst that frightful dispersion and melancholy ruin, everything was so desperate that it appeared as if the Church were entirely ruined. It was therefore proper to confirm this doctrine by a variety of expressions, that hearts naturally prone to distrust might no longer doubt. For this reason he leads the Jews to look at the event as actually at hand, though it was at a great distance; that they might not hesitate any more than if it were already placed before their eyes.
He bids believers lift, up their eyes on high, that is, above human thought; for, so long as we fix them on the outward condition, we cannot obtain the fruit of these promises. He adds, “round about,” that they may fully believe that the nations will come, not from one quarter only, but from every direction, that they may be united in one body. And not only does he promise a remedy and an end of the dispersion which was yet to take place, as it is said elsewhere, “He will gather the dispersed of Israel,” (Psa 147:2; Isa 56:8) but this gathering is more extensive; for it means that there will be a wonderful revolution in the world, so that they who formerly were strangers and dispersed shall be united in one body. Finally, it denotes the extension of the Church to the farthest boundaries of the earth. There is also an implied contrast, by which he points out the wretched and afflicted condition in which the world was, before it was gathered together under the direction of Christ.
Thy sons shall come from far. Some think that by “sons” are meant those who are stronger and more steadfast in faith, and by daughters those who are weaker. But I do not think that the Prophet intended to convey such ingenious distinctions; (151) and therefore I consider the plain meaning to be, that both sons and daughters shall run together to the Church; that is, that the Church shall have sons and daughters, not only at home but abroad, and in the most distant parts of the world; that the womb of the Church shall not be limited to any corner of the world, but shall be extended as far and wide as there shall be space throughout the whole world.
(151) “There is more probability in Knobel’s suggestion, that the Prophet made his picture true to nature by describing the sons as walking, and the daughters as being carried.” Alexander.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(4) Lift up thine eyes . . .Repeated from Isa. 49:18.
Thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side . . .Asin Isa. 66:12, the words point to the Eastern custom of carrying young children on the hip of their mother, with their arms clasped round her waist.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Lift up thine eyes Zion is directed to look about her, and see the crowds approaching from afar. The crowds consist of dispersed Jews, thy sons; and more numerously of heathen as well.
Thy daughters The sons walk, the daughters are carried. Words used to heighten the parallelism.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Lift up your eyes round about and see,
They all gather themselves together, they come to you,
Yours sons will come from far,
And your daughters will be nursed on the side,
Then you will see and be lightened,
And your heart will tremble and be enlarged,
Because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you,
The wealth of the nations will come to you.’
The true people of God will be able to watch in astonishment as the nations and their kings gather to Zion (Isa 2:2-3), that Zion which is now the home of Yahweh’s Servant on earth, the true church of Jesus Christ. The world will respond to its light, the light of Yahweh.
‘Yours sons will come from far.’ Zion’s sons will come from far distances. This may refer to the return of His people from exile, or it may more probably have in mind His new children among the Gentiles. The coming of their ‘children’ is described earlier in Isa 54:1-4 where the idea was of such an abundance that Israel could not believe it. For Israel will be expanded by the ingrafting of those of the nations who respond to the call of Yahweh (Rom 11:13-24). And they will come from far (Isa 49:12; Isa 49:18).
All through history Israel was expanded by men of the nations uniting with them in the covenant as they recognised the distinctiveness of Israel’s message. Consider Eliezer the Damascene (Gen 15:2) and Hagar the Egyptian (Gen 16:1), two of many ‘foreigners’ who had become part of Abraham’s household; the ‘mixed multitude’ (Exo 12:38); those in Exo 12:48 and Num 9:14; while just as Achan was ‘cut off’ from Israel (Joshua 7), so Rahab and her household were grafted in (Jos 6:25). Consider also the Kenites (Jdg 1:16); Uriah the Hittite (2Sa 11:3) and all whose surnames indicate foreign designation; and there were many more. All became seen as true Israelites and children of Jacob. And so will it be here. They will come to the light of the true people of God who will be made glorious by His glory which has arisen on them as a result of the coming of God’s great light (Isa 9:1-7). Compare 2Co 3:18; 2Co 4:4 ; 2Co 4:6.
‘And your daughters will be nursed on the side.’ That is borne in cradles slung in such a way that as babes they are kept safe and provided for (see Isa 49:22). The emphasis is on God’s care for His people’s welfare.
‘Then you will see and be lightened, and your heart will tremble and be enlarged.’ The result will be that Zion and God’s people will become radiant as they see the multitude of those who come to them. They will be filled with excitement, and a deep sense of satisfaction, and will be given a welcoming heart so as to receive the abundance of those who will come. The growth of that welcoming heart especially comes out in Acts 1-11.
‘Because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, the wealth of the nations will come to you.’ The Gentiles will come bearing their riches. Zion will receive all that their hearts have looked for, the giving of tribute to Yahweh and to their King. Compare Rev 21:26. The abundance of the seas may signify wealth such as that of the great maritime cities on the Phoenician coast, for example Tyre and Sidon, noted for scouring the seas and bringing back riches (see Isa 60:8), or it may be seeing the nations as ‘the sea of nations’, a picture later regularly used to describe them. Either way it is depicting the glorious future for Zion, with its benefits rejoiced in by God’s true people, firstly in terms of the riches that flowed into her from such as the kings of Persia (Ezr 1:4-11; Ezr 6:3-5; Ezr 6:8-9; Ezr 7:15-22; Ezr 8:25-30; Ezr 8:33-34), and through Herod as he built his Temple, and then to the true Israel, the church as it became that to which kings and nations gave their treasures, secondly in terms of spiritual provision now, and thirdly in terms of complete provision in ‘Heaven’, all described in terms which would be meaningful to people in those days.
Like all people the children of Israel had to be spoken to in terms of what they could understand. Not for them was promised a Heaven above, a spiritual existence, for these would simply not have been understood (and would have been mixed up with ideas of the gods). But the glory that was to come was expressed in terms of a new Zion, a gathered people, the amassing of wealth, total security, an all-powerful world king with the nations at his feet, all that the heart dreamed of. But as we have seen these were regularly put in terms that transcended earthly possibility if applied literally (see Isa 60:19). It will be the place where all are holy, where there is everlasting rejoicing, where all peoples will gather, where Yahweh will reign and His glory be revealed, where there is no light of sun and moon (Isa 4:2-4; Isa 24:23; Isa 26:1-4; Isa 35:10; Isa 51:11; Isa 52:1; Isa 60:19-21; Isa 65:18-25; Isa 66:22-24; compare Joe 3:16-17; Psa 50:2; Zechariah 14).
The idea was similar to that of the city of gold with gates of pearl founded on the Apostles (Rev 21:10-27) and ‘the city that was to come’ of Abraham, whose builder and maker was God (Heb 11:10), and the Jerusalem that is above, of Paul (Gal 4:26; compare Heb 12:22). Consider also the temple of Yahweh raised above all mountains connected with Jerusalem although raised above it (Isa 2:2), the temple of Yahweh set on a very high mountain in a holy portion well away from Jerusalem (Eze 40:2; Eze 45:1-8), depicted in the New Testament as a heavenly Temple in Heb 9:11; Heb 9:24; Heb 10:19-22 and regularly in Revelation. The heavenly was being explained in terms of the earthly.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
What a blessed and soul-reviving thought is it, amidst the melancholy prospect all around, of sin and sorrow, in the present miserable state of things, that the kingdom of Jesus is neither weak nor small. The promise is absolute: He shall see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied. Some of all nations, all tongues, all people shall come to him. In Jesus, the New Testament altar shall they be all accepted. I only detain the Reader to remark, that this passage alone, if there were no other, would be sufficient to determine, that the deliverance of the Church from Babylon (as some would fain have it) could not be in the Prophet’s view, when he penned this scripture. It is true, many people of different countries, joined themselves with Israel on their return; but neither Israel herself, nor all the scattered remnants of the people that joined them, could warrant expressions like these. See Ezr 2:64 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 60:4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at [thy] side.
Ver. 4. Lift up thine eyes. ] As from a watchtower; for so Zion signifieth.
All they gather themselves together, &c.
Thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Isa 60:4-9
4Lift up your eyes round about and see;
They all gather together, they come to you.
Your sons will come from afar,
And your daughters will be carried in the arms.
5Then you will see and be radiant,
And your heart will thrill and rejoice;
Because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you,
The wealth of the nations will come to you.
6A multitude of camels will cover you,
The young camels of Midian and Ephah;
All those from Sheba will come;
They will bring gold and frankincense,
And will bear good news of the praises of the LORD.
7All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered together to you,
The rams of Nebaioth will minister to you;
They will go up with acceptance on My altar,
And I shall glorify My glorious house.
8Who are these who fly like a cloud
And like the doves to their lattices?
9Surely the coastlands will wait for Me;
And the ships of Tarshish will come first,
To bring your sons from afar,
Their silver and their gold with them,
For the name of the LORD your God,
And for the Holy One of Israel because He has glorified you.
Isa 60:4 Lift up. . .see These are two Qal IMPERATIVES (cf. Isa 49:18; Joh 4:35). IMPERATIVES often begin a new strophe.
Your sons will come from afar In chapters 60-62, there are two major eschatological signs that deal with traveling.
1. the people of God will return to their ancestral home, symbolized by the city of Jerusalem
2. the nations, instead of taking the Jews prisoner and deporting them, will flow into the people of God with gifts and praise
Isa 60:5 As a result of God’s repentant people seeing (Qal IMPERFECT, BDB 906, KB 1157), notice the stated consequences of seeing the light of God (cf. Isa 60:1; Isa 60:4; Isa 60:19-20).
1. be radiant – Qal PERFECT, BDB 626, KB 676
2. thrill (lit. tremble) – Qal PERFECT, BDB 808, KB 922
3. rejoice – Qal PERFECT, BDB 931, KB 1210
The reasons for this hope and joy are God’s gracious acts.
1. the abundance of the seas will be turned to you (i.e., the wealth of the seafaring peoples)
2. the wealth of the nations will come to you (cf. Isa 60:6-7; Isa 60:11; Isa 61:6)
These parallel lines of poetry describe the gratitude of the nations for Israel’s
1. revealing of YHWH
2. bringing the reality of YHWH’s presence to earth
3. opening a way for their inclusion to God’s covenant family (cf. Isa 56:7)
Isa 60:6 will bear good news of the praises of the LORD The VERB (Piel IMPERFECT, BDB 142, KB 163) refers to the grace of God to Israel and to all nations (cf. Isa 40:9-10; Isa 41:27; Isa 42:10-13; Isa 52:7). Isn’t it shocking to hear of the pagan nations praising the God of Israel? This is the obvious theological goal of monotheism (see Special Topic at Isa 40:14). There is one God and all humans are created in His image and likeness (cf. Gen 1:26-27) for fellowship (implication of Gen 3:8; Lev 26:12). The promise of Gen 3:15 to all humans and the hope of covenant blessings to the families of the earth in Gen 12:3 have come to fruition.
Isa 60:7 Nabaioth This refers to Arabian tribes, as the phrase, the flocks of Kedar, does. This tribe is mentioned in Gen 25:13. They are called the Nabateans by the Greeks and Romans.
Isa 60:8 Who are these who fly like a cloud
And like the doves to their lattices This refers to sails of ships on the horizon coming to the restored and renewed Jerusalem (cf. Isa 60:9).
Isa 60:9 Surely the coastlands will wait for Me The coastlands (or islands) is used in this section of Isaiah as a metaphor for all Gentiles.
The VERB wait (Piel IMPERFECT, BDB 875, KB 1082) is often used of trusting in YHWH (cf. Isa 8:17; Isa 25:9; Isa 26:8; Isa 33:2). Notice how it is used of YHWH in Isa 30:18!
the ships of Tarshish Tarshish could refer to
1. Southern Spain
2. Sardinia
3. a proverbial use of the ends of the earth
See Special Topic: Tarshish .
Notice the covenant names for Deity (also notice Isa 60:14; Isa 60:16).
1. YHWH (God as Savior and Redeemer)
2. Elohim (God as creator and provider)
3. Holy One of Israel (covenant God)
See Special Topic: Names for Deity .
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
all they, &c. This is still future.
sons . . . daughters. These are not Gentiles therefore, but true Israelites (Jer 31:10). Compare Eze 34:11-15.
nursed, &c. Carried on the shoulders. So Chaldee and Septuagint. See note on Isa 49:22.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Lift: Isa 49:18, Joh 4:35, Act 13:44
they come: Isa 42:6, Isa 49:20-22, Isa 66:11, Isa 66:12, Mat 8:11, Gal 3:28, Gal 3:29
Reciprocal: Gen 13:14 – Lift Psa 22:31 – They Psa 47:9 – The princes Psa 115:14 – Lord Isa 54:7 – with Isa 60:8 – fly Isa 60:9 – thy sons Jer 30:10 – I Eze 16:61 – I will Eze 17:23 – under Hos 1:10 – it was said Mic 7:12 – also Zep 3:10 – General Mat 24:31 – gather Joh 11:52 – gather Act 15:3 – they caused Eph 2:13 – were
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Isa 60:4-5. Lift up thine eyes round about Or, in a circle, into all parts of the earth. He seems to refer to the apostles and disciples, with their successors, carrying the gospel into all quarters of the world. And because it would be, as it were, a thing incredible, he bids them lift up their eyes, as if they were to behold it in some vision, or upon some watch-tower in Jerusalem. See the like expression Isa 49:18. All they gather themselves together He speaks of the coming in of all nations to embrace the gospel, and unite themselves to the Christian Church. Thy sons shall come from far From the remotest parts, having heard the report of thee. And thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side Shall be brought unto thee tenderly, as it were in persons arms, (Isa 49:22,) and shall have their education with thee from their infancy: there, where alone the sincere milk of the word is to be had, must the churchs newborn babes be nursed, that they may grow thereby, 1Pe 2:2. Then thou shalt see With delight, the multitudes of thy children running to thee; and flow together As when two rivers meet, and, joining their waters, run sweetly together, as one and the same river. This denotes the abundance of their united joys and delights. Or the words may mean, they shall flock together to behold such an amazing sight. And thy heart shall fear Or stand amazed, to see such multitudes come to the Lord Christ; and be enlarged Both with joy and love. Because the abundance of the sea The islands of the sea, the nations; shall be converted unto thee Shall turn to thee in religion and affection; they that formerly so much hated thee shall now love thee. Or the sense is, The wealth and traffic of those who trade by sea, the riches of the merchants, shall be converted to thy use rather than to the use of the owners thereof. The forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee Thou shalt not only have the wealth, but the strength of the nations to stand by thee, to protect thee, and aid thy endeavours to evangelize the world.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
60:4 Lift up thy eyes around, and see: all {d} they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at [thy] side.
(d) An infinite number from all countries as in Isa 49:18 .
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The nations and their leaders will bring the disbursed Israelites back to their land as well (cf. Isa 11:12; Isa 49:18). They will also bring their wealth and give it to the Israelites (cf. Isa 60:11; Isa 61:6; Hag 2:7-8; Zec 14:14). This will delight the Israelites, as well as surprise them, since throughout history the nations have taken from Israel.
These verses hardly found fulfillment in the return from Babylon (the regathering is worldwide), or in the church (the church goes to the world), though a foreview of fulfillment is unmistakable. Liberal interpreters favor the first option, and most Christian interpreters have favored the second. The second is the amillennial position. Unsaved people may be coming to Christians to learn about God now, but they are hardly exalting Christians in the world and making them rich to the extent envisioned here. The typical reaction to the preaching of the gospel now is rejection of it, and often persecution follows for its preachers (cf. 1 Timothy 4; 2 Timothy 3).
"In the end, God will keep his ancient promises in the land of Israel and there will demonstrate his rule within history." [Note: Oswalt, The Book . . . 40-66, p. 539.]