1.
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
Arise. Compare Isaiah 51:9 , Isaiah 51:17 , "awake"; Isaiah 52:2 , "awake"; Isaiah 60:1 , "arise"; and contrast the cry to Babylon (Isaiah 47:1 ), "come down, sit in the dust". See App-82 . This refers to the future.
shine. Compare 2 Samuel 23:4 .
thy light: i.e. Israel's glory.
the glory of the LORD. Hebrew. kabod. See Isaiah 4:2 , Isaiah 4:5 ; Isaiah 6:3 ; Isaiah 35:2 ; Isaiah 40:5 ; Isaiah 58:8 ; and Isaiah 60:2 here. Compare Psalms 106:20 . Jeremiah 2:11 .Haggai 2:3 , Haggai 2:7 , Haggai 2:9 .
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
2.
For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
behold. Figure of speech Asterismos , to call attention to the condition of the nations just before Israel's future glory shines forth.
people = peoples.
3.
And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
the Gentiles = nations.
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.
all they, &c. This is still future.
sons . . . daughters. These are not Gentiles therefore, but true Israelites (Jeremiah 31:10 ). Compare Ezekiel 34:11-15 .
nursed, &c. Carried on the shoulders. So Chaldee and Septuagint. See note on Isaiah 49:22 .
5.
Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.
flow together: or, according to the Targum and Syriac, "shall be lightened", as in Psalms 34:5 .
fear = praise. Hebrew. pahad. A Homonym, with two meanings: (1) to fear, as in Deuteronomy 28:66 . Job 23:15 ; but (2) to rejoice, here and Hosea 3:5 = praise. See note there.
be enlarged = opened as with joy.
of the sea = of the rich seafaring peoples, for which "sea" is put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct).
converted = turned.
forces = fullness, riches, wealth, or resources. This prophecy looks far beyond the return under Ezra-Nehemiah. See verses: Isaiah 60:12 , Isaiah 60:15 , &c.
6.
The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD.
The multitude = A stream.
Sheba. Compare Psalms 72:10 . Both descended from Abraham and Keturah.
7.
All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.
Kedar. See Isaiah 21:16 , Isaiah 21:17 ; Isaiah 42:11 .
together = out.
the. Some codices, with one early printed edition, Septuagint, and Syriac, read "and the".
Nebaioth. A tribe allied to Kedar, descended from Ishmael (Genesis 25:13 ).
glorify = beautify.
house of My glory = My beautiful house.
8.
Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?
Who are these . . . ? Referring probably to the ships whose sails are compared to wings, developed in next verse.
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.
isles = maritime lands. See note on Isaiah 11:11 .
shall wait. Compare Isaiah 42:4 ; Isaiah 51:5 .
ships of Tarshish. See note on Isaiah 2:16 .
shall wait. Compare Isaiah 42:4 ; Isaiah 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 Isaiah 1:4 .
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.
the sons of strangers. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 12:43 .Leviticus 22:25; Leviticus 22:25 ). These were expressly excluded.
strangers = foreigners.
in My wrath. Compare Isaiah 54:8 . Zechariah 1:15 .
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.
thy gates shall be open. Hebrew they shall keep thy gates open. The word "they" is impersonal: i.e. they who are continually bringing the exiles with their riches. Compare the same idiom in Luke 12:20 , "they demand thy soul".
not be shut. These coming times are already being foreshadowed, for this has already been the case for the past few years. This looks beyond the Ezra- Nehemiah period, for see Nehemiah 13:19 .
12.
For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.
the nation. shall perish. This is still future.
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.
the. Some codices, with one early printed edition, Septuagint, and Vulgate, read "and the".
the place of My feet: i.e. the Temple. Compare Isaiah 35:2 .Psalms 99:5 ; Psalms 132:7 . Figure of speech Periphrasis .
feet. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia .
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.
afflicted = oppressed. See Isaiah 1:7 , Isaiah 1:8 ; Isaiah 6:12 ; Isaiah 7:16 .
shall come, &c. Not fulfilled yet. Matthew 8:11 refers to this. Compare Malachi 1:11 .
15.
Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.
forsaken. The type of the forsaken wife is changed to that of the forsaken Land. See note on Isaiah 1:4 . eternal. This cannot refer to the prosperity of any past period of Israel's history.
of many generations = of generation after generation.
16.
Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
thou shalt know, &c. Reference to Pentateuch. See notes on Isaiah 1:24 ; Isaiah 41:14 , &c.
the LORD am thy Saviour. This constitutes another Jehovah title. Hebrew = Jehovah moshi'ek.
Redeemer. Compare Isaiah 41:14 ; Isaiah 43:14 ; Isaiah 44:6 , Isaiah 44:24 , &c. (ten times in all, in Isaiah. Compare Proverbs 23:11 .
the mighty One of Jacob. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 49:24 ). Compare Isaiah 49:26 . Psalms 132:2-5 . Including the whole natural seed, as well as the spiritual seed of Israel. See notes on Genesis 32:28 ; Genesis 43:6 ; Genesis 45:26 , Gen 45:30 .
17.
For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.
For brass. Note the correspondence (by contrast)of this verse with Isaiah 3:24 . Compare also Isaiah 1:23-26 .
thine exactors = thy tax-gatherers. See Luke 3:13 .
righteousness = righteous. The very opposite to what they have been. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), for righteous.
18.
Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.
Violence shall, &c. Compare Genesis 6:11 , Genesis 6:13 . Some codices, with three early printed editions, Septuagint, and Syriac, read "So shall violence", &c.
walls. Compare Isaiah 26:1 .
Salvation: or, Victory.
19.
The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.
20.
Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.
Thy sun . . . go down. These prophecies
mourning. See note on Isaiah 3:26 . yet await
21.
Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.
Thy People . . . all righteous. fulfilment.
for ever. This settles the whole question as to any fulfilment in the past.
My planting. Hebrew text has "His planting", but "My plantings" in the margin, with some codices, four early printed editions, Aramaean, Syriac, and Vulgate.
glorified = get Myself glory.
22.
A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time.