Isaiah 60

King James Version

Full text for Isaiah Chapter 60

1¶ Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.

2For, 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.

3And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

4Lift 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.

5Then 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.

6The 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.

7All 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.

8Who [are] these [that] fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?

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.

10And 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.

11Therefore 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.

12For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, [those] nations shall be utterly wasted.

13The 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.

14The 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.

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.

16Thou 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.

17For 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.

18Violence 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.

19The 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.

20Thy 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.

21Thy 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.

22A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Isaiah 60 opens with a call for Jerusalem to "Arise, shine," as the glory of the Lord has come upon her, dispelling the surrounding darkness. Gentiles and kings will be drawn to her light, bringing their wealth and children from afar. The chapter prophesies a future of restoration, peace, and perpetual divine light, where Jerusalem will be an eternal excellency and a joy to many generations.

Medium Summary

Isaiah 60 begins with a prophetic exhortation for Jerusalem to "Arise, shine," for the Lord's glory has risen upon her, contrasting with the darkness covering the earth. This divine light will attract Gentiles and kings, who will come bearing gifts of gold and incense, and will bring back her scattered children. The abundance of the sea and the forces of the Gentiles will be converted to her, and her gates will remain open continually to receive them. Strangers will build her walls, and those who once afflicted her will bow down, recognizing her as "The city of the LORD." God promises to replace her former desolation with eternal excellency, transforming her materials and making her officers peace and exactors righteousness. Violence will cease, and the Lord Himself will be her everlasting light, ending her days of mourning and ensuring her people are all righteous.

Long Summary

Isaiah 60 commences with a powerful divine command for Jerusalem to "Arise, shine," declaring that her light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon her. This divine illumination is set against a backdrop of gross darkness covering the earth and its peoples, emphasizing Jerusalem's unique position as a beacon. The prophecy states that Gentiles and kings will be drawn to this light, bringing their wealth, including gold and incense, and their flocks, such as those from Kedar and Nebaioth, to minister and be accepted on God's altar. The chapter vividly describes the return of Jerusalem's scattered children from distant lands and islands, brought by ships of Tarshish, with silver and gold, to the glory of the Holy One of Israel. Furthermore, the sons of strangers will rebuild her walls, and their kings will serve her, a testament to God's favour after a period of wrath. Her gates will remain perpetually open, day and night, to receive the wealth and kings of the Gentiles, while any nation refusing to serve her will perish. The glory of Lebanon, with its precious trees, will be brought to beautify God's sanctuary, making the place of His feet glorious. Those who once afflicted and despised Jerusalem will come bending and bowing down, acknowledging her as "The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel." God promises to transform her forsaken and hated status into an "eternal excellency" and "a joy of many generations." She will be nourished by the wealth of the Gentiles and kings, recognizing the Lord as her Saviour and Redeemer. A profound material and spiritual transformation is foretold: brass will become gold, iron silver, wood brass, and stones iron, while her officers will be peace and her exactors righteousness. Violence, wasting, and destruction will be banished from her borders, her walls named Salvation and her gates Praise. Finally, the sun and moon will no longer be her primary light, for the Lord Himself will be her everlasting light and glory, ending all mourning and ensuring her people are entirely righteous, inheriting the land forever as His own planting, for His glorification. A small one will become a strong nation, hastened by the Lord in His time.

Core Concepts

  • Divine IlluminationJerusalem is commanded to "Arise, shine," as the glory of the Lord has risen upon her, serving as a beacon of light amidst global darkness. This light attracts nations and kings.
  • Gathering of Gentiles and KingsThe prophecy details how Gentiles and their kings will be drawn to Jerusalem's light, bringing their wealth (gold, incense, flocks) and their children, signifying a universal pilgrimage and tribute.
  • Restoration and RebuildingAfter a period of divine wrath and desolation, Jerusalem's walls will be rebuilt by strangers, her former oppressors will bow down, and her status will be elevated to an "eternal excellency."
  • Perpetual Peace and RighteousnessThe chapter foretells an end to violence, wasting, and destruction within Jerusalem's borders, with her officers embodying peace and righteousness, and her walls named Salvation and gates Praise.
  • Everlasting Divine LightThe Lord Himself will become Jerusalem's everlasting light, superseding the sun and moon, signifying an end to mourning and a perpetual state of glory and divine presence.
  • Transformation and AbundanceThere is a promise of material and spiritual upgrade, where lesser materials are replaced by more precious ones, and a small people will grow into a strong nation, all for God's glory.
  • Sovereignty and JudgmentNations and kingdoms that refuse to serve Jerusalem will perish and be utterly wasted, underscoring God's ultimate sovereignty and the consequences of rejecting His chosen city.