The praises of the Lord "And the praise of Jehovah" - Thirty-three MSS. and three editions have ותהלת uthehillath , in the singular number; and so read the ancient versions, and one of my own MSS. read more
The rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee - Vitringa on the place understands their ministering, and ascending or going up on the altar, as offering themselves voluntarily: ipsi se, non expectato sacerdote alto, gloriae et sanctificationi divini nominis ultro ac libenter oblaturi . "They, waiting for no priest, go and freely offer themselves to the glory and sanctification of the sacred name." This gives a very elegant and poetical turn to the image. It was a general notion that... read more
And as the doves to their windows "And like doves upon the wing?" - Instead of אל el , to, forty-two MSS. of Kennicott's, and one of mine, have by על , upon. For ארבתיהם arubboteyhem , their windows, read אברתיהם ebrotheyhem , their wings, transposing a letter. - Houbigant. The Septuagint render it συν νεοσσοις , "with their young;" they read אפרחיהם ephrocheyhem , nearer to the latter than to the present reading. - L. read more
The ships of Tarshish first "The ships of Tarshish among the first" - For בראשנה barishonah twenty-five MSS. and the Syriac read כבראשנה 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. read more
And I will make the place of my feet glorious "And that I may glorify the place whereon I rest my feet" - The temple of Jerusalem was called the house of God, and the place of his rest or residence. The visible symbolical appearance of God, called by the Jews the schechinah , was in the most holy place, between the wings of the cherubim, above the ark. This is considered as the throne of God, presiding as King over the Jewish state; and as a footstool is a necessary appendage to a throne,... read more
Arise, shine. The subject of the address does not distinctly appear until Isaiah 60:14 , where it is found to be "the city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel." Zion has long been prostrate in the dust from the prophet's standpoint, and covered with thick darkness. Now she is bidden to "arise" and "shine forth as the day." For thy light is come. Zion cannot shine with her own light, for she has no light of her own, having preferred to "walk in darkness" ( Isaiah 59:9 ).... read more
The blessed dawn. " Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee." The original reads, "Be enlightened; for thy light cometh." For it does not follow that all are enlightened to whom the light comes. There must be a receptive and a reflecting power in us. I. OPPORTUNITIES ARE NOT ENOUGH . These come to nations and to men; but we must arise, and shake ourselves from slumber and indifference. Israel is to live as a witness for God. We... read more
The call to shine if we have light: or, the duty of doing as well as knowing. Our first response to God is the reception of his light; but the second is the giving forth of that light. We read this truth and duty in its Christian phases, and urge it by the use of Christian persuasions. Our Lord made very much of the connection between knowing and doing, profession and practice. His disciples must be salt, that savours something or somebody; light, that shines forth on somebody. See the... read more
The first stanza. Zion's brightness and numbers. read more
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Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 60:5
Then thou shalt see "Then shalt thou fear" - For תראי tirai , thou shalt see, as ours and much the greater number of the translators, ancient and modern, render it, forty MSS. (ten ancient) of Kennicott's, and twenty-eight of De Rossi's, with one ancient of my own, and the old edition of 1488, have תיראי tirai , thou shalt fear: the true reading, confirmed by the perfect parallelism of the sentences: the heart ruffled and dilated in the second line answering to the fear and joy... read more