Isaiah 60

1 [You people of] Jerusalem [PRS], stand up! Yahweh has done glorious things for you, and he has acted powerfully for you; so show others that he is very great!

Arise, shine, for your light has come, And the glory of YHWH has risen on you.

2 [But spiritual] darkness has covered [all the other people-groups on] the earth, complete darkness, but Yahweh will show you how great he is, and other people will also see it.

For behold, the darkness covers the earth, And thick darkness the peoples, And YHWH rises on you, And His glory is seen on you.

3 By seeing what he has done for you, [people of all] people-groups will see that he is very great, and kings will come to see the wonderful things that have happened to you.

And nations have come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.

4 [Yahweh says], “Look around and you will see the people who will be returning from (exile/countries to which they have been forced to go)! Your sons will come from distant countries; others will carry your [little] daughters home.

“Lift up your eyes around and see, All of them have been gathered, they have come to you, Your sons come from afar, And your daughters are supported on the side.

5 When you look at this happening, you will be very joyful [DOU], because people will bring valuable goods to you [from all around the world]. They will bring in ships valuable things from [many] nations.

Then you see, and have become bright, And your heart has been afraid and enlarged, For the multitude of the sea turn to you, The forces of nations come to you.

6 People will [also] bring valuable goods to you on herds/caravans of camels: Camels from the Midian and Ephah [areas of northern Arabia]. And from Sheba [in southern Arabia] they will come, bringing gold and frankincense; they will all come to praise [me], Yahweh.

A multitude of camels covers you, Dromedaries of Midian and Ephah, All of them from Sheba come, They carry gold and frankincense, And they proclaim the praises of YHWH.

7 They will bring flocks [of sheep and goats] from Kedar [in northern Arabia and give them] to you. [They will bring] [PRS] rams from Nebaioth for you [to sacrifice] on my altars, and I will accept them [happily]. [At that time] I will cause my temple to be very beautifully decorated.

All the flock of Kedar are gathered to you, The rams of Nebaioth serve you, They ascend My altar for acceptance, And I beautify the house of My beauty.

8 And what are those things that are moving swiftly like [SIM] clouds? They resemble [SIM] doves [returning] to their nests.

Who [are] these—they fly as a thick cloud, And as doves to their windows?

9 But they are really ships from Tarshish that are bringing your people back here. When your people come, they will bring with them [all] the valuable possessions that they have acquired, and [they will do that] to honor [me], Yahweh, your God, the Holy One of Israel, because I will have greatly honored you.

Surely islands wait for Me, And ships of Tarshish first, To bring your sons from afar, Their silver and their gold with them, To the Name of your God YHWH, And to the Holy One of Israel, Because He has beautified you.

10 Foreigners will [come and] rebuild the walls of your [cities], and their kings will serve/help you. Although I punished you because I was angry with you, these things will happen now because I will act mercifully toward you because I am kind.

And sons of a stranger have built your walls, And their kings serve you, For in My wrath I have struck you, And in My good pleasure I have pitied you.

11 The gates of your [cities] will be open during the day and [also] during the night, in order that people will be able to bring into your cities valuable things from [many] countries, with their kings being led to you in the processions.

And your gates have continually opened, They are not shut by day and by night, To bring the force of nations to you, Even their kings are led.

12 And the kingdoms and nations whose [people] refuse to allow you to rule them will be completely destroyed [DOU].

For the nation and the kingdom that does not serve you perishes, Indeed, the nations are utterly desolated.

13 The glorious/beautiful things in Lebanon will be brought to you— [lumber from] cypress [trees] and fir [trees] and pine [trees]— to be used to make my temple beautiful. When that is done, my temple [MTY] will [truly] be glorious!

The glory of Lebanon comes to you, Fir, pine, and box together, To beautify the place of My sanctuary, And I make the place of My feet honorable.

14 The descendants of those who (oppressed you/treated you cruelly) will come and bow down to you; those who despised you will prostrate themselves in front of your feet. They will say that your city on Zion Hill is the City of Yahweh, where the Holy One of Israel lives.

And the sons of those afflicting you Have come to you, bowing down, And all despising you Have bowed themselves to the soles of your feet, And they have cried to you: The City of YHWH, Zion of the Holy One of Israel!

15 Previously everyone hated you and ignored you, but now your [city] will be majestic/honored forever; and [I will cause you to be] joyful forever.

Instead of your being forsaken and hated, And none passing through, I have made you for a continuous excellence, A joy of generation and generation.

16 People of all nations and their kings will gladly bring [MET] their wealth to you. And [when that happens], you will realize that I truly am Yahweh, the one who saves you and rescues you [from your enemies], and that I am the mighty one to whom you Israeli people belong.

And you have sucked the milk of nations, Indeed, you suckle the breast of kings, And you have known that I, YHWH, Your Savior, and Your Redeemer, [Am] the Mighty One of Jacob.

17 Instead of [metals that are not valuable, like] bronze and iron, I will bring to you silver and gold. Instead of wood and stones, I will bring you bronze and iron [for your buildings]. There will be peace in your country, and your rulers will do what is fair/just.

Instead of the bronze I bring in gold, And instead of the iron I bring in silver, And instead of the wood bronze, And instead of the stone iron, And I have made your inspection peace, And your exactors righteousness.

18 People in your country will no longer act violently, and people will no longer destroy your land and cause it to become desolate/ruined. The people in the city will be safe, and everyone there will praise me [MTY].

Violence is not heard in your land anymore, Spoiling and destruction in your borders, And you have called your walls Salvation, And your gates Praise.

19 And you will no longer need the sun and moon to give you light, because [I], Yahweh, will give you more light [than the sun and moon]; I will be a glorious light for you forever.

The sun is no longer your light by day, And for brightness the moon does not give light to you, And YHWH has become to you A continuous light, and your God your beauty.

20 [It will seem as though] the sun and moon will always be shining [LIT], because [I], Yahweh, will be an everlasting light for you. You will never again be sad [because of things that happen to you].

Your sun goes in no more, And your moon is not removed, For YHWH becomes a continuous light to you. And the days of your mourning have been completed.

21 Your people will all be righteous, and they will occupy the land forever, because I myself have put you there [like people plant trees] [MET] in order that you will show others that I am very great.

And all your people [are] righteous, They possess the earth for all time, A branch of My planting, A work of My hands, to be beautified.

22 At that time, the [groups that are] very small now will become [very large] clans, and small clans will become great nations. [All those things will happen because], I, Yahweh, will cause them to happen at the right time.”

The little one becomes a chief, And the small one a mighty nation, I, YHWH, hurry it in its own time!”