Isaiah 60:15-22
New English Translation
15 You were once abandoned
and despised, with no one passing through,
but I will make you[a] a permanent source of pride
and joy to coming generations.
16 You will drink the milk of nations;
you will nurse at the breasts of kings.[b]
Then you will recognize that I, the Lord, am your Deliverer,
your Protector,[c] the Powerful One of Jacob.[d]
17 Instead of bronze, I will bring you gold;
instead of iron, I will bring you silver;
instead of wood, I will bring you[e] bronze;
instead of stones, I will bring you[f] iron.
I will make prosperity[g] your overseer,
and vindication your sovereign ruler.[h]
18 Sounds of violence will no longer be heard in your land,
or the sounds of[i] destruction and devastation within your borders.
You will name your walls, ‘Deliverance,’
and your gates, ‘Praise.’
19 The sun will no longer supply light for you by day,
nor will the moon’s brightness shine on you;
the Lord will be your permanent source of light—
the splendor of your God will shine upon you.[j]
20 Your sun will no longer set;
your moon will not disappear;[k]
the Lord will be your permanent source of light;
your time[l] of sorrow will be over.
21 All your people will be godly;[m]
they will possess the land permanently.
I will plant them like a shoot;
they will be the product of my labor,
through whom I reveal my splendor.[n]
22 The least of you will multiply into[o] a thousand;
the smallest of you will become a large nation.
When the right time comes, I the Lord will quickly do this!”[p]
Footnotes
- Isaiah 60:15 tn Heb “Instead of your being abandoned and despised, with no one passing through, I will make you.”
- Isaiah 60:16 sn The nations and kings are depicted as a mother nursing her children. Restored Zion will be nourished by them as she receives their wealth as tribute.
- Isaiah 60:16 tn Or “redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
- Isaiah 60:16 sn See 1:24 and 49:26.
- Isaiah 60:17 tn The words “I will bring you” are supplied in the translation; they are understood by ellipsis (see the preceding lines).
- Isaiah 60:17 tn The words “I will bring you” are supplied in the translation; they are understood by ellipsis (see the first two lines of the verse).
- Isaiah 60:17 tn Or “peace” (KJV and many other English versions).
- Isaiah 60:17 tn The plural indicates degree. The language is ironic; in the past Zion was ruled by oppressive tyrants, but now personified prosperity and vindication will be the only things that will “dominate” the city.
- Isaiah 60:18 tn The words “sounds of” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
- Isaiah 60:19 tn Heb “and your God for your splendor.”
- Isaiah 60:20 sn In this verse “sun” and “moon” refer to the Lord’s light, which will replace the sun and moon (see v. 19). Light here symbolizes the restoration of divine blessing and prosperity in conjunction with the Lord’s presence. See 30:26.
- Isaiah 60:20 tn Heb “days” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
- Isaiah 60:21 tn Or “righteous” (NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “just.”
- Isaiah 60:21 tn Heb “a shoot of his planting, the work of my hands, to reveal splendor.”
- Isaiah 60:22 tn Heb “will become” (so NASB, NIV).
- Isaiah 60:22 tn Heb “I, the Lord, in its time, I will quickly do it.”
Isaiah 60:15-22
New Living Translation
15 “Though you were once despised and hated,
with no one traveling through you,
I will make you beautiful forever,
a joy to all generations.
16 Powerful kings and mighty nations
will satisfy your every need,
as though you were a child
nursing at the breast of a queen.
You will know at last that I, the Lord,
am your Savior and your Redeemer,
the Mighty One of Israel.[a]
17 I will exchange your bronze for gold,
your iron for silver,
your wood for bronze,
and your stones for iron.
I will make peace your leader
and righteousness your ruler.
18 Violence will disappear from your land;
the desolation and destruction of war will end.
Salvation will surround you like city walls,
and praise will be on the lips of all who enter there.
19 “No longer will you need the sun to shine by day,
nor the moon to give its light by night,
for the Lord your God will be your everlasting light,
and your God will be your glory.
20 Your sun will never set;
your moon will not go down.
For the Lord will be your everlasting light.
Your days of mourning will come to an end.
21 All your people will be righteous.
They will possess their land forever,
for I will plant them there with my own hands
in order to bring myself glory.
22 The smallest family will become a thousand people,
and the tiniest group will become a mighty nation.
At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen.”
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