In my last post, we began to examine the Glory of Tziyon ~ Part 1 in Yesha’yahu 60:1-12. In this post, we conclude our examination of the Glory of Tziyon ~ Part 2 in Yesha’yahu 60:13-22.

In Glory of Tziyon ~ Part 1, we concluded with verse 12, which stated: ^“For the nation or kingdom that won’t serve you will perish; yes, those nations will be utterly destroyed.”  We now pick up the narrative in verse 13: The glory of the L’vanon will come to you, cypresses together with elm trees and larches, to beautify the site of my sanctuary – I will glorify the place where I stand.

 The glory of the L’vanon was its cedar forests, although other types of lumber were also exported. The trees of L’vanon were renowned for their beauty and quality. The prophecy envisions their use in the Temple of the Lord.

¹⁴ The children of your oppressors will come and bow low before you, all who despised you will fall at your feet, calling you the city of Adonai, Tziyon of the Holy One of Isra’el.

As part of the reversal from humiliation to glory, the children of those who had previously oppressed Adonai’s people will show their subservience and indicate their acknowledgment of the sacred character of Tziyon.

¹⁵ “In the past, you were abandoned and hated, so that no one would even pass through you; but now I will make you the pride of the ages, a joy for many generations.

Throughout the Tanakh, Yerushalayim was not a significant city of the ancient Near East. At best, it was a provincial capital. In the future, its status will exceed those of other major cities because of the presence of Adonai.

¹⁶ You will drink the milk of nations; you will nurse at royal breasts and know that I, Adonai, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Ya‘akov.

The Egyptian kings are often shown in iconographic portraits as being nursed by the gods. For example, the female monarch Hatshepsut is shown suckling at the breasts of Hathor, the bovine goddess of women, dance, drunkenness, sexuality, and the dead. She was usually depicted as a woman with the horns of a cow. The image represents being given the finest of care and personal attention. [1] Rather than oppressed Isra’el providing sustenance to the nations through forced labor, the resources of the nations (the milk) will succor Isra’el.

¹⁷ “For bronze, I will bring you gold, for iron I will bring you silver, bronze in place of wood, and iron in place of stones. I will make shalom your governor and righteousness your taskmaster.

Adonai will increase the quality of the provision that comes to His people. But the good things coming to Yerushalayim will far exceed mere wealth. Shalom and righteousness will abound, indicating a new quality of spirituality in the city.

¹⁸ Violence will no longer be heard in your land, desolation, or destruction within your borders; instead, you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.

Adonai’s promise in verse 17 will signal the end of centuries of war and destruction against Isra’el and Yerushalayim.

¹⁹ “No more will the sun be your light by day, nor will moonlight shine on you; instead, Adonai will be your light forever and your God your glory.

Both the sun and the moon were essential deities in the Babylonian pantheon. The sun god was Shamash, the god of justice, and the son of the moon god. As the god of justice, Shamash gave Hammurabi, the Babylonian lawgiver, the authority to make laws. Sin, the moon god, was the lord of the calendar and the god of vegetation. His consort was Ningal, the mother of Shamash. Though his main centers were at Ur and Harran, he played a fundamental role in Babylon during the period of the last Babylonian king, Nabonidus. Since these gods were so central in the religious system of the ancient world, there is no suggestion in other texts that they would become obsolete or cease to function. [2]

²⁰ No longer will your sun go down; your moon will no longer wane; for Adonai will be your light forever; your days of mourning will end.

The prophecy returns to the theme with which it began: Adonai’s people will experience light, not darkness. This is a supernatural light provided by Adonai, not the sun. Adonai will be perpetually present with His people. This is also mentioned in Revelation 21:23 ~ “The city has no need for the sun or the moon to shine on it, because God’s Sh’khinah gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.” (CJB)

²¹ All your people will be tzaddikim {righteous people}; they will inherit the land forever; they will be the branch I planted, my handiwork, in which I take pride.

Adonai had promised Avraham that his descendants would inherit the land. Adonai’s judgment had removed His people from the land for a time, but now they will return to possess it again. They are the branch that Adonai labored to plant.

²² The smallest will grow to a thousand; the weakest will become a mighty nation. I, Adonai, when the right time comes, will quickly bring it about.” ~ Isaiah 60:12-22 (CJB)

Because of Adonai’s grace, His chosen people will multiply rapidly. We can be sure this will happen because Adonai promises to quickly bring it about.

In my next post, we will explore God’s Announcement of Good News in Yesha’hayu 61.

Click here for the PDF version.

[1] Bible Background Commentary – Old Testament.

[2] Ibid.