Zion’s Future Splendor

60:1 “Arise! Shine! For your light arrives!
The splendor¹ of the LORD shines on you!
60:2 For, look, darkness covers the earth,
and deep darkness covers² the nations,
but the LORD shines on you,
his splendor³ appears over you.
60:3 Nations come to your light,
kings to your bright light.
60:4 Look all around you!⁴
They all gather and come to you,
your sons come from far away,
and your daughters are escorted by guardians.
60:5 Then you will look and smile,⁵
you will be excited and your heart will swell with pride.⁶
For the riches of distant lands⁷ will belong to you,
and the wealth of nations will come to you.
60:6 Camel caravans will cover your roads,⁸
young camels from Midian and Ephah.
All the merchants of Sheba⁹ will come,
bringing gold and incense,
and praising the LORD.¹⁰
60:7 All the sheep of Kedar will be gathered to you,
the rams of Nebaioth will be available to you as sacrifices.¹¹
They will be offered as acceptable sacrifices on my altar,¹²
and I will bestow honor upon my majestic temple.
60:8 Who are these who float along¹³ like a cloud,
who fly like doves to their shelters.¹⁴
60:9 Indeed, the coastlands¹⁵ look eagerly for me,
the large ships¹⁶ are in the lead,
bringing your sons from far away,
along with their silver and gold,
to honor the LORD your God,¹⁷
the sovereign king¹⁸ of Israel, for he has bestowed honor upon you.
60:10 Foreigners will rebuild your walls,
their kings will serve you.
Even though I struck you down in my anger,
I will restore my favor and have compassion on you.¹⁹
60:11 Your gates will remain open at all times,
they will not be shut during the day or at night,
so that the wealth of nations might be delivered,
with their kings leading the way.²⁰
60:12 Indeed²¹ nations or kingdoms that do not serve you will perish,
such nations will be totally destroyed.²²
60:13 The splendor of Lebanon will come to you,
its evergreens, firs, and cypresses together,
to beautify my palace;²³
I will bestow honor upon my throne room.²⁴
60:14 The children of your oppressors will come bowing to you,
all who treated you with disrespect will bow down at your feet.
They will call you, ‘The City of the LORD,
Zion of Israel’s Sovereign King.’²⁵
60:15 You were once abandoned
and despised, with no one passing through,
but I will make you²⁶ a permanent source of pride
and joy to coming generations.
60:16 You will drink the milk of nations,
you will feed at the breasts of kings.²⁷
Then you will recognize that I, the LORD, am your deliverer,
your protector,²⁸ the powerful ruler of Jacob.²⁹
60:17 Instead of bronze, I will bring you gold,
instead of iron, I will bring you silver,
instead of wood, I will bring you³⁰ bronze,
instead of stones, I will bring you³¹ iron.
I will make prosperity³² your overseer,
and vindication your sovereign ruler.³³
60:18 Sounds of violence³⁴ will no longer be heard in your land,
or the sounds of³⁵ destruction and devastation within your borders.
You will name your walls, ‘Deliverance,’
and your gates, ‘Praise.’
60:19 The sun will no longer supply light for you by day,
and the moon’s brightness will not shine upon you;
the LORD will be your permanent source of light,
the splendor of your God will shine upon you.³⁶
60:20 Your sun will no longer set,
your moon will not disappear;³⁷
the LORD will be your permanent source of light,
your time³⁸ of sorrow will be over.
60:21 All of your people will be godly,³⁹
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.⁴⁰
60:22 The least of you will multiply into⁴¹ a thousand,
the smallest of you will become a large nation.
When the right time comes, I the LORD will quickly do this!”⁴²