Isaiah 60:16

"“Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, so that no one passed through you, I will make you an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations."

Key Reflection

In Isaiah 60:16, God promises Jerusalem and Judah that despite their current state of abandonment and desolation, where no one passed through due to widespread neglect and hostility, he will transform their fortunes. This prophecy contrasts the present dire circumstances with an assured future of glory, making them a perpetual object of beauty and joy for many generations to come. The original audience would have understood this as a profound promise of divine redemption and restoration, promising that even in their darkest hours, God’s ultimate plan of salvation would bring about a glorious turnaround.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Thou shalt suck the milk of the Gentiles -This expression means, ‘Whatever is valuable and rich which they possess shall contribute to your welfare.’ The idea is the same substantially which occurs in the previous parts of the chapter, that the riches of the pagan world would become tributary to the advancement of the true religion. And thou shall suck the breast of kings -The Chaldee renders this, ‘And thou shalt be satisfied with the riches of the people, and shalt delight thyself with the spoil of kings.’ The phrase to suck ‘the breast of kings is unusual; but the sense is simple and plain, that kings and their wealth should be made to contribute to sustain the church.

More from Isaiah 60

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