Bible Strands
Isaiah 60:9
Surely the islands will wait for Me, with the ships of Tarshish in the lead, to bring your children from afar, with their silver and gold, to the honor of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified you.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The LORD addresses Zion, declaring a future moment when distant nations will actively gather resources and exiles to restore the city.
The words — The Hebrew יְקַוּוּ (yekavvu) means “they will wait,” directly modifying אִיִּים (’iyym) “islands” or distant lands, while בָּ/רִאשֹׁנָה (ba/rišōnā) specifies that the ships of Tarshish will lead the procession.
The thread — This gathering of foreign wealth and exiles parallels Isaiah 55:5, where unknown nations run to God, and directly contrasts Isaiah 2:16, where the same ships of Tarshish are marked for judgment rather than service.
Why it lands — The text states that God’s honor will be visibly displayed through the submission of distant powers and the return of His people, requiring the reader to recognize that divine restoration operates on God’s initiative and timing, not human planning.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 55:5 Surely you will summon a nation you do not know, and nations who do not know you will run to you. For the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, has bestowed glory on you.”
- Isaiah 2:16 against every ship of Tarshish, and against every stately vessel.
- Isaiah 11:11 On that day the Lord will extend His hand a second time to recover the remnant of His people from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
- Isaiah 51:5 My righteousness draws near, My salvation is on the way, and My arms will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look for Me and wait in hope for My arm.
- Isaiah 42:4 He will not grow weak or discouraged before He has established justice on the earth. In His law the islands will put their hope.”
- Isaiah 42:10 Sing to the LORD a new song—His praise from the ends of the earth—you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who dwell in them.
- Isaiah 49:1 Listen to Me, O islands; pay attention, O distant peoples: The LORD called Me from the womb; from the body of My mother He named Me.
- Isaiah 66:19 I will establish a sign among them, and I will send survivors from among them to the nations—to Tarshish, Put, and the archers of Lud; to Tubal, Javan, and the islands far away who have not heard of My fame or seen My glory. So they will proclaim My glory among the nations.
- Galatians 4:26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
- Genesis 9:27 May God expand the territory of Japheth; may he dwell in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his servant.”