Discovery BoxIsaiah 60:7-9
Context60:7 All the sheep of Kedar will be gathered to you;
the rams of Nebaioth will be available to you as sacrifices. 1
They will go up on my altar acceptably, 2
and I will bestow honor on my majestic temple.
60:8 Who are these who float along 3 like a cloud,
who fly like doves to their shelters? 4
60:9 Indeed, the coastlands 5 look eagerly for me,
the large ships 6 are in the lead,
bringing your sons from far away,
along with their silver and gold,
to honor the Lord your God, 7
the Holy One of Israel, 8 for he has bestowed honor on you.
[60:7] 1 tn Heb “will serve you,” i.e., be available as sacrifices (see the next line). Another option is to understood these “rams” as symbolic of leaders who will be subject to the people of Zion. See v. 10.
[60:7] 2 tc Heb “they will go up on acceptance [on] my altar.” Some have suggested that the preposition עַל (’al) is dittographic (note the preceding יַעֲלוּ [ya’alu]). Consequently, the form should be emended to לְרָצוֹן (lÿratson, “acceptably”; see BDB 953 s.v. רָצוֹן). However, the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa has both לרצון followed by the preposition על, which would argue against deleted the preposition. As the above translation seeks to demonstrate, the preposition עַל (’al) indicates a norm (“in accordance with acceptance” or “acceptably”; IBHS 218 §11.2.13e, n. 111) and the “altar” functions as an objective accusative with a verb of motion (cf. Gen 49:4; Lev 2:2; Num 13:17; J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 2:534, n. 14).
[60:8] 3 tn Heb “fly” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); NAB, NIV “fly along.”
[60:8] 4 tn Heb “to their windows,” i.e., to the openings in their coops. See HALOT 83 s.v. אֲרֻבָּה.
[60:9] 5 tn Or “islands” (NIV); CEV “distant islands”; TEV “distant lands.”
[60:9] 6 tn Heb “the ships of Tarshish.” See the note at 2:16.
[60:9] 7 tn Heb “to the name of the Lord your God.”
[60:9] 8 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
