קוּמִי אוֹרִי כִּי בָא אוֹרֵךְ וּכְבוֹד ה' עָלַיִךְ זָרָח

Arise, congregation of Israel and Zion, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has shone upon and illuminated you. Others explain that the light you were accustomed to seeing in the past has dimmed, and in its place, the glory of God will shine upon you.

כִּי הִנֵּה הַחֹשֶׁךְ יְכַסֶּה אֶרֶץ וַעֲרָפֶל לְאֻמִּים עָלַיִךְ יִזְרַח ה' וּכְבוֹדוֹ עָלַיִךְ יֵרָאֶה

For behold, the darkness will cover the earth, and the other peoples will be covered by a fog; but upon you the Lord will shine, and His glory will be seen upon you. In an entirely dark world, only one small corner will have light.

וְהָלְכוּ גוֹיִם לְאוֹרֵךְ וּמְלָכִים לְנֹגַהּ זַרְחֵךְ

Since you will be the only source of light, nations will walk by your light and kings will march by the glow of your shining.

שְׂאִי סָבִיב עֵינַיִךְ וּרְאִי כֻּלָּם נִקְבְּצוּ בָאוּ לָךְ בָּנַיִךְ מֵרָחוֹק יָבֹאוּ וּבְנֹתַיִךְ עַל צַד תֵּאָמַנָה

The prophet describes other aspects of the redemption: Lift up your eyes all around, and see, they, your exiled children, are all assembling and coming to you; your sons that had disappeared are coming from afar, and your delicate daughters are carried on the side of the body. They will be carried gently by caregivers, like young children who require assistance and careful supervision.

אָז תִּרְאִי וְנָהַרְתְּ וּפָחַד וְרָחַב לְבָבֵךְ כִּי יֵהָפֵךְ עָלַיִךְ הֲמוֹן יָם חֵיל גּוֹיִם יָבֹאוּ לָךְ

Then you will see and be radiant and your heart will thrill and swell. In your emotionally-charged state, you will be almost afraid to believe that all of this wonderful news is actually true. For a horde like the sea will be turned upon you, throngs of people turning around to see what has occurred, and streaming to you from all directions. The power and wealth of the nations will come to you. Some explain that the phrase “horde like the sea” is also referring to the great riches that will arrive from overseas.

שִׁפְעַת גְּמַלִּים תְּכַסֵּךְ בִּכְרֵי מִדְיָן וְעֵיפָה כֻּלָּם משְּׁבָא יָבֹאוּ זָהָב וּלְבוֹנָה יִשׂאוּ וּתְהִלֹּת ה' יְבַשֵּׂרוּ

A herd of camels will cover you, the land. This is an exaggeration, as though the land will not be visible due to the multitude of arriving animals and their loads. The young camels of the lands of Midyan and Ephah, all of them will come from the land of Sheba; they will carry to you gold and frankincense, Sheba’s finest products, and when they arrive, their riders will herald the praises of the Lord.

כָּל צֹאן קֵדָר יִקָּבְצוּ לָךְ אֵילֵי נְבָיוֹת יְשָׁרְתוּנֶךְ יַעֲלוּ עַל רָצוֹן מִזְבְּחִי ובֵית תִּפְאַרְתִּי אֲפָאֵר

All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered to you, Jerusalem, the older rams of Nevayot will serve you. Nevayot was Ishmael’s firstborn, while Kedar was his second son. In this verse, these two tribes represent all Ishmaelites, whose sheep will be brought to Zion and the Temple. They will be offered up for the propitiation of My altar and I will make splendid the house of My splendor.

מִי אֵלֶּה כָּעָב תְּעוּפֶינָה וְכַיּוֹנִים אֶל אֲרֻבֹּתֵיהֶם !

Who are these who fly like a cloud and like doves returning to their cotes?

כִּי לִי אִיִּים יְקַוּוּ וָאֳנִיּוֹת תַּרְשִׁישׁ בָּרִאשֹׁנָה – לְהָבִיא בָנַיִךְ מֵרָחוֹק כַּסְפָּם וּזְהָבָם אִתָּם לְשֵׁם ה' אֱלֹהַיִךְ וְלִקְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי פֵאֲרָךְ

For the lands of the sea, distant lands, will long for Me, to come to Me, or for My reward, or My instruction, with the ships of Tarshish, which departed from distant lands (see 23:1), yearning in the lead, to bring your children to you from afar. The children will not arrive as captives that have been redeemed in exchange for gold and silver, as their silver and their gold will be with them, like dignitaries bearing expensive goods. And all this will be performed for the name of the Lord your God and for the Holy One of Israel, because He has glorified you.

וּבָנוּ בְנֵי נֵכָר חֹמֹתַיִךְ וּמַלְכֵיהֶם יְשָׁרְתוּנֶךְ כִּי בְקִצְפִּי הִכִּיתִיךְ וּבִרְצוֹנִי רִחַמְתִּיךְ

Foreigners will build your walls and their kings will serve you. Those who destroyed your walls and conquered you will help you rebuild them. As at that point, it will become apparent that it was only in My anger that I struck you and in My time of favor I have had mercy on you.

וּפִתְּחוּ שְׁעָרַיִךְ תָּמִיד יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה לֹא יִסָּגֵרוּ לְהָבִיא אֵלַיִךְ חֵיל גּוֹיִם וּמַלְכֵיהֶם נְהוּגִים

Open always your gates, Jerusalem; day and night will they not be closed, to bring to you the wealth of the nations, and their kings will come led by others, as kings are normally transported. Alternatively, they will come in an orderly fashion, like sheep herded by a shepherd. Some explain that they will be led by others in the manner of prisoners.

כִּי הַגּוֹי וְהַמַּמְלָכָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא יַעַבְדוּךְ – יֹאבֵדוּ וְהַגּוֹיִם חָרֹב יֶחֱרָבוּ

For the nation and the kingdom that will not serve you will perish and the nations will be destroyed. Any kingdom that refuses to fulfill God’s wishes will disappear from the world. This idea is further developed in the book of Zechariah.

כְּבוֹד הַלְּבָנוֹן אֵלַיִךְ יָבוֹא בְּרוֹשׁ תִּדְהָר וּתְאַשּׁוּר יַחְדָּו לְפָאֵר מְקוֹם מִקְדָּשִׁי וּמְקוֹם רַגְלַי אֲכַבֵּד

The glory of the Lebanon, the large, magnificent trees that grow in that region, will come to you: Juniper, ash, and boxwood together (see commentary on 41:19), all will come to make splendid the place of My Temple, just as these trees were brought from Lebanon for use in the First Temple, and the place of My feet will I honor.

וְהָלְכוּ אֵלַיִךְ שְׁחוֹחַ בְּנֵי מְעַנַּיִךְ וְהִשְׁתַּחֲווּ עַל כַּפּוֹת רַגְלַיִךְ כָּל מְנַאֲצָיִךְ וְקָרְאוּ לָךְ עִיר ה' צִיּוֹן קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל

The sons of your tormenters will come to you bent over submissively; all those who have scorned you will prostrate themselves at your feet and they will call you: City of the Lord, and Zion of the Holy One of Israel.These new names for Jerusalem will reflect its relationship with God.

תַּחַת הֱיוֹתֵךְ עֲזוּבָה וּשְׂנוּאָה וְאֵין עוֹבֵר וְשַׂמְתִּיךְ לִגְאוֹן עוֹלָם מְשׂוֹשׂ דּוֹר וָדוֹר

Instead of your being forsaken and hated during the exile, with no one passing through, as you were a small, desolate area in which no one took interest; I will now designate you for eternal glory, a continual source of gladness for generations.

וְיָנַקְתְּ חֲלֵב גּוֹיִם וְשֹׁד מְלָכִים תִּינָקִי וְיָדַעַתְּ כִּי אֲנִי ה' מוֹשִׁיעֵךְ וְגֹאֲלֵךְ אֲבִיר יַעֲקֹב

You will nurse the milk of the nations, wealth and gifts from the entire world. And moreover, from the breast of kings will you nurse, as you will receive the spoils and possessions of kings; and then you will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, and your Redeemer is the Mighty One of Jacob, who is exalted and rules over Jacob (see 1:24).

תַּחַת הַנְּחֹשֶׁת אָבִיא זָהָב וְתַחַת הַבַּרְזֶל אָבִיא כֶסֶף וְתַחַת הָעֵצִים נְחֹשֶׁת וְשַׂמְתִּי פְקֻדָּתֵךְ שָׁלוֹם וְנֹגְשַׂיִךְ צְדָקָה

Instead of bronze, of which you currently have plenty, I will bring gold. Both gold and bronze have a yellowish tinge. Although their color is roughly equivalent, gold is far more valuable than bronze and therefore this metal symbolizes the great wealth of the Messianic times. And instead of iron I will bring silver. These grayish-white metals are also similar, but once again the value of silver is much greater than that of iron. And instead of wood, the cheapest material, I will bring bronze; and instead of stones, iron; I will appoint your officials for peace. The authorities will not behave cruelly, in the haughty manner of inspectors and collectors, but will act honestly and peacefully. And I will likewise designate your tax collectors, your rulers who place burdens upon the people, for righteousness. Others explain that righteousness and peace will replace your officers and tyrants.

לֹא יִשָּׁמַע עוֹד חָמָס בְּאַרְצֵךְ שֹׁד וָשֶׁבֶר בִּגְבוּלָיִךְ וְקָרָאת יְשׁוּעָה חוֹמֹתַיִךְ וּשְׁעָרַיִךְ תְּהִלָּה

The prophet addresses the moral and spiritual aspects of life at that time: No longer will villainy, the improper appropriation of money, be heard of in your land, robbery and ruin will likewise not appear within your borders; you will call your walls salvation, and your gates, praise. The sturdy walls of Jerusalem will be called the walls of salvation and victory, and the gates of the city will be known as the gates of praise. Since there will be no more desolation and destruction, the walls will lose their primary purpose, and will serve only as a memorial to God’s salvation of His people. Others explain that salvation will be your stronghold, and praising God will be the necessary means of entry to the city. Alternatively, calls of salvation and praise will be heard from within the walls of Jerusalem.

לֹא יִהְיֶה לָּךְ עוֹד הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לְאוֹר יוֹמָם וּלְנֹגַהּ הַיָּרֵחַ לֹא יָאִיר לָךְ וְהָיָה לָךְ ה' לְאוֹר עוֹלָם וֵאלֹהַיִךְ לְתִפְאַרְתֵּךְ

Moreover, in those times the sun will no longer be for light for you by day, as you will not require the sun to supply daylight. Alternatively, you will not be subject to the forces of nature, but will instead be directly under the supervision of God. And similarly, the glow of the moon will not illuminate for you at night. These celestial bodies will be secondary to the great light: The Lord will be for you an eternal light and your God will be your splendor.

לֹא יָבוֹא עוֹד שִׁמְשֵׁךְ וִירֵחֵךְ לֹא יֵאָסֵף כִּי ה' יִהְיֶה לָּךְ לְאוֹר עוֹלָם וְשָׁלְמוּ יְמֵי אֶבְלֵךְ

Your, Zion, sun, will no longer set and your moon will not be gathered in, by setting and disappearing. The continuous presence of these two luminaries together in the sky represents the miraculous light of the redemption that will not wax and wane, as the Lord will be for you an eternal light, providing you with all that you lack, and the days of your mourning will be completed.

וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים לְעוֹלָם יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ נֵצֶר מַטָּעַי מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַי לְהִתְפָּאֵר

And your people, they are all righteous at that time, they will inherit the Land of Israel forever. The renewed growth of the nation of Itsrael from an existing base will be like the scion of My planting, a small branch that grows from the roots of a tree, ultimately becoming a large tree in its own right. These branches, which symbolize the increasing power of the nation, are My handiwork, to be adorned in splendor, they will develop into a glorious product.

הַקָּטֹן יִהְיֶה לָאֶלֶף וְהַצָּעִיר לְגוֹי עָצוּם אֲנִי ה' בְּעִתָּהּ אֲחִישֶׁנָּה

The smallest of the people will become a thousand, a large number, and the youngest, or the least in quantity, will develop into a mighty nation; I am the Lord, who promises that at its appropriate time, I will hasten it, the arrival and the process of the redemption.