Isaiah 60:17

Isa 60:17 For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.

Ver. 17. For brass I will brlng gold,] i.e., I will beautify my Church with far greater gifts of my Spirit than now. The New Jerusalem (which signifieth, say some, the state of the Church in this world), when it shall be refined to the utmost, is all of gold, and these golden times are yet to come.

Thine exactors.] Or, Overseers; thy bishops, say the Septuagint.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Isa_60:17

For brass I will bring gold

The kingdom of God

This passage occurs amid the glowing prophecies concerning the millennial kingdom.

It has, however, its application to the kingdom in its present state.

I. THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST RECOGNIZES DIFFERENT GRADES, QUALITIES, VALUES, USES. Each of these is most effective in its own place. We would much sooner commit ourselves to a vessel of steel than to one whose hull was made of gold. No greater calamity could happen to the world than to turn all substances into gold. In the Church variety of talent and gifts, differences of classes are essential to prosperity. God never repeats-Himself. Equality is impossible, and if possible would be disastrous.

II. ALL THINGS TAKE ON ENHANCED VALUE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD. For brass I will bring gold, etc. Wherever the Church of Christ comes, instantly all things leap into higher value--property, schools, trade, institutions, government, the family, the individual. You may interrogate in just four different directions--Nature, the Rational World, Sin, the Kingdom. Nature replies: I change nothing. I furnish the ore; I cannot bring out the metal; I cant change even the place of a stone. Rational World replies: I can change the shapes, the places, the combinations of things, but I cannot change the substances. I cannot turn iron into silver, wood into brass, stones into iron. Sin rises in its black monstrosity, and says: Yes, I have power to change. I can reach up, lay my hand on the twenty-two carat gold and drag it down to silver; I can drag the silver down to brass, the brass to iron, the iron to stone, the stone to wood, the wood I can burn with the torch of hate, and scatter the ashes on the red-hot floor of hell--I can do that! Sin can drag the genius or the archangel down to the abyss of a hopeless hades. It is only the Kingdom that can say: Everything I touch shall increase in value. I can take even the devils outcasts and change them into burning seraphs.

III. THIS ENHANCEMENT OF VALUES IS BY AND THROUGH SUCCESSIVE GRADES--wood, stone, iron, brass, silver, gold. Gods method of working is by development through grades. There is no such thing as reaching perfection at a bound. It is a walk, a race--meaning steady progress by steps.

IV. THE DIVINE AGENCY IS EMPHASIZED. I will bring. Transformations in human nature are effected through Divine power and grace. (A. McE. Wylie.)

The golden age

The golden age of humanity is in the future. This age is here represented as so far excelling all future ages as gold excels brass. Morally this may include three things.

I. THAT FOR PRACTICAL ATHEISM THERE WILL BE GODLINESS.

II. THAT FOR DOMINANT MATERIALISM THERE WILL BE SPIRITUALITY.

III. THAT FOR CONTROLLING SELFISHNESS THERE WILL BE BENEVOLENCE. (Homilist.)

The wonderful exchange

This seems like a very unthrifty kind of commerce. It promises only the most speedy and utter bankruptcy. Surely one making such an offer must have great treasures, and great love. There must be a perfect confidence that there can be no exhaustion of treasure, nor any exhaustion in the delight of perpetually giving others the best end of the bargain. No one can have such confidence and feeling but God. It is God, the infinite, who proposes to give gold for brass. It is just what He is constantly doing in nature, giving out the best for the worst. God always sees and seeks the highest possible thing in every nature. And He wants us to catch His penetrative insight. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived the glories God hath prepared for those who love Him. But God is constantly trying to reveal them unto us by His Spirit. He is ever trying to give us gold for brass, and silver for iron. This ought to be good news for man. He is always willing to get the best end of a bargain. Now there are various kinds of life, and many degrees of each kind. There is what is known as physical, mental, emotional and spiritual life. Evidently there is life that is as clay, as ore, as iron, as brass, as silver, as gold. God all the time offers to every man to change his hard iron of life into brass his brass into silver, his silver into gold. How does He propose to do it? On precisely the principles that man acts in every-day life. Indeed, God has made it impossible for men to succeed at all in the life that now is, except in the laws that give success in the life to come. Just as man gives muscle for bread, or exertion of muscle that all the delights of life may be his, just as he gives a few midnights So study that he may be everlastingly wise, just as he gives self-denial that he may have exuberance of strength, just as he gives all the things that he hath, in order that he may keep his life, so God always asks your iron when He would give brass, asks your brass when He would give silver, asks your silver when He would give gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich, and have crowns of eternal glory. The trouble with men is they give their muscle for bread, but will not give iron to God for brass. I think it is a statement capable of vindication, that God does not enrich by legacy, but by exchange. Every one that is endowed is in great peril. Look at the great heroes that God has made in our history: they fill the earth and rise into the skies. Were they endowed? Not one, except with faculties; they had to develop their virtues. So in the case of all moral greatness. God gives the Conditions, the opportunities; but man must work with God. Did the human soul that Christ associated with Himself submit to this plan of development, and especially did the Son of God, begotten in holiness and perfection, submit Himself to this law that has been applied to all men? If this shall be answered in the affirmative, we must conclude that there is no other possible way to greatness and road to perfection. It is evident at first glance, that the man Christ Jesus constantly accepted this law. He was obedient to His parents, giving up His will to them. His announced principle of life was: I came not to do My own will, but the will of Him that sent Me. He gave up the riches of silver, anal for our sakes became poor. He vacated the throne of the universe and became Seryant of servants of men. The Lord of life became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. He gave up all silver, brass, iron, stones, and wood. Was there any gold in return Wherefore, because of this, God hath highly exalted Him. There can be no mistake. We see plainly the way to highest strength of character and greatest height of glory. It is not the way of present gratification, of selfishness, of the pursuit of personal and family ends, but a giving up of personal good for Gods higher good, a selling of lower for higher. Once God opened the windows of heaven and poured out water enough to drown a world. Then He takes that great deluge of abundance and makes it an emblem of the abundance of spiritual blessings.

Bring the tithes into the storehouse, the little tenths of daily gain, and see if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it. (Homiletic Review.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

17. In the first part of Isa_60:17, the material of which the city is built is the allegorical subject.

For brass I will bring gold… for iron… silver… for wood brass… for stones iron — In Solomon’s day (1Ki_10:21; 1Ki_10:27) civilization so rapidly advanced that in the above terms it was made a type, as here used, of advancing improvements evermore in Zion’s city. Gold in place of brass, silver in place of iron, etc., signify ever-growing preciousness in all that pertains to the temple of holy Zion. Compare Rev_21:10-21.

Thy officers peace — Better, Thy magistracy shall be peace. The term characterizing it shall be “peace;” shall be, in other words, order, truth, love. These shall mark the whole of Zion’s government.

Thy exactors — Not tyrants or tyranny, but justice, equity absolute.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

60:17-20 These verses portray Zion’s future grandeur (cp. Rev 21:10–22:4).

60:17 gold . . . silver . . . bronze . . . iron: These metals are for adornment and strength (cp. 54:11; Rev 21:15-21). • Peace and righteousness will bring harmony and blessing among people and with God.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Thy governors shall love thee, and seek thy wealth and prosperity.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Poetically, with figurative allusion to the furniture of the temple; all things in that happy age to come shall be changed for the better.

exactors--namely, of tribute.

righteousness--All rulers in restored Jerusalem shall not only be peaceable and righteous, but shall be, as it were, "peace" and "righteousness" itself in their administration.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(17) For brass I will bring gold . . . The material wealth of the days of Solomon (1Ki_10:21-27) furnishes another element in the picture of the ideal city, but with this striking difference: that there the “officers” and “exactors” of the king had been instruments of oppression (1Ki_12:4), while now they were to be the very embodiment of righteousness, and, in the widest sense, of “peace,” and, therefore, of prosperity.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

17. For brass … gold &c.] Cf. ch. Isa_9:10; 1Ki_10:21; 1Ki_10:27, and the opposite experience, 1Ki_14:26 f.

I will also make, &c.] Render: and I will appoint Peace as thy government, and Righteousness as thy ruler. The word for officers is an abstract noun (like “management” or “magistracy”) used in a concrete sense; exactors is a plural of majesty, precisely as in ch. Isa_3:12. Its use here is an oxymoron; it denotes a tyrannous, arbitrary ruler (see on ch. Isa_53:7), the idea conveyed being that the tyranny of the present shall be replaced by the genial rule of Righteousness. In other words, Peace and Righteousness (personified qualities, as ch. Isa_59:14) shall be the governing powers in the new Jerusalem. The other rendering, “I will make thy governors peaceful” &c. (so virtually the LXX.) is grammatically possible, but yields a sense feeble and unsatisfying.

17, 18. The inner order and security of the commonwealth shall correspond to its material splendour,—a double contrast to its present (or past) condition.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron,.... By "wood and stones" may be meant the Old Testament dispensation; by the "brass and iron" the present Gospel dispensation; and by "silver and gold" the latter day glory; by "silver" the spiritual reign of Christ in his church; and by "gold" his personal reign in the New Jerusalem; which is said to be all of pure gold, and even the very street of it, Rev 21:18, now, as far as brass and iron exceed wood and stones, so far the Gospel dispensation exceeds the legal one; the one being the shadow, the other the substance; the one having carnal ordinances, which are done away; the other spiritual ones, which remain; and as far as silver and gold exceed brass and iron, so far the glory of the latter day will exceed the present state of things, in clear light, in spiritual grace and strength, in purity of doctrine and worship, in holiness of life, and in love, peace, and unity; and as far as gold exceeds silver, so far, and much more, will the personal reign of Christ, which will be perfectly glorious, exceed the spiritual one. There may be an allusion to the times of Solomon, a type of Christ, Kg1 10:27. This, by some Jewish writers (f), is applied to the times of the Messiah they yet expect. The Targum is,

"for the brass which they spoiled thee of, O Jerusalem, I will bring gold, &c.''

I will also make thine officers peace; civil magistrates shall be men of peaceable dispositions, who shall promote peace and unity in kingdoms, states, cities, towns, and neighbourhoods; they shall be properly justices of peace; they will answer to their office, and the title of it. Church officers or ministers of the word shall publish the Gospel of peace in the clearest manner; and the peace of God shall rule in the hearts of all the saints; there will be abundance of temporal and of spiritual peace, promoted by each of the officers of church and state; see Psa 72:7,

and thine exactors righteousness; even tax gatherers, who used to be the worst of people for injustice and oppression, these shall do nothing but what is right and just; nor will there be any reason to complain of them. The Septuagint render it "bishops" or "overseers" (g), pastors of churches, who shall be truly ministers of righteousness; preach up the doctrine of justification by Christ's righteousness; and instruct persons to live soberly, righteously, and godly.

(f) Caphtor Uperah, fol. 57. 2. (g)

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

For brass I will bring gold - This commences the description of the happy times when the Gentiles should be led to embrace the true religion, and when the wealth of the world would be consecrated to the service of the true God. The idea is, that all things would be changed for the better. The golden age should come; and a change from the calamities to which reference had been made by the prophet, would take place as great as if, in all purposes of life, gold should be used where brass is commonly used; and silver where iron is commonly used; and brass where wood is used; and iron where stones are used. Calvin supposes, not improbably, that allusion is here made to the temple, and that, in describing the future glory of the church, the prophet says that the change would be as glorious as if, in all places where brass and iron and wood and stone had been used, gold and silver and brass and iron should be respectively used in their places. The Chaldee renders this, ‘Instead of the brass which they took away from thee, O Jerusalem, I will bring gold; and instead of the iron I will bring silver; and instead of the wood, brass; and instead of the stones, iron.’ Jarchi, Kimchi, and Grotius, accord with this interpretation. But it is probably designed as a poetical description of the glory of the future age, and of the great changes which would take place in human society under the influence of the gospel. No one can doubt that the gospel produces these changes; and that the changes of society caused by the gospel are as beautiful and striking as though gold and silver should be substituted for brass and iron, and brass and iron for wood and stone. Such changes shall yet take place everywhere on the earth; and the world shall ye be beautified, enriched, and adorned by the prevalence of the true religion.

I will also make thy officers peace - Thy officers shall be appointed to promote peace and shall secure it. The sense is, that wars would be ended, and that universal concord and harmony would prevail in the church under the guidance of those appointed to administer to its affairs (compare Isa 2:4; Isa 9:6). The word ‘officers,’ here denotes those who should be appointed to superintend the affairs of the church (from פקד pâqad), to visit, review, superintend, oversee), and refers here to all who should be appointed to rule in the church. The word itself may be applicable either to civil magistrates or to the ministers of religion. The Septuagint renders it, Ἄρχοντα Archontas - ‘Rulers,’ and they translate the passage, ‘I will give thy rulers in peace’ ἐν εἰρήνη en eirēnē).

And thine exactors - They who should exact, or collect tribute or taxes. The word from which the noun used here is derived (נגשׂ nâgas'), means “to urge, impel, drive” - hence the noun ‘taskmaster’ - ἐργοδιώκτης ergodiōktēs (Exo 3:7; Job 3:18); then to urge a debtor, to exact a debt; then to rule or have dominion; to appoint and exact taxes, etc. Here it refers to magistrates, and it means that they would be mild and equal in their exactions.

Righteousness - They shall not lay unequal or oppressive burdens; they shall not oppress in the collection of taxes. The idea is, that righteousness would prevail in every department of the church and the state.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Visitation. Septuagint, "give thy chiefs in peace, and thy bishops in justice." St. Clement of Rome (ad Corinthians) reads, "I will appoint their bishops in justice, and their deacons in faith." (Calmet) --- The Scripture thus specifies the name and duties of the pastors of the Church (St. Jerome)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

For brass I will bring gold: here is the effect of the former promise, Thy poverty shall be turned to riches, all things shall be altered for the best; an allusion to the days of Solomon, when gold was as brass: thus, on the contrary, when they change for the worse in the state, it useth to be expressed by the like metaphors, Isa 21; Isa 22; Isa 23.

I will also make thy officers peace, i.e. loving, meek, and peaceable; the abstract put for the concrete, as is usual, whether you understand it of under officers, they shall be officers of peace, or of governors, thou shalt have a peaceable government, as it was made good to them under Ezra, Nehemiah, Zorobabel, and such like.

And thine exactors righteousness; most righteous, as before peace for peaceable. The church is not freed from taxes and payments, that is given by Christ and Peter unto Caesar, but it shall be without oppression and grinding; no more than is necessary, and not exacted rigorously. Though all these were made good in their return out of Babylon, yet doth it more properly relate to the meliorating of the church under the gospel, wherein instead of carnal ceremonies, she had spiritual ordinances, which is the scope of the apostle, Heb 9, and larger measures of the Holy Spirit, and should have such officers as would speak peace to the consciences, by discovering the complete and perfect righteousness of him who fulfilled all righteousness.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

For brass I will bring gold; rather, for copper. "Brass" was an alloy little known to the Oriental nations. The general idea is that the glorious age of Solomon would return, (1Ki_10:21, 1Ki_10:27) and Zion be as resplendent and as wealthy as in his time. The material splendour is, no doubt, throughout the whole description, typical in the main of spiritual glories and excellences. I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness. "Peace" and "righteousness" are here personified; and the declaration is that they shall bear rule in the community whereof the prophet is speaking. (comp, Isa_32:16, Isa_32:17)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For brass - An allusion to the days of Solomon, when gold was as brass. Peace - Loving, meek, and peaceable. Righteousness - Most righteous. Such even thy tax-gatherers shall be.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

The outward and inward beauty of the new Jerusalem is now depicted by the materials of her structure, and the powers which prevail within her. "For copper I bring gold, and for iron I bring silver, and for wood copper, and for stones iron, and make peace thy magistracy, and righteousness thy bailiffs. Injustice is no more seen in thy land, wasting and destruction in thy borders; and thou callest salvation thy walls, and renown thy gates." Wood and stone are not used at all in the building of the new Jerusalem. Just as in the time of Solomon silver was counted as nothing (Kg1 10:21) and had only the value of stones (Kg1 10:27), so here Jehovah gives her gold instead of copper, silver instead of iron; whilst copper and iron are so despised with this superabundance of the precious metals, that they take the place of such building materials as wood and stones. Thus the city will be a massive one, and not even all of stone, but entirely built of metal, and indestructible not only by the elements, but by all kinds of foes. The allegorical continuation of the prophecy shows very clearly that the prophet does not mean his words to be taken literally. The lxx, Saad., and others, are wrong in adopting the rendering, "I make thy magistracy peace," etc.; since shâlōm and tsedâqâh are not accusatives of either the predicate or the object, but such personifications as we are accustomed to in Isaiah (vid., Isa 32:16-17; Isa 59:14; cf., Isa 45:8). Jehovah makes peace its pequddâh, i.e., its "overseership" (like gebhūrâh, heroship, in Isa 3:25, and ‛ezrâh, helpership, in Isa 31:2), or magistracy; and righteousness its bailiffs. The plural נגשׂיך is no disproof of the personification; the meaning is, that tsedâqâh (righteousness) is to Jerusalem what the whole body of civil officers together are: that is to say, righteousness is a substitute for the police force in every form. Under such magistracy and such police, nothing is ever heard within the land, of which Jerusalem is the capital, of either châmâs, i.e., a rude and unjust attack of the stronger upon the weaker, or of shōd, i.e., conquest and devastation, and shebher, i.e., dashing to pieces, or breaking in two. It has walls (Isa 60:10); but in truth "salvation," the salvation of its God, is regarded as its impregnable fortifications. It has gates (Isa 60:11) but tehillâh, the renown that commands respect, with which Jehovah has invested it, is really better than any gate, whether for ornament or protection.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

“Instead of brass (or copper) I will bring gold, and instead of iron I will bring silver, and instead of wood brass, and instead of stones iron, and I will place (or make) thy government peace and thy rulers righteousness.” The thought which is naturally suggested by the words is that all things shall be changed for the better. The change described is not a change in kind, (i.e., from bad to good, but in degree, (i.e., from good to better; because the same things which appear to be rejected in the first clause are expressly promised in the second)). See a similar gradation in Isa 30:26; Zec 14:20; 1Co 3:12; 1Co 15:41. The last clause resolves the figure into literal expressions, and thus shows that the promise has respect not to money, but to moral advantages. Pequtha properly means office, magistracy, government, here put for those who exercise it, like nobility, ministry, and other terms in English. (Compare the Hebrew of Eze 9:1; 2Ki 11:18). Nogesim, which has commonly a bad sense, is here used for magistrates or rulers in general, for the purpose of suggesting, that instead of tyrants or exactors the people should now be under equitable government.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Prophecies of Isaiah (1846–1847; New York: Scribner, 1870–1878) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

General Information:

Yahweh continues speaking to the people of Israel.

instead of wood, bronze, and instead of stones, iron

Yahweh will give more valuable building materials to them now. AT: "instead of wood, I will bring bronze, and instead of stones, I will bring iron" (See: Ellipsis)

I will appoint peace as your governors, and justice your rulers

Yahweh describes "peace" and "justice" as human rulers. This means there will be complete peace and justice in the land of Israel. (See: Personification)

Violence will no longer be heard in your land

This can be stated in active form. AT: "There will no longer be reports of violence in your land" (See: Active or Passive)

but you will call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise

The physical objects have the names of spiritual qualities. The city of Jerusalem will be a safe place, and the people there will praise Yahweh. (See: Metonymy)

translationWords

bronze

gold

silver

peace

govern

just

rule

save

gate

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

Instead of the copper that they took from you.

and I will make your officers peace [Jonathan renders:] And I will make your officers peace and your rulers with righteousness.

פְקֻדָּתֵךְ Your appointed officers. Our Rabbis stated: The officers who came upon you in your exile and the rulers who pressed you will be counted for you as peace and charity (Baba Bathra 9a). [That is, the money they have exacted from you will be counted as charity.]

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

I will bring gold. That is, I shall induce the nations to bring the gold, or, and that is perhaps better—I shall bring thee the value of gold; (or, the value of the gold of nations.) Copper is better than iron, it is therefore contrasted with gold.

פקודתך Thy officers. Lit., the men of thy office (אנשי פקודתך). Comp. פקיד officer. The men, who distribute the taxes.

I will make thine officers peace. They will collect the taxes in peace.

And thine exactors righteousness. They will exact the money with righteousness.

Ibn Ezra on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0); and “Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.