Isaiah 60:21

Thy people also shall be all righteous,.... That is, the church's people, or the members of the church; otherwise the Lord's people, who are truly so, always were, and ever will be, all righteous; but so have not always been the members of the churches; when Israel was the church of God, they were not all righteous; there was only a remnant among them, according to the election of grace, that were so; nor in the first Christian churches were they all such, there was a Judas among Christ's disciples; Ananias and Sapphira in the church at Jerusalem; and many in the church of Corinth, very disorderly and irregular; and so in all others; and in all ages since there are foolish virgins among the wise, tares among the wheat, and chaff among the corn on the floor; yea, even in the spiritual reign of Christ they will not be all truly gracious; some that will have only a form of godliness, and who, at the close of it, will be the greater number, and will form the lukewarm Laodicean state; but in the personal reign of Christ all the members of the church will be righteous, through the righteousness of Christ imputed to them: it will be a congregation of righteous persons, and not one sinner shall stand in it; yea, they shall be inherently righteous, perfectly holy, and free from sin; none shall enter into this state that defiles; every pot and vessel in Jerusalem shall be holiness to the Lord, Psa 1:5. The Jews (o) have a saying, that the son of David comes not but in an age in which men will be all righteous, or all wicked; in an age in which they will be all righteous, according to Isa 60:21, but this designs not his first, but his second coming:

they shall inherit the land for ever; not the land of Canaan only; though perhaps that may be the spot on which Christ will descend, and where he will reside; where he was treated with contempt and crucified, here he will reign, and reign gloriously; and the rather, since, when he comes with all his saints, his feet will stand upon the mount of Olives, Zac 14:4 but the new earth is meant, which John saw, and Peter says the saints expect, according to promise, in which righteousness men perfectly righteous shall dwell, and none but they, Rev 21:1 as also it may include a better country, the land afar off, the heavenly glory, which will be the inheritance of the saints to all eternity:

the branch of my planting; in Christ by election grace; in the likeness of his death and resurrection by redemption grace; and as branches in him, the Vine, by effectual calling grace; and in his church, through the ministry of the word; all which will appear true and real; and that they are plants of the Lord's planting, by their being in this church state, even in the paradise of God, near to the tree of life, the fruit of which they will always partake of:

the work of my hands; the workmanship of God, curiously wrought by him; the effect of his mighty power; wholly his own work and not another's; and entirely owing to his great love, abundant mercy, and rich grace; as will be evident in this state; this being the day of the Lord unto which it is performed, and become perfect; and there will be no more doubts of that matter:

that I may be glorified; as he will be then in all them that believe; and by these characters which they bear, and are to be ascribed to his power, grace, and righteousness; Christ, and he alone, will be exalted; he will reign before his ancients gloriously, until he delivers up the kingdom; and then God, Father, Son, and Spirit, will be all in all.

(o) T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 98. 1.

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

Isa 60:21 Thy people also [shall be] all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.

Ver. 21. Thy people also shall be all righteous.] Professional saints at least they shall all be, - saints by calling; some of them also shall be really righteous and religious, justified by the merit, and sanctified by the Spirit of Christ. And these together make up a true visible Church, such as was that of Corinth and of Sardis. A mixture there will be to the world’s end.

They shall inherit the land for ever.] Those that are righteous indeed, are heirs of the world together with faithful Abraham. The meek shall inherit the earth; and as for the poor in spirit, theirs is the kingdom of heaven. {Mat 5:3; Mat 5:5}

The branch of my planting.] So may some be that yet bear no fruit. {Joh 15:2}

The work of my hands.] By regeneration. {Eph 2:10} And so are such as are sanctified by habitual infusion, and not by baptismal profession only. In both sorts God is glorified.

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_60:21

Thy people also shall be all righteous

The people of God considered as righteous

I.

AS THEY ARE ALL INTERESTED IN THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST JESUS.

II. AS BY THE INFLUENCES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, THEY HAVE AN INHERENT RIGHTEOUSNESS WROUGHT IN THEM.

III. BY ABOUNDING IN WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS TO THE PRAISE AND GLORY OF GOD. Here two cautions are necessary, to prevent mistakes.

1. Virtuous actions do not constitute a person inherently righteous, but declare him so; as good fruit is rather a declaration of the goodness of the tree, than the thing which constitutes that goodness. Therefore,

2. Virtuous actions cannot be said to be necessary to salvation, in the same sense in which inherent holiness is so. It is possible that, where holiness is implanted, life may be so quickly taken away that there shall be no room for its discovering itself by the outward behaviour. Taking these cautions along with us, the necessity of works of righteousness, though not as a ground of our justification, yet, as an evidence of it, can never be too strongly asserted. Every motive, whether from interest or gratitude, whether from the beauty of religion or the pleasures of a virtuous life, still remains in full force. We further observe, that the reward of saints hereafter shall bear some proportion to their progress in holiness here below. (J. Erskine, D. D.)

A righteous people

The prophet here predicts the elevation of the Church to its normal or ideal state, a change of which we may already see the rudiments, however far we may get from its final consummation. (J. A. Alexander.)

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

Isa 60:21-22. Thy people shall be all righteous — Through righteousness imputed to them, Rom 4:3-8; Rom 4:23-24; implanted in them, Eph 4:22-24; and practised by them, 1Jn 3:7; in other words, through the justification of their persons, the renovation of their nature, and their practical obedience to God’s law. “It was proper,” says Vitringa, “that the prophetic discourse, big with such excellent promises, should set forth the quality of the citizens of this blessed city; for so many and excellent privileges cannot belong to any but to such as are fitted for these times by divine grace. The prophet therefore teaches that the inhabitants of this city should be all righteous; where there can be no doubt that the righteousness of faith is meant; of living faith, purifying the soul, sanctifying the affections, abounding in charity, and never separated from true holiness: so that they who are called righteous here are the same who are elsewhere called holy.” See the following parallel passages, Isa 4:3; Isa 33:24; Isa 35:8; Isa 52:1; Zec 14:20-21. They shall inherit the land for ever — They shall for ever be continued as God’s peculiar people; the branch of my planting — Born again of my Spirit, created in the Messiah, unto good works, Eph 2:10; broken off from the wild olive, and grafted into the good olive; transplanted out of the field into the nursery; that, being now planted in God’s garden on earth, they might shortly be removed into his paradise in heaven; that I may be glorified — By the good fruit which they bear. A little one shall become a thousand — Rather, this should be rendered, A little number shall become a thousand. Though their beginning be very small and contemptible, and the members of the church very few, yet shall they greatly multiply, and increase into many hundreds of thousands and millions. Thus Daniel describes the kingdom of Christ as a stone, which, in process of time, becomes a great mountain, and fills the whole earth, which will be verified at the proper season, as it follows. I the Lord will hasten it in his time — Namely, in due time, the time that I have appointed; as if he had said, Let not this be doubted, because I have undertaken it, to whom nothing is difficult. Indeed this has been already accomplished in a considerable degree by the great progress the gospel has made. Never were means more unlikely employed to effect any purpose, never was there a stronger opposition; yet the gospel prevailed, and multitudes of both sexes, in different countries, became obedient to the faith, and looked upon it as their greatest glory. Vitringa, who closes his comment on this chapter with some excellent remarks, tending to show that it particularly refers to some future glorious state of the church, which will take place after the conversion of the Jews, and the coming in of the fulness of the Gentiles, concludes with the following important observation: “However, all our care and endeavour should be to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of so high a hope; and we should so form our lives and manners as rather to regard things present than future; neglecting no duty of a true citizen of the spiritual Jerusalem, whereof we now profess ourselves members; that the expectation of the future may not deprive us of those blessings and privileges which God offers at present to all those who seriously and sincerely seek them; in the mean time humbly and earnestly interceding with him that his kingdom may come.”

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

60:21 The citizens of Zion will be righteous, enjoying a right relationship with God and with others (Rev 21:27). • their land: Or the entire earth (Isa 54:5; 62:7; 65:17; 66:22).

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

The children of the Church.

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

all righteous-- (Isa 4:3; Isa 52:1; Rev 21:27).

inherit . . . land-- (Isa 49:8; Isa 54:3; Isa 65:9; Psa 37:11, Psa 37:22; Mat 5:5).

branch of my planting-- (Isa 61:3; Psa 92:13; Mat 15:13).

work of my hands--the converted Israelites (Isa 29:23; Isa 45:11).

that I may be glorified--the final end of all God's gracious dealings (Isa 49:3; Isa 61:3).

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

Verse 21. Of my planting] מטעי mattai; so, with the Keri, read forty-four MSS. (seven ancient) and six editions; with which agree the Syriac, Chaldee, and Vulgate.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(21) Thy people also shall be all righteous . . .—The city is to realise the as yet unfulfilled ideal of Psalms 15 and Psa_21:5 Evil will be blotted out, and, therefore, there will be no forfeiture of the inheritance. In the “branch” we have the words which had been prominent in Isa_11:1, and which is now extended from the ideal representative of the nation to the whole body of the people.

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

21, 22. The community, composed exclusively of righteous persons, shall possess the land for ever; and Jehovah shall be glorified in them.

inherit] Better: possess.

the branch of my planting] i.e. “which I have planted.” Cf. ch. Isa_61:3. The word for branch denotes strictly a “shoot”; so also in ch. Isa_11:1, Isa_14:19. For the figure cf. ch. Isa_5:7.

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.

Thy people also shall be all righteous - (See the notes at Isa 4:2).

They shall inherit the land for ever - (See the notes at Isa 49:8; Isa 54:3; compare Isa 65:9; Mat 5:5).

The branch of my planting - On the meaning of the word branch, see the notes at Isa 11:1; Isa 14:19. Here it means a scion or shoot which Yahweh had planted, and which had sprung up under his culture. Grotius supposes it means posterity. The idea seems to be, that they would inherit the land and all which would grow up under the culture of the hand of Yahweh.

The work of my hands - The language here is taken from the cultivation of the land of Canaan; but the sense is, that the church would inherit all that God had done for its welfare. Applied to the work of redemption, it means that the result of all the labors, self-denials, and sacrifices of the Redeemer, become the inheritance of the church. The comforts, joys, hopes, consolations of his people are the fruit of his self-denial, ‘the work of his hands,’ and they are permitted to enjoy it all - as if God should cultivate a fruitful field and give the avails entirely to them.

That I may be glorified - (See Isa 49:3; Isa 61:3; the notes at Isa 42:8; Isa 43:7). God would be glorified in having made so ample provision for their welfare, and in their being made happy by him. He is always glorified when others enjoy the fruits of his benevolence, and when they are made pure and happy as the result of his purposes and plans.

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

CHAPTER LX.

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).

Thy people also shall be all righteous, i.e. the greater part; the word in this use hath been shown frequently; or, altogether righteous, completely righteous. As this respects the Jews, the sense may be, they went into captivity wicked, but most of them being dead, and many of the survivors tarrying behind, they that are returned are said to be righteous, Isa 1:25-27; 4:4; but principally as it respects the church, they shall be all saints, either by profession, as Paul calls them frequently saints by calling; or rather by an inherent righteousness, or perfectly by the imputed righteousness of Christ: See Poole "Isa 35:8".

They shall inherit the land for ever, i.e. for a long time, as you have many instances; and this is spoken, lest that poor remnant should be afraid of being driven out again; but with reference to the church, that they should for ever be continued as God’s peculiar people.

The branch of my planting; put by apposition, viz. Thy people being of my planting, and so also the next clause, the

work of my hands, and therefore cannot miscarry, being what I shall take delight in; and thus the children of God are said to be his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, Eph 2:10.

That I may be glorified; either that I may make them glorious in being thus planted, or myself glorious in thus planting them.

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

21. Thy people… all righteous — Because true disciples of the Lord. Isa_26:2.

They shall inherit the land — Or, as St. Paul transforms the words, it shall be “the inheritance of the saints in light.” Jehovah’s desire is expressed that what he has planted, watered, and pruned, shall be gloriously productive. That I may be glorified, contains the idea of such desire.

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

Thy people also shall be all righteous. Here the prophet touches the root of the matter. Pain and sorrow are the fruit of sin. Once let sin disappear, and sorrow goes with it. It is the foundation of all the glory and all the happiness of the redeemed in their Lord"s final kingdom, that they are cleansed from all defilement of sin, and "are as the angels". (Mar_12:25) They shall inherit the land; rather, the earth the "new heavens and new earth" of Isa 17 Isa_66:22. The branch of my planting; rather, a sprout of my planting; i.e. a sprout which I have planted.

The heaven of universal righteousness.

"Thy people also shall be all righteous." "There are no people on earth that are all righteous; there is a mixture of some bad in the best societies on this side of heaven; but there are no mixtures there. They shall be "all righteous," that is, they shall be entirely righteous; as there shall be none corrupt among them, so there shall be no corruption among them; the spirit of just men shall there be made perfect" (Matthew Henry). Universal righteousness includes the following things.

I THAT EVERY MAN HAS WON HIS OWN WILL WHOLLY FOR GOD.

II THAT EVERY MAN HAS WON HIS OWN LIFE AND CONDUCT FOR GOD.

III THAT EVERY MAN AS WON HIS OWN RELATIONSHIPS FOR GOD.

IV THAT EVERY MAN HAS WON ALL HIS OWN SURROUNDINGS FOR GOD.

No picture of a material heaven can be so inspiring to us as this sublime picture of a moral state, in which everybody tries to do the right, and finds triumphant grace given to him for the doing. R.T.

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

The branch - Thy people being of my planting, the work of my hands.

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

The next v. shows how deep was his consciousness of the close connection between darkness, wrath, and sin. "And thy people, they are all righteous; they possess the land for ever, a sprout of my plantations, a work of my hands for glorification." The church of the new Jerusalem consists of none but righteous ones, who have been cleansed from guilt, and keep themselves henceforth pure from sinning, and therefore possess the land of promise for ever, without having to fear repeated destruction and banishment: a "sprout" (nētser as in Isa 11:1; Isa 14:19; Arab. nadr, the green branch) "of my plantations" (מטּעי chethib, erroneously מטּעו or מטּעו), i.e., of my creative acts of grace (cf., Isa 5:7), a "work of my hands" (cf., Isa 19:25), "to glorify me," i.e., in which I possess that in which I glory (להתפּאר as in Isa 61:3).

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.)

“And thy people, all of them righteous, forever shall inherit the earth, the branch (or shoot) of my planting, the work of my hands, to glorify myself (or to be glorified).” Compare Isa 4:2; Isa 33:24; Isa 35:8; Isa 52:1; Rev 21:7; Rev 21:27. The first clause may also be read as two distinct propositions, ‘thy people all of them are (or shall be) righteous, forever they shall inherit the earth.’ According to the literal interpretation, so called, this is a promise that the Jews shall possess the Holy Land forever. But even granting land to be a more literal and exact translation, which it is not, still the usage of the Scriptures has attached to this prophetic formula a much higher meaning, the possession of the land being just such a type or symbol of the highest future blessings as the Exodus from Egypt is of ultimate deliverance, or the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah of sudden, condign, irretrievable destruction. But in favor of the wider version, earth, is the analogy of Isa 49:8, where Israel is represented as occupying and restoring the desolate heritages of the whole earth. The dependence of God’s people on Himself for the origin and sustentation of their spiritual life is forcibly expressed by the figure of a plant which He has planted (Psa 92:13; Mat 15:13; Joh 15:1-2), and by that of a work which He has wrought (Isa 29:23; Isa 43:7) in reference to the last of which the Apostle says, (Eph 2:10), ‘we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them’; and in reference to the first, our Lord Himself says, (Joh 15:8), ‘herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit, so shall ye be my disciples’; and again, with an entire change of figure, (Mat 5:16), ‘let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ The same ultimate design is set forth in the words of the verse before us, which predicts the elevation of the church to its normal or ideal state, a change of which we may already see the rudiments, however far we may be yet from its final consummation.

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.

the branch of my planting, the work of my hands

These phrases mean approximately the same and are repeated for emphasis. (See: Parallelism)

the branch of my planting

Yahweh is comparing the people to young shoots coming up that he planted as if he was a gardener. Yahweh has placed his people in the land of Israel. This gives hope to the people. (See: Metaphor)

the work of my hands

Yahweh compares the people of Israel to something made by the skill of his handicraft. (See: Metaphor)

that I may be glorified

This can be stated in active form. AT: "so that all people may glorify me" (See: Active or Passive)

a thousand

"1,000" (See: Numbers)

translationWords

people of God

righteous

hand

glory

nation

Yahweh

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

in which I will glory That I will glory with them. Pourvanter in French.

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.

The branch. Comp. And a branch shall grow out of his roots (11:1).

The work of my hands, that I may be glorified. It is a figure taken from the joy which a man feels when his work proves to be successful.

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.