Isaiah 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.

For brass {H5178} I will bring {H935} gold {H2091}, and for iron {H1270} I will bring {H935} silver {H3701}, and for wood {H6086} brass {H5178}, and for stones {H68} iron {H1270}: I will also make {H7760} thy officers {H6486} peace {H7965}, and thine exactors {H5065} righteousness {H6666}.

"For bronze I will bring you gold, for iron I will bring you silver, bronze in place of wood, and iron in place of stones. I will make shalom your governor and righteousness your taskmaster.

Instead of bronze I will bring you gold; I will bring silver in place of iron, bronze instead of wood, and iron instead of stones. I will appoint peace as your governor and righteousness as your ruler.

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.

Isaiah 60:17 is a powerful prophecy within a chapter describing the future glory and restoration of Zion (Jerusalem) after a period of darkness and affliction. This verse specifically promises a radical upgrade and transformation in both material prosperity and, more importantly, in leadership and governance.

Context

Chapter 60 of Isaiah paints a vivid picture of Jerusalem's future splendor, drawing nations and their wealth to her. This comes after chapters detailing judgment and exile. The promises here represent God's restoration and blessing upon His people, a stark contrast to their previous suffering. The verse fits within this theme of God's redemptive work, where He replaces the old, damaged, and less valuable with the new, precious, and perfect.

Key Themes

  • Divine Transformation and Improvement: The progression from brass to gold, iron to silver, wood to brass, and stones to iron signifies a complete reversal of fortune and a significant increase in value and quality. It illustrates God's ability to bring something far better out of something ordinary or even degraded. This speaks to the concept of a new creation where the former things are passed away.
  • Righteous and Peaceful Governance: The promise to make "officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness" is perhaps the most profound transformation described. It moves from potentially corrupt or oppressive rule ("exactors" often implies harsh tax collectors or taskmasters) to leadership characterized by righteousness and peace (see also Psalm 72:3). This highlights God's vision for a just and harmonious society under His blessing.
  • God's Sovereign Action: The repeated phrase "I will bring" and "I will make" emphasizes that this transformation is not achieved by human effort but is a direct result of God's intervention and promise.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "officers" is pĕquddah, which can mean oversight, stored provisions, or appointment. Here, it refers to those in positions of authority. The word for "exactors" is nōḡēś, often translated as taskmaster, driver, or oppressor (as seen in contexts like the Egyptian taskmasters over Israel). The transformation from nōḡēś to "righteousness" (tsedeq) is particularly striking, indicating a complete change from oppression to justice.

Reflection

Isaiah 60:17 offers a vision of ultimate restoration and flourishing under God's rule. It assures us that God can and will transform situations of lack, oppression, and degradation into abundance, peace, and righteousness. This verse encourages hope, pointing forward to a time (ultimately fulfilled in the Messiah's kingdom) when God's perfect order will prevail, bringing not just material blessing but, more importantly, righteous and peaceful leadership.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Hebrews 11:40

    God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

  • Isaiah 1:26

    And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.

  • Zechariah 12:8

    In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David [shall be] as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.

  • Isaiah 30:26

    Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.

  • 1 Kings 10:21

    And all king Solomon's drinking vessels [were of] gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon [were of] pure gold; none [were of] silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.

  • 1 Kings 10:27

    And the king made silver [to be] in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he [to be] as the sycomore trees that [are] in the vale, for abundance.

  • 2 Peter 3:13

    Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

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