Isaiah 60:7

My Notes

What Does Isaiah 60:7 Mean?

"All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory." Isaiah envisions the wealth of the nations streaming toward Zion in worship — and the specific nations he names make the vision remarkable.

Kedar and Nebaioth were sons of Ishmael (Genesis 25:13). These are Arab tribal peoples — descendants of the brother who was sent away, the line that didn't receive the covenant promises. They were nomadic herders, known for their vast flocks. And Isaiah says their flocks will come to God's altar. The rejected line brings offerings that are accepted.

"They shall come up with acceptance" (ratson) — the same word used for acceptable sacrifices in Leviticus. God doesn't just tolerate these offerings. He accepts them with pleasure. The outsiders' worship is received on the same terms as the insiders'. There's no second-class altar.

"I will glorify the house of my glory" (pa'ar beth tiph'arti) — God beautifies His own beautiful house. The temple is already glorious, but the arrival of the nations — the inclusion of Ishmael's descendants, the worship of former outsiders — adds a layer of glory that wasn't there before. God's house becomes more glorious when more people are in it.

Reflection Questions

• 1.Who are the 'Kedar and Nebaioth' in your context — the people you'd least expect to see worshipping alongside you? How do you respond when they show up?
• 2.God's house becomes more glorious when unexpected worshippers arrive. How does diversity of background enhance rather than compromise the worship of a community?
• 3.Isaiah names Ishmael's descendants — the rejected line. Is there someone in your life whose spiritual journey you've written off that God might be drawing toward Himself?
• 4.The offerings of the outsiders are accepted 'with pleasure.' How does that challenge any hierarchy you've built between who belongs more and who belongs less?

Devotional

The descendants of Ishmael — the line that was sent into the wilderness while Isaac received the promise — come bringing their best to God's altar. And God accepts it. With pleasure.

This should reshape how you think about insiders and outsiders. The people you might consider excluded from God's story — because of their background, their lineage, their history of being on the wrong side of the covenant — are the very people Isaiah sees streaming toward God with offerings in their hands. And God doesn't just tolerate their arrival. He says it glorifies His house.

Think about that: God's house becomes more beautiful when unexpected worshippers show up. The diversity of the worshippers adds to the glory. A room full of people who all look alike, think alike, and come from the same background is less glorious than a room where Kedar's flocks stand beside Judah's, where Nebaioth's rams minister alongside Israel's.

If you've been gatekeeping — consciously or unconsciously deciding who really belongs in God's house — Isaiah's vision challenges you. The people you'd least expect are the ones God says will glorify the house. The outsiders' worship isn't a compromise. It's a completion. God's glory isn't diminished by their inclusion. It's enhanced by it.

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture