Isaiah 60 8

Isaiah 60:8 kjv

Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?

Isaiah 60:8 nkjv

"Who are these who fly like a cloud, And like doves to their roosts?

Isaiah 60:8 niv

"Who are these that fly along like clouds, like doves to their nests?

Isaiah 60:8 esv

Who are these that fly like a cloud, and like doves to their windows?

Isaiah 60:8 nlt

"And what do I see flying like clouds to Israel,
like doves to their nests?

Isaiah 60 verses

Isaiah 60 8 Meaning

This verse describes an overwhelming surge of people traveling towards Zion, akin to a river overflowing its banks, drawn by divine revelation and national restoration. It signifies a future time when God's people and gentiles alike will gather, attracted by the glory of God manifest in His restored community. The collective movement highlights the universality and irresistible pull of God's redemptive plan.

Isaiah 60 8 Context

Isaiah chapter 60 is a powerful prophetic oracle focusing on the future glory and restoration of Jerusalem and the people of Israel. Following a period of desolation and exile, God promises to lavish His favor and blessing upon Zion. This chapter contrasts the current state of distress with a future filled with radiant light, abundant prosperity, and the attraction of nations. It's a vision of triumphant vindication for God's people and a demonstration of His sovereignty over all the earth.

Verse 8 specifically addresses the vast influx of peoples that will be drawn to Zion. This imagery follows the mention of overseas wealth arriving in verse 7 and preceding the declaration that nations will minister to Zion in verse 10. It signifies a major aspect of the restoration: the repopulation and international recognition of God's redeemed people.

Historically, this prophecy would have resonated deeply with Israelites suffering in exile in Babylon. It offered hope for a return and a future where their land and their God would be recognized and honored by the wider world. The contemporary audience would have understood this as a reversal of their fortunes and a confirmation of Yahweh's supreme power.

Isaiah 60 8 Word Analysis

• “Who (Hebrew: מי – mi)": Interrogative pronoun, but here used to introduce a descriptive clause, answering the question "who will come?".
• are (Hebrew: הַ – ha, though often elided/understood in translation): Article; implies "that are" or "which are".
• these (Hebrew: אֵלֶּה – eleh): Demonstrative pronoun, pointing to the entities being described.
• that (Hebrew: הַ – ha): Article, introducing the participial phrase describing the "these".
• fly (Hebrew: עָפ – 'oph, related to 'uf "to fly", suggesting swift, bird-like movement): A vivid verb indicating rapid, purposeful movement.
• like (Hebrew: כְּ – ke): Preposition indicating comparison or likeness.
• a (Hebrew: עָב – 'av): Hebrew word meaning "cloud", functioning here with the preposition 'el (see below). The construction is ka'ab.
• cloud (Hebrew: עָב – 'av): Mass noun signifying a dense formation, often associated with the divine presence (Exodus 13:21) or vast numbers.
• and (Hebrew: וְ – ve): Conjunction.
• like (Hebrew: כְּ – ke): Preposition indicating comparison.
• doves (Hebrew: יוֹנִים – yonim): Plural of dove (yonah). Doves are known for their gentle nature and communal living.
• to (Hebrew: אֶל – 'el): Preposition indicating direction or motion toward.
• their (Hebrew: מְקוֹרֹת – mekorot, meaning "fountains", but here functioning possessively or in association with "windows"). The word mekorot is interesting, meaning "springs" or "fountains," suggesting perhaps origin points or life-giving sources from which the "doves" emerge.
• windows (Hebrew: חַלּוֹנַיִךְ – challonayich): Second person feminine singular possessive form of challon (window). "Your windows."
• their (Hebrew: רָאמִית – ra'amit, meaning "doormice" or a species of bird, also connected to soaring or high places): This word is highly debated. Some interpret it as a type of bird known for its migratory patterns or ability to soar. Others suggest it might be a textual corruption, with some scholars proposing alternatives based on similar-sounding words that could relate to nests or cooing. Given the context of flying to somewhere, a bird-like imagery is likely. The sense is likely of something moving towards Zion from their sources/dwelling places.
• doormice/window-fowls (Hebrew: מְקוֹרֹת – mekorot, when associated with birds, may imply "where they nest" or "springing forth from"). The precise meaning here remains obscure but contributes to the image of multitudes coming from various locations, possibly their nesting places or sources of sustenance.

Grouped Analysis:

• "Fly like a cloud": This idiom signifies an immense, densely packed, and fast-moving multitude, recalling the clouds that God used to guide or represent His presence. It emphasizes both quantity and speed.
• "like doves to their windows/fountains": This simile highlights the innate homing instinct and certainty of their return. Doves would fly back to their familiar homes (windows or nesting spots, mekorot can mean springs, perhaps their home springs). This conveys a sense of longing and predestined return to Zion.
• "To their windows/fountains": This specifies the destination of the movement, which is back to their origin or dwelling places within Zion, their "windows" representing points of entry or visibility. Mekorot here might suggest the "fountains" of life or lineage within the restored city.

Isaiah 60 8 Bonus Section

The Hebrew term mekorot for "fountains" or "springs" when associated with "windows" (challonayich) adds an interesting layer of interpretive depth. It might suggest not just dwelling places, but also sources of life or spiritual nourishment emanating from Zion. It hints at the revitalizing power of God's presence that draws people from afar. Some scholars also propose the reading of ra'amit as representing specific migrating birds known for their precise homing abilities, thus amplifying the speed and instinctiveness of the movement described. The contrast between the overwhelming power of the cloud and the gentle, yet purposeful, return of the doves encapsulates the multifaceted nature of God’s drawing power – it is both authoritative and appealing.

Isaiah 60 8 Commentary

Isaiah 60:8 paints a compelling picture of salvation history's convergence. The overwhelming throng approaching Zion isn't a ragtag group, but a magnificent, unified, and swift movement. This gathering isn't a forced migration but a natural, irresistible draw towards the divine presence and restoration promised to Zion.

The "cloud-like" and "dove-like" imagery works in tandem. Clouds, especially in biblical times, could portend judgment, but also God's overwhelming presence and power, covering and sheltering (Ps 91:4). Here, it's a cloud of people, vast and unified, perhaps representing the protective aspect of God’s restored community. Doves are symbols of peace, gentleness, and loyalty, but their swift, precise return to their roosts suggests a homing instinct towards Zion, a fulfillment of divine calling and longing for home.

This future ingathering, first glimpsed in the return from Babylonian exile, finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ. Jesus’ ministry and death and resurrection are the means by which God gathers scattered believers, not just from geographical dispersion, but from sin and separation, to form a new, spiritual community. The final culmination will be the eternal gathering of the redeemed from all nations into the new Jerusalem, where God dwells fully with His people, fulfilling the vision of Isaiah on a cosmic scale.

Practical Application:This verse calls believers today to recognize the inclusive nature of God's salvation. Just as the nations were drawn to Zion, Christ draws all peoples into His kingdom. It also encourages perseverance, understanding that periods of apparent isolation or diminishment will be followed by an expansive period of blessing and gathering. We are called to be part of this ongoing spiritual migration, contributing to the "drawing" of others by reflecting God's glory.