Isa 49:23, 61:6, 66:11-12 | JFB | STEP | 23. lick . . . dust —that is, kiss thy feet in token of humble submission. for they . . . not . . . ashamed . . . wait for me —The restoration of Israel shall be in answer to their prayerful waiting on the Lord ( ).

Isaiah 49:23

23. lick . . . dust—that is, kiss thy feet in token of humble submission.

for they . . . not . . . ashamed . . . wait for me—The restoration of Israel shall be in answer to their prayerful waiting on the Lord (Isa 30:18, 19; Ps 102:16, 17; Zec 12:10; 14:3).

Isaiah 61:6

6. But ye—as contrasted with the "strangers." Ye shall have no need to attend to your flocks and lands: strangers will do that for you; your exclusive business will be the service of Jehovah as His "priests" (Ex 19:6, which remains yet to be realized; compare as to the spiritual Israel, Isa 66:21; 1Pe 2:5, 9; Re 1:6; 5:10).

Ministers— (Eze 44:11).

eat . . . riches of . . . Gentiles— (Isa 60:5-11).

in their glory . . . boast yourselves—rather, "in their splendor ye shall be substituted in their stead"; ye shall substitute yourselves [MAURER].

Isaiah 66:11-12

11. suck— (Isa 60:5, 16; 61:6; 49:23).

abundance—Hebrew, "the ray-like flow of her opulence," that is, with the milk spouting out from her full breasts (answering to the parallel, "breast of her consolations") in ray-like streams [GESENIUS].

12. extend—I will turn peace (prosperity) upon her, like a river turned in its course [GESENIUS]. Or, "I will spread peace over her as an overflowing river" [BARNES], (Isa 48:18).

flowing stream—as the Nile by its overflow fertilizes the whole of Egypt.

borne upon . . . sides—(See on Isa 60:4).

her . . . her—If "ye" refers to the Jews, translate, "ye shall be borne upon their sides . . . their knees," namely, those of the Gentiles, as in Isa 49:22; and as "suck" (Isa 60:16) refers to the Jews sucking the Gentile wealth. However, English Version gives a good sense: The Jews, and all who love Jehovah (Isa 66:10), "shall suck, and be borne" by her as a mother.