Isaiah 60:16
in Isaiah 60You will drink the milk of nations and nurse at the breasts of royalty; you will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Thou shalt also suck the milk of the nations, and shalt suck the breast of kings; and thou shalt know that I, Jehovah, am thy Saviour, and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
KJV
Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
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This verse in Isaiah 60
Commentary
10 notes on this verse(Verse 15, 16.) Because you were abandoned and hated, with no one to pass by, I will make you a pride for all generations, a joy from generation to generation. You will suck the milk of the nations and nurse at the breast of kings. And you will know that I am the Lord, your Savior and strong Redeemer, Jacob. LXX: Because you were abandoned and hated, with no one to help, I will make you an eternal exultation, a joy for generations to come.
This site's exposition
Whereas you have been forsaken and despised
on Isaiah 60:15-16
“Whereas you have been forsaken and despised” names the ruin before its opposite: “I will make you an everlasting pride”. It closes on titles the book returns to, “your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob”, a title first given in Genesis 49:24.
This site's exposition
nurse at the breasts of royalty
Wesley reads the milk as the wealth of nations given freely, the way milk flows from a mother. Aquinas takes the breasts as the defence and aid of kings. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown tie the knowing of the LORD to the favours shown Zion, and set it beside Isaiah 66:11-12.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Instead of "salvation," the Hebrew reading has "Jesus" in its marks and letters, by which our Savior is written there. This is the origin of the power of the name of our Savior Jesus, which serves as a partition or strong wall to those worthy of these things. Such is seen now in part, but with the new age it will come into being with the perfection of presence.… See how the message stops us from a more physical understanding and from falling into the obvious, literal Jewish understanding. For it calls the gates of this new Jerusalem hymn singing and praising. Thus we are instructed that the entries of the revered citizenship is to consist of those who enter singing hymns and praising God.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Third, he sets out the utility of their subjection: and you shall suck, that is, the fat of the earth shall be brought to you in merchandise and offerings; and you shall be nursed with the breasts, the defense and aid, of kings, of Tyre …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Yet considering how short Jerusalem's excellency was, and how short it came of the vast compass of this promise, we must look for the full accomplishment of it in the perpetual excellencies of the gospel church, far exceeding those of the Old-Testament church, and the glorious privileges and advantages of the Christian religion, which are indeed the joy of many generations.
Shalt suck - That the church shall draw, or receive the wealth of nations, and the riches, and power of kings, and whatever is most excellent, and that it shall come freely, and affectionately, as milk flows from the breast of the mother.
Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Thou shalt suck the milk of the Gentiles - This expression means, ‘Whatever is valuable and rich which they possess shall contribute to your welfare.’ The idea is the same substantially which occurs in the previous parts of the chapter, that the riches of the pagan world would become tributary to the advancement of the true religion.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
suck--Thou shalt draw to thyself and enjoy all that is valuable of the possessions of the Gentiles, &c. 66:11, 12). know--by the favors bestowed on thee, and through thee on the Gentiles.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְיָנַקְתְּ֙ | veyanakt | and you will suck | H3243 → | 33 times |
| חֲלֵ֣ב | chalev | [the] milk of | H2461 → | 44 times |
| גּוֹיִ֔ם | goyim | nations | H1471 → | 561 times |
| וְשֹׁ֥ד | veshod | and [the] breast of | H7699 → | 24 times |
| מְלָכִ֖ים | melakhim | kings | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| תִּינָ֑קִי | tinaki | you will suck | H3243 → | 33 times |
| וְיָדַ֗עַתְּ | veyadaat | and you will know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אֲנִ֤י | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| מֽוֹשִׁיעֵ֔ךְ | moshiekh | [am] deliverer your | H3467 → | 206 times |
| וְגֹאֲלֵ֖ךְ | vegoalekh | and redeemer your | H1350 → | 104 times |
| אֲבִ֥יר | ʾavir | [the] mighty one of | H46 → | 6 times |
| יַעֲקֹֽב׃ | yaako | Jacob | H3290 → | 350 times |
וְיָנַקְתְּ֙and you will suck
veyanaktH3243 →33 times
חֲלֵ֣ב[the] milk of
chalevH2461 →44 times
גּוֹיִ֔םnations
goyimH1471 →561 times
וְשֹׁ֥דand [the] breast of
veshodH7699 →24 times
מְלָכִ֖יםkings
melakhimH4428 →2525 times
תִּינָ֑קִיyou will suck
tinakiH3243 →33 times
וְיָדַ֗עַתְּand you will know
veyadaatH3045 →945 times
כִּ֣יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
אֲנִ֤יI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
מֽוֹשִׁיעֵ֔ךְ[am] deliverer your
moshiekhH3467 →206 times
וְגֹאֲלֵ֖ךְand redeemer your
vegoalekhH1350 →104 times
אֲבִ֥יר[the] mighty one of
ʾavirH46 →6 times
יַעֲקֹֽב׃Jacob
yaakoH3290 →350 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 49:23Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow to you facedown and lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD;…
it leads to
- Isaiah 60:14
The sons of your oppressors will come and bow down to you; all who reviled you will fall facedown at your feet and call you the City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy…
- Isaiah 60:3
Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
- Micah 7:17
They will lick the dust like a snake, like reptiles slithering on the ground. They will crawl from their holes in the presence of the LORD our God; they will tremble in fear of…
- Isaiah 45:14
This is what the LORD says: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, along with the Sabeans, men of stature, will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge…
- Isaiah 60:10–11
Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Although I struck you in anger, yet in favor I will show you mercy.
- Isaiah 60:14
Through
Isaiah 61:6But you will be called the priests of the LORD; they will speak of you as ministers of our God; you will feed on the wealth of nations, and you will boast in their…
it leads to
- Exodus 19:6
And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites.”
- 1 Peter 2:5
you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
- 1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
- Exodus 19:6
Where this verse is studied
About Isaiah
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Eusebius of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:50; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.