Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

60:6-8 God Has Spoken: "These Lands Are Mine!" These verses seem to recall an oracle (God has spoken) that gives God's plan for Israel's place in the world. The places mentioned in vv. 6-7 (Shechem, Succoth, Gilead, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Judah) are all parts of the land that God promised to Israel; the places in v. 8 (Moab, Edom, Philistia) are neighboring lands, which also belong to the Lord (cf. Ex. 19:5). Israel exists to bring blessing to the Gentiles; in the time of David this normally happened as these nations came under Israelite sovereignty (cf. note on Psalm 2). Thus the military campaign is put in the context of Israel's mission; mere territorial expansion, as such, was not a part of Israel's calling.