Articles

Main > >

Posted on: 16-Dec-2009

The Mention Of The Offering of Sacrifices at Makkah In The Book of Isaiah

The Mention Of The Offering of Sacrifices at Makkah In The Book of Isaiah

This prophecy recorded in chapter LX of the Book of Isaiah[1] of the Bible is reproduced below. A renowned Muslim scholar, Qadi Sulayman Mansurpuri, has quoted this prophecy in his magnum opus Rah@matulli’l-‘A^lami$n and has explained it in a few lines there.[2] It is pertinent to undertake a thorough study of it. Exhaustive footnotes having sufficient references and relevant excerpts have been afforded on the spot, so that it may not be said that the evidence is scanty. They are to be carefully studied along with the text to appreciate the significance of the observations recorded at the end of the passage. In some cases they may not be directly relevant to the theme, but they are important to make the concept clear. It would be advisable that after initially going through the whole of this theme, the verses alongwith their footnotes be studied once again. It would thus be appreciated that the conclusions drawn from the verses are absolutely pertinent:

[3]Arise, shine; for thy light is come[4], and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. (2) For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. (3) And the gentiles[5] shall come to thy light[6], and kings[7] to the brightness of thy rising.[8] (4) Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee[9]; thy sons shall come from afar, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.[10] (5) Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged [NKJV translates these italicized words as: ‘swell with joy’]; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee,[11] the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. (6) The multitude of camels[12] shall cover thee, the dromedaries [young camels] of Midian[13] and Ephah[14]; all they from Sheba[15] shall come; they shall bring gold and incense and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord. (7) All[16] the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth[17] shall minister[18] unto thee; they shall come up with acceptance[19] on mine altar,[20] and I will glorify the house of my glory.[21] (8) Who are these that fly as a cloud[22], and as the doves to their windows? (9) Surely the islands shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish[23] first, to bring thy sons from far, (…). (11) Thereforethy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night[24]; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought. (12) For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.[25] (…). (14) The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the Lord, The Zion[26] of the Holy One of Israel.[27] (15) Whereas thou hast been forsaken[28] and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellence, a joy of many generations[29]. (…). (18) Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. (…). (20) Thy sun shall no more go down [30]; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. (21) Thy people also shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting[31], the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. [32]

Here are some observations which would help the reader to appreciate the real status of the above verses and their implications:

1. Changes have been made in the above passage by the redactors of the Bible, as is evident from the New Jerusalem Bible’s observation on verse 12 and 14 reproduced in the relevant footnotes above. Each and every verse, therefore, should be considered on its own merit.

2. Most of the commentators of the Bible attach these verses to the rebuilding of the Solomon’s Temple that is generally called the ‘Second Temple’ or the ‘Temple of Zerubbabel’.[33] (A brief account of the history of the ‘Solomon’s Temple’ has been afforded under ‘Appendix IV’ at the end of this book.)

3. Most of the scholars of the Bible hold that according to the above passage this ‘Second Temple’ had to be more magnificent than the ‘First One’[34]. The New Oxford Annotated Bible remarks: ‘The new Jerusalem will surpass Solomon’s city in beauty and tranquillity.[35]’ The actual position is quite contrary to it. McKenzie’s Dic. of Bible explains:

It [The Second Temple] was no doubt of the same dimensions and structure as the temple of Solomon but much inferior in the richness of its decorations (Ezr 3:12; Hg 2:3).[36]

W. Smith’s Dic. of Bible asserts:

From these dimensions we gather that if the priests and Levites and elders of families were disconsolate [i.e. unhappy, downcast] at seeing how much more sumptuous [i.e. lavish, magnificent, costly] the old temple was than the one which on account of their poverty they had hardly been able to erect, Ezra 3:12, it certainly was not because it was smaller; but it may have been that the carving and the gold and the other ornaments of Solomon’s temple far surpassed this, and the pillars of the portico [i.e. covered walk; row of columns] and the veils may all have been far more splendid; so also probably were the vessels; and all this is what a Jew would mourn over far more than mere architectural splendor.[37]

R. J. McKelvey explains, ‘but even the foundations showed that it [the Second Temple] would be inferior to Solomon’s Temple.’[38] The 7^th Day Adventist Bible Dic. explains that it was of poorer construction as compared to the Solomon’s Temple.[39] Prof. Dr George A. Barton asserts:

The dimensions of the building were probably the same as those of Solomon’s Temple, though the edifice was apparently at first lacking in ornament. It was probably because the building was less ornate that the old men who had seen the former Temple wept at the sight of its successor.[40]

4. If someone undertakes a sincere and objective analytic study to ascertain the implications and purport of the verses, he will reach only one conclusion: these verses plainly and obviously relate only to the sacrifices offered since time immemorial by the pilgrims of the Ka’bah at Makkah. These verses can in no way be attached to the Second (or Zerubbabel’s) Temple because: (i) It was not more glorious or magnificent than the Solomon’s Temple, even if the glory be considered to be the spiritual glory as some of the scholars take it to be. (ii) The Gentiles and kings never came to the ‘light’ and ‘the brightness of the rising’ of the Second Temple (v.3). It were only a small number of Jews who visited it after they were allowed to return from their exile, for only the period of 515 BC to AD 70, whereafter the Jewish Second Temple had been destroyed and it does not exist there for almost the last twenty centuries. Even during this period of 515 BC to 70 AD the Temple and the Jews had to suffer great distress (see App.V) for a number of times. (iii) Neither the abundance of the sea was ever converted unto the Jewish clan; nor the forces of Gentiles ever came or entered to the fold of the Jews or their Second Temple (v. 5). The wealth of the nations was never brought to this Second Temple on the seas. (iv) There is no tradition that any herds of camels of the Arabian pilgrims (the people of Midian, Ephah, and Sheba, the progenies of Abraham through his wife Keturah) ever visited this Second Temple for pilgrimage ‘proclaiming the praise of the Lord’ (v. 6).[41] (v) There is no tradition that Abraham’s progenies from Ishmā‘el’s sons Kedar and Nebaioth (the people of Arabia) ever gathered around the Second Temple or offered any sacrifices of flocks and rams on the Second Temple, which would be accepted as offerings on God’s altar (v.7). (vi) It is in no way applicable to the Second Temple that ‘thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought.’ (v.11). Not to say of the gates, there is not even a building of the Temple on earth for the last two thousand years. (vii) It never happened at any time in the history of nations that ‘The sons also of them [the Babylonians] that afflicted thee [the Jews] shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet.’, as the verse 14 claims; whereas the Yemeni forces that were utterly wasted due to their ill-will towards Ka‘bah but their descendants regularly visit the sanctuary with respect and fervour. (viii) It can in no way be said of the Second Temple or the Jews ‘I will make you an object of eternal pride,[42]and the joy of all generations.[43]’ (v.15). (ix) It is also not true about the ‘Second Temple’ that ‘Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.’ (v.18). (x) It can also not be claimed about the ‘Second Temple’ or the Israelites that ‘Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended’ (v.20); for the ‘Second Temple’ and the Israelites have undergone so many vicissitudes and misfortunes that plainly belie the assertion ‘the Lord shall be thine everlasting light,’ (xi) The conduct and status of the Israelites is quite contrary to the claim made in v. 21 ‘Thy people also shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land forever,’. Whereas the actual fact is that instead of being ‘righteous’ they became evildoers, usurers, and wealth-worshippers; and instead of ‘inheriting the land forever’ they had been thrown out of it disgracefully. Now, that they have again been given the control of their land, they have resorted to cruelty, plunder, corruption, and sin, instead of sympathy, God-cautiousness, and virtuousness. It can by no means be attributed as righteousness.

From the analytical study undertaken above it can be concluded that the words of Ch. LX of the book of Isaiah, with all shades of their meanings and implications have nothing to do with the ‘Second Temple’ or the Israelites.

5. The application of chapter LX of the book of Isaiah to the Jews or the ‘Second Temple’ being categorically ruled out, a probe into its exact significance is to be made. If someone undertakes a sincere and objective study to ascertain the implications and purport of the verses, he will reach only one conclusion: these verses plainly and obviously relate only to the sacrifices offered since time immemorial by the pilgrims of the Ka’bah at Makkah to commemorate the offering of Abraham his only son Ishmā‘el. Here are some observations based on the analytic study of the verses that will be useful in appreciating their real status, purport, and significance. (a) Verse 3 asserts, ‘And the Gentiles [according to NIV and many other translations: ‘Nations’] shall come to thy light, and kings[44] to the brightness of thy rising.’ It is to be noted that as long as the Temple belonged to the Jews, the Gentiles were not permitted to enter the main Temple, and if some Gentile dared to enter the sanctuary, he was to be sentenced to death. No doubt there existed a ‘Court of the Gentiles’ with the Temple, but it lay outside the sanctuary. ‘The court of the Gentiles was accessible to anyone. It was separated from the temple and the other courts by a balustrade (row of short pillars surmounted by rail) with inscriptions prohibiting Gentiles from entering the interior courts under pain of death.’[45] When the Jews got ejected from the temple for good, its building was also destroyed and there does not exist any temple on this planet for the last twenty centuries. If the Government of Israel gets the temple reconstructed, for which it is trying hard, and there are reasons to believe that it may succeed in it, its main sanctuary would again become prohibited for the Gentiles. It is only the sanctuary of Makkah, where Muslims of all nations from all over the world have been coming regularly since time immemorial. (b) The contents of v.4, ‘Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee; thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. [GNB has well translated it as, ‘Your daughters will be carried like children’]’ had never been applicable to the ‘Second Temple’. But as far as the Ka’bah is concerned, they are fully applicable to it in every sense of the words. It would be interesting to note that the Qur’ān has described the phenomenon of the Pilgrimage and the sacrifices to be offered there as:

وَإِذْ بَوَّأْنَا لِإِبْرَاهِيمَ مَكَانَ الْبَيْتِ أَن لَّا تُشْرِكْ بِي شَيْئًا وَطَهِّرْ بَيْتِيَ لِلطَّائِفِينَ وَالْقَائِمِينَ وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ وَأَذِّن فِي النَّاسِ بِالْحَجِّ يَأْتُوكَ رِجَالًا وَعَلَى كُلِّ ضَامِرٍ يَأْتِينَ مِن كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ لِيَشْهَدُوا مَنَافِعَ لَهُمْ وَيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَّعْلُومَاتٍ عَلَى مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّن بَهِيمَةِ الْأَنْعَامِ فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا الْبَائِسَ الْفَقِيرَ ثُمَّ لْيَقْضُوا تَفَثَهُمْ وَلْيُوفُوا نُذُورَهُمْ وَلْيَطَّوَّفُوا بِالْبَيْتِ الْعَتِيقِ ذَلِكَ وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ حُرُمَاتِ اللَّهِ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُ عِندَ رَبِّهِ وَأُحِلَّتْ لَكُمُ الْأَنْعَامُ إِلَّا مَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ فَاجْتَنِبُوا الرِّجْسَ مِنَ الْأَوْثَانِ وَاجْتَنِبُوا قَوْلَ الزُّورِ حُنَفَاء لِلَّهِ غَيْرَ مُشْرِكِينَ بِهِ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا خَرَّ مِنَ السَّمَاء فَتَخْطَفُهُ الطَّيْرُ أَوْ تَهْوِي بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي مَكَانٍ سَحِيقٍ ذَلِكَ وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ

And when We settled for Abraham the place of the House [the Ka’bah]: ‘Thou shall not associate with Me anything. And do thou purify My House for those that shall go about it and those that stand, for those that bow and prostrate themselves; and proclaim among men the Pilgrimage, and they shall come unto thee on foot and upon every lean beast, they shall come from every deep ravine that they may witness things profitable to them and mention God’s Name on days well-known over such beasts of the flocks as He has provided them: So eat thereof, and feed the wretched poor. Let them then finish with their self-neglect and let them fulfil their vows, and go about [circumambulate] the Ancient House.’[46] (…). ‘Such (is the Pilgrimage): Whoever honours the sacred Rites of God, for him it is good in the sight of his Lord’[47]

(c) It can by no means be said of the ‘Second Temple’ as the v. 5 claims, ‘the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.’ It is true only of the Ka’bah at Makkah, that although it is situated in a barren land, yet it is abundantly provided with every sort of the provisions of the world. Again it is Makkah that the faithful Muslim Gentiles (men and women) from all over the world assemble there together with all their utilities through sea routes, land routes, and by air. It has been recorded in verse 8: ‘Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?’ The landings of the aeroplanes carrying the millions of pilgrims for the sanctuary of Makkah depict the exact picture of the verse. No planes coming to any sanctuary on earth present this phenomenon. (d) Who can claim about the Second Temple as has been asserted in v.6, ‘The multitude of camels shall cover your land, The dromedaries [young camels] of Midian and Ephah; All they from Sheba shall come: They shall bring gold and incense; and they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord.[48]’ It never happened at any stage of the history of the world that such great multitudes of the Arabian people might have visited the sanctuary of Jerusalem in the form of the camel caravans. As regards the sanctuary of Makkah and the sacrifices being offered there, it is true to the letter. It will also be appreciated that the pilgrims utter the ‘Talbiyah’ (a part of which is ‘All praise belongs to you, O God.’) loudly as the Bible has noted ‘they shall proclaim or shew forth [i.e. declare loudly or openly] the praises of the Lord.’ (e) No man on earth can endorse to the claim of v.7 regarding the ‘Second Temple’ that: ‘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.’ Kedar and Nebaioth are the sons of Ishmā‘el and their descendants have been living in Arabia for thousands of years. There had been no tradition amongst them to visit Jerusalem and to offer sacrifices there. On the other hand every informed citizen of the modern world knows that they have been coming to the sanctuary at Makkah for Pilgrimage since time immemorial. Isn’t it a sufficient proof of the fact that the above verses of chapter LX of the book of Isaiah exclusively refer to the offering of sacrifices at the sanctuary of Makkah by the descendants of Abraham’s son Ishmā‘el. It is further to be considered how God can glorify the house that does not even exist on earth. It is only the house of God’s glory at Makkah that has been safely existing since time immemorial which can be glorified and is physically glorified in every sense of the word. Page H. Kelley has explained this verse as, ‘The tribes of Arabia also bring sacrificial offerings of flocks and rams.’[49] And the fact is that the tribes of Arabia never took their sacrifices to Jerusalem. The tradition amongst them has prevailed to bring sacrificial offerings to Makkah, which is an important ritual during their Pilgrimage. (f) It has been claimed in v. 9 that, ‘Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far.’ Tarshish was situated on the south coast of Spain, as explained in the relevant footnote (No.209) above. As long as the Jerusalem Temple existed, there was no question of any Spaniards coming to it for offering any sacrifices. On the other hand, Spain had been conquered by the Arabs in the first century of Hijrah and they had settled there. These sons of Abraham through his son Ishmā‘el, as the Arabs are, regularly visited the sanctuary of Makkah to perform Umrah (small Pilgrimage, which is performed the whole year through) and Pilgrimage and offered their sacrifices there to commemorate Abraham’s offering their fore-father Ishmā‘el for sacrifice. (g) As regards v.11, ‘thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night’, this writer has himself visited the sanctuary at Makkah. It has been noted that it remains open around the clock. It has been a perpetually celebrated tradition through the ages. As regards the ‘Second Temple’, when there does not exist any building thereof, how the gates can remain open day or night. (h) Verse 14 asserts, ‘The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, the city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.’ It is true of the sanctuary of Makkah verbatim et literatim. It physically happened in January, 630 at the time of the Conquest of Makkah by the Prophet of Islām. As regards the phrase ‘The Zion of the Holy One of Israel’, it does not fit in the context. It is obviously an interpolation by some redactor or a gloss by some commentator. ‘The city of the Lord’ is the exact translation of ‘Baytullah’ which is the Arabic name of ‘Ka’bah’ (i) The opening clause of v. 15, ‘Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated,’ plainly refers to Hagar. In the relevant footnote above, it has been noted with reference to Dummelow and the 7^th Day Adventist Bible Com. that ‘The figure is that of a forsaken wife.’ As regards the last sentence of the verse, ‘I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many [in fact this word should have been ‘all’ as has been translated by NIV, etc.] generations’ the words ‘eternal excellency’ and ‘a joy of all generations’ can in no way be applied to the temple of Jerusalem. It is only the sanctuary of Makkah that the words can be attributed to in true sense. (j) Verse 18 reads as, ‘Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.’ Not to say of Jerusalem’s Temple being secured from ‘violence, wasting, and destruction’ it does not even exist on earth for the last two thousand years. The contents of this verse can in no way be applied to the Temple of Jerusalem. A brief sketch of the history of Jerusalem’s Temple has been afforded in ‘Appendix IV’ and it can be confirmed there. On the other hand it is applicable to the sanctuary of Makkah in true sense of the words. (k) V.21 says, ‘Thy people also shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land for ever.’ Who can claim the Jewish people to have inherited the land of Jerusalem forever? On the other hand every knowledgeable person knows that the Arabs have been holding the land of the sanctuary of Makkah since time immemorial. As to the last clause of the verse, ‘that I may be glorified’, anybody who has happened to perform a Pilgrimage or Umrah at the sanctuary of Ka’bah, would verify the statement.

[1] Dr. W. Fitch, Minister, Church of Scotland, Glasgow, remarks in his Commentary to the book of Isaiah in the New Bible Com. (p.604):

This is a prophecy of great beauty, thrilling [make someone feel excited and happy] with the joy of a great assurance that the purpose of God is so triumphantly to be fulfilled in the earth.

[2] Qa$d@i$ Sulayma$n Mans@u$rpuri, Rah@matulli’l-‘A^lami$n (Delhi: I’tiqa$d Publishing House, 2001), 1:196.

[3] Carroll Stuhlmueller asserts in The Jerome Bible Com. (p.382):

These chapters (60-62), especially ch. 60 according to Dhorme (op. cit., xlvii), are a lyrical description of the new Jerusalem.

He assigns the explanation of Chapter 60 the title of ‘Glory of the New Jerusalem’. It means that this Chapter 60 is considered to be related to the ‘Second Temple’. A brief account of the history of the Solomon’s Temple has been afforded in App. IV at the end of the book.

It may be noted here that Jerusalem is a meaningful word comprising of two segments: Jeru = city or place; and Salem = peace. As such Jerusalem means: ‘city or abode of peace’. The Bible mentions two Jerusalems without any explanation. In fact the first and the ancient ‘City of Peace’ is the Jerusalem of Canaan which existed there even before Abraham. The second and the new ‘City of Peace’ is Makkah which was founded by Abraham and has been mentioned in the Qur’an as ‘al-Balad al-Amin’. It is only Makkah which is Jerusalem (City of Peace) in the true sense of word. A detailed study on the theme has been undertaken in this writer’s book ‘Muh@ammad Foretold in the Bible by Name’.

[4] The Jewish Com. Soncino Chumash’sfootnote (p.1134) is:

This is addressed to Jerusalem. Light being the symbol of joy and salvation, Jerusalem is told that the light had been rekindled (K).

For the history of Jerusalem see Appendix V at the end of the book.

[5] NIV translates it as: ‘Nations’. Generally this word ‘gentile’ means all the nations and people other than the Jews.

[6] The Rev. Dr. I. W. Slotki, Eng. Trans. & Com on Isaiah (London: The Soncino Press, 1949), p. 292 has recorded a footnote on it:

The nations will learn the ways of God, religion and morality, from [you].

[7] Matthew Henry’s An Exposition of the O & NT (5:351), explains:

‘kings’ means: ‘men of figure, power, and influence’.

[8] Dr. W. Fitch asserts in New Bible Commentary (p. 604):

Then will the city be the centre of the world’s light, for the glory of the everlasting God will rest upon her and will radiate around the world.

It may be noted here that after Isaiah the 2^nd Temple never gained such glory as has been indicated here. It is only the Temple of Makkah which can claim this glory through the advent of the Prophet of Islām.

[9] Matthew Henry asserts in his An Exposition of the O & NT (NY: Robert Carter & Bros., 530, Broadway, 1712), 5:350:

When the Jews were settled again in their own land’ after their captivity, many of the people of the land joined themselves to them; but it does not appear that there ever was any such numerous accession to them as would answer the fulness of this prophecy; and therefore we must conclude that this looks further, to the bringing of the Gentiles into the [naturally, the forthcoming words should have been ‘fold of that altar or sanctuary’; but it is the dexterity and adroitness of the worthy commentator that he manipulates to interpret it in the following terms] gospel church, not their flocking to one particular place, though under that type it is here described. There is no place now that is the centre of the church’s unity; but the promise respects their flocking to Christ, and coming by faith, and hope, and the holy love, into that society which is incorporated by the charter of his gospel, and of the unity of which he only is the centre.

This is an example how the Christian scholars mould any simple statement of the OT to be applied to Jesus Christ or the ‘Church’.

[10] NEB: ‘your daughters walking beside them leading the way.’ Matth. Henry’s An Exposition of the O & NT, 5:351: ‘Sons and daughters shall come in the most dutiful manner’. Both of these translations make a reasonable sense in this context. It depicts the true picture of the caravans and groups of men and women coming together for the pilgrimage of this sanctuary of Makkah.

[11] New Jerusalem Bible(p.1282)translates it as:

since the riches of the sea will flow to you, the wealth of the nations come to you;

NIV (p. 779) has translated it as:

the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.

The Soncino Chumash(p.1134)has recorded a footnote here:

Whereas in the past the Land of Israel was desolate and forsaken, it will now be crowded with multitudes like a roaring sea (K).

But it could never come true as far as the Second Temple is concerned.

[12] The Wycliffe Bible Com. explains(p.651):

It is quite remarkable that, in origin, all these offered treasures are preponderantly [being superior in power, numbers, etc] Arabian.

But, in his wishful thinking, he interprets it as:

Perhaps there is a suggestion here that Islam will some day turn to the Cross.

This remains a mere dream and wishful thinking of the worthy scholar.

[13] 7^th Day Adventist BC(4:314)explains the word ‘Midian’ as ‘A region in the desert of Arabia (Ex. 2:15).’ In fact Midian was one of the six sons of Abraham from his wife Keturah (whom he had taken as wife after the death of Sarah). Abraham had settled these Keturah’s sons (Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah) in Arabia.

[14] 7^th Day Adventist Bible Com.(4:314)explains the word ‘Ephah’ as:

A Midianite tribe(Gen. 25:4; 1 Chron. 1:33),and here the region they inhabited.

In fact Ephah was one of the five sons of Midian (Ehpah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida and Eldaah). Midian was one of his sons from Keturah.

[15] The New Jerusalem Bible(p.1283) explains:

Midian, Ephah and Sheba are peoples of Arabia.

The 7^th Day Adventist Bible Dic.(p.1015)explains:

(…) it is now generally held that it was a queen of this Arabian Sheba, in the area now called Yemen, who made a visit to Solomon (1Ki 10:1-13). The Sabeans were one of the most important peoples of all Arabia.(…).They built large dams and an extensive irrigation system, which made their country the most fertile in ancient Arabia. This is why it was known in classical times as Arabia Felix, ‘Happy Arabia.’

[16] Derek Kidner, Warden of Tyndale House, Cambridge, in his Commentary on the Book of Isaiah in the NBC Revised(p. 621) asserts:

v. 7is crucial to the understanding of the chapter [60].

[17] Dummelow (p.450) has explained the word ‘Nebaioth’ in his commentary as: ‘a tribe allied to Kedar, descended from Ishmael (Gn 25¹³).’ The New Jerusalem Bible(p.1283) explains Nebaioth as ‘an Arabian people, seeGn. 25:13; 28:9; 36:3.’A New Catholic Com. on Holy Scripture (p.597) explains:

The tribes of ‘Kedar’ and of ‘Nebaioth’ were of Ishmaelite origin, and were mainly shepherds.

The Wycliffe Bible Com.(p.651),after remarking that:

It is quite remarkable that, in origin, all these offered treasures are preponderantly Arabian.

makes a wishfully predictive assertion:

Perhaps there is a suggestion here that Islam will some day turn to the Cross.

[18] The actual Hebrew word for this ‘minister’ or ‘serve’ isשרת ‘sharath’ or ‘shareth’, which, according to Strong’s Dic. of the Hebrew Bible,p. 122, entry 8334, 35, means:

to attend as a menial or worshipper; fig. to contribute to, minister, wait on; or service (in the temple).

J. H. Hertz’ The (Jewish Commentary) Pentateuch and Haftorahs(p. 875),translates the Hebrew Word as ‘minister’; and explains it in his footnote as ‘By providing animals for sacrifices ’.

[19] NIV(p. 779)translates it as:

They will be accepted as offerings on my altar, and I will adorn my glorious temple.

[20] Dummelow (p. 450) has recorded a footnote here in his Com. on B:

The nations are pictured as coming in a long train, to bring their riches for the service of the sanctuary.

Matthew Henry’s An Exposition of theO & NT, 5:351notes:

Great numbers of sacrifices shall be brought to God’s altar, acceptable sacrifices, and, though brought by Gentiles, they shall find acceptance.

If related to the Second Temple, these are mere wishful imaginations.

[21] NIV (p. 779)translates it as: ‘and I will adorn my glorious temple.’ The Soncino Chumash(p. 1134)has recorded a footnote here: ‘By causing the nations to bring their gifts and offerings to it (K).’

[22] It depicts a true picture of thousands of aeroplanes coming and landing at the airport of Jeddah daily like clouds, with hundreds of thousands of pilgrims on board who come here to perform ‘Umrah (short H@ajj), and during the H@ajj season in even greater multitude.

[23] Carroll Stuhlmueller explains the word ‘Tarshish’ in The Jerome Bible Com.(p. 383) as:‘A Phoenician colony in southern Spain (Jon 1:3).’ It is to be noted here that it had been ruled by Muslim Arabs for about eight centuries. These Muslims travelled in ships to the sanctuary of Makkah to perform pilgrimage.

[24] Dr. W. Fitch, Minister, Church of Scotland, Glasgow, remarks in his Commentary to the book of Isaiah in the NBC(p. 604):

The gates will not be shut by day nor night, a symbol of absolute security under the blessing of her God.

But, under any stretch of sense, they cannot be applied to the Second Temple. On the other hand it is exactly true of the sanctuary at Makkah, whose gates remain open day and night and the pilgrims, most of which are gentile, and their kings as well, keep circumambulating around Ka‘bah without any break of even a single minute during day and night with absolute security and under the blessings of their God.

[25] The New Jerusalem Bible(p. 1283) has inserted a footnote onV. 12:

Interrupting the continuity, [v. 12]is very probably additional.

A New Catholic Com. on Holy Scripture (p. 597)has also recorded similar observation on this verse:

In a context of this kind, the threat mentioned in 12 is astonishing, and is probably a gloss inserted later.

[26] A brief account of the word ‘Zion’ has been afforded at the end of ch. XI of this book.

[27] In the words of The New Jerusalem Bible(p. 1283)it may also be, like v. 12,‘very probably additional’. But even if vv 12 and 14 be not additional, interpolated, and corrupt in entirety and their theme be intact and unpolluted, it is safely applicable to the sanctuary of Makkah and depict the true picture of the conquest of Makkah at the hands of the Prophet of Islām.

[28] Dummelow (p. 450)has recorded a footnote here in his commentary: ‘The figure is that of a forsaken wife (54⁶),’. The 7^th Day Adventist Bible Com.(4:315)notes, ‘Like a forsaken wife.’ It clearly relates to Hagar, the mother of Ismā‘el.

[29] The Nelson Study Bible asserts in the footnote to v.15 (p.1209):

The new sanctuary will be greater than the old one because it is eternal, rich, and spiritual (vv. 17, 18); which is exactly true of the sanctuary of Makkah.

[30] The Soncino Chumash(p.1137) has recorded a footnote here:

Israel’s sovereignty and glory will never again depart (K).

It is nothing more than a wishful expectation, which could never be materialized . On the other hand it is exactly true of the sanctuary of Makkah.

[31] The Soncino Chumash (p. 1137) has recorded a footnote here:

Israel’s national glory will endure for ever, because the restoration will be the work of God (K).

It also remained a mere dream, because even after the construction of the Second Temple, the restoration of the glory of Israel, which is mentioned here as ‘the work of God’, was not materialized. They could only enjoy a limited ‘Internal Autonomy’ under the Persian, Greek, Syrian, or Roman empires and, subsequently, the Temple was completely destroyed in AD 70 for good; and the dream of ‘Israel’s national glory will endure for ever’ remained a mere dream, as it was.

[32] Isa. 60:1-21 KJV.

[33] Dr. W. Fitch in his Com. on Isaiah in the NBC(p. 604)asserts:

Jerusalem is to be rebuilt (…). Then will the city be the centre of the world’s light [unfortunately the city could never become ‘the centre of the world’s light’], for the glory of everlasting God will rest upon her and will radiate around the world [the world never saw this dream come true]. (…) iii. Jerusalem to be built again. (lx. 10-14). (…). When rebuilt the gates will not be shut by day nor night (11), a symbol of absolute security under the blessing of her God [of course, it is quite true that ‘the gates will not be shut by day nor night’ because they do not even physically exist on earth. As such, the question of their being ever shut does not arise, because it is ‘a symbol of absolute security under the blessing of her God.’ How can someone dare to comment on it!], and also implying the warmth of the welcome that will be given to those that seek an entrance therein.

See also the first footnote on the above passage.

[34] See footnotes on vv. 5, 15, 20, 21 above.

[35] Footnote on Isa. 60:17-18 NOAB, p. 950.

[36]J.L. McKenzie’s Dic. of Bible, 875.

[37]W. Smith’s Dic. of Bible, 680.

[38] New Bible Dic., 1170.

[39]See 7^th Day Adventist Bible Dic., 1100.

[40] The Jewish Enc, 12: 97.

[41] Isa. 60:6f GNB:

Great caravans of camels will come, from Midian and Ephah. They will come from Sheba (…)! All the sheep of Kedar and Nebaioth Will be brought to you as sacrifices And offered on the altar to please the Lord.

Isa. 60:6f CEV:

Your country will be covered with caravans of young camels from Midian and Ephah. The people of Sheba will bring gold and spices in praise of me, the Lord. Every sheep of Kedar will come to you; rams of Nebaioth will be yours as well. I will accept them as offerings and bring honor to my temple.

The contents of the above statement are merely a wishful imagination as far as the Second Temple is concerned. The phenomena of the above verse are only a dream of some credulous redactor of the Bible, which could never turn into a ground reality to console the poor person!

[42]New Jerusalem Bible, 1283.

[43]NIV (p. 780).

[44] It may be noted here that According to Matth. Henry’s An Exposition of the O & NT, 5:351, ‘kings’ means: ‘men of figure, power, and influence’.

[45] Mckenzie’s Dic. of Bible, 875.

[46] A. J. Arberry, The Koran Interpreted, p. 336, (22:26-29).

[47] A Yūsuf Ali, The Holy Qur’ān, p. 858, (22:32).

[48] The Nelson’s Study Bible, 1208.

[49] Page H. Kelley in the Broadman Bible Com., ed. Clifton J. Allen etc., (Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman Press, 1971), 5:360.

Author: Abdus Sattar Ghauri

Categories

Articles

The Mention Of The Offering of Sacrifices at Makkah In The Book of Isaiah