Hmmm.
Whenever I wonder what a verse means I start reading several verses before the verse in question and then read on.
Isaiah 60:7 talks about how sheep will gather themselves and "They will go up with acceptance on My altar."
Isaiah 60:8 THEN God says "Who are these who fly like a cloud and like doves to their lattices?" (or dovecots or windows- the alternatives given in my "updated" new American Standard.)
This is a bit of what I like to call "Jesus humor," only this time it is God talking.
The SHEEP are the clouds.
How many millenia have we been seeing sheep in clouds?
He's talking about sheep leaping onto the altar in order to be sacrificed.
The doves to their dovecots would then refer to them treating the altar as their home, as their rightful and proper place.
The sheep are eager to be sacrificed.
JonathanAB, I went to my bible ready to defend you if need be.
Why wouldn't there be airplanes in a vision of an apocalyptic future?
But I really think it's a sheep joke.
It may be, however, that it refers to the ships in the next verse.
The flying like clouds may refer to their flletness in returning and the doves to dovecots/windows/lattices is clearly a returning home, things being where they belong imagery.
It is entirely possible that the imagery could go both directions, that God has made a semantic pun of sorts in linking the two, willing sacrifies and sons returning home.
Does anyone have the Hebrew/read Hebrew?
In any case, thank-you for asking.
I always enjoy Isaiah.
Seems like every time I read it I enjoy/understand it more.
Funny thing, that.
Bless up!
