The general reference to the wealth of nations flowing to Jerusalem in verse 5 becomes specific here and in the following verses. Both the kinds of wealth as well as the sources of that wealth are identified. All this wealth from Judah’s surrounding nations will be offered to Yahweh.

A multitude of camels shall cover you: In verse 5 the wealth arrived from across the ocean; now it comes across the land on the backs of camels. In that region in Old Testament times, camels were the primary means of transport over long distances (see the comments on 21.7). A multitude of camels probably refers to the large number of camels involved in transporting the goods to Jerusalem, so Good News Translation says “Great caravans of camels” (similarly New American Bible, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Another possible view is that this phrase refers to the large number of camels themselves as the wealth that was brought in rather than what they carried, so New International Version has “Herds of camels.” The first view is the more likely meaning. The verb cover has the sense of filling the land, that is, “being everywhere.” This is a poetic hyperbole (exaggeration). For this whole line translators may say “Countless camels will be found all over the country/land.”

The young camels of Midian and Ephah speaks about the kind of camels there are, and where they come from. The Hebrew term rendered young camels actually refers to a species of camel rather than simply its young age, though the noun does have the same Hebrew root (bkr) as the noun for “firstborn.” The term may refer to the dromedary (so New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), which is a one-humped camel, distinct from the two-humped camel. The source of the camels is Midian (9.4; 10.26) and Ephah, which were two areas located in the northern part of the Arabian Peninsula. The people living there were famous traders. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch combines this line with the previous one, saying “Caravans of camels with their heavy loads come from Midian and Ephah” (similarly Good News Translation).

All those from Sheba shall come: Sheba is probably the same place as Seba, mentioned in 43.3 (see the comments there). It was a country on the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. The text is not clear on whether the camel caravans from Midian and Ephah will carry goods from Sheba, or whether the people of Sheba will also be among those who carry goods to Jerusalem (so Contemporary English Version, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). The Hebrew syntax suggests that the goods come from Sheba on camel caravans led by the people of Midian and Ephah. Bible en français courant expresses this sense by rendering the first three lines of this verse as “Your land will be covered by a large number of camels: they will be the caravans of Midian and Ephah, all coming from Sheba.”

They shall bring gold and frankincense: Gold (see 2.7) and frankincense (see 43.23) were among the most prized goods in that part of the ancient world, so they were traded widely (see Matt 2.11). Sheba was famous for its gold and spices, such as frankincense (see 1 Kgs 10.1-2; Psa 72.15). The noun gold is a keyword in this subsection, reappearing in verses 9 and 17.

And shall proclaim the praise of the LORD: Revised Standard Version renders Masoretic Text quite closely, implying that the camels will praise Yahweh. According to the Hebrew syntax, the pronoun they in the previous line refers to the camels, so they are the subject here. Like Revised Standard Version, many versions leave the impression that the camels actually praise the LORD. In poetry this kind of personification is possible (see also the next verse). Here it means that the camels praise Yahweh by their mere presence. Good News Translation avoids the personification by adding the noun “People” as those who praise him (similarly New Jerusalem Bible). This is valid since the rest of the subsection makes it clear that the foreign nations will recognize what Yahweh has done and praise him (see verses 9, 14). The Hebrew verb rendered proclaim is from the same root that is translated “herald of good tidings” in 40.9 (see the comments there). It means to proclaim a message, whether good or bad. Here it is a message that gives praise to Yahweh. Revised English Bible renders this line as “heralds of the LORD’s praise,” and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “And shall herald the glories of the LORD.” Good News Translation is clearer with “People will tell the good news of what the LORD has done.”

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• Many camels will fill your land,
dromedaries from Midian and Ephah.
They all will come from Sheba,
carrying gold and incense.
People will declare Yahweh’s praise.

• Camel caravans will cover your land,
young camels will come from Midian and Ephah,
each bringing gold and incense from Sheba.
People will praise Yahweh.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .