Isaiah 11:4-14

4 but 1with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall 2strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and 3with the breath of his lips 4he shall kill the wicked.
5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and 5faithfulness the belt of his loins.
6 6The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.
9 7They shall not hurt or destroy in all 8my holy mountain; 9for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
10 In that day 10the root of 11Jesse, who shall stand as 12a signal for the peoples--of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.
11 13In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, 14from Assyria, 15from Egypt, from 16Pathros, from 17Cush,[a] from 18Elam, from 19Shinar, from 20Hamath, and from 21the coastlands of the sea.
12 He will raise 22a signal for the nations and will assemble 23the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
13 24The jealousy of Ephraim shall depart, and those who harass Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not be jealous of Judah, and Judah shall not harass Ephraim.
14 25But they shall swoop down on the shoulder of the Philistines in the west, and together they shall plunder 26the people of the east. They shall put out their hand 27against 28Edom and 29Moab, and 30the Ammonites shall obey them.

Isaiah 11:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 11

This chapter is a prophecy of the Messiah, and gives an account of his descent, as man; of his qualifications for his office, as a Judge and King; of his performance of it; of the peaceableness of his kingdom; of the spread of it among the Gentiles, by the preaching of the Gospel; and of the last and general conversion of the Jews. His original and descent from David the son of Jesse, under the titles of a rod and branch, is described as mean and obscure, expressed by stem and roots, Isa 11:1 his gifts and qualifications for his work, in general and particular, Isa 11:2 the performance of it, both with respect to good men and bad men, in the fear of the Lord, with all equity, righteousness, and readiness, Isa 11:3-5 the peaceableness of his kingdom is figuratively expressed, by the agreement of savage and tame creatures, the former becoming the latter, and so losing their malignant and hurtful nature, through the efficacy of the Gospel, spreading the knowledge of Christ all over the world, Isa 11:6-9 particularly among the Gentiles, comparable to those savage creatures, who, upon the exhibition of Christ in the Gospel; should seek to him, and find rest in him, Isa 11:10 which will be followed or accompanied with a collection of the Jews out of all lands, and the conversion of them, which will be brought about by the power and grace of God, all impediments being by him removed out of the way; the consequences of which will be, peace among themselves, and obedience among the Gentiles, Isa 11:11-16.

Cross References 30

  • 1. Psalms 72:2, 4
  • 2. Psalms 2:9; [Malachi 4:6]
  • 3. Job 4:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:8
  • 4. Psalms 139:19
  • 5. [Ephesians 6:14]
  • 6. Isaiah 65:25; [Hosea 2:18]
  • 7. [See ver. 6 above]
  • 8. Psalms 78:54
  • 9. Habakkuk 2:14
  • 10. Cited Romans 15:12
  • 11. ver. 1
  • 12. Isaiah 49:22; [Exodus 17:15]
  • 13. Isaiah 10:20
  • 14. Isaiah 27:13; Micah 7:12; Zechariah 10:10
  • 15. Isaiah 27:13; Micah 7:12; Zechariah 10:10
  • 16. Jeremiah 44:1, 15; Ezekiel 29:14; Ezekiel 30:14
  • 17. See Genesis 10:6-12
  • 18. Genesis 10:22; Genesis 14:1, 9; Jeremiah 25:25; See Jeremiah 49:34-39
  • 19. Genesis 11:2
  • 20. See Isaiah 10:9
  • 21. Esther 10:1
  • 22. [See ver. 10 above]
  • 23. Isaiah 56:8; [Zechariah 10:6]
  • 24. Ezekiel 37:16, 17; [Isaiah 9:21; Zechariah 11:14]
  • 25. [2 Samuel 8:1; 2 Kings 18:8]
  • 26. Judges 6:3; See Jeremiah 49:28
  • 27. Psalms 60:8
  • 28. [2 Samuel 8:14]
  • 29. [2 Samuel 8:2]
  • 30. See 2 Samuel 12:26-31

Footnotes 1

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.