Isaiah 11

Listen to Isaiah 11

The Righteous Reign of the Branch

1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of 1Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
2 And 2the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. 3He shall not judge by 4what his eyes see, or decide disputes by 5what his ears hear,
4 but 6with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall 7strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and 8with the breath of his lips 9he shall kill the wicked.
5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and 10faithfulness the belt of his loins.
6 11The 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 12They shall not hurt or destroy in all 13my holy mountain; 14for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
10 In that day 15the root of 16Jesse, who shall stand as 17a signal for the peoples--of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.
11 18In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, 19from Assyria, 20from Egypt, from 21Pathros, from 22Cush,[a] from 23Elam, from 24Shinar, from 25Hamath, and from 26the coastlands of the sea.
12 He will raise 27a signal for the nations and will assemble 28the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
13 29The 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 30But they shall swoop down on the shoulder of the Philistines in the west, and together they shall plunder 31the people of the east. They shall put out their hand 32against 33Edom and 34Moab, and 35the Ammonites shall obey them.
15 And the LORD will utterly destroy[b] 36the tongue of the Sea of Egypt, and will wave his hand over 37the River with his scorching breath,[c] and strike it into seven channels, and he will lead people across in sandals.
16 And there will be 38a highway from Assyria for the remnant that remains of his people, 39as there was for Israel when they came up from the land of Egypt.

Isaiah 11 Commentary

Chapter 11

The peaceful character of Christ's kingdom and subjects. (1-9) The conversion of the Gentiles and Jews. (10-16)

Verses 1-9 The Messiah is called a Rod, and a Branch. The words signify a small, tender product; a shoot, such as is easily broken off. He comes forth out of the stem of Jesse; when the royal family was cut down and almost levelled with the ground, it would sprout again. The house of David was brought very low at the time of Christ's birth. The Messiah thus gave early notice that his kingdom was not of this world. But the Holy Spirit, in all his gifts and graces, shall rest and abide upon him; he shall have the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him, ( Colossians 1:19 , Colossians 2:9 ) . Many consider that seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are here mentioned. And the doctrine of the influences of the Holy Spirit is here clearly taught. The Messiah would be just and righteous in all his government. His threatening shall be executed by the working of his Spirit according to his word. There shall be great peace and quiet under his government. The gospel changes the nature, and makes those who trampled on the meek of the earth, meek like them, and kind to them. But it shall be more fully shown in the latter days. Also Christ, the great Shepherd, shall take care of his flock, that the nature of troubles, and of death itself, shall be so changed, that they shall not do any real hurt. God's people shall be delivered, not only from evil, but from the fear of it. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? The better we know the God of love, the more shall we be changed into the same likeness, and the better disposed to all who have any likeness to him. This knowledge shall extend as the sea, so far shall it spread. And this blessed power there have been witnesses in every age of Christianity, though its most glorious time, here foretold, is not yet arrived. Meanwhile let us aim that our example and endeavours may help to promote the honour of Christ and his kingdom of peace.

Verses 10-16 When the gospel should be publicly preached, the Gentiles would seek Christ Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, and find rest of soul. When God's time is come for the deliverance of his people, mountains of opposition shall become plains before him. God can soon turn gloomy days into glorious ones. And while we expect the Lord to gather his ancient people, and bring them home to his church, also to bring in the fulness of the Gentiles, when all will be united in holy love, let us tread the highway of holiness he has made for his redeemed. Let us wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life, looking to him to prepare our way through death, that river which separates this world from the eternal world.

Cross References 39

  • 1. ver. 10; Acts 13:23
  • 2. Isaiah 61:1; Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22
  • 3. [John 7:24]
  • 4. [Ecclesiastes 1:8]
  • 5. [Ecclesiastes 1:8]
  • 6. Psalms 72:2, 4
  • 7. Psalms 2:9; [Malachi 4:6]
  • 8. Job 4:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:8
  • 9. Psalms 139:19
  • 10. [Ephesians 6:14]
  • 11. Isaiah 65:25; [Hosea 2:18]
  • 12. [See ver. 6 above]
  • 13. Psalms 78:54
  • 14. Habakkuk 2:14
  • 15. Cited Romans 15:12
  • 16. ver. 1
  • 17. Isaiah 49:22; [Exodus 17:15]
  • 18. Isaiah 10:20
  • 19. Isaiah 27:13; Micah 7:12; Zechariah 10:10
  • 20. Isaiah 27:13; Micah 7:12; Zechariah 10:10
  • 21. Jeremiah 44:1, 15; Ezekiel 29:14; Ezekiel 30:14
  • 22. See Genesis 10:6-12
  • 23. Genesis 10:22; Genesis 14:1, 9; Jeremiah 25:25; See Jeremiah 49:34-39
  • 24. Genesis 11:2
  • 25. See Isaiah 10:9
  • 26. Esther 10:1
  • 27. [See ver. 10 above]
  • 28. Isaiah 56:8; [Zechariah 10:6]
  • 29. Ezekiel 37:16, 17; [Isaiah 9:21; Zechariah 11:14]
  • 30. [2 Samuel 8:1; 2 Kings 18:8]
  • 31. Judges 6:3; See Jeremiah 49:28
  • 32. Psalms 60:8
  • 33. [2 Samuel 8:14]
  • 34. [2 Samuel 8:2]
  • 35. See 2 Samuel 12:26-31
  • 36. [Zechariah 10:11]
  • 37. See Isaiah 7:20
  • 38. Isaiah 19:23; [Isaiah 35:8]
  • 39. Exodus 14:29

Footnotes 3

Chapter Summary

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.

Isaiah 11 Commentaries

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