Isaiah 11:1-9

The Branch From Jesse

1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD—

3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;

4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.

5 Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.

6 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling^[a] together; and a little child will lead them.

7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.

9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

Isaiah 11:1-9 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

• 1. S 2 Kings 19:26; S Job 14:7
• 2. S Job 14:8
• 3. ver 10; Isaiah 9:7; S Matthew 1:1; S Revelation 5:5
• 4. S Isaiah 4:2
• 5. S 2 Kings 19:30; S Isaiah 27:6
• 6. S Judges 3:10; Isaiah 32:15; Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 44:3; Isaiah 48:16; Isaiah 59:21; Isaiah 61:1; Ezekiel 37:14; Ezekiel 39:29; Joel 2:28; Matthew 3:16; John 1:32-33; John 16:13
• 7. S Exodus 28:3; S Ephesians 1:17; S Colossians 2:3
• 8. S Isaiah 9:6; 2 Timothy 1:7
• 9. Isaiah 33:6
• 10. John 7:24
• 11. John 2:25
• 12. S Psalms 72:2
• 13. S Psalms 72:4; S Isaiah 14:30
• 14. S Isaiah 9:7; Revelation 19:11
• 15. S Job 5:16; S Isaiah 3:14
• 16. Isaiah 27:7; Isaiah 30:31; Zechariah 14:12; Malachi 4:6
• 17. S Job 40:18; Psalms 2:9; Revelation 19:15
• 18. S Job 4:9; Psalms 18:8; Isaiah 30:28,33; Isaiah 40:24; Isaiah 59:19; Ezekiel 21:31; 2 Thessalonians 2:8
• 19. S Psalms 139:19
• 20. Exodus 12:11; 1 Kings 18:46
• 21. Isaiah 25:1
• 22. Ephesians 6:14
• 23. Isaiah 65:25
• 24. S Job 40:15
• 25. Isaiah 65:20
• 26. Isaiah 14:29; Isaiah 30:6; Isaiah 59:5
• 27. S Numbers 25:12; S Isaiah 2:4; S Isaiah 9:7; Job 5:23
• 28. S Psalms 48:1; S Isaiah 2:2
• 29. 1 Samuel 17:46; Psalms 98:2-3; Isaiah 45:22; Isaiah 48:20; Isaiah 52:10
• 30. Exodus 7:5; Isaiah 19:21; Isaiah 45:6,14; Isaiah 49:26; Jeremiah 24:7; Jeremiah 31:34; Habakkuk 2:14

Footnotes

• [a] Hebrew; Septuagint "lion will feed"