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1The cut-off stump of Jesse will sprout,[#11:1 That is, the royal family line of David. Jesse, the grandson of Boaz, was the father of King David. Jesse means “upright,” “firm,” or “strong.”; #11:1 Or “go forth.” Notice the contrast with the arrogant “branches” that are cut off (see 10:33–34).]
and a fruitful Branch will grow from his roots:
2the Spirit of Yahweh will rest upon him,[#11:2 The “Spirit of ” is the Spirit of prophecy, the manifest presence of God resting upon the Lord Jesus. In the Hebrew culture, to say “the Spirit of rests upon” someone meant the Spirit of prophecy was upon them. See John 1:32–33.]
the Spirit of Extraordinary Wisdom,
the Spirit of Perfect Understanding,
the Spirit of Wise Strategy,
the Spirit of Mighty Power,
the Spirit of Revelation,
and the Spirit of the Fear of Yahweh .
3He will find his delight in living[#11:3 Or “his smelling [sensing],” a Hebraic figure of speech for finding pleasure in something. The Septuagint reads “He will fill him with the spirit of the fear of the Lord [absolute loyalty to God].” The Aramaic can be translated “He will shine forth with the reverence of the Lord.” The seven Spirits of God mentioned in these verses are also mentioned in Rev. 1:4; 4:4–5; 5:6. The Holy Spirit is one (see Eph. 4:3–4) but revealed in seven dimensions. The golden lampstand in the tabernacle had seven branches. The sevenfold Spirit of God is the illuminating influence over God’s people.]
by the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord.
He will neither judge by appearances
nor make his decisions based on rumors.
4With righteousness he will uphold justice for the poor[#11:4 Or “by judging with righteousness.” Isaiah uses this word (Hb. tzedeq ) fifty-one times.]
and defend the lowly of the earth.
His words will be like a scepter of power
that conquers the world,
and with his breath he will slay the lawless one.
5Righteousness will be his warrior’s sash
and faithfulness his belt.
6Then the wolf will be subdued and live with the gentle lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the gentle lamb. The young calf and the ferocious lion will be together, and as a shepherd drives his flock , a small child will guide them along![#11:6 The list of animals in this section represents various attributes and spiritual conditions within human beings (cf. Calvin). Some are clean and some are unclean; some are wild and some are tame. They typify aspects of human nature (e.g., the nature of a wolf, a lamb, a lion, a leopard) because elsewhere in Scripture they refer to human beings. Each reveals an aspect of the nature of Adam or of the nature of Christ. This figurative passage of Scripture points to the subduing power of the life of Christ within his people, taming the “wolf,” the enemy of a lamb ( John 10:12; Acts 20:29–30), to be subdued and to lie down with the lamb (Christ’s nature within us). The Hebrew word for “lamb” ( kebes ) is taken from a root word meaning “to subdue” or “to dominate.” There are fifteen natures (creatures) mentioned in this passage that are reconciled and rest together. Fifteen is the number of rest in the Bible.; #11:6 The leopard is mentioned eight times in the Bible, and in every instance, it is used figuratively for an aspect of human beings or of spiritual powers of darkness. It is emblematic of an aspect of human nature that cannot be changed or tamed. See Song. 4:8; Jer. 5:6; 13:23; Dan. 7:6; Hab. 1:8; Rev. 13:2.; #11:6 Or “stretch out.”; #11:6 Or “kid,” meaning either a male lamb or a male goat (see footnote on Song. 1:8). The Hebrew word for “kid” ( gĕdiy ) comes from the root word “cut off.” As the Lamb of God, Jesus was cut off from the land of the living for our salvation.; #11:6 See 1 Peter 5:8.]
7The cow and the bear will graze alongside each other; cubs and calves will lie down together. The lion, like the ox, will eat straw.[#11:7 There is a subtle play on words found in the Hebrew. The word for “graze [feed]” is tir‛ēynâ , and the word for “become friends” is titrā‛ēynâ . So the cow and bear grazing together become friends.]
8The nursing child will play safely near the rattlesnake’s den, and the toddler will stretch out his hand and shine light over the serpent.[#11:8 The Hebrew word for “hand” is yad and can also be translated “power.” Although many translations render this “a child will put his hand over the serpent’s den,” the Hebrew text uses the word meuwrah , which means “an opening of light.” Jesus told us that unless we become like little children we can never enter heaven’s kingdom reality. Even little children in God’s kingdom have power over the serpent and bring light into its hiding place. The Hebrew word for “toddler” is “weaned child.” This word ( gāmûl ) is a homophone that can also be translated “ripe fruit,” “reward,” “deal bountifully,” or “do good [to another].” This “weaned child” is the nature of Christ being produced in us. All is subdued and hostility is removed in the kingdom of God. See Phil. 3:21.]
9On all my holy mountain of Zion , nothing evil or harmful will be found. For the earth will be filled with the intimate knowledge of the Lord Yahweh just as water swells the sea![#11:9 See Isa. 2:1–5.; #11:9 Or “destructive.”; #11:9 The Septuagint uses a present-tense verb, “is [presently] filled [to the brim].”; #11:9 Or “as the waters form a covering for the sea.” See Jer. 31:34; Hab. 2:14; Heb. 8:11.]
10On that day, the root of Jesse will be lifted up as a miracle -sign to rally the people. Gentiles will diligently seek him, and his resting place will be glorious![#11:10 That is, the royal family line of David (a metonymy). John took this phrase from Isaiah and quoted Jesus referring to himself as the Root of David. See Rev. 5:5; 22:16.; #11:10 Or “standing up.” Jesus was “lifted up” on the cross to bring us salvation ( John 12:32).; #11:10 The contemporary Hebrew word nes means “miracle,” while the ancient Hebrew means “sign [signal].” This translation includes both concepts. The Septuagint is “He will arise to rule the nations [gentiles].”; #11:10 Or “Gentiles will put their hope in him” (LXX). See John 12:20–21; Rom. 15:12.; #11:10 Instead of saying “glorious,” the prophet simply employed the noun glory ( kabod ). The bride of Christ is now his resting place ( Song. 1:16–17). The Hebrew word menuḥâ is also found in Psalm 23:2: “He offers a resting place for me. . . . His tracks take me to an oasis of peace.” He had nowhere to lay his head, but the heart of a believer is now his resting place. Glory is found at the place where he rests.]
11On that day, the Lord will extend his hand a second time to restore the remnant of his people from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and the coastlands of the sea.[#11:11 God is a God of restoration, even for those who have miserably failed him.; #11:11 Possibly a loan word from Egyptian indicating the region of Upper Egypt. Pathros means “desert dryness.”; #11:11 Or “Cush.” Cush means “scorched” or “blackened.”; #11:11 Or “Elam,” a nation-state in the southwestern region of modern-day Iran, whose ancient capital was Susa. Elam means “hidden” or “concealed.”; #11:11 Or “Shinar [Babylonia].” Shinar means “divided land” or “divided stream.”; #11:11 Or “Hamath,” west-central Syria. Hamath means “walled-up fortress.”; #11:11 Possibly the “islands of the [Mediterranean?] sea.” These eight regions are eight areas that Christ will restore within the hearts of those who follow him. Eight is the number of a new beginning.]
12He will lift up a banner among the nations and will gather the scattered Jews, and assemble the outcasts of Israel from the four corners of the earth.[#11:12 Or “he will gather the dispersed of Judah.”]
13Then Ephraim will be cleansed of envy, and those who are hostile to Judah will be cut off. Ephraim will no longer be jealous of Judah, and Judah will no longer be hostile toward Ephraim.[#11:13 This is the healing of the divided kingdom. See Jer. 3:18; Ezek. 37:22.]
14But they will swoop down on the slopes of Philistia to the west; together they will plunder the people of the east. They will rule over Edom and Moab, and the Ammonites will obey them.[#11:14 Or “on the shoulder of Philistia.” The shoulder becomes a metaphor for the hills.; #11:14 The Ammonites lived in modern-day Jordan.]
15The Lord Yahweh will dry up the gulf of the Egyptian Sea. He will raise his hand over the Euphrates, and with the might of his wind, he will split it into seven streams that can be easily crossed in sandals.[#11:15 Or “divide” or “destroy.”; #11:15 Or “tongue of the Red Sea.”; #11:15 Or “wadis.”]
16Then there will be a highway leading out of Assyria for his remnant people to return, just as there was for Israel when they were set free from Egypt.