Isaiah 11

King James Version

Full text for Isaiah Chapter 11

1¶ And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

2And the 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 of the fear of the LORD;

3And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:

4But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

5And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

6The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

7And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

8And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.

9They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

10¶ And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

11And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

12And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

13The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.

14But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.

15And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make [men] go over dryshod.

16And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Isaiah 11 prophesies the coming of a righteous ruler, a "Branch" from Jesse, upon whom the Spirit of the Lord will rest. He will judge with perfect wisdom and equity, establishing a kingdom of peace where even predatory animals live harmoniously with the meek. This ruler will also serve as an ensign for the Gentiles, and the Lord will gather the dispersed remnant of Israel and Judah from across the earth, uniting them and making a way for their return.

Medium Summary

The chapter begins with a prophecy concerning a future ruler, described as a "Rod out of the stem of Jesse" and a "Branch." This individual will be endowed with the Spirit of the LORD, possessing wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and the fear of the LORD. He will judge the poor with righteousness and the meek with equity, bringing justice and slaying the wicked with his word. Under his rule, a remarkable peace will prevail, where natural animosities cease; wolves will dwell with lambs, and children will play safely with venomous creatures, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD. Furthermore, this "Root of Jesse" will stand as a standard for the nations, drawing the Gentiles to him. The Lord will then gather the scattered remnant of Israel and Judah from various lands, uniting them and removing their internal strife. A miraculous path, reminiscent of the Exodus, will be made for their return, as the Lord dries up the Egyptian sea and the great river.

Long Summary

Isaiah chapter 11 opens with a profound messianic prophecy, foretelling the emergence of a righteous ruler, metaphorically described as a "Rod out of the stem of Jesse" and a "Branch" growing from his roots. This promised figure will be uniquely endowed with the Spirit of the LORD, embodying wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and a deep fear of the LORD. His judgment will be characterized by absolute righteousness and equity, particularly benefiting the poor and the meek of the earth, while he will utterly smite the wicked with the power of his word. Righteousness and faithfulness will be the very foundation of his authority and character. Following this description of the ruler, the prophecy shifts to depict the profound peace and harmony that will characterize his reign. Predatory animals like the wolf, leopard, and lion will dwell peacefully with lambs, kids, and calves, and even a small child will lead them. Infants will safely play near the dens of venomous snakes, signifying a complete absence of harm and destruction throughout the Lord's holy mountain. This universal peace will be a direct result of the earth being "full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea." The chapter then transitions to the global impact of this "Root of Jesse," who will stand as an "ensign" for the people, attracting the Gentiles to seek him, and his rest will be glorious. In that day, the Lord will intervene a second time to recover the remnant of his people, gathering them from numerous lands including Assyria, Egypt, and the islands of the sea. He will raise an ensign for the nations, assembling the outcasts of Israel and the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. The long-standing envy between Ephraim and Judah will cease, and their adversaries will be cut off, fostering unity. The reunited people will then extend their influence over surrounding nations, including the Philistines, Edom, Moab, and Ammon. Finally, the Lord will miraculously clear the path for their return, destroying the "tongue of the Egyptian sea" and dividing the great river into seven streams, allowing his people to pass over dryshod, echoing the miraculous deliverance from Egypt.

Core Concepts

  • The Branch from JesseA prophetic title for a future righteous ruler, indicating his lineage from King David's father, Jesse, and signifying new growth and hope from a seemingly diminished line. He is the central figure through whom God's promises will be fulfilled.
  • Spirit of the LORDThe divine endowment upon the Branch, comprising wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and the fear of the LORD, enabling him to judge perfectly and rule justly. These spiritual gifts empower his righteous governance.
  • Righteous JudgmentThe defining characteristic of the Branch's rule, where he judges the poor and meek with equity, not by outward appearance, and uses his word to smite the wicked. This establishes a kingdom of justice and fairness.
  • Messianic PeaceA vivid depiction of universal harmony under the Branch's reign, where natural animosities between creatures cease, and even children are safe among traditionally dangerous animals. This signifies a profound transformation of the natural order.
  • Gathering of the RemnantThe prophecy that the Lord will gather the scattered people of Israel and Judah from various nations, uniting them and bringing them back to their land. This restoration will be a second, miraculous exodus.
  • Ensign for the NationsThe "Root of Jesse" will serve as a standard or banner, drawing not only the dispersed Israelites but also the Gentiles to himself. This signifies his universal appeal and authority.
  • Unity of Israel and JudahThe prophecy that the historical division and envy between the northern kingdom (Ephraim) and the southern kingdom (Judah) will cease. They will be reunited and act in concert against their adversaries.