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ISAIAH 11

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PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB NKJV NRSV TEV NJB
Righteous Reign of the Branch The Reign of Jesse’s Offspring The Messianic King The Peaceful Kingdom A Descendant of David
11:1-9 11:1-5 11:1-3a 11:1 11:1-4
(1-9) (1-5) (1-3a)   (1-4)
      11:2-5  
      (2-5)  
    11:3b    
    (3b)    
    11:4-9    
    (4-9)    
        11:5

(5)
  11:6-9   11:6-9 11:6-9
  (6-9)   (6-9) (6-9)
    The Messianic Age The Exiled People Will Return Return From the Dispersion
11:10 11:10 11:10 11:10-16 11:10-16
(10) (10)     (10-16)
The Restored Remnant        
11:11-16 11:11 11:11-16    
(11-16) (11)      
  11:12-16 (12-16)    
  (12-16)      

READING CYCLE THREE (see
“Bible
Interpretation Seminar”)

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR’S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are
responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You,
the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject
divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the
original author’s intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

BACKGROUND STUDY

  1. Isaiah 11 is in sharp contrast to Isa. 10:33-34, which describes the fall of Assyria (cf. Isa. 10:15-19).
  2. As Assyria is cut down as a great forest, so the Messiah will rise from the stump of Jesse. Isaiah
    often uses imagery from trees.

  3. Isaiah 11 reflects the promises to David’s descendants found in 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17.
  4. This ideal eschatological period is also described in Isa. 2:2-4; 9:1-7. Isa. 11:10 could go with
    Isa. 11:1-9 or 11:11-16 depending on how one views the scope of the Messianic reign (i.e., the
    Promised Land restored or the whole earth).

    SPECIAL TOPIC: WHY ARE END-TIME EVENTS SO CONTROVERSIAL?

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: ISAIAH 11:1-5
 1Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse,
And a branch from his roots will bear fruit.
2The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him,
The spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The spirit of counsel and strength,
The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
3And He will delight in the fear of the Lord,
And He will not judge by what His eyes see,
Nor make a decision by what His ears hear;
4But with righteousness He will judge the poor,
And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth;
And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,
And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.
5Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins,
And faithfulness the belt about His waist.

11:1 “a shoot” This rare word found only here in the OT, (“twig,” “branch,” or “shoot” translated “rod”
in Pro. 14:3, BDB 310, KB 307) obviously refers to a supernatural Davidic descendant (cf. Isa. 6:13; 2 Samuel 7;
1 Chronicles 17; Rev. 22:16) out of a seemingly dead stump (i.e., exiled Judah) will come a new king! This
imagery (but different Hebrew word) is seen again in the Suffering Servant Song of Isaiah 52:13-53:12
(i.e., Isa. 11:2).

The Jewish Study Bible (p. 807) adds an interesting comment on “stump.”

“If the translation ‘stump’ is correct, then the passage may presume that the Davidic
dynasty will (or has) come to an end; this reading would deviate significantly from Isaiah’s notion
that Davidic kings will reign eternally (cf. 2 Sam. 7:8-16; Ps. 89:20-37). But the Hebrew ‘geza’
refers not only to a stump of a tree that has been cut down but also to the trunk of a living tree.”

I cannot confirm this meaning for “shoot” unless it is Isa. 40:24.

▣ “from the stem of Jesse” Jesse was King David’s father. This future descendant is mentioned
in Isa. 11:10; 9:7; 16:5.

The OT gives the lineage of the Special Coming One, the Anointed One.

  1. from the tribe of Judah, Gen. 49:8-12, esp. Isa. 11:10 and Rev. 5:5
  2. from the family of Jesse, 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17

The special child of the new age has now been identified as a special ruler. His character will
characterize the new age (cf. Jer. 23:5).

▣ “a branch from his roots” The NOUN “branch,” “sprout,” or “shoot”
(BDB 666, cf. Isa. 14:19; 60:21; Dan. 11:7) is parallel to “branch” or “sprout” (BDB 855, cf. Isa. 4:2;
61:11). New growth will come!


SPECIAL TOPIC: THE BRANCH OF THE LORD


SPECIAL TOPIC: JESUS THE NAZARENE

▣ “will bear fruit” The MT has the VERB “bear fruit” (פרה,
BDB 826, KB 963, Qal IMPERFECT, Dead Sea Scrolls, NASB), but most ancient
and modern versions assume a similar VERB, פרח (BDB 827, KB 966).

  1. NKJV, NRSV, Peshitta, “shall grow out”
  2. NJB, “will grow”
  3. LXX, Targums, “shall come up”
  4. REB, “will spring from”
  5. JPSOA, “shall sprout”

The second option fits the parallelism best!

11:2 “the Spirit of the Lord“ Many have tried to relate this passage to the
seven-fold spirits of Rev. 1:4. This seems doubtful to me. The MT lists six characteristics, but the LXX adds
a seventh, “piety,” in place of “fear” in Isa. 11:2, but then adds “fear” from Isa. 11:3. However, this does
relate to the titles of Isa. 9:6 and describes the king fully equipped by God in insight, administration, and
piety. The Spirit of the Lord abides on him as He did on David (cf. 1 Sam. 16:13).

The personality of the “Spirit” (see
SPECIAL TOPIC: SPIRIT IN THE BIBLE)
is not fully revealed in the OT. In the OT the Spirit is YHWH’s personal influence to accomplish His purposes,
much like the “Angel of the Lord.” It is not until the NT that His full
personality and Deity are revealed.

The other problem with the word “spirit” (BDB 924) is that it can refer to human characteristics or divine
action.


SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY


SPECIAL TOPIC: PERSONHOOD OF THE SPIRIT

▣ “will rest on Him” The VERB (BDB 628, KB 679) is a Qal
PERFECT with waw denoting a settled or continuing condition. It will abide
and remain. This same truth is stated in different ways in Isa. 42:1; 59:21; 61:1; Matt. 3:16; Luke 4:18.

▣ “the spirit of. . .” Basically there are three groups of gifts.

  1. intellectual
    1. wisdom, BDB 315 (opposite of Isa. 10:13)
    2. understanding, BDB 108 (see first pair in Deut. 4:6)
  2. effective administration (cf. Isa. 9:6-7)
    1. counsel, BDB 420
    2. strength, BDB 150

      (reign of peace through military power, cf. 2 Kgs. 18:20)

  3. personal piety
    1. knowledge of the Lord, BDB 395
    2. fear of the Lord, BDB 432 (cf. Isa. 11:3)

This same type of description is found in Isa. 2:2-4; 9:6-7; 42:1-4. It will be a time of
justice, righteousness. and peace.

11:3 “will delight” This is literally “breathe in” (BDB 926, KB 1195, Hiphil
INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT). This is used in the sense of the pleasing smell
of the sacrifice or incense rising to God (i.e., Gen. 8:21).


SPECIAL TOPIC: SOOTHING AROMA

▣ “in the fear of the Lord“ This term “fear” (BDB 432)
often denotes a respect for the awesomeness of God. It was meant as a deterrent to keep the covenant
people from sinning (cf. Exod. 20:20; Deut. 4:10; 6:24). King David feared YHWH (cf. 2 Sam. 23:3). This
Messiah, the new David, perfectly reflects this reverence as the ideal example of a “true Israelite.” Note
how it forms the introduction to Proverbs (cf. Pro. 1:7; also note 2:5; 14:26,27)!


SPECIAL TOPIC: FEAR (OT)

▣ “He will not judge by what His eyes see” Because of the gifts of the Spirit this special Davidic
ruler will be able to discern truth and not be tricked by false testimony. He will be the perfect righteous
judge. The kings of Israel functioned as the last resort for justice.

11:4 Does it surprise you that poverty and oppression will continue into the new age? This
is the kind of literalism that causes confusion. This verse’s purpose is the character of the Ruler,
not a description of an eschatological society! It was meant to show that He will bring conformity to the
ideals of God’s revealed covenant. He will reflect YHWH’s character Himself and project this onto
human relationships!

▣ “righteousness” See

SPECIAL TOPIC: RIGHTEOUSNESS.

NASB, NKJV, NRSV, LXX, Peshitta  ”the earth”
NJB  ”the country”
REB  ”the ruthless”
JPSOA  ”a land”

The first interpretive issue is the meaning of erets (BDB 75, KB 90; see the
semantic field in

SPECIAL TOPIC: LAND, COUNTRY, EARTH (OT).

The second issue is the possible emendation from REB.

  1. MT ‒ ארץ (BDB 75)
  2. NEB, REB ‒ עריץ (BDB 792)

The UBS Text Project, p. 27, gives the MT a “B” rating (some doubt).

The NEB/REB is an attempt to make the parallelism stronger.

▣ “with the rod of His mouth” This sounds very similar to the phrase used in Rev. 1:16; 2:16,
which speaks of the power of the spoken word (cf. Genesis 1; 55:11; John 1:1-5) in the phrase “sword of my
mouth.” The last two lines of poetry speak of the ruler’s effective power (cf. Isa. 11:2c).

11:5 Clothing is imagery used to describe the qualities of the coming righteous Davidic ruler. Later
Paul will use this to describe the believer’s provisions for spiritual conflict (cf. Eph. 6:14).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: ISAIAH 11:6-9
6And the wolf will dwell with the lamb,
And the leopard will lie down with the young goat,
And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little boy will lead them.
7Also the cow and the bear will graze,
Their young will lie down together,
And the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra,
And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.
9They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
As the waters cover the sea.

11:6-9 This is a picture of the Messianic era, described in terms of Genesis 1 and used as imagery
in Revelation 22. Nature has been affected by mankind’s sin, Genesis 3. It will also be affected by the Messiah’s salvation
(cf. Rom. 8:19-25). Notice the emphasis again on the small child of the new age.

The fellowship between humans and animals reflects the Garden of Eden (i.e., Genesis 2-3).
Humans have so much in common with the animals that occupy the surface of this planet. They were also
created for fellowship with God (cf. Job 38:39; 40:34) and us! The Bible starts with God, humans, and animals
in a garden setting (Genesis 1-2) and it concludes with God, humans, and with these passages in Isaiah,
animals (cf. Isa. 65:15; Hosea 2:18; Revelation 21-22). I personally do not think our pets will be in heaven, but I
do think animals will be a part of eternity! They add a wonderful richness to life. They only became food and
coverings after the Fall!

Another point about the inherent ambiguity involved in texts associated with the eschaton is the
age of the persons mentioned. Little children (Isa. 11:6) and infants (Isa. 11:8) implies that physical birth
continues. This assumes an earthly setting totally analogous to current life (cf. Matt. 24:38; Luke 17:27).
However, Jesus asserts that there will be no sexual activity in the new age (cf. Matt. 22:29-30). Will humans
in the eschaton be all different ages? Will they grow old? These are questions that have caused commentators
to postulate a limited earthly period of restored righteousness (i.e., a millennium) and a future idealized
state. Some have even postulated a split between a group in heaven and a group on earth. I prefer a single,
visible Second Coming and an immediate idealized fellowship with God. If this is true, much of the OT and
NT has to be viewed as accommodation related to the spiritual Kingdom of God. Please see my commentaries
on Revelation, Daniel, Zechariah online free at
www.freebiblecommentary.org.

This new day of universal peace is described in idealistic, area-wide, inclusivistic terms. When
is this new age to manifest itself?

  1. return from exile under Zerubbabel and Joshua (i.e., Ezra and Nehemiah)
  2. the Maccabean period (interbiblical)
  3. the inauguration of the Kingdom of God in Jesus’ lifetime (Gospels)
  4. a millennial period (Rev. 20:1-10 only)
  5. an eternal kingdom (cf. Dan. 7:14)

Each is viewed as a new opportunity, but with problems (#1-4). This is where different systematic
(denominational) theologies take the ambiguous references and turn them into a “theological grid” through
which to view all Scripture. The promises are sure! But the time frame and specifics are not.

One central question which deals with this issue is “how literal is the restoration of an
earthly garden (i.e., Eden) to be taken (Genesis 1-3 and Revelation 21-22)”? Is

  1. this planet the focus
  2. the kosmos the focus
  3. a spiritual realm beyond time-space, possibly another dimension of reality (cf. John 4:21-24; 18:36)?


SPECIAL TOPIC: WHY DO OT COVENANT PROMISES SEEM SO DIFFERENT FROM NT COVENANT PROMISES?

11:6
NASB, NKJV, NRSV, JPSOA  ”and the fatling”
TEV, REB  ”will feed together”
NJB  ”fat-stock beast”
LXX, NET  ”graze together”

The LXX and Peshitta add “ox” and also add the VERB “feed
together.” The MT has “fatling” (BDB 597), but no VERB. With an emendation “and the
fatling” (ומריא) can be changed to “will be fed”
(ימרו). The UBS Hebrew Text Project, p. 27, gives the VERB
“fed” a “C” rating (considerable doubt). With the parallelism of the first two and fourth lines of poetry
having VERBS, one would expect the third line to have one also. The Dead Sea Scroll
of Isaiah and the Septuagint have the VERB “fed” instead of “fatling.”

The fatling would have sacrificial connotations (cf. Isa. 1:11; Amos 5:22).

11:7 “lion” See
SPECIAL TOPIC: LIONS IN THE OT.

11:8
NASB, NKJV, NRSV, JPSOA  ”den”
NJB, LXX  ”lair”
REB, NET  ”nest”
Peshitta  ”hole”

The MT has a NOUN (BDB 22), which occurs only here in the OT. BDB
translates it “light hole,” which means an opening of some type into a dark space where a serpent lives. It
is parallel to “the hole of the cobra” in v. 8a.

11:9 “My holy mountain” This does not refer to Jerusalem or Sinai, but to the entire earth as the
parallel phrase in Isa. 11:4c, 9b, 10 shows. Also notice that the attributes of the Messiah have now been
effectively communicated to all humans (cf. Gen. 1:26-27; 3:15). He is the ideal covenant man!


SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH’S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: ISAIAH 11:10
10Then in that day
The nations will resort to the root of Jesse,
Who will stand as a signal for the peoples;
And His resting place will be glorious.

11:10 Verses like 4, 9, and 10 can be understood in one of two ways.

  1. YHWH will restore His people to Canaan and the world will acknowledge them.
  2. The emphasis of a worldwide reign of a Davidic seed fulfills the promise of Gen. 3:15 for the
    restoration of the image and likeness of God in all humanity (i.e., Gen. 1:26-27), which was
    damaged by the Fall.

Are these Isaiah texts ultimately about Israel only or about the world? Are they literal, symbolic,
or multiple fulfillment? Here is where one’s overall view of Scripture begins to organize (for better
or worse) texts. I have biases like everyone else! I have tried to list mine in the

SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH’S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN. It is difficult to be faithful to texts
and context and all texts at the same time! No one does it well!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: ISAIAH 11:11-16
11Then it will happen on that day that the Lord
Will again recover the second time with His hand
The remnant of His people, who will remain,
From Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath,
And from the islands of the sea.
12And He will lift up a standard for the nations
And assemble the banished ones of Israel,
And will gather the dispersed of Judah
From the four corners of the earth.
13Then the jealousy of Ephraim will depart,
And those who harass Judah will be cut off;
Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah,
And Judah will not harass Ephraim.
14They will swoop down on the slopes of the Philistines on the west;
Together they will plunder the sons of the east;
They will possess Edom and Moab,
And the sons of Ammon will be subject to them.
15And the Lord will utterly destroy
The tongue of the Sea of Egypt;
And He will wave His hand over the River
With His scorching wind;
And He will strike it into seven streams
And make men walk over dry-shod.
16And there will be a highway from Assyria
For the remnant of His people who will be left,
Just as there was for Israel
In the day that they came up out of the land of Egypt.

11:11 This verse speaks of a climactic visitation by God (cf. Isa. 2:2,11,12,20; 3:7,18; 4:1,2;
7:17,18,20; 9:14; 10:3,17,20,27). Here it is a day of restoration! Remember, God’s “visitation” can be
for blessing or judgment. The covenant people (i.e., in this case the Northern Ten Tribes), scattered
across the ANE, will return home (a symbol of returning to faith in YHWH).

However, the rest of the literary unit (Isa. 7-12) has a universal element (cf. Isa. 2:2-4; 9:1-7)!

NASB, NRSV, NJB, REB  ”a second time”
NKJV, Peshitta  ”the second time”
TEV  ”once again”
JPSOA  ”again”
LXX  ”further display”

This seems to be an allusion to the exodus (cf. vv. 15-16). As YHWH was faithful to His
promises to Abraham (i.e., Gen. 15:12-21), He will do so again during the reign of the Messiah.

▣ “with His hand” This is an anthropomorphic idiom for divine activity within history. In
Genesis 1 God speaks and things occur, but here He moves His hand (cf. Isa. 11:15; 1:25; 5:25; 8:11;
9:12,17,21; 10:4, etc.).


SPECIAL TOPIC: GOD DESCRIBED AS HUMAN

▣ “The remnant” See

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE REMNANT, Three Senses

11:12 “the four corners of the earth” Four is the symbolic number for the whole earth.


SPECIAL TOPIC: SYMBOLIC NUMBERS IN SCRIPTURE, #2

11:13 “Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah,

And Judah will not harass Ephraim”

Notice in the new era unity will be the keynote, not the tribal divisions that had
characterized the people of God in the past.

The NET Bible, p. 1207, has an interesting comment (#21), which gives an alternate meaning
to “those who harass Judah” (BDB 865, KB 1058, Qal ACTIVE PARTICIPLE). It asserts
that this phrase should be translated “those hostile toward Judah” will be destroyed.

11:14 This verse is surprising! Is Isaiah prophesying a vindictive united Israel or is she to be the
channel of revelation for “the nations” to come to YHWH in peace (cf. Isa. 2:2-4)?

▣ “sons of the east” This phrase can refer to several different people groups, depending on the
context (cf. Gen. 29:1; Jdg. 6:3,33; 7:12; 8:10; 1 Kgs. 4:30; Job 1:3; Isa. 11:14; Jer. 49:28; Ezek. 25:4,10).

  1. Gen. 29:1 ‒ Aramean/Syrian
  2. Jdg. 6:3,33; 7:12; 8:10; Isa. 11:14; Jer. 49:28; Ezek. 25:4,10, desert tribes south and east of Canaan
  3. 1 Kgs. 4:30 ‒ all ANE
  4. Job 1:3 ‒ Edom, Moab, Ammon

11:15 The covenant people’s traditional enemies (i.e., vv. 14-15) will be utterly defeated.

NASB, NKJV, NRSV  ”will utterly destroy”
TEV, NJB  ”will dry up”
LXX  ”make desolate”
Peshitta  ”will utterly dry up”
REB, NET  ”will divide”
JPSOA, NASB margin  ”will dry up the tongue”

The NASB follows the MT “and he will devote to destruction”
(והחרים, BDB 355, KB 353, Hiphil
PERFECT with waw), which the UBS Hebrew Text Project
gives a “B” rating (some doubt).

The other readings are

  1. והחריב, “and he will dry up,” BDB 351, KB 349)
  2. the NEB and REB assume a proposed root (חרם, KB 354 II, Hiphil
    PERFECT), which means “split” or “divide” (cf. Exod. 14:16)

This is an allusion to a new exodus (cf. Isa. 11:11)!

NASB, NRSV  ”scorching wind”
NKJV, REB, Peshitta  ”a mighty wind”
TEV  ”a hot wind”
NJB  ”with the heat of his breath”
NET  ”a strong wind”
JPSOA  ”the might of His wind”
LXX  ”a violent wind”

The MT has a NOUN (BDB 744), which is found only here. BDB suggests
“glow.” Most translations derive the meaning of the root from an Arabic root which means “to thirst” or “to
be internally hot” (i.e., a dry, hot wind).

▣ ”the seven streams” This refers to wadis (BDB 636 I), “seasonal streams.”
The term “seven” is an important symbolic number in the ANE. See

SPECIAL TOPIC: SYMBOLIC NUMBERS IN SCRIPTURE, #4.

These seven dried up streams offer easy access to YHWH, as does “the highway” in v. 16.

11:16 “a highway” See full note at Isa. 19:23.

▣”remnant”  See

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE REMNANT, three senses.

▣”in the day” See
SPECIAL TOPIC: DAY (yom).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible
for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy
Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this
section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

  1. Are the titles of the child used in Isa. 9 and 11 an assertion of his Deity?
  2. Explain the historical background of Isa. 7:1 through 10:4 and Isa. 10:4 through 34.
  3. Will nature be a part of heaven?

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