This document provides commentary on Isaiah 11 from multiple scholars. It begins by summarizing the passage, noting it refers to a shoot or branch that will come from Jesse's roots, referring to the Messiah arising from David's lineage when his family had fallen. Multiple scholars and commentaries are then excerpted explaining why this refers to the Messiah based on context and references in other passages, as well as the qualities described not matching any other figures. The commentary discusses the imagery of the weak shoot or branch and fallen house of David representing Christ's humble origins.

1. ISAIAH 11 COMMENTARY
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
The Branch From Jesse
11 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
1.BARNES, “And there shall come forth a rod - In the previous chapter, the prophet
had represented the Assyrian monarch and his army under the image of a dense and flourishing
forest, with all its glory and grandeur. In opposition to this, he describes the illustrious
personage who is the subject of this chapter, under the image of a slender twig or shoot,
sprouting up from the root of a decayed and fallen tree. Between the Assyrian, therefore, and the
person who is the subject of this chapter, there is a most striking and beautiful contrast. The one
was at first magnificent - like a vast spreading forest - yet should soon fall and decay; the other
was the little sprout of a decayed tree, which should yet rise, expand and flourish.
A rod - (‫חטר‬ chotʖı r). This word occurs in but one other place; Pro_14:3 : ‘In the mouth of the
foolish is a “rod” of pride.’ Here it means, evidently, a branch, a twig, a shoot, such as starts up
from the roots of a decayed tree, and is synonymous with the word rendered “branch” (‫צמח‬
tsemach) in Isa_4:2; see the Note on that place.
Out of the stem - (‫מגזע‬ mı geza‛). This word occurs but three times in the Old Testament;
see Job_14:8; where it is rendered “stock:”
Though the root thereof wax old in the earth,
And the stock thereof die in the ground;
And in Isa_40:24 : ‘Yea, their “stock” shall not take root in the earth.’ It means, therefore, the
stock or stump of a tree that has been cut down - a stock, however, which may not be quite dead,
but where it may send up a branch or shoot from its roots. It is beautifully applied to an ancient
family that is fallen into decay, yet where there may be a descendant that shall rise and flourish;
as a tree may fall and decay, but still there may be vitality in the root, and it shall send up a
tender germ or sprout.
Of Jesse - The father of David. It means, that he who is here spoken of should be of the
family of Jesse, or David. Though Jesse had died, and though the ancient family of David would
fall into decay, yet there would arise from that family an illustrious descendant. The beauty of
this description is apparent, if we bear in recollection that, when the Messiah was born, the
ancient and much honored family of David had fallen into decay; that the mother of Jesus,
though pertaining to that family, was poor, obscure, and unknown; and that, to all appearance,

2. the glory of the family had departed. Yet from that, as from a long-decayed root in the ground,
he should spring who would restore the family to more than its ancient glory, and shed
additional luster on the honored name of Jesse.
And a branch - (‫נצר‬ netser). A twig, branch, or shoot; a slip, scion, or young sucker of a tree,
that is selected for transplanting, and that requires to be watched with special care. The word
occurs but four times; Isa_60:21 : ‘They shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my
planting;’ Isa_14:19 : ‘But thou art cast out of thy grave as an abominable branch;’ Dan_11:7.
The word rendered branch in Jer_23:5; Jer_33:15, is a different word in the original (‫צמח‬
tsemach), though meaning substantially the same thing. The word “branch” is also used by our
translators, in rendering several other Hebrew words; “see” Taylor’s “Concordance.” Here the
word is synonymous with that which is rendered “rod” in the previous part of the verse - a shoot,
or twig, from the root of a decayed tree.
Out of his roots - As a shoot starts up from the roots of a decayed tree. The Septuagint
renders this, ‘And a flower (ᅎνθος anthos) shall arise from the root.’ The Chaldee, ‘And a king
shall proceed from the sons of Jesse, and the Messiah from his sons’ sons shall arise;’ showing
conclusively that the ancient Jews referred this to the Messiah.
That this verse, and the subsequent parts of the chapter, refer to the Messiah, may be argued
from the following considerations:
(1) The fact that it is expressly applied to him in the New Testament. Thus Paul, in
Rom_15:12, quotes the tenth verse of this chapter as expressly applicable to the times of
the Messiah.
(2) The Chaldee Paraphrase shows, that this was the sense which the ancient Jews put upon
the passage. That paraphrase is of authority, only to show that this was the sense which
appeared to be the true one by the ancient interpreters.
(3) The description in the chapter is not applicable to any other personage than the Messiah.
Grotius supposes that the passage refers to Hezekiah; though, ‘in a more sublime sense,’ to
the Messiah. Others have referred it to Zerubbabel. But none of the things here related
apply to either, except the fact that they had a descent from the family of Jesse; for neither
of those families had fallen into the decay which the prophet here describes.
(4) The peace, prosperity, harmony and order, referred to in the subsequent portions of the
chapter, are not descriptive of any portion of the reign of Hezekiah.
(5) The terms and dcscriptions here accord with other portions of the Scriptures, as applicable
to the Messiah. Thus Jeremiah Jer_23:5; Jer_33:15 describes the Messiah under the
similitude of a “branch, a germ or shoot - using, indeed, a different Hebrew word, but
retaining the same idea and image; compare Zec_3:8. It accords also with the description
by Isaiah of the same personage in Isa_4:2; see the note on the place.
(6) I may add, that nearly all commentators have referred this to the Messiah; and, perhaps, it
would not be possible to find greater unanimity in regard to the interpretation of any
passage of Scripture than on this.
2. PULPIT, “A RENEWED PROPHECY OF MESSIAH AND OF HIS KINGDOM. This chapter is
closely connected with the preceding. With the final destruction of Assyria, which, being cut down, sends
out no shoot (Isa_10:33, Isa_10:34), is contrasted the recuperative energy of Israel, which, though

3. equally leveled with the ground (Isa_9:18, Isa_9:19), shall spring afresh into life, and "renew its youth."
The recovery is connected—or rather identified with the coming of Messiah, whose character is
beautifully portrayed (Isa_11:2-5). An elaborate description of Messiah's kingdom follows (Isa_11:6-10)—
an expansion of the briefer one in Isa_2:3, Isa_2:4.
Isa_11:1
There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse. The blasted and ruined "stem" or stock of Jesse,
cut down, and for ages hidden from sight, shall suddenly put forth a sprout—a young green sapling,
tender vet vigorous, weak seemingly, yet foil of life (comp. Job_14:7-9, "There is hope of a tree, if it he cut
down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not crease. Though the root thereof
wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; yet through the scent of water it will bud, and
bring forth boughs like a plant"). "The stem of Jesse" must mean the house of David, for there is but one
Jesse (Ishai) in Scripture—David's father. A Branch shall grow out of his roots. That which is at first a
sapling gains strength and grows into a "branch" (see Isa_4:2, where the word used, though different, is
synonymous).
3. GILL, “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse,.... By which is
meant, not Hezekiah, as R. Moses (o) the priest, and others, since he was now born, and must be
at least ten or twelve years of age; but the Messiah, as both the text and context show, and as is
owned by many Jewish writers (p), ancient and modern: and he is called a "rod", either because
of his unpromising appearance, arising "out of the stem of Jesse"; from him, in the line of David,
when that family was like a tree cut down, and its stump only left in the ground, which was the
case when Jesus was born of it: Jesse's family was at first but a mean and obscure one; it became
very illustrious in David's time, and in some following reigns; from the Babylonish captivity, till
the time of Christ, it was very low; and at the birth of Christ was low indeed, his supposed father
being a carpenter, and his real mother Mary a poor virgin, dwelling at Nazareth; and it seemed
very unlikely, under these circumstances, that he should be the King Messiah, and be so great as
was foretold he should; and have that power, authority, and wisdom he had; and do such mighty
works as he did; and especially be the author of eternal salvation; and bring forth such fruits,
and be the cause of such blessings of grace, as he was: or else because of his kingly power and
majesty, the rod or branch being put for a sceptre, and so a symbol of that; to which the Targum
agrees, paraphrasing the words thus,
"and a King shall come forth from the sons of Jesse:''
and the sense is, that though Jesse's or David's family should be brought so very low as to be as
the stem or stump of a tree, without a body, branches, leaves, and fruit; yet from thence should
arise a mighty King, even the King Messiah, who is spoken of by so many august names and
titles, Isa_9:6 and this is observed for the comfort of the people of Israel, when distressed by the
Assyrians, as in the preceding chapter Isa_10:1; when those high ones, comparable to the loftiest
cedars in Lebanon, and to the tallest trees in the forest, should be hewn down, a rod should
come out of Jesse's stem, which should rise higher, and spread more than ever they did:

4. and a branch shall grow out of his roots; the roots of Jesse, out of his family, compared to
the stump of a tree; meaning either his ancestors, as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Boaz, and
Obed; or his posterity, as David, Joseph, and Mary; and so the Targum,
"and the Messiah shall be anointed (or exalted) from his children's children.''
The branch is a well known name of the Messiah; See Gill on Isa_4:2 the word Netzer, here
used, is the name of the city of Nazareth (q); which perhaps was so called, from the trees, plants,
and grass, which grew here; and so our Lord's dwelling here fulfilled a prophecy, that he should
be called a Nazarene; or an inhabitant of Netzer, Mat_2:23. The Jews (r) speak of one Ben
Netzer, who they say was a robber, took cities, and reigned over them, and became the head of
robbers; and make (s) him to be the little horn in Dan_7:8 and wickedly and maliciously say (t)
he was Jesus; and yet, under all this wickedness, they tacitly own that Jesus of Nazareth is the
Netzer this prophecy speaks of; the design of which is to show the meanness of Christ's descent
as man, and that he should be as a root out of a dry ground, Isa_53:2 or rather as a rod and
branch out of a dry root.
4. HENRY, “The prophet had before, in this sermon, spoken of a child that should be born, a
son that should be given, on whose shoulders the government should be, intending this for the
comfort of the people of God in times of trouble, as dying Jacob, many ages before, had intended
the prospect of Shiloh for the comfort of his seed in their affliction in Egypt. He had said
(Isa_10:27) that the yoke should be destroyed because of the anointing; now here he tells us on
whom that anointing should rest. He foretels,
I. That the Messiah should, in due time, arise out of the house of David, as that branch of the
Lord which he had said (Isa_4:2) should be excellent and glorious; the word is Netzer, which
some think is referred to in Mat_2:23, where it is said to be spoken by the prophets of the
Messiah that he should be called a Nazarene. Observe here, 1. Whence this branch should arise-
from Jesse. He should be the son of David, with whom the covenant of royalty was made, and to
whom it was promised with an oath that of the fruit of his loins God would raise of Christ,
Act_2:30. David is often called the son of Jesse, and Christ is called so, because he was to be not
only the Son of David, but David himself, Hos_3:5. 2. The meanness of his appearance. (1.) He is
called a rod, and a branch; both the words here used signify a weak, small, tender product, a
twig and a sprig (so some render them), such as is easily broken off. The enemies of God's
church were just before compared to strong and stately boughs (Isa_10:33), which will not,
without great labour, be hewn down, but Christ to a tender branch (Isa_53:2); yet he shall be
victorious over them. (2.) He is said to come out of Jesse rather than David, because Jesse lived
and died in meanness and obscurity; his family was of small account (1Sa_18:18), and it was in a
way of contempt and reproach that David was sometimes called the son of Jesse, 1Sa_22:7. (3.)
He comes forth out of the stem, or stump, of Jesse. When the royal family, that had been as a
cedar, was cut down, and only the stump of it left, almost levelled with the ground and lost in the
grass of the field (Dan_4:15), yet it shall sprout again (Job_14:7); nay, it shall grow out of his

5. roots, which are quite buried in the earth, and, like the roots of flowers in the winter, have no
stem appearing above ground. The house of David was reduced and brought very low at the time
of Christ's birth, witness the obscurity and poverty of Joseph and Mary. The Messiah was thus to
begin his estate of humiliation, for submitting to which he should be highly exalted, and would
thus give early notice that his kingdom was not of this world. The Chaldee paraphrase reads this,
There shall come forth a King from the sons of Jesse, and the Messiah (or Christ) shall be
anointed out of his sons' sons.
5. JAMISON, “Isa_11:1-16. From the local and temporary national deliverance the prophet
passes by the law of suggestion in an easy transition to the end of all prophecy - the everlasting
deliverance under Messiah’s reign, not merely His first coming, but chiefly His second coming.
The language and illustrations are still drawn from the temporary national subject, with which
he began, but the glories described pertain to Messiah’s reign. Hezekiah cannot, as some think,
be the subject; for he was already come, whereas the “stem of Jesse” was yet future (“shall
come”) (compare Mic_4:11, etc.; Mic_5:1, Mic_5:2; Jer_23:5, Jer_23:6; Jer_33:15, Jer_33:16;
Rom_15:12).
rod — When the proud “boughs” of “Lebanon” (Isa_10:33, Isa_10:34, the Assyrians) are
lopped, and the vast “forests cut down” amidst all this rage, a seemingly humble rod shall come
out of Jesse (Messiah), who shall retrieve the injuries done by the Assyrian “rod” to Israel
(Isa_10:5, Isa_10:6, Isa_10:18, Isa_10:19).
stem — literally, “the stump” of a tree cut close by the roots: happily expressing the depressed
state of the royal house of David, owing to the hostile storm (Isa_10:18, Isa_10:19), when
Messiah should arise from it, to raise it to more than its pristine glory. Luk_2:7 proves this
(Isa_53:2; compare Job_14:7, Job_14:8; see on Isa_8:6).
Branch — Scion. He is nevertheless also the “root” (Isa_11:10; Rev_5:5; Rev_22:16. “Root
and offspring” combines both, Zec_3:8; Zec_6:12).
6. K&D, “This is the fate of the imperial power of the world. When the axe is laid to it, it falls
without hope. But in Israel spring is returning. “And there cometh forth a twig out of the stump
of Jesse, and a shoot from its roots bringeth forth fruit.” The world-power resembles the cedar-
forest of Lebanon; the house of David, on the other hand, because of its apostasy, is like the
stump of a felled tree (geza‛, truncus, from gaza‛, truncare), like a root without stem, branches,
or crown. The world-kingdom, at the height of its power, presents the most striking contrast to
Israel and the house of David in the uttermost depth announced in Isa_6:1-13 fin., mutilated
and reduced to the lowliness of its Bethlehemitish origin. But whereas the Lebanon of the
imperial power is thrown down, to remain prostrate; the house of David renews its youth. And
whilst the former has no sooner reached the summit of its glory, than it is suddenly cast down;
the latter, having been reduced to the utmost danger of destruction, is suddenly exalted. What
Pliny says of certain trees, “inarescunt rursusque adolescunt, senescunt quidem, sed e radicibus
repullulant,” is fulfilled in the tree of Davidic royalty, that has its roots in Jesse (for the figure
itself, see F. V. Lasaulx, Philosophie der Geschichte, pp. 117-119). Out of the stumps of Jesse, i.e.,
out of the remnant of the chosen royal family which has sunk down to the insignificance of the
house from which it sprang, there comes forth a twig (choter), which promises to supply the
place of the trunk and crown; and down below, in the roots covered with earth, and only rising a

6. little above it, there shows itself a netzer, i.e., a fresh green shoot (from natzer, to shine or
blossom). In the historical account of the fulfilment, even the ring of the words of the prophecy
is noticed: the netzer, at first so humble and insignificant, was a poor despised Nazarene
(Mat_2:23). But the expression yiphreh shows at once that it will not stop at this lowliness of
origin. The shoot will bring forth fruit (parah, different in meaning, and possibly
(Note: We say possibly, for the Indo-Germanic root bhar, to bear (Sanscr. bharami = φέρω,
fero, cf., ferax, fertilis), which Gesenius takes as determining the radical meaning of parach,
cannot be traced with any certainty in the Semitic. Nevertheless peri and perach bear the
same relation to one another, in the ordinary usage of the language, as fruit and blossom: the
former is so called, as that which has broken through (cf., peter); the latter, as that which has
broken up, or budded.)
also in root, from parach, to blossom and bud). In the humble beginning there lies a power which
will carry it up to a great height by a steady and certain process (Eze_17:22-23). The twig which
is shooting up on the ground will become a tree, and this tree will have a crown laden with fruit.
Consequently the state of humiliation will be followed by one of exaltation and perfection.
7.CALVIN, “1.But there shall come forth a rod. As the description of such dreadful calamities might
terrify the godly, and give them reason for despair, it was necessary to hold out consolation; for when the
kingdom was destroyed, cities thrown down, and desolation spread over the whole country, there might
have been nothing left but grief and lamentation; and therefore they might have tottered and fallen, or
been greatly discouraged, if the Lord had not provided for them this consolation. He therefore declares
what the Lord will afterwards do, and in what manner he will restore that kingdom.
He pursues the metaphor which he employed towards the conclusion of the former chapter; for he had
said that Jerusalem would be destroyed, as if a forest were consumed by a single conflagration.
(Isa_10:33.) Its future desolation would be like that of a country formerly covered with forests, when the
trees had been cut down, and nothing could be seen but ashes. That those things which are contrasted
may answer to each other, he says, that out of the stock will come forth a branch, which will grow into a
tree, and spread its branches and fruits far and wide. I have therefore preferred translating ‫גזע‬ (gezang) a
dry stock, rather than a root, though it makes little difference as to the meaning, but the former expresses
more fully what the Prophet meant, namely, that though the stock be dry, the branch which shall
spring from it shall be more excellent than all the forests.
Hence we infer that this prediction applies solely to the person of Christ; for till he came no
such branch arose. It certainly cannot be applied to Hezekiah or Josiah, who, from their very infancy,

7. were brought up in the expectation of occupying a throne. Zerubbabel (Ezr_3:8) did not attain the
thousandth part of that elevated rank which the Prophet extols. We see, therefore, that to the wretched
and almost ruined Jews, consolation was held out in the Messiah alone, and that their hope was held in
suspense till he appeared. At the time of his appearance, there would have been no hope that the
kingdom would be erected and restored, if this promise had not been added; for the family of David
appeared to be completely extinct. On this account he does not call him David, but Jesse; because the
rank of that family had sunk so low, that it appeared to be not a royal family, but that of a mean peasant,
such as the family of Jesse was, when David was unexpectedly called to the government of the kingdom.
(1Sa_16:1; 2Sa_7:8.) So then, having sustained this calamity and lost its ancient renown, it is
denominated by the Prophet the family of Jesse, because that family had no superiority above any other.
Accordingly, I think that here, and not towards the conclusion of the former chapter, the consolation
begins.
Amidst such frightful desolation they might doubt who should be their deliverer. He therefore promises
that one will spring even out of a dry trunk; and he continues, as I mentioned a little before, the same
metaphor of a forest, because it is far more beautiful than if he had said in plain language that the
Messiah would come. Having threatened that the forest would be entirely cut down, he adds, that
still a branch will arise out of it, to restore the abundance and magnificence of the consumed forest; that
is, Christ, who should be the deliverer of the people. How low his beginning was, it is unnecessary to
explain. Undoubtedly, he was so far from having anything splendid or attractive, that with the exception of
his birth, everything, to the view of the flesh, was inconsistent with the character of the Redeemer. Even
his birth was almost obscured; for who would have thought that a poor carpenter (Mar_6:3) was
descended from a royal family? Again, where was Christ born, and how had he been brought up? In
short, his whole life having been mean and even contemptible, he suffered a most disgraceful death, with
which he had to begin his kingdom. Yet he grew to an immeasurable height, like a large tree from a small
and feeble seed, as he himself shows, (Mat_13:31; Mar_4:32,) and as we see by daily examples; for in
the uninterrupted progress of his kingdom the same things must happen as were seen in his person.
8. EBC, “THE SPIRIT OF GOD IN MAN AND THE ANIMALS
ABOUT 720 B.C.
BENEATH the crash of the Assyrian with which the tenth chapter closes, we pass out into the
eleventh upon a glorious prospect of Israel’s future. The Assyrian when he falls shall fall forever
like the cedars of Lebanon, that send no fresh sprout forth from their broken stumps. But out of
the trunk of the Judaean oak, also brought down by these terrible storms, Isaiah sees springing a
fair and powerful Branch. Assyria, he would tell us. has no future. Judah has a future, and at
first the prophet sees it in a scion of her royal house. The nation shall be almost exterminated,

8. the dynasty of David hewn to a stump; "yet there shall spring a shoot from the stock of Jesse,
and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit."
The picture of this future, which fills the eleventh chapter, is one of the most extensive that
Isaiah has drawn. Three great prospects are unfolded in it: a prospect of mind, a prospect of
nature, and a prospect of history. To begin with, there is (Isa_11:2-5) the geography of a royal
mind in its stretches of character, knowledge, and achievement. We have next (Isa_11:5-9) a
vision of the restitution of nature, Paradise regained. And, thirdly (Isa_11:9-16), there is the
geography of Israel’s redemption, the coasts and highways along which the hosts of the
dispersion sweep up from captivity to a station of supremacy over the world. To this third
prospect chapter 12 forms a fitting conclusion, a hymn of praise in the mouth of returning exiles.
The human mind, nature, and history are the three dimensions of life, and across them all the
prophet tells us that the Spirit of the Lord will fill the future with His marvels of righteousness,
wisdom, and peace. He presents to us three great ideals: the perfect indwelling of our humanity
by the Spirit of God; the peace and communion of all nature, covered with the knowledge of
God; the traversing of all history by the Divine purposes of redemption.
I. THE MESSIAH AND THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD
(Isa_11:1-5)
The first form, in which Isaiah sees Israel’s longed-for future realised, is that which he so often
exalts and makes glistering upon the threshold of the future-the form of a king. It is a
peculiarity, which we cannot fail to remark about Isaiah’s scattered representations of this
brilliant figure, that they have no connecting link.
They do not allude to one another, nor employ a common terminology, even the word king
dropping out of some of them. The earliest of the series bestows a name on the Messiah, which
none of the others repeat, nor does Isaiah say in any of them, This is He of whom I have spoken
before. Perhaps the disconnectedness of these oracles is as strong a proof as is necessary of the
view we have formed that throughout his ministry our prophet had before him no distinct,
identical individual, but rather an ideal of virtue and kinghood, whose features varied according
to the conditions of the time. In this chapter Isaiah recalls nothing of Immanuel, or of the
Prince-of-the-Four-Names. Nevertheless (besides for the first time deriving the Messiah from
the house of David), he carries his description forward to a stage which lies beyond and to some
extent implies his two previous portraits. Immanuel was only a Sufferer with His people in the
day of their oppression. The Prince-of-the-Four-Names was the Redeemer of his people from
their captivity, and stepped to his throne not only after victory, but with the promise of a long
and just government shining from the titles by which He was proclaimed. But now Isaiah not
only speaks at length of this peaceful reign-a chronological advance-but describes his hero so
inwardly that we also feel a certain spiritual advance. The Messiah is no more a mere
experience, as Immanuel was, nor only outward deed and promise, like the Prince-of-the-Four-
Names, but at last, and very strongly, a character. The second verse is the definition of this
character; the third describes the atmosphere in which it lives. And there shall rest upon him the
Spirit of Jehovah, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the
spirit of knowledge and the fear of Jehovah; and he shall draw breath in the fear of Jehovah-in
other words, ripeness but also sharpness of mind; moral decision and heroic energy; piety in its
two forms of knowing the will of God and feeling the constraint to perform it. We could not have
a more concise summary of the strong elements of a ruling mind. But it is only as Judge and
Ruler that Isaiah cares here to think of his hero. Nothing is said of the tender virtues, and we feel
that the prophet still stands in the days of the need of inflexible government and purgation in
Judah.

9. Dean Plumptre has plausibly suggested, that these verses may represent the programme which
Isaiah set before his pupil Hezekiah on his accession to the charge of a nation, whom his weak
predecessor had suffered to lapse into such abuse of justice and laxity of morals. The acts of
government described are all of a punitive and repressive character. The hero speaks only to
make the land tremble: "And He shall smite the land with the rod of His mouth" [what need,
after the whispering, indecisive Ahaz!], "and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the
wicked."
This, though a fuller and more ethical picture of the Messiah than even the ninth chapter, is
evidently wanting in many of the traits of a perfect man. Isaiah has to grow in his conception of
his Hero, and will grow as the years go on, in tenderness. His thirty-second chapter is a much
richer, a more gracious and humane picture of the Messiah. There the Victor of the ninth and
righteous Judge of the eleventh chapters is represented as a Man, who shall not only punish but
protect, and not only reign but inspire, who shall be life as well as victory and justice to His
people-"a hiding-place from the wind and a covert from the tempest, as rivers of water in a dry
place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land."
A conception so limited to the qualifications of an earthly monarch, as this of chapter 11 gives us
no ground for departing from our previous conclusion, that Isaiah had not a "supernatural"
personality in his view. The Christian Church, however, has not confined the application of the
passage to earthly kings and magistrates, but has seen its perfect fulfilment in the indwelling of
Christ’s human nature by the Holy Ghost. But it is remarkable, that for this exegesis she has not
made use of the most "supernatural" of the details of character here portrayed. If the Old
Testament has a phrase for sinlessness, that phrase occurs here, in the beginning of the third
verse. In the authorised English version it is translated, "and shall make him of quick
understanding in the fear of the Lord," and in the Revised Version, "His delight shall be in the
fear of the Lord," and on the margin the literal meaning of delight is given as scent. But the
phrase may as well mean, "He shall draw his breath in the fear of the Lord"; and it is a great pity,
that our revisers have not even on the margin given to English readers any suggestion of so
picturesque, and probably so correct, a rendering. It is a most expressive definition of
sinlessness-sinlessness which was the attribute of Christ alone. We, however purely intentioned
we be, are compassed about by an atmosphere of sin. We cannot help breathing what now
inflames our passions, now chills our warmest feelings, and makes our throats incapable of
honest testimony or glorious praise. As oxygen to a dying fire, so the worldliness we breathe is to
the sin within us. We cannot help it; it is the atmosphere into which we are born. But from this
Christ alone of men was free. He was His own atmosphere, "drawing breath in the fear of the
Lord." Of Him alone is it recorded, that, though living in the world, He was never infected with
the world’s sin. The blast of no man’s cruelty ever kindled unholy wrath within His breast; nor
did men’s unbelief carry to His soul its deadly chill. Not even when He was led of the devil into
the atmosphere of temptation, did His heart throb with one rebellious ambition. Christ "drew
breath in the fear of the Lord."
But draughts of this atmosphere are possible to us also, to whom the Holy Spirit is granted. We
too, who sicken with the tainted breath of society, and see the characters of children about us fall
away and the hidden evil within leap to swift flame before the blasts of the world-we too may, by
Christ’s grace, "draw breath," like Him, "in the fear of the Lord." Recall some day when, leaving
your close room and the smoky city, you breasted the hills of God, and into opened lungs drew
deep draughts of the fresh air of heaven. What strength it gave your body, and with what a glow
of happiness your mind was filled! What that is physically, Christ has made possible for us men
morally. He has revealed stretches and eminences of life, where, following in His footsteps, we
also shall draw for our breath the fear of God. This air is inspired up every steep hill of effort,
and upon all summits of worship. In the most passion-haunted air, prayer will immediately
bring this atmosphere about a man, and on the wings of praise the poorest soul may rise from

10. the miasma of temptation, and sing forth her song into the azure with as clear a throat as the
lark’s.
And what else is heaven to be, if not this? God, we are told, shall be its Sun; but its atmosphere
shall be His fear, "which is clean and endureth for ever." Heaven seems most real as a moral
open-air, where every breath is an inspiration, and every pulse a healthy joy, where no thoughts
from within us find breath but those of obedience and praise, and all our passions and
aspirations are of the will of God. He that lives near to Christ, and by Christ often seeks God in
prayer, may create for himself even on earth such a heaven, "perfecting holiness in the fear of
God."
II. THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD
(Isa_11:2-3)
This passage, which suggests so much of Christ, is also for Christian Theology and Art a classical
passage on the Third Person of the Trinity. If the texts in the book of Revelation (Rev_1:4;
Rev_3:1; Rev_4:5; Rev_5:6) upon the Seven Spirits of God were not themselves founded on this
text of Isaiah, it is certain that the Church immediately began to interpret them by its details.
While there are only six spirits of God named here-three pairs - yet, in order to complete the
perfect number, the exegesis of early Christianity sometimes added "the Spirit of the Lord" at
the beginning of Isa_11:2 as the central branch of a seven-branched candlestick; or sometimes
"the quick understanding in the fear of the Lord" in the beginning of Isa_11:3 was attached as
the seventh branch. (Compare Zec_4:6)
It is remarkable that there is almost no single text of Scripture which has more impressed itself
upon Christian doctrine and symbol than this second verse of the eleventh chapter, interpreted
as a definition of the Seven Spirits of God. In the theology, art, and worship of the Middle Ages it
dominated the expression of the work of the Holy Ghost. First, and most native to its origin,
arose the employment of this text at the coronation of kings and the fencing of tribunals of
justice. What Isaiah wrote for Hezekiah of Judah became the official prayer, song, or ensample
of the earliest Christian kings in Europe. It is evidently the model of that royal hymn-not by
Charlemagne, as usually supposed, but by his grandson Charles the Bald-the "Veni Creator
Spiritus." In a Greek miniature of the tenth century, the Holy Spirit, as a dove, is seen hovering
over King David, who displays the prayer: "Give the king Thy judgments, O God, and Thy
righteousness to the king’s son," while there stand on either side of him the figures of Wisdom
and Prophecy. Henry III’s order of knighthood, "Du Saint Esprit," was restricted to political
men, and particularly to magistrates. But perhaps the most interesting identification of the Holy
Spirit with the rigorous virtues of our passage occurs in a story of St. Dunstan, who, just before
mass on the day of Pentecost, discovered that three coiners, who had been sentenced to death,
were being respited till the Festival of the Holy Ghost should be over. "It shall not be thus," cried
the indignant saint, and gave orders for their immediate execution. There was remonstance, but
he, no doubt with the eleventh of Isaiah in mind, insisted, and was obeyed. "I now hope," he
said, resuming the mass, "that God will be pleased to accept the sacrifice I am about to offer."
"Whereupon," says the veracious "Acts of the Saints," "a snow-white dove did, in the vision of
many, descend from heaven, and until the sacrifice was completed remain above his head in
silence, with wings extended and motionless." Which may be as much legend as we have the
heart to make it, but nevertheless remains a sure proof of the association, by discerning
mediaevals who could read their Scriptures, of the Holy Spirit with the decisiveness and
rigorous justice of Isaiah’s "mirror for magistrates."
But the influence of our passage may be followed to that wider definition of the Spirit’s work,
which made Him the Fountain of all intelligence. The Spirits of the Lord mentioned by Isaiah
are prevailingly intellectual; and the mediaeval Church, using the details of this passage to

11. interpret Christ’s own intimation of the Paraclete as the Spirit of truth, -remembering also the
story of Pentecost, when the Spirit bestowed the gifts of tongues, and the case of Stephen, who,
in the triumph of his eloquence and learning, was said to be full of the Holy Ghost, -did regard,
as Gregory of Tours expressly declared, the Holy Spirit as the "God of the intellect more than of
the heart." All Councils were opened by a mass to the Holy Ghost, and few, who have examined
with care the windows of mediaeval churches, will have failed to be struck with the frequency
with which the Dove is seen descending upon the heads of miraculously learned persons, or
presiding at discussions, or hovering over groups of figures representing the sciences. To the
mediaeval Church, then, the Holy Spirit was the Author of the intellect, more especially of the
governing and political intellect; and there can be little doubt, after a study of the variations of
this doctrine, that the first five verses of the eleventh of Isaiah formed upon it the classical text
of appeal. To Christians, who have been accustomed by the use of the word Comforter to
associate the Spirit only with the gentle and consoling influences of heaven, it may seem strange
to find His energy identified with the stern rigour of the magistrate. But in its practical,
intelligent, and reasonable uses the mediaeval doctrine is greatly to be preferred, on grounds
both of Scripture and common sense, to those two comparatively modern corruptions of it, one
of which emphasises the Spirit’s influence in the exclusive operation of the grace of orders, and
the other, driving to an opposite extreme, dissipates it into the vaguest religiosity. It is one of the
curiosities of Christian theology, that a Divine influence, asserted by Scripture and believed by
the early Church to manifest itself in the successful conduct of civil offices and the fulness of
intellectual learning, should in these latter days be so often set up in a sort of "supernatural"
opposition to practical wisdom and the results of science. But we may go back to Isaiah for the
same kind of correction on this doctrine, as he has given us on the doctrine of faith: and while
we do not forget the richer meaning the New Testament bestows on the operation of the Divine
Spirit, we may learn from the Hebrew prophet to seek the inspiration of the Holy Ghost in all the
endeavours of science, and not to forget that it is His guidance alone which enables us to
succeed in the conduct of our offices and fortunes.
III. THE REDEMPTION OF NATURE
(Isa_11:6-9)
But Isaiah will not be satisfied with the establishment of a strong government in the land and
the redemption of human society from chaos. He prophesies the redemption of all nature as
well. It is one of those errors, which distort both the poetry and truth of the Bible, to suppose
that by the bears, lions, and reptiles which the prophet now sees tamed in the time of the
regeneration, he intends the violent human characters which he so often attacks. When Isaiah
here talks of the beasts, he means the beasts. The passage is not allegorical, but direct, and
forms a parallel to the well-known passage in the eighth of Romans. Isaiah and Paul, chief
apostles of the two covenants, both interrupt their magnificent odes upon the outpouring of the
Spirit, to remind us that the benefits of this will be shared by the brute and unintelligent
creation. And, perhaps, there is no finer contrast in the Scriptures than here, where beside so
majestic a description of the intellectual faculties of humanity Isaiah places so charming a
picture of the docility and sportfulness of wild animals, -"And a little child shall lead them."
We, who live in countries from which wild beasts have been exterminated, cannot understand
the insecurity and terror that they cause in regions where they abound. A modern seer of the
times of regeneration would leave the wild animals out of his vision. They do not impress any
more the human conscience or imagination. But they once did so most terribly. The hostility
between man and the beasts not only formed once upon a time the chief material obstacle in the
progress of the race, but remains still to the religious thinker the most pathetic portion of that
groaning and travailing of all creation, which is so heavy a burden on his heart. Isaiah, from his
ancient point of view, is in thorough accord with the order of civilisation, when he represents the

12. subjugation of wild animals as the first problem of man, after he has established a strong
government in the land. So far from rhetorising or allegorising-above which literary forms it
would appear to be impossible for the appreciation of some of his commentators to follow him-
Isaiah is earnestly celebrating a very real moment in the laborious progress of mankind. Isaiah
stands where Hercules stood, and Theseus, and Arthur when
"There grew great tracts of wilderness,
Wherein the beast was ever more and more,
But man was less and less till Arthur came.
And he drave
The heathen, and he slew the beast, and felled
The forest, and let in the sun, and made
Broad pathways for the hunter and the knight,
And so returned."
But Isaiah would solve the grim problem of the warfare between man and his lower fellow-
creatures in a very different way from that, of which these heroes have set the example to
humanity. Isaiah would not have the wild beasts exterminated, but tamed. There our Western
and modern imagination may fail to follow him, especially when he includes reptiles in the
regeneration, and prophesies of adders and lizards as the playthings of children. But surely there
is no genial man, who has watched the varied forms of life that sport in the Southern sunshine,
who will not sympathise with the prophet in his joyous vision. Upon a warm spring day in
Palestine, to sit upon the grass, beside some old dyke or ruin with its face to the south, is indeed
to obtain a rapturous view of the wealth of life, with which the bountiful God has blessed and.
made merry man’s dwelling-place. How the lizards come and go among the grey stones, and
flash like jewels in the dust! And the timid snake rippling quickly past through the grass, and the
leisurely tortoise, with his shiny back, and the chameleon, shivering into new colour as he passes
from twig to stone and stone to straw, -all the air the while alive with the music of the cricket
and the bee! You feel that the ideal is not to destroy these pretty things as vermin. What a loss of
colour the lizards alone would imply! But, as Isaiah declares, -whom we may imagine walking
with his children up the steep vineyard paths, to watch the creatures come and go upon the dry
dykes on either hand, -the ideal is to bring them into sympathy with ourselves, make pets of
them and playthings for children, who indeed stretch out their hands in joy to the pretty toys.
Why should we need to fight with, or destroy, any of the happy life the Lord has created? Why
have we this loathing to it, and need to defend ourselves from it, when there is so much suffering
we could cure, and so much childlikeness we could amuse and be amused by, and yet it will not
let us near? To these questions there is not another answer but the answer of the Bible: that this
curse of conflict and distrust between man and his fellow-creatures is due to man’s sin, and shall
only be done away by man’s redemption.
Nor is this Bible answer, -of which the book of Genesis gives us the one end, and this text of
Isaiah the other, -a mere pious opinion, which the true history of man’s dealing with wild beasts
by extermination proves to be impracticable. We may take on scientific authority a few facts as
hints from nature, that after all man is to blame for the wildness of the beasts, and that through
his sanctification they may be restored to sympathy with himself. Charles Darwin says: "It
deserves notice, that at an extremely ancient period, when man first entered any country the
animals living there would have felt no instinctive or inherited fear of him, and would
consequently have been tamed far more easily than at present." And he gives some very
instructive facts in proof of this with regard to dogs, antelopes, manatees, and hawks.
"Quadrupeds and birds which have seldom been disturbed by man dread him no more than do

13. our English birds the cows or horses grazing in the fields." Darwin’s details are peculiarly
pathetic in their revelation of the brutes’ utter trustfulness in man, before they get to know him.
Persons, who have had to do with individual animals of a species that has never been thoroughly
tamed, are aware that the difficulty of training them lies in convincing them of our sincerity and
good-heartedness, and that when this is got over they will learn almost any trick, or habit. The
well-known lines of Burns to the field-mouse gather up the cause of all this in a fashion very
similar to the Bible’s.
"I’m truly sorry man’s dominion
Has broken nature’s social union,
And justifies that ill opinion,
Which makes thee startle
At me, thy poor earth-born companion
And fellow-mortal."
How much the appeal of suffering animals to man-the look of a wounded horse or dog with a
meaning which speech would only spoil, the tales of beasts of prey that in pain have turned to
man as their physician, the approach of the wildest birds in winter to our feet as their
Providence - how much all these prove Paul’s saying that the "earnest expectation of the creature
waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God." And we have other signals, than those
afforded by the pain and pressure of the beasts themselves, of the time when they and man shall
sympathise. The natural history of many of our breeds of domesticated animals teaches us the
lesson that their growth in skill and character-no one who has enjoyed the friendship of several
dogs will dispute the possibility of character in the lower animals-has been proportionate to
man’s own.
Though savages are fond of keeping and taming animals, they fail to advance them to the stages
of cunning and discipline, which animals reach under the influence of civilised man. "No
instance is on record," says Darwin, "of such dogs as bloodhounds, spaniels, or true greyhounds
having been kept by savages; they are the products of long-continued civilisation."
These facts, if few, certainly bear in the direction of Isaiah’s prophecy, that not by extermination
of the beasts, but by the influence upon them of man’s greater force of character, may that
warfare be brought to an end. of which man’s sin, according to the Bible, is the original cause.
The practical "uses" of such a passage of Scripture as this are plain. Some of them are the awful
responsibility of man’s position as the keystone of creation, the material effects of sin, and
especially the religiousness of our relation to the lower animals. More than once do the Hebrew
prophets liken the Almighty’s dealings with man to merciful man’s dealings with his beasts.
(Isa_63:13-14; Hos_11:4) Both Isaiah and Paul virtually declare that man discharges to the
lower creatures a mediatorial office. To say so will of course seem an exaggeration to some
people, but not to those who, besides being grateful to remember what help in labour and cheer
in dreariness we owe our humble fellow-creatures, have been fortunate enough to enjoy the
affection and trust of a dumb friend. Men who abuse the lower animals sin very grievously
against God; men who neglect them lose some of the religious possibilities of life. If it is our
business in life to have the charge of animals, we should magnify our calling. Every coachman
and carter ought to feel something of the priest about him; he should think no amount of skill
and patience too heavy if it enables him to gain insight into the nature of creatures of God, all of
whose hope, by Scripture and his own experience, is towards himself.

14. Our relation to the lower animals is one of the three great relations of our nature. For God our
worship; for man our service; for the beasts our providence, and according both to Isaiah and
Paul, the mediation of our holiness.
IV. THE RETURN AND SOVEREIGNTY OF ISRAEL
(Isa_11:10-16)
In passing from the second to the third part of this prophecy, we cannot but feel that we descend
to a lower point of view and a less pure atmosphere of spiritual ambition. Isaiah, who has just
declared peace between man and beast, finds that Judah must clear off certain scores against
her neighbours before there can be peace between man and man. It is an interesting
psychological study. The prophet, who has been able to shake off man’s primeval distrust and
loathing of wild animals, cannot divest himself of the political tempers of his age. He admits,
indeed, the reconciliation of Ephraim and Judah; but the first act of the reconciled brethren, he
prophesies with exultation, will be to "swoop down upon" their cousins Edom, Moab, and
Ammon, and their neighbours the Philistines. We need not longer dwell on this remarkable
limitation of the prophet’s spirit, except to point out that while Isaiah clearly saw that Israel’s
own purity would not be perfected except by her political debasement, he could not as yet
perceive any way for the conversion of the rest of the world except through Israel’s political
supremacy.
The prophet, however, is more occupied with an event preliminary to Israel’s sovereignty,
namely the return from exile. His large and emphatic assertions remind the not yet captive
Judah through how much captivity she has to pass before she can see the margin of the blessed
future which he has been describing to her. Isaiah’s words imply a much more general captivity
than had taken place by the time he spoke them, and we see that he is still keeping steadily in
view that thorough reduction of his people, to the prospect of which he was forced in his
inaugural vision. Judah has to be dispersed, even as Ephraim has been, before the glories of this
chapter shall be realised.
We postpone further treatment of this prophecy, along with the hymn (chapter 12), which is
attached to it, to a separate chapter, dealing with all the representations, which the first half of
the book of Isaiah contains, of the return from exile.
9. BI, “A prophecy concerning Messiah the Prince
I.
HIS RISE OUT OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID (Isa_11:1).
II. HIS QUALIFICATIONS FOR HIS GREAT UNDERTAKING (Isa_11:2-3).
III. THE JUSTICE AND EQUITY OF HIS GOVERNMENT (Isa_11:3-5).
IV. THE PEACEABLENESS OF HIS KINGDOM (Isa_11:6-9).
V. THE ACCESSION OF THE GENTILES TO IT (Isa_11:10).
VI. And with them THE REMNANT OF THE JEWS that should be united with them in the
Messiah’s kingdom (Isa_11:11-16). (M. Henry.)
The picture of the future

15. The picture of the future which fills the eleventh chapter is one of the most extensive that Isaiah
has drawn. Three prospects are unfolded in it.
I. A PROSPECT OF MIND (verses 2-5). The geography of a royal mind in its stretches of
character, knowledge, and achievement.
II. A PROSPECT OF NATURE (verses 6-9). A vision of the restitution of nature—Paradise
regained.
III. A PROSPECT OF HISTORY (verses 9-16). The geography of Israel’s redemption. To this
third prospect chapter 12. forms a fitting conclusion, a hymn of praise in the mouth of returning
exiles. (Prof. G. A. Smith, D. D.)
Three great ideals
1. The perfect indwelling of our humanity by the Spirit of God.
2. The peace and communion of all nature, covered with the knowledge of God.
3. The traversing of all history by the Divine purposes of redemption. (Prof. G. A. Smith, D.
D.)
Assyria and Israel: a contrast
We should connect the opening of the eleventh chapter with the close of the tenth in order to
feel the full force of the contrast. There we read: “And He shall cut down the thickets of the
forest with iron and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty One.” Then comes the prophecy that “there
shall come forth a rod,” etc. The cedar of Lebanon was the symbol of Assyrian power. It was a
poor symbol. Looked at botanically, it very vividly represented the passing pomp of a pagan
empire. It is of the pine genus, and sends out no suckers, and when it is cut down it is gone. The
oak is the symbol of Israel’s power, and though it be cut down it grows again—“there shall come
forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots”—out of the very
lowest stump that is left in the ground. (J. Parker, D. D.)
Eternal youthfulness
What is the symbol of our power? Is ours an influence that can be cut down and never revive? or
are we so rooted in the Eternal that though persecution may impoverish us, and we may suffer
great deprivation and depletion of every kind, yet we shall come up again in eternal
youthfulness? (J. Parker, D. D.)
Prophecy: a very good transition
It is a very good transition in prophecy (whether it be so in rhetoric or no) and a very common
one, to pass from the prediction of the temporal deliverances of the Church to that of the great
salvation, which, in the fulness of time, should be wrought out by Jesus Christ, of which the
others were types and figures. (M. Henry.)
The Branch

16. The word translated “Branch” is in the Hebrew Netser. The word is said to be derived from a
root which means “bright” or “verdant.” And this agrees with the character of the valley in which
the town of Netzer or Natsoreth (Nazareth) stands. “The bushes and aromatic shrubs, and
especially the brilliant wild flowers, take away from the bleakness of the landscape.” It is from
this title, then, Netser or the Branch, that St. Matthew quotes when he says, “He shall be called a
Nazarene” Mat_2:23). (Expository Times.)
The rod out of the stem of Jesse
Let us go back to the humblest point, the very starting line, and learn that this Son of God was
not the son of a king only, but the son of a king’s lowly father. Christianity is the religion of the
common people. The Gospel appeals to all men, rich and poor, in every zone and clime, and is
most to those who need it most. (J. Parker, D. D.)
Christ the fruitful Branch
“A shoot out of its roots brings fruit.” The sprout shooting out below the soil becomes a tree, and
this tree gets a crown with fruits; and thus a state of exaltation and completion follows the state
of humiliation. (F. Delitzsch.)
The qualifications of Christ for His mediatorial office
I. The first verse of the text foretells THE BIRTH AND FAMILY OF THE MESSIAH. The
Messiah was to be born of the house of David, the son of Jesse. But why is Jesse mentioned here,
rather than David, his more illustrious son? Partly to point out the birthplace of the Messiah.
Jesse appears always to have lived at Bethlehem, and was known as the Bethlehemite; whereas,
David resided the greater part of his life at Hebron and Jerusalem. Jesse was in a more humble
rank of life than Jesse’s son; and so Jesus, though superior to David, as a royal king, being
David’s Lord, as well as David’s son, yet, in the actual circumstances of His life, was nearer to
the humble rank of Jesse than the royal state of David. It was also out of the stem of Jesse that
the rod was to come forth—from a stem where there was nothing but stem and root remaining;
not out of a noble tree, with its wide-spreading branches. “And a Branch shall grow out of his
roots.” It is intimated here, and elsewhere more clearly foretold, that the Branch should spring
from the family of Jesse, when it was in lowly circumstances, at a time when the house of David
should be much reduced, and that slender expectations should be formed of it at first, but that in
process of time it should grow into a beautiful and glorious Branch. How exactly all this
describes the birth and lineage of Jesus Christ. Yet was ever branch so glorious in its increase?
What noble fruits have hung on that Branch l What Churches have clustered around it!
II. HIS FULL QUALIFICATIONS FOR HIS OFFICE, as described in this prediction (Isa_11:2).
“The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him.” On Him was poured the unction of the Holy One in
all its fulness. But, remember, the Spirit of the Lord rested on Him in His office of Mediator.
Now, this is a public office, an office which Jesus sustains for the benefit of His people; and
therefore the Spirit of the Lord rests upon Him for His people.
1. “The spirit of wisdom.” He had wisdom in full measure. He must have had a perfect
comprehension of God in His nature, qualities, attributes, works, and Ways; He must have
had a thorough understanding of the only method by which wretched man could be saved;
He must have known what was in the mind of man, for He answered the Pharisees and
Sadducees, and knew the difficulties and doubts of His disciples, even before they gave them

17. utterance in words. How wise were all His provisions for His Church! How wise to win souls
was Jesus Christ! And remember He has wisdom for you.
2. “The spirit of understanding.” This is enlarged on in the following verse. The Saviour had
a quickness in understanding what might be for the glory or dishonour of His heavenly
Father. No tinsel could hide from Him the foul deformity of sin; no hypocrisy could yell from
Him the pride and corruption of the Pharisee. When Satan came with his temptations, and
baited his snare with all the kingdoms of the world in all their glory, Christ instantly
understood the deceit, and, “Get thee hence, Satan,” was His indignant language.
3. “The spirit of counsel.” “This,” says our prophet, “is the name whereby He shall be called,
Wonderful Counsellor.” Christ is able to give the wisest counsel in the kindest manner. He
has advice suited to every case. He counsels the sinner. He says to the Church in a Laodicean
state, “I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich.” He
counsels the Christian warrior how to maintain the fight against sin with persevering faith.
4. “The spirit of might.” He is a Lamb in meekness; He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah in
strength. His work required a very undaunted spirit, and He never quaked with fear, nor
trembled with alarm. And He has the spirit of might for you also.
5. “The spirit of knowledge.” In Christ dwells all knowledge—the knowledge of Jehovah, His
heavenly Father, of His holy will, His righteous claims, the blessedness of knowing God as
Father. And this same knowledge of His Father He is able to impart to you.
6. “And of the fear of the Lord.” “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” and it is
also one of the highest attainments of wisdom, and one of the best effects of the Holy Spirit
on the heart. (J. Hambleton, M. A.)
The kingdom of Christ
We may well study this picture of the Messiah’s reign on earth, drawn by a Divine hand and
painted with unfading colours, because through it we see, as we cannot otherwise, what we are
daily praying for. History does not fully interpret prophecy for us. If we knew just the changes in
the nations before the fulness of the times comes, if we could be assured where and when and
how Jesus would reign in an earthly way among men, still we should not have what the vision of
Isaiah furnishes us. He saw nothing of this. And what did he see? First of all a mighty forest,
whose tall trees sent their roots down deep into the earth, and whose branches east wide
shadows. These were the proud nations that were oppressing Israel, and seemed strong enough
to stand forever. But they were to lose their glory. Among them there was a stump, sending up
from its decay and humiliation a small, tender, but vigorous shoot. This was the ancient but
fallen house of David; and the green shoot coming up was only in fulfilment of the old covenant
that there should always be one to sit on David’s throne. As we look, through the seer’s vision,
we see the young tree dissolve into the form of a Man, a Man on whom the Holy Spirit rests with
seven-fold gifts of wisdom and knowledge and counsel and might and understanding in the fear
of the Lord. This Man is full of righteousness, and His robes are girdled with righteousness as
He sits and judges among the people. And again, as we gaze, we see that the Man dissolves into a
mountain—the mountain of the Lord which shall be established in the top of the mountains in
the last days. This mountain is full of peace and security. Once more, as if to express in a
sentence the whole thought and hope of the prophet, we see the whole earth filled with the
knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Interpreting this vision there are two truths
that may well be dwelt upon.
I. THE CHIEF FACT ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST IS CHRIST HIMSELF, WHO
MAKES HIS KINGDOM BY DWELLING IN THE HEARTS OF MEN.

18. II. HIS REIGN IS LIKE THE REIGN OF THE LITTLE CHILD IN THE MIDST OF THE
ANIMALS THAT NATURALLY HATE AND DEVOUR ONE ANOTHER. It is a reign of
childlikeness and innocence, the power of weakness and purity over brute force. (E. N.
Packard.)
The kingdom of Christ in the world is only the presence of Christ in the world
The kingdom of Christ in the world is only the presence of Christ in the world, repeating His acts
of mercy and love, uttering His eternal truths, scorching hypocrisy and error with the breath of
His mouth, changing unruly wills ever into docile ones, cleansing and making glad everything
everywhere. There is no reign of Christ of which we can form any idea but this. When men are
holy, through His indwelling among them, that is Christ’s reign. Let us forget the scenic and
dramatic elements in millennial glories and simply think of the kingdom as being the presence
of the King. Here we see the difference between His reign and that of any earthly monarch who
can transmit his power to his son and he to his posterity, and so, with precedent and law and
tradition, there may be some approach to security and peace Frederick the Great dies, but his
empire goes on and holds him in memory. But Christ has no successors, and there is no royal
family save that which is made from all who are named after His name. Christ must be as truly
among men at one age as another, and where He is not a living and controlling presence there is
nothing but a name. What we call Christianity—the sum total of the influences that emanate
from Christ and touch the complex life of man—has no inherent vitality of its own. It cannot
abide upon traditions of One who founded it ages ago. Christ’s perpetual presence alone makes
Christianity possible. The same is true of the Church. (E. N. Packard.)
Messiah’s reign
I. THE PERSON.
II. THE CHARACTER.
III. THE KINGDOM of Messiah. (D. Brown, D. D.)
The stem from the rod of Jesse
That this refers to the Lord Jesus is undoubted.
I. HIS DESCENT. Three ideas seem to be involved.
1. Meanness or obscurity.
2. Progression. How decayed soever the tree might appear, yet a Branch was to shoot and
grow up out of its roots. For a time, the growth was far from being rapid, but at length it
appeared as a Plant of everlasting renown, a Secret and mysterious operation. The metaphor
is taken from vegetation, that process of the wonder-working God which none can explain,
yet the existence of which none can dispute.
II. HIS PERSONAL AND OFFICIAL ENDOWMENTS.
1. Their nature (Isa_11:2). They were—
(1) Diversified in their character.
(2) Unlimited in their range. The Spirit was imparted to Him without measure.

19. (3) Continuous in their possession. “The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him.”
2. The purposes for which them endowments were conferred.
(1) That He might discriminate the characters of men. “And shall make Him of quick
understanding in the fear of the Lord,” etc.
(2) To defend the cause of the oppressed. “But with righteousness shall He judge the
poor,” etc.
(3) To punish the workers of iniquity. “And He shall smite the earth with the rod of His
mouth,” etc.
III. THE BLESSED STATE OF THINGS WHICH WILL BE REALISED UNDER HIS
ADMINISTRATION. We dare not lose eight of the truth, that He is mighty to destroy; but how
encouraging is it to remember, that He who speaks and acts in righteousness is also mighty to
save. And the concluding portion of this prophecy shows in how signal a manner His saving
power will be exerted.
1. The condition described. “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,” etc. We have here two
leading ideas.
(1) Peace and harmony.
(2) Security.
2. In order thereto the most marvellous transformations will be effected.
3. The means of this transformation will be the universal diffusion of Divine knowledge
(Isa_11:9).
Conclusion—
1. Let us pray that the Redeemer’s kingdom may come.
2. To us, personally, the great thing is to possess the knowledge of the Lord ourselves.
(Anon.)
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—

20. 1.BARNES, “And the Spirit of the Lord - The Spirit of Yahweh. Chaldee, ‘And there shall
rest upon him the spirit of prophecy from before Yahweh.’ In the previous verse, the prophet
had announced his origin and his birth. In this, he proceeds to describe his extraordinary
endowments, as eminently holy, pure, and wise. There can be no doubt that reference is here
had to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the sacred Trinity, as descending upon him in the
fullness of his influences, and producing in him perfect wisdom, knowledge, and the fear of the
Lord. The Spirit of Yahweh shall rest upon him - a Spirit producing wisdom, understanding,
counsel, might, etc. All these are lit the Scriptures traced to the agency of the Holy Spirit; see
1Co_12:8-11. The meaning here is, that the Messiah should be endowed with these eminent
prophetic gifts and qualifications for his ministry by the agency of the Holy Spirit. It was by that
Spirit that the prophets had been inspired (see 2Pe_1:21; 2Ti_3:16); and as the Messiah was to
be a prophet Deu_18:15, Deu_18:18, there was a fitness that he should be endowed in the same
manner. If it be asked how one, who was divine in his own nature, could be thus endowed by the
aid of the Spirit, the answer is, that he was also to be a man descended from the honored line of
David, and that as a man he might be furnished for his work by the agency of the Holy Spirit. His
human nature was kept pure; his mind was made eminently wise; his heart always retained the
fear and love of God, and there is no absurdity in supposing that these extraordinary
endowments were to be traced to God. That he was thus under the influence of the Holy Spirit, is
abundantly taught in the New Testament. Thus, in Mat_3:16, the Holy Spirit is represented as
descending on him at his baptism, In Joh_3:34, it is said, ‘For he whom God hath sent speaketh
the words of God, for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him;’ compare Col_1:19.
Shall rest upon him - That is, shall descend on him, and remain with him. It shall not
merely come upon him, but shall attend him permanently; compare Num_11:25-26.
The spirit of wisdom - The spirit producing wisdom, or making him wise. Wisdom consists
in the choice of the best means to secure the best ends. This attribute is often given to the
Messiah in the New Testament, and was always evinced by him; compare 1Co_1:30; Eph_1:17;
Col_2:3 : ‘In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.’
And understanding - The difference between the words here rendered wisdom and
understanding is, that the former denotes wisdom properly; and the latter, that judgment
resulting from wisdom, by which we distinguish things, or decide on their character.
The spirit of counsel - That by which be shall be qualified to “give” counsel or advice; the
qualification of a public instructor and guide; see the note at Isa_9:6.
And might - Strength, vigor, energy; that strength of heart and purpose which will enable a
man to meet difficulties, to encounter dangers, to be bold, open, and fearless in the discharge of
his duties. It is not necessary to remark, that this characteristic was found in an eminent degree
in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Of knowledge - That is, the knowledge of the attributes and plans of Yahweh; compare
Mat_11:27 : ‘Neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son.’ Joh_1:18 : ‘No man hath seen
God at I any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared
him;’ 1Jo_5:20.
And of the fear of the Lord - The fear of Yahweh is often used to denote piety in general,
as consisting in a reverence for the divine commands, and a dread of offending him; “that is,” a
desire to please him, which is piety; compare Job_28:28; Psa_19:9; Psa_111:10; Pro_1:7;
Pro_3:13; Pro_15:33; Pro_19:23. That this characteristic was found eminently in the Lord
Jesus, it is not necessary to attempt to prove.

21. 2. PULPIT, “The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him
(comp, Mat_3:16; Luk_2:40; Luk_4:1, Luk_4:14, Luk_4:18; Joh_3:34, etc.). The human nature of our Lord
required, and received abundantly, the sanctifying and enlightening influences of the Holy Spirit. These
influences were not in him transient or occasional, as in too many men, who more or less "resist the
Spirit," but permanent and enduring. They "rested upon" him; from first to last never quitted, and never
will quit, him. The spirit of wisdom and understanding. The influences of the Holy Spirit are manifold,
affecting the entire complex nature of man (see 1Co_12:8-11). Here, three pairs of graces are set forth as
specially manifested in the Messiah through the power of the Spirit:
(1) "Wisdom and understanding," or intellectual and moral apprehension ( εὐσυνεσία ) the ability to
perceive moral and abstract truth;
(2) "counsel and might," or the power at once to scheme and originate, and also to carry out thought into
act;
(3) "The knowledge and the fear of the Lord," or acquaintance with the true will of God, combined with the
determination to carry out that will to the full (Joh_4:34; Luk_22:42; Heb_10:7). It is needless to say that
all these qualities existed in the greatest perfection in our blessed Lord.
3. GILL, “And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,.... The rod and branch, the
King Messiah, so qualifying him for his office, and the discharge of it. This shows that Christ's
kingdom is of a spiritual nature, and administered in a spiritual manner, for which he was
abundantly furnished by the "Spirit of the Lord" resting on him; by whom is meant the third
Person in the Trinity, so called, not because created by him, for not any created spirit is meant,
but because he proceeded from him; he is the one Jehovah with him, a divine Person, truly God,
yet distinct both from the Father and the Son; so that here is a clear proof of the trinity of
Persons. Christ was filled with the Spirit from the womb, and he descended and rested upon him
at his baptism; he was anointed with him to be Prophet, Priest, and King, and received his gifts
and graces from him without measure, which abide with him, and are designed in the following
words:
the spirit of wisdom and understanding; which appeared in his disputation with the
doctors; in his answers to the ensnaring questions of the Scribes and Pharisees; in the whole of
his ministry; and in his conduct at his apprehension, trial, condemnation, and death; as also in
the wisdom, knowledge, and understanding he imparted to his disciples, and does more or less
to all his people:
the spirit of counsel and might; of "counsel", which fitted him to be the wonderful
Counsellor, and qualified him to give suitable and proper advice to the sons of men; and of
"might" or "power", to preach the Gospel with authority; do miracles in the confirmation of it;

22. bear the sins of his people, and the punishment due to them; obtain eternal redemption for
them; and engage with all their enemies and conquer them:
the spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord; and so as man had the "knowledge"
of God the Father; of his mind and will; of the Scriptures, and things contained therein; of the
law and Gospel; all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge were hid in him, which he
communicates to his saints; and "of the fear of the Lord", and so had a reverence of him, a strict
regard to his will, and always did the things which pleased him; see Heb_5:7 this verse is also
applied to the Messiah, both by ancient and modern Jews (u).
4. HENRY, “That he should be every way qualified for that great work to which he was
designed, that this tender branch should be so watered with the dews of heaven as to become a
strong rod for a sceptre to rule, Isa_11:2. 1. In general, the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him.
The Holy Spirit, in all his gifts and graces, shall not only come, but rest and abide upon him; he
shall have the Spirit not by measure, but without measure, the fulness of the Godhead dwelling
in him, Col_1:19; Col_2:9. He began his preaching with this (Luk_4:18), The Spirit of the Lord
is upon me. 2. In particular, the spirit of government, by which he should be every way fitted for
that judgment which the Father has committed to him and given him authority to execute
(Joh_5:22, Joh_5:27), and not only so, but should be made the fountain and treasury of all
grace to believers, that from his fulness they might all receive the Spirit of grace, as all the
members of the body derive animal spirits from the head. (1.) He shall have the spirit of wisdom
and understanding, of counsel and knowledge; he shall thoroughly understand the business he
is to be employed in. No man knows the Father but the Son, Mat_11:27. What he is to make
known to the children of men concerning God, and his mind and will, he shall be himself
acquainted with and apprised of, Joh_1:18. He shall know how to administer the affairs of his
spiritual kingdom in all the branches of it, so as effectually to answer the two great intentions of
it, the glory of God and the welfare of the children of men. The terms of the covenant shall be
settled by him, and ordinances instituted, in wisdom: treasures of wisdom shall be hid in him;
he shall be our counsellor, and shall be made of God to us wisdom. (2.) The spirit of courage, or
might, or fortitude. The undertaking was very great, abundance of difficulty must be broken
through, and therefore it was necessary that he should be so endowed that he might not fail or
be discouraged, Isa_42:4. He was famed for courage in his teaching the way of God in truth, and
not caring for any man, Mat_22:16. (3.) The spirit of religion, or the fear of the Lord; not only
he shall himself have a reverent affection for his Father, as his servant (Isa_42:1), and he was
heard in that he feared (Heb_5:7), but he shall have a zeal for religion, and shall design the
advancement of it in his whole undertaking. Our faith in Christ was never designed to supersede
and jostle out, but to increase and support, our fear of the Lord.
5. JAMISON, “Spirit of the Lord — Jehovah. The Spirit by which the prophets spake: for
Messiah was to be a Prophet (Isa_61:1; Deu_18:15, Deu_18:18). Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
are specified, to imply that the perfection of them was to be in Him. Compare “the seven Spirits”
(Rev_1:4), that is, the Holy Ghost in His perfect fullness: seven being the sacred number. The
prophets had only a portion out of the “fullness” in the Son of God (Joh_1:16; Joh_3:34;
Col_1:19).
rest — permanently; not merely come upon Him (Num_11:25, Num_11:26).
wisdom — (1Co_1:30; Eph_1:17; Col_2:3).
understanding — coupled with “wisdom,” being its fruit. Discernment and discrimination
(Mat_22:18; Joh_2:25).

23. counsel ... might — the faculty of forming counsels, and that of executing them
(Isa_28:29). Counsellor (Isa_9:6).
knowledge — of the deep things of God (Mat_11:27). The knowledge of Him gives us true
knowledge (Eph_1:17).
fear of the Lord — reverential, obedient fear. The first step towards true “knowledge”
(Job_28:28; Psa_111:10).
6. K&D, “Jehovah acknowledges Him, and consecrates and equips Him for His great work
with the seven spirits.”And the Spirit of Jehovah descends upon Him, spirit of wisdom and
understanding, spirit of counsel and might, spirit of knowledge and fear of Jehovah.” “The
Spirit of Jehovah” (ruach Yehovah) is the Divine Spirit, as the communicative vehicle of the
whole creative fulness of divine powers. Then follow the six spirits, comprehended by the ruach
Yehovah in three pairs, of which the first relates to the intellectual life, the second to the
practical life, and the third to the direct relation to God. For chocmah (wisdom) is the power of
discerning the nature of things through the appearance, and bı̄nah (understanding) the power of
discerning the differences of things in their appearance; the former is σοφία, the latter διάκρισις
or σύνεσις. “Counsel” (etzah) is the gift of forming right conclusions, and “might” (geburah) the
ability to carry them out with energy. “The knowledge of Jehovah” (da‛ath Yehovah) is knowledge
founded upon the fellowship of love; and “the fear of Jehovah” (yir'ath Yehovah), fear absorbed in
reverence. There are seven spirits, which are enumerated in order from the highest downwards;
since the spirit of the fear of Jehovah is the basis of the whole (Pro_1:7; Job_28:28; Psa_111:10),
and the Spirit of Jehovah is the heart of all. It corresponds to the shaft of the seven-lighted
candlestick, and the three pair of arms that proceeded from it. In these seven forms the Holy
Spirit descended upon the second David for a permanent possession, as is affirmed in the perf.
consec. ‫ה‬ ָ‫ה‬ָ‫נ‬ְ‫ו‬ (with the tone upon the ultimate, on account of the following guttural, to prevent its
being pronounced unintelligibly;
(Note: This moving forward of the tone to the last syllable is also found before Ayin in
Gen_26:10, and very commonly with kumah, and verbs of a similar kind; also before Elohim
and Jehovah, to be read Adonai, and before the half-guttural resh, Psa_43:1; Psa_119:154,
but nowhere on any other ground than the orthophonic rather than euphonic one mentioned
above; compare also ָ‫ר‬ ֳ‫ס‬ְ‫ו‬‫ה‬ in Isa_11:13, with ‫וּ‬ ָ‫ר‬ ֳ‫ס‬ְ‫ו‬ (with ‫ה‬ following) in Exo_8:7.)
nuach like καταβαίνειν καᆳ µένειν, Joh_1:32-33). The seven torches before the throne of God
(Rev_4:5, cf., Isa_1:4) burn and give light in His soul. The seven spirits are His seven eyes
(Rev_5:6).
7.CALVIN, “And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him. He now begins to speak of Christ plainly
and without a figure; for it was enough to have represented the consolation under that figure, in order that

24. the full contrast between the burning of the wood and its springing up anew might be made manifest. Two
states of the people are described by him; for, after having explained the calamity, he next added the
hope of restoration, though the commencement of it was from a slender branch. But now he plainly shows
what will be the nature of the redemption, and what will be the condition of Christ and of his kingdom.
Some think that this should rather be viewed as referring to Hezekiah; but how groundless that opinion is
we have already shown; (179) for when he was born, David had still a flourishing reputation, and the rank
of royalty belonged to his descendants; and Hezekiah was very far from attaining that greatness which is
shortly afterwards described. Now, hence we infer that the spiritual kingdom of Christ was formerly
promised to the ancient people, because his whole strength, power, and majesty, is here made to consist
in the gifts of the Spirit. Although Christ was not deficient in gifts of this kind, yet as he took upon him our
flesh, it was necessary that he should be enriched with them, that we might afterwards be made partakers
of all blessings of which otherwise we are destitute; for out of his fullness, as John says, we must draw
as from a fountain. (Joh_1:16.)
The Spirit of the Lord We must keep in view what I mentioned a little ago, that this refers to Christ’ human
nature; because he could not be enriched with the gift and grace of the Father, except so far as he
became man. Besides, as he came down to us, so he received the gifts of the Spirit, that he might bestow
them upon us. And this is the anointing from which he receives the name of Christ, which he imparts to
us; for why are we called Christians, but because he admits us to his fellowship, by distributing to us out
of his fullness according to the measure (Eph_4:7) of undeserved liberality? And undoubtedly this
passage does not so much as teach us what Christ is in himself, as what he received from the Father,
that he might enrich us with his wealth.
The spirit of wisdom and understanding. Though it is not necessary to bestow great attention on single
words, yet if any person wish to draw a slight distinction between wisdom and understanding, I consider it
to be this, that the word wisdom comprehends generally all that relates to the regulation of the life, and
thatunderstanding is added for the sake of explaining it; for if we are endowed with this wisdom, we shall
have sagacity enough. Counsel means that judgment by which we can thread our way through intricate
affairs; for understanding would not be sufficient, if there were not also counsel, that we might be able to
act with caution in doubtful matters. The word might is well enough known. Knowledge differs little
from understanding; except that it relates more to the act of knowing, and thus declares what has taken
place. The fear of the Lord means a sincere desire to worship God.
The Prophet does not here enumerate all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, as some have thought. Out of this
passage the Papists have foolishly and ignorantly drawn their sevenfold grace, and some of the ancients

25. fell into a similar blunder. He enumerates only six kinds; but they have added a seventh out of their own
head. But as one error commonly follows another, they have chosen to limit the gifts of the Spirit to the
number seven, although in other parts of Scripture (Joh_14:17; 2Ti_1:7) he receives numerous and lofty
commendations drawn from the variety of the effects which he produces. Besides, it is very evident that it
is through the kindness of Christ (Gal_5:22) that we are partakers of other blessings than those which are
here enumerated, of meekness, chastity, sobriety, truth, and holiness; for these proceed from none else
than from Christ. He does not mention, therefore, all the gifts which were bestowed on Christ, for that was
unnecessary; but only shows briefly that Christ came not empty-handed, but well supplied with all gifts,
that he might enrich us with them.
If these things had not been added, we might have supposed, as the Jews commonly do, that the
restoration of this kingdom was carnal, and might have imagined that Christ was poor and destitute of all
blessings. Accordingly, the Prophet afterwards shows that the gifts of the Spirit are laid up in him, first,
generally, and next, particularly; that we may go to him to obtain whatever we want. He will enlighten us
with the light of wisdom and understanding, will impart to us counsel in difficulties, will make us strong
and courageous in battles, will bestow on us the true fear of God, that is, godliness, and, in a word, will
communicate to us all that is necessary for our life and salvation. All gifts are here included by the
Prophet, so that it is excessively foolish to attempt to conceal those which do not belong to the present
enumeration.
He shows that they dwell in Christ, in order that they may be communicated to us. We are also called
his fellows, (Psa_45:7,) because strength proceeds from him as the head to the individual members, and
in like manner Christ causes his heavenly anointing to flow over the whole body of his Church. Hence it
follows that those who are altogether barren and dry have no interest in Christ, and falsely glory in his
name. Whenever therefore we feel that we are in want of any of these gifts, let us blame our unbelief; for
true faith makes us partakers of all Christ’ benefits. We ought therefore to pray to the Lord not to permit
the lusts of the flesh to rule in us, that Christ may wholly unite us to himself. It should also be observed,
that we ought to ask all blessings from Christ alone; for we are mistaken if we imagine that anything can
be obtained from the Father in any other way.
8. MEYER, “THE KINGDOM OF THE MESSIAH
Isa_10:33-34; Isa_11:1-9
The advance of the Assyrian along the great north road is graphically described. It was marked
by raided villages and towns. The night sky was lurid with flames. But his collapse would be as

26. sudden and irretrievable as the felling of forest timber. As the one chapter closes we can almost
hear the crash of the Assyrian tree to the ground, and there is no sprout from his roots. But in
the next the prophet descries a fair and healthy branch uprising from the trunk of Jesse’s line.
The vision of the King is then presented, who can be none other than the divine Redeemer on
whom rests the sevenfold Spirit of God. The second verse defines the work of the Comforter, and
is evidently the model of that royal hymn, Veni Creator Spiritus. But remember that He on
whom this divine unction rested longs to share the pentecostal gift with the least of His
disciples, 1Jn_2:27. Note that as man’s sin brought travail and groaning on all creation, so will
His redemption deliver it, Rom_8:19-25.
9. MACLAREN. “THE SUCKER FROM THE FELLED OAK
The hopeless fall of Assyria is magnificently pictured in the close of Isa_10:1-16, as the felling of
the cedars of Lebanon by the axe swung by Jehovah’s own hand. A cedar once cut down puts out
no new shoots; and so the Assyrian power, when it falls, will fall for ever. The metaphor is
carried on with surpassing beauty in the first part of this prophecy, which contrasts the
indestructible vitality of the Davidic monarchy with the irremediable destruction fated for its
formidable antagonist. The one is a cedar, the stump of which rots slowly, but never recovers.
The other is an oak, which, every woodman knows, will put out new growth from the ‘stool.’ But
instead of a crowd of little suckers, the prophet sees but one shoot, and that rising to more than
the original height and fruitfulness of the tree. The prophecy is distinctly that of One Person, in
whom the Davidic monarchy is concentrated, and all its decadence more than recovered.
Isaiah does not bring the rise of the Messiah into chronological connection with the fall of
Assyria; for he contemplates a period of decay for the Israelitish monarchy, and it was the very
burden of his message as to Assyria that it should pass away without harming that monarchy.
The contrast is not intended to suggest continuity in time. The period of fulfilment is entirely
undetermined.
The first point in the prophecy is the descent of the Messiah from the royal stock. That is more
than Isaiah’s previous Messianic prophecies had told. He is to come at a time when the fortunes
of David’s house were at their worst. There is to be nothing left but the stump of the tree, and
out of it is to come a ‘shoot,’ slender and insignificant, and in strange contrast with the girth of
the truncated bole, stately even in its mutilation. We do not talk of a growth from the stump as
being a ‘branch’; and ‘sprout’ would better convey Isaiah’s meaning. From the top of the stump,
a shoot; from the roots half buried in the ground, an outgrowth,-these two images mean but one
person, a descendant of David, coming at a time of humiliation and obscurity. But this lowly
shoot will ‘bear fruit,’ which presupposes its growth.
The King-Messiah thus brought on the scene is then described in regard to His character
(Isa_11:2), the nature of His rule (Isa_11:3-5), the universal harmony and peace which He will
diffuse through nature (Isa_11:6-9), and the gathering of all mankind under His dominion.
There is much in the prophetic ideal of the Messiah which finds no place in this prophecy. The
gentler aspects of His reign are not here, nor the deeper characteristics of His ‘spirit,’ nor the
chiefest blessings in His gift. The suffering Messiah is not yet the theme of the prophet.
The main point as to the character of the Messiah which this prophecy sets forth is that,
whatever He was to be, He was to be by reason of the resting on Him of the Spirit of Jehovah.
The directness, fulness, and continuousness of His inspiration are emphatically proclaimed in
that word ‘shall rest,’ which can scarcely fail to recall John’s witness, ‘I have beheld the Spirit

27. descending as a dove out of heaven; and it abode upon Him.’ The humanity on which the Divine
Spirit uninterruptedly abides, ungrieved and unrestrained, must be free from the stains which
so often drive that heavenly visitant from our breasts. The white-breasted Dove of God cannot
brood over foulness. There has never been but one manhood capable of receiving and retaining
the whole fulness of the Spirit of God.
The gifts of that Spirit, which become qualities of the Messiah in whom He dwells, are arranged
(if we may use so cold a word) in three pairs; so that, if we include the introductory designation,
we have a sevenfold characterisation of the Spirit, recalling the seven lamps before the throne
and the seven eyes of the Lamb in the Apocalypse, and symbolising by the number the
completeness and sacredness of that inspiration. The resulting character of the Messiah is a fair
picture of one who realises the very ideal of a strong and righteous ruler of men. ‘Wisdom and
understanding’ refer mainly to the clearness of intellectual and moral insight; ‘counsel and
might,’ to the qualities which give sound practical direction and vigour to follow, and carry
through, the decisions of practical wisdom; while ‘the knowledge and fear of the Lord’ define
religion by its two parts of acquaintance with God founded on love, and reverential awe which
prompts to obedience. The fulfilment, and far more than fulfilment, of this ideal is in Jesus, in
whom were ‘hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,’ to whom no circumstances of
difficulty ever brought the shadow of perplexity, who always saw clearly before Him the path to
tread, and had always ‘might’ to tread it, however rough, who lived all His days in unbroken
fellowship with the Father and in lowly obedience.
The prophet saw not all the wonders of perfect human character which that indwelling Spirit
would bring to realisation in Him; but what he saw was indispensable to a perfect King, and was,
at all events, an arc of the mighty circle of perfection, which has now been revealed in the life of
Jesus. The possibilities of humanity under the influence of the Divine Spirit are revealed here no
less than the actuality of the Messiah’s character. What Jesus is, He gives it to His subjects to
become by the dwelling in them of the spirit of life which was in Him.
The rule of the King is accordant with His character. It is described in Isa_11:3-5. The first
characteristic named may be understood in different ways. According to some commentators,
who deserve respectful consideration, it means, ‘He shall draw His breath in the fear of
Jehovah’; that is, that that fear has become, as it were, His very life-breath. But the meaning of
‘breathing’ is doubtful; and the phrase seems rather to express, as the Revised Version puts it,
‘His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.’ That might mean that those who fear Jehovah shall
be His delight, and this would free the expression from any shade of tautology, when compared
with the previous clause, and would afford a natural transition to the description of His rule. It
might, on the other hand, continue the description of His personal character, and describe the
inward cheerfulness of His obedience, like ‘I delight to do Thy will.’ In any case, the ‘fear of the
Lord’ is represented as a sweet-smelling fragrance; and, if we adopt the former explanation, then
it is almost a divine characteristic which is here attributed to the Messiah; for it is God to whom
the fear of Him in men’s hearts is ‘an odour of a sweet smell.’
Then follow the features of His rule. His unerring judgment pierces through the seen and heard.
That is the quality of a monarch after the antique pattern, when kings were judges. It does not
appear that the prophet rose to the height of perceiving the divine nature of the Messiah; but we
cannot but remember how far the reality transcends the prophecy, since He whose ‘eyes are as a
flame of fire’ knows what is in man, and the earliest prayers of the Church were addressed to
Jesus as ‘Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men.’
The relation of Messiah to two classes is next set forth. The oppressed and the meek shall have
Him for their defender and avenger,-a striking contrast to the oppressive monarchs whom
Isaiah had seen. We remember who said ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit,’ ‘Blessed are the meek.’
The King Himself has taught us to deepen the meaning of the words of the prophet, and to find

28. in them the expression of the law of His kingdom by which its blessings belong to those who
know their need and come with humble hearts. But the same acts which are for the poor are
against the oppressors. The emendation which reads ‘tyrant’ (arits) for ‘earth’ (erets) brings the
two clauses descriptive of the punitive acts into parallelism, and is probably to be preferred. The
same pillar was light to Israel and darkness to the Egyptians. Christ is the savour of life unto life
and of death unto death. But what is His instrument of destruction? ‘The rod of His mouth’ or
‘the breath of His lips.’ And who is He whose bare word thus has power to kill and make alive? Is
not this a divine prerogative? and does it not belong in the fullest sense to Him whose voice
rebuked fevers, storms, and demons, and pierced the dull, cold ear of death? Further,
righteousness, the absolute conformity of character and act to the standard in the will of God,
and faithfulness, the inflexible constancy, which makes a character consistent with itself, and so
reliable, are represented by a striking figure as being twined together to make the girdle, which
holds the vestments in place, and girds up the whole frame for effort. This righteous King ‘shall
not fail nor be discouraged.’ He is to be reckoned on to the uttermost, or, as the New Testament
puts it, He is ‘the faithful and true witness.’ This is the strong Son of God, who gathered all His
powers together to run with patience the race set before Him, and to whom all may turn with the
confidence that He is faithful ‘as a Son over His own house,’ and will inviolably keep the promise
of His word and of His past acts.
We pass from the picture of the character and rule of the King over men to that fair vision of
Paradise regained, which celebrates the universal restoration of peace between man and the
animals. The picture is not to be taken as a mere allegory, as if ‘lions’ and ‘wolves’ and ‘snakes’
meant bad men; but it falls into line with other hints in Scripture, which trace the hostility
between man and the lower creatures to sin, and shadow a future when ‘the beasts of the field
shall be at peace with thee.’ The psalm which sings of man’s dominion over the creatures is to be
one day fulfilled; and the Epistle to the Hebrews teaches that it is already fulfilled in Christ, who
will raise His brethren, for whom He tasted death, to partake in His dominion. The present
order of things is transient; and if earth is to be, as some shadowy hints seem to suggest, the
scene of the future glories of redeemed humanity, it may be the theatre of a fulfilment of such
visions as this. But we cannot dogmatise on a subject of which we know so little, nor be sure of
the extent to which symbolism enters into this sweet picture. Enough that there surely comes a
time when the King of men and Lord of nature shall bring back peace between both, and restore
‘the fair music that all creatures made To their great Lord.’
Isa_11:10 begins an entirely new section, which describes the relations of Messiah’s kingdom to
the surrounding peoples. The picture preceding closed with the vision of the earth filled with the
knowledge of the Lord, and this verse proclaims the universality of Messiah’s kingdom. By ‘the
root of Jesse’ is meant, not the root from which Jesse sprang, but, in accordance with Isa_11:1,
the sprout from the house of Jesse. Just as in that verse the sprout was prophesied of as growing
up to be fruitbearing, so here the lowly sucker shoots to a height which makes it conspicuous
from afar, and becomes, like some tall mast, a sign for the nations. The contrast between the
obscure beginning and the conspicuous destiny of Messiah is the point of the prophecy. ‘I, if I be
lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me.’ Strange elevation for a king is a cross! But it
is because He has died for men that He has the right to reign over them, and that they ‘shall
seek’ to Him. ‘His resting-place shall be glorious.’
The seat of His dominion is also the seat of His repose. The beneficent activity just described is
wielded from a calm, central palace, and does not break the King’s tranquillity. That is a
paradox, except to those who know that Jesus Christ, sitting in undisturbed rest at the right
hand of God, thence works with and for His servants. His repose is full of active energy; His
active energy is full of repose. And that place of calm abode is ‘glorious’ or, more emphatically
and literally, ‘glory. He shall dwell in the blaze of the uncreated glory of God,-a prediction which
is only fulfilled in its true meaning by Christ’s ascension and session at the right hand of God, in

29. the glory which He had with the Father before the world was, and into which He has borne that
lowly manhood which He drew from the cut-down stem of Jesse.
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;
1.BARNES, “And shall make him of quick understanding - (‫והריחו‬ vaharı ycho) The
Septuagint renders this, ‘And the spirit of the fear of God shall fill him.’ The Chaldee, ‘And the
Lord shall draw him near to him in his fear.’ The Syriac, ‘And he shall be resplendent (like the
sun, or the stars) in the fear of the Lord.’ The Hebrew word used here is probably derived from
‫ריח‬ reyach, used only in Hiphil, “to smell;” and is kindred with ‫רוח‬ ruach, “wind, breath,” for
fragrant substances “breathe out” an odor. - “Gesenius.” It then denotes “to take delight in
smelling” Exo_30:38; Lev_26:31; and thence, by an easy transition, to take delight in anything;
Amo_5:21. The reason is, that the objects of smell are usually pleasant and agreeable; and
especially such as were the aromatics used in public worship. The sense here is, probably, that
he would take pleasure in the fear of Yahweh, that is, in piety, and in devoting himself to his
service. The interpretation given in our translation, is that given by many expositors; though
that above suggested is probably the correct one. The word is used to denote “pleasure” in a
thing; it is not used anywhere, it is believed, to denote a quick understanding; compare
Exo_5:21; Phi_4:18. The idea which is conveyed by our translators is, probably, derived from
“the discernment of the quality” of objects by an acute sense of smell, and hence, they
interpreted the word to denote an acute discrimination of any objects.
And he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes - He sha 1 not judge of things by their
external appearance. or with partiality. This is language which is applicable to a magistrate, and
is spoken of the Messiah as the descendant of David, and as sitting on his throne as a ruler of his
people. He who judges ‘after the sight of his eyes,’ does it according to external appearances,
showing favor to rank, to the rich, and the great; or judging as things “appear” without a close
and careful inquiry into their true nature and bearings; compare Joh_7:24 : ‘Judge not
according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment;’ Deu_1:16-17.
Neither reprove - ‫יוכיח‬ yokiyach. This word means “to show, to prove; to correct, reprove,
convince; to reproach, or censure; to punish; to judge, decide, etc.” Here it is evidently used as
synonymous with ‘shall he judge’ in the former part of the parallelism - retaining the idea of a
just judge, who decides not according to the hearing of the ears, but according to justice.
After the hearing of his ears - Not by plausible statements, and ingenious defenses, but by
weighing evidence, and by an impartial examination of the true merits of the case. This belonged
to the Lord Jesus, because,
(1) He was never influenced by any undue regard to rank, honor, or office. His opinions were
always impartial; his judgments without bias or favoritism.

30. (2) He was able to discern the true merits of every case. He knew what was in man, saw the
true state of the heart, and, therefore, was not deceived or imposed upon as human judges
are; see Joh_2:24-25; compare Rev_2:28; Joh_6:64.
2. PULPIT, “And shall make him of quick understanding. This rendering of the original, though
defended by Dr. Kay, is quite without support from any other passage where the same word is used.
Modern writers almost all translate, either "the breath of his nostrils shall be in the fear of the Lord"
(Herder, Ewald, Meier, Cheyne), or "a sweet savor shall he find in the fear of the Lord" (Gesenius,
Delitzsch, Rosenmüller, Knobel). He shall not judge after the sight of his eyes."God sooth the heart."
Our Lord "knew men's thoughts" (Mat_9:4, etc.), and therefore did not need to "judge according to the
appearance" (Joh_7:24). Thus his judgments were always righteous.
3. GILL, “And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord,.... Or
"cause him to smell the fear of the Lord" (w); that is, to discern in whom it was: this is one effect
of the Spirit's resting upon him, and particularly as the spirit of understanding, and of the fear of
the Lord, whereby he has a quick and sharp discerning of it; not merely of the grace of fear, so as
to know what that is, and what the exercise of it; or so as to make it the rule of his actions,
though all this is true; but so as to discern where and in whom it was, and was not; he could
distinguish between him that feared God and him that feared him not; he knew Nathanael to be
an Israelite indeed, in whom there was no guile, Joh_1:47 and the Scribes and Pharisees to be
hypocrites, Mat_22:18. As the Jews (x) understand this passage of the Messiah, and of his quick
smell, as the word used signifies, or of his discerning of good and bad men, they make this to be
a rule of judging the Messiah by; and accordingly made use of it with one that set up himself for
the Messiah, and took the name of Barcochab, the son of a star, referring to Num_24:17 and
tried him whether he could discern a good man from a bad man; and because he could not, they
rejected him as a false Messiah, and called him Barcoziba, the son of a lie (y): compare with this
Luk_7:39 where it may be seen the same notion obtained among the Jews in Christ's time:
and, he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes; or according to the outward
appearance, the external guise of sanctity and religion men might put on; as the Scribes and
Pharisees were outwardly righteous before men, but not to Christ, who knew their hearts; they
seemed to be somewhat to others, but nothing to him, because he judged not by appearances to
the eyes:
neither reprove after the hearing of his ears; he needed no testimony of men, for he knew
what was in men; nor did he regard the words of men, the boastings of a Pharisee, any more
than his outward actions; nor would he reprove or condemn, nor will he, upon a human
testimony.
4. HENRY, “That he should be accurate, and critical, and very exact in the administration of
his government and the exercise of the power committed to him (Isa_11:3): The Spirit
wherewith he shall be clothed shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord - of
an acute smell or scent (so the word is), for the apprehensions of the mind are often expressed

31. by the sensations of the body. Note, 1. Those are most truly and valuably intelligent that are so in
the fear of the Lord, in the business of religion, for that is both the foundation and top-stone of
wisdom. 2. By this it will appear that we have the Spirit of God, if we have spiritual senses
exercised, and are of quick understanding in the fear of the lord. Those have divine illumination
that know their duty and know how to go about it. 3. Therefore Jesus Christ had the spirit
without measure, that he might perfectly understand his undertaking; and he did so, as appears
not only in the admirable answers he gave to all that questioned with him, which proved him to
be of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord, but in the management of his whole
undertaking. He has settled the great affair of religion so unexpectedly well (so as effectually to
secure both God's honour and man's happiness) that, it must be owned, he thoroughly
understood it.
IV. That he should be just and righteous in all the acts of his government, and there should
appear in it as much equity as wisdom. He shall judge as he expresses it himself, and as he
himself would be judged of, Joh_7:24. 1. Not according to outward appearance (Isa_11:3): he
shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, with respect of persons (Job_34:19) and according to
outward shows and appearances, not reprove after the hearing of his ears, by common fame
and report, and the representations of others, as men commonly do; nor does he judge of men
by the fair words they speak, calling him, Lord, Lord, or their plausible actions before the eye of
the world, which they do to be seen of men; but he will judge by the hidden man of the heart,
and the inward principles men are governed by, of which he is an infallible witness. Christ will
judge the secrets of men (Rom_2:16), will determine concerning them, not according to their
own pretensions and appearances (that were to judge after the sight of the eyes), not according
to the opinion others have of them (that were to judge after the hearing of the ears), but we are
sure that his judgment is according to truth.
5. JAMISON, “make him of quick understanding — literally, “quick-scented in the fear
of Jehovah”; endowed with a singular sagacity in discerning the genuine principle of religious
fear of God, when it lies dormant in the yet unawakened sinner (Mat_12:20; Act_10:1-48;
Act_16:14) [Horsley]. But Maurer, “He shall delight in the fear of God.” The Hebrew means “to
delight in the odors” of anything (Exo_30:38; Amo_5:21); “smell,” that is, “delight in.”
after ... sight — according to mere external appearances (Joh_7:24; Joh_8:15; Jam_2:1;
1Sa_16:7). Herein Messiah is represented a just Judge and Ruler (Deu_1:16, Deu_1:17).
reprove — “decide,” as the parallelism shows.
after ... ears — by mere plausible hearsays, but by the true merits of each case (Joh_6:64;
Rev_2:23).
6. K&D, “And His regal conduct is regulated by this His thoroughly spiritual nature.”And
fear of Jehovah is fragrance to Him; and He judges not according to outward sight, neither
does He pass sentence according to outward hearing.” We must not render it: His smelling is
the smelling of the fear of God, i.e., the penetration of it with a keen judicial insight (as
Hengstenberg and Umbreit understand it); for herı̄ach with the preposition Beth has not merely
the signification to smell (as when followed by an accusative, Job_39:25), but to smell with

32. satisfaction (like ְ ‫ה‬ፎ ָ‫,ר‬ to see with satisfaction), Exo_30:38; Lev_26:31; Amo_5:21. The fear of
God is that which He smells with satisfaction; it is reach nı̄choach to Him. Meier's objection, that
fear of God is not a thing that can be smelt, and therefore that herı̄ach must signify to breathe, is
a trivial one. Just as the outward man has five senses for the material world, the inner man has
also a sensorium for the spiritual world, which discerns different things in different ways. Thus
the second David scents the fear of God, and only the fear of God, as a pleasant fragrance; for
the fear of God is a sacrifice of adoration continually ascending to God. His favour or displeasure
does not depend upon brilliant or repulsive external qualities; He does not judge according to
outward appearances, but according to the relation of the heart to His God.
7.CALVIN, “3.And will make him sagacious. (180) The verb ‫,ריח‬ (riach,) which is here put in the Hiphil
conjugation, signifies literally to smell; but may also be explained in an active sense, as meaning to give a
keen smell; which agrees better, I think, with this passage, so that this sagacity may be also included
among the gifts of the Spirit. And this effect is peculiarly applicable to the person of Christ, namely, that
far beyond what the godly are able to conceive, he is endowed with shrewd discernment for governing his
people. We ought to attend, first of all, to the metaphor in the verb smell, which means that Christ will be
so shrewd that he will not need to learn from what he hears, or from what he sees; for by smelling alone
he will perceive what would otherwise be unknown. (181)
In the fear of the Lord. This phrase is viewed by the greater part of commentators as meaning that all the
feelings of the heart will be manifest to Christ, so that he will easily judge who are the sincere worshippers
of God. But let the reader inquire if it be not a more appropriate meaning, that the fear of God denotes a
fixed rule of judging. He expressly distinguishes between the heavenly judgment of Christ and earthly
judgments, in order to inform us, that the outward mask of holiness or uprightness is of no avail in his
presence.
And he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes. The meaning is, “ we come to the judgment-seat of
Christ, not only will outward actions be brought to trial after the manner of human governments, but the
life of men will be examined by the standard of true godliness. It does not belong to man to penetrate into
the hearts; and those whom we suppose to be very excellent men have frequently nothing but a hollow
mask; but Christ judges not from outward appearance, (Luk_11:17; Joh_2:25,) for he thoroughly knows
and searches our inmost thoughts. His judgment, therefore, is quite different from that of men, who, with
all their acuteness and quick sagacity, fall into the most shameful mistakes.” Hence it follows that none
can be the true worshippers of God but those whom Christ approves. They cannot obtain his approbation,
unless they offer a pure and upright mind; for a false and hollow mask cannot deceive him.

33. (180) And shall make him of quick understanding. (Heb. scent, or smell.) — Eng. Ver.
(181) “And his delight shall be in the fear of Jehovah. His delight, ‫,הריחו‬ (haricho,) his snuffing up with
pleasure, his pleasurable sensations. So the verb ‫רוח‬ (riach) signifies, when followed by the preposition ‫,ב‬
as in Lev_26:31, Amo_5:21. The expression is equivalent to, but stronger than that of David
in Psa_1:2, ‫בתורת‬ ‫יהוה‬ ‫,חפצו‬ (bethorath Yehovah Chephtzo,) in the law of the LORD is his delight. ” —
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.
1.BARNES, “Shall he judge the poor - That is, he shall see that impartial justice is done
them; he shall not take part with the rich against the poor, but shall show that he is the friend of
justice. This is the quality of a just and upright magistrate, and this character the Lord Jesus
everywhere evinced. He chose his disciples from among the poor; he condescended to be their
companion and friend; he provided for their needs; and he pronounced their condition blessed;
Mat_5:3. There may be a reference here to the poor in spirit - the humble, the penitent; but the
main idea is, that he would not be influenced by any undue regard for the higher ranks of life,
but would be the friend and patron of the poor.
And reprove - ‫הוכיח‬ hokiyach. And judge, decide, or argue for; that is, he shall be their friend
and their impartial judge; Isa_11:3.
With equity - With uprightness, or uncorrupted integrity.
For the meek of the earth - ‫ענוי־ארץ‬ ‛ane
vey 'arets. For the humble, the lower class; referring
to those who were usually passed by, or oppressed by those in power.
And he shall smite the earth - By the “earth” here, or the land, is meant evidently “the
wicked,” as the following member of the parallelism shows. Perhaps it is intended to be implied,
that the earth, when he should come, would be eminently depraved; which was the fact. The
characteristic here is that of an upright judge or prince, who would punish the wicked. To
“smite” the earth, or the wicked, is expressive of punishment; and this characteristic is
elsewhere attributed to the Messiah; see Psa_2:9-12; Rev_2:27. The trait is that of a just,
upright, impartial exercise of power - such as would be manifested in the defense of the poor
and the innocent, and in the punishment of the proud and the guilty.
With the rod of his mouth - The word ‫שׁבט‬ shebet rendered here ‘rod,’ denotes properly a
stick, or staff; a rod for chastisement or correction Pro_10:13; Pro_13:24; Job_9:34; Job_21:9;

34. the staff, or scepter of a ruler - as an emblem of office; a measuring rod; a spear, etc.; Note,
Isa_10:5. It is not elsewhere applied to the mouth, though it is often used in other connections.
It means that which goes out of the mouth - a word command threatening decision; and it is
implied that it would go forth to pronounce sentence of condemnation, and to punish. His word
would be so just, impartial, and authoritative, that the effect would be to overwhelm the wicked.
In a sense similar to this, Christ is said to have been seen by John, when ‘out of his mouth went
a sharp two-edged sword’ Rev_1:16; that is, his commands and decisions were so authoritative,
and so certain in their execution, as to be like a sharp sword; compare Heb_4:12; Isa_49:2 :
‘And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword.’ The discriminating preaching, the pungent
discourses, the authoritative commands of the Lord Jesus, when on earth, showed, and his
judicial decisions in the day of judment will show, the manner of the fulfillment of the
prediction.
And with the breath of his lips - This is synonymous with the previous member of the
parallelism. ‘The breath of his lips’ means that which goes forth from his lips - his doctrines, his
commands, his decisions.
Shall he slay the wicked - That is, he shall condemn the wicked; or, he shall sentence them
to punishment. This is descriptive of a prince or ruler, who by his commands and decisions
effectually subdues and punishes the wicked; that is, he does justice to all. Grotius interprets
this, ‘by his prayers,’ referring it to Hezekiah, and to the influence of his prayers in destroying
the Assyrians. The Chaldee Paraphrast translates it, ‘And by the word of his lips he shall slay the
impious Armillus.’ By “Armillus,” the Jews mean the last great enemy of their nation, who would
come after Gog and Magog and wage furious wars, and who would slay the Messiah Ben
Ephraim, whom the Jews expect, but who would be himself slain by the rod of the Messiah Ben
David, or the son of David. - “Castell.”
2. CLARKE, “With the rod of his mouth “By the blast of his mouth” - For ‫בשבט‬
beshebet, by the rod, Houbigant reads ‫בשבת‬ beshebeth, by the blast of his mouth, from ‫נשב‬
nashab, to blow. The conjecture is ingenious and probable; and seems to be confirmed by the
Septuagint and Chaldee, who render it by the word of his mouth, which answers much better to
the correction than to the present reading. Add to this, that the blast of his mouth is perfectly
parallel to the breath of his lips in the next line.
3. GILL, “But with righteousness shall he judge the poor,.... The poor sinner, that is
sensible of his spiritual poverty, and comes and acknowledges his sins and transgressions, and
prays for pardoning grace and mercy, and hungers and thirsts after righteousness; such Christ
justifies with his own righteousness, acquits and discharges them from all sin and
condemnation, as also protects and defends them against all their enemies and oppressors:
and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth; that is, shall take the part of the
meek, the lowly, and the humble, who are under a sense of their sins and unworthiness, apply to
him for grace, righteousness, pardon, and eternal life; and for their sakes reprove wicked men
that would distress and crush them; and in a just and equitable manner, in a way of righteous
retaliation, render tribulation to them that trouble them:

35. and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth: that is, either he shall smite the
consciences of earthly and unregenerate men, by the ministration of his word, the rod of his
strength, so that they shall be convinced of sin, and humbled for it, and be brought to
repentance towards God, and faith in himself; or he shall smite the nations of the earth, the
antichristian states, and destroy them, Rev_19:15.
and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked; either by the words of his
mouth, as before; see Hos_6:5 so that they become dead men in their own apprehensions, have
no hope of life and salvation by their own works, see themselves dead in law, and liable to
eternal death and damnation; or this is to be understood of the destruction of the wicked at the
last day, by a sentence of condemnation pronounced upon them by Christ; and particularly of
antichrist, the wicked and lawless one, the man of sin and son of perdition, whom the Lord shall
consume with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy with the brightness of his coming, 2Th_2:4 in
which place the apostle seems to have respect to this; nor is the Targum foreign from the sense
given, which is
"he shall smite the sinners of the earth with the word of his mouth, and with the speech of his
lips he shall slay the wicked Armillus.''
Armillus seems to be a name hammered out of Romulus, and designs the Romish antichrist; for
elsewhere the Jews expressly say, that Armillus is he whom the nations call antichrist (z); by
whom they suppose that Messiah, the son of Joseph shall be slain, and afterwards he himself
shall be slain by Messiah the son of David; or it is the same with ερηµολαος, a destroyer of the
people, a name that well agrees with antichrist; see Rev_11:18. This whole, verse is applied to
the Messiah, both by ancient and modern Jews (a).
4. HENRY 4-5, “He will judge righteous judgment (Isa_11:5): Righteousness shall be the
girdle of his loins. He shall be righteous in the administration of his government, and his
righteousness shall be his girdle; it shall constantly compass him and cleave to him, shall be his
ornament and honour; he shall gird himself for every action, shall gird on his sword for war in
righteousness; his righteousness shall be his strength, and shall make him expeditious in his
undertakings, as a man with his loins girt. In conformity to Christ, his followers must have the
girdle of truth (Eph_6:14) and it will be the stability of the times. Particularly, (1.) He shall in
righteousness plead for the people that are poor and oppressed; he will be their protector
(Isa_11:4): With righteousness shall he judge the poor; he shall judge in favour and defence of
those that have right on their side, though they are poor in the world, and because they are poor
in spirit. It is the duty of princes to defend and deliver the poor (Psa_82:3, Psa_82:4), and the
honour of Christ that he is the poor man's King, Psa_72:2, Psa_72:4. He shall debate with
evenness for the meek of the earth, or of the land; those that bear the injuries done them with
meekness and patience are in a special manner entitled to the divine care and protection. I, as a
deaf man, heard not, for thou wilt hear, Psa_38:13, Psa_38:14. Some read it, He shall reprove
or correct the meek of the earth with equity. If his own people, the meek of the land, do amiss,
he will visit their transgression with the rod. (2.) He shall in righteousness plead against his
enemies that are proud and oppressors (Isa_11:4): But he shall smite the earth, the man of the
earth, that doth oppress (see Psa_10:18), the men of the world, that mind earthly things only
(Psa_17:14); these he shall smite with the rod of his mouth, the word of his mouth, speaking
terror and ruin to them; his threatenings shall take hold of them, and be executed upon them.
With the breath of his lips, by the operation of his Spirit, according to his word, and working
with and by it, he shall slay the wicked. He will do it easily, with a word's speaking, as he laid
those flat who came to seize him, by saying I am he, Joh_18:6. Killing terrors shall arrest their

36. consciences, killing judgments shall ruin them, their power, and all their interests; and in the
other world everlasting tribulation will be recompensed to those that trouble his poor people.
The apostle applies this to the destruction of the man of sin, whom he calls that wicked one
(2Th_2:8) whom the Lord will consume with the spirit of his mouth. And the Chaldee here
reads it, He shall slay that wicked Romulus, or Rome, as Mr. Hugh Broughton understands it.
5. JAMISON, “judge — see that impartial justice is done them. “Judge” may mean here
“rule,” as in Psa_67:4.
reprove — or, “argue”; “decide.” But Lowth, “work conviction in.”
earth — Compare with Mat_5:5, and Rev_11:15.
earth — its ungodly inhabitants, answering to “the wicked” in the parallel, and in antithesis
to the “poor” and “meek,” namely, in spirit, the humble pious (Mat_5:3). It is at the same time
implied that “the earth” will be extraordinarily wicked when He shall come to judge and reign.
His reign shall therefore be ushered in with judgments on the apostates (Psa_2:9-12; Luk_18:8;
Rev_2:27).
rod of ... mouth — condemning sentences which proceed from His mouth against the
wicked (Rev_1:16; Rev_2:16; Rev_19:15, Rev_19:21).
breath of ... lips — his judicial decisions (Isa_30:28; Job_15:30; Rev_19:20; Rev_20:9-12).
He as the Word of God (Rev_19:13-15) comes to strike that blow which shall decide His claim to
the kingdom, previously usurped by Satan, and “the beast” to whom Satan delegates his power.
It will be a day of judgment to the Gentile dispensation, as the first coming was to the Jews.
Compare a type of the “rod” (Num_17:2-10).
6. K&D, “This is the standard according to which He will judge when saving, and judge when
punishing. “And judges the poor with righteousness, and passes sentence with equity for the
humble in the land; and smites the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His
lips He slays the wicked. And righteousness is the girdle of His loins, and faithfulness the girdle
of His hips.” The main feature in Isa_11:4 is to be seen in the objective ideas. He will do justice
to the dallim, the weak and helpless, by adopting an incorruptibly righteous course towards their
oppressors, and decide with straightforwardness for the humble or meek of the land: ‛anav, like ‛
anı̄, from ‛anah, to bend, the latter denoting a person bowed down by misfortune, the former a
person inwardly bowed down, i.e., from all self-conceit (hocı̄ach l', as in Job_16:21). The poor
and humble, or meek, are the peculiar objects of His royal care; just as it was really to them that
the first beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount applied. But “the earth” and “the wicked” (the
latter is not to be understood collectively, but, as in several passages in the Old Testament, viz.,
Psa_68:22; Psa_110:6; Hab_3:13-14, as pointing forward prophetically to an eschatological
person, in whom hostility towards Jehovah and His Anointed culminates most satanically) will
experience the full force of His penal righteousness. The very word of His mouth is a rod which
shatters in pieces (Psa_2:9; Rev_1:16); and the breath of His lips is sufficient to destroy, without
standing in need of any further means (2Th_2:8). As the girdle upon the hips (mothnaim, lxx την̀
ᆆσφύν), and in front upon the loins (chalazaim, lxx τᆭς πλευράς), fastens the clothes together, so
all the qualities and active powers of His person have for their band tzedakah, which follows the

37. inviolable norm of the divine will, and ha'emunah, which holds immovably to the course divinely
appointed, according to promise (Isa_25:1). Special prominence is given by the article to 'emuna
h; He is the faithful and true witness (Rev_1:5; Rev_3:14). Consequently with Him there
commences a new epoch, in which the Son of David and His righteousness acquire a world-
subduing force, and find their home in a humanity that has sprung, like Himself, out of deep
humiliation.
7. PULPIT, “With righteousness shall he judge the poor (comp. Isa_32:1, "A king shall reign in
righteousness"). It would be characteristic of the Messiah's rule that the poor should be eared for, that
oppression should cease, and judgment be no more perverted in favor of the rich. There is an intended
contrast between the Messiah's rule in this respect, and that of the princes of Judah
(Isa_1:23; Isa_3:15; Isa_10:1, Isa_10:2). Christian countries still, for the most part, follow their Lord's
example in this particular, if in no other, having judges that are incorruptible, and tribunals that are free
from any leaning against the poor. Reprove; or, plead (as in Job_16:21). The meek of the earth;
rather, the humble, orafflicted. Low condition, not meekness of spirit, is what the word used
expresses. He shall smite the earth. A slight alteration of the text produces the meaning, be shall smite
the terrible one (comp. Isa_29:20), which improves the parallelism of the clauses. But there is no need of
any alteration, parallelism in Isaiah being often incomplete. The Messiah at his coming will "smite the
earth" generally (see Mal_4:6, and comp. Mat_10:34, "I came not to send peace on the earth, but a
sword"), and will also especially chastise "the wicked." The rod of his mouth the breath of his lips.
"The Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the
dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart" (Heb_4:12). The sayings of Christ pierce the conscience and penetrate the soul as no
other words that ever came from a human mouth. In the last day words from his mouth will consign to
everlasting life or to everlasting destruction.
8. CALVIN, “4.For he will judge the poor in righteousness. (182) Here he shows that Christ will be the
guardian of the poor, or, he points out the persons to whom the grace of Christ strictly belongs, namely, to
the poor or meek; that is, to those who, humbled by a conviction of their poverty, have laid aside those
proud and lofty dispositions which commonly swell the minds of men, till they have learned to be meek
through the subduing influence of the word of God. He therefore declares that he will be the protector and
guardian, not of all men whatsoever, but of those who know that they are poor, and destitute of everything
good. This was also declared by Christ to John’ disciples, when he said that the gospel is preached to the
poor. (Mat_11:5.) Who are they that are capable of receiving this doctrine? Not all men without exception,

38. but those who, having laid aside the glory of the flesh, betake themselves to that heavenly protection.
There is, therefore, an implied contrast, namely, that Christ does not rule over the rich, that is, over those
who are swelled with a false opinion of themselves. Though he invites all men to come to him, still the
greater part refuse to submit to his government. The poor alone allow themselves to be governed by him.
This passage teaches us, that if we are desirous to be protected by the power of Christ, we must lay
aside all pride, and put on the spirit of meekness and modesty. That spiritual poverty which the Prophet
recommends to all the members of Christ is, to have no lofty views, but to be truly humbled by a
conviction of our poverty and nakedness, so as to depend on Christ alone. When we have been brought
to this state of mind, the faithful King and Guardian will undertake to secure our salvation, and will defend
us to the last against all our enemies. We also learn whom Christ invites to come to him: Come to me, all
ye that labor and are burdened. (Mat_11:28.) We must, therefore, labor and be pressed down by the
weight of our burden, if we wish to feel and know his assistance.
And will reprove with equity for the meek of the earth. We must attend to the order which is here observed
by the Prophet. He places poverty first, and then meekness; because we must first be poor before we
become meek. So long as we think that we are somebody, (Act_5:36,) and are carried away by a vain
confidence in ourselves, our heart is filled with pride and self-conceit, and cannot yield or submit; but
when we are convinced of our poverty, we lose courage, and, subdued and overpowered, begin to groan
under the burden. The condition of Christ’ people, therefore, is here described, as he had formerly
illustrated the nature of the king himself. Hence also we ought to learn, that those precious gifts of the
Spirit with which we saw a little before that Christ was furnished, (183) are not bestowed by him on all men
whatsoever, but on the poor and the meek; for the word judge denotes government, a very important part
of which is, that Christ imparts to us the gifts which he received from the Father, that he may live in us,
and that we may live in him.
And he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth. The Prophet here extols the efficacy of the word,
which is Christ’ royal scepter. By the rod of his mouth is meant a scepter which consists in words, and in
the second clause he repeats the same idea by the phrase, the breath of his lips; as if he had said, that
Christ will have no need to borrow aid from others to cast down his enemies, and to strike down
everything that opposes his government; for a mere breath or a word will be enough. The statement may
be general, since believers also must die, so as to be renewed to a spiritual life; and in this sense the
gospel is called a sword appropriated for the slaying of sacrifices. (Rom_15:16.) But the latter part of the
verse calls for a different interpretation. If any one choose to make a distinction, the striking of the
earth will apply equally to the reprobate and the elect; as the gospel is

39. a two-edged sword, piercing even to the most hidden and secret feelings of the heart, and discerning the
thoughts and affections. (Heb_4:12.)
Yet it wounds the former in a very different manner from that in which it wounds the latter. By mortifying in
the elect a sinful nature, it kills their lusts, that they may become a living sacrifice, and a sacrifice of
sweet-smelling savor; but it strikes the wicked in a manner altogether destructive, for they rot and die, and
to them it is even, as Paul says, a savor of death to death. (2Co_2:16.) I should be willing enough to
consider both effects as described here at the same time, were it not that it is opposed by the custom of
the Hebrew language; for the Hebrew writers often repeat the same sentiment in different words.
And with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. Christ is armed with the breath of his lips to slay
the wicked. But perhaps this second clause was added by Isaiah for the purpose of amplification; and,
indeed, to slay is much more than to strike. As it belongs to the gospel to cast down all men without
exception, its effect on the reprobate may be said to be accidental, to slay them with a deadly stroke. In
this way the Prophet would add a particular case to the general statement, intimating that the wicked fall
under the sword of Christ to their everlasting destruction, because they are not set apart to be
sacrifices. (184) However this may be, this latter clause must undoubtedly be limited to the wicked alone;
and it is added, because that efficacy does not immediately appear in the preaching of the gospel, but, on
the contrary, many ridicule, and jeer, and treat as a fable all that is said about Christ and his word. But
though they do not immediately feel its power, yet they will not be able to escape it, and will at length be
slain by a deadly wound.
But the Prophet’ meaning, I think, is not yet fully explained; for he does not speak only of the inward
feeling by which wicked men are moved, whether they will or not, but of the wickedness itself, which will
be removed and driven away by the power and efficacy of this scepter, as Paul also explains; for he
undoubtedly alludes to this passage when he speaks of the destruction of Antichrist.
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the breath of his mouth, and
shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. (2Th_2:7.)
Thus he explains to us the meaning of the Prophet; for he shows that Christ will never be without
enemies, who will endeavor to overturn his kingdom, and to hinder or retard the course of the gospel;
otherwise these words of the Prophet would have been spoken in vain. But Christ will drive away some of
their number, and the whole of them together, and their very head and leader, by the sound of his
doctrine.

40. Thus also Paul recommends a twofold use of doctrine, demanding from a pastor that
he shall be qualified not only to teach, but likewise
to refute those who oppose. (Titus 1:9.)
A pastor ought not only to feed his flock, but also to protect and guard them against every injury. This is
what Christ performs, and therefore he is provided with necessary armor, that he may contend
successfully against the falsehoods of Satan, and the cruelty of tyrants, and every kind of enemies.
Hence it is evident that wicked doctrines cannot be driven away by any other method than by the gospel.
In vain will the magistrate employ the sword, which undoubtedly he must employ, to restrain wicked
teachers and false prophets; in vain, I say, will he attempt all these things, unless this sword of the word
go before. (Deu_13:5.) This ought to be carefully observed in opposition to the Papists, who, when the
word fails them, betake themselves to new weapons, by the aid of which they think that they will gain the
victory. They are even so impudent as to boast that heretics cannot be refuted by the word, though both
the Prophet and Paul lay down no other method.
When the Prophet says, by the breath of his lips, this must not be limited to the person of Christ; for it
refers to the word which is preached by his ministers. Christ acts by them in such a manner that he
wishes their mouth to be reckoned as his mouth, and their lips as his lips; that is, when they speak from
his mouth, and faithfully declare his word. (Luk_10:16.) The Prophet does not now send us to secret
revelations, that Christ may reign in us, but openly recommends the outward preaching of doctrine, and
shows that the gospel serves the purpose of a scepter in the hand of Christ, so far as it is preached, and
so far as it is oral, if we may use the expression; otherwise it would have been to no purpose to mention
the mouth and the lips. Hence it follows that all those who reject the outward preaching of the gospel
shake off this scepter, as far as lies in their power, or pull it out of the hand of Christ; not that the efficacy
which he mentions depends on the voice of men, but so far as Christ acts by his ministers; for he does
not wish that their labor should be fruitless, without sacrificing the elect to obedience, (Rom_15:16,) and
slaying the reprobate; as Paul in another passage boasts that there will be speedy vengeance against all
unbelievers and rebels.
Here we must again call to remembrance what is the nature of Christ’ kingdom. As he does not wear a
golden crown or employ earthly armor, so he does not rule over the world by the power of arms, or gain
authority by gaudy and ostentatious display, or constrain his people by terror and dread; but the doctrine
of the gospel is his royal banner, which assembles believers under his dominion. Wherever, therefore, the

41. doctrine of the Gospel is preached in purity, there we are certain that Christ reigns; and where it is
rejected, his government is also set aside. Hence it is evident how foolishly the Papists boast that the
Church belongs to them, when they order Christ himself to be silent, and cannot endure the sound of his
voice, but proclaim aloud, with distended cheeks, their own edicts, laws, decrees, and tyrannical
regulations.
(182) But with righteousness shall he judge the poor. — Eng. Ver.
5
Righteousness will be his belt
and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
1.BARNES, “And righteousness shall be the gridle of his loins - The sense of this
verse is plain. He will always exhibit himself as a just and faithful king. “The girdle of the loins”
refers to the cincture, or band, with which the ancients girded themselves. A part of their dress
consisted of an outward, loose, flowing robe. This robe it was necessary to gird up, or to confine
close to the body in active labor, or in running; and the meaning of the figure used here is,
probably, that the virtues of righteousness and justice would adhere to him as closely and
inseparably as the garment does to the body to which it was bound. The figure of representing
the virtues as clothing, or describing them as parts of dress with which we are invested, is
common in the Scriptures:
I put on righteousness, and it clothes me;
My judgment was as a robe and a diadem.
Job_29:14.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
My soul shall be joyful in my God;
For he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments,
And as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
Isa_61:10.
Compare Rev_19:8, and Paul’s beautiful description in Eph_6:13-17. In like manner, vice and
wickedness are sometimes represented as so closely adhering to a man as to be a part of his very
clothing; Psa_109:18-19 :
He clothed himself with cursing, like as with a garment.
Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him,
And for a girdle, wherewith he is girded continually.

42. The Chaldee renders this, ‘And the just shall be round about him on every side - ‫סחור‬ ‫סחור‬ se
hor
se
hor - and the servants of truth shall come near to him.’ The idea is, that he shall be
distinguished for justice and truth, and that a zeal for these shall make him strong and active in
executing the purposes of his reign. This closes the description of the “personal” qualities of the
Messiah. The account of the effects of his reign follows in the subsequent verses.
2. CLARKE, “The girdle “The cincture” - All the ancient Versions, except that of
Symmachus, have two different words for girdle in the two hemistichs. It is not probable that
Isaiah would have repeated ‫אזור‬ azer, when a synonymous word so obvious as ‫חגור‬ chagor
occurred. The tautology seems to have arisen from the mistake of some transcriber. The
meaning of this verse is, that a zeal for justice and truth shall make him active and strong in
executing the great work which he shall undertake. See note on Isa_5:27.
3. GILL, “And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins,.... He shall be adorned with
it, strengthened by it, and ready at all times to perform it; he loved righteousness, and did acts of
righteousness throughout the whole course of his life; and, by his active and passive obedience,
wrought out an everlasting righteousness for his people; he is a King that reigns in
righteousness, righteousness is the sceptre of his kingdom; all his administrations of
government are righteous; just and true are all his ways:
and faithfulness the girdle of his reins; he was faithful to God, that appointed him as King
and Head of the church; faithful as a Prophet, in declaring his mind and will; and is a faithful
High Priest, as well as a merciful one. The Targum, interprets this of righteous and faithful men,
thus,
"and the righteous shall be round about him, and they that work (the work) of faith shall draw
nigh unto him;''
but it is said of a single person, of the Messiah only, to whom it properly belongs.
4. HENRY, “He will judge righteous judgment (Isa_11:5): Righteousness shall be the girdle
of his loins. He shall be righteous in the administration of his government, and his righteousness
shall be his girdle; it shall constantly compass him and cleave to him, shall be his ornament and
honour; he shall gird himself for every action, shall gird on his sword for war in righteousness;
his righteousness shall be his strength, and shall make him expeditious in his undertakings, as a
man with his loins girt. In conformity to Christ, his followers must have the girdle of truth
(Eph_6:14) and it will be the stability of the times. Particularly, (1.) He shall in righteousness
plead for the people that are poor and oppressed; he will be their protector (Isa_11:4): With
righteousness shall he judge the poor; he shall judge in favour and defence of those that have
right on their side, though they are poor in the world, and because they are poor in spirit. It is
the duty of princes to defend and deliver the poor (Psa_82:3, Psa_82:4), and the honour of
Christ that he is the poor man's King, Psa_72:2, Psa_72:4. He shall debate with evenness for the
meek of the earth, or of the land; those that bear the injuries done them with meekness and

43. patience are in a special manner entitled to the divine care and protection. I, as a deaf man,
heard not, for thou wilt hear, Psa_38:13, Psa_38:14. Some read it, He shall reprove or correct
the meek of the earth with equity. If his own people, the meek of the land, do amiss, he will visit
their transgression with the rod. (2.) He shall in righteousness plead against his enemies that
are proud and oppressors (Isa_11:4): But he shall smite the earth, the man of the earth, that
doth oppress (see Psa_10:18), the men of the world, that mind earthly things only (Psa_17:14);
these he shall smite with the rod of his mouth, the word of his mouth, speaking terror and ruin
to them; his threatenings shall take hold of them, and be executed upon them. With the breath
of his lips, by the operation of his Spirit, according to his word, and working with and by it, he
shall slay the wicked. He will do it easily, with a word's speaking, as he laid those flat who came
to seize him, by saying I am he, Joh_18:6. Killing terrors shall arrest their consciences, killing
judgments shall ruin them, their power, and all their interests; and in the other world
everlasting tribulation will be recompensed to those that trouble his poor people. The apostle
applies this to the destruction of the man of sin, whom he calls that wicked one (2Th_2:8)
whom the Lord will consume with the spirit of his mouth. And the Chaldee here reads it, He
shall slay that wicked Romulus, or Rome, as Mr. Hugh Broughton understands it.
5. JAMISON, “righteousness ... girdle — (Rev_1:13; Rev_19:11). The antitypical High
Priest (Exo_28:4). The girdle secures firmly the rest of the garments (1Pe_1:13). So “truth” gives
firm consistency to the whole character (Eph_5:14). In Isa_59:17, “righteousness” is His
breastplate.
6. PULPIT, “Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, etc.; i.e. "righteousness shall be ever with
him, ever ready for active use, ever (as it were) bracing him for action." Assuredly, he was "righteous in all
his ways, and holy in all his works" (Psa_145:17). Faithfulness (comp. Eph_6:14, "Having your loins girt
about with truth").
7.CALVIN, “5.And righteousness shall be the belt. (185) Some translate it girdle; but as the Prophet
represents Christ to us wearing, as it were, the emblems of royalty, I have rather translated it belt, which
is also a royal emblem, in the same manner as the scepter, which he had assigned to him a little before.
When Job speaks of taking away the authority of kings, he says that the Lord will ungird their belt.
(Job_12:18.) To be girded with a belt, therefore, is nothing else than to be exalted to royal authority, as
we shall afterwards see in another passage. (Isa_14:5.)
The Prophet describes two ornaments belonging to the belt. These are righteousness and truth; unless it
be thought that there is a change in the order of construction, as if he had said that Christ will be
girded with true righteousness; for truth is not added as if it were different from righteousness, but in order
to point out the nature of that righteousness with which Christ is girded. Some think
that righteousness here denotes that which Christ imparts to us, that it may dwell, not only in himself, but

44. in his members. Faith or truth they understand to be that by which we embrace the salvation which he
offers to us.
The Chaldee paraphrast explains it thus; “ the righteous shall be round about him, believing worshippers
shall approach to him.” (186) But I adopt a more simple interpretation, as if he had said, “ shall not appear
like kings, clothed with purple and a crown, or girded with a belt; but righteousness and truth shall shine
forth in him.” I acknowledge, indeed, that righteousness is not confined to Christ, but belongs to his
members; but we must attend to the mode of expression, that Christ comes forth to govern his
people girded with righteousness, which he afterwards imparts to them by the secret influence of the
Spirit. If we distinguish between the word ‫אמונה‬ (emunah) and righteousness, I consider it to
mean faithfulness or steadfastness; as if he had said that Christ never disappoints his followers, for he
continues always to be like himself.
(185) The girdle. — Eng. Ver.
(186) “ Targum of Jonathan renders it, and the righteous shall be round about him; that is, ‘ shall cleave to
him like a girdle.’” — Jarchi.
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.
1.BARNES, “The wolf also - In this, and the following verses, the prophet describes the
effect of his reign in producing peace and tranquility on the earth. The description is highly
poetical, and is one that is common in ancient writings in describing a golden age. The two
leading ideas are those of “peace” and “security.” The figure is taken from the condition of
animals of all descriptions living in a state of harmony, where those which are by nature
defenseless, and which are usually made the prey of the strong, are suffered to live in security.
By nature the wolf preys upon the lamb, and the leopard upon the kid, and the adder is

45. venomous, and the bear, and the cow, and the lion, and the ox, cannot live together. But if a
state of things should arise, where all this hostility would cease; where the wild animals would
lay aside their ferocity, and where the feeble and the gentle would be safe; where the adder
would cease to be venomous, and where all would be so mild and harmless that a little child
would be safe, and could lead even the most ferocious animals, that state would represent the
reign of the Messiah. Under his dominion, such a change would be produced as that those who
were by nature violent, severe, and oppressive; those whose disposition is illustrated by the
ferocious and bloodthirsty propensities of the lion and the leopard, and by the poison of the
adder, would be changed and subdued, and would be disposed to live in peace and harmony
with others. This is the “general” idea of the passage. We are not to cut the interpretation to the
quick, and to press the expressions to know what particular class of people are represented by
the lion, the bear, or the adder. The “general” image that is before the prophet’s mind is that of
peace and safety, “such as that would be” if a change were to be produced in wild animals,
making them tame, and peaceful, and harmless.
This description of a golden age is one that is common in Oriental writers, where the wild
beasts are represented as growing tame; where serpents are harmless; and where all is plenty,
peace, and happiness. Thus Jones, in his commentary on Asiatic poetry, quotes from an Arabic
poet, “Ibn Onein,” p. 380:
Justitia, a qua mansuetus fit lupus fame astrictus,
Esuriens, licet hinnulum candidurn videat -
‘Justice, by which the ravening wolf, driven by hunger, becomes tame, although he sees a
white kid.’ Thus, also, Ferdusi, a Persian poet:
Rerum Dominus, Mahmud, rex. potens,
Ad cujus aquam potum veniunt simul agnus et lupus -
‘Mahmud, mighty king, lord of events, to whose fountain the lamb and the wolf come to
drink.’ Thus Virgil, Eclogue iv. 21:
Ipsae lactae domum referent distenta capellae
Ubera; nec magnos metuent armenta leones -
Home their full udders, goats, unurged shall bear,
Nor shall the herd the lordly lion fear.
And immediately after:
Occidet et serpens, et fallax herba veneni
Occidet -
The snake, and poison’s treacherous weed shall die.
Wrangham.
Again, Eclogue, v. 60:
Nec lupus insidias pecori, nec retia cervis
Ulla dolum mediantur: amat bonus otia Daphnis.
So also Horace, “Epod.” 16:53, 54:

46. Nec yespertinus circumgemit ursus ovile,
Nec intumescit alta viperis humus.
See also “Claudian,” Lib. ii. v. 25ff; and Theocritus, Idyl xxiv. 84, as quoted by Gesenius and
Rosenmuller.
These passages are beautiful, and highly poetic; but they do not equal the beauty of the
prophet. There is an exquisite sweetness in the passage of Isaiah - in the picture which he has
drawn - particularly in the introduction of the security of the young child, which does not occur
in the quotations from the pagan poets.
That this passage is descriptive of the times of the Messiah, there can be no doubt. It has been
a question, to what particular part of his reign the prophet has reference. Some have referred it
to the time when he came, and to the influence of his gospel in mitigating the ferocity of his
enemies, and ultimately disposing them to suffer Christens to live with them - the infuriated
enemies of the cross, under the emblem of the wolf, the bear, the leopard, and the adder,
becoming willing that the Christian, under the emblem of the lamb, and the kid, should live with
them without molestation. This is the interpretation of Vitringa. Others have referred it to the
Millennium - as descriptive of a state of happiness, peace, and universal security then. Others
have referred it to the second coming of the Messiah, as descriptive of a time when it is supposed
that he will reign personally on the earth, and when there shall be universal security and peace,
and when the nature of animals shall be so far changed, that the ferocity of those which are wild
and ravenous shall cease, and they shall become harmless to the defenseless. Without
attempting to examine these opinions at length, we may, perhaps, express the sense of the
passage by the following observations:
(1) The eye of the prophet is fixed upon the reign of the Messiah, not with reference to time,
but with reference to the actual facts of that reign. He saw the scene pass before his mind in
vision (see the Introduction, Section 7, 3: (4.) (5.), and it is not the nature of such descriptions to
mark the “time,” but the order, the passing aspect of the scene. “Under the reign of the
Messiah,” he saw that this would occur. Looking down distant times, as on a beautiful
landscape, he perceived, under the mild reign of the Prince of peace, a state of things which
would be well represented by the wolf dwelling with the lamb, the leopard crouching down with
the kid, and a little child safe in their midst.
(2) It was, “in fact,” partially fulfilled in the earliest times of the gospel, and has been
everywhere. Under that gospel, the mad passions of men have been subdued; their wild
ferocious nature has been changed; their love of conquest, and war, and blood taken away; and
the change has been such as would be beautifully symbolized by the change of the disposition of
the wolf and the leopard - suffering the innocent and the harmless to live with them in peace.
(3) The scene will not be fully realized until the reign of the Messiah shall be extended to all
nations, and his gospel shall everywhere accomplish its full effects. The vision of Isaiah here has
not yet received a full completion; nor will it until the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the
Lord, Isa_11:9. The mind is, therefore, still directed onward. In future times, under the reign of
the messiah, what is here described shall occur - a state of security, and peace, and happiness.
Isaiah saw that splendid vision, as in a picture, pass before the mind; the wars, and
persecutions, and trials of the Messiah’s kingdom were, for a time at least, thrown into the back
ground, or not represented, and, in that future time, he saw what is here represented. It has
been partially fulfilled in all the changes which the Messiah’s reign has made in the natural
ferocity and cruelty of men; in all the peace which at any time the church has been permitted to
enjoy; in all the revolutions promoting human safety, welfare, and happiness, which Christianity
has produced. It is to receive the complete fulfillment - τᆵ ᅊποτελέσµα to spotelesma - only in that
future time when the gospel shall be everywhere established on the earth. The essential thing,
therefore, in the prophecy, is the representation of the peace, safety, and harmony which shall

47. take place under the Messiah. So to speak, it was a taking out, and causing to pass before the
mind of the prophet, all the circumstances of harmony, order, and love in his reign - as, in a
beautiful panoramic view of a landscape, the beauties of the whole scene may be made to pass
before the mind; the circumstances that might even then, if surveyed closely, give pain, were hid
from the view, or lost in the loveliness of the whole scene.
(4) That it does not refer to any literal change in the nature of animals, so that the ferocity of
the untamed shall be wholly laid aside, the disposition to prey on one another wholly cease, and
the poisonous nature of the adder be destroyed, seems to me to be evident:
(a) Because the whole description has a highly figurative and poetical cast.
(b) Because such figurative expressions are common in all poetry, and especially among the
Orientals.
(c) Because it does not appear how the gospel has any tendency to change the nature of the
lion, the bear, or the serpent. It acts on men, not on brutes; on human hearts, not on the
organization of wild animals.
(d) Because such a state of things could not occur without a perpetual miracle, changing the
physical nature of the whole animal creation, The lion, the wolf, the panther, are made to live on
flesh. The whole organization of their teeth and digestive powers is adapted to this, and this
alone. To fit them to live on vegetable food, would require a change in their whole structure, and
confound all the doctrines of natural history. The adder is poisonous, and nothing but a miracle
would prevent the poisonous secretion, and make his bite innocuous. But where is a promise of
any such coutinued miracle as shall change the whole structure of the animal creation, and make
the physical world different from what it is? It is indeed probable that wild animals and
venomous serpents will wholly retire before the progress of civilization and Christianity, and
that the earth may be inhabited everywhere with safety - for such is the tendency of the advance
of civilization - but this is a very different thing from a change in the physical nature of the
animal creation.
The fair interpretation of this passage is, therefore, that revolutions will be produced in the
wild and evil passions of men - the only thing with which the gospel has to do as great “as if” a
change were produced in, the animal creation, and the most ferocious and the most helpless
should dwell together. The wolf (‫זאב‬ ze
'eb) is a well-known animal, so called from his yellow or
golden color. The Hebrew name is formed by changing the Hebrew letter ‫ה‬ (h) in the word ‫זהב‬
zahab, “gold,” to the Hebrew letter ‫א‬ - Bochart. The wolf, in the Scriptures, is described as
ravenous, fierce, cruel; and is the emblem of that which is wild, ferocious, and savage among
human beings; Gen_49:27 : ‘Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf;’ Eze_22:27 : ‘Her princes in the
midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey;’ Mat_7:15 : ‘Beware of false prophets, which
come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves;’ Joh_10:12; Mat_10:16;
Luk_10:3; Act_20:29. The wolf is described as sanguinary and bloody Eze_22:27, and as taking
its prey by night, and as therefore particularly an object of dread; Jer_5:6 : ‘A wolf of the
evenings shall spoil them; Hab_1:8 : ‘Their horses are more fierce than the evening wolves;’
Zep_3:3 : ‘Her judges are evening wolves, they gnaw not the bones until tomorrow.’ in the
Scriptures, the wolf is constantly represented in contrast with the lamb; the one the emblem of
ferocity, the other of gentleness and innocence; Mat_10:16; Luk_10:3. The pagan poets also
regard the wolf as an emblem of ferocity and cruelty:
Inde lupi cen
Raptores, atra in nebula quos improba ventris
Exegit caecos rabies, etc. -
(Virg. AEn. ii. 355ff.)

48. As hungry wolves, with raging appetite,
Scour through the fields, nor fear the stormy night -
Their whelps at home expect the promised food,
And long to temper their dry chaps in blood -
So rushed we forth at once.
Dryden.
Cervi, luporum praeda rapacium.
Hor. Car. Lib. iv. Ode iv. 50.
See a full illustration of the nature and habits of the wolf in Boehart, “Hieroz.” Part i. B. iii. ch.
x. pp. 821-830. “Shall dwell.” ‫גר‬ ger. Shall sojourn, or abide. The word usually denotes a
residence for a time only, away from home, not a permanent dwelling. The idea here is, that they
shall remain peacefully together. The same image occurs in Isa_65:25, in another form: ‘The
wolf and the lamb shall feed together.’
The lamb - Everywhere the emblem of mildness, gentleness, and innocence; and, therefore,
applied often to the people of God, as mild, inoffensive, and forbearing; Joh_21:15; Luk_10:3;
Isa_40:2. It is very often applied, by way of eminence, to the Lord Jesus Christ; Joh_1:29;
Act_8:32; Isa_2:7; 1Pe_1:19; Rev_5:6, Rev_5:8, Rev_5:12-13; Rev_6:16; Rev_7:9-10, Rev_7:14,
Rev_7:17, “et al.”
And the leopard - ‫נמר‬ namer. The leopard, a well-known wild beast, was regarded in
Oriental countries as second in dignity only to the lion. The Arabic writers say, ‘He is second in
rank to the lion, and, as there is a natural hatred between them, victory is alternate between
them.’ Hence, in the Scriptures, the lion and the leopard are often joined together as animals of
the same character and rank; Son_4:8 :
From the lions’ den,
From the mountains of the leopards.
See Jer_5:6, and Hos_13:7 :
Therefore I will be unto them as a lion,
As a leopard by the way will I observe them.
The leopard is distinguished for his spots; Jer_13:23 : ‘Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or
the leopard his spots?’ it has small white eyes, wide jaws, sharp teeth, and is represented as
extremely cruel to man. It was common in Palestine, and was an object of great dread. It lurked
for its prey like the lion, and seized upon it suddenly Jer_5:6; Hos_13:7, and was particularly
distinguished for its velocity Hab_1:8), and is often referred to in the classic writers as an
emblem of fleetness. See “Bochart.” The image used here by Isaiah, that ‘the leopard should lie
down with the kid,’ as an emblem of peace and safety, occurs almost in the same form in the
Sybilline oracles, Lib. iii:
παρδάλιές τ ʆ ᅚριφοίς ᅏµα βοσκήσονται, -
parklies t' eriphois hama boskesontai, -
‘Leopards shall feed together with kids.’ “See” Bochart, “Hieroz.” Part i. B. iii. ch. vii. pp. 786-
791.
With the kid - The young of the goat; Gen_37:21; Lev_23:19; Luk_15:29. Like the lamb, it
was an emblem of gentleness, mildness, and inoffensiveness.

49. And the calf - Another emblem of inoffensiveness and innocence.
And the young lion - The Hebrew word used here - ‫כפיר‬ ke
phı yr - denotes one that is old
enough to go abroad for prey. It is employed as emblematic of dangerous enemies Psa_34:2;
Psa_35:17; Psa_58:7; and also as emblematic of young heroes, or defenders of a state;
Eze_38:15; Nah_2:12.
And the fatling - The calf or other animal that was well fed, and that would be therefore
particularly an object of desire to a wild beast. The beauty of the image is heightened, by the
circumstance that now the ravenous beast would live with that which usually excites its keenest
appetite, without attempting to injure it.
And a little child shall lead them - This is an especially beautiful image introduced into
the picture of peace and prosperity. Naturally, the lion and the leopard are objects of dread to a
young child. But here, the state of peace and safety is represented as not only so entire that the
child might live with them in safety, but their natural ferocity is so far subdued and tamed, that
they could be led by him at his will. The verisimilitude of the picture is increased by the
circumstance, that these wild beasts may be so far tamed as to become subject to the will of a
man, and even of a child.
2. CLARKE, “The wolf also shall, etc. “Then shall the wolf,” etc. - The idea of the
renewal of the golden age, as it is called, is much the same in the Oriental writers with that of the
Greeks and Romans: - the wild beasts grow tame; serpents and poisonous herbs become
harmless; all is peace and harmony, plenty and happiness: -
Occidet et serpens, et fallax herba veneni Occidet.
Vega. Eclog. 4:24.
“The serpent’s brood shall die. The sacred ground
Shall weeds and noxious plants refuse to bear.”
- Nec magnos metuent armenta leones.
Virg. Eclog. 4:22.
“Nor shall the flocks fear the great lions.”
Non lupus insidias explorat ovilia circum,
Nec gregibus nocturnus obambulat: acrior illum
Cura domat: timidae damae cervique fugaces
Nunc interque canes, et circum tecta vagantur.
Virg. Georg. 3:537.
“The nightly wolf that round the enclosure prowled,
To leap the fence, now plots not on the fold:
Tamed with a sharper pain, the fearful doe
And flying stag amidst the greyhounds go;
And round the dwellings roam, of man, their former foe.”
Dryden.
Nec vespertinus circumgemit ursus ovile,
Nec intumescit alta viperis humus.

50. Hor. Epod. 16:51.
“Nor evening bears the sheepfold growl around,
Nor mining vipers heave the tainted ground.”
Dryden.
Εσται δη τουτ’ αµαρ, ᆇπηνικα νεβρον εν ευνᇮ
Καρχαροδων δινεσθαι ιδων λυκος ουκ εθελησει.
Theoc. Idyl. 24:84.
There shall be a time when the ravenous wolf shall see the kid lying at ease, and shall feel
no desire to do it an injury.
I have laid before the reader these common passages from the most elegant of the ancient
poets, that he may see how greatly the prophet on the same subject has the advantage upon the
comparison; how much the former fall short of that beauty and elegance, and variety of imagery,
with which Isaiah has set forth the very same ideas. The wolf and the leopard not only forbear to
destroy the lamb and the kid, but even take their abode and lie down together with them. The
calf, and the young lion, and the fatling, not only come together, but are led quietly in the same
band, and that by a little child. The heifer and the she-bear not only feed together, but even
lodge their young ones, for whom they used to be most jealously fearful, in the same place. All
the serpent kind is so perfectly harmless, that the sucking infant and the newly weaned child
puts his hand on the basilisk’s den, and plays upon the hole of the aspic. The lion not only
abstains from preying on the weaker animals, but becomes tame and domestic, and feeds on
straw like the ox. These are all beautiful circumstances, not one of which has been touched upon
by the ancient poets. The Arabian and Persian poets elegantly apply the same ideas to show the
effects of justice impartially administered, and firmly supported, by a great and good king: -
“Mahmoud the powerful king, the ruler of the world,
To whose tank the wolf and the lamb come, together to drink.”
Ferdusi.
“Through the influence of righteousness, the hungry wolf
Becomes mild, though in the presence of the white kid.”
Ibn Onein. Jones, Poes. Asiat. Comment., p. 380.
The application is extremely ingenious and beautiful: but the exquisite imagery of Isaiah is not
equalled.
3. GILL, “And the wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,.... This, and the three following
verses Isa_11:7, describe the peaceableness of the Messiah's kingdom; and which the Targum
introduces in this manner,
"in the days of the Messiah of Israel, peace shall be multiplied in the earth.''
The wild and tame creatures shall agree together, and the former shall become the latter; which
is not to be understood literally of the savage creatures, as if they should lose their nature, and
be restored, as it is said, to their paradisiacal estate, which is supposed to be the time of the

51. restitution of all things; but figuratively of men, comparable to wild creatures, who through the
power of divine grace, accompanying the word preached, shall become tame, mild, meek, and
humble; such who have been as ravenous wolves, have worried Christ's sheep, made havoc of
them, breathing out slaughter and threatenings against them, as did Saul, through converting
grace, become as gentle and harmless as lambs, and take up their residence in Christ's fold, and
dwell with, yea, some of them even feed, Christ's lambs and sheep, as the above mentioned
person:
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; such who are like the leopard, for the
fierceness of his nature, and the variety of his spots; who can no more change their hearts and
their actions, than that creature can change its nature and its spots; are so wrought upon by the
power of divine grace, as to drop their rage against the saints, alter their course of life, and
attend on the word and ordinances, lie down beside the shepherds' tents, where the church feeds
her kids, or young converts:
and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; either dwell and feed together,
or lie down together, or walk together, since it follows:
and a little child shall lead them; become through the grace of God so tractable, that they
shall be led, guided, and governed by the ministers of the Gospel, Christ's babes and sucklings,
to whom he reveals the great things of his Gospel, and out of whose mouths he ordains praise.
Bohlius (a) interprets this little child of Christ himself, by whom they should be led and directed,
see Isa_9:6 and the following passages are referred to the times of the Messiah by the Jewish
writers (b); and Maimonides (c) in particular observes, that they are not to be understood
literally, as if the custom and order of things in the world would cease, or that things would be
renewed as at the creation, but in a parabolical and enigmatical sense; and interprets them of
the Israelites dwelling safely among the wicked of the nations of the world, comparable to the
wild beasts of the field.
(This verse may apply to the future state when all things will be restored to their original state
before man fell. By Adam's sin, death and bloodshed were introduced into the creation.
Rom_5:12. In the final state these will be removed and the wild nature of animals become tame.
Editor.)
4. PULPIT, “Messiah's kingdom, when fully realized, shall be one of perfect peace. "They shall neither
hurt nor destroy in all his holy mountain." Primarily, no doubt, the passage is figurative, and points to
harmony among men, who, in Messiah's kingdom, shall no longer prey one upon another (see
especially Isa_11:9). But, from the highest spiritual standpoint, the figure itself becomes a reality, and it is
seen that, if in the "new heavens and new earth" there is an animal creation, it will be fitting that there
harmony should equally prevail among the inferior creation. Human sin may not have introduced rapine
and violence among the beasts—at least, geologists tell us that animals preyed one upon another long
before the earth was the habitation of man—but still man's influence may prevail to eradicate the beasts'
natural impulses and educate them to something higher. Already domestication produces an accord and
harmony that is in a certain sense against nature. May not this be carried further in the course of ages,

52. and Isaiah's picture have a literal fulfillment? Jerome's scorn of the notion as a poetic dream has about it
something harsh and untender. Will not God realize all, and more than all, of love and happiness that
poets' dreams can reach to?
Isa_11:6
The wolf the leopard the young lion the bear are the only ferocious animals of Palestine, where
the tiger, the crocodile, the alligator, and the jaguar are unknown. That the Palestinian bear was
carnivorous, and a danger to man, appears by Lam_3:10; Dan_7:5; Amo_5:19. A little child shall lead
them. Man's superiority over the brute creation shall continue, and even be augmented. The most
powerful beasts shall submit to the control of a child.
5. JAMISON, “wolf ... lamb — Each animal is coupled with that one which is its natural
prey. A fit state of things under the “Prince of Peace” (Isa_65:25; Eze_34:25; Hos_2:18). These
may be figures for men of corresponding animal-like characters (Eze_22:27; Eze_38:13;
Jer_5:6; Jer_13:23; Mat_7:15; Luk_10:3). Still a literal change in the relations of animals to
man and each other, restoring the state in Eden, is a more likely interpretation. Compare
Gen_2:19, Gen_2:20, with Psa_8:6-8, which describes the restoration to man, in the person of
“the Son of man,” of the lost dominion over the animal kingdom of which he had been designed
to be the merciful vicegerent under God, for the good of his animal subjects (Rom_8:19-22).
6. K&D, “The fruit of righteousness is peace, which now reigns in humanity under the rule of
the Prince of Peace, and even in the animal world, with nothing whatever to disturb it. “And the
wolf dwells with the lamb, and the leopard lies down with the kid; and calf and lion and stalled
ox together: a little boy drives them. And cow and bear go to the pasture; their young ones lie
down together: and the lion eats shopped straw like the ox. And the suckling plays by the hole
of the adder, and the weaned child stretches its hand to the pupil of the basilisk-viper. They will
not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the land is filled with knowledge of Jehovah,
like the waters covering the sea.” The fathers, and such commentators as Luther, Calvin, and
Vitringa, have taken all these figures from the animal world as symbolical. Modern rationalists,
on the other hand, understand them literally, but regard the whole as a beautiful dream and
wish. It is a prophecy, however, the realization of which is to be expected on this side of the
boundary between time and eternity, and, as Paul has shown in Rom 8, is an integral link in the
predestined course of the history of salvation (Hengstenberg, Umbreit, Hofmann, Drechsler).
There now reign among irrational creatures, from the greatest to the least, - even among such as
are invisible, - fierce conflicts and bloodthirstiness of the most savage kind. But when the Son of
David enters upon the full possession of His royal inheritance, the peace of paradise will be
renewed, and all that is true in the popular legends of the golden age be realized and confirmed.
This is what the prophet depicts in such lovely colours. The wolf and lamb, those two hereditary
foes, will be perfectly reconciled then. The leopard will let the teazing kid lie down beside it. The
lion, between the calf and stalled ox, neither seizes upon its weaker neighbour, nor longs for the
fatter one. Cow and bear graze together, whilst their young ones lie side beside in the pasture.
The lion no longer thirsts for blood, but contents itself, like the ox, with chopped straw. The
suckling pursues its sport (pilpel of ‫ע‬ ַ‫ע‬ ָ‫,שׁ‬ mulcere) by the adder's hole, and the child just weaned

53. stretches out its hand boldly and fearlessly to me'urath tziph‛oni. It is evident from Jer_8:17 that
tziph‛oni is the name of a species of snake. According to Aquila and the Vulgate, it is basiliskos,
serpens regulus, possibly from tzaph, to pipe or hiss (Ges., Fürst); for Isidorus, in his Origg. xii.
4, says, Sibilus idem est qui et regulus; sibilo enim occidit, antequam mordeat vel exurat. For
the hapax leg. hadah, the meaning dirigere, tendere, is established by the Arabic; but there is all
the more uncertainty about the meaning of the hap. leg. ‫.מאורה‬ According to the parallel ‫ר‬ ֻ‫,ח‬ it
seems to signify the hollow (Syr., Vulg., lxx, κοίτη): whether from ‫וּר‬ፏ = ‫,עוּר‬ from which comes
ָ‫ע‬ ְ‫מ‬‫ה‬ ָ‫ר‬ ; or from ‫,אוֹר‬ the light-hole (like ‫אוֹר‬ ָ‫,מ‬ which occurs in the Mishna, Ohaloth xiii. 1) or
opening where a cavern opens to the light of day. It is probable, however, that me'urah refers to
something that exerts an attractive influence upon the child, either the “blending of colours”
(Saad. renders tziph‛oni, errakas', the motley snake), or better still, the “pupil of the eye”
(Targum), taking the word as a feminine of ma'or, the light of the eye (b. Erubin 55b - the power
of vision). The look of a snake, more especially of the basilisk (not merely the basilisk-lizard, but
also the basilisk-viper), was supposed to have a paralyzing and bewitching influence; but now
the snake will lose this pernicious power (Isa_65:25), and the basilisk become so tame and
harmless, as to let children handle its sparkling eyes as if they were jewels. All this, as we should
say with Luthardt and Hofmann (Schriftbeweis, ii. 2, 567), is only colouring which the hand of
the prophet employs, for the purpose of painting the peace of that glorified state which
surpasses all possibility of description; and it is unquestionably necessary to take the thought of
the promise in a spiritual sense, without adhering literally to the medium employed in
expressing it. But, on the other hand, we must guard against treating the description itself as
merely a drapery thrown around the actual object; whereas it is rather the refraction of the
object in the mind of the prophet himself, and therefore a manifestation of the true nature of
that which he actually saw.
But are the animals to be taken as the subject in Isa_11:9 also? The subject that most naturally
suggests itself is undoubtedly the animals, of which a few that are alarming and destructive to
men have been mentioned just before. And the fact that they really are thought of as the subject,
is confirmed by Isa_65:25, where Isa_11:6-9 is repeated in a compendious form. The idea that
‫עוּ‬ ֵ‫ר‬ָ‫י‬ requires men as the subject, is refuted by the common ‫ה‬ ָ‫ע‬ ָ‫ר‬ ‫ה‬ָ ַ‫ח‬ (compare the parallel promise
in Eze_34:25, which rests upon Hos_2:20). That the term yashchithu can be applied to animals,
is evident from Jer_2:30, and may be assumed as a matter of course. But if the animals are the
subject, har kodshi (my holy mountain) is not Zion-Moriah, upon which wild beasts never made
their home in historical times; but, as the generalizing col (all) clearly shows, the whole of the
holy mountain-land of Israel: har kodshi has just this meaning in Isa_57:13 (cf., Psa_78:54;
Exo_15:17). The fact that peace prevails in the animal world, and also peace between man and
beast, is then attributed to the universal prevalence of the knowledge of God, in consequence of
which that destructive hostility between the animal world and man, by which estrangement and
apostasy from God were so often punished (2Ki_17:25; Eze_14:15, etc.: see also Isa_7:24), have
entirely come to an end. The meaning of “the earth” is also determined by that of “all my holy
mountain.” The land of Israel, the dominion of the Son of David in the more restricted sense,
will be from this time forward the paradisaical centre, as it were, of the whole earth - a prelude
of its future state of perfect and universal glorification (Isa_6:3, “all the earth”). It has now
become full of “the knowledge of Jehovah,” i.e., of that experimental knowledge which consists

54. in the fellowship of love (‫ה‬ ָ‫ע‬ ֵ‫,ד‬ like ‫ה‬ ָ‫ד‬ ֵ‫,ל‬ is a secondary form of ‫ת‬ ַ‫ע‬ ַ‫,ד‬ the more common infinitive or
verbal noun from ‫:ידע‬ Ges. §133, 1), like the waters which cover the sea, i.e., bottom of the sea
(compare Hab_2:14, where lada‛ath is a virtual accusative, full of that which is to be known).
“Cover:” cissah l' (like sacac l', Psa_91:4), signifies to afford a covering to another; the Lamed is
frequently introduced with a participle (in Arabic regularly) as a sign of the object (Ewald, §292,
e), and the omission of the article in the case of mecassim is a natural consequence of the
inverted order of the words.
7. SBC, “It is plain, from the words of the text, that Isaiah was one of those prophets and
righteous men who desired to see and hear the things which Christ’s disciples saw and heard.
But it may be said that he desired to see the kingdom of Christ, because he thought that it would
bring with it a greater and happier change in the state of the world than it has done; because he
looked forward to it as to a time when the wolf should dwell with the lamb, and the leopard lie
down with the kid—that is, when there should be nothing but peace and comfort everywhere.
What, then, are we to think of such passages as those in my text? The question deserves to be
answered, because unless we understand it we must read very great portions of the books of the
prophets with no benefit; and it may be useful also in order to find out whether there be not
more reality of happiness in the Gospel than we are commonly inclined to give it credit for.
I. The Gospel makes a man industrious, sober, and careful of his time; which no one, I suppose,
would deny to be three great benefits. It is the great excellence of the Gospel, that it furnishes us
with the strongest of all helps to overcome temptation,—the fear of God and the hope of reward,
at first; and afterwards, as the Spirit of Christ changes us more and. more into Christ’s image, it
really makes us lose our relish for what is bad; so that, at last, there is much less temptation to
overcome.
II. The Gospel makes us care as much as we ought, and no more, for the things of this life; for
worldly cares or sorrows, or prospects of gain or loss, of honour or disgrace. He who went
through life as a Christian, learning to look at the world from the beginning with a Christian’s
eye, would find himself strong in the strength of Christ to bear whatever was laid upon him, and
would say with the Apostle, in perfect sincerity, "In all these things we are more than conquerors
through Him that loved us."
T. Arnold, Sermons, vol. i., p. 47.
References: Isa_11:6.—Preacher’s Monthly, vol. iv., p. 188; J. H. Hitchens, Christian World
Pulpit, vol. xxv., p. 9.
8. PULPIT, “The leading of a little child: Sunday school sermon.
"And a little child shall lead them." The reduction of the fierceness of wild animals to such tameness that a
little child may lead them is a very beautiful, poetical picture of the transformation of the worst of the
wicked to the excellency of the Christian spirit. We may, without impropriety, allow these words to suggest
thoughts on the way in which the regeneration and perfecting of human character is brought about by the

55. leading of the little child. God is training us all; we are all at his great school. Christ is the great Teacher;
the Word of God is our "book of reference." But there are other sources of instruction at his command. Of
these is the family life which he has instituted, and where we may all learn most valuable lessons. We
may consider how we are led by the little child—leading sometimes from bad to good, and at other times
from good to better things. The little child sometimes leads—
I. FROM THE FAR DISTANCE OF FLAGRANT WRONG TOWARDS THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST. We
have often read of the dissipated, or ungodly, or unbelieving parent, who has separated himself (herself)
from all sacred privileges, and, it may be, gone far in forbidden paths, when all other influences have
failed, being led by the soft, pleading accents of the little child to the safe precincts of the home, or to the
services of the sanctuary, or to the path and practice of sobriety, and so to the kingdom of Christ.
Sometimes it is not the living voice, but the remembered pleadings of the departed child coming from the
other side the veil, which lead the distant wanderer to "come to himself," and then to "arise and go to the
Father."
II. FROM OUTSIDE INTO THE SPIRITUAL KINGDOM. And this:
1. As a model. When the disciples were discussing amongst themselves which of them should be the
greatest in the kingdom, Jesus Christ took a child and set him in the midst of them, and said that, except
they were wholly changed and became as little children in their spirit, they could not so much
as enter that kingdom at all. It is the child-spirit which introduces us into the kingdom of Christ. They who
are kept outside by difficulties which they cannot solve, and they also who are excluded from faith and
peace by a sense of unworthiness from which they cannot rise, need but to have the simple,
unquestioning spirit of childhood; they need but to realize that they are God's very little children, and
should take his word even as they expect their own little ones to take theirs, and they will "come
in" and be blessed.
2. As a motive. We are moved by many motives, and our serious decisions are usually determined by
more considerations than one. There are many strong and urgent reasons why a man should yield
himself to God; but if all these fail to move him, let him remember the little child (children) beneath his roof
for whom he is responsible, who will almost certainly imbibe his spirit, and grow up to be such as he is;
and for his (their) sake, if not for his own, let him live the life which is right and worthy and wise.
III. ON, IN THE KINGDOM, TOWARD THE GOAL AND THE PRIZE.
1. The little child continually reminds us of those graces which our heavenly Father looks to see in us. As

56. we are pleased with the docility, the trustfulness, the obedience, the affection of our children, and are
pained when we witness the reverse, so is he affected by our attitude towards him.
2. The little child leads us into the field of Christian usefulness. The Christian Church saw the little child
ignorant, unenlightened, neglected, in danger of growing up to manhood far from truth and God, and it let
him put his hand into its arm and lead it into the school where it should receive the knowledge and the
influence which it needed. And the child having thus, by its very weakness and simplicity and necessity,
led the Church into the school, it is for the Church to lead the child into the ways of heavenly wisdom, into
the kingdom of Jesus Christ, into the path of usefulness and holy service.—C.
9. CALVIN, “6.The wolf shall dwell with the lamb. He again returns to describe the character and
habits of those who have submitted to Christ. As there is a mutual relation between the king and the
people, he sometimes ascends from the body to the head, and sometimes descends from the head to the
body; and we have already seen that Christ reigns, not for himself, but for those who believe in him.
Hence it follows that he forms their minds by his heavenly Spirit. But the Prophet’ discourse looks beyond
this; for it amounts to a promise that there will be a blessed restoration of the world. He describes the
order which was at the beginning, before man’ apostasy produced the unhappy and melancholy change
under which we groan. Whence comes the cruelty of brutes, which prompts the stronger to seize and
rend and devour with dreadful violence the weaker animals? There would certainly have been no discord
among the creatures of God, if they had remained in their first and original condition. When they exercise
cruelty towards each other, and the weak need to be protected against the strong, it is an evidence of the
disorder ( ἀταξίας) which has sprung from the sinfulness of man. Christ having come, in order to reconcile
the world to God by the removal of the curse, it is not without reason that the restoration of a perfect state
is ascribed to him; as if the Prophets had said that that golden age will return in which perfect happiness
existed, before the fall of man and the shock and ruin of the world which followed it. Thus, God speaks by
Hosea:
I will make a covenant with the beast of the field, with the fowl of the heaven, and with the creeping
things.
(Hos_2:18.)
As if he had said, “ God shall have been reconciled to the world in Christ, he will also give tokens of
fatherly kindness, so that all the corruptions which have arisen from the sinfulness of man will cease.”

57. In a word, under these figures the Prophets teach the same truth which Paul plainly affirms, that Christ
came to gather together out of a state of disorder those things which are in heaven and which are
on earth. (Eph_1:10; Col_1:20.) It may be thus summed up: “ will come to drive away everything hurtful
out of the world, and to restore to its former beauty the world which lay under the curse.” For this reason,
he says, that straw will be the food of the lion as well as of the ox; for if the stain of sin had not polluted
the world, no animal would have been addicted to prey on blood, but the fruits of the earth would have
sufficed for all, according to the method which God had appointed. (Gen_1:30.)
Though Isaiah says that the wild and the tame beasts will live in harmony, that the blessing of God may
be clearly and fully manifested, yet he chiefly means what I have said, that the people of Christ will have
no disposition to do injury, no fierceness or cruelty. They were formerly like lions or leopards, but will now
be likesheep or lambs; for they will have laid aside every cruel and brutish disposition. By these modes of
expression he means nothing else than that those who formerly were like savage beasts will be mild and
gentle; for he compares violent and ravenous men to wolves and bears which live on prey and plunder,
and declares that they will be tame and gentle, so that they will be satisfied with ordinary food, and will
abstain from doing any injury or harm. On this subject it is proper to argue from the less to the greater. “
Christ shall bring brute animals into a state of peace, much more will brotherly harmony exist among men,
who will be governed by the same spirit of meekness.” And yet Isaiah does not mean that any are mild
and peaceful by nature before they are renewed, but yet he promises, that whatever may have been their
natural disposition, they will lay aside or conquer their fierceness, and will be like lambs and sheep.
And a little child shall lead them. This means that beasts which formerly were cruel and untameable, will
be ready to yield cheerful obedience, so that there will be no need of violence to restrain their fierceness.
Yet we must attend to the spiritual meaning which I noticed, that all who become Christ’ followers will
obey Christ, though they may formerly have been savage wild beasts, and will obey him in such a
manner, that as soon as he lifts his finger, they will follow his footsteps, as it is said that his people shall
be willing. (Psa_110:3.) Those who are not endued with this meekness do not deserve to be ranked
among the sheep. Let us, therefore, permit ourselves to be ruled and governed by him, and let us willingly
submit to those whom he has appointed over us, though they appear to be like little children. Besides, I
think that the ministers of the word are compared to children, because they have no external power, and
exercise no civil government over them.
A question arises, Do we find any persons who are meek, though they have not been tamed by the
gospel? The Prophet appears to insinuate this, when he compares some men to sheep, and others
to wolves and bears; and certainly among men who follow the bent of their natural disposition, we shall
perceive an astonishing diversity. Some are mild and gentle, others are fierce and violent; but it is certain

58. that all men are untamed till Christ subdues them by the gospel; all are swelled with ambition and pride
before they are cured by this medicine. Many will be able to make a false and hollow profession of
modesty and humility, but they will swell with inward pride. In short, where the Spirit of Christ is not, there
will be no true meekness.
7
The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
1.BARNES, “The wolf also - In this, and the following verses, the prophet describes the
effect of his reign in producing peace and tranquility on the earth. The description is highly
poetical, and is one that is common in ancient writings in describing a golden age. The two
leading ideas are those of “peace” and “security.” The figure is taken from the condition of
animals of all descriptions living in a state of harmony, where those which are by nature
defenseless, and which are usually made the prey of the strong, are suffered to live in security.
By nature the wolf preys upon the lamb, and the leopard upon the kid, and the adder is
venomous, and the bear, and the cow, and the lion, and the ox, cannot live together. But if a
state of things should arise, where all this hostility would cease; where the wild animals would
lay aside their ferocity, and where the feeble and the gentle would be safe; where the adder
would cease to be venomous, and where all would be so mild and harmless that a little child
would be safe, and could lead even the most ferocious animals, that state would represent the
reign of the Messiah. Under his dominion, such a change would be produced as that those who
were by nature violent, severe, and oppressive; those whose disposition is illustrated by the
ferocious and bloodthirsty propensities of the lion and the leopard, and by the poison of the
adder, would be changed and subdued, and would be disposed to live in peace and harmony
with others. This is the “general” idea of the passage. We are not to cut the interpretation to the
quick, and to press the expressions to know what particular class of people are represented by
the lion, the bear, or the adder. The “general” image that is before the prophet’s mind is that of
peace and safety, “such as that would be” if a change were to be produced in wild animals,
making them tame, and peaceful, and harmless.
This description of a golden age is one that is common in Oriental writers, where the wild
beasts are represented as growing tame; where serpents are harmless; and where all is plenty,
peace, and happiness. Thus Jones, in his commentary on Asiatic poetry, quotes from an Arabic
poet, “Ibn Onein,” p. 380:
Justitia, a qua mansuetus fit lupus fame astrictus,
Esuriens, licet hinnulum candidurn videat -
‘Justice, by which the ravening wolf, driven by hunger, becomes tame, although he sees a
white kid.’ Thus, also, Ferdusi, a Persian poet:

59. Rerum Dominus, Mahmud, rex. potens,
Ad cujus aquam potum veniunt simul agnus et lupus -
‘Mahmud, mighty king, lord of events, to whose fountain the lamb and the wolf come to
drink.’ Thus Virgil, Eclogue iv. 21:
Ipsae lactae domum referent distenta capellae
Ubera; nec magnos metuent armenta leones -
Home their full udders, goats, unurged shall bear,
Nor shall the herd the lordly lion fear.
And immediately after:
Occidet et serpens, et fallax herba veneni
Occidet -
The snake, and poison’s treacherous weed shall die.
Wrangham.
Again, Eclogue, v. 60:
Nec lupus insidias pecori, nec retia cervis
Ulla dolum mediantur: amat bonus otia Daphnis.
So also Horace, “Epod.” 16:53, 54:
Nec yespertinus circumgemit ursus ovile,
Nec intumescit alta viperis humus.
See also “Claudian,” Lib. ii. v. 25ff; and Theocritus, Idyl xxiv. 84, as quoted by Gesenius and
Rosenmuller.
These passages are beautiful, and highly poetic; but they do not equal the beauty of the
prophet. There is an exquisite sweetness in the passage of Isaiah - in the picture which he has
drawn - particularly in the introduction of the security of the young child, which does not occur
in the quotations from the pagan poets.
That this passage is descriptive of the times of the Messiah, there can be no doubt. It has been
a question, to what particular part of his reign the prophet has reference. Some have referred it
to the time when he came, and to the influence of his gospel in mitigating the ferocity of his
enemies, and ultimately disposing them to suffer Christens to live with them - the infuriated
enemies of the cross, under the emblem of the wolf, the bear, the leopard, and the adder,
becoming willing that the Christian, under the emblem of the lamb, and the kid, should live with
them without molestation. This is the interpretation of Vitringa. Others have referred it to the
Millennium - as descriptive of a state of happiness, peace, and universal security then. Others
have referred it to the second coming of the Messiah, as descriptive of a time when it is supposed
that he will reign personally on the earth, and when there shall be universal security and peace,
and when the nature of animals shall be so far changed, that the ferocity of those which are wild
and ravenous shall cease, and they shall become harmless to the defenseless. Without
attempting to examine these opinions at length, we may, perhaps, express the sense of the
passage by the following observations:
(1) The eye of the prophet is fixed upon the reign of the Messiah, not with reference to time,
but with reference to the actual facts of that reign. He saw the scene pass before his mind in

60. vision (see the Introduction, Section 7, 3: (4.) (5.), and it is not the nature of such descriptions to
mark the “time,” but the order, the passing aspect of the scene. “Under the reign of the
Messiah,” he saw that this would occur. Looking down distant times, as on a beautiful
landscape, he perceived, under the mild reign of the Prince of peace, a state of things which
would be well represented by the wolf dwelling with the lamb, the leopard crouching down with
the kid, and a little child safe in their midst.
(2) It was, “in fact,” partially fulfilled in the earliest times of the gospel, and has been
everywhere. Under that gospel, the mad passions of men have been subdued; their wild
ferocious nature has been changed; their love of conquest, and war, and blood taken away; and
the change has been such as would be beautifully symbolized by the change of the disposition of
the wolf and the leopard - suffering the innocent and the harmless to live with them in peace.
(3) The scene will not be fully realized until the reign of the Messiah shall be extended to all
nations, and his gospel shall everywhere accomplish its full effects. The vision of Isaiah here has
not yet received a full completion; nor will it until the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the
Lord, Isa_11:9. The mind is, therefore, still directed onward. In future times, under the reign of
the messiah, what is here described shall occur - a state of security, and peace, and happiness.
Isaiah saw that splendid vision, as in a picture, pass before the mind; the wars, and
persecutions, and trials of the Messiah’s kingdom were, for a time at least, thrown into the back
ground, or not represented, and, in that future time, he saw what is here represented. It has
been partially fulfilled in all the changes which the Messiah’s reign has made in the natural
ferocity and cruelty of men; in all the peace which at any time the church has been permitted to
enjoy; in all the revolutions promoting human safety, welfare, and happiness, which Christianity
has produced. It is to receive the complete fulfillment - τᆵ ᅊποτελέσµα to spotelesma - only in that
future time when the gospel shall be everywhere established on the earth. The essential thing,
therefore, in the prophecy, is the representation of the peace, safety, and harmony which shall
take place under the Messiah. So to speak, it was a taking out, and causing to pass before the
mind of the prophet, all the circumstances of harmony, order, and love in his reign - as, in a
beautiful panoramic view of a landscape, the beauties of the whole scene may be made to pass
before the mind; the circumstances that might even then, if surveyed closely, give pain, were hid
from the view, or lost in the loveliness of the whole scene.
(4) That it does not refer to any literal change in the nature of animals, so that the ferocity of
the untamed shall be wholly laid aside, the disposition to prey on one another wholly cease, and
the poisonous nature of the adder be destroyed, seems to me to be evident:
(a) Because the whole description has a highly figurative and poetical cast.
(b) Because such figurative expressions are common in all poetry, and especially among the
Orientals.
(c) Because it does not appear how the gospel has any tendency to change the nature of the
lion, the bear, or the serpent. It acts on men, not on brutes; on human hearts, not on the
organization of wild animals.
(d) Because such a state of things could not occur without a perpetual miracle, changing the
physical nature of the whole animal creation, The lion, the wolf, the panther, are made to live on
flesh. The whole organization of their teeth and digestive powers is adapted to this, and this
alone. To fit them to live on vegetable food, would require a change in their whole structure, and
confound all the doctrines of natural history. The adder is poisonous, and nothing but a miracle
would prevent the poisonous secretion, and make his bite innocuous. But where is a promise of
any such coutinued miracle as shall change the whole structure of the animal creation, and make
the physical world different from what it is? It is indeed probable that wild animals and
venomous serpents will wholly retire before the progress of civilization and Christianity, and
that the earth may be inhabited everywhere with safety - for such is the tendency of the advance

61. of civilization - but this is a very different thing from a change in the physical nature of the
animal creation.
The fair interpretation of this passage is, therefore, that revolutions will be produced in the
wild and evil passions of men - the only thing with which the gospel has to do as great “as if” a
change were produced in, the animal creation, and the most ferocious and the most helpless
should dwell together. The wolf (‫זאב‬ ze
'eb) is a well-known animal, so called from his yellow or
golden color. The Hebrew name is formed by changing the Hebrew letter ‫ה‬ (h) in the word ‫זהב‬
zahab, “gold,” to the Hebrew letter ‫א‬ - Bochart. The wolf, in the Scriptures, is described as
ravenous, fierce, cruel; and is the emblem of that which is wild, ferocious, and savage among
human beings; Gen_49:27 : ‘Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf;’ Eze_22:27 : ‘Her princes in the
midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey;’ Mat_7:15 : ‘Beware of false prophets, which
come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves;’ Joh_10:12; Mat_10:16;
Luk_10:3; Act_20:29. The wolf is described as sanguinary and bloody Eze_22:27, and as taking
its prey by night, and as therefore particularly an object of dread; Jer_5:6 : ‘A wolf of the
evenings shall spoil them; Hab_1:8 : ‘Their horses are more fierce than the evening wolves;’
Zep_3:3 : ‘Her judges are evening wolves, they gnaw not the bones until tomorrow.’ in the
Scriptures, the wolf is constantly represented in contrast with the lamb; the one the emblem of
ferocity, the other of gentleness and innocence; Mat_10:16; Luk_10:3. The pagan poets also
regard the wolf as an emblem of ferocity and cruelty:
Inde lupi cen
Raptores, atra in nebula quos improba ventris
Exegit caecos rabies, etc. -
(Virg. AEn. ii. 355ff.)
As hungry wolves, with raging appetite,
Scour through the fields, nor fear the stormy night -
Their whelps at home expect the promised food,
And long to temper their dry chaps in blood -
So rushed we forth at once.
Dryden.
Cervi, luporum praeda rapacium.
Hor. Car. Lib. iv. Ode iv. 50.
See a full illustration of the nature and habits of the wolf in Boehart, “Hieroz.” Part i. B. iii. ch.
x. pp. 821-830. “Shall dwell.” ‫גר‬ ger. Shall sojourn, or abide. The word usually denotes a
residence for a time only, away from home, not a permanent dwelling. The idea here is, that they
shall remain peacefully together. The same image occurs in Isa_65:25, in another form: ‘The
wolf and the lamb shall feed together.’
The lamb - Everywhere the emblem of mildness, gentleness, and innocence; and, therefore,
applied often to the people of God, as mild, inoffensive, and forbearing; Joh_21:15; Luk_10:3;
Isa_40:2. It is very often applied, by way of eminence, to the Lord Jesus Christ; Joh_1:29;
Act_8:32; Isa_2:7; 1Pe_1:19; Rev_5:6, Rev_5:8, Rev_5:12-13; Rev_6:16; Rev_7:9-10, Rev_7:14,
Rev_7:17, “et al.”
And the leopard - ‫נמר‬ namer. The leopard, a well-known wild beast, was regarded in
Oriental countries as second in dignity only to the lion. The Arabic writers say, ‘He is second in
rank to the lion, and, as there is a natural hatred between them, victory is alternate between

62. them.’ Hence, in the Scriptures, the lion and the leopard are often joined together as animals of
the same character and rank; Son_4:8 :
From the lions’ den,
From the mountains of the leopards.
See Jer_5:6, and Hos_13:7 :
Therefore I will be unto them as a lion,
As a leopard by the way will I observe them.
The leopard is distinguished for his spots; Jer_13:23 : ‘Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or
the leopard his spots?’ it has small white eyes, wide jaws, sharp teeth, and is represented as
extremely cruel to man. It was common in Palestine, and was an object of great dread. It lurked
for its prey like the lion, and seized upon it suddenly Jer_5:6; Hos_13:7, and was particularly
distinguished for its velocity Hab_1:8), and is often referred to in the classic writers as an
emblem of fleetness. See “Bochart.” The image used here by Isaiah, that ‘the leopard should lie
down with the kid,’ as an emblem of peace and safety, occurs almost in the same form in the
Sybilline oracles, Lib. iii:
παρδάλιές τ ʆ ᅚριφοίς ᅏµα βοσκήσονται, -
parklies t' eriphois hama boskesontai, -
‘Leopards shall feed together with kids.’ “See” Bochart, “Hieroz.” Part i. B. iii. ch. vii. pp. 786-
791.
With the kid - The young of the goat; Gen_37:21; Lev_23:19; Luk_15:29. Like the lamb, it
was an emblem of gentleness, mildness, and inoffensiveness.
And the calf - Another emblem of inoffensiveness and innocence.
And the young lion - The Hebrew word used here - ‫כפיר‬ ke
phı yr - denotes one that is old
enough to go abroad for prey. It is employed as emblematic of dangerous enemies Psa_34:2;
Psa_35:17; Psa_58:7; and also as emblematic of young heroes, or defenders of a state;
Eze_38:15; Nah_2:12.
And the fatling - The calf or other animal that was well fed, and that would be therefore
particularly an object of desire to a wild beast. The beauty of the image is heightened, by the
circumstance that now the ravenous beast would live with that which usually excites its keenest
appetite, without attempting to injure it.
And a little child shall lead them - This is an especially beautiful image introduced into
the picture of peace and prosperity. Naturally, the lion and the leopard are objects of dread to a
young child. But here, the state of peace and safety is represented as not only so entire that the
child might live with them in safety, but their natural ferocity is so far subdued and tamed, that
they could be led by him at his will. The verisimilitude of the picture is increased by the
circumstance, that these wild beasts may be so far tamed as to become subject to the will of a
man, and even of a child.
2. CLARKE, “In this verse a word is omitted in the text, ‫יחדו‬ yachdav, together; which ought
to be repeated in the second hemistich, being quite necessary to the sense. It is accordingly twice
expressed by the Septuagint and Syriac.

63. 3. GILL, “And the cow and the bear shall feed,.... That is, together, in one church state, at
one table, or in one pasture, upon the wholesome food of the Gospel, the salutary doctrines of
Christ; who though before of different dispositions, the one tame and gentle, useful and
profitable, dispensing the milk of the divine word, and gracious experience; the other cruel and
voracious, barbarous and inhuman, worrying the lambs and sheep of Christ; but now of the
same nature, and having no ill will to one another, and being without fear of each other:
their young ones shall lie down together; those like the calf and the young bear, shall lie in
the green pastures of Gospel ordinances, and do no injury, the latter to the former, being of one
mind, and agreeing in doctrine and practice:
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox; kings shall be nursing fathers to the church, and
feed on the same Gospel provisions; and there shall be a great agreement between them who
were before comparable to lions for their strength, power, and cruelty, and ministers of the
Gospel, who are compared to oxen, for their strength and laboriousness, 1Co_9:9 "straw" here
denotes true doctrine, though elsewhere false, see 1Co_3:12.
4. PULPIT, “The lion shall eat straw (comp. Isa_65:25). There is nothing impossible in this. Cats are
fond of some kinds of vegetable food.
5. JAMISON, “feed — namely, “together”; taken from the second clause.
straw — no longer flesh and blood.
8
The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
and the young child will put its hand into the
viper’s nest.
1.BARNES, “And the sucking child - An emblem here of harmlessness and innocence.
The change in the world, under the Messiah, shall be as great as if a sucking infant should be
able to play unharmed with a venomous serpent.
Shall play - Shall delight himself (‫שׁעשׁע‬ shı ‛asha‛) as children usually engage in their sports;
compare Pro_8:30-31; Psa_119:24.

64. On the hole of the asp - Over, or around the cavern, hole, or place of retreat of the asp. He
shall play over that place as safely as if the nature of the asp was changed, and it had become
innocuous. The Hebrew word rendered here “asp” (‫פתן‬ pethen) denotes the serpent usually
called the asp, whose poison is of such rapid operation that it kills almost instantly: see
Job_20:14, Job_20:16; Psa_58:4; Psa_91:13; Deu_32:33. The word occurs in no other places in
the Old Testament. This serpent is small. It is found particularly in Egypt, though also in other
places; see the note at Job_20:14. It is used here as the emblem of the more sudden, malignant,
and violent passions; and the idea is, that under the Messiah a change would be performed in
people of malignant and deadly passions as signal “as if” the asp or adder were to lose his
venom, and become innocuous to a child.
And the weaned child - But still, a young and helpless child. The image is varied, but the
same idea is retained.
Shall put his hand - That is, he shall do it safely, or uninjured.
On the cockatrice’ den - Margin, ‘Adder’s.’ The word rendered here “cockatrice” (‫צפעוני‬
tsı p‛onı y) occurs only in the fellowing places: Isa_14:29; Isa_11:8; Isa_59:5; Pro_23:32;
Jer_8:17. In all these places, it is rendered cockatrice, except in Pro_23:32. The “cockatrice” was
a fabulous kind of serpent, supposed to be hatched from the egg of a cock. The serpent here
designated is, doubtless, a species of the “adder,” more venomous, perhaps, than the ‫פתן‬ pethen,
but still belonging to the same species. Bochart (“Hieroz.” P. ii. lib. iii. ch. ix.) supposes that the
“basilisk” is intended - a species of serpent that, he says, was supposed to poison even with its
breath. The general idea is the same here as above. It is in vain to attempt to spiritualize these
expressions, and to show that they refer to certain individuals, or that the animals here
designated refer to particular classes of the enemies of the gospel. It is a mere poetic description,
denoting great peace and security; and all the changes in the mad, malignant, and envenomed
passions of people, that may be necessary to produce and perpetuate that peace. Pope has
versified this description in the following beautiful manner:
The lambs with wolves shall graze the verdant mead,
And boys, in flowery bands, the tigers lead.
The steer and lion at one crib shall meet,
And harmless serpents lick the pilgrim’s feet.
The smiling infant in his hand shall take
The crested basilisk, and speckled snake;
Pleased, the green luster of the scales survey,
And, with their forked tongue, shall innocently play.
Messiah.
2. CLARKE, “The cockatrice’ den - This is supposed, both by the Targum and by Kimchi,
to mean the pupil of this serpent’s eye. “When,” says Kimchi, “he is in the mouth of his den, in
an obscure place, then his eyes sparkle exceedingly: the child, seeing this, and supposing it to be
a piece of crystal, or precious stone, puts forth his hand to take it. What would be very
dangerous at another time, shall be safe in the days of the Messiah; for the serpent will not hurt
the child.”

65. 3. GILL, “And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp,.... Without fear or
danger:
and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den; and suffer no
damage: the meaning is explained in the next words, and to be understood of regenerate
persons, both of new born babes, or just born, and all such who are weaned from their own
righteousness, and live by faith on Christ, who shall not be hurt by the poison of false teachers,
nor by the force of violent persecutors, now no more,
4. PULPIT, “The sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp; rather, by the hole—near it. The "asp"
is probably the Coluber Naje of Egypt, whose bite is very deadly. The cockatrice den. The "cockatrice" is
another deadly serpent, perhaps theDaboia xanthina (Tristram, 'Natural Hist. of the Bible').
5. JAMISON, “play — literally, “delight” himself in sport.
cockatrice — a fabulous serpent supposed to be hatched from the egg of a cock. The Hebrew
means a kind of adder, more venomous than the asp; Bochart supposes the basilisk to be meant,
which was thought to poison even with its breath.
6. K&D, “The fruit of righteousness is peace, which now reigns in humanity under the rule of
the Prince of Peace, and even in the animal world, with nothing whatever to disturb it. “And the
wolf dwells with the lamb, and the leopard lies down with the kid; and calf and lion and stalled
ox together: a little boy drives them. And cow and bear go to the pasture; their young ones lie
down together: and the lion eats shopped straw like the ox. And the suckling plays by the hole
of the adder, and the weaned child stretches its hand to the pupil of the basilisk-viper. They will
not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the land is filled with knowledge of Jehovah,
like the waters covering the sea.” The fathers, and such commentators as Luther, Calvin, and
Vitringa, have taken all these figures from the animal world as symbolical. Modern rationalists,
on the other hand, understand them literally, but regard the whole as a beautiful dream and
wish. It is a prophecy, however, the realization of which is to be expected on this side of the
boundary between time and eternity, and, as Paul has shown in Rom 8, is an integral link in the
predestined course of the history of salvation (Hengstenberg, Umbreit, Hofmann, Drechsler).
There now reign among irrational creatures, from the greatest to the least, - even among such as
are invisible, - fierce conflicts and bloodthirstiness of the most savage kind. But when the Son of
David enters upon the full possession of His royal inheritance, the peace of paradise will be
renewed, and all that is true in the popular legends of the golden age be realized and confirmed.
This is what the prophet depicts in such lovely colours. The wolf and lamb, those two hereditary
foes, will be perfectly reconciled then. The leopard will let the teazing kid lie down beside it. The
lion, between the calf and stalled ox, neither seizes upon its weaker neighbour, nor longs for the
fatter one. Cow and bear graze together, whilst their young ones lie side beside in the pasture.
The lion no longer thirsts for blood, but contents itself, like the ox, with chopped straw. The
suckling pursues its sport (pilpel of ‫ע‬ ַ‫ע‬ ָ‫,שׁ‬ mulcere) by the adder's hole, and the child just weaned
stretches out its hand boldly and fearlessly to me'urath tziph‛oni. It is evident from Jer_8:17 that

66. tziph‛oni is the name of a species of snake. According to Aquila and the Vulgate, it is basiliskos,
serpens regulus, possibly from tzaph, to pipe or hiss (Ges., Fürst); for Isidorus, in his Origg. xii.
4, says, Sibilus idem est qui et regulus; sibilo enim occidit, antequam mordeat vel exurat. For
the hapax leg. hadah, the meaning dirigere, tendere, is established by the Arabic; but there is all
the more uncertainty about the meaning of the hap. leg. ‫.מאורה‬ According to the parallel ‫ר‬ ֻ‫,ח‬ it
seems to signify the hollow (Syr., Vulg., lxx, κοίτη): whether from ‫וּר‬ፏ = ‫,עוּר‬ from which comes
‫ה‬ ָ‫ר‬ ָ‫ע‬ ְ‫;מ‬ or from ‫,אוֹר‬ the light-hole (like ‫אוֹר‬ ָ‫,מ‬ which occurs in the Mishna, Ohaloth xiii. 1) or
opening where a cavern opens to the light of day. It is probable, however, that me'urah refers to
something that exerts an attractive influence upon the child, either the “blending of colours”
(Saad. renders tziph‛oni, errakas', the motley snake), or better still, the “pupil of the eye”
(Targum), taking the word as a feminine of ma'or, the light of the eye (b. Erubin 55b - the power
of vision). The look of a snake, more especially of the basilisk (not merely the basilisk-lizard, but
also the basilisk-viper), was supposed to have a paralyzing and bewitching influence; but now
the snake will lose this pernicious power (Isa_65:25), and the basilisk become so tame and
harmless, as to let children handle its sparkling eyes as if they were jewels. All this, as we should
say with Luthardt and Hofmann (Schriftbeweis, ii. 2, 567), is only colouring which the hand of
the prophet employs, for the purpose of painting the peace of that glorified state which
surpasses all possibility of description; and it is unquestionably necessary to take the thought of
the promise in a spiritual sense, without adhering literally to the medium employed in
expressing it. But, on the other hand, we must guard against treating the description itself as
merely a drapery thrown around the actual object; whereas it is rather the refraction of the
object in the mind of the prophet himself, and therefore a manifestation of the true nature of
that which he actually saw.
But are the animals to be taken as the subject in Isa_11:9 also? The subject that most naturally
suggests itself is undoubtedly the animals, of which a few that are alarming and destructive to
men have been mentioned just before. And the fact that they really are thought of as the subject,
is confirmed by Isa_65:25, where Isa_11:6-9 is repeated in a compendious form. The idea that
‫עוּ‬ ֵ‫ר‬ָ‫י‬ requires men as the subject, is refuted by the common ‫ה‬ ָ‫ע‬ ָ‫ר‬ ‫ה‬ָ ַ‫ח‬ (compare the parallel promise
in Eze_34:25, which rests upon Hos_2:20). That the term yashchithu can be applied to animals,
is evident from Jer_2:30, and may be assumed as a matter of course. But if the animals are the
subject, har kodshi (my holy mountain) is not Zion-Moriah, upon which wild beasts never made
their home in historical times; but, as the generalizing col (all) clearly shows, the whole of the
holy mountain-land of Israel: har kodshi has just this meaning in Isa_57:13 (cf., Psa_78:54;
Exo_15:17). The fact that peace prevails in the animal world, and also peace between man and
beast, is then attributed to the universal prevalence of the knowledge of God, in consequence of
which that destructive hostility between the animal world and man, by which estrangement and
apostasy from God were so often punished (2Ki_17:25; Eze_14:15, etc.: see also Isa_7:24), have
entirely come to an end. The meaning of “the earth” is also determined by that of “all my holy
mountain.” The land of Israel, the dominion of the Son of David in the more restricted sense,
will be from this time forward the paradisaical centre, as it were, of the whole earth - a prelude
of its future state of perfect and universal glorification (Isa_6:3, “all the earth”). It has now
become full of “the knowledge of Jehovah,” i.e., of that experimental knowledge which consists
in the fellowship of love (‫ה‬ ָ‫ע‬ ֵ‫,ד‬ like ‫ה‬ ָ‫ד‬ ֵ‫,ל‬ is a secondary form of ‫ת‬ ַ‫ע‬ ַ‫,ד‬ the more common infinitive or

67. verbal noun from ‫:ידע‬ Ges. §133, 1), like the waters which cover the sea, i.e., bottom of the sea
(compare Hab_2:14, where lada‛ath is a virtual accusative, full of that which is to be known).
“Cover:” cissah l' (like sacac l', Psa_91:4), signifies to afford a covering to another; the Lamed is
frequently introduced with a participle (in Arabic regularly) as a sign of the object (Ewald, §292,
e), and the omission of the article in the case of mecassim is a natural consequence of the
inverted order of the words.
7.CALVIN, “8.And the child shall play on the hole of the asp. He continues to illustrate the same
sentiment, that when men have been brought into a state of favor with God, and have been cleansed
from their depravity by the Spirit of regeneration, they will likewise be free from every hurtful disposition.
There is no reason why men dread the danger or poison arising from the bite of serpents, but because
they do not deserve that God should place every part of the world under their control. And, indeed, since
animals are permitted to do injury even to children, this shows that the whole race of Adam has been
stained with pollution from the very womb.
We must again observe the comparison which we stated, that those men whom a concealed poison led to
deeds of violence will have their disposition changed, and will do no harm even to little children. Some
men are openly fierce and cruel, (Psa_140:3,) and others inwardly carry and cherish their malice like
poison, (Psa_55:21,) as David also describes them; for some men are more quick, and others are more
slow, to manifest the desire of doing injury. Whatever they may have formerly been, he means that all of
them must be cleansed from wickedness, both open and concealed, after having submitted to Christ. He
means, also, that henceforth safety, which will reign everywhere, will be enjoyed even by those who have
no kind of protection; so that they will freely venture to expose themselves to imminent dangers.
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.

68. 1.BARNES, “They shall not hurt - That is, those who are designated above under the
emblems of the lion, the leopard, the bear, and the adder.
Nor destroy in all my holy mountain - Mount Zion; used here, as elsewhere, to denote
the seat of his reign on the earth, or his church; the notes at Isa_1:8; Isa_2:4. The disposition of
people, naturally ferocious and cruel, shall be changed so entirely, that the causes of strife and
contention shall cease. They shall be disposed to do justice, and to promote each other’s welfare
everywhere.
For the earth - That is, in the times of the Messiah, It does not say that it shall be immediate
under his reign, but under his reign this shall occur on the earth.
The knowledge of the Lord - This is put for piety, as the “fear” of the Lord often is. The
earth shall be full of a correct understanding of the existence, perfections, plans, and claims of
God; and shall be disposed to yield to those claims - thus producing universal peace.
As the waters cover the sea - That is, the depths or the bottom of the sea; compare
Hab_2:14. The vast waters of the ocean cover all its depths, find their way into all the caverns,
flow into all the recesses on the shore - and thus shall the knowledge of Yahweh spread like
deep, flowing waters, until the earth shall be pervaded and covered with it. It is evident that a
time is here spoken of which has not yet fully come, and the mind is still directed onward, as was
that of the prophet, to a future period when this shall be accomplished. The prophecy has been
indeed in part fulfilled. Wherever the gospel has spread, its effect has been just that which is
predicted here. It has calmed and subdued the angry passions of people; changed their feelings
and their conduct; disposed them to peace; and tended to mitigate national ferocity, to produce
kindness to captives, and to those who had been oppressed. It has mitigated laws that were cruel
and bloody; and has abolished customs, games, sports, and pastimes that were ferocious and
savage. It has often changed the bitter persecutor, as it did Saul of Tarsus, to the mildness and
gentleness of a lamb; and it has spread an influence over nations tending to produce humanity
and benevolence. It has produced mildness, gentleness, and love, in the domestic circle; changed
a the cruel and lordly husband to a companion and friend; and the character of the stern and
inexorable father to one of paternal kindness and peace. Wherever it has spread “in truth” and
not “in form merely,” it has shed a mild, calming, and subduing influence over the passions,
laws, and customs of people. But its effects have been but partially felt; and we are led,
therefore, to look forward to future times, when the prophecy shall be entirely fulfilled, and the
power of the gospel shall be felt in all nations.
2. PULPIT, “My holy mountain. As the Jewish Church is always bound up with the "holy hill of Zion," so
the Messianic one receives the designation of "the mountain of the Lord" (Isa_2:3; Isa_30:29; Mic_4:2), or
"the holy mountain" (Zec_8:3). What was physically true of the type is transferred to the antitype, which is
"a city set upon a hill" in a certain sense. The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the
Lord (romp. Hab_2:14; Joe_2:28; Mat_28:1-20 :29). A fruitful knowledge, guiding and influencing
conduct, seems to be intended (see below, Isa_54:13, "All thy children shall be taught of the Lord, and
great shall be the peace of thy children"). As the waters cover the sea; i.e. "as the ocean covers and fills
the bed prepared for it."

69. 3. GILL, “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain,.... In the Church, so
called, in allusion to the holy hill of Zion; in the latter day, after the destruction of antichrist,
there will be no more persecution of the saints; they will be no more injured nor harassed by
wicked men, comparable to the above mentioned creatures, either for their cruelty or cunning;
the reason follows:
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea:
full of the Gospel, the means of conveying the knowledge of Christ, and of God in Christ, of his
person and office, of his grace and righteousness, of peace, pardon, life, and salvation by him.
The phrase denotes the abundance and depth of the knowledge of divine things, and the large
spread of the Gospel, and the multitude of persons that shall be blessed with it, and a profound
knowledge of it; so that there will be none to molest, disturb, and distress the people of God, see
Hab_2:14 this has had some appearance of accomplishment at several times; as at the first times
of the Gospel, when the sound of it, by the apostles, went into all the earth, and diffused the
savour of the knowledge of Christ in every place; and in the times of Constantine, when
Paganism was abolished, and the whole empire became Christian, persecution ceased, and peace
ensued, as before described; and at the Reformation, when whole nations embraced the Gospel
of Christ; but the full accomplishment of it is yet to come, when the angel shall fly in the midst of
heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach to all men, and the earth shall be lightened with
his glory; when men shall run to and fro, and knowledge be increased, and all shall know the
Lord, from the least to the greatest. This passage is applied to the times of the Messiah by the
Jews, ancient and modern (d).
4. HENRY, “That there should be great peace and tranquillity under his government; this is
an explication of what was said in Isa_9:6, that he should be the Prince of peace. Peace signifies
two things: -
1. Unity or concord, which is intimated in these figurative promises, that even the wolf shall
dwell peaceably with the lamb; men of the most fierce and furious dispositions, who used to bite
and devour all about them, shall have their temper so strangely altered by the efficacy of the
gospel and grace of Christ that they shall live in love even with the weakest and such as formerly
they would have made an easy prey of. So far shall the sheep be from hurting one another, as
sometimes they have done (Eze_34:20, Eze_34:21), that even the wolves shall agree with them.
Christ, who is our peace, came to slay all enmities and to settle lasting friendships among his
followers, particularly between Jews and Gentiles: when multitudes of both, being converted to
the faith of Christ, united in one sheep-fold, then the wolf and the lamb dwelt together; the wolf
did not so much as threaten the lamb, nor was the lamb afraid of the wolf. The leopard shall not
only not tear the kid, but shall lie down with her: even their young ones shall lie down together,
and shall be trained up in a blessed amity, in order to the perpetuating of it. The lion shall cease
to be ravenous and shall eat straw like the ox, as some think all the beasts of prey did before the
fall. The asp and the cockatrice shall cease to be venomous, so that parents shall let their
children play with them and put their hands among them. A generation of vipers shall become a
seed of saints, and the old complaint of homo homini lupus - man is a wolf to man, shall be at
an end. Those that inhabit the holy mountain shall live as amicably as the creatures did that
were with Noah in the ark, and it shall be a means of their preservation, for they shall not hurt
nor destroy one another as they have done. Now, (1.) This is fulfilled in the wonderful effect of
the gospel upon the minds of those that sincerely embrace it; it changes the nature, and makes
those that trampled on the meek of the earth, not only meek like them, but affectionate towards
them. When Paul, who had persecuted the saints, joined himself to them, then the wolf dwelt

70. with the lamb. (2.) Some are willing to hope it shall yet have a further accomplishment in the
latter days, when swords shall be beaten into ploughshares.
2. Safety or security. Christ, the great Shepherd, shall take such care of the flock that those
who would hurt them shall not; they shall not only not destroy one another, but no enemy from
without shall be permitted to give them any molestation. The property of troubles, and of death
itself, shall be so altered that they shall not do any real hurt to, much less shall they be the
destruction of, any that have their conversation in the holy mountain, 1Pe_3:13. Who, or what,
can harm us, if we be followers of him that is good? God's people shall be delivered, not only
from evil, but from the fear of it. Even the sucking child shall without any terror play upon the
hole of the asp; blessed Paul does so when he says, Who shall separate us from the love of
Christ? and, O death! where is thy sting?
Lastly, Observe what shall be the effect, and what the cause, of this wonderful softening and
sweetening of men's tempers by the grace of God. 1. The effect of it shall be tractableness, and a
willingness to receive instruction: A little child shall lead those who formerly scorned to be
controlled by the strongest man. Calvin understands it of their willing submission to the
ministers of Christ, who are to instruct with meekness and not to use any coercive power, but to
be as little children, Mat_18:3. See 2Co_8:5. 2. The cause of it shall be the knowledge of God.
The more there is of that the more there is of a disposition to peace. They shall thus live in love,
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, which shall extinguish men's heats and
animosities. The better acquainted we are with the God of love the more shall we be changed
into the same image and the better affected shall we be to all those that bear his image. The
earth shall be as full of this knowledge as the channels of the sea are of water - so broad and
extensive shall this knowledge be and so far shall it spread - so deep and substantial shall this
knowledge be, and so long shall it last. There is much more of the knowledge of God to be got by
the gospel of Christ than could be got by the law of Moses; and, whereas then in Judah only was
God known, now all shall know him, Heb_8:11. But that is knowledge falsely so called which
sows discord among men; the right knowledge of God settles peace.
5. JAMISON, “my holy mountain — Zion, that is, Jerusalem. The seat of government and
of Messiah’s throne is put for the whole earth (Jer_3:17).
sea — As the waters find their way into every cavern of its depths, so Christianity shall
pervade every recess of the earth (Hab_2:14). As Isa_11:1-5 describe the personal qualities of
Messiah, and Isa_11:6-9 the regenerating effects of His coming on creation, so Isa_11:10-16 the
results of it in the restoration of His people, the Jews, and the conversion through them of the
6.SBC , “I. Most exactly have the figures which the Holy Spirit condescended to apply to
Himself been fulfilled in the course of the dispensation; nay, even to this day. His operation has
been calm, equable, gradual, far-spreading, overtaking, intimate, irresistible. What is so awfully
silent, so mighty, so inevitable, so encompassing as a flood of water? Such was the power of the
Spirit in the beginning, when He vouchsafed to descend as an invisible wind, as an outpoured
flood. Thus He changed the whole face of the world. The ark of God moved upon the face of the
waters.
II. And what the power of the Spirit has been in the world at large, that it is also in every human
heart to which it comes. (1) Any spirit which professes to come to us alone, and not to others,
which makes no- claim of having moved the body of the Church at all times and places, is not of

71. God, but a private spirit of error. (2) Vehemence, tumult, confusion, are no attributes of that
benignant flood with which God has replenished the earth. That flood of grace is sedate,
majestic, gentle in its operation. (3) The Divine Baptism, wherewith God visits us, penetrates
through our whole soul and body. It leaves no part of us uncleansed, unsanctified. It claims the
whole man for God. Any spirit which is content with what is short of this, which does not lead us
to utter self-surrender and devotion, is not from God.
III. The heart of every Christian ought to represent in miniature the Catholic Church, since one
Spirit makes both the whole Church and every member of it to be His temple. As He makes the
Church one, which, left to itself, would separate into many parts, so He makes the soul one, in
spite of its various affections and faculties, and its contradictory aims.
J. H. Newman, Sermons on Subjects of the Day, p. 126.
References: Isa_11:9.—J. Budgen, Parochial Sermons, vol. ii., p. 226; H. W. Beecher,
Christian World Pulpit, vol. xvi., p. 145.
7.CALVIN, “9.They shall not hurt. He now declares plainly, that men themselves, having laid aside the
depravity which naturally dwells in them, will be inclined, of their own accord, to do what is right. He
speaks of believers who have been truly regenerated to a new life, (Rom_6:4;) for though in the Church
many hypocrites full of wickedness were mixed with the elect of God, yet they are like the Ishmaelites,
whom God will cast out at the proper time. We ought also to observe, as we are taught in Psa_15:1, that
those only who follow righteousness have a settled residence in the temple of God, that they may dwell
there for ever. It is, therefore, a distinguishing mark of the genuine members of the Church, that they are
free from all desire of doing injury to others. Hence, also, we infer, that it is a remarkable gift of the Spirit
of Christ, that men abstain from being evil-doers; for by nature, ambition, pride, cruelty, and avarice,
always prompt them freely and voluntarily to commit acts of injustice.
For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. With good reason does the Prophet add, that
this invaluable blessing flows from the knowledge of God; for it abases all flesh, and teaches men to
commit themselves to his trust and guardianship, and brings them into a state of brotherly harmony, when
they learn that they have the same Father. (Mal_2:10.) Although many, who have not yet been renewed
by the Spirit of Christ, profess to have humanity, yet it is certain that self-love ( φιλαυτίαν) reigns in them;
for in all it is natural and so deeply-rooted, that they seek their own advantage and not that of others, think
that they are born for themselves and not for others, and would wish to make the whole world subject to
them, if they could, as Plato has judiciously observed. Hence arise fraud, perjury, theft, robbery, and
innumerable crimes of this sort; and therefore there is no other remedy for subduing this lawless desire
than the knowledge of God. We see how the Prophet again makes the government of Christ to rest on
faith and the doctrine of the gospel, as indeed he does not gather us to himself (Eph_1:10) in another way
than by enlightening our minds to reveal the heavenly life, which is nothing else, as he himself declares,
than

72. to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent. (Joh_17:3.)
As with waters that cover the sea. There is an implied comparison between the abundance of knowledge
and that slender taste which God gave to the ancient people under the law. The Jews having been kept in
the rudiments of childhood, (Gal_3:23,) the perfect light of wisdom hath fully shone on us by the gospel,
as was also foretold by Jeremiah:
They shall not every one teach his neighbor, and a man his brother, to know God; for all shall know me,
from the least to the greatest. (Jer_31:34.)
If this fullness of knowledge take possession of our minds, it will free us from all malice.
This passage also instructs us what is the character of the Church under Popery, where the light of
doctrine is choked and almost extinguished, and the highest religion is made to consist in the benumbing
influence of brutish stupidity. If we do not immediately possess full knowledge, we must advance from day
to day, and make continual progress, (2Pe_3:18,) and in such a manner that fruit may spring from that
root. Hence it is evident how little progress the greater part have made in the school of Christ, seeing that
fraud and robbery and acts of violence abound everywhere.
10
In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a
banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to
him, and his resting place will be glorious.
1.BARNES, “And in that day - That future time when the reign of the Messiah shall be
established; Note, Isa_3:2; Isa_4:1. The prophet, having described the birth, and the personal
characteristics of the great personage to whom he referred, together with the peaceful effects of
his reign, proceeds to state the result of that reign in some other respects. The first is Isa_11:10,
that the “Gentiles” would be brought under his reign; the second Isa_11:14, that it would be
attended with the restoration of the scattered people of Judea; and the third Isa_11:15-16, that it
would be followed by the destruction of the enemies of the people of God.
There shall be a root of Jesse - There shall be a sprout, shoot, or scion of the ancient and
decayed family of Jesse; see the note at Isa_5:1. Chaldee, ‘There shall be a son of the sons of

73. Jesse.’ The word “root” here - ‫שׁרשׁ‬ shoresh - is evidently used in the sense of a root that, is alive
when the tree is dead; a root that sends up a shoot or sprout; and is thus applied to him who
should proceed from the ancient and decayed family of Jesse; see Isa_53:2. Thus in Rev_5:5, the
Messiah is called ‘the” root” of David,’ and in Rev_22:16, ‘the root and the offspring of David.’
Which shall stand - There is reference here, doubtless, to the fact that military ensigns were
sometimes raised on mountains or towers which were permanent, and which, therefore, could
be rallying points to an arm or a people. The idea is, that the root of Jesse, that is, the Messiah,
should be conspicuous, and that the nations should flee to him, and rally around him as a people
do around a military standard. Thus the Saviour says Joh_12:32 : ‘And I, if I be lifted up from
the earth, will draw all men unto me.’
For an ensign - For a standard, or a sign round which they shall rally.
Of the people - That is, as the parallelism shows, of the Gentiles.
To it shall the Gentiles seek - The pagan world shall look to it for safety and deliverance.
In the Scriptures, the world is spoken of as divided into Jews and Gentiles. All who are not Jews
come under this appellation. This is a distinct prophecy, that other nations than the Jews should
be benefited by the work of the Messiah, and constitute a part of his kingdom. This fact is often
referred to by Isaiah, and constitutes a very material feature in his prophecies; Isa_42:1,
Isa_42:6; Isa_49:22; Isa_54:3; Isa_60:3, Isa_60:5, Isa_60:11, Isa_60:16; Isa_61:6, Isa_61:9;
Isa_62:2; Isa_66:12, Isa_66:19. The word “seek” here, is used in the sense of seeking as a
Deliverer, or a Saviour: they shall apply to him for instruction, guidance, and salvation; or they
shall apply to him as a nation looks to its deliverer to protect it; compare Isa_8:19; 2Ki_1:3;
Isa_65:1.
And his rest - The rest, peace, and quietness, which he shall give. This evidently includes all
the rest or peace which he shall impart to those who seek him. The word ‫מנוחה‬ me
nuchah
sometimes denotes “a resting place,” or a habitation Num_10:33; Mic_2:10; Psa_132:8; but it
also denotes “a state of rest, quietness;” Rth_1:9; Jer_45:3; Psa_23:2; Psa_95:11; Deu_12:9;
Isa_28:12; Isa_46:1. Here it evidently means the latter. It may refer,
(1) To the peace which he gives to the conscience of the awaened and troubled sinner
Mat_11:28-30; or
(2) To the prosperity and peace which his reign shall produce.
Shall be glorious - Hebrew, ‘Shall be glory.’ That is, shall be full of glory and honor. It shall
be such as shall confer signal honor on his reign. The Chaldee understands this of his place of
residence, his palace, or court. ‘And the place of his abode shall be in glory.’ The Vulgate renders
it, ‘and his sepulchre shall be glorious.’
‘By his rest, we are not to understand his grave - or his death - or his Sabbath - or the rest he
gives his people - but his place of rest, his residence. There is no need of supplying a preposition
before glory, which is an abstract used for a concrete - glory, for glorious. The church, Christ’s
home, shall be glorious from his presence, and the accession of the Gentiles.’ - (Alexander.) This
is a beautiful rendering; it is, moreover, consistent with the letter and spirit of the passage. Some
include both ideas.
2. CLARKE, “A root of Jesse, which shall stand etc. “The root of Jesse, which
standeth,” etc. - St. John hath taken this expression from Isaiah, Rev_5:5, and Rev_22:16,
where Christ hath twice applied it to himself. Seven MSS. have ‫עומד‬ omed, standing, the present
participle. Radix Isaei dicitur jam stare, et aliquantum stetisse, in signum populorum. -

74. Vitringa. “The root of Jesse is said to stand, and for some time to have stood, for an ensign to the
people.” Which rightly explains either of the two readings. Psa_110:1-7 (note) is a good
comment on this verse.
3. GILL, “And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse,.... The Messiah, so called, either
with respect to his human nature, who was to spring from Jesse; so the Targum,
"and there shall be at that time a son of the sons of Jesse;''
who, when incarnate, was like a root under ground, hidden to men, as to the glory of his person,
and the fulness of his grace, and was mean, abject, and contemptible in their view; or rather
with respect to his divine nature, just as he is called "the root and offspring of David", Rev_5:5
the former as God, the latter as man; and so the phrase may denote his eternity, being before
Jesse, or any other man or creature whatever; and his being the Creator and preserver of all, of
Jesse, and of all others; and, as Mediator, he is the root from whom Jesse, and all the elect of
God, are; they have their being in him; they are rooted and grounded in him; and are bore by
him as the branches by the root; and they have their life and nourishment, their fruitfulness,
holiness, and perseverance therein from him. This is understood of the Messiah, by ancient and
modern Jews (e):
which shall stand for an ensign of the people; in the ministration of the Gospel, for the
gathering of the people of God to him, to enlist in his service, and fight under his banner, where
they may be sure of victory; an ensign set up, a banner displayed, is for the gathering of soldiers
together; it is a sign of preparation for war, and an encouragement to it; and is sometimes done
when victory is obtained, see Isa_5:26 and is a direction where soldiers should stand, when they
should march, and who they should follow, as well as it serves to distinguish one company from
another; and of all this use is the preaching of Christ and his Gospel:
to it shall the Gentiles seek; that is, to Christ, signified by the root of Jesse, and set up for an
ensign of the people; being sought out by him in redemption and calling, and being sensible of
their need of him, and that there is something valuable in him, having had a manifestation of
him to them; and therefore seek to him, not out of curiosity, nor with worldly views, nor in the
last, but in the first place, and chiefly; not hypocritically, but sincerely, and with their whole
hearts; not carelessly, but diligently and constantly; not partially, but for everything they want;
principally for the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, for eternal glory and happiness, and
for a justifying righteousness, as the title to it: or to him shall they "betake themselves" (f), see
Deu_12:5 as to an ensign, standard bearer, captain-general, leader and commander of the
people; or as to a stronghold, for protection from enemies; or as to a city of refuge, to secure
from avenging justice and wrath to come; and, under a sense of danger and ruin, to one that is
able to save; and for help to one that is mighty; or him "shall" they "consult" (g); or seek to him
for advice and counsel, see Isa_8:19 who is a most proper person to be consulted on all
occasions, he being the wonderful Counsellor, Isa_9:6. This is a prophecy of the calling of the
Gentiles, and which had its accomplishment, in part, in the first times of the Gospel, and will be
completely fulfilled in the last days:
and his rest shall be glorious; either that which Christ gives to those that seek unto him,
and which is both a spiritual rest here, from the burden and guilt of sin, and the tyrannical
power of it; from the bondage, curse, and condemnation of the law; from a sense of divine
wrath; and a rest in afflictions, though not from them; and an eternal rest hereafter, a "rest in

75. glory" (h); as the words may be rendered here; it will be a glorious one, the bodies of the saints
at death rest in the grave, and their souls in the arms of Jesus; and after the resurrection, body
and soul will rest together from sin and Satan, from unbelief, doubts, and fears, and from all
enemies; or else this rest is what Christ himself enjoys. Some understand it of his death, which,
though ignominious in itself, yet glorious in its consequences; a glorious display of the
condescension and love of Christ was made in it; and glorious things have been effected by it:
others, of his grave, which was an honourable man's; his grave was made with the rich; though
perhaps better of his rest in glory; when he had done his work, and sat down at the right hand of
God, he was crowned with glory and honour; or rather it may design his church, which is his
rest, Psa_132:13 which is glorious, with his righteousness, grace, and presence, and being put in
order by him, as an army with banners; and especially it will be, when all the glorious things
spoken of it shall be fulfilled.
4. HENRY, “We have here a further prophecy of the enlargement and advancement of the
kingdom of the Messiah, under the type and figure of the flourishing condition of the kingdom
of Judah in the latter end of Hezekiah's reign, after the defeat of Sennacherib.
I. This prediction was in part accomplished when the great things God did for Hezekiah and his
people proved as an ensign, inviting the neighbouring nations to them to enquire of the wonders
done in the land, on which errand the king of Babylon's ambassadors came. To them the
Gentiles sought; and Jerusalem, the rest or habitation of the Jews, was then glorious, Isa_11:10.
Then many of the Israelites who belonged to the kingdom of the ten tribes, who upon the
destruction of that kingdom by the king of Assyria were forced to flee for shelter into all the
countries about and to some that lay very remote, even to the islands of the sea, were
encouraged to return to their own country and put themselves under the protection and
government of the king of Judah, the rather because it was an Assyrian army by which their
country had been ruined and that was not routed. This is said to be a recovery of them the
second time (Isa_11:11), such an instance of the power and goodness of God, and such a reviving
to them, as their first deliverance out of Egypt was. Then the outcasts of Israel should be
gathered in, and brought home, and those of Judah too, who, upon the approach of the Assyrian
army, shifted for their own safety.
5. JAMISON, “root — rather, “shoot from the root” (compare Note, see on Isa_11:1;
Isa_53:2; Rev_5:5; Rev_22:16).
stand — permanently and prominently, as a banner lifted up to be the rallying point of an
army or people (Isa_5:26; Joh_12:32).
the people — peoples, answering to “the Gentiles” in the parallel member.
to it ... seek — diligently (Job_8:5). They shall give in their allegiance to the Divine King
(Isa_2:2; Isa_60:5; Zec_2:11). Horsley translates, “Of Him shall the Gentiles inquire”; namely,
in a religious sense, resort as to an oracle for consultation in difficulties” (Zec_14:16). Compare
Rom_15:12, which quotes this passage, “In Him shall the Gentiles trust.”
rest — resting-place (Isa_60:13; Psa_132:8, Psa_132:14; Eze_43:7). The sanctuary in the
temple of Jerusalem was “the resting-place of the ark and of Jehovah.” So the glorious Church

76. which is to be is described under the image of an oracle to which all nations shall resort, and
which shall be filled with the visible glory of God.
6. K&D, “The prophet has now described, in Isa_11:1-5, the righteous conduct of the Son of
David, and in Isa_11:6-9 the peace which prevails under His government, and extends even to
the animal world, and which is consequent upon the living knowledge of God that has now
become universal, that is to say, of the spiritual transformation of the people subject to His
sway, - an allusion full of enigmas, but one which is more clearly expounded in the following
verse, both in its direct contents and also in all that it presupposes. “And it will come to pass in
that day: the root-sprout of Jesse, which stands as a banner of the peoples, for it will nations
ask, and its place of rest is glory.” The first question which is disposed of here, has reference to
the apparent restriction thus far of all the blessings of this peaceful rule to Israel and the land of
Israel. This restriction, as we now learn, is not for its own sake, but is simply the means of an
unlimited extension of this fulness of blessing. The proud tree of the Davidic sovereignty is hewn
down, and nothing is left except the root. The new David is shoresh Yishai (the root-sprout of
Jesse), and therefore in a certain sense the root itself, because the latter would long ago have
perished if it had not borne within itself from the very commencement Him who was now about
to issue from it. But when He who had been concealed in the root of Jesse as its sap and strength
should have become the rejuvenated root of Jesse itself (cf., Rev_22:16), He would be exalted
from this lowly beginning l'nes ‛ammin, into a banner summoning the nations to assemble, and
uniting them around itself. Thus visible to all the world, He would attract the attention of the
heathen to Himself, and they would turn to Him with zeal, and His menuchah, i.e., the place
where He had settled down to live and reign (for the word in this local sense, compare
Num_10:33 and Psa_132:8, Psa_132:14), would be glory, i.e., the dwelling-place and palace of a
king whose light shines over all, who has all beneath His rule, and who gathers all nations
around Himself. The Vulgate renders it “et sepulcrum ejus gloriosum” (a leading passage for
encouraging pilgrimages), but the passion is here entirely swallowed up by the splendour of the
figure of royalty; and menuchah is no more the place of rest in the grave than nes is the cross,
although undoubtedly the cross has become the banner in the actual fulfilment, which divides
the parousia of Christ into a first and second coming.
7. PULPIT, “There shall he a root of Jesse. The "root" of this place is the same as the "rod" and
"branch" of Isa_11:1. The "rod" springs up out of a "root," and is inseparably connected with it. Which
shall stand for an ensign of the people; rather,of the peoples. The "rod" shall lift itself up, and become
an ensign, seen from afar, and attracting to itself the attention of "the peoples" or "nations" generally. The
Acts and Epistles show how speedily this prophecy was fulfilled. Greeks, Romans, Galatians,
Cappadoeians, Babylonians (1Pe_5:13), saw the ensign, and sought to it. His rest shall be glorious;
rather, his resting-place; i.e. his Church, with which he abides forever (Mat_28:20). The Shechinah of his
presence makes the Church "glorious" (literally, "a glory") throughout all ages; but the glory will not fully

77. appear till the time of the "new heavens and new earth" (Isa_65:17; Roy. 21; 22.), when he will dwell
visibly with it.
8. MEYER 10-16, “A SONG OF THANKSGIVING
Isa_11:10-16; Isa_12:1-6
The prophet’s vision extends. He has seen the effect of redemption, as it emanates from Jesus
Christ, upon the whole physical creation; now he beholds also the ingathering of all Israel. The
ancient enmity between Ephraim and Judah would pass away. As Paul puts it afterward, “All
Israel shall be saved,” Rom_11:25-26. As they were brought out of Egypt, so shall they be
brought from all the countries of the world, where they have dwelt during these Christian
centuries. The return of the Jews under Ezra included those of one tribe only, and cannot fulfill
the great dreams of all the prophets as here of Isaiah. The following chapter is the counterpart of
Exo_15:1-27. When their enemies are overwhelmed in the great battle of Armageddon, the
ransomed hosts of Israel shall break forth in this anthem.
The Isa_12:3 was chanted by the priests on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Joh_7:37-
38. The little possessive pronoun my is the bucket with which we draw water from the depths of
God. Our pilgrimage way is lined by these wells of saving help.
9. PULPIT, “The rest of Christ.
"And his rest shall be glorious." This chapter commences with the full Messianic strain. "There shall come
forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse;" and the music swells, in the Hebrew rhythm of thought, into a
sublime prophecy of the reign of Christ. This "root of Jesse" is to be "an ensign of the people," and "to it
shall the Gentiles seek." We are thus led to understand the words, "his rest," as applying to the triumph of
the Savior.
I. MANY IDEAS OR FORMS OF REST ARE INGLORIOUS. They are connected with mere military
conquest. There is the peace of subjection, or there is the peace of compromise, or there is the peace
which belongs to the desert and the wilderness, when they are simply let alone. But Christ's peace is his
own beautiful peace of nature. "My peace I give unto you." His rest is not artificial. It is the rest of holy
expectation. He sees of the travail of his soul, and is satisfied.
II. THIS GLORY IS PROSPECTIVE AS WELL AS PRESENT. It "shall be glorious." The golden age of
the gospel is in the future. "From henceforth expecting;" "He must reign." It will be a glorious rest. For
truth will conquer error. Right will conquer might. Love will have victory over all forms of division and hate.

78. It shall be; for Christ hath spoken it. It shall be; for he has all power in heaven and earth. It shall be on
spiritual grounds; for the mightiest moral force ever and always triumphs in the end.
III. THIS REST OF CHRIST IS OUR REST TOO. We have not only received forgiveness through the
cross, but newness of life as well. We have rest now, not in its fullness, but in its ideal; for we have the
mind of Christ. We have within us the kingdom and patience of Christ; we are one with the Father through
Christ. "I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one."—W.M.S.
10. CALVIN, “10.And it shall be in that day the root of Jesse. He again returns to the person of Christ,
and repeats the same comparison which he had introduced at the beginning of the chapter, that of
a root or a branch springing from a decayed trunk, of which no trace appeared; and he foretells that the
Gentiles, who formerly abhorred the Jews, will henceforth bow before their King with lowly homage. This
might be thought to be altogether incredible, and unquestionably the promise was ridiculed for many
centuries, because such a gathering together was to be expected rather when the kingdom remained and
flourished than when it had been cut down. But it was necessary that it should be cut down, so that it
might afterwards sprout again, and that the glory and power of God might shine in it more brighter than in
its flourishing condition. Who would have seen with the eyes of men that the branch would rise to such a
height as to be seen by all nations, and to direct the eyes of all men towards it?
Which shall stand for an ensign of the peoples. He compares it to a banner stretched aloft; and we know
that this was fulfilled by the preaching of the gospel, and indeed was more illustrious than if Christ had
soared above the clouds. To the same purpose is what he says,
As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up.
(Joh_3:14; Num_21:9.)
Shall be sought by the Gentiles. Christ is said to be sought, when men flee to him for the purpose of
asking salvation, as to seek God means, in every part of Scripture, to cast all our hopes upon him.
Accordingly, the Greek translators have rendered it ἐλπιοῦσι, they shall hope, looking rather at the
meaning than at the word.
And his rest shall be glory. These words are commonly explained as referring to the burial of Christ, and
that by a figure of speech in which a part is taken for the whole; for afterwards they apply it also to his
death; and indeed the burial of Christ was nothing else than an appendage to his death. They think that
the meaning is this, “ death of Christ, which was disgraceful in the eyes of the world, will be glorious and

79. splendid.” But when I take a closer view of the whole, by rest the Prophet means in this passage the
Church; as it is also said,
This is my everlasting rest; here will I dwell.
(Psa_132:14.)
He bestows an honorable appellation on the assembly of the godly, because he chooses to have a
continual habitation among them. Accordingly, the Church having been at that time exposed to
reproaches and disgrace, he promises that it will be again raised to a more prosperous condition, and will
recover its ancient glory. Here, therefore, we have a remarkable proof that God is pleased to dwell
continually in his Church, though this may not always be seen by men.
11
In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second
time to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people
from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper
Egypt, from Cush,[b]
from Elam, from
Babylonia,[c]
from Hamath and from the islands of the
Mediterranean.
1.BARNES, “And it shall come to pass - The prophet having, in the previous verse, stated
the effect of the reign of the Messiah on the Gentile world, proceeds to state the result on the
scattered Jews. Whether it is to be a literal re-collecting of the scattered tribes to the land of
their fathers, has been a subject of debate, and is still so by expositors. We may be able to
determine what is the correct general interpretation after the particular phrases have been
examined.
In that day - That future time referred to in this whole prophecy. The word “day” is often
used to denote a long time - or the time during which anything continues, as “the day” denotes
all the hours until it is terminated by night. So “day” denotes the time of a man’s life - ‘his day;’
or time in general; or the time when one shall be prominent, or be the principal object at that
time. Thus it is applied to the time of the Messiah, as being the period of the world in which he
will be the prominent or distinguished object; Joh_8:56 : ‘Abraham rejoiced to see my day;’
Luk_17:24 : ‘So shall the Son of man be in his day.’ The expression here means, that somewhere
in that future time, when the Messiah should appear, or when the world should be put under

80. him as the Mediator, the event would take place which is here predicted. As the word ‘day’
includes “all” the time of the Messiah, or all his reign from his first to his second advent, it is not
to be supposed that the event would take place when he was personally on earth. Isaiah saw it in
vision, as “one” of the events which was to occur after the ‘root of Jesse’ should stand as an
ensign to the nations.
That the Lord shall set his hand - That Yahweh shall undertake this, and accomplish it.
To set the hand to anything is to undertake to perform it.
The second time - ‫שׁנית‬ shenı yth. This word properly means, as it is here translated, the
second time, implying that the prophet here speaks of a deliverance which would resemble, in
some respects, a “former” deliverance or recovery. By the former recovery to which he here
refers, he cannot mean the deliverance from Egypt under Moses, for at that time there was no
recovery from scattered and distant nations. Besides, if “that” was the reference by the former
deliverance, then that mentioned here as the ‘second’ deliverance would be that from the
Babylonian captivity. But on the return from that captivity, there was not a collecting of the Jews
from all the nations here specified. When the Jews were led back to Judea under Nehemiah,
there is no record of their having been collected from ‘Egypt,’ or from ‘Cush,’ or from ‘the islands
of the sea.’ It is evident, therefore, I think, that by the former deliverance to which the prophet
here alludes - the deliverance which was to precede that designated here as the “second” - he
refers to the return from the captivity of Babylon; and by the ‘second,’ to some still more future
recovery that should take place under the administration of the Messiah. This is further
confirmed from the fact that the whole scope of the prophecy points to that future period.
To recover - Hebrew, ‘To possess,’ or, to obtain possession of - ‫לקנות‬ lı qe
noth. This word
properly means to obtain possession of by purchasing or buying anything. But it is also applied
to any possession obtained of an object by power, labor, skill, or by delivering from bondage or
captivity, and is thus synonymous with “redeem” or “deliver.” Thus it is applied to the
deliverance of the people from Egypt; Deu_32:6; Exo_15:16; Psa_74:2. It means here, that
Yahweh would redeem, rescue, recover his people; but it does not specify the “mode” in which it
would be done. Any mode - either by collecting and rescuing them from the regions into which
they were scattered into one place, or by a “spiritual” turning to him, wherever they might be,
would meet the force of this word. If in the lands where they were scattered, and where they had
wandered away from the true God, they were converted, and should become again his people,
the event would correspond with all that is meant by the word here.
They would “then” be purchased, possessed, or recovered to himself, by being delivered from
their spiritual oppression. It is not necessary, therefore, to resort to the interpretation that they
should, in the ‘second’ deliverance, be restored literally to the land of Canaan. Any argument for
that doctrine from this passage must be drawn from the word here used - ‘recover’ - and that
“that” idea is not necessarily involved in this word is abundantly manifest from its familiar use
in the Old Testament. All that that word implies, is, that they should “be possessed” by God as
his people; an idea which is fully met by the supposition that the scattered Jews everywhere will
be converted to the Messiah, and thus become his true people. For this use of the word, see
Gen_25:10; Gen_47:22; Gen_49:30; Gen_50:13; Jos_24:32; 2Sa_12:3; Lev_27:24; Neh_5:8.
In no place does it necessarily imply the idea of “collecting or restoring” a scattered people to
their Own land.
The remnant of his people - That is, the remnant of the Jews, still called his people. In all
the predictions respecting the calamities that should ever come upon them, the idea is “always”
held out that the nation would not be wholly extinguished; but that, however great the national
judgments, a remnant would still survive. This was particularly true in regard to the fearful
judgments which Moses denounced on the nation if they should be disobedient, and which have
been so strikingly fulfilled; Deut. 28. As the result of those judgments, Moses does not say that

81. Yahweh would annihilate the nation, or extinguish their name, but that the would be ‘left few in
number,’ Deu_28:62; that Yahweh would scatter them among all people, from the one end of
the earth even to the other, Deu_28:64; and that among these nations they should find no ease,
neither should the sole of their foot have rest.
In like manner it was predicted that they should be scattered everywhere. ‘I will scatter them
also among the pagan, whom neither they nor their fathers have known. I will deliver them to be
removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach, a proverb, a taunt,
and a curse, in all places whither I will drive them;’ Jer_9:16; Jer_24:9-10. ‘I will execute
judgments in thee, and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter into all the winds;’ Eze_5:10. ‘I
will also scatter them among the nations, among the pagan, and disperse them in the countries;’
Eze_12:15, ‘I will sift the house of Israel among the nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet
shall not the least grain fall upon the earth. They shall be wanderers among the nations;’
Amo_9:9. ‘I will make a full end of the nations whither I have driven thee, but I will not make a
full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished;’
Jer_46:28.
From all these, and from numerous other passages in the Old Testament, it is evident that it
was designed that the Jewish nation should never be wholly destroyed; that though they were
scattered among the nations, they should still be a distinct people; that while other nations
would wholly cease to exist, yet that a “remnant” of the Jewish people, with the national
peculiarities and customs, would still survive. How entirely this has been fulfilled, the
remarkable history of the Jewish people everywhere testifies. Their present condition on the
earth, as a people scattered in all nations, yet surviving; without a king and a temple, yet
preserving their national prejudices and peculiarities, is a most striking fulfillment of the
prophecy; see Keith’s “Evidence of the Fulfillment of Prophecy,” pp. 64-82.
From Assyria - The name Assyria is commonly applied to that region of country which lies
between Media, Mesopotamia, Armenia, and Babylon, and which is now called Kurdistan. The
boundaries of the kingdom have often varied, and, as a kingdom or separate nation, it has long
since ceased to exist. The name “Assyria” in Scripture is given,
(1) To ancient Assyria, lying east of the Tigris, and between Armenia, Susiana, and Media - the
region comprising mostly the modern kingdoms and the pashalic of Mosul.
(2) Most generally the name Assyria means the “kingdom of Assyria,” including Babylonia and
Mesopotamia, and extending to the Euphrates; Isa_7:20; Isa_8:7.
(3) After the overthrow of the Assyrian empire, the name continued to be applied to those
countries which were formerly held under its dominion - including Babylonia 2Ki_23:29;
Jer_2:18, Persia Ezr_6:22, and Syria. - “Robinson; Calmet.”
It is in this place applied to that extensive region, and means that the Jews scattered there - of
whom there have always been many - shall be brought under the dominion of the Messiah. If the
Nestorian Christians in the mountains of Kurdistan are the descendants of the lost ten tribes
(see the note at Isa_11:12), then the reference here is, doubtless, to them. There are, however,
other Jews there, as there always has been; “see” Dr. Grant’s work on ‘The Nestorians, or, the
Lost Ten tribes,’ New York, 1841.
And from Egypt - The well-known country in Africa, watered by the Nile. In all ages, there
have been many Jews there. Its vicinity to Palestine; its remarkable fertility, and the advantages
which it offered to them, attracted many Jews there; and at some periods they have composed
no inconsiderable part of the population. It was in this country that the translation of the
Hebrew Scriptures into the Greek language, called the Septuagint, was made, for the use of the
numerous Jews residing there. At present they are numerous there, though the exact number is
unknown: During the reign of Bonaparte, an estimate was made, for his information, of the
number of Jews in the world, and, in that estimate, 1,000,000 was assigned to the Turkish

82. empire - probably about a third part of all on the earth. A large portion of this number is in
Egypt.
And from Pathros - This was one of the three ancient divisions of Egypt. It was the same as
Upper Egypt, or the southern part of Egypt, the “Coptic” portion of that country. The inhabitants
of that country are called “Pathrusini.” To that place many of the Jews retired in the calamities
of the nation, notwithstanding the remonstrances of Isaiah; Jer_44:1, Jer_44:15. For this act
God severely threatened them; see Jer_44:26-29.
And from Cush - The Chaldee reads this, ‘And from Judea.’ The Syriac, ‘And from Ethiopia.’
This country denotes, properly, the regions settled by the descendants of Cush, the oldest son of
Ham; Gen_10:8. Commentators have differed very much about the region understood in the
Scriptures by the name Cush. Bochart supposes that by it the southern parts of Arabia are
always meant. Gesenius supposes, that by Cush is always meant a region in Africa. Michaelis
supposes that by Cush the southern part of Arabia and the African Ethiopia were both intended.
In the Scriptures, however, it is evident that the name is given to different regions.
(1) It means what may be called the “Oriental Cush,” including the region of the ancient
Susiana, and bounded on the south by the Persian Gulf, and on the west and southwest by the
Tigris, which separates it from the Arabian Irak. This province has the name Chusastan, or
Chusistan, and was, probably, the ancient “Cush” mentioned in Zep_3:10 : From beyond the
rivers of Ethiopia, (Hebrew, Cush), my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall
bring mine offering.’ The principal rivers there were the Ulai, the Kur, the Chobar, and the
Choaspes. The same place is referred to in 2Ki_17:24, where the king of Assyria is said to have
‘brought men from Babylon, and from “Cuthah,” and from Ava,’ where the word “Cuthah”
evidently refers to Cush, the Armenian mode of pronouncing Cush by exchanging the letters
“Shin” for “Tav,” as they always do in pronouncing “Ashur,” calling it “Athur, etc.;” see the
Chaldee Paraphrase, and the Syriac version, “passim.”
(2) “Cush,” as employed by the Hebrews, “usually” denoted the southern parts of Arabia, and
was situated chiefly along the coast of the Red Sea, since there are several passages of Scripture
where the name “Cush” occurs which can be applied to no other country, and least of all to the
African Cush or Ethiopia; see Num_12:1, where the woman whom Moses married is called an
‘Ethiopian,’ (Hebrew, ‘Cushite’). It can be scarcely supposed that she came from the distant
regions of Ethiopia in Africa, but it is evident that she came from some part of Arabia. Also
Hab_3:7, says:
I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction;
And the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.
From which it is evident, that “Cushan” and “Midian” were countries adjacent; that is, in the
southern part of Arabia; compare 2Ch_21:16; 2Ch_14:9.
(3) The word “Cush” is applied to Ethiopia, or the country south of Egypt, now called
Abyssinia. This country comprehended not only Ethiopia above Syene and the cataracts, but
likewise Thebais, or Upper Egypt; compare Jer_13:23; Dan_11:3; Eze_30:4-5; Isa_44:14; see
the notes at Isa_18:1. To which of these regions the prophet here refers, it is not easy to
determine. As the other countries mentioned here, however, are chiefly in the East, it is most
natural to suppose that he refers to “the Oriental Cush” mentioned under the first division. The
general idea of the prophet is plain, that the scattered Jews should be gathered back to God.
And from Elam - This was the name of a country originally possessed by the Persians, and
so called from the son of Shem of the same name; Gen_14:1. It was the southern part of Persia,
situated on the Persian Gulf, and included, probably, the whole of the region now called Susiana
or Chusistan. The city Susa or Shushan was in it; Dan_8:2.

83. And from Shinar - This was a part of Babylonia, and is supposed to be the plain lying
between the Tigris and the Euphrates; Gen_10:10; Gen_11:2; Dan_1:2; Zec_5:11. It was the
region elsewhere called Mesopotamia. The Septuagint renders it, ‘And from Babylon;’ and it is
remarkable that Luke Act_2:9, where he has reference, probably, to the place, speaks of ‘the
dwellers in Mesopotamia’ as among those who heard ‘the wonderful works of God’ in their own
language. It was in this plain that the tower of Babel was commenced; Gen. 10.
And from Hamath - See the note at Isa_10:9. “And from the islands of the sea.” This
expression probably denotes the islands situated in the Mediterranean, a part of which were
known to the Hebrews. But, as geography was imperfectly known, the phrase came to denote the
regions lying west of the land of Canaan; the unknown countries which were situated in that sea,
or west of it, and thus included the countries lying around the Mediterranean. The word
translated, ‘islands’ here (‫איים‬ 'ı yı ym) means properly “habitable dry land,” in opposition to
water; Isa_42:13 : ‘I will make the rivers “dry land;”’ where to translate it “islands” would make
nonsense. Hence, it means also land adjacent to water, either washed by it, or surrounded by it,
that is, a maritime country, coast, or island. Thus it means “coast” when applied to Ashdod
Isa_20:6; to Tyre Isa_22:2, Isa_22:6; to Peloponnesus or Greece (called Chittim, Eze_27:6). It
means an “island” when applied to Caphtor or Crete Jer_47:4; Amo_9:7. The word was
commonly used by the Hebrews to denote distant regions beyond the sea, whether coasts or
islands, and especially the maritime countries of the West, to them imperfectly known through
the voyages of the Pheonicians; see the note at Isa_41:1; compare Isa_24:15; Isa_40:15;
Isa_42:4, Isa_42:10, Isa_42:12; Isa_51:5.
2. CLARKE, “And it shall come to pass in that day - This part of the chapter contains a
prophecy which certainly remains yet to be accomplished.
The Lord “Jehovah” - For ‫אדני‬ Adonai, thirty-three MSS. of Kennicott’s, and many of De
Rossi’s, and two editions, read ‫יהוה‬ Yehovah.
The islands of the sea - The Roman and Turkish empires, say Kimchi.
3. GILL, “And it shall come to pass in that day,.... Before spoken of, and which includes
the whole Gospel dispensation:
that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time; which refers to a first, in which
the Lord exerted his power in the recovery of his people out of the hands of their enemies; and
that was the deliverance of them out of Egypt, and which was typical of the deliverance of the
Lord's people in the times of Christ; and it is usual with the Jews (i) to call Moses the first
redeemer, and the Messiah the latter; wherefore this "second time" refers to the times of the
Messiah, and not to the time of the deliverance from the Babylonish captivity; for that, as Aben
Ezra, Jarchi, and Kimchi observe, was not a perfect redemption; only Judah and Benjamin
returned, not the ten tribes, and so did not answer to the first time, when all Israel came out of
Egypt; and much less can it be understood of the return of those, in the times of Hezekiah,
carried captive by Tilgathpilneser and Shalmaneser: or the first and second time may be
distinguished thus; the first time may intend the calling of a large number, both of Jews and
Gentiles, through the preaching of the Gospel by the apostles; and the second time the bringing
in the fulness of the Gentiles, and the conversion of the Jews, in the latter day; or the first time

84. may respect the calling of the Gentiles, and the second the gathering in of the Jews: or both may
intend later times; the first time, the reformation from Popery; the second time, deliverance
from Babylon, or the antichristian yoke, under which all nations will again be brought, before
the destruction of the man of sin:
to recover the remnant of his people; or to "obtain", or to "possess" (k); for this is not to be
understood of the recovery or redemption of them by the price of Christ's blood, but of the
calling and conversion of them, when the Lord claims them, possesses and enjoys them, as his
own; and as they are but a remnant whom God has chosen for his people, and Christ has
redeemed by his blood, so they are no other that are called; though here they may be called a
remnant, or what remains, with respect to those who have been called already:
which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt; Egypt, and other places following,
being joined with Assyria, show that this cannot be understood of the deliverance from the
Babylonish captivity; but designs the several places where Christ would have a people in Gospel
times, and who would be found out, and called by grace; some of which already have been, as in
Babylon and Egypt, 1Pe_5:13 and others will be hereafter, according to the prophecies,
Psa_68:31 and as Assyria and Egypt are now in the hands of the Turks, it may design the call
and conversion of many in those parts, when the Turkish empire shall be destroyed; or else the
deliverance of God's people from the tyranny of the Romish antichrist, called Egypt and
Babylon, at the time of his ruin:
from Pathros; by which some understand Parthia, as Manasseh ben Israel (l), and Calvin
thinks it probable; many of this country were converted in the first times of the Gospel; the
Apostle John's first epistle is called by the ancients the Epistle to the Parthians, see Act_2:9 and
very likely there will be more of them in the latter day: others think Arabia Petraea is intended;
it seems to be a part of Egypt last mentioned, as appears from Eze_29:14 and is mentioned with
some cities in Egypt, Jer_44:1 and had its name very likely from Pathrusim, a son of Mizraim,
Gen_10:14. Thebais is here meant, the extreme part of Egypt, next to Ethiopia, which is
designed by what fellows, according to Sir John Marsham (m), and Bochart (n), and Vitringa
after them:
and from Cush; or Ethiopia; from whence some have been called, see Act_8:27 and others
will, according to prophecy, Psa_68:31 and in part of this country now live the Abyssines, who
profess Christianity: or rather Arabia, see Gal_1:17. The Targum renders it,
"from India:''
and from Elam; a province in Persia, Dan_8:2 the inhabitants of this place are called
Elamites, Act_2:9 some of these heard the apostles speak the wonderful things of God in their
own language, and were converted:
and from Shinar; in Chaldea, in the plain of which the tower of Babel was built, Gen_10:10
wherefore the Targum renders it,
"from Babylon:''
and from Hamath; meaning either Antiochia, as some, or Cilicia, as others. Cocceius says it is
a country which lies towards the Mediterranean sea, over against Cyprus, above Mount Libanus,
where now is Tripoli:

85. and from the islands of the sea; or of the west; the European islands, particularly England,
Ireland, and Scotland, and others. Aben Ezra refers this prophecy to the times of the Messiah,
and so does Manasseh ben Israel.
4. PULPIT, “The Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover, etc. The first recovery was
from the servitude in Egypt. Isaiah now foresees that there will be a dispersion of the Israelites through
several distant lands, instead of a mere transference of them from one land to another, as in Jacob's time
(Gen_46:1-29). God, who brought them out of Egypt, will likewise some day "set his hand" to recover
them from the various countries through which they will have been dispersed, and restore them to their
own land once more. The first fulfillment of the prophecy was undoubtedly, the return from the Babylonian
captivity. A secondary fulfillment may have been the gathering of so many Jews from all quarters into the
Christian Church (Act_2:9-41). It is possible that there may be ultimately a further fulfillment in a final
gathering together of Israel into their own land. From Assyria. Assyria is placed first because already the
bulk of the Israelites, as distinct from the Jews, had been carried into Assyria by Tiglath-Pileser
(2Ki_15:29) and Sargon (2Ki_17:6; 2Ki_18:11), and were captives there at the time when Isaiah wrote.
The transportation of Israelites to the other places mentioned was subsequent to his day. Egypt
Pathros. There was a great migration of Jews into Egypt in the time of Jeremiah (Jer_43:7; Jer_44:1),
and a steady influx for some generations under the early Ptolemies. There was also a second large
migration in the time of Onias. The Jewish element in Alexandria for some centuries both before and after
Christ was very considerable. Pathros was probably a portion of Upper Egypt, perhaps the Phaturite
nome, which was the district about Thebes. It is mentioned as the residence of certain Jews in the time of
Jeremiah (Jer_44:1, Jer_44:15). From Cush. "Cush" here may he either the African or the Asiatic. It is
slightly in favor of the African that we hear in the Acts of an Ethiopian eunuch who was a Jew in the
service of Candace, Queen of the African Ethiopia (Act_8:27). And it is against the Asiatic that it was so
remote. It adjoined, however, upon Elam.From Elam, and from Shinar. "Elam" was the fertile tract of
alluvial land to the east of the Tigris, between that stream and the mountains, parallel with Babylonia. Its
capital was Susa, and in Isaiah's time it was an important country, frequently at war with Assyria. Shinar
was an ancient name of Babylonia (Gen_10:10; Gen_11:1-9). The word is used also by Daniel (Dan_1:2)
and Zechariah (Zec_5:11). Some regard it as meaning "the land of the two fleers." From Hamath. (On this
town, see note to Isa_10:9.) From the islands of the sea; i.e. the islands and coasts of the Mediterranean.
During the Maccabee period, there was a gradual spread of Jews over the Western world. Alliances were
made with Rome end Sparta (1 Macc. 8:1; 12:2-21; 14:20-23, etc.), and Jews became familiar with both
Greece and Italy. St. Paul finds numerous Jews at Rome, and in almost every city of Greece.

86. 5. JAMISON, “set ... hand — take in hand the work. Therefore the coming restoration of
the Jews is to be distinct from that after the Babylonish captivity, and yet to resemble it. The
first restoration was literal, therefore so shall the second be; the latter, however, it is implied
here, shall be much more universal than the former (Isa_43:5-7; Isa_49:12, Isa_49:17,
Isa_49:18; Eze_37:21; Hos_3:5; Amo_9:14, Amo_9:15; Mic_4:6, Mic_4:7; Zep_3:19,
Zep_3:20; Zec_10:10; Jer_23:8). As to the “remnant” destined by God to survive the judgments
on the nation, compare Jer_46:28.
Pathros — one of the three divisions of Egypt, Upper Egypt.
Cush — either Ethiopia, south of Egypt, now Abyssinia, or the southern parts of Arabia, along
the Red Sea.
Elam — Persia, especially the southern part of it now called Susiana.
Shinar — Babylonian Mesopotamia, the plain between the Euphrates and the Tigris: in it
Babel was begun (Gen_10:10). In the Assyrian inscriptions Rawlinson distinguishes three
periods: (1) The Chaldean; from 2300 b.c. to 1500, in which falls Chedorlaomer (Gen_14:1-17),
called in the cuneiform characters Kudur of Hur, or Ur of the Chaldees, and described as the
conqueror of Syria. The seat of the first Chaldean empire was in the south, towards the
confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates. (2) The Assyrian, down to 625 b.c. (3) The Babylonian,
from 625 to 538 b.c., when Babylon was taken by the Persian Cyrus.
islands of ... sea — the far western regions beyond the sea [Jerome].
6. PULPIT, “The refuge of the remnant.
Allusion is here made again to "the remnant" (see Isa_10:20-22), who are spoken of in the following verse
(Isa_11:12) as "the outcasts" and "the dispersed." The remnant of a thing or of a community is not the
choice part, but rather that which is left when everything (every one) else has been chosen—the
shapeless scraps which remain when all else has been selected and appropriated; the broken-off ends
which are flung aside as of no account; the scattered men who fall out of rank, dispirited or disabled, etc.
It signifies that which is of least regard among men. The remnant of Israel was that part of the community
that was left when kings had lost their throne, and nobles their nobility, and priests their function, and the
country was wasted. However despised and rebuffed of man this remnant might be, it should still have a
place in the thought and in the purpose of God. He would remember it, would "recover" it, would "gather it
together," would manifest his favor toward it in the eyes of all the nations. We may let God's treatment of
the remnant of Israel remind us—
I. THAT HUMAN SOCIETY ALWAYS CONTAINS ITS REMNANTS, those of very small account in its
estimate. We can always find, if we look for them, those who seem to be abandoned, to be helpless, to
have "no future," to be beyond recovery; those for whom there is nothing but resignation, if not, indeed,
despair; those whose cause no man espouses, and who do not expect to be recovered or restored. Of
these are:

87. 1. The hopelessly sick—those who inherit a constitution or receive injuries which disqualify them for the
battle of life, and place them at the mercy of the community of which they are members.
2. Those who have broken down—who went up eagerly to the battle and struck some good stroke, but
have been sore wounded; who have overtaxed their strength, and who find themselves unnerved and
incapable, obliged to resign their duties to other hands, their post to other aspirants.
3. Those who have mistaken their calling—who have pursued a line of action beyond their capacity, or for
which they were not fitted; who have, consequently, been halting and stumbling all along their course,
and have come into ill repute and condemnation.
4. Those who have been signally unfortunate—who have embarked all their resources in one scheme
which has broken down, or who have entered into some most serious (perhaps the supreme human)
relationship which has proved to be a disastrous mistake; whose heart is well-nigh broken, and whose
hopes are quite blighted.
II. THAT THESE ARE THE OBJECTS OF PECULIAR DIVINE REGARD. Some of these are near to us;
they are the poor whom "we have always with us," living hard by us, worshipping in our sanctuaries,
walking in our streets. As we have opportunity, we should assure them that they must not take the
negligence or disregard of man as in any way indicating the mind of God. As the human mother lavishes
the wealth of her tenderness and love on that one of her children who is the frailest and the most
dependent of her family, so does the Divine Parent care most for those of his children who are most in
need of his special kindness. Was it not the "little ones" i.e. the weak, the disregarded, the despised, the
unbefriended, whom our Lord treated most graciously, and whom he specially commended to our
sympathy and succor (see Mat_12:20)? Unto such, if they are his disciples, he will multiply his favors, and
on them pour out his richest and most abounding grace. There are "remnants," "outcasts," of another
kind—those who have gone down in the battle of temptation; who are bowed down with a sense of shame
and dishonor, and who are cast off by their fellows as worsted and useless. Is there any hope for them in
God? Yes, there is ample room in the promises, because in the heart of the Divine Savior, for these. In
his thought they are not remnants to be flung into the fire; driftwood on the river of fate, for which there is
nothing but to be carried down the stream and cast over the cataracts; disinherited sons for whom there is
nothing better than to forget the family to which they belong, and make themselves happy with the husks
in the far country. No; in the heart and in the hope of Jesus Christ these are gold for his crown; they are
ships that, with chart and compass, may yet sail gallantly down the river of life, and out into the shoreless

88. seas of a blessed immortality; they are sons and daughters that will be most warmly welcomed beneath
the Father's roof, and seated at the Father's table. In this best sense may the remnant be restored.—C.
7. CALVIN, “11.And it shall be in that day, the Lord will again set his hand. The prediction about the
future glory of the Church having been incredible, he explains the method of restoring it, namely, that God
will display the power of his hand, as if for performing a memorable and uncommon exploit. Now, to
confirm the hope of the elect people, he recalls to their minds the remembrance of a past deliverance,
that they may not doubt that God is as able to deliver them now as their fathers found him to be in Egypt.
(Exo_12:51.) Such is the import of the word ‫,שנית‬ (shenith,) that is, the second time, or again; as if he had
said, “Now also will God be the deliverer of his Church.”
To possess the remnant of his people. He confirms what he has said by another argument; for though it
appeared as if God had disregarded his people, yet he will not allow himself to be deprived of his
inheritance. We may sum it up by saying, that God will take care of the salvation of his Church, so as not
to be robbed of his right. He expressly calls them a remnant, because this deliverance belonged only to a
small seed. (Isa_1:9.) In short, he repeats what he formerly said, “ God disperse and scatter his Church,
yet it is impossible that he can ever cast it away altogether; for it is as dear to him as our inheritance is to
any of us.”
Which shall be left from Assyria and from Egypt. He speaks not only of the Assyrians, who had led the
people captive, but also of other nations among whom the Jews were scattered; for though the greater
part of the people was carried to Babylon, some fled into Egypt, some into Ethiopia, and some into other
countries. They were afraid lest they should endure the same bondage as had been endured by others.
Some think that by Pathros is meant Parthia, which is highly probable; others think that it is Arabia the
Rocky. Under the name Elam he includes the Medes, Zocdians, Bactrians, and other eastern
nations. Shinar belongs to Chaldea. By Hamath they mean Cilicia, and the other countries which lie
towards Mount Taurus. By the word islands the Jews mean all countries that lie beyond the sea; for to
them Greece, and Italy, and Spain, were islands, because they were separated from them by the
sea. (187)
We see that the Prophet speaks here not only of the deliverance which took place under Zerubbabel,
(Ezr_2:2,) but that he looks beyond this; for at that time the Israelites were not brought back from Egypt,
Ethiopia, and other countries. These words, therefore, cannot be understood to relate to the deliverance
from Babylon, but must be viewed as referring to the kingdom of Christ, under whom this deliverance was
obtained through the preaching of the gospel. Besides, it is proper to observe that this work belongs to

89. God, and not to men; for he says, The Lord shall stretch out his arm; thus ascribing to his heavenly power
this work, which could not have been accomplished by human ability.
It ought also to be observed, that from God’ past benefits we ought always to entertain good hopes for the
future; so that whenever we call to remembrance the deliverances from Babylon and from Egypt,
(Ezr_2:2; Exo_12:51,) we may be convinced that God is equally able, and will equally assist us at the
present day, that he may restore the Church to her ancient glory. What he did once and again, he is able
to do a third time, and a fourth, and many times. When the Prophet calls those whom he rescues a
remnant, let us learn that we ought not to desire a vast multitude, and let us be satisfied, though we be
few, and let us not be terrified by the smallness of our numbers; for, provided that the righteousness of
God abound, we have true and abundant ground of confidence.
12
He will raise a banner for the nations
and gather the exiles of Israel;
he will assemble the scattered people of Judah
from the four quarters of the earth.
1.BARNES, “And he shall set up an ensign - See Isa_11:10. The Messiah shall stand in
view of the nations, as a standard is erected by a military leader. An ensign or standard was
usually lifted up on the mountains or on some elevated place (compare Isa_18:3); and the
meaning here is, that the Messiah would be the conspicuous object around which the nations
would rally.
And shall assemble - This word, ‫אסף‬ 'asaph, properly means, to gather, collect, to assemble
together, as fruits are collected for preservation Exo_23:10; to collect a people together
Num_21:16; to gather or collect gold; 2Ki_22:4. It may also mean to gather or collect anything
for destruction Jer_8:13; and hence, to take out of the way, to kill, destroy; 1Sa_15:6. Here, it is
evidently synonymous with the word ‘recover’ in Isa_11:11. It cannot be proved that it means
that God will “literally” re-assemble all the scattered Jews, for the “collecting them,” or
regathering them to himself “as his people,” though they may be still scattered among the
nations, is all that the words necessarily imply. Thus when the word is used, as it is repeatedly,
to denote the death of the patriarchs, where it is said they were ‘gathered to their fathers,’ it does
not mean that they were buried in the same grave, or the same vicinity, but that they were
united to them in death; they partook of the same lot; they all alike went down to the dead;
Gen_25:8; Gen_35:29; Gen_49:29; Num_20:24; Deu_32:50.

90. The outcasts of Israel - The name ‘Israel,’ applied at first to all the descendants of Jacob,
came at length to denote the ‘kingdom of Israel,’ or of the ‘ten tribes,’ or of ‘Ephraim,’ as the
tribes which revolted under Jeroboam were called. In this sense it is used in the Scriptures after
the time of Jeroboam, and thus it acquired a technical signification, distinguishing it from
Judah.
The dispersed of Judah - ‘Judah,’ also, though often used in a general sense to denote the
Jews as such, without reference to the distinction in tribes, is also used technically to denote the
kingdom of Judah, as distinguished from the kingdom of Israel. The tribe of Judah was much
larger than Benjamin, and the name of the latter was lost in the former. A considerable part of
the ten tribes returned again to their own land, with those of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin;
a portion remained still in the countries of the East, and were intermingled with the other Jews
who remained there. All distinctions of the tribes were gradually abolished, and there is no
reason to think that the ‘ten tribes,’ here referred to by the name ‘Israel,’ have now anywhere a
distinct and separate existence; see this point fully proved in a review of Dr. Grant’s work on ‘”
The Nestorians, or, the Lost Ten tribes,”’ in the “Bib. Rep.” for October 1841, and January 1842,
by Prof. Robinson. The literal meaning here then would be, that he would gather the remains of
those scattered people, whether pertaining to ‘Israel’ or ‘Judah,’ from the regions where they
were dispersed.
It does not necessarily mean that they would be regathered in their distinctive capacity as
‘Israel’ and ‘Judah,’ or that the distinction would be still preserved, but that the people of God
would be gathered together, and that all sources of alienation and discord would cease. The
meaning, probably, is, that under the Messiah all the remains of that scattered people, in all
parts of the earth, whether originally pertaining to ‘Israel’ or ‘Judah,’ should be collected into
one spiritual kingdom, constituting one happy and harmonious people. To the fulfillment of
this, it is not necessary to be supposed that they would be literally gathered into one place, or
that they would be restored to their own land, or that they would be preserved as a distinct and
separate community. The leading idea is, that the Messiah would set up a glorious kingdom in
which all causes of alienation and discord would cease.
From the four corners of the earth - Chaldee, ‘From the four winds of the earth.’ The
Septuagint renders it, ‘From the four wings (πτερύγων pterugon) of the earth.’ It means, that they
should be collected to God from each of the four parts of the earth - the east, the west, the north,
and the south. The Hebrew word rendered here ‘corners,’ means properly “wings.” It is applied,
however, to the corner, or border of a thing, as a skirt, or mantle 1Sa_24:5, 1Sa_24:11;
Deu_23:1; and hence, to the boundaries, or corners of the earth, because the earth seems to
have been represented as a quadrangular plain; Eze_7:2.
2. PULPIT, “He shall set up an ensign for the nations (comp. Isa_11:10). Christ is the Ensign. God sets
it up to draw the nations to his standard. The outcasts of Israel the dispersed of Judah. "Outcasts"
is masculine, "the dispersed" feminine. The meaning is, "He shall gather together the outcasts and
dispersed of both Israel and Judah, both male and female."
3. GILL, “And he shall set up an ensign for the nations,.... For the gathering of them, for
the calling of the Gentiles, that is, the Lord would do it; he who before is said to set his hand a
second time to recover his people, whether among Jews or Gentiles; this he has done in the

91. ministration of the Gospel, in which Christ is lifted up and held forth as the only Saviour of lost
sinners, the sole author and glorious Captain of salvation, for them to flee to, and lay hold on;
and this he still does, and will continue to do, until all his people are gathered in from the
several parts of the world:
and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel; so those of his people among the ten tribes, that
were scattered about in various countries, when the Gospel was preached throughout the world
by the apostles, were called by it, and gathered into Gospel churches among the Gentiles, of
whom the first churches of Christ consisted; and so it will be in the latter day, when all Israel
shall be saved:
and gather together the dispersed of Judah; the Jews, scattered about like lost sheep,
among each of the nations of the world; some of which were looked up, and found out, and
brought into the sheepfold, in the first times of Christianity; and others will be in the latter day:
even from the four corners of the earth: which shows that this cannot intend the return of
the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, which was only from one corner of the earth; The
Targum is,
"from the four winds of the earth;''
a phrase the same with that in Rev_7:1.
4. HENRY, “
5. JAMISON, “In the first restoration Judah alone was restored, with perhaps some few of
Israel (the ten tribes): in the future restoration both are expressly specified (Eze_37:16-19;
Jer_3:18). To Israel are ascribed the “outcasts” (masculine); to Judah the “dispersed”
(feminine), as the former have been longer and more utterly castaways (though not finally) than
the latter (Joh_7:52). The masculine and feminine conjoined express the universality of the
restoration.
from the four corners of the earth — Hebrew, “wings of the earth.”
6. K&D, “A second question also concerns Israel. The nation out of which and for which this
king will primarily arise, will before that time be scattered far away from its native land, in
accordance with the revelation in Isa_6:1-13. How, then, will it be possible for Him to reign in
the midst of it? “And it will come to pass in that day, the Lord will stretch out His hand again a
second time to redeem the remnant of His people that shall be left, out of Asshur, and out of
Egypt, and out of Pathros, and out of Ethiopia, and out of 'Elam, and out of Shinar, and out of
Hamath, and out of the islands of the sea. And he raises a banner for the nations, and fetches
home the outcasts of Israel; and the dispersed of Judah will He assemble from the four borders
of the earth.” Asshur and Egypt stand here in front, and side by side, as the two great powers of
the time of Isaiah (cf., Isa_7:18-20). As appendices to Egypt, we have (1.) Pathros, hierogl. to-re
s, and with the article petores, the southland, i.e., Upper Egypt, so that Mizraim in the stricter
sense is Lower Egypt (see, on the other hand, Jer_44:15); and (2.) Cush, the land which lies still
farther south than Upper Egypt on both sides of the Arabian Gulf; and as appendices to Asshur,

92. (1.) 'Elam, i.e., Elymais, in southern Media, to the east of the Tigris; and (2.) Shinar, the plain to
the south of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris. Then follow the Syrian Hamath at the
northern foot of the Lebanon; and lastly, “the islands of the sea,” i.e., the islands and coast-land
of the Mediterranean, together with the whole of the insular continent of Europe. There was no
such diaspora of Israel at the time when the prophet uttered this prediction, nor indeed even
after the dissolution of the northern kingdom; so that the specification is not historical, but
prophetic. The redemption which the prophet here foretells is a second, to be followed by no
third; consequently the banishment out of which Israel is redeemed is the ultimate form of that
which is threatened in Isa_6:12 (cf., Deu_30:1.). It is the second redemption, the counterpart of
the Egyptian. He will then stretch out His hand again (yosiph, supply lishloach); and as He once
delivered Israel out of Egypt, so will He now redeem it - purchase it back (kanah, opp. macar) out
of all the countries named. The min attached to the names of the countries is to be construed
with liknoth. Observe how, in the prophet's view, the conversion of the heathen becomes the
means of the redemption of Israel. The course which the history of salvation has taken since the
first coming of Christ, and which is will continue to take to the end, as described by Paul in the
Epistle to the Romans, is distinctly indicated by the prophet. At the word of Jehovah the
heathen will set His people free, and even escort them (Isa_49:22; Isa_62:10); and thus He will
gather again ('asaph, with reference to the one gathering point; kibbetz, with reference to the
dispersion of those who are to be gathered together) from the utmost ends of the four quarters
of the globe, “the outcasts of the kingdom of Israel, and the dispersed of the kingdom of Judah”
(nidche Yisrae unephutzoth Yehudah: nidche = niddeche, with the dagesh dropped before the
following guttural),
(Note: The same occurs in ‫עוּ‬ ְ‫ס‬ִ‫י‬ַ‫,ו‬ ‫אוּ‬ ְ‫שׂ‬ִ‫י‬ַ‫,ו‬ ‫אוּ‬ְ‫קנ‬ְ‫י‬ַ‫,ו‬ ‫אוּ‬ ְ‫ל‬ ִ‫,מ‬ ‫חוּ‬ ְ‫ל‬ ִ‫,שׁ‬ ‫חוּ‬ ְ‫ק‬ ִ . In every case the dagesh has
fallen out because of the following guttural (Luzzatto, Gramm. §180).)
both men and women.
7.CALVIN, “12.And he will lift up an ensign to the nations. This verse contains nothing more than the
explanation of the former verse. The language is metaphorical, and admits of two meanings; either
that, by giving an ensign, he will terrify adversaries, so that they will not dare to prevent his people from
returning, or that he will give anensign to the wretched exiles not to hesitate to make preparations for their
return. But even at the present day this doctrine is highly useful among us; for as an ensign is lifted up in
the army, that the soldiers may assemble, and that every one may follow and may keep his proper place,
so a banner is here held out to us, that we may assemble to it, namely, the gospel, which the Lord has
lifted up among the Gentiles, by which Christ is preached to us. (188)
And will gather together the dispersions of Judah. Hence we ought to conclude, that we cannot
be gathered by the Lord unless we assemble to this ensign, and be joined to him by faith; for there is no
other way in which he acknowledges us to be his sheep, than when, after having been scattered, we
are gathered together, and meet in the same assembly under this ensign; as he says,

93. My sheep hear my voice and follow me. (Joh_10:27.)
The word gather is repeated. He will gather together the outcasts of Israel, and will gather together the
dispersions of Judah. He shows how efficacious God’ calling will be; for as soon as he shall give the
slightest indication that such is his pleasure, he will restore the people. Dispersion is a collective noun, for
it means the Jews scattered in all directions; and he appears to allude, as he often does elsewhere, to
similar passages in the writings of Moses, in which the Lord promises that he will gather the people,
though they were scattered to the farthest parts of the world, and to the four winds of heaven. (Deu_30:3.)
Now, this was done under the direction of Christ. Under the same leader we ought at the present day to
expect the restoration of a wretched and scattered Church; for there is no hope of gathering the
remnant but by the elect looking to this ensign. We ought frequently, therefore, to call to remembrance
those promises, that by relying on them we may more and more strengthen our hearts.
13
Ephraim’s jealousy will vanish,
and Judah’s enemies[d]
will be destroyed;
Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah,
nor Judah hostile toward Ephraim.
1.BARNES, “The envy also - The word “envy” here, is used in the sense of “hatred,” or the
hatred which arose from the “ambition” of Ephraim, and from the “prosperity” of Judah.
Ephraim here, is the name for the kingdom of Israel, or the ten tribes. The reasons of their envy
and enmity toward Judah, all arising from their ambition, were the following:
(1) This tribe, in connection with those which were allied to it, constituted a very large and
flourishing part of the Jewish nation. They were, therefore, envious of any other tribe that
claimed any superiority, and particularly jealous of Judah.
(2) They occupied a central and commanding position in Judea, and naturally claimed the
pre-eminence over the tribes on the north.
(3) They had been formerly highly favored by the abode of the ark and the tabernacle among
them, and, on that account, claimed to be the natural “head” of the nation; Jos_18:1, Jos_18:8,
Jos_18:10; Jdg_18:31; Jdg_21:19; 1Sa_1:3, 1Sa_1:24.
(4) When Saul was king, though he was of the tribe of Benjamin 1Sa_9:2, they submitted
peaceably to his reign, because the Benjaminites were in alliance with them, and adjacent to
them. But when Saul died, and the kingdom passed into the hands of David, of the tribe of
Judah, their natural rival, thus exalting that powerful tribe, they became dissatisfied and

94. restless. David kept the nation united; but on his death, they threw off the yoke of his successor,
and became a separate kingdom. From this time, their animosities and strifes became an
importer and painful part of the history of the Jewish nation, until the kingdom of Ephraim was
removed. The language here is evidently figurative, and means, that in the time here referred to
under the messiah, the causes of animosity, before existing, would cease; that contentions
between those who are, by nature, brethren, and who ought to evince the spirit of brethren,
would come to an end; and that those animosities and strike would be succeeded by a state of
amity and peace. When the scattered Jews shall be regathered to God under the Messiah, all the
contentions among them shall cease, and they shall be united under one king and prince. All the
causes of contention which had so long existed, and which had produced such disastrous results,
would come to an end. The strifes and contentions of these two kingdoms, once belonging to the
same nation, and descended from the same ancestors - the painful and protracted “family broil”
- was the object that most prominently attracted the attention, then, of the prophets of God. The
most happy idea of future blessedness which was presented to the mind of the prophet, was that
period when all this should cease, and when, under the Messiah, all should be harmony and
love.
And the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off - That is, Judah shall be safe; the people
of God shall be delivered from their enemies - referring to the future period under the Messiah,
when the church should be universally prosperous.
Judah shall not vex Ephraim - Shall not oppress, disturb, or oppose. There shall be peace
between them. The church prospers only when contentions and strifes cease; when Christians
lay aside their animosities, and love as brethren, and are “united” in the great work of spreading
the gospel around the world. That time will yet come. When that time comes, the kingdom of the
Son of God will be established. “Until” that time, it will be in vain that the effort is made to bring
the world to the knowledge of the truth; or if not wholly in vain, the efforts of Christians who
seek the conversion of the world will be retarded, embarrassed, and greatly enfeebled. How
devoutly, therefore, should every friend of the Redeemer pray, that all causes of strife may cease,
and that his people may be united, as the heart of one man, in the effort to bring the whole world
to the knowledge of the truth.
2. CLARKE, “The adversaries of Judah “And the enmity of Judah” - ‫צררים‬ tsorerim,
Postulat pars posterior versus, ut intelligantur inimicitiae Judae in Ephraimum: et potest
(‫צררים‬ tsorerim) inimicitiam notare, ut (‫נחומים‬ nichumim) poenitentiam, Hos_11:8. - Secker.
3. GILL, “The envy also of Ephraim shall depart,.... With which it envied Judah, on
account of the kingdom of the house of David, and the temple being in that tribe; not that this is
the thing intended, only alluded to; the meaning is, that whatever envy or jealousy subsisted in
the Gentile against the Jew, or in the Jew against the Gentile, should be no more, when gathered
into one Gospel church state; or whatever of this kind has appeared in one Christian church, or
denomination among Christians, against another, shall cease, when the Gospel in its power and
purity shall more generally take place, and the earth shall be filled with it:
and the adversaries of Judah, or of God's professing people,
shall be cut off; and be no more, as the Turks and Papists:

95. Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim; this is repeated for
the confirmation of it; and the sense is, that all animosities, contentions, and discords, shall
cease among the people of God, and there shall be entire peace and harmony among them.
Jarchi interprets this of the two Messiahs, Messiah ben Joseph, and Messiah ben Judah, the
Jews dream of.
4. HENRY, “There shall be a happy accommodation between Judah and Ephraim, and both
shall be safe from their adversaries and have dominion over them, Isa_11:13, Isa_11:14. The
coalescence between Judah and Israel at that time was a type and figure of the uniting of Jews
and Gentiles, who had been so long at variance in the gospel church. The house of Judah shall
walk with the house of Israel (Jer_3:18) and become one nation (Eze_37:22); so the Jews and
Gentiles are made of twain one new man (Eph_2:15), and, being at peace one with another,
those that are adversaries to them both shall be cut off; for they shall fly upon the shoulders of
the Philistines, as an eagle strikes at her prey, shall spoil those on the west side of them, and
then they shall extend their conquests eastward over the Edomites, Moabites, and Ammonites.
The gospel of Christ shall be successful in all parts, and some of all nations shall become
obedient to the faith.
5. JAMISON, “envy ... of Ephraim ... Judah — which began as early as the time
(Jdg_8:1; Jdg_12:1, etc.). Joshua had sprung from, and resided among the Ephraimites
(Num_13:9; Jos_19:50); the sanctuary was with them for a time (Jos_18:1). The jealousy
increased subsequently (2Sa_2:8, etc.; 2Sa_19:41; 2Sa_20:2; 2Sa_3:10); and even before
David’s time (1Sa_11:8; 1Sa_15:4), they had appropriated to themselves the national name
Israel. It ended in disruption (1Ki_11:26, etc.; 1Ki_12:1-33; compare 2Ki_14:9; Psa_78:56-71).
adversaries of Judah — rather, “the adversaries from Judah”; those of Judah hostile to the
Ephraimites [Maurer]. The parallelism “the envy of Ephraim,” namely, against Judah, requires
this, as also what follows; namely, “Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex
Ephraim” (Eze_37:15, Eze_37:17, Eze_37:19).
6. K&D, “But this calls to mind the present rent in the unity of the nation; and the third
question very naturally arises, whether this rent will continue. The answer to this is given in
Isa_11:13 : “And the jealousy of Ephraim is removed, and the adversaries of Judah are cut off;
Ephraim will not show jealousy towards Judah, and Judah will not oppose Ephraim.” As the
suffix and genitive after tzorer are objective in every other instance (e.g., Amo_5:12), tzore
re
Yehudah must mean, not those members of Judah who are hostile to Ephraim, as Ewald,
Knobel, and others suppose, but those members of Ephraim who are hostile to Judah, as
Umbreit and Schegg expound it. In Isa_11:13 the prophet has chiefly in his mind the old feeling
of enmity cherished by the northern tribes, more especially those of Joseph, towards the tribe of
Judah, which issued eventually in the division of the kingdom. It is only in Isa_11:13 that he
predicts the termination of the hostility of Judah towards Ephraim. The people, when thus
brought home again, would form one fraternally united nation, whilst all who broke the peace of
this unity would be exposed to the immediate judgment of God (yiccarethu, will be cut off).

96. 7. PULPIT, “The envy also of Ephraim shall depart. In the kingdom of the Prince of Peace there shall
no longer be quarrels or jealousies among the members. Old feuds shall be put aside; the northern and
southern tribes shall agree together, and there shall be peace and harmony throughout the entire
Church. Adversaries of Judah. If any such remain among the Ephraimites, Divine vengeance shall "cut
them off," that there be no open disturbance of the harmony.
8. CALVIN, “13.And the envy of Ephraim shall depart. Here he promises that the Church will be in
such a state of peace, that neither will the Israelites and the Jews contend in civil broils, nor will they
suffer any annoyance from their enemies, and that they will not be liable to hatred or envy, as they
formerly were. Not that there will be no wicked men, but the Lord will at length cut off and destroy them.
But we ought chiefly to observe what he adds about allaying domestic quarrels, that henceforth the
children of Abraham may not harass each other, but unite in the same religion, and in the pure worship of
God; for it was a disgraceful and shocking spectacle that their mutual strife and hostilities had been so
long maintained.
With good reason does he point out the source of quarrels, namely, envy, in consequence of which the
descendants of Abraham have torn each other, while the tribes of Judah and Ephraim strive with each
other for renown. This horrible torch has always kindled wars in the world, while every man is unwilling to
yield. In short, the Lord here promises outward and inward peace, which is a very great and most
desirable blessing.
It will be objected that this was never accomplished, and that the very opposite of this took place; for as
soon as the gospel began, it was followed by various wars, commotions, and dreadful persecutions, and
nearly the whole world was disturbed and shaken. And inwardly what peace did the Church enjoy?
Among Christians themselves, Satan, by his tares, (Mat_13:25,) has raised up dreadful disturbances, so
that no enemies were more ferocious and destructive than those which were brought up in the bosom of
the Church.
I reply, the Prophet here includes the whole of Christ’ kingdom, and not merely a single age or century. In
this world we taste but the beginning of Christ’ kingdom; and while the Church is harassed by enemies
both within and without, still the Lord defends and preserves her, and conquers all her enemies. Besides,
this prediction properly belongs to the true and lawful children of Abraham, whom the Lord has purified by
the cross and by banishment, and has constrained to lay aside ambition and envy; as those who have
been tamed in the school of Christ cease to be desirous of renown. Thus the promise which Isaiah makes
in this passage has already been in part fulfilled, and is fulfilled every day. But we must proceed in these

97. exercises, and must fight earnestly within and without, till we obtain that everlasting peace which it will be
our happiness to enjoy in the kingdom of God.
14
They will swoop down on the slopes of Philistia to
the west;
together they will plunder the people to the east.
They will subdue Edom and Moab,
and the Ammonites will be subject to them.
1.BARNES, “But they shall fly - The design of this verse is, to show the rapid and certain
spiritual conquests which would result from the conversion of the scattered Jewish people. The
Jews understood this literally, as referring to the conquests over their enemies. But if the
exposition which has been given of this chapter thus far is correct, the passage is to be
interpreted as a figurative description of the triumph of the people of God under the Messiah.
The “time” to which it refers, is that which shall succeed the conversion of the scattered Jews.
The “effect” of the gospel is represented under an image which, to Jews, would be most striking -
that of conquest over the neighboring nations with whom they had been continually at war.
Philistia, Edom, Moab, and Ammon, had been always the enemies of Judea; and to the Jews, no
figurative representation could be more striking than that, “after” the union of Judah and
Ephraim, they should proceed in rapid and certain conquest to subdue their ancient and
formidable enemies. The meaning of the phrase ‘they shall fly,’ is, they shall hasten with a rapid
motion, like a bird. They shall do it quickly, without delay, as an eagle hastens to its prey. It
indicates their “suddenly” engaging in this, and the celerity and certainty of their movements. As
the united powers of Judah and Ephraim would naturally make a sudden descent on Philistia, so
the Jews, united under the Messiah, would go to the rapid and certain conversion of those who
had been the enemies of the cross.
Upon the shoulders - ‫בכתף‬ be
katheph. There has been a great variety in the interpretation
of this passage; and it is evident that our translation does not express a very clear idea. The
Septuagint renders it, ‘And they shall fly in the ships of foreigners, and they shall plunder the
sea.’ The Chaldee, ‘And they shall be joined with one shoulder, that is, they shall be “united”
shoulder to shoulder, that they may smite the Philistines who are in the west.’ The Syriac, ‘But
they shall “plow” the Philistines;’ that is, they shall subdue them, and cultivate their land. The
word rendered, ‘shoulder,’ means, properly, “the shoulder,” as of a man or beast Isa_46:7;
Isa_49:22; Num_7:9; Job_31:22; Eze_24:4; the undersetters or shoulders to support the lavers
1Ki_7:30; a corner or side of a building Exo_38:14; and is applied to “the side” of anything, as
the side of a building, the border of a country, a city, or sea (1Ki_6:8; 1Ki_7:39; Num_34:11;
Jos_15:8, Jos_15:10-11, ...) Here it seems to mean, not that the Jews would be borne “upon” the
shoulder of the Philistines, but that they would make a sudden and rapid descent “upon their
borders:” they would invade their territory, and carry their conquest ‘toward the west.’ The

98. construction is, therefore, ‘they shall make a rapid descent on the borders of the Philistines,’ or,
in other words, the spiritual conquest over the enemies of the church of God shall be certain and
rapid.
The Philistines - Philistia was situated on the southwestern side of the land of Canaan. The
Philistines were therefore adjacent to the Jews, and were often involved in war with them. They
were among the most constant and formidable enemies which the Jews had.
Toward the west - This does not mean that they should be borne on the shoulders of the
Philistines to the west; but that they should make a sudden and rapid descent on the Philistines,
who “were” west of them. It stands opposed to the nations immediately mentioned as lying
“east” of the land of Judea.
They shall spoil - They shall plunder; or, they shall take them, and their towns and
property, as the spoil of war. That is, they shall vanquish them, and make them subject to them.
According to the interpretation which has been pursued in this chapter, it means, that the
enemies of God shall be subdued, and brought to the knowledge of the truth, in a rapid and
decisive manner. The language is that which is drawn from the idea of conquest; the idea is that
of a rapid and far-spreading conversion among the nations, to the gospel.
Them of the east - Hebrew, ‘The sons of the east; that is, the nations east of Judea.
They shall lay their hand - Hebrew, ‘Edom and Moab shall be the laying on of their hand;’
that is, they shall lay their hand on those nations for conquest and spoil; they shall subdue them.
Edom - Idumea; the country settled by the descendants of Esau - a country that was south of
Judea, and extended from the Dead Sea to the Elanitic gulf of the Red Sea. They were an
independent people until the time of David, and were reduced to subjection by him, but they
afterward revolted and became again independent. They were often engaged in wars with the
Jews, and their conquest was an object that was deemed by the Jews to be very desirable (see
the notes at Isa. 34.)
And Moab - The country of the Moabites was east of the river Jordan, on both sides of the
river Arnon, and adjoining the Dead Sea. Their capital was on the river Arnon. They also were
often involved in wars with the Jews (compare Deu_23:3; see the notes at Isa_15:1-9; Isa_16:1-
14.)
And the children of Ammon - The Ammonites, the descendants of Ammon, a son of Lot.
Their country lay southeast of Judea Deu_2:19-21. Their territory extended from the river Arnon
north to the river Jabbok, and from the Jordan far into Arabia. It was directly north of Moab,
They were often engaged, in alliance with the Moabites, in waging war against the Jews.
Shall obey them - Hebrew, ‘Shall be their obedience.’ All these descriptions are similar.
They are not to be interpreted literally, but are designed to denote the rapid triumphs of the
truth of God after the conversion of the Jews; and the sense is, that the conquests of the gospel
will be as sudden, as great, and as striking over its enemies, as would have been the complete
subjugation of Philistia, Moab, Ammon, and Edom, to the victorious army of the Jews.
2. PULPIT, “They shall fly upon the shoulders of the philistines. It is not to be supposed that actual war
is intended. The subjects of the Prince of Peace will not draw the sword. But the Church will for many
centuries be confronted by enemies, and must contend with them with legitimate weapons. It is this
warfare of which Isaiah now speaks. The united Church will be strong enough to assail her enemies on all
sides, and will "swoop" upon the border country of the Philistines like a bird of prey. They shall spoil

99. them of the east; or, the Beni Kedem. The phrase is commonly used in an ethnic sense of the nomadic
Arabs inhabiting the deserts east of Jordan, beyond the Ammonite and Moabite country, from whose
raids Palestine frequently suffered (see Jer_49:28, Jer_49:29; Eze_25:4, Eze_25:10).
3. GILL, “But they shall flee upon the shoulders of the Philistines towards the
west,.... That is, Ephraim and Judah, who shall not only agree among themselves, but cheerfully
join together against the common enemy: "they shall flee with the shoulder", as some render the
words; with joint consent, as the phrase is used in Hos_6:9, Zep_3:9 and so the Targum,
"and they shall be joined together in one shoulder, to smite the Philistines;''
the Septuagint version is, "they shall flee in the ships of strangers"; and so Abarbinel interprets
it of the ships of the Philistines, Genoese, and Venetians, that shall bring the Israelites from the
west to the east, and carry them in ships by sea. The Philistines were the sworn enemies of the
Israelites, and lay to the west of the land of Israel, and when the Gospel was sent into all the
world, it began to be preached in the parts of Palestine, whereby many were converted, and
embraced it, as foretold they should, Psa_87:4 and flying upon their shoulders, as it denotes the
conquest of them, and their subjection to the Gospel, so the swiftness of the apostles in carrying
it to them, when they had a commission to do it, who were all of them Jews, of one tribe or
another; and these may also design the enemies of the people of God now, the antichristian
states, some of which will fall off from Popery, receive the Gospel, hate the whore, eat her flesh,
and burn her with fire; which will be brought about by the preaching of the Gospel by its
ministers, who will fly in the midst of heaven, and upon the shoulders of the Romish antichrist,
and proclaim the fall of Babylon, and call upon, the Lord's people to come out of it, Rev_14:6,
they shall spoil them of the east together; the Syrians and Arabians, who lay east of
Judea; perhaps the Turks are meant, and the destruction of the Ottoman empire, whereby way
will be made for the kings and kingdoms of the east to know, receive, and profess the Gospel of
Christ, Rev_16:12.
they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; or "there shall be a sending out of their
hand"; that is, they shall stretch out their hand, and lay hold on these people, and bring them
into subjection to them; which is to be understood of the sending out of the Gospel, by the hands
of the ministers of it, into those countries where the Moabites and Edomites formerly dwelt; and
thereby bringing them into subjection to Christ and his churches:
and the children of Ammon shall obey them; that have the rule in the house of God,
submitting to the laws and ordinances of Christ.
4. HENRY, “There shall be a happy accommodation between Judah and Ephraim, and both
shall be safe from their adversaries and have dominion over them, Isa_11:13, Isa_11:14. The
coalescence between Judah and Israel at that time was a type and figure of the uniting of Jews
and Gentiles, who had been so long at variance in the gospel church. The house of Judah shall
walk with the house of Israel (Jer_3:18) and become one nation (Eze_37:22); so the Jews and
Gentiles are made of twain one new man (Eph_2:15), and, being at peace one with another,
those that are adversaries to them both shall be cut off; for they shall fly upon the shoulders of
the Philistines, as an eagle strikes at her prey, shall spoil those on the west side of them, and

100. then they shall extend their conquests eastward over the Edomites, Moabites, and Ammonites.
The gospel of Christ shall be successful in all parts, and some of all nations shall become
obedient to the faith.
6. Every thing that might hinder the progress and success of the gospel shall be taken out of
the way. As when God brought Israel out of Egypt he dried up the Red Sea and Jordan before
them (Isa_63:11, Isa_63:12), and as afterwards when he brought up the Jews out of Babylon he
prepared them their way (Isa_62:10), so when Jews and Gentiles are to be brought together
into the gospel church all obstructions shall be removed (Isa_11:15, Isa_11:16), difficulties that
seemed insuperable shall be strangely got over, the blind shall be led by a way that they knew
not. See Isa_42:15, Isa_42:16; Isa_43:19, Isa_43:20. Converts shall be brought in chariots and
in litters, Isa_66:20. Some think it is the further accession of multitudes to the church that is
pointed at in that obscure prophecy of the drying up of the river Euphrates, that the way of the
kings of the east may be prepared (Rev_16:12), which seems to refer to this prophecy. Note,
When God's time has come for the bringing of nations, or particular persons, home to himself,
divine grace will be victorious over all opposition. At the presence of the Lord the sea shall flee
and Jordan be driven back; and those who set their faces heavenward will find there are not
such difficulties in the way as they thought there were, for there is a highway thither, Isa_35:8.
5. JAMISON, “With united forces they shall subdue their foes (Amo_9:12).
fly — as a bird of prey (Hab_1:8).
upon the shoulders — This expresses an attack made unexpectedly on one from behind.
The image is the more apt, as the Hebrew for “shoulders” in Num_34:11 is used also of a
maritime coast (“side of the sea”: Hebrew, “shoulder of the sea,” Margin). They shall make a
sudden victorious descent upon their borders southwest of Judea.
them of the east — Hebrew, “children of the East,” the Arabs, who, always hostile, are not
to be reduced under regular government, but are only to be despoiled (Jer_49:28, Jer_49:29).
lay ... hand upon — take possession of (Dan_11:42).
Edom — south of Judah, from the Dead Sea to the Red Sea; “Moab” - east of Jordan and the
Dead Sea.
Ammon — east of Judea, north of Moab, between the Arnon and Jabbok.
6. K&D, “A fourth question has reference to the relation between this Israel of the future and
the surrounding nations, such as the warlike Philistines, the predatory nomad tribes of the East,
the unbrotherly Edomites, the boasting Moabites, and the cruel Ammonites. Will they not
disturb and weaken the new Israel, as they did the old? “And they fly upon the shoulder of the
Philistines seawards; unitedly they plunder the sons of the East: they seize upon Edom and
Moab, and the sons of Ammon are subject to them.” Catheph (shoulder) was the peculiar name
of the coast-land of Philistia which sloped off towards the sea (Jos_15:11); but here it is used
with an implied allusion to this, to signify the shoulder of the Philistian nation (be
catheph = bece
theph; for the cause see at Isa_5:2), upon which Israel plunges down like an eagle from the
height of its mountain-land. The “object of the stretching out of their hand” is equivalent to the
object of their grasp. And whenever any one of the surrounding nations mentioned should
attack Israel, the whole people would make common cause, and act together. How does this

101. warlike prospect square, however, with the previous promise of paradisaical peace, and the end
of all warfare which this promise presupposes (cf., Isa_2:4)? This is a contradiction, the solution
of which is to be found in the fact that we have only figures here, and figures drawn from the
existing relations and warlike engagements of the nation, in which the prophet pictures that
supremacy of the future united Israel over surrounding nations, which is to be maintained by
spiritual weapons.
7.CALVIN, “14.And they shall fly on the shoulders of the Philistines. He means that there is also
another way in which the Lord will assist his people; which is, that he will conquer their enemies, and
subdue them under his dominion. Having spoken of the safety of the Church, he now declares that she
will be victorious over her enemies. He mentions those nations with which the Jews incessantly carried on
wars; for on the one hand the Philistines, and on the other the Ammonites and Moabites, to whom they
were bound by the tie of relationship and kindred, were continually molesting and attacking them. On one
side also were the Edomites, who were not restrained by blood-relationship from being most determined
enemies; for they were descended from Esau, (Gen_25:25,) the brother of Jacob; and the remembrance
of this ought to have dissuaded them from enmity and hatred. The Lord, therefore, promises that the
Church, though she is not absolutely without enemies, will gain advantage over them by suffering, and in
the end be victorious.
Edom and Moab shall be the stretching out of the hands. (189) The stretching out of the hands means the
dominion which the Church obtained over her enemies; for by the word hand is usually meant power; and
the Hebrews use the phrase, to stretch out the hand, instead of “ place this or that under subjection.”
Thus it is said,
I will set his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.
(Psa_89:25.)
The stretching out of the hand, therefore, is full power to rule; and, on the other hand, he adds
the obedience which the enemies will yield to her: and the children of Ammon shall be their
obedience (190)
The Jews, who dream of an earthly kingdom of Christ, interpret all this in a carnal sense, and apply it to I
know not what external power; but they ought rather to judge of it according to the nature of Christ’
kingdom. Partly, no doubt, the accomplishment of this prediction was seen, when the Jews returned from
captivity, and God brought them into moderate prosperity, contrary to the wish, and in spite of the

102. opposition, of all the neighboring nations; but believers were led to expect a more splendid victory, which
they at length obtained through the preaching of the gospel. Although we must continually fight under the
cross, yet we vanquish our enemies, when we are rescued from the tyranny of the devil and of wicked
men, and are restored to liberty by Christ, that the flesh may be subdued, and our lusts laid low, and that
thus we may live to him, and in patience may possess our souls, (Luk_21:19,) calmly and patiently
enduring everything that happens. And thus we even heap coals on the head (Rom_12:20) of enemies, to
whose attacks and reproaches we appear to be subject.
(189) They shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab. (Heb. Edom and Moab shall be the laying on of
their hand.) — Eng. Ver.
15
The LORD will dry up
the gulf of the Egyptian sea;
with a scorching wind he will sweep his hand
over the Euphrates River.
He will break it up into seven streams
so that anyone can cross over in sandals.
1.BARNES, “And the Lord - The prophet goes on with the description of the effect which
shall follow the return of the scattered Jews to God. The language is figurative, and is here
drawn from that which was the great storehouse of all the imagery of the Jews - the deliverance
of their fathers from the bondage of Egypt. The general sense is, that all the embarrassments
which would tend to impede them would be removed; and that God would make their return as
easy and as safe, as would have been the journey of their fathers to the land of Canaan, if the
‘Egyptian Sea’ had been removed entirely, and if the ‘river,’ with its ‘seven streams,’ by nature so
formidable a barrier, had been dried up, and a path had been made to occupy its former place.
Figuratively, the passage means, that all the obstructions to the peace and safety of the people of
God would be removed, and that their way would be easy and safe.
The tongue - The Hebrews applied the word ‘tongue’ to anything that resembled a tongue -
to a bar of gold Jos_7:21, Jos_7:24; to a flame of fire (note, Isa_5:24; compare Act_2:3); to a
bay of the sea, or a gulf, from its shape Jos_15:5; Jos_18:19. So we speak of a tongue of land.

103. When it is said that the Lord would ‘utterly destroy’ it, it is equivalent to saying that it would be
entirely dried up; that is, so as to present no obstruction.
Of the Egyptian Sea - Some interpreters, among whom is Vitringa, have supposed that by
the tongue of the Egyptian Sea mentioned here, is meant the river Nile, which flows into the
Mediterranean, here called, as they suppose, the Egyptian Sea. Vitringa observes that the Nile,
before it flows into the Mediterranean, is divided into two streams or rivers, which form the
Delta or the triangular territory lying between these two rivers, and bounded on the north by the
Mediterranean. The eastern branch of the Nile being the largest, he supposes is called the
tongue or “bay” of the Egyptian Sea. But to this interpretation there are obvious objections:
(1) It is not known that the Mediterranean is elsewhere called the Egyptian Sea.
(2) This whole description pertains to the departure of the children of Israel from Egypt The
imagery is all drawn from that. But, in their departure, the Nile constituted no
obstruction. Their place of residence, in Goshen, was east of the Nile. All the obstruction
that they met with, from any sea or river, was from the Red Sea.
(3) The Red Sea is divided, at its northern extremity, into two bays, or forks, which may be
called the “tongues” of the sea, and across one of which the Israelites passed in going from
Egypt. Of these branches, the western one was called the Heroopolite branch, and the
eastern, the Elanitic branch. It was across the western branch that they passed. When it is
said that Yahweh would ‘destroy’ this, it means that he would dry it up so that it would be
no obstruction; in other words, he would take the most formidable obstructions to the
progress of his people out of the way.
And with his mighty wind - With a strong and powerful wind. Michaelis supposes that by
this is meant a tempest. But there is, more probably, a reference to a strong and steady hot wind,
such as blows over burning deserts, and such as would have a tendency to dry up even mighty
waters. The illustration is, probably, derived from the fact that a strong east wind was employed
to make a way through the Red Sea Exo_14:21. If the allusion here be rather to a mighty wind or
a tempest, than to one that is hot, and that tends to evaporate the waters even of the rivers, then
it means that the wind would be so mighty as to part the waters, and make a path through the
river, as was done in the Red Sea and at the Jordan. The “idea” is, that God would remove the
obstructions to the rapid and complete deliverance and conversion of people.
Shall he shake his hand - This is to indicate that the mighty wind will be sent from God,
and that it is designed to effect this passage through the rivers. The shaking of the band, in the
Scripture, is usually an indication of anger, or of strong and settled purpose (see Isa_10:32;
Isa_13:2; Zec_2:9).
Over the river - Many have understood this as referring to the Nile; but two considerations
show that the Euphrates is rather intended:
(1) The term ‘the river’ (‫הנהר‬ hanahar) is usually applied to the Euphrates, called the river, by
way of eminence; and when the term is used without any qualification, that river is
commonly intended (see the notes at Isa_7:20; Isa_8:7; compare Gen_31:21; Gen_36:37;
1Ki_4:21; Ezr_4:10, Ezr_4:16; Ezr_5:3).
(2) the effect of this smiting of the river is said to be Isa_11:16 that there would be a highway
for the people “from Assyria,” which could be caused only by removing the obstruction
which is produced by the Euphrates lying between Judea and some parts of Assyria.
And shall smite it - That is to dry it up, or to make it pasable.
In the seven streams - The word ‘streams’ here (‫נחלים‬ ne
chalı ym) denotes streams of much
less dimensions than a river. It is applied to a “valley” with a brook running through it
Gen_26:19; and then to any small brook or stream, or rivulet Gen_32:24; Psa_74:15. Here it
denotes brooks or streams that would be fordable. When it is said that the river should be

104. smitten ‘in the seven streams,’ the Hebrew does not mean that it was “already” divided into
seven streams, and that God would smite “them,” but it means, that God would smite it “into”
seven streams or rivulets; that is, into “many” such rivulets (for the number seven is often used
to denote a large indefinite number, Note, Isa_4:1); and the expression denotes, that though the
river presented an obstruction, in its natural size, which they could not overcome, yet God would
make new channels for it, and scatter it into innumerable rivulets or small streams, so that they
could pass ever it dry-shod.
A remarkable illustration of this occurs in Herodotus (i. 189): ‘Cyrus, in his march to Babylon,
arrived at the river Gyndes, which, rising in the mountains of Matiene, and passing through the
country of the Darneans, loses itself in the Tigris; and this, after flowing by Opis, is finally
discharged into the Red Sea. While Cyrus was endeavoring to pass this river, which could not be
perfomed without boats, one of the white consecrated horses boldly entering the stream, in his
attempts to cross it, was borne away by the rapidity of the current, and totally lost. Cyrus,
exasperated by the accident, made a vow that he would render this stream so very insignificant,
that women should hereafter be able to cross it without so much as wetting their feet. He
accordingly suspended his designs on Babylon, and divided his forces into two parts; he then
marked out with a line on each side of the river, one hundred and eighty trenches; these were
dug according to his orders, and so great a number of people were employed that he
accomplished his purpose; but he thus wasted the whole of that summer’ (see also Seneca, “De
Ira.” iii. 21).
Go over dry-shod - Hebrew, ‘In shoes, or sandals.’ The waters in the innumerable rivulets
to which the great river should be reduced, would be so shallow, that they could even pass them
in their sandals without wetting their feet - a strong figurative expression, denoting that the
obstruction would be completely removed. ‘The prophet, under these metaphors, intends
nothing else than that there would be no impediment to God when he wished to deliver his
people from captivity.’ - (Calvin.)
2. CLARKE, “The Lord - shall smite it in the seven streams “Smite with a
drought” - The Chaldee reads ‫החריב‬ hecherib; and so perhaps the Septuagint, who have ερηµωσ
ει, the word by which they commonly render it. Vulg. desolabit; “shall desolate.” The Septuagint,
Vulgate, and Chaldee read ‫הדריכהו‬ hidrichahu, “shall make it passable,” adding the pronoun,
which is necessary: but this reading is not confirmed by any MS.
Here is a plain allusion to the passage of the Red Sea. And the Lord’s shaking his hand over
the river with his vehement wind, refers to a particular circumstance of the same miracle: for
“he caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land,”
Exo_14:21. The tongue; a very apposite and descriptive expression for a bay such as that of the
Red Sea. It is used in the same sense, Jos_15:2, Jos_15:5; Jos_18:19. The Latins gave the same
name to a narrow strip of land running into the sea: tenuem producit in aequora linguam.
Lucan. 2:613. He shall smite the river to its seven streams. This has been supposed to refer to
the Nile, because it falls into the Mediterranean Sea by seven mouths: but R. Kimchi
understands it of the Euphrates, which is the opinion of some good judges. See the Targum. See
below.
Herodotus, lib. i, 189, tells a story of his Cyrus, (a very different character from that of the
Cyrus of the Scriptures and Xenophon), which may somewhat illustrate this passage, in which it
is said that God would inflict a kind of punishment and judgment on the Euphrates, and render
it fordable by dividing it into seven streams. “Cyrus, being impeded in his march to Babylon by

105. the Gyndes, a deep and rapid river which falls into the Tigris, and having lost one of his sacred
white horses that attempted to pass it, was so enraged against the river that he threatened to
reduce it, and make it so shallow that it should be easily fordable even by women, who should
not be up to their knees in passing it. Accordingly he set his whole army to work, and cutting
three hundred and sixty trenches, from both sides of the river, turned the waters into them, and
drained them off.”
3. GILL, “And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea,.... Which
Kimchi and Abarbinel interpret of the Egyptian river Sichor, or the Nile; others of a bay of the
Egyptian sea, so called because in the form of a tongue; the destroying of it designs the drying of
it up, so that people might pass over it dry shod; the allusion is to the drying up of the Red Sea,
when the Israelites came out of Egypt, and passed through it, as on dry land; and it intends the
destruction of Egypt itself, not literally by the Romans, in the times of Augustus Caesar, as
Jerom thinks, who interprets the "strong wind", in the following clause, of them; but
figuratively, the destruction of Rome, which is spiritually called Egypt, Rev_11:8 and the utter
destruction of it, by an anathema, and with a curse, from the Lord himself; as the word ‫החרים‬
here used signifies; and which will take place upon the battle at Armageddon, Rev_16:16 which
has its name from the word in the text:
and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river; in allusion to Moses's
stretching out his hand over the Red sea, and the Lord's causing it to go back with a strong east
wind, Exo_14:21. Some understand this of the river Nile as before, and that because of what
follows; but Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it of the river Euphrates, which is commonly
understood in Scripture when "the river", without any explication, is made mention of; and so
the Targum,
"and the Lord shall dry up the tongue of the Egyptian sea, and shall lift up the stroke of his
strength upon Euphrates, by the word of his prophets;''
and this designs the destruction of the Turks, or the Ottoman empire, which is signified by the
drying up of the river Euphrates, Rev_16:12 where it is thought by some there is an allusion to
the words here:
and shall smite it in the seven streams; which have made some think the river Nile is
meant, because that had its seven streams, or gates, as Juvenal calls (o) them, or mouths, by
which the sea issued into it; which are called (p) the Canopic or Heracleotic, the Bolbitine or
Bolbitic, the Sebennitic, the Phatnitic, the Mendesian, the Tanitic or Saitic, and the Pelusian or
Bubastic, from the cities Canopus and Heracleum, Bolbitine, Sebennytus, Phatnus, Mendes,
Tanis or Sais, Pelusium, and Bubastus, built on the shore of these entrances; but it may be
observed, that the river Euphrates was drained by seven ditches or rivulets by Cyrus, when
Babylon was taken, by which means his soldiers entered the city dry shod, to which the allusion
may be here; and it may denote the entire destruction of the Turkish empire, in all its branches;
for "seven", as Kimchi observes, may signify a multitude, even the many kingdoms, people, and
nations, under that jurisdiction:
and make men go over dryshod; or "with shoes", with them on, there being no need to
pluck them off, the river and its streams being dried up; by the "men" are, meant the "kings of
the east", of which See Gill on Rev_16:12 all these phrases denote the removal of all

106. impediments out of the way of God's people in those parts, in coming over to the Christian
religion, and their embracing and professing that.
4. HENRY, “Every thing that might hinder the progress and success of the gospel shall be
taken out of the way. As when God brought Israel out of Egypt he dried up the Red Sea and
Jordan before them (Isa_63:11, Isa_63:12), and as afterwards when he brought up the Jews out
of Babylon he prepared them their way (Isa_62:10), so when Jews and Gentiles are to be
brought together into the gospel church all obstructions shall be removed (Isa_11:15, Isa_11:16),
difficulties that seemed insuperable shall be strangely got over, the blind shall be led by a way
that they knew not. See Isa_42:15, Isa_42:16; Isa_43:19, Isa_43:20. Converts shall be brought
in chariots and in litters, Isa_66:20. Some think it is the further accession of multitudes to the
church that is pointed at in that obscure prophecy of the drying up of the river Euphrates, that
the way of the kings of the east may be prepared (Rev_16:12), which seems to refer to this
prophecy. Note, When God's time has come for the bringing of nations, or particular persons,
home to himself, divine grace will be victorious over all opposition. At the presence of the Lord
the sea shall flee and Jordan be driven back; and those who set their faces heavenward will find
there are not such difficulties in the way as they thought there were, for there is a highway
thither, Isa_35:8.
5. JAMISON, “There shall be a second exodus, destined to eclipse even the former one from
Egypt in its wonders. So the prophecies elsewhere (Psa_68:22; Exo_14:22; Zec_10:11). The
same deliverance furnishes the imagery by which the return from Babylon is described
(Isa_48:20, Isa_48:21).
destroy — literally, “devote,” or “doom,” that is, dry up; for what God dooms, perishes
(Psa_106:9 Nah_1:4).
tongue — the Bubastic branch of the Nile [Vitringa]; but as the Nile was not the obstruction
to the exodus, it is rather the west tongue or Heroöpolite fork of the Red Sea.
with ... mighty wind — such as the “strong east wind” (Exo_14:21), by which God made a
way for Israel through the Red Sea. The Hebrew for “mighty” means terrible. Maurer translates,
“With the terror of His anger”; that is, His terrible anger.
in the seven streams — rather, “shall smite it (divide it by smiting) into seven (many)
streams, so as to be easily crossed” [Lowth]. So Cyrus divided the river Gyndes, which retarded
his march against Babylon, into three hundred sixty streams, so that even a woman could cross
it [Herodotus, 1.189]. “The river” is the Euphrates, the obstruction to Israel’s return “from
Assyria” (Isa_11:16), a type of all future impediments to the restoration of the Jews.
dry shod — Hebrew, “in shoes.” Even in sandals they should be able to pass over the once
mighty river without being wet (Rev_16:12).
6. K&D, “He dwells still longer upon the miracles in which the antitypical redemption will
resemble the typical one. “And Jehovah pronounces the ban upon the sea-tongue of Egypt, and
swings His hand over the Euphrates in the glow of His breath, and smites it into seven brooks,
and makes it so that men go through in shoes. And there will be a road for the remnant of His
people that shall be left, out of Asshur, as it was for Israel in the day of its departure out of the
land of Egypt.” The two countries of the diaspora mentioned first are Asshur and Egypt. And

107. Jehovah makes a way by His miraculous power for those who are returning out of both and
across both. The sea-tongue of Egypt, which runs between Egypt and Arabia, i.e., the Red Sea
(sinus Heroopolitanus, according to another figure), He smites with the ban (hecherim,
corresponding in meaning to the pouring out of the vial of wrath in Rev_16:12 -a stronger term
than ga‛ar, e.g., Psa_106:9); and the consequence of this is, that it affords a dry passage to those
who are coming back (though without there being any necessity to read hecherı̄b, or to follow
Meier and Knobel, who combine hecherı̄m with charum, Lev_21:18, in the precarious sense of
splitting). And in order that the dividing of Jordan may have its antitype also, Jehovah swings
His hand over the Euphrates, to smite, breathing upon it at the same time with burning breath,
so that it is split up into seven shallow brooks, through which men can walk in sandals. ‫ם‬ָ‫י‬ ְ‫ע‬ ַ
stands, according to the law of sound, for ‫ם‬ָ‫י‬ ֲ‫ע‬ ְ ; and the ᅋπ λεγ ‫ם‬ָ‫י‬ ַ‫ע‬ (with a fixed kametz), from ‫עום‬
= ‫,חום‬ ָ‫ח‬‫ם‬ ַ‫מ‬ , to glow, signifies a glowing heat - a meaning which is also so thoroughly supported by
the two Arabic verbs med. Ye ‛lm and glm (inf. ‛aim, gaim, internal heat, burning thirst, also
violent anger), that there is no need whatever for the conjecture of Luzzatto and Gesenius,
‫ם‬ ֶ‫ּתס‬‫ע‬ ְ‫.ב‬ The early translators (e.g., lxx πνεύµατι βιαίሩ, Syr. be
uchdono, with a display of might)
merely give conjectural renderings of the word, which had become obsolete before their time;
Saadia, however, renders it with etymological correctness suchun, from sachana, to be hot, or set
on fire. Thus, by changing the Euphrates in the (parching) heat of His breath into seven shallow
wadys, Jehovah makes a free course for His people who come out of Asshur, etc. This was the
idea which presented itself to the prophet in just this shape, though it by no means followed that
it must necessarily embody itself in history in this particular form.
7.CALVIN, “15.And the Lord will utterly destroy. In this verse he means nothing else than that the
Lord, by his amazing power, will open for his people a way, which formerly appeared to be shut up. He
speaks figuratively. What he calls a tongue is “ bay of the sea;” for when the sea penetrates into the land,
and occupies a part of it, there is a resemblance to a person putting out his tongue. He therefore
means the Egyptian sea and Egypt itself, as he afterwards more fully explains. But he chiefly
mentions the sea and the rivers, because they protect the countries and shut up every entrance.
And will stretch out the hand over the river in the strength of his wind. He undoubtedly means the Nile,
which waters the whole of Egypt, and divides it into many parts, and might thus interrupt the march of the
people when returning to their native country. I have no doubt that ‫רוח‬ (ruach) here denotes wind, though
he addsthe Lord’; for all the winds are the Lord’, because he regulates and guides according to his
pleasure; and more especially this phrase is employed when it is miraculously agitated by a violent
whirlwind. He alludes to the former deliverance of his people, by which he brought them out of Egypt; for
when the Lord was pleased to open up a way for them, he dried up the sea by the force and violence
of the winds. (Exo_14:21.)

108. True, the Lord did not need the assistance of the winds, for he might have done it by an immediate
exertion of his power. But when he makes use of outward means, let us learn, first, that all creatures are
ready to yield obedience to him; for though they have a natural course, yet they are in his power, so that
he can direct their force and violence in whatever way he pleases. For instance, when a wind arises, its
beginning proceeds from a natural cause, and each of the winds has its properties. The south wind is
moist, and the north wind is cold, and completely similar are the effects which proceed from them; for the
south wind moistens bodies, and the north wind dries them. By extraordinary miracles the Lord shows
that he possesses an authority far above these natural causes, so that they are governed, not by nature,
(that is, by that succession of events or chain of causes which irreligious men imagine to exist,) but by
God alone.
Secondly, he shows that he changes the nature and order of events whenever he pleases, that he may
be acknowledged to be their only Lord; because such a change exhibits more clearly his authority and
dominion. On this account Isaiah called it not simply the wind, but the wind of the Lord, that we may
perceive that it is not directed or moved by chance, but by the power of the Lord.
And shall smite it in the seven streams. Some render it torrents, and explain it thus: “ will divide the Nile
into seven parts.” Though this exposition has been universally adopted, yet I do not approve of it; and I
think that it has arisen from forgetfulness, rather than from ignorance, on the part of its authors, who are
learned men notwithstanding, and deeply skilled in the perusal of the ancient writers. It is well known from
history that the Nile had seven mouths. There are others which are little mentioned, because they had no
names, and are therefore called false mouths. Whatever, then, is the number of the mouths or branches,
it appears to form that number of streams or rivers; and these might have been so many hinderances to
retard their journey. The Prophet expressly mentions them, because the river was highly celebrated.
And shall make them be shod with shoes. (191) The river being deep, he says that he will dry it up, so that
it will not be necessary to pull off their shoes in crossing it, though this would have been necessary if only
a small portion of water had remained.
By these metaphors, therefore, the Prophet means nothing else than that nothing will stand in God’ way,
when it shall be his pleasure to rescue his people from captivity. He glances at the history of a former
deliverance, that they may learn that it will be the same with that which they formerly enjoyed. On this
account he wished to place it, as it were, before their eyes; for the means of this deliverance was not
seen. If this promise had been stated in plain terms, it might not have produced so deep an impression on

109. their minds as by holding out this remarkable example.
16
There will be a highway for the remnant of his
people
that is left from Assyria,
as there was for Israel
when they came up from Egypt.
1.BARNES, “And there shall be an highway - All obstructions shall be removed, and
they shall be permitted to return without hinderance (compare the note at Isa_35:8).
For the remnant of his people from Assyria - See note at Isa_11:11.
Like as it was to Israel... - That is, God will remove all obstructions as he did at the Red
Sea; he will subdue all their enemies; he will provide for their needs; and he will interpose by the
manifest marks of his presence and protection, as their God and their friend. The general view of
the chapter is, therefore, that it, refers to the triumph of the Messiah’s kingdom; that it is not yet
fully accomplished; and that the time is coming when the scattered Jews shall be regathered to
God - not returned to their own land, but brought again under his dominion under the
administration of the Messiah; and that this event shall be attended with a sudden removal of
the obstructions to the gospel, and to its rapid spread everywhere among the nations.
Comparing this with the present state of the Jews, we may remark, in regard to this prospect:
(1) That they are now, and will continue to be, scattered in all nations. They have been driven
to all parts of the earth - wanderers without a home - yet continuing their customs, rites,
and special opinions; and continuing to live, notwithstanding all the efforts of the nations
to crush and destroy them.
(2) They speak nearly all the languages of the world. They are acquainted with all the customs,
prejudices, and opinions of the nations of the earth. They would, therefore, be under no
necessity of engaging in the laborious work of learning language - which now occupies so
much of the time, and consumes so much of the strength of the modern missionary.
(3) The law of God is thus in all nations. It is in every synagogue; and it has been well said,
that the law there is like extinguished candles, and that all that is needful to illuminate the
world, is to light those candles. Let the Jew everywhere be brought to see the true meaning
of his law; let the light of evangelical truth shine into his synagogue, and the world would
be at once illuminated. The truth would go with the rapidity of the sunbeams from place to
place, until the whole earth would be enlightened with the knowledge of the Redeemer.
(4) The Jews, when converted, make the best missionaries. There is a freshness in their views
of the Messiah when they are converted, which Gentile converts seldom feel. The apostles
were all Jews; and the zeal of Paul shows what converted Jews will do when they become

110. engaged in making known the true Messiah. If it has been a characteristic of their nation
that they would ‘compass sea and land to make one proselyte,’ what will their more than
three million accomplish when they become converted to the true faith of the Redeemer?
We have every reason, therefore, to expect that God intends to make great use yet of the
Jews, whom he has preserved scattered everywhere - though they be but a ‘remnant’ - in
converting the world to his Son. And we should most fervently pray, that they may be
imbued with love to their long-rejected Messiah, and that they may everywhere become
the missionaries of the cross.
2. PULPIT, “There shall be an highway. This is the object in view—the free and unhindered passage of
his people from the various regions where they are scattered (Isa_11:11) to their resting-place in
Palestine.
3. GILL, “And there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people,.... That is,
through the river; that being dried up, and all hindrances and obstacles being removed, the way
will be clear for multitudes to walk in without interruption, like a large common, highway, or
causeway; so the Mahometan, Pagan, and Papal kingdoms being destroyed, and with them each
of their religions, the way of truth, righteousness, and holiness, will be manifest to the remnant
of the Lord's people; who will be at this time in those parts, in which they will be directed to
walk, and will walk, and not err, see Isa_35:8,
which shall be left from Assyria; the Septuagint and Arabic versions read, "which is left in
Egypt"; and designs the remnant, according to the election of grace, that shall be in any of the
antichristian countries, either Mahometan or Papal; rather the former seems intended, who
shall at this time be brought to the knowledge of Christ, and to walk in his ways:
like as it was to Israel in that day that he came up out of the land of Egypt; that is, as
there was a highway made through the Red Sea, in which Israel passed, as on dry land, when
they came out of Egypt, and went through the wilderness to Canaan's land.
4. PULPIT, “Conditions of victory.
These verses probably point to the time when all Israel shall be gathered into the fold of the gospel, and
when" their fullness" shall contribute largely to the conversion of the Gentile world (see Rom_11:1-36.).
But we may take a more practical view of the subject if we regard it thus; we have pictures of—
I. PRESENT SPIRITUAL ANARCHY. The people of God everywhere dispersed, the theocracy broken
up, the temple destroyed, the Law unobserved, the heathen triumphant,—all this a vivid picture of the
"kingdom of God" in a state of dissolution: truth unrecognized, commandments disobeyed, conscience
perverted, the Divine will disregarded, God himself unknown in the world.

111. II. THE ULTIMATE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DIVINE KINGDOM. The restoration of Israel as depicted
here, whether it be to their own land and their ancient institutions or whether it be to their true place in the
spiritual purpose of God, may speak to us of that grand consummation of human hope, when the kingdom
of our God shall be re-established upon earth; when that kingdom, which is not the enforcement of any
ecclesiastical regime, or the observance of any rules of diet or of devotion, but "righteousness, and
peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Rom_14:17), shall take the place of" the kingdom of this world," which
is iniquity, unrest, and death.
III. THE CONDITIONS OF ITS ATTAINMENT. These are threefold.
1. The disappearance of fratricidal strife. (Isa_11:3.) What Judah and Ephraim were in old theocratic
times, that neighboring Churches or Christian comrades have been to one another all through these
"Christian centuries." Sadly must the Lord of love have looked down on his heritage, the purchase of his
sorrow and his death, and have seen the envies and the jealousies, the hatreds and the cruelties, which
have marked and marred the intercourse of his disciples. No progress of his blessed kingdom can be
expected in any community when they whose relations should be beautified by concord are all disfigured
by enmity and strife. Let Christian Churches cease to hope for any results from their preaching or their
praying, so long as bitterness blights the heart, and contention characterizes the Church (see Mat_5:24).
There is no effort, there is no sacrifice, which it is not worth while for any Christian society to make in
order that it may wrench out "the root of bitterness" which, while it remains, will neutralize all devotion,
and make all zeal to be "nothing worth."
2. Active co-operation among the people of God. "They [Ephraim and Judah together] shall fly they
shall spell they shall lay their hand," etc. (Isa_11:14). Their united forces were to prevail over the
bands of the enemy, and to secure victory on every side. So shall it be in the spiritual campaign. It will be
when all the Churches of Christ unite, not indeed in any one visible amalgam, but in well-concerted
action, joining heartily against the common foe, going out together against ignorance, unbelief,
ungodliness, vice, indecision, and all the long train of sin; it will then be found that the enemy will be
subdued, and victory be secured.
3. Divine energy working on the side of truth, (Isa_11:15, Isa_11:16.) As the Lord interposed on behalf of
Israel in one deliverance, and would do so in another, by his overcoming might making the pathway from
Egypt and the highway from Assyria, so will he interpose on behalf of the spiritual forces which are doing
his work in the world. He will make that possible and practicable which seems impossible and
impracticable; will enable the champions of his cause to go where it seems hopeless for them to

112. penetrate, and to conquer where victory seems utterly out of reach. Therefore
(1) let prayer be earnest,
(2) let the heart be hopeful,
(3) let effort be energetic and persistent.—C.
5. JAMISON, “highway — a highway clear of obstructions (Isa_19:23; Isa_35:8).
like as ... Israel ... Egypt — (Isa_51:10, Isa_51:11; Isa_63:12, Isa_63:13).
6. CALVIN, “16.And there shall be a path. (192) This verse contains nothing new, but explains the
former verse. The people would perceive the same power of God in the deliverance from Babylon as they
had perceived in the deliverance from Egypt. He had opened up a way through seas,
(Exo_14:29; Psa_77:19,) through untrodden deserts, (Deu_8:2,) and through Jordan; (Jos_3:16.) In like
manner, Isaiah says, that by an unexpected and astonishing method he will again open up a way for his
people to go out. Accordingly, what the Lord has once performed let us also expect for the future; and for
that purpose let us ponder the ancient histories. This ought also to direct our thoughts to the final
deliverance of the Church, by which we shall all be delivered from all troubles and distresses; so that,
though what we are told about a resurrection and immortal life may appear to be incredible, and the
means of accomplishing them are not seen by us, still the Lord will easily find a way.
Footnotes:
a. Isaiah 11:6 Hebrew; Septuagint lion will feed
b. Isaiah 11:11 That is, the upper Nile region
c. Isaiah 11:11 Hebrew Shinar
d. Isaiah 11:13 Or hostility
New International Version (NIV)

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