American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
Isaiah 11
1
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
Reference
2
And the spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Corinthians 1:30
Spirit
Isaiah 61:1
John 16:13
2 Timothy 1:7
Isaiah 42:1
Matthew 3:16
John 3:34
Isaiah 48:16
John 14:17
Isaiah 59:21
3
And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
Reference
Judgment
John 7:24
1 Kings 3:28
Proverbs 2:9
1 Kings 3:9
Parallel theme
Luke 2:52
Hebrews 5:14
Job 12:11
References Lord
1 Samuel 16:7
Proverbs 2:5
2 Samuel 14:17
4
But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
Reference
Evil
2 Thessalonians 2:8
Judgment
Revelation 19:15
Parallel theme
Job 4:9
Malachi 4:6
Isaiah 61:1
Matthew 5:5
James 3:13
Galatians 5:23
Isaiah 30:33
Righteousness
Isaiah 9:7
5
And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
Reference
6
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatted calf together; and a little child shall lead them.
Reference
7
And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8
And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.
9
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
Reference
10
And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
Reference
Glory
Luke 2:32
Acts 11:18
Haggai 2:9
Parallel theme
Isaiah 11:1
John 12:32
Matthew 8:11
Matthew 12:21
Revelation 22:16
Isaiah 49:22
Psalm 91:1
11
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
Reference
📍 Pathros
Parallel theme
Micah 7:12
Romans 11:26
Genesis 10:22
Isaiah 42:4
Isaiah 66:19
Isaiah 10:9
Jeremiah 25:25
References Egypt
Jeremiah 44:1
References Lord
Isaiah 10:20
Isaiah 24:15
12
And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
Reference
Parallel theme
Zephaniah 3:10
Isaiah 11:10
Isaiah 43:6
Zechariah 10:6
Isaiah 27:13
Psalm 68:22
References Israel
Isaiah 56:8
Psalm 147:2
13
The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.
Reference
14
But they shall fly on the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand on Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.
Reference
15
And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over with dry sandals.
Reference
📍 Sea of Egypt
Parallel theme
Revelation 16:12
Isaiah 50:2
References Egypt
Zechariah 10:11
Ezekiel 29:10
References Lord
Isaiah 19:16
Isaiah 7:20
Ezekiel 30:12
Summary of Isaiah 11
Isaiah 11 is a chapter of hope, restoration, righteous leadership, peace, and the gathering of God's people.
The chapter begins with the image of a branch growing from the family line of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David, so the image points back to the Davidic royal family. The tree may appear to have been cut down, but God will cause new life to emerge from it.
This is important because Isaiah's message comes during a period when Judah's political future looked uncertain. Powerful nations surrounded Judah, and the Davidic kingdom faced serious threats.
The new ruler described by Isaiah will be completely different from corrupt or ineffective human rulers.
He will have the Spirit of the Lord upon him.
He will possess wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge, and reverence for God.
His judgments will not be based merely on what people look like or what others say about them.
He will judge with righteousness.
Most importantly, he will defend the poor and vulnerable.
Isaiah then describes righteousness and faithfulness as though they were clothing permanently worn by this ruler. Justice will not be something he occasionally practices. It will be part of his character.
The chapter then moves from the character of the ruler to the effect of his reign.
One of the most memorable prophetic pictures in the Bible appears in verses 6–9.
The wolf and lamb live together.
The leopard and young goat rest together.
The lion and calf coexist.
A child can lead these animals.
Even dangerous snakes no longer create fear.
The picture is of a creation transformed from violence and danger into extraordinary peace.
Isaiah's point is larger than simply describing peaceful animals.
He is showing what God's righteous rule will ultimately produce.
The world will no longer be characterized by constant fear, violence, oppression, and destruction.
The climax comes in verse 9:
“The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”
The foundation of this peace is the knowledge of God.
Isaiah then returns to the root of Jesse.
This ruler will become a banner for the peoples, and nations will seek him.
The vision therefore expands beyond Judah.
God's future work will involve the nations.
The chapter then turns specifically toward the restoration of Israel.
God will gather the remnant of His people from many distant places.
This is especially meaningful in the context of Israel's history.
The northern kingdom had been conquered by Assyria in 722 BC, and populations had been scattered.
Judah would later experience Babylonian conquest and exile.
Isaiah therefore speaks into a future in which God's people appear divided, displaced, and geographically scattered.
But God promises to gather them again.
Even more importantly, He promises to heal the division between Ephraim and Judah.
Ephraim represents the northern kingdom, while Judah represents the southern kingdom.
The two kingdoms had been divided for centuries.
Isaiah says that their jealousy and hostility will disappear.
This means restoration will involve more than bringing people back to their land.
It will involve reconciliation among God's people.
The final verses describe God removing obstacles from the path of His people.
The imagery of rivers being overcome and a highway being created deliberately recalls the Exodus.
The Exodus was the great historical example of God rescuing His people from oppression and leading them toward freedom.
Isaiah presents the future restoration as another great act of divine deliverance.
The same God who made a way through the sea in the past can make a way for His scattered people in the future.
Main Themes of Isaiah 11
1. A righteous ruler
God promises a ruler who possesses wisdom, strength, righteousness, and faithfulness.
2. The Spirit of God
The ruler's authority comes from God's Spirit rather than merely from human political or military power.
3. Justice for the poor
The coming ruler will judge fairly and defend those who are vulnerable.
4. Peace in creation
The wolf, lamb, leopard, goat, lion, calf, child, and serpent imagery presents a picture of extraordinary peace.
5. Knowledge of God
True peace is connected with the earth being filled with knowledge of the Lord.
6. Hope from the Davidic line
The image of the branch from Jesse shows that God's promises can survive even when the visible kingdom appears to have been cut down.
7. Restoration of Israel
God will gather His scattered people from many lands.
8. Reconciliation
The old hostility between Ephraim and Judah will disappear.
9. God's power over obstacles
Rivers, distance, geography, political enemies, and exile cannot prevent God from fulfilling His purpose.
10. A new Exodus
The chapter ends by comparing future restoration with Israel's earlier deliverance from Egypt.
Overall Message
Isaiah 11 presents a powerful contrast with the political instability and judgment described in the surrounding chapters.
Human kingdoms rise and fall.
Military powers disappear.
Political divisions create suffering.
But God's purposes continue.
The chapter looks forward to a ruler whose leadership is characterized by wisdom, righteousness, faithfulness, justice, and the Spirit of God.
Under his rule, peace extends beyond human society into creation itself.
Scattered people are gathered.
Divided people are reconciled.
Enemies no longer dominate.
And the knowledge of God fills the earth.
The central message is that God can bring new life from what appears to be a dead and broken situation. His promised righteous ruler will establish justice and peace, gather His scattered people, heal their divisions, and ultimately bring a restoration far greater than anything human political power could accomplish.
The chapter begins with the image of a branch growing from the family line of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David, so the image points back to the Davidic royal family. The tree may appear to have been cut down, but God will cause new life to emerge from it.
This is important because Isaiah's message comes during a period when Judah's political future looked uncertain. Powerful nations surrounded Judah, and the Davidic kingdom faced serious threats.
The new ruler described by Isaiah will be completely different from corrupt or ineffective human rulers.
He will have the Spirit of the Lord upon him.
He will possess wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge, and reverence for God.
His judgments will not be based merely on what people look like or what others say about them.
He will judge with righteousness.
Most importantly, he will defend the poor and vulnerable.
Isaiah then describes righteousness and faithfulness as though they were clothing permanently worn by this ruler. Justice will not be something he occasionally practices. It will be part of his character.
The chapter then moves from the character of the ruler to the effect of his reign.
One of the most memorable prophetic pictures in the Bible appears in verses 6–9.
The wolf and lamb live together.
The leopard and young goat rest together.
The lion and calf coexist.
A child can lead these animals.
Even dangerous snakes no longer create fear.
The picture is of a creation transformed from violence and danger into extraordinary peace.
Isaiah's point is larger than simply describing peaceful animals.
He is showing what God's righteous rule will ultimately produce.
The world will no longer be characterized by constant fear, violence, oppression, and destruction.
The climax comes in verse 9:
“The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”
The foundation of this peace is the knowledge of God.
Isaiah then returns to the root of Jesse.
This ruler will become a banner for the peoples, and nations will seek him.
The vision therefore expands beyond Judah.
God's future work will involve the nations.
The chapter then turns specifically toward the restoration of Israel.
God will gather the remnant of His people from many distant places.
This is especially meaningful in the context of Israel's history.
The northern kingdom had been conquered by Assyria in 722 BC, and populations had been scattered.
Judah would later experience Babylonian conquest and exile.
Isaiah therefore speaks into a future in which God's people appear divided, displaced, and geographically scattered.
But God promises to gather them again.
Even more importantly, He promises to heal the division between Ephraim and Judah.
Ephraim represents the northern kingdom, while Judah represents the southern kingdom.
The two kingdoms had been divided for centuries.
Isaiah says that their jealousy and hostility will disappear.
This means restoration will involve more than bringing people back to their land.
It will involve reconciliation among God's people.
The final verses describe God removing obstacles from the path of His people.
The imagery of rivers being overcome and a highway being created deliberately recalls the Exodus.
The Exodus was the great historical example of God rescuing His people from oppression and leading them toward freedom.
Isaiah presents the future restoration as another great act of divine deliverance.
The same God who made a way through the sea in the past can make a way for His scattered people in the future.
Main Themes of Isaiah 11
1. A righteous ruler
God promises a ruler who possesses wisdom, strength, righteousness, and faithfulness.
2. The Spirit of God
The ruler's authority comes from God's Spirit rather than merely from human political or military power.
3. Justice for the poor
The coming ruler will judge fairly and defend those who are vulnerable.
4. Peace in creation
The wolf, lamb, leopard, goat, lion, calf, child, and serpent imagery presents a picture of extraordinary peace.
5. Knowledge of God
True peace is connected with the earth being filled with knowledge of the Lord.
6. Hope from the Davidic line
The image of the branch from Jesse shows that God's promises can survive even when the visible kingdom appears to have been cut down.
7. Restoration of Israel
God will gather His scattered people from many lands.
8. Reconciliation
The old hostility between Ephraim and Judah will disappear.
9. God's power over obstacles
Rivers, distance, geography, political enemies, and exile cannot prevent God from fulfilling His purpose.
10. A new Exodus
The chapter ends by comparing future restoration with Israel's earlier deliverance from Egypt.
Overall Message
Isaiah 11 presents a powerful contrast with the political instability and judgment described in the surrounding chapters.
Human kingdoms rise and fall.
Military powers disappear.
Political divisions create suffering.
But God's purposes continue.
The chapter looks forward to a ruler whose leadership is characterized by wisdom, righteousness, faithfulness, justice, and the Spirit of God.
Under his rule, peace extends beyond human society into creation itself.
Scattered people are gathered.
Divided people are reconciled.
Enemies no longer dominate.
And the knowledge of God fills the earth.
The central message is that God can bring new life from what appears to be a dead and broken situation. His promised righteous ruler will establish justice and peace, gather His scattered people, heal their divisions, and ultimately bring a restoration far greater than anything human political power could accomplish.