Isaiah 11

Chapter 11

A Branch from David’s Line

1 Out of the stump of David’s familyt will grow a shoot—
yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.2 And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.3 He will delight in obeying the LORD.
He will not judge by appearance
nor make a decision based on hearsay.4 He will give justice to the poor
and make fair decisions for the exploited.
The earth will shake at the force of his word,
and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked.5 He will wear righteousness like a belt
and truth like an undergarment.6 In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together;
the leopard will lie down with the baby goat.
The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion,
and a little child will lead them all.7 The cow will graze near the bear.
The cub and the calf will lie down together.
The lion will eat hay like a cow.8 The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra.
Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes without harm.9 Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,
for as the waters fill the sea,
so the earth will be filled with people who know the LORD.10 In that day the heir to David’s thronet
will be a banner of salvation to all the world.
The nations will rally to him,
and the land where he lives will be a glorious place.t11 In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time
to bring back the remnant of his people—
those who remain in Assyria and northern Egypt;
in southern Egypt, Ethiopia,t and Elam;
in Babylonia,t Hamath, and all the distant coastlands.12 He will raise a flag among the nations
and assemble the exiles of Israel.
He will gather the scattered people of Judah
from the ends of the earth.13 Then at last the jealousy between Israelt and Judah will end.
They will not be rivals anymore.14 They will join forces to swoop down on Philistia to the west.
Together they will attack and plunder the nations to the east.
They will occupy the lands of Edom and Moab,
and Ammon will obey them.15 The LORD will make a dry path through the gulf of the Red Sea.t
He will wave his hand over the Euphrates River,t
sending a mighty wind to divide it into seven streams
so it can easily be crossed on foot.16 He will make a highway for the remnant of his people,
the remnant coming from Assyria,
just as he did for Israel long ago
when they returned from Egypt.

ISAIAH 11

Peace at Last

1  t Like a branch that sprouts
from a stump,
someone from David's familyt
will someday be king.

2 The Spirit of the [Lord]
will be with him
to give him understanding,
wisdom, and insight.
He will be powerful,
and he will know
and honor the [Lord].

3 His greatest joy will be
to obey the [Lord].
This king won't judge
by appearances
or listen to rumors.

4 The poor and the needy
will be treated with fairness
and with justice.
His word will be law
everywhere in the land,
and criminals
will be put to death.

5  t Honesty and fairness
will be his royal robes.

6  t Leopards will lie down
with young goats,
and wolves will rest
with lambs.
Calves and lions
will eat together
and be cared for
by little children.

7 Cows and bears will share
the same pasture;
their young will rest
side by side.
Lions and oxen
will both eat straw.

8 Little children will play
near snake holes.
They will stick their hands
into dens of poisonous snakes
and never be hurt.

9  t Nothing harmful will take place
on the [Lord]'s holy mountain.
Just as water fills the sea,
the land will be filled
with people who know
and honor the [Lord].

God's People Will Come //Back Home

10  t The time is coming when one of David's descendantst will be the signal for the people of all nations to come together. They will follow his advice, and his own nation will become famous.
11 When that day comes, the Lord will again reach out his mighty arm and bring home his people who have survived in Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Ethiopia, t Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the land along the coast.t 12 He will give a signal to the nations, and he will bring together the refugees from Judah and Israel, who have been scattered all over the earth. 13 Israel will stop being jealous of Judah, and Judah will no longer be the enemy of Israel.

14 Instead, they will get together and attack the Philistines in the west. Then they will defeat the Edomites, the Moabites, and the Ammonites in the east. They will rule those people and take from them whatever they want.
15  t The Lord will dry up the arm of the Red Sea near Egypt, t and he will send a scorching wind to divide the Euphrates River into seven streams that anyone can step across. 16 Then for his people who survive, there will be a good road from Assyria, just as there was a good road for their ancestors when they left Egypt.