Isaiah 11
ืืฉืขืืื ืคืจืง ืืดื
Section: ื ืืืืื ยท ื ืืืืื ืืืจืื ืื | Book: Isaiah | Chapter: 11 of 66 | Day: 158 of 742
Date: July 19, 2026
ืงืืืื ืขื ืื ืดื
Chapter 11 is the answer to chapter 10, and the hinge on which the whole first movement of Sefer Yeshayahu turns. The previous chapter ended with a forest felled: the Levanon of Assyriaโs army brought down by a mighty one, never to regrow. This chapter opens with the counter-image: โA shoot shall come forth from the stump of Yishai, and a twig shall sprout from his rootsโ (ืืืฆื ืืืจ ืืืืข ืืฉื). Radak unpacks the botany of the metaphor with care โ a tree cut down is not always a tree destroyed; the stump (geza) remains above the ground and the roots beneath it, and from both, new growth can rise. So the house of David: its kingship interrupted, as if the tree were felled, yet the stump and roots alive, awaiting the Melech HaMashiach. Rashi frames the whole chapter as an answer to a painful question left hanging by the Chizkiyahu prophecies: the consolations of chapters 9-10 promise that Yerushalayim will not fall to Sancheriv โ but what of those already exiled to Chalach and Chavor? Has their hope been lost? It has not been lost: in the end the King Mashiach will come and redeem them. The chapterโs closing verses, with their explicit ingathering โfrom Assyria,โ confirm for Rashi that this entire prophecy was spoken to comfort the exiles of Assyria.
The portrait of the promised king (verses 2-5) is a study in what royal power looks like when it flows from the spirit rather than the sword. The spirit of Hashem rests on him in three paired endowments: wisdom and understanding, counsel and might, knowledge and fear of Hashem โ and Radak distinguishes them precisely: chochmah is what a person learns and holds ready, binah is what he derives on his own from what he has learned, and etzah is practiced judgment in the ways people deal with one another. The strangest phrase in the portrait, โand his scenting shall be in the fear of Hashemโ (ืืืจืืื ืืืจืืช ืืณ), receives from Radak and Metzudat David a beautiful reading: smell is the subtlest of the senses, so the verse means that with the slightest perception this judge discerns who is good and who is wicked โ he will not need the testimony of eyes and ears, the very senses that corrupt judges in chapter 10 used so badly. His weapons are verbal: he strikes the land with the rod of his mouth and slays the wicked with the breath of his lips, which Radak compares to the tzaddikim whose word is fulfilled โ โyou shall decree a thing, and it shall be established for you.โ Justice is not his policy but his clothing: righteousness the belt of his loins, faithfulness the girdle of his waist.
Then comes the most famous peace-vision in all of Scripture: the wolf dwelling with the lamb, the leopard lying down with the kid, the cow and the bear grazing together, the lion eating straw like the ox, the nursing infant playing over the viperโs hole. Radakโs comment on verse 6 is one of the great treatments of the question these verses force: are they literal or parable? He surveys three positions โ that animal natures will revert in the days of Mashiach to what they were at the beginning of Creation and in Noachโs ark (when the predators must have eaten plants, or the prey species could not have survived); that the whole passage is a mashal in which wolf and leopard stand for the wicked who prey on the weak; and his own preferred view (vโhanachon): the natures of beasts will not change โ they will remain predators elsewhere โ but in all of Eretz Yisrael, and for Israel wherever they go, the wild beast will simply do no harm, as the Torah itself promised, โI will remove the wild beast from the land.โ The reason is given in verse 9, the sentence the whole vision has been building toward: โThey shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Hashem as the waters cover the sea.โ Peace among creatures is not an independent miracle; it is the visible consequence of a world saturated with knowledge of God, as the sea-bed is covered by the sea.
The final movement (verses 10-16) widens the frame from the king to the kingdom, and from Israel to the world. The root of Yishai stands as a banner (nes) to the peoples โ the nations themselves stream to seek him, and โhis resting place shall be honorโ: Radak notes that this king wages no wars, for all the nations obey him willingly, so his glory is his menuchah, his rest. Then the great pledge: โHashem will again, a second time, set His hand to acquire the remnant of His peopleโ from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the islands of the sea. Rashi and Radak both pause on โa second timeโ: the first acquisition was the Exodus from Egypt, complete and unconditional; the return from Bavel does not count, Rashi because the returnees remained subject to Koresh, Radak because only Yehudah and Binyamin came back while the ten tribes stayed lost. The true second redemption must equal the first โ total, and for all Israel. And with the ingathering comes healing of the oldest wound in the nationโs body: โthe envy of Efrayim shall depart, and the adversaries of Yehudah shall be cut offโ โ Efrayim will not envy Yehudah, nor Yehudah harass Efrayim. Rashi reads it messianically: Mashiach ben Yosef and Mashiach ben David will not envy one another. After chapters in which Efrayim devoured Menashe and both together turned on Yehudah (9:20), the promise lands with full force.
The chapter closes as a deliberate second Exodus. Hashem will dry up the tongue of the Egyptian sea and split the River into seven streams โ Rashi counts them against the seven lands of exile just listed โ so that the returnees cross in their sandals on dry ground. โAnd there shall be a highway for the remnant of His people from Assyria, as there was for Israel on the day it came up from the land of Egypt.โ The geulah of the future is cast in the grammar of the geulah of the past: what God did once at the Yam Suf becomes the template for what He will do at the end. It is no accident that the next chapter is a song โ the short psalm of chapter 12 stands to this new Exodus as the Shirat HaYam stood to the first.
ืคืจืง ืืดื ยท Chapter 11
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึธืฆึธึฅื ืึนึืึถืจ ืึดืึผึตึฃืึทืข ืึดืฉืึธึื ืึฐื ึตึืฆึถืจ ืึดืฉืึผืืจึธืฉืึธึฅืื ืึดืคึฐืจึถึฝืื
English:
But a shoot shall grow out of the stump of Jesse,A twig shall sprout from his stock.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 2
Hebrew:
ืึฐื ึธืึธึฅื ืขึธืึธึืื ืจึฃืึผืึท ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืจึงืึผืึท ืืืึฐืึธึฃื ืึผืึดืื ึธึื ืจึคืึผืึท ืขึตืฆึธืึ ืึผืึฐืืึผืจึธึื ืจึฅืึผืึท ืึผึทึืขึทืช ืึฐืึดืจึฐืึทึฅืช ืึฐืึนืึธึฝืื
English:
The spirit of GOD shall alight upon him:A spirit of wisdom and insight,A spirit of counsel and valor,A spirit of devotion and reverence for GOD.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 3
Hebrew:
ืึทืึฒืจึดืืึืึน ืึผึฐืึดืจึฐืึทึฃืช ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึฐืึนึฝืึพืึฐืึทืจึฐืึตึคื ืขึตืื ึธืืึ ืึดืฉืึฐืคึผึืึนื ืึฐืึนืึพืึฐืึดืฉืึฐืึทึฅืข ืืืึฐื ึธึืื ืืึนืึดึฝืืึทื
English:
He shall sense the truthaHe shall sense the truth Lit. โHis sensing [shall be]โ; meaning of Heb. uncertain. by his reverence for GOD:He shall not judge by what his eyes behold,Nor decide by what his ears perceive.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 4
Hebrew:
ืึฐืฉืึธืคึทึคื ืึผึฐืฆึถึืึถืงึ ืึผึทืึผึดึืื ืึฐืืึนืึดึฅืืึท ืึผึฐืึดืืฉืึืึนืจ ืึฐืขึทื ึฐืึตืึพืึธึืจึถืฅ ืึฐืึดึฝืึผึธืึพืึถึืจึถืฅึ ืึผึฐืฉืึตึฃืึถื ืคึผึดึืื ืึผืึฐืจึฅืึผืึท ืฉืึฐืคึธืชึธึืื ืึธืึดึฅืืช ืจึธืฉืึธึฝืขื
English:
Thus he shall judge the poor with equityAnd decide with justice for the lowly of the land.He shall strike down a landba land Emendation yields โthe ruthless.โ with the rod of his mouthAnd slay the wicked with the breath of his lips.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 5
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึธึฅืึธื ืฆึถึืึถืง ืึตืึฃืึนืจ ืืืชึฐื ึธึืื ืึฐืึธืึฑืืึผื ึธึื ืึตืึฅืึนืจ ืึฒืึธืฆึธึฝืืื
English:
Justice shall be the girdle of his loins,And faithfulness the girdle of his waist.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 6
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึธึคืจ ืึฐืึตืึ ืขึดืึพืึผึถึืึถืฉื ืึฐื ึธืึตึืจ ืขึดืึพืึผึฐืึดึฃื ืึดืจึฐืึผึธึืฅ ืึฐืขึตึจืึถื ืึผืึฐืคึดึคืืจ ืึผืึฐืจึดืืึ ืึทืึฐืึผึธึื ืึฐื ึทึฅืขึทืจ ืงึธืึนึื ื ึนืึตึฅื ืึผึธึฝืื
English:
The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,The leopard lie down with the kid;The calf, the beast of prey, and the fatlingcThe calf, the beast of prey, and the fatling 1QIsแต reads: โThe calf and the beast of prey shall feedโ; so too the Septuagint. together,With a little child to herd them.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 7
Hebrew:
ืึผืคึธืจึธึคื ืึธืึนืึ ืชึผึดืจึฐืขึถึืื ึธื ืึทืึฐืึผึธึื ืึดืจึฐืึผึฐืฆึฃืึผ ืึทืึฐืึตืืึถึื ืึฐืึทืจึฐืึตึื ืึผึทืึผึธืงึธึฅืจ ืึนืืึทืึพืชึผึถึฝืึถืื
English:
The cow and the bear shall graze,Their young shall lie down together;And the lion, like the ox, shall eat straw.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 8
Hebrew:
ืึฐืฉืึดึฝืขึฒืฉืึทึฅืข ืืึนื ึตึืง ืขึทืึพืึปึฃืจ ืคึผึธึืชึถื ืึฐืขึทืึ ืึฐืืึผืจึทึฃืช ืฆึดืคึฐืขืึนื ึดึื ืึผึธืึืึผื ืึธืึฅืึน ืึธืึธึฝืื
English:
A babe shall playOver a viperโs hole,And an infant passdpass Meaning of Heb. uncertain. its handOver an adderโs den.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 9
Hebrew:
ืึนืึพืึธืจึตึฅืขืึผ ืึฐืึนึฝืึพืึทืฉืึฐืึดึืืชืึผ ืึผึฐืืืึพืึทึฃืจ ืงืืึฐืฉืึดึื ืึผึดึฝืึพืึธืึฐืึธึฃื ืึธืึธึืจึถืฅ ืึผึตืขึธืึ ืึถืชึพืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึผึทืึผึทึืึดื ืึทืึผึธึฅื ืึฐืึทืกึผึดึฝืืืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
In all of My sacred mounteMy sacred mount I.e., the Holy Land; cf. Exod. 15.17; Ps. 78.54. Nothing evil or vile shall be done;For the land shall be filled with devotion to GOD As water covers the sea.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 10
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึธืึธืึ ืึผึทืึผึฃืึนื ืึทืึืึผื ืฉืึนึฃืจึถืฉื ืึดืฉืึทึื ืึฒืฉืึถึคืจ ืขึนืึตืึ ืึฐื ึตึฃืก ืขึทืึผึดึืื ืึตืึธึืื ืึผืึนืึดึฃื ืึดืึฐืจึนึืฉืืึผ ืึฐืึธืึฐืชึธึฅื ืึฐื ึปืึธืชึืึน ืึผึธืึฝืึนืืย {ืค}
English:
In that day,The stock of Jesse that has remained standingShall become a standard to peoplesโNations shall seek his counselAnd his abode shall be honored.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 11
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึธืึธึฃืโื ืึผึทืึผึฃืึนื ืึทืึืึผื ืืึนืกึดึจืืฃ ืึฒืึนื ึธึคืโืโืฉืึตื ึดืืชึ ืึธืึืึน ืึดืงึฐื ึืึนืช ืึถืชึพืฉืึฐืึธึฃืจ ืขึทืึผึืึน ืึฒืฉืึถึฃืจ ืึดืฉืึผึธืึตืจึฉ ืึตืึทืฉืึผึจืึผืจ ืึผืึดืึผึดืฆึฐืจึทึืึดื ืึผืึดืคึผึทืชึฐืจึฃืึนืก ืึผืึดืึผึืึผืฉื ืึผืึตืขึตืืึธึคื ืึผืึดืฉืึผึดื ึฐืขึธืจึ ืึผืึตึฃืึฒืึธึืช ืึผืึตืึดืึผึตึื ืึทืึผึธึฝืื
English:
In that day, my Sovereign will apply the divine hand again to redeeming the other partfthe other part I.e., the part outside the Holy Land; lit. โthe rest that will remain.โ of this people from Assyriaโas also from Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the coastlands.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 12
Hebrew:
ืึฐื ึธืฉืึธึฅื ื ึตืกึ ืึทืึผืึนืึดึื ืึฐืึธืกึทึืฃ ื ึดืึฐืึตึฃื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึื ืึผื ึฐืคึปืฆึคืึนืช ืึฐืืึผืึธืึ ืึฐืงึทืึผึตึืฅ ืึตืึทืจึฐืึผึทึืข ืึผึทื ึฐืคึฅืึนืช ืึธืึธึฝืจึถืฅื
English:
[God] will hold up a signal to the nationsAnd assemble the banished of Israel,And gather the dispersed of JudahFrom the four corners of the earth.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 13
Hebrew:
ืึฐืกึธึืจึธืึ ืงึดื ึฐืึทึฃืช ืึถืคึฐืจึทึืึดื ืึฐืฆึนืจึฐืจึตึฅื ืึฐืืึผืึธึื ืึดืึผึธืจึตึืชืึผ ืึถืคึฐืจึทึืึดืึ ืึนืึพืึฐืงึทื ึผึตึฃื ืึถืชึพืึฐืืึผืึธึื ืึดืืืึผืึธึื ืึนืึพืึธืฆึนึฅืจ ืึถืชึพืึถืคึฐืจึธึฝืึดืื
English:
Then Ephraimโs envy shall ceaseAnd Judahโs harassment shall end;Ephraim shall not envy Judah,And Judah shall not harass Ephraim.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 14
Hebrew:
ืึฐืขึธืคึจืึผ ืึฐืึธืชึตึคืฃ ืคึผึฐืึดืฉืึฐืชึผึดืืึ ืึธึืึผึธื ืึทืึฐืึผึธึื ืึธืึนึฃืึผืึผ ืึถืชึพืึผึฐื ึตืึพืงึถึืึถื ืึฑืึคืึนื ืึผืืึนืึธืึ ืึดืฉืึฐืึฃืึนืึท ืึธืึธึื ืึผืึฐื ึตึฅื ืขึทืึผึืึนื ืึดืฉืึฐืึทืขึฐืชึผึธึฝืื
English:
They shall pounce on the back of Philistia to the west,And together plunder the peoples of the east;Edom and Moab shall be subject to themAnd the children of Ammon shall obey them.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 15
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึถืึฑืจึดึฃืื ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึตึืช ืึฐืฉืึฃืึนื ืึธืึพืึดืฆึฐืจึทึืึดื ืึฐืึตื ึดึฅืืฃ ืึธืึืึน ืขึทืึพืึทื ึผึธืึธึืจ ืึผึทืขึฐืึธึฃื ืจืึผืึืึน ืึฐืึดืึผึธึืืึผึ ืึฐืฉืึดืึฐืขึธึฃื ื ึฐืึธืึดึืื ืึฐืึดืึฐืจึดึืืึฐ ืึผึทื ึผึฐืขึธืึดึฝืืื
English:
GOD will dry up the tongue of the Egyptian seaโand will raise a hand over the Euphrates with a mighty windga mighty wind Lit. โthe might of His wind.โ Meaning of Heb. uncertain. and break it into seven wadis, so that it can be trodden dry-shod.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 16
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึธืึฐืชึธึฃื ืึฐืกึดืึผึธึื ืึดืฉืึฐืึธึฃืจ ืขึทืึผึืึน ืึฒืฉืึถึฅืจ ืึดืฉืึผึธืึตึืจ ืึตืึทืฉืึผึืึผืจ ืึผึทืึฒืฉืึถึคืจ ืึธึฝืึฐืชึธืึ ืึฐืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึื ืึผึฐืึฅืึนื ืขึฒืึนืชึืึน ืึตืึถึฅืจึถืฅ ืึดืฆึฐืจึธึฝืึดืื
English:
Thus there shall be a highway for the other parththe other part See note at v. 11. of Israel out of Assyria, such as there was for this people when it left the land of Egypt.
โถCommentaries (2)