An Ideal King Establishes a Kingdom of Peace
11:1 A shoot will grow out of
Jesse’s1
rootstock,
a bud will sprout2
from his roots.
11:2 The LORD’s spirit will rest on him,3
a spirit that gives extraordinary wisdom,4
a spirit that provides the ability to execute plans,5
a spirit that produces absolute loyalty to the LORD.6
11:3 He will take delight in obeying the LORD.7
He will not judge by mere appearances,8
or make decisions on the basis of hearsay.9
11:4 He will treat the poor fairly,10
and make right decisions11
for the downtrodden of the earth.12
He will decree the downfall of tyrants,13
and order the wicked to be executed.14
11:5 Justice will be like a belt around his waist,
integrity will be like a belt around his midriff.15
11:6 A wolf will reside16
with a lamb,
and a leopard will lie down with a young goat;
an ox and a young lion will graze together,17
as a small child leads them along.
11:7 A cow and a bear will graze together,
their young will lie down together.18
A lion, like an ox, will eat straw.
11:8 A baby19
will play
over the hole of a snake;20
over the nest21
of a serpent
an infant22
will put his hand.23
11:9 They will no longer injure or destroy
on my entire royal mountain.24
For there will be universal submission to the LORD’s sovereignty,
just as the waters completely cover the sea.25
Israel is Reclaimed and Reunited
11:10 At that time26
a root from Jesse27
will stand like a signal flag for the nations. Nations will look to him for
guidance,28
and his residence will be majestic. 11:11 At that
time29
the sovereign master will again lift his hand30
to reclaim31
the remnant of his people32
from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros,33
Cush,34
Elam, Shinar,35
Hamath, and the seacoasts.36
11:12 He will lift a signal flag for the nations;
he will gather Israel’s dispersed people,37
and assemble Judah’s scattered people,
from the four corners of the earth.
11:13 Ephraim’s jealousy will end,38
and Judah’s hostility39
will be eliminated.
Ephraim will no longer be jealous of Judah,
and Judah will no longer be hostile toward Ephraim.
11:14 They will swoop down40
on the Philistine hills to the west,41
together they will loot the people of the east.
They will take over Edom and Moab,42
and the Ammonites will be their subjects.
11:15 The LORD will divide43
the gulf44
of the Egyptian Sea,45
he will wave his hand over the Euphrates River46
and send a strong wind,47
he will turn it into seven dried up streams,48
and enable them to walk across in their sandals.
11:16 There will be a highway leading out of Assyria,
for the remnant of his people,49
just as there was for Israel,
when50
they went up from the land of Egypt.