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APOCALYPTIC COMMENTARY

  Isaiah

11

Isaiah 11

As an ensign to the nations Jehovah’s servant gathers a remnant of Israel and Judah in a new exodus.
1 A shoot will spring up from the stock of Jesse
and a branch from its graft bear fruit.

While chapter 10 ends with imagery depicting the archtyrant’s hewing down trees, chapter 11 begins with tree imagery infused with hope. The tree that represents Jehovah’s people, however—viably an olive tree (Jeremiah 11:16; Hosea 14:5-6)—doesn’t at first bear fruit, at least not good fruit (cf. Isaiah 5:1-2). The horticultural process Isaiah describes shows that its purpose is to cause the tree again to “bear fruit” (yipreh). While its “stock” or “trunk” (geza‘) is identified with Jesse, the father of King David, the “shoot,” “watersprout,” or “sucker” (hoter) that springs from it is wild by nature.

The third member of Isaiah’s olive tree allegory is the “branch” (neser) that “bears fruit,” representing the final stage of a threefold process. In effect, when an olive tree no longer bears good fruit it can (1) be cut down, or (2) kept growing if one or more limbs show signs of life. In this case, such a limb is the watersprout, the kind of shoot that grows straight up from a tree’s trunk but doesn’t itself bear fruit. For that reason, farmers lop them off in the spring. If the watersprout can keep the tree alive, however, then it may be permitted to grow until it becomes sufficiently strong to support a graft.

Isaiah provides a clue to the identity of the branch in the “sprig,” “root,” or “graft” (sores) of verse 10. When grafted into the shoot or watersprout, the sprig—a tame olive tree variety—may eventually grow into a fruit-bearing branch and become a newly regenerated tree. As does the sprig (v 10) that becomes the branch (v 1), the stock and shoot represent persons instrumental in empowering the tree—Jehovah’s covenant people—to again bear fruit. Because of the principle of “the one and the many,” each individual additionally represents the people associated with his particular phase of the process.

A shoot will spring up from the stock of Jesse. The wild nature of the shoot or watersprout suggests a connection with the Gentiles who interact with Israel’s ethnic lineages (cf. Romans 11). Certain kings and queens of the Gentiles, for example, play a key role in the end-time restoration of Jehovah’s people: “Thus says my Lord Jehovah: ‘I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles, raise my ensign to the peoples; and they will bring your sons in their bosoms and carry your daughters on their shoulders. Kings shall be your foster fathers, queens your nursing mothers’” (Isaiah 49:22-23; emphasis added).

The assimilation of many Israelites into the Gentile nations following Israel’s ancient exile has led to two kinds of end-time lineages of Jehovah’s people: (1) ethnic; and (2) assimilated. The wild nature of the shoot suggests an identity with Israel’s assimilated lineages. While these keep the tree alive, in the end they bear no fruit and are mostly cut off so that the sprig may be grafted in. In that case, the assimilated lineages who are cut off represent Jehovah’s people who are destroyed in his Day of Judgment, while the assimilated lineages who sustain the graft are the kings and queens of the Gentiles.

The identity of the shoot, stock, and branch appears from clues in Isaiah’s olive tree allegory. The words “of Jesse” (vv 1, 10) yield a Davidic and messianic identity for all three individuals. The sprig that is grafted into the shoot—which becomes the fruit-bearing branch—is Jehovah’s end-time servant who represents Israel’s ethnic lineages (vv 10-12; Isaiah 4:2). The shoot into which the sprig is grafted—that does not, in the end, bear fruit—is a servant of Jehovah who represents Israel’s assimilated lineages. The stock is Jehovah, who represents his people Israel as a whole (cf. Isaiah 53:2).

2 The Spirit of Jehovah will rest upon him—the spirit of wisdom and of understanding,the spirit of counsel and of valor,the spirit of knowledgeand of the fear of Jehovah.

Although all three messianic individuals in Isaiah’s olive tree allegory evidence the divine attributes here listed, grammatically they apply to the last one mentioned—the branch—Jehovah’s end-time servant. Word links confirm that identity: “My servant whom I sustain, my chosen one in whom I delight, him I have endowed with my Spirit; he will dispense justice to the nations” (Isaiah 42:1); “He will be called Wonderful Counsellor, One Mighty in Valor” (Isaiah 9:6); “Because of his knowledge, and by bearing their iniquities, shall my servant, the righteous one, vindicate many” (Isaiah 53:11).

Based on the principle of “the one and the many,” moreover, those to whom Jehovah’s servant ministers, who emulate him (cf. Isaiah 8:16), come to demonstrate the same divine attributes: “My Spirit which is upon you and my words which I have placed in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth” (Isaiah 59:21); “I have charged my holy ones, called out my valiant ones: my anger is not upon those who take pride in me” (Isaiah 13:3); “Your faithfulness in time [of trial] shall prove to be a strength, your wisdom and knowledge your salvation; your fear of Jehovah shall be your riches” (Isaiah 33:6).

3 His intuition will be guidedby the fear of Jehovah;he will not judge by what his eyes see,nor establish proof by what his ears hear. 4 He will judge the poor with righteousness,and with equity arbitrate for the lowly in the land;he will smite the earth with the rod of his mouthand with the breath of his lips slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness will be as a band about his waist,faithfulness a girdle round his loins.

Although Jehovah’s servant is still the subject of the passage, in the context of Jehovah’s millennial reign of peace (vv 2-9) several candidates exist for those who “judge.” First is Israel’s God: “Jehovah is our Judge, and Jehovah our Lawgiver” (Isaiah 33:22). Second is Jehovah’s servant: “In loving kindness shall a throne be set up in the abode of David, and in faithfulness a judge sit on it who will maintain justice and expedite righteousness” (Isaiah 16:5). And third are Jehovah’s millennial judges: “I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as in the beginning” (Isaiah 1:26).

Because the servant is a forerunner to Jehovah’s coming to reign on the earth, the roles of Jehovah and his servant are closely intertwined. Their judging the nations is therefore likewise intertwined. Isaiah compares them to two arms—righteousness and salvation—who judge the peoples: “My righteousness shall be at hand and my salvation proceed; my arms shall judge the peoples” (Isaiah 51:5; emphasis added). In short, Jehovah’s arm of righteousness—his servant (Isaiah 41:2; 46:11-13)—prepares the way before the arm of salvation, who is Jehovah (Isaiah 33:2; 40:10-11; 46:13; 62:10-11).

He will judge. Because of many parallel roles of Jehovah and his servant, the subject of the above passage may switch back and forth between the two. On one level, for example, the servant—unlike the reprobate judges of Jehovah’s people—judges the people “with righteousness” or “righteously” (besedeq). On another level, Jehovah judges the people “with righteousness” (besedeq)—that is, through his servant who personifies “righteousness” (Isaiah 41:2; 46:11-13). As the servant emulates Jehovah in ministering justice, moreover (Isaiah 9:6-7; 42:1-4), so others who judge emulate the servant.

He will smite. Multiple applications of the above passage similarly apply to the terms “rod,” “mouth,” “breath,” and “lips.” On the one hand, Jehovah’s servant—his rod, mouth, breath, and lips (Isaiah 48:3; 49:2; 51:16; 57:18-19; 62:1-2)—is its subject. On the other, Jehovah is its subject in the sense that he appoints the servant as his instrument of punishment and deliverance. On a third, possible level, the king of Assyria/Babylon—Jehovah’s rod, mouth, breath, and lips (Isaiah 9:4, 12; 10:5, 15; 30:27-28; 33:11-12; 59:3)—is its subject when Jehovah appoints him as his instrument of punishment.

His intuition will be [guided] by the fear of Jehovah. Like Israel’s God, his exemplar, Jehovah’s servant knows intuitively the justice or injustice of the cases he judges. Imbued with Jehovah’s Spirit and the fear of Jehovah (v 2)—having followed his counsel to “sanctify Jehovah of Hosts, making him your fear, him your awe” (Isaiah 8:13)—he is equal to the task. As Moses judged Jehovah’s people, but also appointed additional judges to judge them (Exodus 18:19-26), so the servant and other judges arbitrate equitably for the poor and lowly in the land (Isaiah 16:4-5; 28:5-6; 32:1; 42:1-4; 60:17-18).

6 Then shall the wolf dwell among lambsand the leopard lie down with young goats;calves and young lions awill feeda together,and a youngster will lead them to pasture. 7 When a cow and bear browse,their young will rest together;the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 A suckling infant will play near the adder’s den,and the toddler reach his handover the viper’s nest.

In contrast to the trees (people) whom the archtyrant hews down (Isaiah 10:15, 33-34)—who identify with the part of the shoot or watersprout that is cut off (v 1)—those who are grafted in, or who remain with the olive tree to sustain the graft, enjoy the millennial peace that ensues when Jehovah commences his reign on the earth. Now bringing forth good fruit, Jehovah’s millennial people enjoy an abundance of covenant blessings that spread abroad and touch all creation. With justice and righteousness established throughout the earth, there exists no more cause for enmity among God’s creatures.

Ritually clean animals, ones that divide the hoof and chew the cud (Leviticus 11:3)—“lambs,” “goats,” “calves,” “cows,” and “oxen”—live in harmony with the unclean: “wolves,” “leopards,” “lions,” “bears,” “adders,” and “vipers” (Isaiah 65:25). Symbolizing the disharmony that existed on the earth between the natural and assimilated lineages of Jehovah’s people and the nations, enmity in the animal kingdom disappears as all creatures become tame. The “youngster” who “leads” them symbolizes Jehovah’s servant who leads his people in the new exodus (Isaiah 40:11; 42:16; 58:8; 63:11-14).

9 There shall be no harm or injury donethroughout my holy mountain,for the earth shall be filledwith the knowledge of Jehovahas the oceans are overspread with waters.

Where “harm and injury” were wrought—among Jehovah’s people themselves and by their enemies—now only peace prevails. The parallel incidence of Jehovah’s “holy mountain” and “the earth” signifies that the nation or kingdom of his sanctified people ultimately spreads throughout the earth. The “knowledge” of Jehovah implies a personal knowledge that results from covenant keeping, not just a knowledge of his attributes. As the sea once epitomized the destructive power that was the archtyrant (v 15; Isaiah 5:30; 10:24-26; 51:15; 57:20), so in the millennial age its waters are subdued.

10 In that day the sprig of Jesse,who stands for an ensign to the peoples,shall be sought by the nations,and his rest shall be glorious.

The appearance of the millennial passage (vv 2-9) between twin predictions of a descendant of Jesse (vv 1, 10) infers that he is instrumental in preparing the way for Jehovah’s millennial peace. The “sprig,” “root,” or “graft” (sores) of Jesse—which represents the early or grafting phase of the branch that bears fruit (v 1)—serves as Jehovah’s “ensign” (nes) to the “peoples” or “nations” (‘ammim) in rallying the “nations” or “Gentiles” (goyim) to Jehovah’s standard. For the branch to bear fruit and the millennial peace to begin, a righteous people of God must first be born (Isaiah 55:3-5; 66:7-12).

While the sprig of Jesse—Jehovah’s servant and son—inherits a “throne of David” on the model of King Hezekiah (Isaiah 9:6-7; 16:4-5), he does so only after restoring Jehovah’s people. The restorative events in which he is instrumental—their release from bondage, new exodus to Zion, wandering in the wilderness, and conquest, inheritance, and rebuilding of promised lands—typify all prophecies that deal with Jehovah’s servant (Isaiah 7:14-15, 21-22; 9:1-7; 11:10-16; 41:2-20, 25-27; 42:1-7; 43:2-8; 44:26-28; 45:1-4, 13; 46:11-13; 48:13-16; 49:1-26; 50:4-11; 51:9-11; 52:7-15; 55:3-5, 12).

His rest shall be glorious. Upon fulfilling his mission as Jehovah’s ensign to the nations—rallying the scattered remnants of Jehovah’s people to repent of transgression and return from dispersion—the servant receives as an inheritance a glorious “rest.” That rest is Jehovah’s rest (Deuteronomy 12:9-11), the place where Jehovah dwells (Isaiah 66:1)—Mount Zion (Psalm 132:13-14; Isaiah 8:18; 24:23). While the wicked of Jehovah’s people refuse to enter into his rest (Isaiah 28:12; 57:20-21; Hebrews 3:11, 18), those whom the servant gathers to Zion do enter into his rest (Isaiah 12:6; 32:16-20).

11 In that day my Lord will again braiseb his handto reclaim the remnant of his people—those who shall be left out of Assyria,Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath,and the islands of the sea. 12 He will raise the ensign to the nationsand assemble the exiled of Israel;he will gather the scattered of Judahfrom the four directions of the earth.

Parallel verses identify Jehovah’s “ensign” (nes) who rallies his people to return from exile (v 12) with Jehovah’s “hand” (yad) that reclaims them (v 11). The same synonymous parallelism occurs elsewhere: “I will lift up my hand to the nations, raise my ensign to the peoples” (Isaiah 49:22; emphasis added). A remnant of Jehovah’s people, of both Israel and Judah, returns from throughout the earth (Isaiah 43:5-6; 49:12) when Jehovah raises up his servant—his hand and ensign—to form a new nation of his people “in that day” (vv 10-11)—Jehovah’s Day of Judgment (Isaiah 55:3-5; 66:7-8).

13 Ephraim’s jealousy shall pass awayand the hostile ones of Judah be cut off;Ephraim will not envy Judah,nor Judah resent Ephraim. 14 But they will swoop on the Philistine flanktoward the west,and together plunder those to the east;they will take Edom and Moab at hand’s reach,and the Ammonites will obey them.

As a result of the end-time ministry of Jehovah’s servant, the long-standing enmity between Ephraim, the birthright tribe, and Judah, the ruling tribe (Genesis 48:11-19; 49:8-12; 1 Chronicles 5:2), dissipates. As David united the northern and southern tribes of Israel (2 Samuel 5:1-5), so does Jehovah’s servant. Growing into one nation in Jehovah’s hand, they exist no more as a divided people (Ezekiel 37:15-28). When empowered by Jehovah’s hand of deliverance, they conquer their enemies who surround them (Isaiah 41:10-16; 49:17) as Israel did anciently under David (2 Samuel 8:11-14).

15 Jehovah will dry up the tongueof the Egyptian Sea cby his mighty wind;che will extend his hand over the Riverand smite it into seven streamsto provide a way on foot. 16 And there shall be a pathway out of Assyriafor the remnant of his people who shall be left,as there was for Israelwhen it came up from the land of Egypt.

After the archtyrant—the Sea and River (Isaiah 5:30; 8:7)—has served Jehovah’s purpose of punishing the wicked, Jehovah empowers his hand (vv 11, 14)—his mighty wind—over him. As Moses had power over Pharaoh to lead Israel out of Egypt (Isaiah 63:11-14), so the servant leads a remnant of Jehovah’s people in an exodus out of Assyria and out of all countries where they were scattered (vv 11-12; Isaiah 10:21-22; 43:16-17; Ezekiel 34:11-24). As Jehovah dried up the tongue of the Red Sea to let Israel pass over (Exodus 14:21-22; Isaiah 51:9-11), so he dries up the Assyrian tongue (Isaiah 54:16-17).

  • a6 So 1QIsaa; LXX. MT and fatlings.
  • b11 Hebrew šēnît, a second time, emended to śěᵓēt; compare verses 11–12 to 49:22.
  • c15 Phrase transposed; in the text it follows and smite it.


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