INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 11 This chapter is a prophecy of the Messiah, and gives an account of his descent, as man; of his qualifications for his office, as a Judge and King; of his performance of it; of the peaceableness of his kingdom; of the spread of it among the Gentiles, by the preaching of the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE SHALL COME FORTH A ROD OUT OF THE STEM OF JESSE,.... By which is meant, not Hezekiah, as R. Moses o the priest, and others, since he was now born, and must be at least ten or twelve years of age; but the Messiah, as both the text and context show, and as is owned by many Jewish writers p,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD SHALL REST UPON HIM,.... The rod and branch, the King Messiah, so qualifying him for his office, and the discharge of it. This shows that Christ's kingdom is of a spiritual nature, and administered in a spiritual manner, for which he was abundantly furnished by the "Spirit... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHALL MAKE HIM OF QUICK UNDERSTANDING IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD,.... Or "cause him to smell the fear of the Lord" w; that is, to discern in whom it was: this is one effect of the Spirit's resting upon him, and particularly as the spirit of understanding, and of the fear of the Lord, whereby he has... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS SHALL HE JUDGE THE POOR,.... The poor sinner, that is sensible of his spiritual poverty, and comes and acknowledges his sins and transgressions, and prays for pardoning grace and mercy, and hungers and thirsts after righteousness; such Christ justifies with his own righteousne... [ Continue Reading ]
AND RIGHTEOUSNESS SHALL BE THE GIRDLE OF HIS LOINS,.... He shall be adorned with it, strengthened by it, and ready at all times to perform it; he loved righteousness, and did acts of righteousness throughout the whole course of his life; and, by his active and passive obedience, wrought out an everl... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE WOLF ALSO SHALL DWELL WITH THE LAMB,.... This, and the three following verses Isaiah 11:7, describe the peaceableness of the Messiah's kingdom; and which the Targum introduces in this manner, "in the days of the Messiah of Israel, peace shall be multiplied in the earth.'' The wild and tame... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE COW AND THE BEAR SHALL FEED,.... That is, together, in one church state, at one table, or in one pasture, upon the wholesome food of the Gospel, the salutary doctrines of Christ; who though before of different dispositions, the one tame and gentle, useful and profitable, dispensing the milk... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SUCKING CHILD SHALL PLAY ON THE HOLE OF THE ASP,.... Without fear or danger: AND THE WEANED CHILD SHALL PUT HIS HAND ON THE COCKATRICE'S DEN; and suffer no damage: the meaning is explained in the next words, and to be understood of regenerate persons, both of new born babes, or just born, a... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL NOT HURT NOR DESTROY IN ALL MY HOLY MOUNTAIN,.... In the Church, so called, in allusion to the holy hill of Zion; in the latter day, after the destruction of antichrist, there will be no more persecution of the saints; they will be no more injured nor harassed by wicked men, comparable to... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IN THAT DAY THERE SHALL BE A ROOT OF JESSE,.... The Messiah, so called, either with respect to his human nature, who was to spring from Jesse; so the Targum, "and there shall be at that time a son of the sons of Jesse;'' who, when incarnate, was like a root under ground, hidden to men, as to t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THAT DAY,.... Before spoken of, and which includes the whole Gospel dispensation: [THAT] THE LORD SHALL SET HIS HAND AGAIN THE SECOND TIME; which refers to a first, in which the Lord exerted his power in the recovery of his people out of the hands of their enemies; and... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL SET UP AN ENSIGN FOR THE NATIONS,.... For the gathering of them, for the calling of the Gentiles, that is, the Lord would do it; he who before is said to set his hand a second time to recover his people, whether among Jews or Gentiles; this he has done in the ministration of the Gospel,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ENVY ALSO OF EPHRAIM SHALL DEPART,.... With which it envied Judah, on account of the kingdom of the house of David, and the temple being in that tribe; not that this is the thing intended, only alluded to; the meaning is, that whatever envy or jealousy subsisted in the Gentile against the Jew, o... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THEY SHALL FLEE UPON THE SHOULDERS OF THE PHILISTINES TOWARDS THE WEST,.... That is, Ephraim and Judah, who shall not only agree among themselves, but cheerfully join together against the common enemy: "they shall flee with the shoulder", as some render the words; with joint consent, as the phra... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SHALL UTTERLY DESTROY THE TONGUE OF THE EGYPTIAN SEA,.... Which Kimchi and Abarbinel interpret of the Egyptian river Sichor, or the Nile; others of a bay of the Egyptian sea, so called because in the form of a tongue; the destroying of it designs the drying of it up, so that people migh... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE SHALL BE A HIGHWAY FOR THE REMNANT OF HIS PEOPLE,.... That is, through the river; that being dried up, and all hindrances and obstacles being removed, the way will be clear for multitudes to walk in without interruption, like a large common, highway, or causeway; so the Mahometan, Pagan, a... [ Continue Reading ]