Isaiah 11

New International Reader's Version

A Branch Will Come From Jesse’s Family Line

11 Jesse’s family is like a tree that has been cut down.
    A new little tree will grow from its stump.
    From its roots a Branch will grow and produce fruit.
²The Spirit of the Lord will rest on that Branch.
    The Spirit will help him to be wise and understanding.
The Spirit will help him make wise plans and carry them out.
    The Spirit will help him know the Lord and have respect for him.
³The Branch will take delight
    in respecting the Lord.

He will not judge things only by the way they look.
    He won’t make decisions based simply on what people say.
⁴He will always do what is right
    when he judges those who are in need.
He’ll be completely fair
    when he makes decisions about poor people.
When he commands that people be punished,
    it will happen.
When he orders that evil people be put to death,
    it will take place.
⁵He will put on godliness as if it were his belt.
    He’ll wear faithfulness around his waist.

⁶Wolves will live with lambs.
    Leopards will lie down with goats.
Calves and lions will eat together.
    And little children will lead them around.
⁷Cows will eat with bears.
    Their little ones will lie down together.
    And lions will eat straw like oxen.
⁸A baby will play near a hole where cobras live.
    A young child will put its hand into a nest
    where poisonous snakes live.
⁹None of those animals will harm or destroy anything or anyone
    on my holy mountain of Zion.
The oceans are full of water.
    In the same way, the earth will be filled
    with the knowledge of the Lord.

¹⁰At that time, here is what the man who is called the Root of Jesse will do. He will be like a banner that brings nations together. They will come to him. And the place where he rules will be glorious. ¹¹At that time the Lord will reach out his hand. He will gather his people a second time. He will bring back those who are left alive. He’ll bring them back from Assyria, Lower Egypt, Upper Egypt and Cush. He’ll bring them from Elam, Babylon and Hamath. He will also bring them from the islands of the Mediterranean Sea.

¹²He will lift up a banner.
    It will show the nations that he is gathering the people of Israel.
    He’ll bring back those who had been taken away as prisoners.
He’ll gather together the scattered people of Judah.
    He’ll bring them back from all four directions.
¹³Ephraim’s people won’t be jealous anymore.
    Judah’s attackers will be destroyed.
Ephraim won’t be jealous of Judah.
    And Judah won’t attack Ephraim.
¹⁴Together they will rush down the slopes of Philistia to the west.
    They’ll take what belongs to the people of the east.
They’ll take over Edom and Moab.
    The people of Ammon will be under their control.
¹⁵The Lord will dry up
    the Red Sea in Egypt.
By his power he’ll send a burning wind
    to sweep over the Euphrates River.
He will break it up into many streams.
    Then people will be able to go across it wearing sandals.
¹⁶There was a road the people of Israel used
    when they came up from Egypt.
In the same way, there will be a wide road coming out of Assyria.
    It will be used by the Lord’s people who are left alive there.