11
The King of Peace Is Coming
1 A small tree* will begin to grow from the stump of Jesse.† That branch will grow from Jesse’s roots. 2 The LORD’S Spirit will always be with that new king to give him wisdom, understanding, guidance, and power. The Spirit will help him know and respect the LORD. 3 He will find joy in obeying the LORD.
This king will not judge people by the way things look. He will not judge by listening to rumors. 4-5 He will judge the poor fairly and honestly. He will be fair when he decides what to do for the poor of the land. If he decides people should be beaten, he will give the command, and they will be beaten. If he decides people must die, he will give the command, and those evil people will be killed. Goodness and fairness will be like a belt he wears around his waist.
6 Then wolves will live at peace with lambs, and leopards will lie down in peace with young goats. Calves, lions, and bulls will all live together in peace. A little child will lead them. 7 Bears and cattle will eat together in peace, and all their young will lie down together and will not hurt each other. Lions will eat hay like cattle. 8 Even snakes will not hurt people. Babies will be able to play near a cobra’s‡ hole and put their hands into the nest of a poisonous snake.
9 People will stop hurting each other. People on my holy mountain will not want to destroy things because they will know the LORD. The world will be full of knowledge about him, like the sea is full of water.
10 At that time there will be someone special from Jesse’s family. He will be like a flag that all the nations gather around. The nations will come to him and ask him what they should do. And the place where he is will be filled with glory.
11 At that time the Lord will again reach out and take his people who are left in countries like Assyria, North Egypt, South Egypt, Ethiopia, Elam, Babylonia, Hamath, and other faraway countries around the world. 12 He will gather the people of Israel and Judah who were forced to leave their country. They were scattered to all the faraway places on earth. But he will raise the flag as a sign for the other nations, and he will gather his people together again.
13 Then Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, and Judah will have no enemies left. And Judah will not cause trouble for Ephraim. 14 But Ephraim and Judah will attack the Philistines. These two nations will be like birds flying down to catch a small animal. Together, they will take the riches from the people in the East.§ Ephraim and Judah will control Edom, Moab, and the people in Ammon.*
15 Just as the LORD divided the Red Sea near Egypt,† he will raise his arm in anger over the Euphrates River and hit it. It will divide into seven small rivers. They will be so small that the people can walk across with their sandals on. 16 Then God’s people who are left in Assyria will have a way to leave. It will be just like the time God took the people out of Egypt.
* 11:1 small tree That is, a new king will come from the family of David. † 11:1 Jesse King David’s father. ‡ 11:8 cobra A very poisonous snake. § 11:14 East This usually refers to the area around Babylon. * 11:14 Edom, Moab, Ammon Three countries east of Israel. They were Israel’s enemies for many years. † 11:15 the LORD … Egypt Or “the LORD will dry up the tongue of the Sea of Egypt.”