Bible Commentaries

It is a very good transition in prophecy (whether it be so in rhetoric or no), and a very common one, to pass from the prediction of the temporal deliverances of the church to that of the great salvation, which in the fulness of time should be wrought out by Jesus Christ, of which the other were types and figures, to which all the prophets bore witness; and so the ancient Jews understood them. For what else was it that raised so great an expectation of the Messiah at the time he came. Upon occasion of the prophecy of the deliverance of Jerusalem from Sennacherib, here comes in a prophecy concerning Messiah the Prince. I. His rise out of the house of David, Isa 11:1. II. His qualifications for his great undertaking, Isa 11:2,3. III. The justice and equity of his government, Isa 11:3-5. IV. The peaceableness of his kingdom, Isa 11:6-9. V. The accession of the Gentiles to it (Isa 11:10), and with them the remnant of the Jews, that should be united with them in the Messiah's kingdom (Isa 11:11-16) and of all this God would now shortly give them a type, and some dark representation, in the excellent government of Hezekiah, the great peace which the nation should enjoy under him, after the ruin of Sennacherib's design, and the return of many of the ten tribes out of their dispersion to their brethren of the land of Judah, when they enjoyed that great tranquility.

This chapter Isaiah 11 is connected with the preceding as part of the same general prophecy. In that, the prophet bad described the invasion of Sennacherib, and had given the assurance that Jerusalem should be safe, notwithstanding the threatened invasion. The general design of that prophecy was "to console the people with the assurance of their deliverance from impending calamity." But it was a general principle with the Hebrew prophets, and particularly with Isaiah, when "any" event tending to console the people, or to excite the nation's gratitude, occurred, to east the eye forward to that great future deliverance which they anticipated under the Messiah; see the Introduction, Section 7, (3.) The contemplation of "present" objects dies away; the mind fixes more intently on the glories of the Messiah's reign; the prophetic vision ranges over the beauties of his person, and the glories of his kingdom, until the prophet seems to have forgotten the subject with which he commenced.

This was perfectly natural. It was by an obvious law of association in the mind, by which the mention of deliverance, in any form, however humble, would suggest that great deliverance on which the eye of every Jew would rest. It hence follows, that wherever the prophet begins, he usually ends with a glowing description of the reign of the Messiah. However far from this central object of revealed religion he may commenee, yet there is a tendency everywhere "to it" in the prophetic writings; and the moment that, by any law of association, this object is suggested, or the eye catches a glimpse of it, the former object sinks out of view, and the person and reign of the Messiah becomes the sole theme of the prophetic description. This is the case here. Isaiah had commenced the prophecy with an account of the invasion of Sennacherib; Isaiah 10:5, ... He had described the deliverance from that danger; Isaiah 10:33-34. The mention of this deliverance directs his thoughts to that far greater deliverance which would take place under the Messiah; and immediately Isaiah 11 he commences a glowing description of his coming and his reign. The "language" with which he commenced the prophecy, is retained; the illustrations are drawn from the subject "before" under consideration; but the description pertains to the glories of the reign of the Messiah. The proof of this will appear in the note at particular passages in the chapter. Its general design is, to console the people by the prospect of a great future deliverance under the Messiah, and by a prospect of the glosses of his reign. He describes,

(i) The certainty that he would come, and his character; Isaiah 11:1-5.

(ii) The peace and prosperity which would follow from his advent; Isaiah 11:6-9.

(iii) The fact that, the Gentiles would he called to partake of the privileges of his reign; Isaiah 11:10.

(iv) The restoration of the exiles to their native land under his reign; Isaiah 11:11-12.

(v) The fact, that his reign would put a period to dissensions and strifes between the contending nations of the Jews; Isaiah 11:13; and

(vi) The universal prevalence of his religion, and the deliverance of his people; Isaiah 11:14-16.

The Messiah represented as a slender twig shooting up from the root of an old withered stem, which tender plant, so extremely weak in its first appearance, should nevertheless become fruitful and mighty, Isaiah 11:1-4. Great equity of the Messiah's government, Isaiah 11:5. Beautiful assemblages of images by which the great peace and happiness of his kingdom are set forth, Isaiah 11:6-8. The extent of his dominion shall be ultimately that of the whole habitable globe, Isaiah 11:9. The prophet, borrowing his imagery from the exodus from Egypt, predicts, with great majesty of language, the future restoration of the outcasts of Israel and the dispersed of Judah, (viz., the whole of the twelve tribes of Israel), from their several dispersions, and also that blessed period when both Jews and Gentiles shall assemble under the banner of Jesus, and zealously unite in extending the limits of his kingdom, Isaiah 11:10-16.

The prophet had described the destruction of the Assyrian army under the image of a mighty forest, consisting of flourishing trees growing thick together, and of a great height; of Lebanon itself crowned with lofty cedars, but cut down and laid level with the ground by the axe wielded by the hand of some powerful and illustrious agent. In opposition to this image he represents the great Person who makes the subject of this chapter as a slender twig shooting out from the trunk of an old tree, cut down, lopped to the very root, and decayed; which tender plant, so weak in appearance, should nevertheless become fruitful and prosper. This contrast shows plainly the connection between this and the preceding chapter, which is moreover expressed by the connecting particle; and we have here a remarkable instance of that method so common with the prophets, and particularly with Isaiah, of taking occasion, from the mention of some great temporal deliverance, to launch out into the display of the spiritual deliverance of God's people by the Messiah; for that this prophecy relates to the Messiah we have the express authority of St. Paul, Romans 15:12. 'He joins this paragraph, with respect to the days of the Messiah, with the fidelity that was in the days of Hezekiah." - Kimchi, in Isaiah 11:1. Thus in the latter part of Isaiah's prophecies the subject of the great redemption, and of the glories of the Messiah's kingdom, arises out of the restoration of Judah by the deliverance from the captivity of Babylon, and is all along connected and intermixed with it.

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 Gospel; and of the last and general conversion of the Jews. His original and descent from David the son of Jesse, under the titles of a rod and branch, is described as mean and obscure, expressed by stem and roots, Isaiah 11:1 his gifts and qualifications for his work, in general and particular, Isaiah 11:2 the performance of it, both with respect to good men and bad men, in the fear of the Lord, with all equity, righteousness, and readiness, Isaiah 11:3 the peaceableness of his kingdom is figuratively expressed, by the agreement of savage and tame creatures, the former becoming the latter, and so losing their malignant and hurtful nature, through the efficacy of the Gospel, spreading the knowledge of Christ all over the world, Isaiah 11:6 particularly among the Gentiles, comparable to those savage creatures, who, upon the exhibition of Christ in the Gospel; should seek to him, and find rest in him, Isaiah 11:10 which will be followed or accompanied with a collection of the Jews out of all lands, and the conversion of them, which will be brought about by the power and grace of God, all impediments being by him removed out of the way; the consequences of which will be, peace among themselves, and obedience among the Gentiles, Isaiah 11:11.

XI

There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse . . .—We enter on another great Messianic prophecy developing that of Isaiah 9:6-7. More specifically than before the true King is named as springing from the house of David, and His reign is painted as the return of a golden age, almost as one of the “new heavens and the new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2Peter 3:13). The figure with which the section opens is carried on from the close of Isaiah 10. The cedar of Lebanon, the symbol of the Assyrian power, was to be cut down, and being of the pine genus, which sends forth no suckers, its fall was irretrievable. But the oak, the symbol of Israel, and of the monarchy of the house of David (Isaiah 6:13), had a life remaining in it after it had been cut down, and the rod or sucker that was to spring from its roots should flourish once again in greater glory than before. (Comp. Ezekiel 17:22.) In the Branch (Heb. netzer) we have the word which suggested St. Matthew’s generalisation of the prophecies of this type in the words, “He shall be called a Nazarene” (see Note on Matthew 2:23), and which corresponds, in idea though not in words, to the great prophecies which speak of the Messiah as the Branch (Heb. Zemach) in Jeremiah 23:5, and Zechariah 3:8, and in which Isaiah himself had led the way in Isaiah 4:2. In identifying the future King with a representative of the house of David, Isaiah was following in the track of Micah 5:2. It is obvious here, as in Isaiah 9:6-7, that he is not speaking of Hezekiah as the actual sovereign of Judah, or of any prince then within the horizon of his earthly vision, though we may legitimately think of the virtues of that king as having been welcomed by him as a pledge and earnest of the ideal future.

The overthrow of the world-power is followed by the establishment of the Messiah’s Kingdom. In this chapter, however, we have two Messianic pictures so distinct in character that it is necessary to consider them separately.

(i) Isaiah 11:1-9 contain a prophecy of the advent of the Messiah (Isaiah 11:1), a description of his character (2) and government (3–5) and a picture of the marvellous transformation of animated nature which is the reflection of his just and beneficent reign (6–9). The passage stands along with ch. Isaiah 9:1-7 and Isaiah 32:1 ff. as one of the three great presentations of the conception of a personal Messiah which the book of Isaiah contains. Until quite recently the Isaianic authorship of all three passages was accepted without hesitation by critics of all shades of opinion. Hackmann and Cheyne now dissent from this view, and relegate the whole conception of a personal Messiah to a period subsequent to the Exile. But their objections are hardly of sufficient weight to justify so revolutionary a conclusion. The linguistic arguments are admitted by Cheyne to be indecisive. And while it is true that the contents of the prophecy do not point unambiguously to the age of Isaiah, this is not to be wondered at in a delineation of the ideal future. On the other hand the passage contains no assumptions inconsistent with Isaiah’s authorship. For the decay of the Davidic dynasty, which appears to be implied in the figure of Isaiah 11:1, is not a presupposition in the sense that the prophecy could not have been written until it was an accomplished fact. It is assumed only that the reigning dynasty will have disappeared before the manifestation of the Messiah; and this expectation is in harmony with Isaiah’s whole conception of the progress of events. It is no more than is involved in the sentence of rejection on Ahaz (ch. Isaiah 7:13 ff.), or perhaps in the anticipation of an overwhelming national calamity, which the prophet maintained to the end of his ministry. In any case the Messianic age is a new creation, and if there was to be an ideal Son of David at all, he must be conceived as a new shoot from the ancient stock of Jesse.

(ii) Isaiah 11:10-16, on the other hand, describe mainly the formation of the new Messianic community by the home-gathering of Israelites from all parts of the world. The arguments against the genuineness of this passage are more cogent than in the case of (i), and are endorsed by a wider circle of critics. Here a definite historical situation is assumed which can only with some violence be harmonised with the actual circumstances of Isaiah’s time. Jews are in exile not only in Assyria, but in Egypt, Ethiopia, the Mediterranean lands, &c. Further, these Exiles are described as a “Remnant,” a term which seems to imply that some have been already restored, and which at all events is never used by Isaiah of those who have gone into captivity, but of those who survive the judgment in the land of Israel. It is no doubt possible, as Delitzsch and Bredenkamp believe, that Isaiah might have been transported into the future, and dealt with a state of things which was not to arise till long afterwards. But it is more in accordance with the analogy of prophecy to suppose that the outlook was conceived in the circumstances which it presupposes, especially since the undoubted writings of Isaiah never mention a return from Exile, or a restoration of the Northern Tribes, or a subjugation of the neighbouring states by warlike conquest. These facts, and some others which will be referred to in the Notes, although not conclusive, justify a certain measure of hesitation in assigning the prophecy to Isaiah; and this uncertainty should be borne in mind in putting together the various elements which entered into his vision of the future of God’s kingdom.

Isa 11:1-16.

From the local and temporary national deliverance the prophet passes by the law of suggestion in an easy transition to the end of all prophecy--the everlasting deliverance under Messiah's reign, not merely His first coming, but chiefly His second coming. The language and illustrations are still drawn from the temporary national subject, with which he began, but the glories described pertain to Messiah's reign. Hezekiah cannot, as some think, be the subject; for he was already come, whereas the "stem of Jesse" was yet future ("shall come") (compare

Mic 4:11, &c.; 5:1, 2; Jer 23:5, 6; 33:15, 16; Ro 15:12).

1. rod--When the proud "boughs" of "Lebanon"

(Isa 10:33, 34,

the Assyrians) are lopped, and the vast "forests cut down" amidst all this rage, a seemingly humble rod shall come out of Jesse (Messiah), who shall retrieve the injuries done by the Assyrian "rod" to Israel

(Isa 10:5, 6, 18, 19).

stem--literally, "the stump" of a tree cut close by the roots: happily expressing the depressed state of the royal house of David, owing to the hostile storm

(Isa 10:18, 19),

when Messiah should arise from it, to raise it to more than its pristine glory.

Lu 2:7

proves this

(Isa 53:2;

compare

Job 14:7, 8;

see on

Isa 8:6).

Branch--Scion. He is nevertheless also the "root"

(Isa 11:10; Re 5:5; 22:16.

"Root and offspring" combines both,

Zec 3:8; 6:12).

And there shall come forth a rod - In the previous chapter, the prophet had represented the Assyrian monarch and his army under the image of a dense and flourishing forest, with all its glory and grandeur. In opposition to this, he describes the illustrious personage who is the subject of this chapter, under the image of a slender twig or shoot, sprouting up from the root of a decayed and fallen tree. Between the Assyrian, therefore, and the person who is the subject of this chapter, there is a most striking and beautiful contrast. The one was at first magnificent - like a vast spreading forest - yet should soon fall and decay; the other was the little sprout of a decayed tree, which should yet rise, expand and flourish.

A rod - (חטר choṭı̂r). This word occurs in but one other place; Proverbs 14:3 : 'In the mouth of the foolish is a "rod" of pride.' Here it means, evidently, a branch, a twig, a shoot, such as starts up from the roots of a decayed tree, and is synonymous with the word rendered "branch" (צמח tsemach) in Isaiah 4:2; see the Note on that place.

Out of the stem - (מגזע mı̂geza‛). This word occurs but three times in the Old Testament; see Job 14:8; where it is rendered "stock:"

Though the root thereof wax old in the earth,

And the stock thereof die in the ground;

And in Isaiah 40:24 : 'Yea, their "stock" shall not take root in the earth.' It means, therefore, the stock or stump of a tree that has been cut down - a stock, however, which may not be quite dead, but where it may send up a branch or shoot from its roots. It is beautifully applied to an ancient family that is fallen into decay, yet where there may be a descendant that shall rise and flourish; as a tree may fall and decay, but still there may be vitality in the root, and it shall send up a tender germ or sprout.

Of Jesse - The father of David. It means, that he who is here spoken of should be of the family of Jesse, or David. Though Jesse had died, and though the ancient family of David would fall into decay, yet there would arise from that family an illustrious descendant. The beauty of this description is apparent, if we bear in recollection that, when the Messiah was born, the ancient and much honored family of David had fallen into decay; that the mother of Jesus, though pertaining to that family, was poor, obscure, and unknown; and that, to all appearance, the glory of the family had departed. Yet from that, as from a long-decayed root in the ground, he should spring who would restore the family to more than its ancient glory, and shed additional luster on the honored name of Jesse.

And a branch - (נצר nêtser). A twig, branch, or shoot; a slip, scion, or young sucker of a tree, that is selected for transplanting, and that requires to be watched with special care. The word occurs but four times; Isaiah 60:21 : 'They shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting;' Isaiah 14:19 : 'But thou art cast out of thy grave as an abominable branch;' Daniel 11:7. The word rendered branch in Jeremiah 23:5; Jeremiah 33:15, is a different word in the original (צמח tsemach), though meaning substantially the same thing. The word "branch" is also used by our translators, in rendering several other Hebrew words; "see" Taylor's "Concordance." Here the word is synonymous with that which is rendered "rod" in the previous part of the verse - a shoot, or twig, from the root of a decayed tree.

Out of his roots - As a shoot starts up from the roots of a decayed tree. The Septuagint renders this, 'And a flower (ἄνθος anthos) shall arise from the root.' The Chaldee, 'And a king shall proceed from the sons of Jesse, and the Messiah from his sons' sons shall arise;' showing conclusively that the ancient Jews referred this to the Messiah.

That this verse, and the subsequent parts of the chapter, refer to the Messiah, may be argued from the following considerations:

(1) The fact that it is expressly applied to him in the New Testament. Thus Paul, in Romans 15:12, quotes the tenth verse of this chapter as expressly applicable to the times of the Messiah.

(2) The Chaldee Paraphrase shows, that this was the sense which the ancient Jews put upon the passage. That paraphrase is of authority, only to show that this was the sense which appeared to be the true one by the ancient interpreters.

(3) The description in the chapter is not applicable to any other personage than the Messiah. Grotius supposes that the passage refers to Hezekiah; though, 'in a more sublime sense,' to the Messiah. Others have referred it to Zerubbabel. But none of the things here related apply to either, except the fact that they had a descent from the family of Jesse; for neither of those families had fallen into the decay which the prophet here describes.

(4) The peace, prosperity, harmony and order, referred to in the subsequent portions of the chapter, are not descriptive of any portion of the reign of Hezekiah.

(5) The terms and dcscriptions here accord with other portions of the Scriptures, as applicable to the Messiah. Thus Jeremiah Jer 23:5; Jeremiah 33:15 describes the Messiah under the similitude of a "branch, a germ or shoot - using, indeed, a different Hebrew word, but retaining the same idea and image; compare Zechariah 3:8. It accords also with the description by Isaiah of the same personage in Isaiah 4:2; see the note on the place.

(6) I may add, that nearly all commentators have referred this to the Messiah; and, perhaps, it would not be possible to find greater unanimity in regard to the interpretation of any passage of Scripture than on this.