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Isaiah

About this book
Chapter 11

1 A shoot will grow out of Jesse’s root stock, a bud will sprout from his roots.⁠ 2 The Lord’s Spirit will rest on him—a⁠ Spirit that gives extraordinary wisdom, a Spirit that provides the ability to execute plans,⁠ a Spirit that produces absolute loyalty to the Lord.⁠ 3 His smelling is in the fear of the Lord7.⁠ He will not judge by mere appearances or make decisions on the basis of hearsay. 4 He will treat the poor fairly and make right decisions for the downtrodden of the earth.⁠ He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth and order the wicked to be executed.⁠ 5 Justice will be like a belt around his waist, integrity will be like a belt around his hips. 6 A wolf will reside with a lamb, and a leopard will lie down with a young goat; an ox and a young lion will graze together, as a small child leads them along.⁠ 7 A cow and a bear will graze together, their young will lie down together. A lion, like an ox, will eat straw. 8 A baby will play over the hole of a snake; over the nest of a serpent an infant will put his hand.⁠ 9 They will no longer injure or destroy on my entire royal mountain. For there will be universal submission to the Lord’s sovereignty, just as the waters completely cover the sea.⁠ 10 At that time a root from Jesse will stand like a signal flag for the nations.⁠ Nations will look to him for guidance, and his residence will be majestic. 11 At that time the Lord will again lift his hand to reclaim the remnant of his people from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the seacoasts.⁠ 12 He will lift a signal flag for the nations; he will gather Israel’s dispersed people and assemble Judah’s scattered people from the four corners of the earth. 13 Ephraim’s jealousy will end, and Judah’s hostility will be eliminated. Ephraim will no longer be jealous of Judah, and Judah will no longer be hostile toward Ephraim. 14 They will swoop down on the Philistine hills to the west; together they will loot the people of the east. They will take over Edom and Moab, and the Ammonites will be their subjects. 15 The Lord will divide the gulf of the Egyptian Sea; he will wave his hand over the Euphrates River and send a strong wind; he will turn it into seven dried-up streams and enable them to walk across in their sandals.⁠ 16 There will be a highway leading out of Assyria for the remnant of his people,⁠ just as there was for Israel, when they went up from the land of Egypt.

Texts in conversation

Compare Isaiah 11:10 and Sirach 47:22

Hebrew Bible · Deuterocanon

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Summary

Isaiah describes a future where a descendant of Jesse will become a light to the nations, drawing people to seek guidance and restoration. Sirach echoes this expectation when speaking of the enduring line of David, using the same image of Jesse’s root.

Passages

Isaiah 11:10

Hebrew Bible
8 A baby will play over the hole of a snake; over the nest of a serpent an infant will put his hand. 9 They will no longer injure or destroy on my entire royal mountain. For there will be universal submission to the Lord’s sovereignty, just as the waters completely cover the sea. 10 At that time a root from Jesse will stand like a signal flag for the nations. Nations will look to him for guidance, and his residence will be majestic. 11 At that time the Lord will again lift his hand to reclaim the remnant of his people from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the seacoasts. 12 He will lift a signal flag for the nations; he will gather Israel’s dispersed people and assemble Judah’s scattered people from the four corners of the earth.
740–450 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Isaiah

Sirach 47:22

Deuterocanon · Ben Sira, Ecclesiasticus
20 You blemished your honor, and defiled your offspring, to bring wrath upon your children. I was grieved for your folly, 21 because the sovereignty was divided, and a disobedient kingdom ruled out of Ephraim. 22 But the Lord will never forsake his mercy. He won’t destroy any of his works, nor blot out the posterity of his elect. He won’t take away the offspring of him who loved him. He gave a remnant to Jacob, and to David a root from his own family. 23 So Solomon rested with his fathers. Of his offspring, he left behind him Rehoboam, the foolishness of the people, and one who lacked understanding, who made the people revolt by his counsel. Also Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, and gave a way of sin to Ephraim. 24 Their sins were multiplied exceedingly, until they were removed from their land.
195–180 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Sirach

References

"... The most pertinent element for our study is Romans 15:12, with the citation of Isaiah 11:10: 'Isaiah says, "The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will rise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.' 'Root of Jesse' is a messianic designation for a royal eschatological deliverer, equivalent to 'Root of David' (1QSb 5:26; 4QFlorilegium 1:11; Psalms of Solomon 17:21-46; Sirach 47:22; Revelation 5:5, 22:16). Paul taps into Israel's prophetic script that Israel's kingdom will rise from its humiliating subjugation under foreign powers like Rome, which will be achieved through Mesiah Jesus ..."
Michael F. Bird, An Anomalous Jew: Paul among Jews, Greeks, and Romans (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2016), 251.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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Isaiah 11:10 and Sirach 47:22

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