Study Desk

A shoot^(a) will come up from the stump^(b) of Jesse;^(c) from his roots a Branch^(d) will bear fruit.^(e)

The Spirit^(f) of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom^(g) and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might,^(h) the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord —

and he will delight in the fear⁽ⁱ⁾ of the Lord . He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,^(j) or decide by what he hears with his ears;^(k)

but with righteousness^(l) he will judge the needy,^(m) with justice⁽ⁿ⁾ he will give decisions for the poor^(o) of the earth. He will strike^(p) the earth with the rod of his mouth;^(q) with the breath^(r) of his lips he will slay the wicked.^(s)

Righteousness will be his belt^(t) and faithfulness^(u) the sash around his waist.^(v)

The wolf will live with the lamb,^(w) the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling^[a] together; and a little child will lead them.

The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.^(x)

The infant^(y) will play near the cobra's den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper's^(z) nest.

They will neither harm nor destroy^(aa) on all my holy mountain,^(ab) for the earth^(ac) will be filled with the knowledge^(ad) of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

In that day^(ae) the Root of Jesse^(af) will stand as a banner^(ag) for the peoples; the nations^(ah) will rally to him,^(ai) and his resting place^(aj) will be glorious.^(ak)

In that day^(al) the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant^(am) of his people from Assyria,^(an) from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt,^(ao) from Cush,^[b](ap) from Elam,^(aq) from Babylonia,^[c] from Hamath^(ar) and from the islands^(as) of the Mediterranean.^(at)

He will raise a banner^(au) for the nations and gather^(av) the exiles of Israel;^(aw) he will assemble the scattered people^(ax) of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.^(ay)

Ephraim's jealousy will vanish, and Judah's enemies^[d] will be destroyed; Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, nor Judah hostile toward Ephraim.^(az)

They will swoop down on the slopes of Philistia^(ba) to the west; together they will plunder the people to the east.^(bb) They will subdue Edom^(bc) and Moab,^(bd) and the Ammonites^(be) will be subject to them.^(bf)

The Lord will dry up^(bg) the gulf of the Egyptian sea; with a scorching wind^(bh) he will sweep his hand^(bi) over the Euphrates River.^(bj) He will break it up into seven streams so that anyone can cross over in sandals.^(bk)

There will be a highway^(bl) for the remnant^(bm) of his people that is left from Assyria,^(bn) as there was for Israel when they came up from Egypt.^(bo)

In that day^(a) you will say: "I will praise^(b) you, Lord . Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away^(c) and you have comforted^(d) me.

Surely God is my salvation;^(e) I will trust^(f) and not be afraid. The Lord , the Lord himself,^(g) is my strength^(h) and my defense^[a]; he has become my salvation.⁽ⁱ⁾"

With joy you will draw water^(j) from the wells^(k) of salvation.

In that day^(l) you will say: "Give praise to the Lord , proclaim his name;^(m) make known among the nations⁽ⁿ⁾ what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.^(o)

Sing^(p) to the Lord , for he has done glorious things;^(q) let this be known to all the world.

Shout aloud and sing for joy,^(r) people of Zion, for great^(s) is the Holy One of Israel^(t) among you.^(u)"

A Prophecy Against Babylon

A prophecy^(a) against Babylon^(b) that Isaiah son of Amoz^(c) saw:^(d)

Raise a banner^(e) on a bare hilltop, shout to them; beckon to them to enter the gates^(f) of the nobles.

I have commanded those I prepared for battle; I have summoned my warriors^(g) to carry out my wrath^(h)— those who rejoice⁽ⁱ⁾ in my triumph.

Listen, a noise on the mountains, like that of a great multitude!^(j) Listen, an uproar^(k) among the kingdoms, like nations massing together! The Lord Almighty^(l) is mustering^(m) an army for war.

They come from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens⁽ⁿ⁾— the Lord and the weapons^(o) of his wrath^(p)— to destroy^(q) the whole country.

Wail,^(r) for the day^(s) of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction^(t) from the Almighty.^[a](u)

Because of this, all hands will go limp,^(v) every heart will melt with fear.^(w)

Terror^(x) will seize them, pain and anguish will grip^(y) them; they will writhe like a woman in labor.^(z) They will look aghast at each other, their faces aflame.^(aa)

See, the day^(ab) of the Lord is coming —a cruel^(ac) day, with wrath^(ad) and fierce anger^(ae)— to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it.

The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light.^(af) The rising sun^(ag) will be darkened^(ah) and the moon will not give its light.^(ai)

I will punish^(aj) the world for its evil, the wicked^(ak) for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty^(al) and will humble^(am) the pride of the ruthless.^(an)

I will make people^(ao) scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir.^(ap)

Therefore I will make the heavens tremble;^(aq) and the earth will shake^(ar) from its place at the wrath^(as) of the Lord Almighty, in the day of his burning anger.^(at)

Like a hunted^(au) gazelle, like sheep without a shepherd,^(av) they will all return to their own people, they will flee^(aw) to their native land.^(ax)

Whoever is captured will be thrust through; all who are caught will fall^(ay) by the sword.^(az)

Their infants^(ba) will be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses will be looted and their wives violated.^(bb)

See, I will stir up^(bc) against them the Medes,^(bd) who do not care for silver and have no delight in gold.^(be)

Their bows^(bf) will strike down the young men;^(bg) they will have no mercy^(bh) on infants, nor will they look with compassion on children.^(bi)

Babylon,^(bj) the jewel of kingdoms,^(bk) the pride and glory^(bl) of the Babylonians,^[b] will be overthrown^(bm) by God like Sodom and Gomorrah.^(bn)

She will never be inhabited^(bo) or lived in through all generations; there no nomads^(bp) will pitch their tents, there no shepherds will rest their flocks.

But desert creatures^(bq) will lie there, jackals^(br) will fill her houses; there the owls^(bs) will dwell, and there the wild goats^(bt) will leap about.

Hyenas^(bu) will inhabit her strongholds,^(bv) jackals^(bw) her luxurious palaces. Her time is at hand,^(bx) and her days will not be prolonged.^(by)