1A shoot will grow out of Jesse’s root stock,
a bud will sprout from his roots.

2The 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.

3He will take delight in obeying the Lord.
He will not judge by mere appearances,
or make decisions on the basis of hearsay.

4He 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.

5Justice will be like a belt around his waist,
integrity will be like a belt around his hips.

6A 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.

7A cow and a bear will graze together,
their young will lie down together.
A lion, like an ox, will eat straw.

8A baby will play
over the hole of a snake;
over the nest of a serpent
an infant will put his hand.

9They 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.

Israel is Reclaimed and Reunited

10At 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.

11At that time the sovereign master will again lift his hand to reclaim the remnant of his people from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the seacoasts.

12He 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.

13Ephraim’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.

14They 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.

15The 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.

16There 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.