Isaiah 11:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

NIV: The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

NASB: Also the cow and the bear will graze, Their young will lie down together, And the lion will eat straw like the ox.

CSB: The cow and the bear will graze, their young ones will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like cattle.

NLT: The cow will graze near the bear. The cub and the calf will lie down together. The lion will eat hay like a cow.

KJV: And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

NKJV: The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

This chapter has detailed what the future kingdom of the Messiah will be like. This kingdom will be under the perfect leadership of a future descendant of David (Isaiah 11:1–5). Isaiah has said wolves, leopards, and lions will live and sleep next to lambs, goats, and calves. All of them will be led by a little child (Isaiah 11:6). Now he adds to the list to keep driving home the point. Cows and bears will graze together. Their young will take naps together. Lions will become vegetarians, eating straw instead of other animals.

Commentators see two possible ways of reading these verses. Some believe that during the reign of the Messiah on earth the very nature of the animal world will be changed. All animals will become vegetarians. Animals will no longer be divided into predator and prey with death as the inevitable outcome. This "peace" between all species of animals will demonstrate the Messiah's power over the natural world. And His power to end conflict of all kinds on the earth.

Other commentators believe Isaiah is using animals to represent tribes and nations and empires. The Messiah will provide perfect rule over the earth. The wicked will be destroyed and the poor and powerless will be provided for. Nations will no longer go to war. The need to prepare for war will cease. True peace and interdependence will replace conflict and fighting. The Messiah's rule over all is both powerful and wise, both righteous and fair.

Isaiah 11:1–16 once more returns to a description of a glorious kingdom to come. This passage was written when Israel's earthly kingdom hung by a thread. That future kingdom will be lead by a descendant of Jesse, David's father. He will rule the earth in the Spirit of the Lord, and restore righteousness, justice, and peace to the earth. All will live in harmony. All the non-Jewish nations will gather under the banner of the Messiah. The Lord will reassemble His Israelite people to their land from the four corners of the earth.

Isaiah describes a future leader who will be raised up from line of Jesse and King David. The leader will be a man and yet more than just a man. He will be powered by the Spirit of the Lord to lead with wisdom, might, and knowledge. He will restore justice and bring peace to the world, ending all conflict. The non-Jewish nations of the earth will come to Him. He will reassemble the scattered Israelites. The reunited nation will have final victory over their enemies under His rule.

Isaiah 11 follows the previous chapter's promise of the Lord's defeat of the Assyrian Empire. Along with the promise that a descendant of King David will one day rule Israel and the world. He will rule in the power of the Spirit of the Lord with wisdom, justice, and righteousness. Conflict will cease, even among the animals. All the non-Jewish nations will gather to the Messiah. The Lord will reassemble His Israelite people to the land from the four corners of the world. Reunited as one nation, they will defeat their enemies and live under the rule of the Lord. Chapter 12 continues this description.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).