God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 11:4
4He will judge the poor justly. He will make fair decisions for the humble people on earth. He will strike the earth with a rod from his mouth. He will kill the wicked with the breath from his lips.
Isaiah 11:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
- New International Version (NIV)but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
- English Standard Version (ESV)but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.
Context of Isaiah 11:4
2The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of advice and power, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord. 3He will gladly bear the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what his eyes see or decide by what his ears hear. He will judge the poor justly. He will make fair decisions for the humble people on earth. He will strike the earth with a rod from his mouth. He will kill the wicked with the breath from his lips. 5Justice will be the belt around his waist. Faithfulness will be the belt around his hips. 6Wolves will live with lambs. Leopards will lie down with goats. Calves, young lions, and year-old lambs will be together, and little children will lead them.
Read all of Isaiah 11Isaiah 11:4 word by word
וְשָׁפַ֤ט בְּצֶ֙דֶק֙ דַּלִּ֔ים וְהוֹכִ֥יחַ בְּמִישׁ֖וֹר לְעַנְוֵי־אָ֑רֶץ וְהִֽכָּה־אֶ֙רֶץ֙ בְּשֵׁ֣בֶט פִּ֔יו וּבְר֥וּחַ שְׂפָתָ֖יו יָמִ֥ית רָשָֽׁע׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But with righteousnessצֶ֫דֶקtsedeq · righteousnessH6664
- shall he judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
- the poorדַּלdal · poorH1800
- and reproveיָכַחyâkach · to rebukeH3198
- with equityמִישׁוֹרmîyshôr mîyshôr · plainH4334
- for the meekעָנָו‛ânâv ‛ânâyv · poorH6035
- of the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- and he shall smiteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- with the rodשֵׁ֫בֶטshêbeţ · tribe: staffH7626
- of his mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
- and with the breathרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
- of his lipsשָׂפָהώâphâh ώepheth · lipsH8193
- shall he slayמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- the wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563
Cross-references for Isaiah 11:4
- Isaiah 32:1A king will rule with fairness, and officials will rule with justice.
- 2 Samuel 8:15So David ruled all Israel. He did what was fair and right for all his people.
- 2 Samuel 23:2“The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me. His words were on my tongue.
- 1 Kings 10:8How blessed your men must be! How blessed these servants of yours must be because they are always stationed in front of you, listening to your wisdom!
- Psalms 45:6Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter in your kingdom is a scepter for justice.
- Psalms 72:1O God, give the king your justice and the king’s son your righteousness
- Psalms 82:2“How long are you going to judge unfairly? How long are you going to side with wicked people?” Selah
- Jeremiah 23:5“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will grow a righteous branch for David. He will be a king who will rule wisely. He will do what is fair and right in the land.
- Jeremiah 33:15In those days and at that time, I will cause a righteous branch to spring up for David. He will do what is fair and right in the land.
- Matthew 11:5Blind people see again, lame people are walking, those with skin diseases are made clean, deaf people hear again, dead people are brought back to life, and poor people hear the Good News.
- Revelation 19:11I saw heaven standing open. There was a white horse, and its rider is named Faithful and True. With integrity he judges and wages war.
- Isaiah 1:17Learn to do good. Seek justice. Arrest oppressors. Defend orphans. Plead the case of widows.”
- Proverbs 31:8“Speak out for the one who cannot speak, for the rights of those who are doomed.
- Jeremiah 5:28They grow big and fat. Their evil deeds have no limits. They have no respect for the rights of others. They have no respect for the rights of orphans. But they still prosper. They don’t defend the rights of the poor.
- Isaiah 29:19Humble people again will find joy in the Lord. The poorest of people will find joy in the Holy One of Israel.
- Isaiah 61:1The Spirit of the Almighty Lord is with me because the Lord has anointed me to deliver good news to humble people. He has sent me to heal those who are brokenhearted, to announce that captives will be set free and prisoners will be released.
Commentaries on Isaiah 11:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4With the rod of his mouth "By the blast of his mouth" - For בשבט beshebet, by the rod, Houbigant reads בשבת beshebeth, by the blast of his mouth, from נשב nashab, to blow. The conjecture is ingenious and probable; and seems to be confirmed by the Septuagint and Chaldee, who render it by the word of his mouth, which answers much better to the correction than to the present reading. Add to this, that the blast of his mouth is perfectly parallel to the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Shall he judge the poor - That is, he shall see that impartial justice is done them; he shall not take part with the rich against the poor, but shall show that he is the friend of justice. This is the quality of a just and upright magistrate, and this character the Lord Jesus everywhere evinced. He chose his disciples from among the poor; he condescended to be their companion and friend; he provided for their needs; and he pronounced their condition…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4The poor and the exploited would receive the justice due to them, which the wicked leaders of Judah had previously withheld. the rod of his mouth: See Psalm 2:9; Revelation 19:15.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. judge--see that impartial justice is done them. "Judge" may mean here "rule," as in Psa 67:4. reprove--or, "argue"; "decide." But Lowth, "work conviction in." earth--Compare with Mt 5:5, and Re 11:15. earth--its ungodly inhabitants, answering to "the wicked" in the parallel, and in antithesis to the "poor" and "meek," namely, in spirit, the humble pious (Mt 5:3). It is at the same time implied that "the earth" will be extraordinarily wicked when He…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 11:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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