Isaiah 11:4

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 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. 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. 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.

Isaiah 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 32:1Look, a king will promote fairness; officials will promote justice.
• 2 Samuel 8:15David reigned over all Israel; he guaranteed justice for all his people.
• 2 Samuel 23:2The Lord’s spirit spoke through me; his word was on my tongue.
• 1 Kings 10:8Your attendants, who stand before you at all times and hear your wise sayings, are truly happy!
• Psalms 45:6Your throne, O God, is permanent. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of justice.
• Psalms 72:1O God, grant the king the ability to make just decisions! Grant the king’s son the ability to make fair decisions!
• Psalms 82:2He says, “How long will you make unjust legal decisions and show favoritism to the wicked? (Selah)
• Jeremiah 23:5“I, the Lord, promise that a new time will certainly come when I will raise up for them a righteous branch, a descendant of David. He will rule over them with wisdom and understanding and will do what is just and right in the land.
• Jeremiah 33:15In those days and at that time I will raise up for them a righteous descendant of David. “‘He will do what is just and right in the land.
• Matthew 11:5The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news proclaimed to them.
• Revelation 19:11Then I saw heaven opened and here came a white horse! The one riding it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice he judges and goes to war.
• Isaiah 1:17Learn to do what is right! Promote justice! Give the oppressed reason to celebrate! Take up the cause of the orphan! Defend the rights of the widow!
• Proverbs 31:8Open your mouth on behalf of those unable to speak, for the legal rights of all the dying.
• Jeremiah 5:28That is how they have grown fat and sleek. There is no limit to the evil things they do. They do not plead the cause of the fatherless in such a way as to win it. They do not defend the rights of the poor.
• Isaiah 29:19The downtrodden will again rejoice in the Lord; the poor among humankind will take delight in the Holy One of Israel.
• Isaiah 61:1The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has chosen me. He has commissioned me to encourage the poor, to help the brokenhearted, to decree the release of captives, and the freeing of prisoners,

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

• Church
• Gentiles
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Meekness
• Poor
• Power
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Equity
• Hole
• Rest
• Canon of the Old Testament
• Christ, Offices of
• Ezekiel
• Holy Spirit
• Isaiah
• Justice

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