Yeshayahu Ch. 11 | “And New Shoot Will Grow from the Stemp of Yishai”

When everything around seems desolate and destroyed, the prophet lifts his eyes and presents to the nation of Israel one of the most beautiful descriptions of redemption in the Tanakh. This prophecy describes an idyllic era: a shoot emerging from the House of David who will grow to become the ideal leader — what we call today the Mashiach. The prophecy contains two parts: the leader and his governance, and the ingathering of the exiles (kibbutz galuyot).

Yeshayahu describes how the spirit of God will rest upon the awaited leader and the unique way in which he will judge the people: “With awe of the Lord infusing his senses, he will not judge by his eyes' perception, nor rule by what his ears can grasp” (11:3). This description connects to themes we’ve seen in recent chapters — opposing pride and human reliance on their own understanding. The true leader of the nation of Israel will judge justly according to the direct word of God, not based on surface appearances. With this ability and firm moral standing, this future king will reform society and protect the weak: “He will judge poor people justly, render judgment rightly for oppressed ones in the land; he will strike the land with the staff of his speech, and that spirit that crosses his lips will execute those who do evil” (11:4).

The prophecy includes the famous utopian vision of animal behavior: “Wolf will lie down beside lamb, the leopard will lie beside the young goat” (11:6).  Commentators are divided on whether this is a metaphor for the transformation of human conduct, where even the wicked will live in peace with each other, or a literal alteration of nature’s order. This peace stems from a profound knowledge of God, eliminating the need for conflict, disputes, and harmful deeds: “There will be no wrong or violence on all My holy mountain, for knowledge of the Lord will fill the earth as waters cover the ocean” (11:9). This peace serves a higher purpose, one we’ve seen in previous chapters: gathering all the nations around God in Jerusalem: “On that day, that offshoot of Yishai that stands as a banner to all the peoples, nations will come to seek him, and his resting place will be glorious” (11:10).

The second part of the prophecy describes a miraculous ingathering of exiles (kibbutz galuyot), likened to a second Exodus (yetziat Mitzrayim): “A path will be there for the remnant of His people, those who remain, from Assyria, as there was for the people of Israel on the day they came up from the land of Egypt” (11:16). This event will lead to the ultimate reunification of the nation of Israel into one kingdom under the banner of God: “He will lift up a banner to nations and gather in the banished ones of Israel; He will gather in the scattered ones of Yehuda from all four edges of the world. Efrayim’s jealousy will fall away, the enemies in Yehuda will be cut down, Efrayim will no more be jealous of Yehuda; Yehuda will bear towards Efrayim no more enmity” (11:12–13). The blessing “Who gathers in the dispersed of his people Israel” in the Amida prayer is based on these verses and this idea: that God will bring us to the land around His banner — “ Raise a banner to gather our exiles.”

For obvious reasons, this chapter was chosen as the Haftara for Israel's Independence Day (Yom Ha’atzma’ut).