Isaiah 11 · Verse 6

Isaiah 11:6

The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

Isaiah 11:6, King James Version

Isaiah 11:6 in other translations

BSB	The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the goat; the calf and young lion and fatling will be together, and a little child will lead them.
WEB	The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, the calf, the young lion, and the fattened calf together; and a little child will lead them.
ASV	And the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
YLT	And a wolf hath sojourned with a lamb, And a leopard with a kid doth lie down, And calf, and young lion, and fatling are together, And a little youth is leader over them.
DARBY	The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatted beast together, and a little child shall lead them.
BBE	And the wolf will be living with the lamb, and the leopard will take his rest with the young goat; and the lion will take grass for food like the ox; and the young lion will go with the young ones of the herd; and a little child will be their guide.
Webster	The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

What does Isaiah 11:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

6. wolf ... lamb--Each animal is coupled with that one which is its natural prey. A fit state of things under the "Prince of Peace" (Is 65:25; Eze 34:25; Ho 2:18). These may be figures for men of corresponding animal-like characters (Eze 22:27; 38:13; Jr 5:6; 13:23; Mt 7:15; Lu 10:3). Still a literal change in the relations of animals to man and each other, restoring the state in Eden, is a more likely interpretation. Compare Ge 2:19, 20, with Psa 8:6-8, which describes the restoration to man, in the person of "the Son of man," of the lost dominion over the animal kingdom of which he had been designed to be the merciful vicegerent under God, for the good of his animal subjects (Ro 8:19-22).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 6 The wolf also shall, etc. "Then shall the wolf," etc. - The idea of the renewal of the golden age, as it is called, is much the same in the Oriental writers with that of the Greeks and Romans: - the wild beasts grow tame; serpents and poisonous herbs become harmless; all is peace and harmony, plenty and happiness: - Occidet et serpens, et fallax herba veneni Occidet. Vega. Eclog. 4:24. "The serpent's brood shall die. The sacred ground Shall weeds and noxious plants refuse to bear." - Nec magnos metuent armenta leones. Virg. Eclog. 4:22. "Nor shall the flocks fear the great lions." Non lupus insidias explorat ovilia circum, Nec gregibus nocturnus obambulat: acrior illum Cura domat: timidae damae cervique fugaces Nunc interque canes, et circum tecta vagantur. Virg. Georg. 3:537. "The nightly wolf that round the enclosure prowled, To leap the fence, now plots not on the fold: Tamed with a sharper pain, the fearful doe And flying stag amidst the greyhounds go; And round the dwellings roam, of man, their former foe." Dryden. Nec vespertinus circumgemit ursus ovile, Nec intumescit alta viperis humus. Hor. Epod. 16:51. "Nor evening bears the sheepfold growl around, Nor mining vipers heave the tainted ground." Dryden. Εσται δη τουτ' αμαρ, ὁπηνικα νεβρον εν ευνᾳ Καρχαροδων δινεσθαι ιδων λυκος ουκ εθελησει. Theoc. Idyl. 24:84. There shall be a time when the ravenous wolf shall see the kid lying at ease, and shall feel no desire to do it an injury. I have laid before the reader these common passages from the most elegant of the ancient poets, that he may see how greatly the prophet on the same subject has the advantage upon the comparison; how much the former fall short of that beauty and elegance, and variety of imagery, with which Isaiah has set forth the very same ideas. The wolf and the leopard not only forbear to destroy the lamb and the kid, but even take their abode and lie down together with them. The calf, and the young lion, and the fatling, not only come together, but are led quietly in the same band, and that by a little child. The heifer and the she-bear not only feed together, but even lodge their young ones, for whom they used to be most jealously fearful, in the same place. All the serpent kind is so perfectly harmless, that the sucking infant and the newly weaned child puts his hand on the basilisk's den, and plays upon the hole of the aspic. The lion not only abstains from preying on the weaker animals, but becomes tame and domestic, and feeds on straw like the ox. These are all beautiful circumstances, not one of which has been touched upon by the ancient poets. The Arabian and Persian poets elegantly apply the same ideas to show the effects of justice impartially administered, and firmly supported, by a great and good king: - "Mahmoud the powerful king, the ruler of the world, To whose tank the wolf and the lamb come, together to drink." Ferdusi. "Through the influence of righteousness, the hungry wolf Becomes mild, though in the presence of the white kid." Ibn Onein. Jones, Poes. Asiat. Comment., p. 380. The application is extremely ingenious and beautiful: but the exquisite imagery of Isaiah is not equalled.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 11:1-9

The peaceful character of Christ's kingdom and subjects. (Is. 11:1-9) The conversion of the Gentiles and Jews. (Is. 11:10-16) Verses 1-9 The Messiah is called a Rod, and a Branch. The words signify a small, tender product; a shoot, such as is easily broken off. He comes forth out of the stem of Jesse; when the royal family was cut down and almost levelled with the ground, it would sprout again. The house of David…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 11:1-9 →

Isaiah 11:6 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְגָ֤רve.Garand it will sojournH1481

זְאֵב֙ze.'EvwolfH2061

עִם\־'im-withH5973

כֶּ֔בֶשׂKe.veslambH3532

וְנָמֵ֖רve.na.Merand leopardH5246

עִם\־'im-withH5973

גְּדִ֣יge.DikidH1423

יִרְבָּ֑ץyir.Batzit will lie downH7257

וְעֵ֨גֶלve.'E.geland calfH5695

וּכְפִ֤ירu.khe.Firand young lionH3715

וּמְרִיא֙u.me.Ri'and fatlingH4806

יַחְדָּ֔וyach.DavtogetherH3162

וְנַ֥עַרve.Na.'arand a childH5288

קָטֹ֖ןka.TonsmallH6996

נֹהֵ֥גno.Heg[will be] leadingH5090

בָּֽם\׃Bam<in> them

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 11:6

Isaiah 65:25
The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.
Hosea 2:18
And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.
Ezekiel 34:25
And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.
Revelation 5:9-10
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
Galatians 3:26-27
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Colossians 3:3-8
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: …
Titus 3:3-5
For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Romans 14:17
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Ephesians 4:22-32
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. …
2 Corinthians 5:14-21
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. …
Acts 9:13-20
Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

65:25; Eze 34:25; Ho 2:18; Ac 9:13-20; Ro 14:17; 1Co 6:9-11
2Co 5:14-21; Ga 3:26,27; Eph 4:22-32; Col 3:3-8; Tit 3:3-5
Phm 1:9-16; Re 5:9,10

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Isaiah 11:5
And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
Isaiah 11:6
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
Isaiah 11:7
And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

Read all of Isaiah 11

Isaiah 11:6 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Morará el lobo con el cordero, y el tigre con el cabrito se acostará: el becerro y el león y la bestia doméstica andarán juntos, y un niño los pastoreará.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et le loup habitera avec l’agneau, et le léopard couchera avec le chevreau; et le veau et le jeune lion, et la bête grasse, seront ensemble, et un petit enfant les conduira.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und der Wolf wird bei dem Lamme weilen, und der Pardel bei dem Böcklein lagern; und das Kalb und der junge Löwe und das Mastvieh werden zusammen sein, und ein kleiner Knabe wird sie treiben.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Habitabit lupus cum agno, et pardus cum hædo accubabit; vitulus, et leo, et ovis, simul morabuntur, et puer parvulus minabit eos.