Dual PanelThe King of Peace Is Coming
1A small tree will begin to grow from the stump of Jesse. That branch will grow from Jesse’s roots.
2The LORD'S Spirit will always be with this new king to give him wisdom, understanding, guidance, and power. The Spirit will help him know and respect the LORD.
3He will find joy in obeying the LORD. This king will not judge people by the way things look. He will not judge by listening to rumors.
4He will judge the poor fairly and honestly. He will be fair when he decides what to do for the poor of the land. If he decides people should be beaten, he will give the command, and they will be beaten. If he decides people must die, he will give the command, and those evil people will be killed. Goodness and fairness will be like a belt he wears around his waist.
5(11:4)
6Then wolves will live at peace with lambs, and leopards will lie down with young goats. An ox and a lion will eat together. And a little child will be able to lead them.
7Bears and cattle will graze in the same field, and all their young will lie down together and will not hurt each other. Lions will eat hay like cattle.
8Even snakes will not harm people. Babies will be able to play near a cobra’s hole and put their hands into the nest of a poisonous snake.
9People will stop hurting each other. People on my holy mountain will not want to destroy things because they will know the LORD. The world will be full of knowledge about him, like the sea is full of water.
10At that time there will be someone special from Jesse’s family. He will be like a flag that all the nations gather around. The nations will come to him and ask him what they should do. And the place where he is will be filled with glory.
11At that time the Lord will again reach out and gather his people who are left in countries like Assyria, North Egypt, South Egypt, Ethiopia, Elam, Babylonia, Hamath, and other faraway countries around the world.
12He will gather the people of Israel and Judah who were forced to leave their country. They were scattered to all the faraway places on earth. But he will raise the flag as a sign for the other nations, and he will gather his people together again.
13Then Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, and Judah will have no enemies left. And Judah will not cause trouble for Ephraim.
14But Ephraim and Judah will attack the Philistines. These two nations will be like birds flying down to catch a small animal. Together, they will take the riches from the people in the East. Ephraim and Judah will control Edom, Moab, and the people in Ammon.
15Just as the LORD divided the Red Sea near Egypt, he will raise his arm in anger over the Euphrates River and hit it. It will divide into seven small rivers. They will be so small that the people can walk across with their sandals on.
16Then God’s people who are left in Assyria will have a way to leave. It will be just like the time God took the people out of Egypt.