Isaiah 11:6-8

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Isaiah 11:6 tn The verb גּוּר (gur) normally refers to living as a dependent, resident foreigner in another society.
2. Isaiah 11:6 tc The Hebrew text reads, “and an ox, and a young lion, and a fatling together.” Since the preceding lines refer to two animals and include a verb, many emend וּמְרִיא (um^eriʾ, “and the fatling”) to an otherwise unattested verb יִמְרְאוּ (yimr^eʾu, “they will graze”); cf. NAB, TEV, CEV. One of the Qumran copies of Isaiah confirms this suggestion (1QIsa^a). The present translation assumes this change.
3. Isaiah 11:7 tn Heb “and a cow and a bear will graze—together—they will lie down, their young.” This is a case of pivot pattern; יַחְדָּו (yakhdav, “together”) goes with both the preceding and following statements.
4. Isaiah 11:8 tn Heb “one sucking,” i.e., still being nursed by his mother.
5. Isaiah 11:8 tn Or perhaps, “cobra” (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NCV); KJV, ASV, NRSV “asp.”
6. Isaiah 11:8 tc The Hebrew text has the otherwise unattested מְאוּרַת (m^eʾurat, “place of light”), i.e., opening of a hole. Some prefer to emend to מְעָרַת (m^eʿarat, “cave, den”).
7. Isaiah 11:8 tn Heb “one who is weaned” (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV).
8. Isaiah 11:8 sn The transformation of the animal kingdom depicted here typifies what will occur in human society under the just rule of the ideal king (see vv. 3-5). The categories “predator-prey” (i.e., oppressor-oppressed) will no longer exist.