The Meaning of Isaiah 40:11 Explained

Isaiah 40:11

KJV: He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

YLT: As a shepherd His flock He feedeth, With His arm He gathereth lambs, And in His bosom He carrieth them: Suckling ones He leadeth.

Darby: He will feed his flock like a shepherd: he will gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom; he will gently lead those that give suck.

ASV: He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and will gently lead those that have their young.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He shall feed  his flock  like a shepherd:  he shall gather  the lambs  with his arm,  and carry  [them] in his bosom,  [and] shall gently lead  those that are with young. 

What does Isaiah 40:11 Mean?

Verse Meaning

However, He would rule like David, the shepherd-king. He will be very sensitive to the needs of His people as He rules over them. Intimate and loving care will mark His reign. The two different uses of God"s arm in this verse and the preceding one illustrate the two complementary sides of God"s activity. Chapters1-39 feature His arm of judgment, and chapters40-66 emphasize His arm of compassion and deliverance.

Context Summary

Isaiah 40:9-17 - Creator And Ruler Of All The Earth
Zion is bidden to climb the highest mountain within reach, and announce the advent of the Savior-God. When all eyes are turned to behold Him, expecting a mighty hero, lo, a shepherd conducts His flock across the waste lands, gathering the weakly lambs to His bosom and gently leading the ewes with their young. Do not be afraid of God; He has a shepherd's heart. Words can never tell out all His tenderness; His pitying, understanding love.
We are next conducted to the Great Sea, Isaiah 40:12. Remember, says the prophet, that God's hands are so strong that the ocean lies in them as a drop of water in man's. He can place mountains in the scales He holds. So great is He that if all Lebanon's forests were laid as wood on His altar, and all its beasts were consumed as burnt sacrifices, it would not be sufficient to set forth Page 68 His praise. And this God is our God forever and ever. The Creator of the ends of the earth is our Father. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 40

1  The promulgation of the Gospel
3  The preaching of John Baptist foretold
9  The preaching of the apostles foretold
12  The prophet, by the omnipotence of God
18  And his incomparableness
26  Comforts the people

What do the individual words in Isaiah 40:11 mean?

Like a shepherd His flock He will feed with His arm He will gather the lambs and in His bosom carry [them] those who are with young [And] gently lead -
כְּרֹעֶה֙ עֶדְר֣וֹ יִרְעֶ֔ה בִּזְרֹעוֹ֙ יְקַבֵּ֣ץ טְלָאִ֔ים וּבְחֵיק֖וֹ יִשָּׂ֑א עָל֖וֹת יְנַהֵֽל ס

כְּרֹעֶה֙  Like  a  shepherd 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.
עֶדְר֣וֹ  His  flock 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֵדֶר  
Sense: flock, herd.
יִרְעֶ֔ה  He  will  feed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.
בִּזְרֹעוֹ֙  with  His  arm 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: זְרֹועַ  
Sense: arm, forearm, shoulder, strength.
יְקַבֵּ֣ץ  He  will  gather 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָבַץ  
Sense: to gather, assemble.
טְלָאִ֔ים  the  lambs 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: טָלֶה  
Sense: lamb.
וּבְחֵיק֖וֹ  and  in  His  bosom 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֹוק 
Sense: bosom, hollow, bottom, midst.
יִשָּׂ֑א  carry  [them] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
עָל֖וֹת  those  who  are  with  young 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine plural
Root: עוּל  
Sense: to give suck, suckle, nurse.
יְנַהֵֽל  [And]  gently  lead 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָהַל  
Sense: to lead, give rest, lead with care, guide to a watering place or station, cause to rest, bring to a station or place of rest, guide, refresh.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation