The Meaning of Isaiah 11:14 Explained

Isaiah 11:14

KJV: But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.

YLT: And they have flown on the shoulder of the Philistines westward, Together they spoil the sons of the east, Edom and Moab sending forth their hand, And sons of Ammon obeying them.

Darby: but they shall fly upon the shoulder of the Philistines towards the west; together shall they spoil the sons of the east; they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab, and the children of Ammon shall obey them.

ASV: And they shall fly down upon the shoulder of the Philistines on the west; together shall they despoil the children of the east: they shall put forth their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But they shall fly  upon the shoulders  of the Philistines  toward the west;  they shall spoil  them  of the east  together:  they shall lay  their hand  upon Edom  and Moab;  and the children  of Ammon  shall obey  them. 

What does Isaiah 11:14 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 11:10-16 - A Song Of Thanksgiving
The prophet's vision extends. He has seen the effect of redemption, as it emanates from Jesus Christ, upon the whole physical creation; now he beholds also the ingathering of all Israel. The ancient enmity between Ephraim and Judah would pass away. As Paul puts it afterward, "All Israel shall be saved," Romans 11:25-26. As they were brought out of Egypt, so shall they be brought from all the countries of the world, where they have dwelt during these Christian centuries. The return of the Jews under Ezra included those of one tribe only, and cannot fulfill the great dreams of all the prophets as here of Isaiah. The following chapter is the counterpart of Exodus 15:1-27. When their enemies are overwhelmed in the great battle of Armageddon, the ransomed hosts of Israel shall break forth in this anthem.
The Isaiah 12:3 was chanted by the priests on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, John 7:37-38. The little possessive pronoun my is the bucket with which we draw water from the depths of God. Our pilgrimage way is lined by these wells of saving help. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 11

1  The peaceable kingdom of the Branch out of the root of Jesse
10  The victorious restoration of Israel, and vocation of the Gentiles

What do the individual words in Isaiah 11:14 mean?

But they shall fly down upon the shoulder of the Philistines toward the west Together they shall plunder - the sons of on the East Edom and Moab they shall lay their hand and the sons of Ammon shall obey them
וְעָפ֨וּ בְכָתֵ֤ף פְּלִשְׁתִּים֙ יָ֔מָּה יַחְדָּ֖ו יָבֹ֣זּוּ אֶת־ בְּנֵי־ קֶ֑דֶם אֱד֤וֹם וּמוֹאָב֙ מִשְׁל֣וֹח‪‬ יָדָ֔ם וּבְנֵ֥י עַמּ֖וֹן מִשְׁמַעְתָּֽם

וְעָפ֨וּ  But  they  shall  fly  down 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: עוּף 
Sense: to fly, fly about, fly away.
בְכָתֵ֤ף  upon  the  shoulder 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: כָּתֵף  
Sense: shoulder, shoulder-blade, side, slope.
פְּלִשְׁתִּים֙  of  the  Philistines 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
יָ֔מָּה  toward  the  west 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: יָם  
Sense: sea.
יַחְדָּ֖ו  Together 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יַחַד 
Sense: union, unitedness adv.
יָבֹ֣זּוּ  they  shall  plunder 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בָּזַז  
Sense: to spoil, plunder, prey upon, seize.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
בְּנֵי־  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
קֶ֑דֶם  of  on  the  East 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֶדֶם 
Sense: east, antiquity, front, that which is before, aforetime.
אֱד֤וֹם  Edom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱדֹום 
Sense: Edom.
וּמוֹאָב֙  and  Moab 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מֹואָב 
Sense: a son of Lot by his eldest daughter.
מִשְׁל֣וֹח‪‬  they  shall  lay 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִשְׁלֹוחַ 
Sense: outstretching, sending, sending forth.
יָדָ֔ם  their  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
וּבְנֵ֥י  and  the  sons 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
עַמּ֖וֹן  of  Ammon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַמֹּון  
Sense: a people dwelling in Transjordan descended from Lot through Ben-ammi.
מִשְׁמַעְתָּֽם  shall  obey  them 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.