The Meaning of Isaiah 11:2 Explained

Isaiah 11:2

KJV: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

YLT: Rested on him hath the Spirit of Jehovah, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and might, The spirit of knowledge and fear of Jehovah.

Darby: and the Spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Jehovah.

ASV: And the Spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the spirit  of the LORD  shall rest  upon him, the spirit  of wisdom  and understanding,  the spirit  of counsel  and might,  the spirit  of knowledge  and of the fear  of the LORD; 

What does Isaiah 11:2 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Clearly this shoot would be a person, and the qualities of God"s Spirit would distinguish Him (cf. Isaiah 61:1; Exodus 31:3; Judges 14:6; 1 Samuel 10:10; 1 Samuel 16:13; Luke 4:18; John 1:31-34; John 3:34). Isaiah referred to the Holy Spirit more than any other Old Testament prophet ( Isaiah 11:2; Isaiah 30:1; Isaiah 32:15; Isaiah 34:16; Isaiah 40:13; Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 44:3; Isaiah 48:16; Isaiah 59:21; Isaiah 61:1; Isaiah 63:10-11; Isaiah 63:14). Spiritual qualities had not distinguished many of the Davidic kings thus far (cf. 2 Samuel 23:2-3), but the future ruler would enjoy divine enablement and would manifest supreme godliness. This description presents Him as perfectly endowed by the Spirit with everything He needs to fulfill His kingly task (cf. Revelation 1:4; Revelation 4:5; Revelation 5:6). "Wisdom" and "understanding" are synonyms that, together, mean great wisdom. "Counsel" and "strength" suggest His ability to strategize wisely and then execute His strategy. "Knowledge" and "fear" refer to His acknowledgement of and loyalty to God. The source of these traits would be God"s Spirit on Him.

Context Summary

Isaiah 11:1-9 - The Kingdom Of The Messiah
The advance of the Assyrian along the great north road is graphically described. It was marked by raided villages and towns. The night sky was lurid with flames. But his collapse would be as sudden and irretrievable as the felling of forest timber. As the one chapter closes we can almost hear the crash of the Assyrian tree to the ground, and there is no sprout from his roots. But in the next the prophet descries a fair and healthy branch uprising from the trunk of Jesse's line. The vision of the King is then presented, who can be none other than the divine Redeemer on whom rests the sevenfold Spirit of God. The second verse defines the work of the Comforter, and is evidently the model of that royal hymn, Veni Creator Spiritus. But remember that He on whom this divine unction rested longs to share the pentecostal gift with the least of His disciples, 1 John 2:27. Note that as man's sin brought travail and groaning on all creation, so will His redemption deliver it, Romans 8:19-25. [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 11:2 mean?

And shall rest upon Him the Spirit of Yahweh of wisdom and understanding of counsel and might of knowledge and of the fear of Yahweh
וְנָחָ֥ה עָלָ֖יו ר֣וּחַ יְהוָ֑ה חָכְמָ֣ה וּבִינָ֗ה עֵצָה֙ וּגְבוּרָ֔ה דַּ֖עַת וְיִרְאַ֥ת יְהוָֽה

וְנָחָ֥ה  And  shall  rest 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: נוּחַ 
Sense: to rest.
עָלָ֖יו  upon  Him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
ר֣וּחַ  the  Spirit 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
יְהוָ֑ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
חָכְמָ֣ה  of  wisdom 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חָכְמָה  
Sense: wisdom.
וּבִינָ֗ה  and  understanding 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בִּינָה  
Sense: understanding, discernment.
עֵצָה֙  of  counsel 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֵצָה 
Sense: counsel, advice, purpose.
וּגְבוּרָ֔ה  and  might 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: גְּבוּרָה  
Sense: strength, might.
דַּ֖עַת  of  knowledge 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: דַּעַת 
Sense: knowledge.
וְיִרְאַ֥ת  and  of  the  fear 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יִרְאָה  
Sense: fear, terror, fearing.
יְהוָֽה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.