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But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.
Isaiah 11:4 · New King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB but with righteousness he will judge the poor, and decide with equity for the humble of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips he will kill the wicked.
  • KJV But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
  • BSB but with righteousness He will judge the poor, and with equity He will decide for the lowly of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth and slay the wicked with the breath of His lips.
  • NASB But with righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the humble of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.
  • NLT He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

With righteousness the Messiah defends the poor and humble and destroys the wicked by the word of his mouth. He brings justice the world cannot.

Overview

The Messiah champions the powerless and slays the wicked 'with the breath of his lips' — by his authoritative word rather than mere force. Paul applies this to Christ's final overthrow of the lawless one (2 Thess. 2:8), and Revelation pictures the sword from his mouth (Rev. 19:15). Christ's rule combines tender mercy for the lowly with decisive judgment on evil.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 37

  • 2 Th 2:8Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of his coming;
  • Rev 19:15Out of his mouth proceeds a sharp, double-edged sword, that with it he should strike the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He treads the wine press of the fierceness of the wrath of God, the Almighty.
  • Prov 31:8–9Open your mouth for the mute, in the cause of all who are left desolate.
  • Mal 4:6He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”
  • Job 4:9By the breath of God they perish. By the blast of his anger are they consumed.
  • Isa 61:1The Lord Yahweh’s Spirit is on me; because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to those who are bound;
  • Ps 72:12–14For he will deliver the needy when he cries; the poor, who has no helper.
  • Matt 5:5Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
  • Jas 3:13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.
  • Gal 5:23gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
  • Rev 1:16He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.
  • Isa 30:33For his burning place has long been ready. Yes, for the king it is prepared. He has made its pyre deep and large with fire and much wood. Yahweh’s breath, like a stream of sulfur, kindles it.
  • Ps 2:9You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
  • Rev 2:16Repent therefore, or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth.
  • Isa 9:7Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, on David’s throne, and on his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from that time on, even forever. The zeal of Yahweh of Armies will perform this.
  • Jer 33:15“In those days, and at that time, I will cause a Branch of righteousness to grow up to David; and he will execute justice and righteousness in the land.
  • Ps 72:1–4By Solomon. God, give the king your justice; your righteousness to the royal son.
  • Titus 3:2to speak evil of no one, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing all humility toward all men.
  • Isa 16:5A throne will be established in loving kindness. One will sit on it in truth, in the tent of David, judging, seeking justice, and swift to do righteousness.
  • Isa 29:19The humble also will increase their joy in Yahweh, and the poor among men will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
  • Ps 45:6–7Your throne, God, is forever and ever. A scepter of equity is the scepter of your kingdom.
  • Isa 32:1Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in justice.
  • Jer 23:5–6“Behold, the days come,” says Yahweh, “that I will raise to David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
  • Jer 5:28They have grown fat. They shine; yes, they excel in deeds of wickedness. They don’t plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper; and they don’t judge the right of the needy.
  • Ps 82:2–4“How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked?” Selah.
  • Ps 110:2Yahweh will send out the rod of your strength out of Zion. Rule among your enemies.
  • Rev 19:11I saw the heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it is called Faithful and True. In righteousness he judges and makes war.
  • Matt 11:5the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.
  • Isa 3:14Yahweh will enter into judgment with the elders of his people, and their leaders: “It is you who have eaten up the vineyard. The plunder of the poor is in your houses.
  • Ps 18:8Smoke went out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it.
  • Isa 1:17Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Judge the fatherless. Plead for the widow.”
  • 2 Sam 23:2–4“Yahweh’s Spirit spoke by me. His word was on my tongue.
  • 2 Cor 10:1Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Christ; I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.
  • Acts 9:1But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,
  • Zeph 2:3Seek Yahweh, all you humble of the land, who have kept his ordinances. Seek righteousness. Seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of Yahweh’s anger.
  • 1 Kgs 10:8–9Happy are your men, happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you, who hear your wisdom.
  • 2 Sam 8:15David reigned over all Israel; and David executed justice and righteousness for all his people.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (4)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Isaiah videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Isaiah 11:4YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on IsaiahMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).

How Isaiah 11:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.