Historic pastoral reading
A picture of messianic peace and a healed creation.
Isaiah 11:6-7
The lion shall lie down with the lamb.
The text
WEB
6 The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, the calf, the young lion, and the fattened calf together; and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow and the bear will graze. Their young ones will lie down together. The lion will eat straw like the ox.
KJV
6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
What kind of text
- Prophecy
- Isaiah
- Peace vision
Isaiah pictures coming peace. The lamb's partner in verse 6 is the wolf.
How Christians have read this
Common misuse
Quoted as if the Bible's exact image were lion plus lamb.
What the next verse does
Verses 8-9 continue the peace and the knowledge of the Lord.
Older commentary
Matthew Henry
Henry on Isaiah 11:6: the wolf dwells with the lamb. It is peace under the Messiah.
Charles Spurgeon
Spurgeon read the words that are there: wolf with lamb, lion eating straw.