Isaiah 40:11

Context

Chapter 40 of Isaiah opens with "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people" (40:1), the beginning of a section announcing return and restoration to the people in Babylonian exile. In verse 9, the one who brings good tidings to Zion cries out to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!" Verse 10 declares that the Lord GOD will come with strong hand and that his arm shall rule for him. Verse 11 takes up the same "arm" once more, presenting the arm that rules as also the arm that gathers the lambs and carries them in his bosom: "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." The verse thus binds power and tenderness together.

"Those that are with young" refers to ewes nursing their lambs. Such sheep have difficulty keeping pace with the rest of the flock. The description of the shepherd leading them "gently"—that is, slowly, matching their pace—depicts care that is attentive to the weak.

Interpretation

• Historical reading: Many commentators read the verse as a picture of God leading his captive people home from Babylon. This return journey through the wilderness is sometimes called a "new exodus," by analogy with the Exodus.
• Christ-centered reading: Preaching traditions across many denominations connect this shepherd image with Jesus Christ, who called himself "the good shepherd" (John 10:11–15). In Handel's oratorio Messiah, the verse supplies the text of the aria "He shall feed his flock."
• Reading as a model for pastoral ministry: The verse is also cited when the care exercised by church leaders is discussed in light of God's role as shepherd. In such cases it is often read together with Ezekiel 34:11–16, which employs the same shepherd imagery.

Questions of Application

There is no marked dispute among denominations over the meaning of this verse. Views do differ, however, on the authorship of Isaiah 40–66. Critical scholarship commonly attributes these chapters to a different author of the exilic period (the so-called "Second Isaiah"), whereas conservative denominations and scholars regard them as the prophecy of one man, the prophet Isaiah. This difference affects whether the verse is explained as speaking directly to the exilic situation or as a prophecy foreseeing the future. Regarding sermons that apply the shepherd image directly to church officers, some point out that the subject of the text is God and that it should not be read as placing a human being in God's position.

In the Korean Church

The verse is frequently cited in sermons on comfort and care, in connection with pastoral visitation, and in writings introducing ministries to children and newcomers. Around Christmas, when church choirs or other choral groups perform Messiah, the piece set to this verse can be heard.

Related Passages

• Psalm 23:1–4
• Ezekiel 34:11–16
• John 10:11–15
• 1 Peter 2:25
• Isaiah 40:28–31