Isaiah 11:8
New International Version
The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.

New Living Translation
The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra. Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes without harm.

English Standard Version
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den.

Berean Standard Bible
The infant will play by the cobra’s den, and the toddler will reach into the viper’s nest.

King James Bible
And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.

New King James Version
The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den.

New American Standard Bible
The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.

NASB 1995
The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.

NASB 1977
And the nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.

Legacy Standard Bible
And the nursing baby will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.

Amplified Bible
And the nursing child will [safely] play over the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den [and not be hurt].

Christian Standard Bible
An infant will play beside the cobra’s pit, and a toddler will put his hand into a snake’s den.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
An infant will play beside the cobra’s pit, and a toddler will put his hand into a snake’s den.

American Standard Version
And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.

Contemporary English Version
Little children will play near snake holes. They will stick their hands into dens of poisonous snakes and never be hurt.

English Revised Version
And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the basilisk's den.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Infants will play near cobras' holes. Toddlers will put their hands into vipers' nests.

Good News Translation
Even a baby will not be harmed if it plays near a poisonous snake.

International Standard Version
The nursing child will play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child will put his hand on vipers' dens.

Majority Standard Bible
The infant will play by the cobra’s den, and the toddler will reach into the viper’s nest.

NET Bible
A baby will play over the hole of a snake; over the nest of a serpent an infant will put his hand.

New Heart English Bible
The nursing child will play near a cobra's hole, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper's den.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the suckling child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the den of the basilisk.

World English Bible
The nursing child will play near a cobra’s hole, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And a suckling has played by the hole of a cobra, "" And on the den of a viper "" The weaned one has put his hand.

Young's Literal Translation
And played hath a suckling by the hole of an asp, And on the den of a cockatrice Hath the weaned one put his hand.

Smith's Literal Translation
And the suckling was delighted upon the hole of the asp, and upon the viper's den the weaned directed his hand.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp: and the weaned child shall thrust his hand into the den of the basilisk.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And a breastfeeding infant will play above the lair of the asp. And a child who has been weaned will thrust his hand into the den of the king snake.

New American Bible
The baby shall play by the viper’s den, and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair.

New Revised Standard Version
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the suckling child shall play with the serpent, and the weaned child shall put his hand into the hole of the asp.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And a child shall play with a dragon, and into the hole of an asp, one who is weaned shall reach his hand
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, And the weaned child shall put his hand on the basilisk's den.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And an infant shall put his hand on the holes of asps, and on the nest of young asps.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Root of Jesse
7The cow will graze with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8The infant will play by the cobra’s den, and the toddler will reach into the viper’s nest. 9They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the sea is full of water.…

Cross References
Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Hosea 2:18
On that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the creatures that crawl on the ground. And I will abolish bow and sword and battle in the land, and will make them lie down in safety.

Romans 8:21
that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

Isaiah 65:25
The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but the food of the serpent will be dust. They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain,” says the LORD.

Isaiah 35:9
No lion will be there, and no vicious beast will go up on it. Such will not be found there, but the redeemed will walk upon it.

Luke 10:19
Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you.

Mark 16:18
they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.”

Psalm 91:13
You will tread on the lion and cobra; you will trample the young lion and serpent.

Micah 4:3-4
Then He will judge between many peoples and arbitrate for strong nations far and wide. Then they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer take up the sword against nation, nor will they train anymore for war. / And each man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, with no one to frighten him. For the mouth of the LORD of Hosts has spoken.

Ezekiel 34:25
I will make with them a covenant of peace and rid the land of wild animals, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the forest.

Matthew 10:16
Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

1 Corinthians 15:54-57
When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” / “Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?” / The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ...

Revelation 21:4
‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Revelation 22:3
No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be within the city, and His servants will worship Him.

Isaiah 65:20
No longer will a nursing infant live but a few days, or an old man fail to live out his years. For the youth will die at a hundred years, and he who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed.


Treasury of Scripture

And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.

cockatrice'.

Isaiah 59:5
They hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper.

Psalm 140:3
They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.

Jump to Previous
Adder Adder's Asp Basilisk Breast Bright Child Cobra Cockatrice Den Hand Hole Infant Nest Nursing Older Play Played Playing Snake Sucking Suckling Viper's Weaned Young
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Adder Adder's Asp Basilisk Breast Bright Child Cobra Cockatrice Den Hand Hole Infant Nest Nursing Older Play Played Playing Snake Sucking Suckling Viper's Weaned Young
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.














The infant
The Hebrew word for "infant" here is "יוֹנֵק" (yoneq), which refers to a nursing child. This imagery is powerful, symbolizing innocence, vulnerability, and the beginning of life. In the context of Isaiah 11, it represents the peace and safety that will characterize the Messianic age. The infant, typically defenseless, will be secure even in the presence of creatures that would normally pose a threat. This reflects the transformative power of God's kingdom, where natural enmities are reconciled.

will play
The Hebrew verb "שָׁעַשׁ" (sha'ash) means to delight or play. This word conveys a sense of joy and carefree activity, which is significant in a world where fear and danger are prevalent. The use of "play" suggests a return to Edenic conditions, where harmony and peace reign. It is a prophetic vision of the restoration of creation, where even the most vulnerable can engage with the world without fear.

by the cobra’s den
The "cobra's den" refers to the dwelling place of a venomous snake, a symbol of danger and death. In ancient Near Eastern culture, snakes were often associated with evil and chaos. The fact that an infant can play by the cobra's den without harm signifies the complete eradication of fear and danger in the Messianic kingdom. It is a metaphor for the triumph of good over evil, where even the most perilous threats are neutralized.

and the toddler
The Hebrew word "גָּמוּל" (gamul) refers to a weaned child, slightly older than an infant but still young and vulnerable. This stage of life is marked by exploration and learning. The mention of a toddler highlights the theme of innocence and the natural curiosity of children. In the prophetic vision, even these young ones are safe, underscoring the profound peace and security of the coming age.

will reach
The verb "הָדָה" (hadah) means to stretch out or reach. This action implies a sense of trust and fearlessness. In a world where danger lurks, reaching out would typically be a risky endeavor. However, in the context of Isaiah 11, it symbolizes the confidence and assurance that comes with divine protection. It is an expression of the restored relationship between humanity and creation.

into the viper’s nest
The "viper's nest" is another symbol of danger, similar to the cobra's den. Vipers are known for their deadly venom, and their nests would be places to avoid. The imagery of a toddler reaching into such a nest without harm is a powerful testament to the peace and safety of the Messianic age. It signifies the complete reversal of the curse and the restoration of harmony in creation. This vision points to a future where fear and danger are no more, and God's kingdom is fully realized.

(8) And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp . . .--The description culminates in the transformation of the brute forms which were most identified with evil. As it is, the sight of a child near the hole of the asp (the cobra) or cockatrice (better, perhaps, basilisk, the great viper), would make its mother scream with terror. There was still "enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent" (Genesis 3:15), but in the far-off reign of the Christ even that enmity should disappear, and the very symbols of evil, subtle, malignant, venomous, should be reconciled to humanity. Some critics translate the last clause, "shall stretch out his hand to the eye-ball of the basilisk" as if alluding to the power of fascination commonly assigned to it.

Verse 8. - The sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp; rather, by the hole - near it. The "asp" is probably the Coluber Naje of Egypt, whose bite is very deadly. The cockatrice den. The "cockatrice" is another deadly serpent, perhaps the Daboia xanthina (Tristram, 'Natural Hist. of the Bible').

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The infant
יוֹנֵ֖ק (yō·w·nêq)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3243: To suck, to give milk

will play
וְשִֽׁעֲשַׁ֥ע (wə·ši·‘ă·ša‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8173: To look upon, fondle, please, amuse, to look about, stare

by
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the cobra’s
פָּ֑תֶן (pā·ṯen)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6620: (a venomous serpent) perhaps cobra

den,
חֻ֣ר (ḥur)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2356: A cavity, socket, den

and the toddler
גָּמ֖וּל (gā·mūl)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 1580: To deal fully or adequately with, deal out to, wean, ripen

will reach
הָדָֽה׃ (hā·ḏāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1911: To stretch forth the hand

into
וְעַל֙ (wə·‘al)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the viper’s
צִפְעוֹנִ֔י (ṣip̄·‘ō·w·nî)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6848: A serpent

nest.
מְאוּרַ֣ת (mə·’ū·raṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3975: Something lighted, an aperture, a crevice, hole


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 11:8 The nursing child will play near (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 11:7
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