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Selected Verse: Isaiah 11:12 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Isa 11:12	Strong Concordance	And he shall set up [05375] an ensign [05251] for the nations [01471], and shall assemble [0622] the outcasts [01760] of Israel [03478], and gather together [06908] the dispersed [05310] of Judah [03063] from the four [0702] corners [03671] of the earth [0776].
	King James	And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
In the first restoration Judah alone was restored, with perhaps some few of Israel (the ten tribes): in the future restoration both are expressly specified (Eze 37:16-19; Jer 3:18). To Israel are ascribed the "outcasts" (masculine); to Judah the "dispersed" (feminine), as the former have been longer and more utterly castaways (though not finally) than the latter (Joh 7:52). The masculine and feminine conjoined express the universality of the restoration. from the four corners of the earth--Hebrew, "wings of the earth."

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

In the first restoration Judah alone was restored, with perhaps some few of Israel (the ten tribes): in the future restoration both are expressly specified (Eze 37:16-19; Jer 3:18). To Israel are ascribed the "outcasts" (masculine); to Judah the "dispersed" (feminine), as the former have been longer and more utterly castaways (though not finally) than the latter (Joh 7:52). The masculine and feminine conjoined express the universality of the restoration.

from the four corners of the earth--Hebrew, "wings of the earth."

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
And he shall set up an ensign - See Isa 11:10. The Messiah shall stand in view of the nations, as a standard is erected by a military leader. An ensign or standard was usually lifted up on the mountains or on some elevated place (compare Isa 18:3); and the meaning here is, that the Messiah would be the conspicuous object around which the nations would rally. And shall assemble - This word, אסף 'âsaph, properly means, to gather, collect, to assemble together, as fruits are collected for preservation Exo 23:10; to collect a people together Num 21:16; to gather or collect gold; Kg2 22:4. It may also mean to gather or collect anything for destruction Jer 8:13; and hence, to take out of the way, to kill, destroy; Sa1 15:6. Here, it is evidently synonymous with the word 'recover' in Isa 11:11. It cannot be proved that it means that God will "literally" re-assemble all the scattered Jews, for the "collecting them," or regathering them to himself "as his people," though they may be still scattered among the nations, is all that the words necessarily imply. Thus when the word is used, as it is repeatedly, to denote the death of the patriarchs, where it is said they were 'gathered to their fathers,' it does not mean that they were buried in the same grave, or the same vicinity, but that they were united to them in death; they partook of the same lot; they all alike went down to the dead; Gen 25:8; Gen 35:29; Gen 49:29; Num 20:24; Deu 32:50. The outcasts of Israel - The name 'Israel,' applied at first to all the descendants of Jacob, came at length to denote the 'kingdom of Israel,' or of the 'ten tribes,' or of 'Ephraim,' as the tribes which revolted under Jeroboam were called. In this sense it is used in the Scriptures after the time of Jeroboam, and thus it acquired a technical signification, distinguishing it from Judah. The dispersed of Judah - 'Judah,' also, though often used in a general sense to denote the Jews as such, without reference to the distinction in tribes, is also used technically to denote the kingdom of Judah, as distinguished from the kingdom of Israel. The tribe of Judah was much larger than Benjamin, and the name of the latter was lost in the former. A considerable part of the ten tribes returned again to their own land, with those of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin; a portion remained still in the countries of the East, and were intermingled with the other Jews who remained there. All distinctions of the tribes were gradually abolished, and there is no reason to think that the 'ten tribes,' here referred to by the name 'Israel,' have now anywhere a distinct and separate existence; see this point fully proved in a review of Dr. Grant's work on '" The Nestorians, or, the Lost Ten tribes,"' in the "Bib. Rep." for October 1841, and January 1842, by Prof. Robinson. The literal meaning here then would be, that he would gather the remains of those scattered people, whether pertaining to 'Israel' or 'Judah,' from the regions where they were dispersed. It does not necessarily mean that they would be regathered in their distinctive capacity as 'Israel' and 'Judah,' or that the distinction would be still preserved, but that the people of God would be gathered together, and that all sources of alienation and discord would cease. The meaning, probably, is, that under the Messiah all the remains of that scattered people, in all parts of the earth, whether originally pertaining to 'Israel' or 'Judah,' should be collected into one spiritual kingdom, constituting one happy and harmonious people. To the fulfillment of this, it is not necessary to be supposed that they would be literally gathered into one place, or that they would be restored to their own land, or that they would be preserved as a distinct and separate community. The leading idea is, that the Messiah would set up a glorious kingdom in which all causes of alienation and discord would cease. From the four corners of the earth - Chaldee, 'From the four winds of the earth.' The Septuagint renders it, 'From the four wings (πτερύγων pterugōn) of the earth.' It means, that they should be collected to God from each of the four parts of the earth - the east, the west, the north, and the south. The Hebrew word rendered here 'corners,' means properly "wings." It is applied, however, to the corner, or border of a thing, as a skirt, or mantle Sa1 24:5, Sa1 24:11; Deu 23:1; and hence, to the boundaries, or corners of the earth, because the earth seems to have been represented as a quadrangular plain; Eze 7:2.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

And he shall set up an ensign - See Isa 11:10. The Messiah shall stand in view of the nations, as a standard is erected by a military leader. An ensign or standard was usually lifted up on the mountains or on some elevated place (compare Isa 18:3); and the meaning here is, that the Messiah would be the conspicuous object around which the nations would rally.

And shall assemble - This word, אסף 'âsaph, properly means, to gather, collect, to assemble together, as fruits are collected for preservation Exo 23:10; to collect a people together Num 21:16; to gather or collect gold; Kg2 22:4. It may also mean to gather or collect anything for destruction Jer 8:13; and hence, to take out of the way, to kill, destroy; Sa1 15:6. Here, it is evidently synonymous with the word 'recover' in Isa 11:11. It cannot be proved that it means that God will "literally" re-assemble all the scattered Jews, for the "collecting them," or regathering them to himself "as his people," though they may be still scattered among the nations, is all that the words necessarily imply. Thus when the word is used, as it is repeatedly, to denote the death of the patriarchs, where it is said they were 'gathered to their fathers,' it does not mean that they were buried in the same grave, or the same vicinity, but that they were united to them in death; they partook of the same lot; they all alike went down to the dead; Gen 25:8; Gen 35:29; Gen 49:29; Num 20:24; Deu 32:50.

The outcasts of Israel - The name 'Israel,' applied at first to all the descendants of Jacob, came at length to denote the 'kingdom of Israel,' or of the 'ten tribes,' or of 'Ephraim,' as the tribes which revolted under Jeroboam were called. In this sense it is used in the Scriptures after the time of Jeroboam, and thus it acquired a technical signification, distinguishing it from Judah.

The dispersed of Judah - 'Judah,' also, though often used in a general sense to denote the Jews as such, without reference to the distinction in tribes, is also used technically to denote the kingdom of Judah, as distinguished from the kingdom of Israel. The tribe of Judah was much larger than Benjamin, and the name of the latter was lost in the former. A considerable part of the ten tribes returned again to their own land, with those of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin; a portion remained still in the countries of the East, and were intermingled with the other Jews who remained there. All distinctions of the tribes were gradually abolished, and there is no reason to think that the 'ten tribes,' here referred to by the name 'Israel,' have now anywhere a distinct and separate existence; see this point fully proved in a review of Dr. Grant's work on '" The Nestorians, or, the Lost Ten tribes,"' in the "Bib. Rep." for October 1841, and January 1842, by Prof. Robinson. The literal meaning here then would be, that he would gather the remains of those scattered people, whether pertaining to 'Israel' or 'Judah,' from the regions where they were dispersed.

It does not necessarily mean that they would be regathered in their distinctive capacity as 'Israel' and 'Judah,' or that the distinction would be still preserved, but that the people of God would be gathered together, and that all sources of alienation and discord would cease. The meaning, probably, is, that under the Messiah all the remains of that scattered people, in all parts of the earth, whether originally pertaining to 'Israel' or 'Judah,' should be collected into one spiritual kingdom, constituting one happy and harmonious people. To the fulfillment of this, it is not necessary to be supposed that they would be literally gathered into one place, or that they would be restored to their own land, or that they would be preserved as a distinct and separate community. The leading idea is, that the Messiah would set up a glorious kingdom in which all causes of alienation and discord would cease.

From the four corners of the earth - Chaldee, 'From the four winds of the earth.' The Septuagint renders it, 'From the four wings (πτερύγων pterugōn) of the earth.' It means, that they should be collected to God from each of the four parts of the earth - the east, the west, the north, and the south. The Hebrew word rendered here 'corners,' means properly "wings." It is applied, however, to the corner, or border of a thing, as a skirt, or mantle Sa1 24:5, Sa1 24:11; Deu 23:1; and hence, to the boundaries, or corners of the earth, because the earth seems to have been represented as a quadrangular plain; Eze 7:2.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Nations - All nations, Jews and Gentiles. Out - casts - That were driven out of their own land, into foreign parts. Israel - Of the ten tribes.

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⁵² They answered [611] and [2532] said [2036] unto him [846], Art [3361] [1488] thou [4771] also [2532] of [1537] Galilee [1056]? Search [2045], and [2532] look [1492]: for [3754] out of [1537] Galilee [1056] ariseth [1453] no [3756] prophet [4396].

¹⁸ In those days [03117] the house [01004] of Judah [03063] shall walk [03212] with the house [01004] of Israel [03478], and they shall come [0935] together [03162] out of the land [0776] of the north [06828] to the land [0776] that I have given for an inheritance [05157] unto your fathers [01].

¹⁶ Moreover, thou son [01121] of man [0120], take [03947] thee one [0259] stick [06086], and write [03789] upon it, For Judah [03063], and for the children [01121] of Israel [03478] his companions [02270]: then take [03947] another [0259] stick [06086], and write [03789] upon it, For Joseph [03130], the stick [06086] of Ephraim [0669], and for all the house [01004] of Israel [03478] his companions [02270]:
¹⁷ And join [07126] them one [0259] to another [0259] into one [0259] stick [06086]; and they shall become one [0259] in thine hand [03027].
¹⁸ And when the children [01121] of thy people [05971] shall speak [0559] unto thee, saying [0559], Wilt thou not shew [05046] us what thou meanest by these?
¹⁹ Say [01696] unto them, Thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069]; Behold, I will take [03947] the stick [06086] of Joseph [03130], which is in the hand [03027] of Ephraim [0669], and the tribes [07626] of Israel [03478] his fellows [02270], and will put [05414] them with him, even with the stick [06086] of Judah [03063], and make [06213] them one [0259] stick [06086], and they shall be one [0259] in mine hand [03027].

² Also, thou son [01121] of man [0120], thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069] unto the land [0127] of Israel [03478]; An end [07093], the end [07093] is come [0935] upon the four [0702] corners [03671] of the land [0776].

¹ He that is wounded in the stones [06481] [01795], or hath his privy member [08212] cut off [03772], shall not enter [0935] into the congregation [06951] of the LORD [03068].

¹¹ Moreover, my father [01], see [07200], yea, see [07200] the skirt [03671] of thy robe [04598] in my hand [03027]: for in that I cut off [03772] the skirt [03671] of thy robe [04598], and killed [02026] thee not, know [03045] thou and see [07200] that there is neither evil [07451] nor transgression [06588] in mine hand [03027], and I have not sinned [02398] against thee; yet thou huntest [06658] my soul [05315] to take [03947] it.

⁵ And it came to pass afterward [0310], that David's [01732] heart [03820] smote [05221] him, because he had cut off [03772] Saul's [07586] skirt [03671].

⁵⁰ And die [04191] in the mount [02022] whither thou goest up [05927], and be gathered [0622] unto thy people [05971]; as Aaron [0175] thy brother [0251] died [04191] in mount [02022] Hor [02023], and was gathered [0622] unto his people [05971]:

²⁴ Aaron [0175] shall be gathered [0622] unto his people [05971]: for he shall not enter [0935] into the land [0776] which I have given [05414] unto the children [01121] of Israel [03478], because ye rebelled against [04784] my word [06310] at the water [04325] of Meribah [04809].

²⁹ And he charged [06680] them, and said [0559] unto them, I am to be gathered [0622] unto my people [05971]: bury [06912] me with my fathers [01] in the cave [04631] that is in the field [07704] of Ephron [06085] the Hittite [02850],

²⁹ And Isaac [03327] gave up the ghost [01478], and died [04191], and was gathered [0622] unto his people [05971], being old [02205] and full [07649] of days [03117]: and his sons [01121] Esau [06215] and Jacob [03290] buried [06912] him.

⁸ Then Abraham [085] gave up the ghost [01478], and died [04191] in a good [02896] old age [07872], an old man [02205], and full [07649] of years; and was gathered [0622] to his people [05971].

¹¹ And it shall come to pass in that day [03117], that the Lord [0136] shall set [03254] his hand [03027] again [03254] the second time [08145] to recover [07069] the remnant [07605] of his people [05971], which shall be left [07604], from Assyria [0804], and from Egypt [04714], and from Pathros [06624], and from Cush [03568], and from Elam [05867], and from Shinar [08152], and from Hamath [02574], and from the islands [0339] of the sea [03220].

⁶ And Saul [07586] said [0559] unto the Kenites [07017], Go [03212], depart [05493], get you down [03381] from among [08432] the Amalekites [06002], lest I destroy [0622] you with them: for ye shewed [06213] kindness [02617] to all the children [01121] of Israel [03478], when they came up [05927] out of Egypt [04714]. So the Kenites [07017] departed [05493] from among [08432] the Amalekites [06003].

¹³ I will surely [0622] consume [05486] them, saith [05002] the LORD [03068]: there shall be no grapes [06025] on the vine [01612], nor figs [08384] on the fig tree [08384], and the leaf [05929] shall fade [05034]; and the things that I have given [05414] them shall pass away [05674] from them.

⁴ Go up [05927] to Hilkiah [02518] the high [01419] priest [03548], that he may sum [08552] the silver [03701] which is brought [0935] into the house [01004] of the LORD [03068], which the keepers [08104] of the door [05592] have gathered [0622] of the people [05971]:

¹⁶ And from thence they went to Beer [0876]: that is the well [0875] whereof the LORD [03068] spake [0559] unto Moses [04872], Gather [0622] the people [05971] together [0622], and I will give [05414] them water [04325].

¹⁰ And six [08337] years [08141] thou shalt sow [02232] thy land [0776], and shalt gather [0622] in the fruits [08393] thereof:

³ All ye inhabitants [03427] of the world [08398], and dwellers [07931] on the earth [0776], see [07200] ye, when he lifteth up [05375] an ensign [05251] on the mountains [02022]; and when he bloweth [08628] a trumpet [07782], hear [08085] ye.

¹⁰ And in that day [03117] there shall be a root [08328] of Jesse [03448], which shall stand [05975] for an ensign [05251] of the people [05971]; to it shall the Gentiles [01471] seek [01875]: and his rest [04496] shall be glorious [03519].