He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse isn't just about a shepherd's gentle care; it emphasizes God's special attention to the most vulnerable: the young lambs and the nursing mothers, highlighting his intimate, protective love for those who need it most. This detail paints a picture of God's tender, personal affection, not just broad leadership.
He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse shifts from God's mighty judgment against his enemies (chapters 39-40) to his tender care for his people, the exiles in Babylon. After proclaiming God's incomparable power and the futility of idols, the prophet illustrates this divine care with the metaphor of a shepherd. This imagery anticipates the return from exile and God's ongoing, gentle leadership of his flock through all their needs.
We often think of shepherds as just tending sheep, but the imagery here goes so much deeper. What does it truly mean to 'feed' a flock?
The Hebrew word translated as 'feed' (ירעה - yire'eh) encompasses the full scope of a shepherd's responsibility. It's not just about providing food, but also about guarding, governing, providing pasture, and defending from danger.
This image is used repeatedly in Scripture to describe God's relationship with His people.
The imagery of gathering lambs in arms and carrying them in a bosom is incredibly tender. What does this tell us about God's heart for the vulnerable?
This verse paints a vivid picture of God's specific care for the most vulnerable within His flock:
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This isn't just general care; it's highly personalized compassion for those who need it most.
Understand the original words
rā‘â · Hebrew Verb (participle used as a noun)
One who tends, feeds, and guards sheep. Biblically, it refers to God's leadership of His people and the responsibility of leaders to sacrificially care for the flock entrusted to them.
This verse offers a profound image of God's tender care during the exiles' difficult journey home, emphasizing gentleness and protection for the vulnerable, not harsh judgment.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
King Sennacherib of Assyria campaigns in Judah, besieging Jerusalem. Though he withdraws, the threat and its aftermath deeply impact the Judean kingdom.
597 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon captures Jerusalem and deports King Jehoiachin and many of the elite to Babylon, marking the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and the First Temple, exiling most of the remaining population to Babylon. This event devastates the Judean people.
c. 550 BC
Persian Empire Rises
Cyrus the Great founds the Persian Empire, which will soon conquer Babylon and allow the Jewish exiles to return home.
539 BC
Fall of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon. This paves the way for the decree that allows the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple.
c. 538 BC— this verse
Edict of Cyrus and Return from Exile
Cyrus issues a decree allowing exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem. This marks the beginning of the return and rebuilding process, offering a vision of hope and restoration.
This Psalm is the most famous expression of God as a shepherd, mirroring Isaiah's imagery of tending, leading, and providing for His flock.
John 10:11Jesus explicitly identifies Himself as the Good Shepherd, contrasting His tender care with the self-serving nature of hirelings, directly echoing Isaiah's tender depiction.
Ezekiel 34:11-16This passage describes God's judgment on neglectful shepherds and His promise to seek out and care for His sheep Himself, much like the tender actions described in Isaiah.
Hebrews 13:20This verse refers to Jesus as the 'great shepherd of the sheep' through the blood of the eternal covenant, linking the shepherd imagery to His atoning work and enduring care.
Isaiah 63:9This earlier passage in Isaiah speaks of God carrying His people in their great trials, using similar language of carrying and compassion that is reflected in the shepherd imagery of chapter 40.
barnesIsaiah 40:11: "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."
He shall feed his flock - In the previous verse, the fact had been asserted that God would come to subdue his foes, and to reward his people. In this verse, the mild and gentle character of his government over his people is predicted. It would not be that of a conqueror over vanquished subjects; but it would be mild and te…
cambridgeIsaiah 40:11: "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."
11 . Jehovah as the Good Shepherd: an ideal picture of the homeward journey of the exiles, hardly of the permanent relations of Jehovah to His people in the final dispensation. The same image is used of the Restoration in Jeremiah 23:1 ff; Jeremiah 31:10 ; Ezekiel 34:11 ff.; Isaiah 49:9 ; cf. Isaiah 63:11 . those that are…
This verse isn't just about a shepherd's gentle care; it emphasizes God's special attention to the most vulnerable: the young lambs and the nursing mothers, highlighting his intimate, protective love for those who need it most. This detail paints a picture of God's tender, personal affection, not just broad leadership.
This verse shifts from God's mighty judgment against his enemies (chapters 39-40) to his tender care for his people, the exiles in Babylon. After proclaiming God's incomparable power and the futility of idols, the prophet illustrates this divine care with the metaphor of a shepherd. This imagery anticipates the return from exile and God's ongoing, gentle leadership of his flock through all their needs.
This verse shifts from God's mighty judgment against his enemies (chapters 39-40) to his tender care for his people, the exiles in Babylon. After proclaiming God's incomparable power and the futility of idols, the prophet illustrates this divine care with the metaphor of a shepherd. This imagery anticipates the return from exile and God's ongoing, gentle leadership of his flock through all their needs.
"He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young." — This verse isn't just about a shepherd's gentle care; it emphasizes God's special attention to the most vulnerable: the young lambs and the nursing mothers, highlighting his intimate, protective lo…
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Last reviewed October 2026