The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,” says the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse isn't just describing a peaceful animal kingdom; it's a profound declaration that the very curse brought on by sin, specifically the serpent's fate in Genesis, will be reversed. The serpent, whose food was dust as a symbol of its humiliation, will find its nature so altered it's no longer a threat.
The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,” says the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage appears at the end of a powerful section where God describes His ultimate restoration of creation, offering a vision of a new heavens and a new earth. Following God’s promises to create a new Jerusalem filled with rejoicing and His people filled with joy, this verse vividly paints a picture of perfect peace and harmony throughout the natural world. It culminates the prophecy by assuring the complete absence of harm and destruction in God’s holy presence.
Imagine a world where the predator and prey live side-by-side, where a lion dines on grass. What does this profound shift reveal about God's ultimate intentions?
This vivid imagery in Isaiah 65:25 paints a picture of a future kingdom where the very fabric of nature is transformed. The traditional predator-prey relationships, a consequence of the Fall, are completely undone.
A Changed Creation
This isn't just about animals; it's a metaphor for a world free from violence, aggression, and destruction. It points to a time when all of God's creation will be restored to its intended harmony, free from the corrupting influence of sin.
The promise of peace is anchored to a specific location: 'my holy mountain.' What makes this place so secure, and who truly belongs there?
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The phrase 'my holy mountain' is key to understanding the scope of this promise. It's not just a general peace for the whole earth, but a specific guarantee within God's dwelling place.
A Sanctuary of Security
This refers to God's ultimate kingdom, a place of perfect fellowship with Him, where His people will dwell in unending security and peace, a foretaste of the new heavens and new earth.
Understand the original words
qodesh har · Hebrew Noun Phrase
The sacred high place where God dwells, often associated with Zion or Jerusalem in the Psalms and Prophets. It symbolizes the presence of God and his sovereign authority over all creation.
This verse, echoing earlier prophecies from Isaiah 11, describes a future, perfect state of peace and harmony. Its fulfillment is seen progressively, beginning with the transformed relationships brought by the gospel in the early church, and ultimately realized in the eschatological new creation.
~700 BC
Prophecies of Restoration
Isaiah prophesies the future restoration of Judah after the Babylonian exile and the eventual coming of the Messiah.
c. 586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Babylonian forces destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling many Israelites, fulfilling earlier prophecies of judgment.
c. 538 BC
Return from Exile
Cyrus the Great allows the first wave of exiles to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple and the city.
c. 167-164 BC
Maccabean Revolt
Jewish resistance against Seleucid oppression, leading to a period of religious and political freedom.
c. 4 BC - c. AD 30/33
Life and Ministry of Jesus
The earthly ministry of Jesus, whose teachings and miracles foreshadowed a new covenant and a transformed creation.
c. AD 30-200— this verse
Early Church and Spread of Gospel
The birth of the Christian church and the expansion of the gospel message to Gentiles, beginning the fulfillment of prophecies.
Revelation 20-21
New Heavens and New Earth
The book of Revelation depicts the ultimate consummation of God's plan with a new heaven and a new earth where sin and its effects are no more.
This passage is a foundational parallel, describing a similar future peace in God's holy mountain, directly quoted and expanded upon in Isaiah 65:25.
Genesis 3:14Isaiah 65:25 directly alludes to the curse on the serpent, indicating a reversal or confinement of its destructive nature in the new creation.
Romans 8:19-22This New Testament passage speaks of the groaning and travailing of all creation, longing for liberation, which finds its ultimate fulfillment in the peaceful restoration described in Isaiah 65:25.
Revelation 21:1-5The vision of a new heaven and a new earth in Revelation directly echoes the theme of God making all things new and dwelling with His people, aligning with the ultimate hope presented in Isaiah 65:25.
barnesIsaiah 65:25: "The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD."
The wolf and the lamb shall feed together - (See the notes at Isaiah 11 .) And the lion shall eat straw - Shall eat hay or provender like the ox. The food of the lion now is flesh. Changes shall take place as great as if his nature were changed, and he should graze with the herds o…
gillIsaiah 65:25: "The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD."
The wolf and the lamb shall feed together,.... Or, "as one" (k): as if they were one, of the same kind and nature, and lived upon the same food. The people of God are comparable to lambs, for their harmlessness and innocence; and wicked men to wolves, for their fierceness and cruel…
This verse isn't just describing a peaceful animal kingdom; it's a profound declaration that the very curse brought on by sin, specifically the serpent's fate in Genesis, will be reversed. The serpent, whose food was dust as a symbol of its humiliation, will find its nature so altered it's no longer a threat.
This passage appears at the end of a powerful section where God describes His ultimate restoration of creation, offering a vision of a new heavens and a new earth. Following God’s promises to create a new Jerusalem filled with rejoicing and His people filled with joy, this verse vividly paints a picture of perfect peace and harmony throughout the natural world. It culminates the prophecy by assuring the complete absence of harm and destruction in God’s holy presence.
This passage appears at the end of a powerful section where God describes His ultimate restoration of creation, offering a vision of a new heavens and a new earth. Following God’s promises to create a new Jerusalem filled with rejoicing and His people filled with joy, this verse vividly paints a picture of perfect peace and harmony throughout the natural world. It culminates the prophecy by assuring the complete absence of harm and destruction in God’s holy presence.
"The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,”…" — This verse isn't just describing a peaceful animal kingdom; it's a profound declaration that the very curse brought on by sin, specifically the serpent's fate in Genesis, will be reversed. The serp…
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Last reviewed October 2026