Lexical Summary hadah: To rejoice, to be glad Original Word: הָדָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance put A primitive root (compare yadah); to stretch forth the hand -- put. see HEBREW yadah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition stretch out (the hand) NASB Translation put (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs הָדָה verb stretch out the hand (compare Arabic  lead, guide, Aramaic Pa`el  ) Isaiah 11:8 יָדוֺ הָדָה, followed by עַל, the weaned child shall stretch out his hand upon. Topical Lexicon Range of Meaning and Imagery The verb הָדָה describes the deliberate act of extending or thrusting the hand. In Isaiah 11:8 it depicts a small child confidently putting his hand into the viper’s nest, an action that would be unthinkable in the present fallen order. The single use of the word is therefore saturated with carefully chosen imagery: an effortless, fearless movement that signals the total removal of danger. Immediate Literary Context (Isaiah 11:1-10) The verse stands inside Isaiah’s famous portrait of Messiah’s righteous reign. It follows the promise that “the wolf will dwell with the lamb” (Isaiah 11:6) and culminates in universal knowledge of the Lord (Isaiah 11:9). The unique verb supports the escalating sequence of peace: (1) wild beasts live peaceably with domesticated animals, (2) carnivores become gentle companions to the weakest of human beings, (3) even deadly reptiles offer no threat to infants and toddlers who freely stretch out their hands. Prophetic Picture of Covenant Restoration Isaiah 11:8 previews the reversal of Eden’s curse. The serpent, once the vehicle of humanity’s downfall (Genesis 3:1-5), is rendered harmless under the reign of the second Adam. The child’s fearless gesture dramatizes the restoration of dominion originally granted to humankind (Genesis 1:28), now exercised without arrogance and without risk. The verb הָדָה is thus a hinge that moves the vision from passive coexistence to active engagement—the child does not merely dwell near the serpent’s hole; he initiates contact in perfect safety. Christological Significance The peace depicted flows from the Root of Jesse (Isaiah 11:10). The New Testament consistently identifies Jesus Christ as that Root (Romans 15:12; Revelation 5:5), so הָדָה quietly underlines His comprehensive victory. Where Adam’s hand reached for forbidden fruit, the Messianic child’s hand reaches into the serpent’s dwelling without consequence, signaling the crushing of the serpent’s power promised in Genesis 3:15. Intertextual Echoes • Isaiah 65:25—“The wolf and the lamb will feed together… They will do no harm nor destroy” extends the same theme. Each passage intensifies the assurance that human-animal hostility will be abolished under divine rule. Ministry and Pastoral Implications 1. Hope for Families: Parents plagued by fears for their children find powerful reassurance in the scene of a toddler unharmed amid natural danger. The gospel promises not mere survival but restoration of created order. Theological Summary Through one vivid, hapax verb, Scripture encapsulates the total shalom of the coming kingdom: innocence undisturbed, creation subdued without violence, and the serpent’s threat nullified. הָדָה reminds readers that God’s redemptive plan moves beyond forgiveness of sin to cosmic renewal, where even the smallest child may act with fearless freedom in the presence of once-deadly evil. Forms and Transliterations הָדָֽה׃ הדה׃ hā·ḏāh haDah hāḏāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 11:8 HEB: גָּמ֖וּל יָד֥וֹ הָדָֽה׃ NAS: And the weaned child will put his hand KJV: and the weaned child shall put his hand INT: and the weaned his hand will put |
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