Isaiah 40:11 (ASV)

Passage

He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom, [and] will gently lead those that have their young.

Nearby Context

Isaiah 40:9 O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up on a high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold, your God!

Isaiah 40:10 Behold, the Lord Jehovah will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him: Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.

Isaiah 40:11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom, [and] will gently lead those that have their young.

Isaiah 40:12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

Isaiah 40:13 Who hath directed the Spirit of Jehovah, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "feed", "flock", "like", "shepherd", "gather", "lambs", "carry", and "bosom". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "feed" and "flock", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 10's "Behold the Lord Jehovah will come as..." into verse 12's "Who hath measured the waters in the...", so "feed" and "flock" belong inside that flow. In Isaiah context, the local focus is the Holy One of Israel, judgment and restoration, the servant of the LORD, and Zion's hope.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "feed" and "flock" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.