11:8 A baby 1 will play
over the hole of a snake; 2
over the nest 3 of a serpent
an infant 4 will put his hand. 5
1 tn Heb “one sucking,” i.e., still being nursed by his mother.
2 tn Or perhaps, “cobra” (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NCV); KJV, ASV, NRSV “asp.”
3 tc The Hebrew text has the otherwise unattested מְאוּרַת (mÿ’urat, “place of light”), i.e., opening of a hole. Some prefer to emend to מְעָרַת (mÿ’arat, “cave, den”).
4 tn Heb “one who is weaned” (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV).
5 sn The transformation of the animal kingdom depicted here typifies what will occur in human society under the just rule of the ideal king (see vv. 3-5). The categories “predator-prey” (i.e., oppressor-oppressed) will no longer exist.