The Good Counselor in the Prophet Isaiah

By Naomi Kohen

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In his vision of the standard of leadership, Isaiah highlights the wisdom, justice, righteousness, and enduring peace of the “Good Counselor” (Pele Yo‘etz, פֶּלֶא יוֹעֵץ). Jewish and Christian traditions differ in their interpretations of Isaiah’s prophecy, but both perspectives provide us guidance as attorneys to emulate divine standards of moral leadership, wise counsel, and devotion to justice.

I. What Is the “Good Counselor”?

The phrase Pele Yo‘etz is traditionally translated as “Wondrous Adviser” or “Wondrous Counselor.” Pele connotes something extraordinary or miraculous (see also Exodus 15:11, discussing God splitting the sea during the exodus from Egypt). Yo‘etz means counselor or advisor; Isaiah also uses the term when discussing the restoration of righteous judges at the redemption of Zion (Isaiah 1:26-27). Isaiah further prophesied that the Good Counselor will reign “with justice (mishpat) and righteousness (tzedakah),” the same words used in 1:27. Justice and righteousness are fundamental leadership virtues recurring in the texts of the prophets (cf. Jeremiah 22:3). We can therefore infer that these virtues are essential traits of the Good Counselor without which we cannot have “peace without end.”  

Two central elements characterize the Good Counselor:

1. Authority through justice and righteousness

Isaiah prophesies that the Good Counselor has the authority of the Davidic reign not for his own personal gain but to “establish [his kingdom] and support it with justice and righteousness.” Ultimately this kingdom is God’s, because the Lord of Hosts is the one who shall truly accomplish its establishment and support. Therefore, the Good Counselor must emulate God’s justice and righteousness in order to appropriately bear the mantle of authority with which God has entrusted him. The Good Counselor bears responsibility for others and exercises leadership for the common good.

2. Leadership towards restorative peace

God calls the Good Counselor the שַׂר־שָׁלוֹם (Sar Shalom), commonly translated alliteratively as “Prince of Peace,” though a more accurate translation of sar is “leader” (see Chronicles 15:22), “commander” (see I Kings 16:16), or chief executive (see Genesis chapter 40, discussing Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer and chief baker). Rather than connoting an elevated status, sar reiterates the emphasis on leadership that is the responsibility of the Good Counselor.  

Shalom is literally translated as “peace,” but means more than the absence of conflict. The word is derived from the root “shalem,” meaning wholeness, and is also etymologically connected to “Jerusalem.” Zion, as mentioned above in Isaiah 1:26, is both another name for Jerusalem and refers metonymically to the Jewish people. (See Psalms 137:1–6; Lamentations 4:2; Isaiah 51:16). By pursuing peace without end through righteousness and justice as the sar shalom, the Good Counselor aids in the redemption of Zion with the restoration of righteous judges. (Isaiah 1:26-27). The Good Counselor therefore seeks not simply victory, but renewal in line with God’s standards.

II. The Christian Perspective

Christian interpretation identifies Isaiah’s prophecy with Jesus as the Good Counselor. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke connect “a child…born to us” with the nativity narratives of Jesus as the promised messiah. Matthew 1:22-23 explicitly connects Isaiah’s prophecies to Jesus. The Gospel of John describes the Holy Spirit as Parakletos, often translated as “Advocate” or “Counselor” (John 14:16).

In chapter 26 of his Dialogue with Trypho, Justin Martyr stated that the descriptor “angel of mighty counsel” affirmed Jesus’ divine nature. “And when Isaiah calls Him the Angel of mighty counsel, did he not foretell Him to be the Teacher of those truths which He did teach when He came [to earth]? For He alone taught openly those mighty counsels which the Father designed both for all those who have been and shall be well-pleasing to Him, and also for those who have rebelled against His will…” The apostle Paul called Jesus “the power of God and the wisdom of God” (I Corinthians 1:24). Here, the title “Wonderful Counselor” reflects Jesus’ teaching ministry and moral guidance.

1. Authority through justice and righteousness

In Romans 3:26, Paul speaks of God as both “just and the justifier” in divine righteousness, suggesting that divine justice is not abandoned in mercy but fulfilled through it. In the Christian view, the voluntary death of Jesus is a saving act that heals the rupture caused by sin and restores man to right relationship with God. The cross is understood as the convergence of justice and grace: wrongdoing results in Jesus’s undeserved death, yet it is through this very sacrifice that sinners can be restored to unity with God.  

2. Leadership towards restorative peace

From a Christian viewpoint, the Good Counselor embodies perfect wisdom because he reflects God’s will. Jesus states in the Gospel of John that “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me” (John 5:30). By perfectly uniting his will to that of God the Father, Jesus demonstrates the connection of shalem (unity) and shalom (peace). Peace is ultimately spiritual reconciliation between humanity and God, extending outward into social peace.  

In Ephesians 2:14, Jesus “himself is our peace” creating unity from division. Christian thought views peace as both vertical (between humanity and God) and horizontal (among people). (See Romans 5:1) Saint Augustine defined peace as “the tranquility of order” where all things are allotted to their own places, which then creates concord between individuals, the domestic unit, and the citizens (City of God, XIX.13). He further reflects our earlier formulation of peace being a restoring force rather than the mere absence of conflict: “There may be peace without war, but there cannot be war without some kind of peace, because war supposes the existence of some natures to wage it, and these natures cannot exist without peace of one kind or other.” (Id.)

III. The Jewish Perspective

In Jewish interpretation, Isaiah 9:6–7 is read within its historical prophetic context. Isaiah prophesied during a time of political crisis in Judah, when Jerusalem was under threat from Assyria. The prevailing view among Jewish scholars is that the passage refers to King Hezekiah. According to Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, 11th century scholar and preeminent Biblical commentator), the exalted titles describe God’s attributes rather than the child’s divinity (Rashi on Isaiah 9:6). Unlike Christian doctrine, Judaism maintains that the messiah is a human leader who will establish global peace and justice (Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Kings 11–12).

1. Authority through justice and righteousness

Jewish theology emphasizes justice and righteousness as covenantal obligations. “You shall appoint magistrates and officials for your tribes in all the settlements that the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall govern the people with due justice. You shall not judge unfairly: you shall show no partiality; you shall not take bribes, for bribes blind the eyes of the discerning and upset the plea of the just. Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may thrive and occupy the land that the Lord your God is giving you” (Deuteronomy 16:18-20). Isaiah’s prophecy uses the same words for justice and righteousness in reiterating the connection between authority and how it should be used.

2. Leadership towards restorative peace

Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel (c.40 – c.80 CE scholar and leader of the Great Sanhedrin) taught that “the world stands on three things: on justice, on truth, and on peace, as it is said: ‘execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates’” (Pirkei Avot 1:18, quoting Zechariah 8:16). Isaiah’s and Micah’s redemptive visions of people beating their swords into ploughshares and nation not lifting the sword against nation are preceded by God judging between the nations and reproving many peoples (Isaiah 2:4; Micah 4:3). Spiritual justice becomes tangible and geopolitical, bringing about the well-ordered society that Saint Augustine referenced.

IV. Integrating both perspectives as Good (Legal) Counselors

Though Christian and Jewish interpretations differ theologically, they converge on crucial principles relevant to legal practice.

1. Law rooted in justice

Both traditions emphasize justice and righteousness as paramount to the peaceful and moral society of Isaiah’s prophecy. A lawyer must pursue more than technical victory; the aim should be fairness and integrity.

2. Counsel as moral guidance

The Good Counselor is not merely a strategist but a moral guide. By integrating wisdom with compassion, always with the north star of justice and righteousness, lawyers reflect the ideal of “Wonderful Counselor.” From the Christian perspective, this means embodying mercy and reconciliation. From the Jewish perspective, it means fidelity to law and ethical obligation.

3. Authority as responsibility

“The authority is upon his shoulder.” Lawyers wield significant influence over rights, liberty, and even life. We must exercise this authority with humility and accountability so that we too can live the values of the sar shalom.  

4. Pursuit of peace

Both perspectives elevate restorative peace as the ultimate goal. In legal practice, this goes beyond conflict resolution strategies to a broader approach of establishing proper order and concord through righteous justice. Even litigation, which seems superficially to be the opposite of peace, can become a path to peace through this framework.

5. Synergy of justice and redemption

Christian theology provides a transcendent vision of redemption; Jewish tradition emphasizes concrete justice in daily life. The merging of these perspectives encourages lawyers to utilize a practical, disciplined application of law with a broader view of the transforming nature of divine grace through justice.

V. Conclusion

Isaiah 9:6–7 presents a vision of leadership characterized by wisdom, justice, righteousness, and enduring peace. The Good Counselor is one whose advice is wondrous because it aligns authority and leadership with God’s desired moral framework.

The Christian perspective sees this prophecy fulfilled in Jesus, emphasizing divine incarnation and redemptive peace. The Jewish perspective situates the prophecy historically, emphasizing ethical governance and strict fairness in justice. Despite theological differences, both traditions converge on essential virtues: wise counsel, just leadership, and commitment to peace. For lawyers, these shared principles offer profound guidance. In the Good Counselor paradigm, to be a good lawyer is not merely to master black-letter law and persuasive argumentation, but to embody wisdom and responsibility in the model of Isaiah’s prophecy. In our development as good legal counselors, we strive towards the enduring vision of justice and righteousness described by the prophet: authority exercised wisely, justice upheld faithfully, and peace pursued without end.