Where the “O Root of Jesse” antiphon is found in the Bible

As the countdown to Christmas continues, the Church offers the antiphon, “O Root of Jesse.” This antiphon is a direct reference to a prophecy from the book of Isaiah.

The antiphon is translated into English below.

O Root of Jesse’s stem,
sign of God’s love for all his people:
come to save us without delay!

This antiphon is referring to Jesse, the father of David, from whose line Jesus is descended.

But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,
    and from his roots a bud shall blossom.

Isaiah 11:1

On that day,
The root of Jesse,
    set up as a signal for the peoples—
Him the nations will seek out;
    his dwelling shall be glorious.

Isaiah 11:10

Jesus, the root of Jesse, is the fulfillment of this prophecy and is the ultimate sign of God’s love for his people.

Read more:‘O Radix Jesse’: An Old Testament prophecy of the Messiah

Read more:The Great O Antiphons, an Advent tradition