Isa 11:8

“Happily the Creator has promised by Isaiah to give this power even to little children, of putting their hand in the cockatrice den and on the hole of the young asps without at all receiving hurt. And, indeed, we are aware … that under the figure of scorpions and serpents are portended evil spirits, whose very prince is described by the name of serpent, dragon and every other most conspicuous beast in the power of the Creator. This power the Creator conferred first of all upon his Christ, even as the ninetieth psalm says to him: "Upon the asp and the basilisk shall you tread; the lion and the dragon shall you trample under foot." So also Isaiah: "In that day the Lord God shall draw his sacred, great and strong sword" (even his Christ) "against that dragon, that great and tortuous serpent; and he shall slay him in that day."”

“shall play Heb. וְשִׁעֲשַׁע, shall play. over the hole of an old snake over a hole in the ground in which the snake makes its nest [krot in O.F.], a cave. an old snake פֶּתֶן. A snake, when it ages, becomes deaf and is called פֶּתֶן. From then on, it cannot be charmed; as it is said (Psalms 58:6): “Who will not hearken to the voice of charmers.” and over the eyeball of a venomous snake Jonathan renders: the eyeballs of venomous snakes [מְאוּרַת from אוֹר, light]. Menahem (Machbereth Menachem p. 32) interpreted it as an expression of a hole, namely holes in the ground. Comp. (Gen. 11:28) “The valley of the Chaldees (אוּר)”; (infra 24:15) “In the valleys (בָּאוּרִים) honor the Lord.” a weaned child a child weaned from his mother’s breasts. shall stretch forth his hand Heb. הָדָה. Jonathan renders: shall stretch forth his hands (sic). Comp. (Ezekiel 7:7) “The joyful call (הֵד) of the mountains, also (infra 16: 9) “The cry (הֵידָד),” which is an expression of raising the voice. This, too, is an expression of raising, and the final [letter] ‘heh’ appears in it as a radical which sometimes falls out, like עָשָׂה (made), בָּנָה (built), קָנָה (acquired).”

“372. And the sucking child shall play. Here he shows the security of the young, and he sets out three things: their confidence, where against horror he sets out joy: on the other hole of the asp, that is, on the trials which the devil or a tyrant will send, and immediately, because he has begun to be nourished by the milk of the doctrine of faith: and not only so: but we glory also in tribulation, knowing that tribulation works patience (Rom 5:3); or in converting the wicked: he that hears, let him say: come (Rev 22:17). Against flight, which is indicative of fear, he sets out the daring of invasion; the weaned child, now eating solid food, shall do more, for he shall thrust his hand into the den of the basilisk, that is, the devil, who is king over all the children of pride (Job 41:25); for he will confidently expose himself to the persecutions of tyrants, as did many martyrs: he exults boldly, he goes forward to meet armed men (Job 39:21); or this refers to preachers, who thrust the hand of preaching for the conversion of sinners; or at the breasts, of newness and delight, for the newly converted rejoice at this.”