English Standard Version
Isaiah 37:27
27while their inhabitants, shorn of strength, are dismayed and confounded, and have become like plants of the field and like tender grass, like grass on the housetops, blighted before it is grown.
Isaiah 37:27 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded: they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up.
- New International Version (NIV)Their people, drained of power, are dismayed and put to shame. They are like plants in the field, like tender green shoots, like grass sprouting on the roof, scorched before it grows up.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore their inhabitants had little power; They were dismayed and confounded; They were as the grass of the field And the green herb, As the grass on the housetops And grain blighted before it is grown.
- New Living Translation (NLT)That is why their people have so little power and are so frightened and confused. They are as weak as grass, as easily trampled as tender green shoots. They are like grass sprouting on a housetop, scorched before it can grow lush and tall.
Context of Isaiah 37:27
25I dug wells and drank waters, to dry up with the sole of my foot all the streams of Egypt. 26"'Have you not heard that I determined it long ago? I planned from days of old what now I bring to pass, that you should make fortified cities crash into heaps of ruins, while their inhabitants, shorn of strength, are dismayed and confounded, and have become like plants of the field and like tender grass, like grass on the housetops, blighted before it is grown. 28"'I know your sitting down and your going out and coming in, and your raging against me. 29Because you have raged against me and your complacency has come to my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will turn you back on the way by which you came.'
Read all of Isaiah 37Isaiah 37:27 word by word
וְיֹֽשְׁבֵיהֶן֙ קִצְרֵי־יָ֔ד חַ֖תּוּ וָבֹ֑שׁוּ הָי֞וּ עֵ֤שֶׂב שָׂדֶה֙ וִ֣ירַק דֶּ֔שֶׁא חֲצִ֣יר גַּגּ֔וֹת וּשְׁדֵמָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י קָמָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Therefore their inhabitantsיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- of smallקָצֵרqâtsêr · shortH7116
- powerיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
- they were dismayedחָתַתchâthath · to to be dismayedH2865
- and confoundedבּוֹשׁbûsh · be ashamedH954
- the grassעֵ֫שֶׂב‛eώeb · vegetationH6212
- of the fieldשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: countryH7704
- the greenיָרָקyârâq · herbH3419
- herbדֶּ֫שֶׁאdeshe' · grassH1877
- the grassחָצִירchâtsîyr · grassH2682
- on the housetopsגָּגgâg · roofH1406
- blastedשְׁדֵמָהshedêmâh · fieldH7709
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- it be grown upקָמָהqâmâh · standing grainH7054
Cross-references for Isaiah 37:27
- Isaiah 19:16In that day the Egyptians will be like women, and tremble with fear before the hand that the Lord of hosts shakes over them.
- Numbers 14:9Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them."
- 2 Kings 19:26while their inhabitants, shorn of strength, are dismayed and confounded, and have become like plants of the field and like tender grass, like grass on the housetops, blighted before it is grown.
- Psalms 127:1Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
- Jeremiah 5:10"Go up through her vine rows and destroy, but make not a full end; strip away her branches, for they are not the Lord's.
- Jeremiah 37:10For even if you should defeat the whole army of Chaldeans who are fighting against you, and there remained of them only wounded men, every man in his tent, they would rise up and burn this city with fire.'"
- Isaiah 40:6A voice says, "Cry!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.
- Psalms 37:2For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.
- Psalms 90:5You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning:
- Psalms 92:7that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever;
- Psalms 103:15As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field;
- Psalms 129:6Let them be like the grass on the housetops, which withers before it grows up,
- James 1:10and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away.
- 1 Peter 1:24for "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls,
Commentaries on Isaiah 37:27
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 27Corn blasted - שדמה shedemah, parched: it does not appear that there is any good authority for this word. The true reading seems to be שדפה shedephah, blasted, as it is in six MSS. (two ancient) here, and in the other copy.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 27Therefore - Not because you have so great power; but because I have rendered them incapable of resisting you. Were of small power - Hebrew, Short of hand;‘ they were feeble, imbecile, unable to resist you. They were dismayed - Hebrew, They were broken and ashamed.‘ Their spirits sank; they were ashamed of their feeble powers of resistance; and they submitted to the ignominy of a surrender. They were as the grass of the field - The same idea is expressed…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-38Jerusalem’s rescue from King Sennacherib of Assyria is a main event in Isaiah 1–39. The Lord promised to save his people. He would remain present with Jerusalem (see 7:14). He would also keep a remnant, a small group who would survive (see study note on Isaiah 10:20). Much of the land became empty and the population greatly reduced. This happened because Judah made a foolish alliance with Assyria (chapters 7–8). Even so, the Lord did not allow total…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2727. Therefore--not because of thy power, but because I made them unable to withstand thee. grass--which easily withers (Is 40:6; Psa 37:2). on ... housetops--which having little earth to nourish it fades soonest (Psa 129:6-8). corn blasted before it be grown up--Smith translates, "The cornfield (frail and tender), before the corn is grown."Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 37:27
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 37
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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Commentaries