New International Version
Isaiah 37:27
27Their 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.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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 have dug wells in foreign lands and drunk the water there. With the soles of my feet I have dried up all the streams of Egypt.’ 26“Have you not heard? Long ago I ordained it. In days of old I planned it; now I have brought it to pass, that you have turned fortified cities into piles of stone. 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. 28“But I know where you are and when you come and go and how you rage against me. 29Because you rage against me and because your insolence has reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will make you return by the way 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 become weaklings. They will shudder with fear at the uplifted hand that the Lord Almighty raises against them.
- Numbers 14:9Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”
- 2 Kings 19:26Their 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.
- Psalms 127:1Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.
- Jeremiah 5:10“Go through her vineyards and ravage them, but do not destroy them completely. Strip off her branches, for these people do not belong to the Lord.
- Jeremiah 37:10Even if you were to defeat the entire Babylonian army that is attacking you and only wounded men were left in their tents, they would come out and burn this city down.”
- Isaiah 40:6A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?” “All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
- Psalms 37:2for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
- Psalms 90:5Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death— they are like the new grass of the morning:
- Psalms 92:7that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever.
- Psalms 103:15The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field;
- Psalms 129:6May they be like grass on the roof, which withers before it can grow;
- James 1:10But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower.
- 1 Peter 1:24For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,
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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