New King James Version
Isaiah 37:27
27Therefore 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.
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.
- 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 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 and drunk water, And with the soles of my feet I have dried up All the brooks of defense.’ 26“Did you not hear long ago How I made it, From ancient times that I formed it? Now I have brought it to pass, That you should be For crushing fortified cities into heaps of ruins. 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. 28“But I know your dwelling place, Your going out and your coming in, And your rage against Me. 29Because your rage against Me and your tumult Have come up to My ears, Therefore I will put My hook in your nose And My bridle in your lips, And I will turn you back By the way 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 Egypt will be like women, and will be afraid and fear because of the waving of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which He waves over it.
- Numbers 14:9Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.”
- 2 Kings 19:26Therefore 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.
- Psalms 127:1Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.
- Jeremiah 5:10“Go up on her walls and destroy, But do not make a complete end. Take away her branches, For they are not the Lord’s.
- Jeremiah 37:10For though you had defeated the whole army of the Chaldeans who fight against you, and there remained only wounded men among them, they would rise up, every man in his tent, and burn the city with fire.’ ”
- Isaiah 40:6The voice said, “Cry out!” And he said, “What shall I cry?” “All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.
- Psalms 37:2For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb.
- Psalms 90:5You carry them away like a flood; They are like a sleep. In the morning they are like grass which grows up:
- Psalms 92:7When the wicked spring up like grass, And when all the workers of iniquity flourish, It is that they may be destroyed forever.
- Psalms 103:15As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
- Psalms 129:6Let them be as the grass on the housetops, Which withers before it grows up,
- James 1:10but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away.
- 1 Peter 1:24because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away,
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries