Isaiah 11:5

Isa 11:5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

Ver. 5. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins.] Symbolum Regis hoc est, saith Scultetus. Kings and princes have their scita in scutis, their mottoes on their shields; so hath our king here, viz., "Righteousness and faithfulness"; and this is so manifest as if written on his girdle, {a} or belt, see Rev 19:16; where, for like cause, Christ’s high titles are written "on his vesture, and on his thigh." Others by this expression understand Christ’s alacrity and promptitude to vindicate his elect, and to punish the wicked, according to his promise, Vaticinatur de Christi solertia in obeundis regni Dei negotiis, ac tribuit illi cincturam, seu industriam spiritualem pro qualilate obeundae dispensationis. {b} Let us also, Christ-like, "gird up the loins of our minds; be sober, and hope perfectly." {1Pe 1:13} Gird ourselves, and serve him, {Luk 17:8} readily, nimbly, handsomely, and hardily. A loose, discinct, and diffluent (fluid) mind is unfit for God’s service.

{a} The belt is put for a kingly ensign. Calvin. {Job 12:18}

{b} Zeged.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Isa_11:5

And righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins and faithfulness the girdle of His reins

The right girdle

I.

We have the Saviour here represented in His RIGHTEOUSNESS. The Saviour was abstractedly, in and of and from Himself, righteous. But the righteousness here means the actual accomplishment of His mission. He saith of Himself. Ought not Christ to suffer these things? But He was not only righteous in His work, He was righteous on all sides. Righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins; go all round Him. That cannot be said of us except by faith. By faith we put on the girdle of righteousness. But personally we are compassed with infirmity. Not so the Saviour. He was tempted or tried, but never showed a weak part anywhere. Not only was He righteous, He was also strong.

II. We have the Saviour here represented in His FAITHFULNESS. By the reins, as Cruden well observes, the vital affections of the soul are meant. Did Christs vital affections ever give way? No! How faithful He was in love! (James Wells.)

Girdles

Girdles of various kinds, made of valuable materials, were anciently worn by persons of high rank, which distinguished them from those of inferior station, by whom girdles of some sort were likewise worn. The girdles which the priests put on were made of gold, of blue, of purple, scarlet, and fine-twined linen. The military girdle was sometimes of considerable excellence and value, as is plainly intimated in what Joab said to the young man who informed him he had seen Absalom hanging in a tree (2Sa_18:11). (R. Macculloch.)

Righteousness and faithfulness

Righteousness and faithfulness, agreeably blended together, compose the girdle of the Messiah. These two amiable qualities cannot be separated, and serve mutually to illustrate each other; faithfulness is necessary to fulfil the promises of God, and righteousness is no less requisite to discern the characters of those to whom they ought to be fulfilled, in what measure, and in what time they should be accomplished. (R. Macculloch.)

Christ's girdle

1. As a girdle surrounds a mans whole body, and is seen to advantage whithersoever he turn himself, so, in like manner, these two Divine excellences should every way appear most conspicuous in the Messiahs administration of the affairs of His kingdom.

2. As the girdles which were anciently worn, served to fasten the loose and flowing garments that were then used and to strengthen the loins of those who were girt with them, so these glorious perfections complete the character of the King of Israel and give vigour to the honourable and successful exercise of regal authority.

3. As girdles served in ancient times for ornaments to the illustrious persons who put them on, so righteousness and faithfulness were eminently to adorn the personal conduct and public character of the Prince of Peace, the King of kings, and Lord of lords (Rev_19:11). (R. Macculloch.)

The trilogy of the prophetic figures of the Messiah

The trilogy of the prophetic figures of the Messiah as about to be born, as born, and as ruling--is now complete. (F. Delitzsch, D. D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Isa 11:5. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins — It shall adorn him, and be the glory of his government, as a girdle was used for an ornament, Isa 3:24; and as an ensign of power, Job 12:18; and it shall constantly cleave to him in all his administrations, as a girdle cleaveth to a man’s loins. And faithfulness the girdle of his reins — The same thing in other words. Here then we have the basis and foundation of this kingdom, namely, the justice and fidelity of the king. These virtues shall be conspicuous in the whole administration of his government, and, at once, be the ornament and the support of it. “The sum is, that the kingdom of Christ should be a kingdom of the highest equity, and the king of it perfect: who, though judging his true subjects by the law of grace, by faithfully performing all the promises of the gospel, and every condition of the covenant to them, will yet not omit to punish the enemies of his church according to their deserts, and thus to satisfy the law of justice: so that he shall not be less venerable and awful for his justice in judgment, than amiable and desirable for his truth, fidelity, and constancy in performing his promises; which being things naturally united, are not, by any means, to be separated.” — Dodd.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11:5 By virtue of the righteous character of the Messiah, his reign will be characterized by justice, righteousness, and truth, in contrast to the conditions of Jerusalem described in 1:21.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

righteousness . . . girdle-- (Rev 1:13; Rev 19:11). The antitypical High Priest (Exo 28:4). The girdle secures firmly the rest of the garments (Pe1 1:13). So "truth" gives firm consistency to the whole character (Eph 5:14). In Isa 59:17, "righteousness" is His breastplate.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 5. The girdle - "The cincture"] All the ancient Versions, except that of Symmachus, have two different words for girdle in the two hemistichs. It is not probable that Isaiah would have repeated אזור azer, when a synonymous word so obvious as חגור chagor occurred. The tautology seems to have arisen from the mistake of some transcriber. The meaning of this verse is, that a zeal for justice and truth shall make him active and strong in executing the great work which he shall undertake. See note on Isa 5:27.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(5) Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins . . .—The image of clothing as the symbol of habit or character was already familiar (Psa_109:18-19). The repetition of “girdle” has needlessly offended some fastidious critics, but the emphasis of iteration is quite after Isaiah’s manner (Isa_15:8; Isa_16:7; Isa_17:12-13). It perhaps implies an upper and a lower girdle as the symbol of complete equipment. In the “loins girt about with truth” of Eph_6:14, we may probably trace an allusive reference. The armour of the followers of Christ was to be like that of Christ Himself.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5. “Righteousness” and “faithfulness” are the strength of the Messiah’s government (ch. Isa_9:7). The girdle is the symbol of resolute and vigorous action. Comp. the “girdle of truth” in Eph_6:14.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins,.... He shall be adorned with it, strengthened by it, and ready at all times to perform it; he loved righteousness, and did acts of righteousness throughout the whole course of his life; and, by his active and passive obedience, wrought out an everlasting righteousness for his people; he is a King that reigns in righteousness, righteousness is the sceptre of his kingdom; all his administrations of government are righteous; just and true are all his ways:

and faithfulness the girdle of his reins; he was faithful to God, that appointed him as King and Head of the church; faithful as a Prophet, in declaring his mind and will; and is a faithful High Priest, as well as a merciful one. The Targum, interprets this of righteous and faithful men, thus,

"and the righteous shall be round about him, and they that work (the work) of faith shall draw nigh unto him;''

but it is said of a single person, of the Messiah only, to whom it properly belongs.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

And righteousness shall be the gridle of his loins - The sense of this verse is plain. He will always exhibit himself as a just and faithful king. “The girdle of the loins” refers to the cincture, or band, with which the ancients girded themselves. A part of their dress consisted of an outward, loose, flowing robe. This robe it was necessary to gird up, or to confine close to the body in active labor, or in running; and the meaning of the figure used here is, probably, that the virtues of righteousness and justice would adhere to him as closely and inseparably as the garment does to the body to which it was bound. The figure of representing the virtues as clothing, or describing them as parts of dress with which we are invested, is common in the Scriptures:

I put on righteousness, and it clothes me;

My judgment was as a robe and a diadem.

Job 29:14.

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,

My soul shall be joyful in my God;

For he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation,

He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness,

As a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments,

And as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

Isa 61:10.

Compare Rev 19:8, and Paul’s beautiful description in Eph 6:13-17. In like manner, vice and wickedness are sometimes represented as so closely adhering to a man as to be a part of his very clothing; Psa 109:18-19 :

He clothed himself with cursing, like as with a garment.

Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him,

And for a girdle, wherewith he is girded continually.

The Chaldee renders this, ‘And the just shall be round about him on every side - סחור סחור sehôr sehôr - and the servants of truth shall come near to him.’ The idea is, that he shall be distinguished for justice and truth, and that a zeal for these shall make him strong and active in executing the purposes of his reign. This closes the description of the “personal” qualities of the Messiah. The account of the effects of his reign follows in the subsequent verses.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Reins. He shall possess these virtues, performing his promises with the strictest fidelity. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Shall be the girdle of his loins; it shall adorn him, and be the glory of his government, as a girdle was used for ornament, Isa 3:24, and as an ensign of power, Job 12:18; and it shall constantly cleave to him, in all his administrations, as a girdle cleaveth to a man’s loins, which is the prophet’s similitude, Jer 13:11.

The girdle of his reins; the same thing in other words.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

5. Righteousness… girdle of his loins — That which is spotlessly just in his dealings with men is, by figure, the cincture or band which shall engirdle him.

Girdle — This essential article in the dress of the East, both among men and women — worn about the waist, or, if loose, the loins — was of leather or linen, cheap or costly, and was used to hold in place or gird up, as might be needed, the outside flowing garment which it enclosed. It was common to represent the better habits under the figure of clothing; the meaning of which was, that they adhere to character as inseparably and closely as the garment did to the body to which it was bound. Job_29:14; Psa_109:18; Isa_61:10.

Nothing is more clear than that the new succession out of Jesse is the Messiah, with features in the description here much like those belonging to the humble and holy Jesus of Nazareth. “The root of Jesse” is a figure which answers to the lowly remnant-reduction of Israel, who become, instead of a worldly Davidic house, a lowly body of true adherents to Jehovah despite of all vicissitudes and tribulations; and become, also, the genuine stock out of which the incarnate and true David is to arise. As a ruler and administrator he is, in the last five verses, set before us as making earth as peaceful a realm as is heaven, the ideal realm divinely intended for king David to build up, but in respect to which himself, but more particularly his successors on the throne, had made a shocking failure.

The verses following (6-9) present in a strain of allegory the results of Messiah’s righteous and peaceful government.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, etc.; i.e. "righteousness shall be ever with him, ever ready for active use, ever (as it were) bracing him for action." Assuredly, he was "righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works". (Psa_145:17) Faithfulness. (comp. Eph_6:14, "Having your loins girt about with truth

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The girdle - It shall adorn him, and be the glory of his government, as a girdle was used for an ornament, chap. iii, 24, and as an ensign of power, Job xii, 18, and it shall constantly cleave to him in all his administrations, as a girdle cleaveth to a man's loins.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

“And righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and faithfulness the girdle of His reins” (i.e., He shall be clothed or invested with these attributes, and they shall adhere closely to Him). The metaphor of putting on or clothing one’s self with moral attributes is not infrequent in the Scriptures. The girdle is mentioned as an essential part of oriental dress, and that which keeps the others in their proper place, and qualifies the wearer for exertion.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Prophecies of Isaiah (1846–1847; New York: Scribner, 1870–1878) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins Jonathan [renders:] And the righteous shall surround him; i.e., they will cleave to him like a girdle.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

And righteousness shall be, etc. And uprightness will never depart from him in all his doings.

Ibn Ezra on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0); and “Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.