Isaiah 5:27

Isa 5:27 None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken:

Ver. 27. None shall be weary nor stumble.] Though they come speedily, yet they shall none of them tire or turn out of the way, but come on with expedition, robusti, alacres, felices, probe armati, saevi {Isa 5:27-29} being lively, lusty, happy, well appointed, fierce.

None shall slumber or sleep.] More than the necessity of nature requireth; they shall be no less vigilant than diligent.

Neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed.] They may put up their swords sometimes, but not put them off at all, as it is said of Julius Caesar.

Nor the latchet,] i.e., So as to hinder their march.

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 5:27-29. None, &c. — In these verses the prophet describes the quality of the forces which should come against Jerusalem; their vigour, activity, and diligence, Isa 5:27; their military expedition, readiness, skilfulness, and apparatus, Isa 5:28; their fortitude and undaunted courage, Isa 5:29; for all which particulars the Romans were remarkably eminent. — Dodd. None shall be weary — Though their march be long and tedious. As I have called them to this work, so I will assist them in it. None shall slumber nor sleep — They shall all be watchful and diligent to take all opportunities of executing my judgments. Nor the latchet, &c., be broken — I will take all impediments out of their way. Whose arrows are sharp — Who are every way furnished and ready for my work, waiting only for my command. Their horses’ hoofs like flint — Because they shall not be broken or battered by the length or stoniness and ruggedness of the way. And their wheels like a whirlwind — For the swiftness of their march, and for the force and violence of their chariots in battle. They shall roar like young lions — Which signifies both their cruelty, and their eagerness to catch and devour the prey. They shall lay hold on the prey, &c. — These words do not agree to the Assyrians, for they were forced to retreat with great shame and loss, and the Jews were delivered from them: but they agree perfectly both to the Chaldeans and the Romans, both of whom carried the prey away safe, and none delivered it — That is, neither the Jews themselves, nor any of their confederates, to whose help they trusted.

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

They shall be prompt and lusty to execute God’s vengeance.

The enemy shall have none impediment.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

weary--with long marches (Deu 25:18).

none . . . slumber--requiring no rest.

girdle--with which the ancient loose robes used to be girded for action. Ever ready for march or battle.

nor the latchet . . . broken--The soles were attached to the feet, not by upper leather as with us, but by straps. So securely clad that not even a strap of their sandals gives way, so as to impede their march.

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 27. None - among them] Kimchi has well illustrated this continued exaggeration or hyperbole, as he rightly calls it, to the following effect: "Through the greatness of their courage they shall not be fatigued with their march; nor shall they stumble though they march with the utmost speed: they shall not slumber by day, nor sleep by night; neither shall they ungird their armour, or put off their sandals to take their rest. Their arms shall be always in readiness, their arrows sharpened, and their bows bent. The hoofs of their horses are hard as a rock. They shall not fail, or need to be shod with iron: the wheels of their carriages shall move as rapidly as a whirlwind."

Neither shall the girdle] The Eastern people, wearing long and loose garments, were unfit for action or business of any kind, without girding their clothes about them. When their business was finished they took off their girdles. A girdle therefore denotes strength and activity; and to unloose the girdle is to deprive of strength, to render unfit for action. God promises to unloose the loins of kings before Cyrus, Isa 45:1. The girdle is so essential a part of a soldier's accoutrement, being the last that he puts on to make himself ready for action, that to be girded, ζωννυσθαι, with the Greeks means to be completely armed and ready for battle: -

Ατρειδης δ εβοησεν, ιδε ζωννυσθαι ανωγεν

Αργειους.

Iliad, xi. 15.

Το δε ενδυναι τα ὁπλα εκαλουν οἱ παλαιοι ζωννυσθαι.

Pausan. Boeot.

It is used in the same manner by the Hebrews: "Let not him that girdeth himself boast as he that unlooseth his girdle," 1Kg 20:11; that is, triumph not before the war is finished.

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

(27-29) None shall be weary . . .—The three verses paint the progress of the invading army. Unresting, unhasting, in perfect order, they march onward. They do not loosen their girdle for repose. The latchet or thong which fastens their sandals is not “broken” or untied. The light-armed troops are there, probably the Medes and Elamites in the Assyrian army (Isa_13:18). The chariots of the Assyrians themselves are there, sweeping onward like a tempest. Their unshod hoofs (the practice of shoeing horses was unknown in the ancient East) are hard as flint. Comp. Homer’s epithet of “brazen-footed” (Il. v. 329); and Amo_6:12. The battle-cry is heard far off like the roaring of lions.

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

27. Their accoutrement is perfect down to the smallest detail.

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.

None shall be weary nor stumble among them,.... Though they should come from far, and make long marches, yet none should be weary by the way, but go on with great cheerfulness and strength; and though they should make such haste, they should not stumble at any thing by the way, nor rush one against another, but proceed with great order in their several ranks:

none shall slumber nor sleep; day nor night, in any fixed stated times, as men usually do:

neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed; with which they should be girded both for strength and greater expedition; this they should not unloose, in order to lie down and take sleep:

nor the latchet of their shoes be broken, which might hinder their journey; they never plucked off their shoes: all the expressions show their indefatigableness, diligence, intenseness, and resolution, and the good order observed by them; see Joe 2:7.

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

None shall be weary - In this verse and the following, the prophet describes the condition of the army that would be summoned to the destruction of Judea. It would be composed of bold, vigorous, courageous men; they would be unwearied by long and painful journies; they would be fierce and violent; they would come fully prepared for conquest. None would be “weary,” that is, fatigued with long marches, or with hard service; Deu 25:18; 2Sa 16:14.

Nor stumble - They shall be chosen, select men; not those who are defective, or who shall easily fall by any impediments in the way of their march.

None shall slumber - They shall be unwearied, and indefatigable, pursuing their purpose with ever watchfull vigilance - so much as not to be off their guard. They cannot be taken by surprise.

Neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed - The ancients wore a loose, large, flowing robe, or upper garment. When they labored, or ran, it was necessary to “gird” this up round the body, or to lay it aside altogether. The form of expression here may mean, that they will not relax their efforts; they will not unloose their girdle; they will not unfit themselves for vigorous action, and for battle. “In” that girdle, with which they bound up their robes, the orientals usually carried their dirks and swords; see Neh 4:18; Eze 22:15. It means that they should be fully, and at all times, prepared for action.

Nor the latchet of their shoes be broken - They will be constantly prepared for marches. The shoes, sandals, or “soles” were attached to the feet, not by upper leather, but were girded on by thongs or strings; see the notes at Mat 3:2.

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

Broken. They shall march incessantly, Ezechiel xxvi. 7., and xxx. 11.

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).

None shall be weary, though their march be long and tedious. As I have called them to this work, so I will strengthen and assist them in it. None shall slumber nor sleep; they shall all be watchful and diligent to take all opportunities and advantages of executing my judgments upon my people.

Neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken; which otherwise would hinder, or at least slacken, them in their march. I will take all impediments out of their way.

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

None shall be weary nor stumble. None shall lag behind on the march, none fall and be disabled. None shall slumber. They shall scarcely give themselves time for necessary repose.

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

Nor sleep - They shall all be watchful and diligent to take all opportunities of executing my judgments. Nor latchet - I will take all impediments out of their way.

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

"There is none exhausted, and none stumbling among them: it gives itself no slumber, and no sleep; and to none is the girdle of his hips loosed; and to none is the lace of his shoes broken." Notwithstanding the long march, there is no exhausted one, obliged to separate himself and remain behind (Deu 25:18; Isa 14:31); no stumbling one (Cōshēl), for they march on, pressing incessantly forwards, as if along a well-made road (Jer 31:9). They do not slumber (nūm), to say nothing of sleeping (yâshēn), so great is their eagerness for battle: i.e., they do not slumber to refresh themselves, and do not even allow themselves their ordinary night's rest. No one has the girdle of his armour-shirt or coat of mail, in which he stuck his sword (Neh 4:18), at all loosened; nor has a single one even the shoe-string, with which his sandals were fastened, broken (nittak, disrumpitur). The statement as to their want of rest forms a climax descendens; the other, as to the tightness and durability of their equipment, a climax ascendens: the two statements follow one another after the nature of a chiasmus.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

The enemy whose approach was just foretold, is now described as not only prompt and rapid, but complete in his equipments, firm and vigorous, ever wakeful, impeded neither by the accidents of the way nor by defective preparation. “There is no one faint (or exhausted) and there is no one stumbling (or faltering) among them (literally in him) he (the enemy, considered as an individual) sleeps not, and he slumbers not, and the girdle of his loins is not opened (or loosed), and the latchet (string or band) of his shoes (or sandals) is not broken.” It is most probable that this last clause relates to accidental interruptions of the march.

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

General Information:

Isaiah continues to describe the army that will attack Judah. He describes it as if it were already existing. (See: Isaiah 5:26)

tire ... stumble ... slumbers ... sleeps

These four words progress from being tired from work to being unable to walk well, to being unable to stay awake, to full sleep, so all four should appear in the translation.

Nor are their belts loose

The soldiers kept their clothes tight so it would easier to move and fight.

the thongs of their sandals

"the straps of their sandals"

their horses' hooves are like flint

"their hooves are like hard stone." Isaiah compares the hard part of a horse's foot to flint, which is a hard stone that can cause sparks when struck. Possible meanings are 1) Isaiah compares their hooves to flint so to describe the frightening image of their feet causing sparks as they run or 2) Isaiah compares their hooves to flint to emphasize how strong their hooves are which enables the horse to do whatever their master want them to do. (See: Simile)

their chariot wheels like storms

Isaiah compares the chariot wheels to storms in order to imply that they will destroy everything in their path. AT: "the wheels of the chariots will spin like a windstorm" (See: Simile)

chariot wheels

These wheels often had sharp blades attached to them that would cut to pieces anyone the chariot passed close to.

translationWords

stumble

bow and arrow

horse

chariot

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

None is weary or stumbles among them No one will be weary and no one will stumble in his running, to fulfill (supra v. 19), “Let Him hurry, let Him hasten,” that they say before Him.

open up Heb. נִפְתַּח, an expression of untying, as (Genesis 24:32): “And he untied (וַיְפַתַּח) the camels.”

nor will...be torn And they will not see any omen of defeat, because of which to fear to come.

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.

ינום He will slumber; נום signifies a sleep of a less profound kind than ישן. He will not slumber, much less will he sleep.

נתק It is broken. Niphal.

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.