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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse paints a picture of utter weakness, not just like common grass, but specifically the fragile blades that sprout on rooftops with little soil to sustain them. It highlights the incredible fragility of their resistance, comparing them to crops that are blighted before they even have a chance to grow strong.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage comes right after God's dramatic promise to defeat the Assyrian army threatening Jerusalem. The prophet Isaiah is directly addressing King Hezekiah and assuring him that the Assyrian king, Sennacherib, and his forces will be utterly humiliated. The verse describes the weakened, terrified state of Assyria's conquered people, portraying them as fragile and utterly powerless against God's might.
The verse doesn't just describe an enemy's weakness; it points to its source. How does God actively cause nations to falter?
When Isaiah confronts Sennacherib's boasts, he reveals that the Assyrian king's victories aren't just due to his own might. Verse 27 explains that the inhabitants of the captured cities were "of small power" not inherently, but because God had acted.
God's Sovereign Action
The Hebrew phrase often translated as "short of hand" suggests a loss of capability and strength. This wasn't a natural decline; it was divinely ordained. God, in His sovereignty, can directly influence the strength and resolve of nations and their people, rendering them unable to stand against His purposes or His chosen instruments.
This teaches us that the rise and fall of empires are not simply the result of human ambition or military might. God is the ultimate power, and He can diminish the strength of any nation to accomplish His will.
The vivid imagery of grass and blighted crops paints a picture of utter helplessness. What does this natural imagery reveal about those who face God's judgment?
The verse uses multiple, potent comparisons to illustrate the complete lack of resistance from Sennacherib's enemies: "like plants of the field and like tender grass, like grass on the housetops, like grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it is grown up."
Symbols of Transience
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Together, these images show that the people facing Sennacherib were not just weak; they were fundamentally unable to endure. They lacked deep roots, were exposed to harsh realities, and had no chance to mature or become strong. This reflects the fate of those who oppose God's purposes – their strength is fleeting and ultimately comes to nothing.
Understand the original words
koach · Hebrew Noun
Often translated as 'courage' or 'power,' in this context, it refers to the inherent defensive capability or vitality of a people. Its removal signifies God’s sovereignty over human security and political might.
bush · Hebrew Verb
Refers to the state of being confused, shamed, or shattered. It describes the psychological and spiritual impact of God’s judgment upon those who oppose Him, indicating a total loss of confidence.
chatzir · Hebrew Noun
A common metaphor in Scripture for the brevity and frailty of human life compared to the eternal nature of God. It highlights the fleeting nature of human kingdoms and power.
This verse powerfully illustrates the utter weakness and vulnerability of Sennacherib's forces when God intervenes, comparing them to grass easily withered or blighted before it can even mature.
c. 705-681 BC
Sennacherib's Reign and Campaigns
Sennacherib became king of Assyria and launched numerous military campaigns to expand his empire and solidify control.
701 BC— this verse
Assyrian Invasion of Judah
Sennacherib invaded the Kingdom of Judah, conquering many of its fortified cities and threatening Jerusalem.
701 BC
Siege of Jerusalem
Sennacherib's army besieged Jerusalem, but the city was miraculously spared from destruction due to divine intervention, as prophesied by Isaiah.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Withdrawal from Judah
Following the failure to capture Jerusalem and a devastating plague among his troops, Sennacherib withdrew his army from Judah.
This psalm directly compares the wicked to grass that quickly withers, echoing Isaiah's imagery of the people's utter powerlessness and transience when facing God's judgment.
Isaiah 40:6-7This passage uses the same imagery of grass and its fading flower to illustrate the perishable nature of human glory and strength, directly paralleling the Assyrians' fate described in Isaiah 37.
Psalm 129:6The image of grass on rooftops that 'withers before it grows tall' is a powerful metaphor for a life or nation that is weak, fails to mature, and is quickly consumed, much like the inhabitants described by Isaiah.
Jeremiah 10:14This verse speaks of craftsmen being put to shame by their idols, which are described as 'worthless and a mockery,' similar to how the Assyrians are depicted as utterly ineffective and ultimately brought to ruin by God.
barnesIsaiah 37:27: "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."
Therefore - 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…
jfbIsaiah 37:27: "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."
- Therefore—not because of thy power, but because I made them unable to withstand thee.grass—which easily withers (Isa 40:6; Ps 37:2).on … housetops—which having little earth to nourish it fades soonest (Ps 129:6-8).corn blasted before it be grown up—Smith transl…
The verse paints a picture of utter weakness, not just like common grass, but specifically the fragile blades that sprout on rooftops with little soil to sustain them. It highlights the incredible fragility of their resistance, comparing them to crops that are blighted before they even have a chance to grow strong.
This passage comes right after God's dramatic promise to defeat the Assyrian army threatening Jerusalem. The prophet Isaiah is directly addressing King Hezekiah and assuring him that the Assyrian king, Sennacherib, and his forces will be utterly humiliated. The verse describes the weakened, terrified state of Assyria's conquered people, portraying them as fragile and utterly powerless against God's might.
This passage comes right after God's dramatic promise to defeat the Assyrian army threatening Jerusalem. The prophet Isaiah is directly addressing King Hezekiah and assuring him that the Assyrian king, Sennacherib, and his forces will be utterly humiliated. The verse describes the weakened, terrified state of Assyria's conquered people, portraying them as fragile and utterly powerless against God's might.
"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." — The verse paints a picture of utter weakness, not just like common grass, but specifically the fragile blades that sprout on rooftops with little soil to sustain them. It highlights the incredible fr…
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Last reviewed October 2026