Isaiah 11:5
in Isaiah 11Righteousness will be the belt around His hips, and faithfulness the sash around His waist.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and faithfulness the girdle of his loins.
KJV
And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
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This verse in Isaiah 11
Commentary
14 notes on this verseAt all times let us stand firm, but especially now, although many afflictions overtake us and many heretics are furious against us. Let us then, my beloved brothers, celebrate with thanksgiving the holy feast that now draws near to us, "girding up the loins of our minds," like our Savior Jesus Christ, of whom it is written, "Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins."
This site's exposition
He will not judge by
on Isaiah 11:3-5
"He will not judge by what His eyes see," a standard no human judge can keep. With righteousness He judges the poor and with equity decides for the lowly, the case Assyria's boasting kings never made. Righteousness is the belt around His hips and faithfulness the sash around His waist.
This site's exposition
Righteousness will be the belt around His hips
The belt around the hips holds the clothing close, and Wesley noted that a belt was also an ornament and a sign of power. Righteousness and faithfulness bind the Branch as the belt binds the hips and the sash the waist. Paul takes up the image in Ephesians 6:14.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
(Verse 3 and following) He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears. But he will judge the poor with justice, and decide with fairness for the humble of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and kill the wicked with the breath of his lips. Righteousness will be his belt, and faithfulness the sash around his waist. These words refer to the first coming of the Savior; the Jews argue about the future at the end of the world.
"Stand therefore," saith he, "having girded your loins with truth." He is not speaking of a literal, physical girdle, for all the language in this passage he employs in a spiritual sense. And observe how methodically he proceeds. First he girds up his soldier. What then is the meaning of this? The man that is loose in his life, and is dissolved in his lusts, and that has his thoughts trailing on the ground, him he braces up by means of this girdle, not suffering him to be impeded by the garments entangling his legs, but leaving him to run with his feet well at liberty. "Stand therefore, having girded your loins," saith he. By the "loins" here he means this; just what the keel is in ships, the same are the loins with us, the basis or groundwork of the whole body: for they are, as it were, a foundation, and upon them as the schools of the physicians tell you, the whole frame is built. So then in "girding up the loins" he compacts the foundation of our soul; for he is not of course speaking of these loins of our body, but is discoursing spiritually: and as the loins are the foundation alike of the parts both above and below, so is it also in the case of these spiritual loins.
"Righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and truth the girdle of his loins." As a king has a belt made of gold and precious stones, so in a prophetic manner, he speaks about the belt made of righteousness and truth. By the belt we may also understand the divinity of the Word, because he is righteousness, according to the apostle: "He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption." He is also the truth, according to Evangelist: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life." The Word being the righteousness and the truth that comes from the root of Jesse, his waist [belt] points out to his attribute as king and warrior as the Word who conquers the invisible powers and hosts.
The Medieval Church2 voices
368. And justice shall be. Here his constancy in persevering is set out: and justice, which he shall observe in his judgments, shall be the girdle of his loins, that is, the sword with which he shall fight, and faith, confidence from God by which …
A commentator
BonaventureCollations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 3 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
Finally, He must be supremely just, because of the manifold character of a justice making infallible inquiries, irreproachable distinctions, and irrevocable judgments, handing out retribution to each one according to his deeds. Isaiah writes: "A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse. Justice shall …
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
In conformity to Christ, his followers must have the girdle of truth ( Eph. vi. 14 ) and it will be the stability of the times. Particularly, (1.) He shall in righteousness plead for the people that are poor and oppressed; he will be their protector (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
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.
And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
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.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
So "truth" gives firm consistency to the whole character (Eph 5:14). In Isa 59:17, "righteousness" is His breastplate.
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.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהָ֥יָה | vehayah | and it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| צֶ֖דֶק | tzedek | righteousness | H6664 → | 119 times |
| אֵז֣וֹר | ʾezor | [the] waistband of | H232 → | 14 times |
| מָתְנָ֑יו | matenav | hips his | H4975 → | 47 times |
| וְהָאֱמוּנָ֖ה | vehaemunah | and <the> faithfulness | H530 → | 49 times |
| אֵז֥וֹר | ʾezor | [the] waistband of | H232 → | 14 times |
| חֲלָצָֽיו׃ | chalatzav | loins his | H2504 → | 10 times |
וְהָ֥יָהand it will be
vehayahH1961 →3559 times
צֶ֖דֶקrighteousness
tzedekH6664 →119 times
אֵז֣וֹר[the] waistband of
ʾezorH232 →14 times
מָתְנָ֑יוhips his
matenavH4975 →47 times
וְהָאֱמוּנָ֖הand <the> faithfulness
vehaemunahH530 →49 times
אֵז֥וֹר[the] waistband of
ʾezorH232 →14 times
חֲלָצָֽיו׃loins his
chalatzavH2504 →10 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 John 1:9If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
it leads to
- Psalms 32:5
Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
- Proverbs 28:13
He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.
- Jeremiah 33:8
And I will cleanse them from all the iniquity they have committed against Me, and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against Me.
- Psalms 51:2–5
Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
- 1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
- Psalms 32:5
Through
Ephesians 6:14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed,
it leads to
- 1 Thessalonians 5:8
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of our hope of salvation.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 59:17
He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on His head; He put on garments of vengeance and wrapped Himself in a cloak of zeal.
- Luke 12:35
Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:8
Where this verse is studied
About Isaiah
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Athanasius of Alexandria, FESTAL LETTER 3; Bonaventure, Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 3; Eusebius of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 11:7; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON EPHESIANS 23; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.