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Thursday, July 10th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

2 Kings 19:26

Leaving their people dispirited, slumped shoulders, limp souls. Useless as weeds, fragile as grass, insubstantial as wind-blown chaff.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Agency;   Hezekiah;   Jerusalem;   Prophecy;   Wicked (People);   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Assyria;   Grass;   Herbs, &C;   Jerusalem;   Wicked, the, Are Compared to;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Arpad;   Isaiah;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Assyria;   Hezekiah;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Jerusalem;   Mediator, Mediation;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Grass;   Herb;   Sennacherib;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - House;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Assyria, History and Religion of;   Grass;   Poetry;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Grass;   Herb;   Hezekiah;   Isaiah, Book of;   Israel;   Philistines;   Prophecy, Prophets;   Text, Versions, and Languages of Ot;   King James Dictionary - Come;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Sennacherib ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Hezekiah;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Grass;   Hezekiah;   Interesting facts about the bible;   Leek;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Herb;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Leek;   Urim and Thummim;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Judah;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Color;   Confound;   Grass;   Herb;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Color;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Their inhabitants have become powerless,dismayed, and ashamed.They are plants of the field,tender grass,grass on the rooftops,blasted by the east wind.
Hebrew Names Version
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 grain blasted before it is grown up.
King James Version
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 house tops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up.
English Standard Version
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 Century Version
The people in those cities were weak; they were frightened and put to shame. They were like grass in the field, like tender, young grass, like grass on the housetop that is burned by the wind before it can grow.
New English Translation
Their residents are powerless, they are terrified and ashamed. They are as short-lived as plants in the field, or green vegetation. They are as short-lived as grass on the rooftops when it is scorched by the east wind.
Amplified Bible
'Therefore their inhabitants were powerless, They were shattered [in spirit] and put to shame; They were like plants of the field, the green herb, As grass on the housetops is scorched before it is grown up.
New American Standard Bible
'Therefore their inhabitants were powerless, They were shattered and put to shame. They were like the vegetation of the field and the green grass, Like grass on the housetops that is scorched before it has grown.
World English Bible
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 grain blasted before it is grown up.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Whose inhabitants haue small power, and are afraid, & confounded: they are like the grasse of the field, and greene herbe, or grasse on ye house toppes, or as corne blasted before it be growen.
Legacy Standard Bible
So their inhabitants were short of power,They were dismayed and put to shame;They were as the plant of the field and as the green herb,As grass on the rooftops is scorched before it rises.
Berean Standard Bible
Therefore their inhabitants, devoid of power, are dismayed and ashamed. They are like plants in the field, tender green shoots, grass on the rooftops, scorched before it is grown.
Contemporary English Version
Their people became weak, terribly confused. They were like wild flowers or tender young grass growing on a flat roof, scorched before it matures.
Complete Jewish Bible
while their inhabitants, shorn of power, are disheartened and ashamed, weak as grass, frail as plants, like grass on the rooftops or grain scorched by the east wind.
Darby Translation
And their inhabitants were powerless, They were dismayed and put to shame; They were [as] the growing grass, and [as] the green herb, [As] the grass on the housetops, and grain blighted before it be grown up.
Easy-to-Read Version
The people in the cities had no power. They were afraid and confused. They were about to be cut down like grass and plants in the field. They were like grass growing on the housetops, dying before it grows tall.
George Lamsa Translation
Therefore their inhabitants became weak, they were defeated and confounded, and became like the grass of the field and like the green herb, like the grass on the housetops, and like tender grass blasted before it is grown up.
Good News Translation
The people who lived there were powerless; they were frightened and stunned. They were like grass in a field or weeds growing on a roof when the hot east wind blasts them.
Lexham English Bible
Their inhabitants, short of hand, shall be dismayed; and they shall be ashamed. They have become green plants of the open field, and tender grass, green grass of the roof and blight before the standing grain.
Literal Translation
And those living in them were short in hand; they were terrified and were ashamed; they were as the grass of the field, and the green herb, as the grass on the housetops and blasted grain before it was grown!
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
& they that dwell therin, shal be faynte, and fearfull and a shamed, and shal be as the grasse vpon the felde, and as ye grene herbe and hay vpon the house toppes, that wythereth afore it be growne vp.
American Standard Version
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 grain blasted before it is grown up.
Bible in Basic English
This is why their townsmen had no power, they were broken and put to shame; they were like the grass of the field and the green plant, like grass on the house-tops.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the inhabiters of them shalbe of litle power, and faynt hearted, and confounded, and shalbe lyke the grasse of the field, or greene hearbe, or as the hay on the toppes of the houses, or as the corne that is vnripe & smitten with blasting.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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 is grown up.
King James Version (1611)
Therefore their Inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded, they were as the grasse of the field, and as the greene herbe, as the grasse on the house tops, and as corne blasted before it be growen vp.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And they that dwelt in them were weak in hand, they quaked and were confounded, they became as grass of the field, or as the green herb, the grass growing on houses, and that which is trodden down by him that stands upon it.
English Revised Version
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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thei that sitten meke of hond in tho, trembliden togidere, and ben schent; thei ben maad as the hei of the feeld, and as grene eerbe of roouys, which is dried, bifor that it cam to ripenesse.
Update Bible Version
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 grain blighted before it is grown up.
Webster's Bible Translation
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 house-tops, and [as corn] blasted before it is grown up.
New King James Version
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.
New Living Translation
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.
New Life Bible
That is why those who lived there did not have much strength. They were troubled and put to shame. They were like the plants of the field and the green grass. They were like grass on the roofs, killed by the sun before it is grown.
New Revised Standard
while their inhabitants, shorn of strength, are dismayed and confounded; they have become like plants of the field and like tender grass, like grass on the housetops, blighted before it is grown.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, their inhabitants, being powerless, were overthrown and put to shame, - they became grass of the field, and young herbage, grass on housetops, and seed withered before it came up.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the inhabitants of them were weak of hand, they trembled and were confounded, they became like the grass of the field, and the green herb on the tops of houses, which withered before it came to maturity.
Revised Standard Version
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?
Young's Literal Translation
And their inhabitants [are] feeble-handed, They were broken down, and are dried up, They have been the herb of the field, And the greenness of the tender grass, Grass of the roofs, And blasted corn -- before it hath risen up!
New American Standard Bible (1995)
'Therefore their inhabitants were short of strength, They were dismayed and put to shame; They were as the vegetation of the field and as the green herb, As grass on the housetops is scorched before it is grown up.

Contextual Overview

20It wasn't long before Isaiah son of Amoz sent word to Hezekiah: God 's word: You've prayed to me regarding Sennacherib king of Assyria; I've heard your prayer. This is my response to him: The Virgin Daughter of Zion holds you in utter contempt; Daughter Jerusalem thinks you're nothing but scum. 22 Who do you think it is you've insulted? Who do you think you've been bad-mouthing? Before whom do you suppose you've been strutting? The Holy One of Israel, that's who! 23 You dispatched your errand boys to humiliate the Master. You bragged, "With my army of chariots I've climbed the highest mountains, snow-peaked alpine Lebanon mountains! I've cut down its giant cedars, chopped down its prize pine trees. I've traveled the world, visited the finest forest retreats. 24 I've dug wells in faraway places and drunk their exotic waters; I've waded and splashed barefoot in the rivers of Egypt." 25 Did it never occur to you that I'm behind all this? Long, long ago I drew up the plans, and now I've gone into action, Using you as a doomsday weapon, reducing proud cities to piles of rubble, 26 Leaving their people dispirited, slumped shoulders, limp souls. Useless as weeds, fragile as grass, insubstantial as wind-blown chaff. 27 I know when you sit down, when you come and when you go; And, yes, I've marked every one of your temper tantrums against me. 28 It's because of your temper, your blasphemous foul temper, That I'm putting my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth And turning you back to where you came from. 29 And this, Hezekiah, will be for you the confirming sign: This year you'll eat the gleanings, next year whatever you can beg, borrow, or steal; But the third year you'll sow and harvest, plant vineyards and eat grapes. 30 A remnant of the family of Judah yet again will sink down roots and raise up fruit.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

of small power: Heb. short of hand, Numbers 11:23, Numbers 14:9, Psalms 48:4-7, Psalms 127:1, Jeremiah 37:10, Jeremiah 50:36, Jeremiah 50:37, Jeremiah 51:30, Jeremiah 51:32

they were: Psalms 92:7, Psalms 102:11, Isaiah 40:6-8, James 1:10, James 1:11, 1 Peter 1:24

the grass: Psalms 129:6-8

Reciprocal: Genesis 41:23 - thin Isaiah 37:27 - their inhabitants

Cross-References

Genesis 19:31
One day the older daughter said to the younger, "Our father is getting old and there's not a man left in the country by whom we can get pregnant. Let's get our father drunk with wine and lie with him. We'll get children through our father—it's our only chance to keep our family alive."
Proverbs 14:14
A mean person gets paid back in meanness, a gracious person in grace.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

:-

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The weakness of the nations exposed to the Assyrian attacks was as much owing to the divine decrees as was the strength of the Assyrians themselves.

The grass on the house tops - Compare the marginal reference. The vegetation on the flat roofs of Oriental houses is the first to spring up and the first to fade away.


 
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