Bible Strands
Isaiah 11:5
Righteousness will be the belt around His hips, and faithfulness the sash around His waist.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The prophet Isaiah describes the coming Davidic ruler’s character immediately after detailing His judicial authority and before depicting the restored creation. The speaker addresses Judah’s exiled community, outlining the foundational traits of the coming judge.
The words — צֶדֶק (Tze.dek) translates to righteousness, and אֵזוֹר ('e.Zor) means waistband or belt. חֲלָצַיִו (cha.la.Tza.v) denotes his loins or hips, grounding the imagery in the physical source of a warrior’s strength.
The thread — The belt imagery recurs in Ephesians 6:14 alongside a breastplate of righteousness, while the pairing of righteousness and faithfulness echoes the divine character described in 1 John 1:9. The structural placement of God’s righteous plans in Isaiah 25:1 parallels this verse’s focus on established divine order.
Why it lands — The text states that a ruler’s authority depends on inherent moral consistency rather than external force. A reader must acknowledge that justice and peace follow only when governance is structurally bound to truth.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
Cross-references
- Ephesians 6:14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed,
- 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
- Isaiah 25:1 O LORD, You are my God! I will exalt You; I will praise Your name. For You have worked wonders—plans formed long ago—in perfect faithfulness.
- 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.
- 2 Corinthians 6:7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;
- Hosea 2:20 And I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will know the LORD.”
- 1 Peter 4:1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves with the same resolve, because anyone who has suffered in his body is done with sin.
- Revelation 1:13 and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man, dressed in a long robe, with a golden sash around His chest.
- Revelation 3:14 To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation.
- Psalms 93:1 The LORD reigns! He is robed in majesty; the LORD has clothed and armed Himself with strength. The world indeed is firmly established; it cannot be moved.