And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

ISAIAH 11:5KJV
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Isaiah 11:5 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 11:5 mean?

Isaiah 11:5 describes a ruler whose conduct is marked by doing what is right and being faithful. These qualities belong to him as closely as a belt fastened around his body. The verse presents them as lasting features of his rule, not merely occasional actions.

A “girdle” was a belt worn around the waist. The image follows the ruler’s judgments in verse 4 and pictures the qualities that accompany him as he acts. “Reins” is an old English word for the kidneys or the area around them, near the waist.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 11:5

  • “girdle” — אֵזוֹר (ʾezor): The word means a belt or waistband. Worn close to the body, a belt gives Isaiah a picture of qualities closely bound to the ruler.
  • “faithfulness” — אֱמוּנָה (ʾemunah): The word carries the sense of firmness or reliability. Here it describes a ruler who can be counted on to act faithfully.

Why Isaiah 11:5 matters

  • The ruler’s character supports his judgments. Verse 4 describes him judging the poor fairly, while verse 5 names the qualities that go with such rule.
  • The two lines strengthen the picture by placing a belt around both the “loins” and the “reins.” Both refer to the middle of the body, so the repeated image joins righteousness and faithfulness to the ruler’s person.

Where else these words appear

“reins” Hebrew H2504 · used in 10 verses

  • Genesis 35:11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;
  • Job 31:20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
  • Isaiah 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:

“girdle” Hebrew H232 · used in 12 verses

  • 2 Kings 1:8 And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.
  • Jeremiah 13:1 Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.
  • Jeremiah 13:7 Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing.

“loins” Hebrew H4975 · used in 45 verses

  • Genesis 37:34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
  • Nehemiah 4:18 For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.
  • Jeremiah 48:37 For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped: upon all the hands shall be cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth.

“faithfulness” Hebrew H530 · used in 49 verses

  • Exodus 17:12 But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
  • Psalms 40:10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
  • Psalms 119:90 Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.