Lexical Summary nabach: To bark, to cry out Original Word: נָבַח Strong's Exhaustive Concordance bark A primitive root; to bark (as a dog) -- bark. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to bark NASB Translation bark (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [נָבַח] verb bark (of dogs) (Late Hebrew id.; Arabic  ; Ethiopic  ; Aramaic  , נְבַח); — Qal Infinitive construct only כֻּלָּם כְּלָבִים אִלְּמִים לֹא יוּכְלוּ לִנְבֹּחַ Isaiah 56:10 figurative of helpless prophets. Topical Lexicon Canonical Setting The verb occurs once, in Isaiah 56:10, within a section where the prophet rebukes negligent leaders of post-exilic Judah. By placing the word in a context that contrasts the expected vigilance of watchmen with the inert passivity of “mute dogs,” the Spirit highlights a failure of covenant guardianship just as Isaiah widens his vision to include foreign inclusion (Isaiah 56:3-8) and warns of impending judgment (Isaiah 57). The solitary appearance therefore carries weight disproportionate to its frequency, sharpening the critique of spiritual lethargy. Imagery of Faithless Watchmen Isaiah 56:10: “Israel’s watchmen are blind; they all lack knowledge. They are mute dogs, unable to bark; they lie down and dream, they love to sleep.” Dogs in the Ancient Near East typically signified low status, uncleanness, or menace (Exodus 22:31; 1 Samuel 17:43). Yet a dog that barks at danger is useful. By choosing the picture of sentries who cannot raise a warning cry, Isaiah juxtaposes expected duty with humiliating failure. The bark that never comes unmasks shepherds who prize personal comfort over covenant responsibility, denying the flock both protection and guidance. Prophetic Echoes and Widening Theme Isaiah’s charge aligns with earlier watchman texts. Ezekiel 33:6 warns, “If the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet… I will require it of the watchman.” Jeremiah 6:17 laments a similar refusal to sound the alarm. The cumulative prophetic witness exposes the recurring danger of leaders who enjoy position while neglecting proclamation, a pattern later condemned by Jesus Christ in Matthew 23 and exposed by Paul in Acts 20:29-31. Historical Reception Second-Temple commentators linked Isaiah’s “mute dogs” to priests who accepted foreign influence during the Greek period. Early church writers (e.g., Hippolytus, Chrysostom) applied the image to heretical teachers who were silent about sin and noisy only for profit. The Reformers identified the “dumb dog” with clergy who ceased preaching the gospel. Throughout history, the verse has served as a measuring rod for any era’s spiritual leadership. Christological Fulfillment Where human watchmen failed, the True Shepherd succeeded. Jesus Christ, alert and vocal, cries out against hypocrisy (John 7:37; Matthew 23:13-36) and lays down His life for the sheep (John 10:11). His prophetic voice embodies the antithesis of the silent dog: He both warns and saves. In Gethsemane, while the disciples slept (Matthew 26:40), He remained awake, fulfilling what negligent guardians could not. Eschatological Signal The book of Revelation envisions ultimate vigilance: “Blessed is the one who stays awake” (Revelation 16:15). Isaiah’s word therefore anticipates the final call to watchfulness. Silence in the face of approaching judgment is never neutral; it endangers souls. Thus the lone verb in Isaiah contributes to the eschatological ethic of alertness that culminates in the New Testament. Practical Ministry Application 1. Preaching and Warning: Pastors are commanded to “preach the word… reprove, rebuke, exhort” (2 Timothy 4:2). The failure to bark is a failure to love. Summary Though appearing only once, the verb paints a lasting portrait: a watchdog that never barks, symbolizing leaders who will not lift their voice for truth. The image traverses Scripture—from prophetic oracles to apostolic exhortations—underscoring the necessity of courageous proclamation. In the light of Christ’s perfect vigilance, the verse summons each generation to stay awake, speak up, and guard the flock entrusted to their care. Forms and Transliterations לִנְבֹּ֑חַ לנבח lin·bō·aḥ linBoach linbōaḥLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 56:10 HEB: לֹ֥א יוּכְל֖וּ לִנְבֹּ֑חַ הֹזִים֙ שֹֽׁכְבִ֔ים NAS: unable to bark, Dreamers KJV: they cannot bark; sleeping, INT: nothing cannot to bark Dreamers lying 1 Occurrence |
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