Isaiah 56
Lexham English Bible
Salvation for All Who Obey
56 Thus says Yahweh:
“Observe justice
and do righteousness,
for my salvation is close to coming,
and my justice to being revealed.
2 Happy is the man who does this,
and the son of humankind who keeps hold of it,
who keeps the Sabbath so as not to profane[a] it,
and who keeps his hand from doing any[b] evil.”
3 And do not let the foreigner[c] who joins himself to Yahweh say, “Surely Yahweh will separate me from his people.”
And do not let the eunuch say, “Look! I am a dry tree!”
4 For thus says Yahweh, “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
and choose that in which I delight,
and who keep hold of my covenant.
5 And I will give them a monument and a name in my house and within my walls,
better than sons and daughters;
I will give him an everlasting name
that shall not be cut off.
6 And the foreigners[d] who join themselves to Yahweh to serve him
and to love the name of Yahweh, to become his servants,
every one who keeps the Sabbath, so as not to profane[e] it,
and those who keep hold of my covenant,
7 I will bring them to my holy mountain;[f]
I will make them merry in my house of prayer.
their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted[g] on my altar,
for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples,”
8 declares[h] the Lord Yahweh, who gathers[i] the scattered ones of Israel (still I will gather to[j] him, to his gathered ones).
Wicked Leaders
9 All wild animals in the field, come,
to devour,[k] all wild animals in the forest!
10 His watchmen are blind,
none of them know.
They are all dumb dogs;
they are unable to bark,
panting, lying down,
loving to slumber.
11 And the dogs have a greedy appetite;[l]
they are never satisfied.[m]
And they are the shepherds!
They do not have[n] understanding.
They all turn to their own way,
each one for his own gain, every one of them.[o]
12 “Come, let me take wine,
and let us carouse with intoxicating drink,
and tomorrow will be like today,
very great indeed.”[p]
Footnotes
- Isaiah 56:2 Literally “from profaning”
- Isaiah 56:2 Or “all”
- Isaiah 56:3 Literally “son of the foreign country”
- Isaiah 56:6 Literally “sons of the foreign country”
- Isaiah 56:6 Literally “from profaning”
- Isaiah 56:7 Literally “the mountain of my holiness”
- Isaiah 56:7 Literally “for acceptance”
- Isaiah 56:8 Literally “declaration of”
- Isaiah 56:8 Or “gathering”
- Isaiah 56:8 Or “upon”
- Isaiah 56:9 Or “eat”
- Isaiah 56:11 Literally “are strong of soul”
- Isaiah 56:11 Literally “do not know satiation”
- Isaiah 56:11 Or “know”
- Isaiah 56:11 Literally “from his end “
- Isaiah 56:12 Literally “excessively”
Isaiah 56
American Standard Version
56 Thus saith Jehovah, Keep ye justice, and do righteousness; for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. 2 Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that holdeth it fast; that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. 3 Neither let the foreigner, that hath joined himself to Jehovah, speak, saying, Jehovah will surely separate me from his people; neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. 4 For thus saith Jehovah of the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and hold fast my covenant: 5 Unto them will I give in my house and within my walls a [a]memorial and a name [b]better than of sons and of daughters; I will give [c]them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.
6 Also the foreigners that join themselves to Jehovah, to minister unto him, and to love the name of Jehovah, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, and holdeth fast my covenant; 7 even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. 8 The Lord Jehovah, who gathereth the outcasts of Israel, saith, Yet will I gather others to him, [d]besides his own that are gathered.
9 All ye beasts of the field, [e]come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest. 10 His watchmen are blind, they are all without knowledge; they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber. 11 Yea, the dogs are greedy, they can never have enough; and these are shepherds that cannot understand: they have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, [f]from every quarter. 12 Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to-morrow shall be as this day, a day great beyond measure.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 56:5 Or, place. Hebrew hand.
- Isaiah 56:5 Or, better than sons and daughters
- Isaiah 56:5 Hebrew him.
- Isaiah 56:8 Hebrew to his gathered ones.
- Isaiah 56:9 Or, come ye to devour all the beasts in the forest
- Isaiah 56:11 Or, one and all
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