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
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Covenant Extended to All Who Obey
56 Thus says the Lord:
Maintain justice, and do what is right,
for soon my salvation will come
and my deliverance be revealed.(A)
2 Happy is the mortal who does this,
the one who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it,
and refrains from doing any evil.(B)
3 Do not let the foreigner joined to the Lord say,
“The Lord will surely separate me from his people,”
and do not let the eunuch say,
“I am just a dry tree.”(C)
4 For thus says the Lord:
To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
who choose the things that please me
and hold fast my covenant,(D)
5 I will give, in my house and within my walls,
a monument and a name
better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
that shall not be cut off.(E)
6 And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,
to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord,
and to be his servants,
all who keep the Sabbath and do not profane it
and hold fast my covenant—(F)
7 these I will bring to my holy mountain
and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar,
for my house shall be called a house of prayer
for all peoples.(G)
8 Thus says the Lord God,
who gathers the outcasts of Israel:
I will gather others to them
besides those already gathered.[a](H)
The Corruption of Israel’s Rulers
9 All you wild animals,
all you wild animals in the forest, come to devour!(I)
10 Israel’s[b] sentinels are blind;
they are all without knowledge;
they are all silent dogs
that cannot bark,
dreaming, lying down,
loving to slumber.(J)
11 The dogs have a mighty appetite;
they never have enough.
The shepherds also have no understanding;
they have all turned to their own way,
to their own gain, one and all.
12 “Come,” they say, “let us[c] get wine;
let us fill ourselves with strong drink.
And tomorrow will be like today,
great beyond measure.”
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New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.