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Salvation for the Foreigner

56 Thus says Yahweh,

(A)Keep justice and do righteousness,
For My (B)salvation is about to come
And My righteousness to be revealed.
How (C)blessed is the man who does this,
And the son of man who (D)takes hold of it,
Who (E)keeps from profaning the sabbath,
And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
Let not the (F)foreigner who has joined himself to Yahweh say,
“Yahweh will surely separate me from His people.”
Nor let the (G)eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”
For thus says Yahweh,
“To the eunuchs who (H)keep My sabbaths,
And choose what pleases Me,
And (I)hold fast My covenant,
To them I will give in My (J)house and within My (K)walls a [a]memorial,
And a name better than that of sons and daughters;
I will give [b]them an everlasting (L)name which (M)will not be cut off.

“Also the (N)foreigners who join themselves to Yahweh,
To minister to Him, and to love the name of Yahweh,
To be His [c]slaves, every one who (O)keeps from profaning the sabbath
And takes hold of My covenant,
Even (P)those I will bring to My (Q)holy mountain
And (R)make them glad in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on (S)My altar;
For (T)My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”
Lord Yahweh, who (U)gathers the banished of Israel, declares,
“Yet (V)others I will gather to [d]them, to those already gathered.”

All you (W)beasts of the field,
All you beasts in the forest,
Come to eat.
10 His (X)watchmen are (Y)blind;
All of them know nothing.
All of them are mute dogs unable to bark,
[e]Dreamers lying down, who love to slumber;
11 And the dogs have a (Z)strong [f]appetite; they do not know satisfaction.
And they are shepherds who (AA)do not know understanding;
They have all (AB)turned to their own way,
Each one to his greedy gain, to the last one.
12 “Come,” they say, “let [g]us take (AC)wine, and let us drink heavily of strong drink;
And (AD)tomorrow will be like today—[h]beyond exceedingly great.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 56:5 Lit hand
  2. Isaiah 56:5 As in DSS; M.T. him
  3. Isaiah 56:6 Or servants
  4. Isaiah 56:8 Lit him
  5. Isaiah 56:10 As in DSS; M.T. Ravers
  6. Isaiah 56:11 Lit soul
  7. Isaiah 56:12 As in DSS and many versions; M.T. me
  8. Isaiah 56:12 Lit remainder

Salvation for Foreigners

56 Thus says the Lord:
“Keep justice, and do righteousness,
(A)for soon my salvation will come,
    and my righteousness be revealed.
Blessed is the man who does this,
    and the son of man who holds it fast,
(B)who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it,
    and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

Let not (C)the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say,
    “The Lord will surely separate me from his people”;
and let not the eunuch say,
    “Behold, I am (D)a dry tree.”
For thus says the Lord:
“To the eunuchs (E)who keep my Sabbaths,
    who choose the things that please me
    and hold fast my covenant,
(F)I will give in my house and within my walls
    a (G)monument and a name
    better than sons and daughters;
(H)I will give them an everlasting name
    that shall not be cut off.

“And (I)the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,
    to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord,
    and to be his servants,
everyone (J)who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it,
    and holds fast my covenant—
(K)these I will bring to (L)my holy mountain,
    and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
(M)their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
    will be accepted on my altar;
for (N)my house shall be called a house of prayer
    for all peoples.”
The Lord God,
    (O)who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares,
(P)“I will gather yet others to him
    besides those already gathered.”

Israel's Irresponsible Leaders

(Q)All you beasts of the field, come to devour—
    all you beasts in the forest.
10 (R)His watchmen are blind;
    they are all without knowledge;
they are all silent (S)dogs;
    they cannot bark,
dreaming, lying down,
    loving to slumber.
11 (T)The dogs have a mighty appetite;
    they never have enough.
But (U)they are shepherds who have no understanding;
    they have all turned to their own way,
    (V)each to his own gain, one and all.
12 (W)“Come,” they say, “let me get wine;
    let us fill ourselves with strong drink;
(X)and tomorrow will be like this day,
    great beyond measure.”