Add parallel Print Page Options

56 Yahweh says,

“Maintain justice
    and do what is right,
for my salvation is near
    and my righteousness will soon be revealed.
Blessed is the man who does this,
    and the son of man who holds it fast;
who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it
    and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

Let no foreigner who has joined himself to Yahweh speak, saying,
    “Yahweh will surely separate me from his people.”
    Do not let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”

For Yahweh says, “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
    choose the things that please me,
    and hold fast to my covenant,
I will give them in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name better than of sons and of daughters.
    I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.

Also the foreigners who join themselves to Yahweh
    to serve him,
and to love Yahweh’s name,
    to be his servants,
everyone who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it,
    and holds fast my covenant,
I will bring these 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 will be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”
The Lord Yahweh, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says,
    “I will yet gather others to him,
    in addition to his own who are gathered.”

All you animals of the field,
    come to devour,
    all you animals in the forest.
10 His watchmen are blind.
    They are all without knowledge.
They are all mute dogs.
    They can’t bark—
    dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.
11 Yes, the dogs are greedy.
    They can never have enough.
They are shepherds who can’t understand.
    They have all turned to their own way,
    each one to his gain, from every quarter.
12 “Come,” they say, “I will get wine,
    and we will fill ourselves with strong drink;
    and tomorrow will be as today,
    great beyond measure.”

Salvation for the Nations

56 Thus says the Lord:

Preserve justice
    and do righteousness,
for My salvation is about to come
    and My righteousness to be revealed.
Blessed is the man who does this,
    and the son of man who takes hold of it,
who keeps from polluting the Sabbath
    and keeps his hand from doing any evil.

Do not let the son of the foreigner
    who has joined himself to the Lord
speak, saying,
    “The Lord has utterly separated me from His people”;
do not let the eunuch say,
    “I am only a dry tree.”

For thus says the Lord:

To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths,
    and choose the things that please Me,
    and take hold of My covenant,
to them I will give in My house and within My walls
    a memorial, and a name
    better than that of sons and of daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
    that shall not be cut off.
Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to the Lord
    to serve Him,
and to love the name of the Lord,
    and to be His servants,
to everyone who keeps from polluting the Sabbath
    and takes hold of My covenant,
even them I will bring to My holy mountain
    and make them joyful in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
    shall be accepted on My altar;
for My house shall be called
    a house of prayer for all people.
The Lord God
    who gathers the outcasts of Israel says,
Yet I will gather others to them
    besides those who already are gathered to him.

God Accuses the Wicked

All you beasts of the field,
    all you beasts in the forest, come to devour.
10 His watchmen are blind;
    they all are ignorant;
they all are dumb dogs,
    unable to bark;
sleepers lying down,
    who love to slumber.
11 They are greedy dogs
    which can never have enough,
and they are shepherds who cannot understand;
    they all turn to their own way,
    every one for his gain, from his territory.
12 “Come,” they say, “let us get wine,
    and let us fill ourselves with strong drink;
and tomorrow shall be as today,
    only more so.”