Isaiah 56:3-5
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Obligations and Promises to Share in the Covenant
3 [a]The foreigner joined to the Lord should not say,
“The Lord will surely exclude me from his people”;
Nor should the eunuch say,
“See, I am a dry tree.”(A)
4 For thus says the Lord:
To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths,
who choose what pleases me,
and who hold fast to my covenant,(B)
5 I will give them, in my house
and within my walls, a monument and a name[b]
Better than sons and daughters;
an eternal name, which shall not be cut off, will I give them.
Footnotes
- 56:3 Eunuchs had originally been excluded from the community of the Lord; cf. Dt 23:2; Neh 13:1–3; Wis 3:14.
- 56:5 A monument and a name: literally in Hebrew, “a hand and a name”; a memorial inscription to prevent oblivion for one who had no children; cf. 2 Sm 18:18; Neh 7:5; 13:14.
Isaiah 56:3-5
New International Version
3 Let no foreigner(A) who is bound to the Lord say,
“The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.”(B)
And let no eunuch(C) complain,
“I am only a dry tree.”
4 For this is what the Lord says:
Isaiah 56:3-5
New King James Version
3 Do not let (A)the son of the foreigner
Who has joined himself to the Lord
Speak, saying,
“The Lord has utterly separated me from His people”;
Nor let the (B)eunuch say,
“Here I am, a dry tree.”
4 For thus says the Lord:
“To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths,
And choose what pleases Me,
And hold fast My covenant,
5 Even to them I will give in (C)My house
And within My walls a place (D)and a name
Better than that of sons and daughters;
I will give [a]them an everlasting name
That shall not be cut off.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 56:5 Lit. him
Isaiah 56:3-5
English Standard Version
3 Let not (A)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 (B)a dry tree.”
4 For thus says the Lord:
“To the eunuchs (C)who keep my Sabbaths,
who choose the things that please me
and hold fast my covenant,
5 (D)I will give in my house and within my walls
a (E)monument and a name
better than sons and daughters;
(F)I will give them an everlasting name
that shall not be cut off.
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