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56 1 An exhortation to judgment and justice. 10 Against shepherds that devour their flock.

Thus saith the Lord, [a]Keep judgment and do justice, for my salvation is at hand to come, and my [b]righteousness to be revealed.

Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man which layeth hold on it; he that keepeth the [c]Sabbath, and polluteth it not, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.

And let not the son of the strangers, which [d]is joined to the Lord, speak and say, The Lord hath surely separated me from his people; neither let the Eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

For thus saith the Lord unto the Eunuchs that keep my Sabbaths, and choose the thing that pleaseth me, and take hold of my covenant,

Even unto them will I give in mine [e]House and within my walls, a place, and a [f]name better than of the sons and of the daughters; I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be put out.

Also the strangers that cleave unto the Lord, to serve him, and to love the Name of the Lord, and to be his servants; everyone that keepeth the Sabbath, and polluteth it not, and embraceth my covenant,

Them will I bring also to mine holy mountain, and make them joyful in mine House of prayer; their burnt [g]offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar: for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for [h]all people.

The Lord God saith, which gathereth the scattered of Israel, Yet will I gather to them those that are to be gathered to them.

All ye [i]beasts of the field, come to devour, even all ye beasts of the forest.

10 Their [j]watchmen are all blind: they have no knowledge: they are all dumb dogs: they cannot bark: they lie and sleep, and delight in sleeping.

11 And these greedy dogs can never have enough: and these shepherds cannot understand: for they all look to their own way, everyone for his advantage, and for his own purpose.

12 Come, I will bring wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink, and [k]tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 56:1 God showeth what he requireth of them after that he hath delivered them: to wit, the works of charity whereby true faith is declared.
  2. Isaiah 56:1 Which I will declare toward you, and pour into your hearts by my Spirit.
  3. Isaiah 56:2 Under the Sabbath he comprehendeth the whole service of God and true religion.
  4. Isaiah 56:3 Let none think himself unmeet to receive the graces of the Lord: for the Lord will take away all impediments, and will forsake none which will keep his true religion, and believe in him.
  5. Isaiah 56:5 Meaning, in his Church.
  6. Isaiah 56:5 They shall be called after my people, and be of the same religion: yea, under Christ the dignity of the faithful shall be greater than the Jews were at that time.
  7. Isaiah 56:7 Hereby he meaneth the spiritual service of God, to whom the faithful offer continual thanksgiving, yea themselves and all that they have, as a lively and acceptable sacrifice.
  8. Isaiah 56:7 Not only for the Jews, but for all others, Matt. 21:13.
  9. Isaiah 56:9 Meaning, the enemies of the Church, as the Babylonians, Assyrians, etc., thus he speaketh to fear the hypocrites and to assure the faithful that when this cometh, they may know it was told them before.
  10. Isaiah 56:10 He showeth that this affliction shall come through the fault of the governors, prophets, and pastors, whose ignorance, negligence, avarice and obstinacy provoked God’s wrath against them.
  11. Isaiah 56:12 We are well yet, and tomorrow shall be better: therefore let us not fear the plagues before they come: thus the wicked contemned the admonitions and exhortations which were made them in the Name of God.

All Nations Will Obey the Lord

56 This is what the Lord says:

“Give justice to all people.
    Do what is right.
Do this because my salvation will come to you soon.
    Soon everyone will know that I do what is right.
The person who obeys the law about the Sabbath
    will be blessed.
And the person who does no evil
    will be blessed.”

Foreigners have joined the Lord. They should not say,
    “The Lord will not accept me with his people.”
The eunuch should not say,
    “Because I cannot have children the Lord will not accept me.”
This is what the Lord says:
“The eunuchs should obey the law about the Sabbath.
    They should do what I want.
    They should keep my agreement.
If they do, I will make their names remembered
    within my Temple and its walls.
    It will be better for them than children.
I will give them a name that will last forever.
    It will never be forgotten.
Foreigners will join the Lord to serve him.
    They will worship and love him.
    They will worship him.
They will obey the law about the Sabbath.
    They will keep the agreement with the Lord.
I will bring these people to my holy mountain.
    I will give them joy in my house of prayer.
The offerings and sacrifices
    they place on my altar will please me.
This is because my Temple will be called
    a house for prayer for people from all nations.”
The Lord gathers the Israelites who were forced to leave their country.
    This is what the Lord God says,
“I will bring other people to those who are already gathered.”

Israel’s Leaders Are Evil

All you animals of the field, come to eat.
    All you animals of the forest, come to eat.
10 The leaders who are to guard the people are blind.
    They don’t know what they are doing.
All of them are like quiet dogs.
    They don’t know how to bark.
They lie down and dream.
    They love to sleep.
11 They are like hungry dogs.
    They are never satisfied.
They are like shepherds
    who don’t know what they are doing.
They each have gone their own way.
    All they want to do is satisfy themselves.
12 They say, “Come, let’s drink some wine.
    Let’s drink all the beer we want.
And tomorrow we will do this again.
    Or, maybe we will have even a better time.”

Salvation for the Gentiles

56 Thus says the Lord:

“Keep justice, and do righteousness,
(A)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 lays hold on it;
(B)Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath,
And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

Do not let (C)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 (D)eunuch say,
“Here I am, a dry tree.”
For thus says the Lord:
“To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths,
And choose what pleases Me,
And hold fast My covenant,
Even to them I will give in (E)My house
And within My walls a place (F)and a name
Better than that of sons and daughters;
I will give [a]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, to be His servants—
Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath,
And holds fast My covenant—
Even them I will (G)bring to My holy mountain,
And make them joyful in My (H)house of prayer.
(I)Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
Will be (J)accepted on My altar;
For (K)My house shall be called a house of prayer (L)for all nations.”
The Lord God, (M)who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says,
(N)“Yet I will gather to him
Others besides those who are gathered to him.”

Israel’s Irresponsible Leaders

(O)All you beasts of the field, come to devour,
All you beasts in the forest.
10 His watchmen are (P)blind,
They are all ignorant;
(Q)They are all dumb dogs,
They cannot bark;
[b]Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
11 Yes, they are (R)greedy[c] dogs
Which (S)never[d] have enough.
And they are shepherds
Who cannot understand;
They all look to their own way,
Every one for his own gain,
From his own territory.
12 “Come,” one says, “I will bring wine,
And we will fill ourselves with intoxicating (T)drink;
(U)Tomorrow will be (V)as today,
And much more abundant.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 56:5 Lit. him
  2. Isaiah 56:10 Or Dreaming
  3. Isaiah 56:11 Lit. strong of soul
  4. Isaiah 56:11 Lit. do not know satisfaction

Salvation for Others

56 This is what the Lord says:

“Maintain justice(A)
    and do what is right,(B)
for my salvation(C) is close at hand
    and my righteousness(D) will soon be revealed.
Blessed(E) is the one who does this—
    the person who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath(F) without desecrating it,
    and keeps their hands from doing any evil.”

Let no foreigner(G) who is bound to the Lord say,
    “The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.”(H)
And let no eunuch(I) complain,
    “I am only a dry tree.”

For this is what the Lord says:

“To the eunuchs(J) who keep my Sabbaths,
    who choose what pleases me
    and hold fast to my covenant(K)
to them I will give within my temple and its walls(L)
    a memorial(M) and a name
    better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name(N)
    that will endure forever.(O)
And foreigners(P) who bind themselves to the Lord
    to minister(Q) to him,
to love the name(R) of the Lord,
    and to be his servants,
all who keep the Sabbath(S) without desecrating it
    and who hold fast to my covenant—
these I will bring to my holy mountain(T)
    and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices(U)
    will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
    a house of prayer for all nations.(V)(W)
The Sovereign Lord declares—
    he who gathers the exiles of Israel:
“I will gather(X) still others to them
    besides those already gathered.”

God’s Accusation Against the Wicked

Come, all you beasts of the field,(Y)
    come and devour, all you beasts of the forest!
10 Israel’s watchmen(Z) are blind,
    they all lack knowledge;(AA)
they are all mute dogs,
    they cannot bark;
they lie around and dream,
    they love to sleep.(AB)
11 They are dogs with mighty appetites;
    they never have enough.
They are shepherds(AC) who lack understanding;(AD)
    they all turn to their own way,(AE)
    they seek their own gain.(AF)
12 “Come,” each one cries, “let me get wine!(AG)
    Let us drink our fill of beer!
And tomorrow will be like today,
    or even far better.”(AH)

56 Voici ce que dit l'Eternel:

Respectez le droit et pratiquez la justice,

car mon salut est sur le point d’arriver,

et ma justice est prête à se révéler.

Heureux l'homme qui adopte ce comportement

et le fils de l'homme qui y reste fermement attaché,

qui respecte le sabbat au lieu de le violer

et veille sur ses actes pour ne commettre aucun mal!

Que l'étranger qui s'attache à l'Eternel ne dise pas:

«L'Eternel me séparera certainement de son peuple!»

et que l'eunuque ne dise pas:

«Je ne suis qu’un arbre sec!»

En effet, voici ce que dit l'Eternel:

Si des eunuques respectent mes sabbats,

choisissent de faire ce qui me plaît

et restent attachés à mon alliance,

je leur donnerai dans mon temple et à l’intérieur de mes murailles une place et un nom

qui vaudront mieux, pour eux, que des fils et des filles.

En effet, je leur donnerai un nom éternel

qui ne disparaîtra jamais.

Quant aux étrangers qui s'attacheront à l'Eternel pour lui rendre un culte,

pour aimer son nom,

pour être ses serviteurs,

tous ceux qui respecteront le sabbat au lieu de le violer

et qui resteront attachés à mon alliance,

je les amènerai sur ma montagne sainte

et je les réjouirai dans ma maison de prière.

Leurs holocaustes et leurs sacrifices seront acceptés sur mon autel,

car *mon temple sera appelé une maison de prière[a] pour tous les peuples. Déclaration du Seigneur, de l'Eternel,

de celui qui rassemble les exilés d'Israël:

J’en rassemblerai d'autres en les ajoutant à lui, aux siens déjà rassemblés.

Reproches aux chefs et aux idolâtres

Vous toutes, bêtes sauvages,

venez manger, vous toutes, bêtes de la forêt!

10 Ses guetteurs sont tous aveugles, incompétents.

Ils ne sont tous que des chiens muets, incapables d’aboyer.

Ils rêvent couchés,

tant ils aiment sommeiller.

11 Pourtant, ce sont aussi des chiens voraces, insatiables.

Ce sont des bergers incompétents en matière de discernement.

Tous suivent leur propre voie,

chacun sans exception à la recherche de son profit.

12 Ils disent: «Venez, je vais chercher du vin

et nous boirons des liqueurs fortes!

Nous ferons la même chose demain,

il en reste encore beaucoup!»

Footnotes

  1. Ésaïe 56:7 Mon temple… prière: cité par Jésus à ses contemporains en Matthieu 21.13; Marc 11.17; Luc 19.46.