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No foreigner who becomes a follower of[a] the Lord should say,
‘The Lord will certainly[b] exclude me from his people.’
The eunuch should not say,
‘Look, I am like a dried-up tree.’”

For this is what the Lord says:

“For the eunuchs who observe my Sabbaths
and choose what pleases me
and are faithful to[c] my covenant,
I will set up within my temple and my walls a monument[d]
that will be better than sons and daughters.
I will set up a permanent monument[e] for them that will remain.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 56:3 tn Heb “who attaches himself to.”
  2. Isaiah 56:3 tn The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.
  3. Isaiah 56:4 tn Heb “and take hold of” (so KJV); NASB “hold fast.”
  4. Isaiah 56:5 tn Heb “a hand and a name.” For other examples where יָד (yad) refers to a monument, see HALOT 388 s.v.
  5. Isaiah 56:5 tn Heb “name” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV).

Don’t let the immigrant who has joined with the Lord say,
    “The Lord will exclude me from the people.”
    And don’t let the eunuch say,
        “I’m just a dry tree.”
The Lord says:
    To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths,
    choose what I desire,
    and remain loyal to my covenant.
    In my temple and courts, I will give them
    a monument and a name better than sons and daughters.
    I will give to them an enduring name
    that won’t be removed.

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