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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).

Foreigners who have ·joined [committed to] the Lord should not say,
    “The Lord will ·not accept me with [L exclude/separate me from] his people [14:1].”
The eunuch should not say,
    “·Because I cannot have children, the Lord will not accept me [L Look, I am a dry tree].”
This is what the Lord says:
“This is for the eunuchs who ·obey the law about the Sabbath [keep my Sabbaths]
    and ·do what I want [choose what pleases me]
    and ·keep [hold firmly to] my ·agreement [covenant]:
I will ·make their names remembered [L set up a memorial/monument and a name]
    within my ·Temple [L house] and its walls.
    It will be better for them than ·children [L sons and daughters].
I will give them a name that will last forever,
    that will ·never be forgotten [L not be cut off].

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