Isaiahchapter 56

12 verses · KJVIsaiah book hub →

1 Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.

2 Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.

3 Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

4 For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;

5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.

6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;

7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

8 The Lord God which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.

9 All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest.

10 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.

11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.

12 Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

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Chapter summary

Justice and sabbath-keeping frame the opening oracle: Jehovah's salvation is near, and blessing rests on the one who keeps the sabbath and refrains from evil (vv.

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Justice and sabbath-keeping frame the opening oracle: Jehovah's salvation is near, and blessing rests on the one who keeps the sabbath and refrains from evil (vv. 1-2). Two excluded classes are welcomed in: the foreigner joined to Jehovah and the eunuch who calls himself "a dry tree." Covenant-keeping eunuchs receive in God's house "a name better than of sons and of daughters," and foreigners who minister to Jehovah are brought to his holy mountain, "for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples" (v. 7), the line Jesus quotes when cleansing the temple (Mark 11:17). Jehovah, who gathers Israel's outcasts, promises to gather still others (v. 8). The chapter pivots to indictment: Israel's watchmen are blind, "dumb dogs" that cannot bark, greedy shepherds bent on gain and strong drink (vv. 9-12).

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Prophecy · Isaiah — Isaiah overview

A. 1–8 Eunuchs and Foreigners: a House of Prayer for All Peoples
B. 9–12 Blind Watchmen and Dumb Dogs That Cannot Bark

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Isaiah 582 verses
- Isaiah 58:1Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
- Isaiah 58:13If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
- Read Isaiah 58 →
Revelation 32 verses
- Revelation 3:5He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
- Revelation 3:12Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
- Read Revelation 3 →
Romans 131 verse
- Romans 13:11And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
- Read Romans 13 →
Psalms 851 verse
- Psalms 85:9Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.
- Read Psalms 85 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Matthew 31 verse
- Matthew 3:2And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
- Read Matthew 3 →
Exodus 311 verse
- Exodus 31:13Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you.
- Read Exodus 31 →
Psalms 1121 verse
- Psalms 112:1Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
- Read Psalms 112 →
1 Corinthians 61 verse
- 1 Corinthians 6:17But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
- Read 1 Corinthians 6 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.