Isaiah 56
56
All Nations Will Follow the Lord
1The Lord said these things, “Be fair to all people. Do what is right, because soon my salvation will come to you. My goodness will soon be shown to the whole world. 2I will bless those who refuse to do wrong and who obey the law about the Sabbath.”
3Some foreigners will choose to follow the Lord. They should not say, “The Lord will not really accept me like the rest of his people.” A eunuch should not say, “I am only a dry piece of wood. I cannot have any children.”
4They should not say that because the Lord says, “Some eunuchs obey the laws about the Sabbath. They choose to do what I want, and they follow my agreement.#56:4 agreement This usually means the agreement God made with Israel through Moses. (See “agreement” in the Word List.) Here, it might mean the agreement of Isa. 55:3. 5So I will put a memorial stone in my Temple for them. Their name will be remembered in my city! Yes, I will give those eunuchs something better than sons and daughters. I will give them a name that will last forever! They will not be cut off#56:5 cut off To be removed from the list of the people of Israel. This included a person’s being forced to leave family, land, and the people of Israel. from my people.
6“Some foreigners have chosen to follow the Lord. They do this so that they can serve him and love his name and be his servants. They keep the Sabbath as a special day of worship, and they will continue to follow closely my agreement. 7So I will bring them to my holy mountain and make them happy in my house of prayer. The offerings and sacrifices they give me will please me, because my Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” 8The Lord GOD said these things.
The Israelites were forced to leave their country, but the Lord will gather them together again. He says, “I will bring them back together again!”
9Wild animals in the forest,
come and eat.
10The watchmen#56:10 The watchmen Literally, “The seers,” an ancient title for prophets. are all blind.
They don’t know what they are doing.
They are like dogs that will not bark.
They lie on the ground and sleep.
Oh, they love to sleep.
11They are like hungry dogs.
They are never satisfied.
The shepherds don’t know what they are doing.
Like their sheep, they have all wandered away.
They are greedy.
All they want is to satisfy themselves.
12They come and say,
“I will drink some wine.
I will drink some beer.
I will do the same thing tomorrow,
but I will drink even more.”
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Isaiah 56
56
Salvation for Foreigners
1This is what the Lord says:
“Maintain justice and do what is right,
for My salvation is coming soon,
and My righteousness will be revealed.
2Blessed is the man who does this,
and the son of man who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it
and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
3Let no foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say,
“The Lord will utterly exclude me from His people.”
And let the eunuch not say,
“I am but a dry tree.”
4For this is what the Lord says:
“To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths,
who choose what pleases Me
and hold fast to My covenant—
5I will give them, in My house and within My walls,
a memorial and a name
better than that of sons and daughters.
I will give them an everlasting name
that will not be cut off.
6And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord
to minister to Him,
to love the name of the Lord,
and to be His servants—
all who keep the Sabbath without profaning it
and who hold fast to My covenant—
7I will bring them to My holy mountain
and make them joyful in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
will be accepted on My altar,
for My house will be called a house of prayer #56:7 Cited in Matthew 21:13, Mark 11:17, and Luke 19:46
for all the nations.”
8Thus declares the Lord GOD,
who gathers the dispersed of Israel:
“I will gather to them still others
besides those already gathered.”
Israel’s Sinful Leaders
9Come, all you beasts of the field;
eat greedily, all you beasts of the forest.
10Israel’s watchmen are blind,
they are all oblivious;
they are all mute dogs,
they cannot bark;
they are dreamers lying around,
loving to slumber.
11Like ravenous dogs,
they are never satisfied.
They are shepherds with no discernment;
they all turn to their own way,
each one seeking his own gain:
12“Come, let me get the wine,
let us imbibe the strong drink,
and tomorrow will be like today,
only far better!”
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The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible, BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee. This text of God's Word has been dedicated to the public domain.