Isaiah 56:4-12

4 For thus says Yahweh, "To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, and choose that in which I delight, and who keep hold of my covenant.

5 And I will give them a monument and a name in my house and within my walls, better than sons and daughters; I will give him an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.

6 And the {foreigners} [who] join themselves to Yahweh to serve him and to love the name of Yahweh, to become his servants, every one who keeps [the] Sabbath, {so as not to profane} it, and those who keep hold of my covenant,

7 I will bring them to {my holy mountain}; I will make them merry in my house of prayer. their burnt offerings and their sacrifices {will be accepted} on my altar, for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples,"

8 {declares} the Lord Yahweh, who gathers the scattered ones of Israel (still I will gather to him, to his gathered ones).

Wicked Leaders

9 All wild animals [in the] field, come, to devour, all wild animals in the forest!

10 His watchmen [are] blind, none of them know. They [are] all dumb dogs; they are unable to bark, panting, lying down, loving to slumber.

11 And the dogs {have a greedy appetite}; they {are never satisfied}. And they are [the] shepherds! They do not have understanding. They all turn to their [own] way, each one for his [own] gain, {every one of them}.

12 "Come, let me take wine, and let us carouse [with] intoxicating drink, and tomorrow will be like today, {very great indeed}."

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Isaiah 56:4-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 56

This chapter contains a prophecy of the conversion of the Gentiles, and their accession to the church, and of the corrupt state of the church afterwards, especially of its rulers, which brought in men comparable to wild beasts to devour. It begins with an exhortation to the duties of judgment and justice, enforced by the nearness of Christ's salvation, and the clear relation of his righteousness in the Gospel, and by the blessedness of the man that does those duties, and lays hold on those blessings, and observes the whole of religion, instituted and moral, Isa 56:1,2, when encouragement is given to eunuchs, and strangers or Gentiles, sensible and religious persons, to hope for acceptance with God, and that they shall be welcome to his house, with an answer to their objections, and promises of special favours, Isa 56:3-7 to which is subjoined a promise or prophecy of future additions, both of Jews and Gentiles, to the church of God in the latter day, Isa 56:8 and then follows a call upon some savage people, comparable to wild beasts, to come and devour, which will be previous to the above prophecy, Isa 56:9, the reason of which is the sad corruption of the rulers of the church, their ignorance, negligence, avarice, and drunkenness, Isa 56:10-12.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Footnotes 13

[a]. Literally "sons of the foreign country"
[b]. Literally "from profaning"
[c]. Literally "the mountain of my holiness"
[d]. Literally "for acceptance"
[e]. Literally "declaration of"
[f]. Or "gathering"
[g]. Or "upon"
[h]. Or "eat"
[i]. Literally "are strong of soul"
[j]. Literally "do not know satiation"
[k]. Or "know"
[l]. Literally "from his end "
[m]. Literally "excessively"