Isaiah 56:1-8

Keepers of God’s Sabbath

1 The LORD says: Act justly and do what is righteous, because my salvation is coming soon, and my righteousness will be revealed.

2 Happy is the one who does this, the person who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath, not making it impure, and avoids doing any evil.

3 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."

4 The LORD says: To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths, choose what I desire, and remain loyal to my covenant.

5 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.

6 The immigrants who have joined me, serving me and loving my name, becoming my servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath without making it impure, and those who hold fast to my covenant:

7 I will bring them to my holy mountain, and bring them joy in my house of prayer. I will accept their entirely burned offerings and sacrifices on my altar. My house will be known as a house of prayer for all peoples,

8 says the LORD God, who gathers Israel's outcasts. I will gather still others to those I have already gathered.

Isaiah 56:1-8 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or to the Lord
• [b]. Or serving him and loving the LORD name
• [c]. Or becoming his servants