Isaiah 56:9-12

9 All you ¹beasts of the field, All you beasts in the forest, Come to eat.

10 His ²watchmen are ³blind, All of them know nothing. All of them are mute dogs unable * to bark, Dreamers lying down, who love to slumber;

11 And the dogs are ⁴greedy *, they are not satisfied *. And they are shepherds who have ⁵no understanding; They have all ⁶turned to their own way, Each one to his unjust gain, to the last one.

12 "Come," they say, "let us get ⁷wine, and let us drink heavily of strong drink; And ⁸tomorrow will be like today *, only more * so."

Isaiah 56:9-12 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.

Cross References

• 1. Isaiah 18:6; Isaiah 46:11
• 2. Ezekiel 3:17
• 3. Isaiah 29:9-14; Jeremiah 14:13, 14
• 4. Isaiah 28:7; Ezekiel 13:19; Micah 3:5, 11
• 5. Isaiah 1:3
• 6. Isaiah 57:17; Jeremiah 22:17
• 7. Is 5:11, 12, 22
• 8. Psalms 10:6; Luke 12:19, 20

Footnotes

• [a] So DSS; M.T. "Ravers"
• [b] Lit "strong of soul/appetite"
• [c] Lit "do not know satisfaction"
• [d] So DSS and many versions; M.T. "me"