Isaiah 56:4-12

4 For the Lord saith these things to geldings, that keep my sabbaths, and choose what things I would, and hold (fast to) my bond of peace. (For the Lord saith these things to the eunuchs, who keep my sabbaths, and choose what things I would, and hold firm to my covenant.)

5 I shall give to them a place in mine house, and (with)in my walls, and the best name, (yea, better than that) of sons and daughters; I shall give to them a name everlasting, that shall not perish (I shall give them an everlasting name, that shall not perish).

6 And I shall bring in to bless the sons of a comeling, that cleave fast to the Lord, that they worship him, and love his name, that they be to him into servants; (to) each man keeping the sabbath, that he defoul it not, and holding (fast to) my bond of peace; (And also to the sons and daughters of the newcomers, or of the foreigners, who cleave firmly to the Lord, so that they worship him, and love his name, and so that they be his servants; to each person keeping the sabbath, so that they do not defile it, and holding firm to my covenant;)

7 I shall bring them into mine holy hill, and I shall make them glad in the house of my prayer; their burnt sacrifices and their slain sacrifices shall please me on mine altar; for why mine house shall be called an house of prayer to all peoples, (I shall bring them to my holy hill, and I shall make them happy in the House of my prayer; their burnt sacrifices and their slain sacrifices shall be acceptable on my altar; for my House shall be called a House of prayer for all peoples, or for all the nations,)

8 saith the Lord God, that gathereth together the scattered men of Israel. Yet I shall gather together to him all the gathered men thereof. (saith the Lord God, who gathereth together the scattered of Israel. And I shall bring still others to join them.)

9 All beasts of the field, come ye to devour, (and) all beasts of the forest.

10 All the beholders thereof be blind, all they knew not; (they be) dumb dogs, that be not able to bark; seeing vain things, sleeping, and loving dreams; (All of its beholders be blind, all of them did not know; they be dumb dogs, that be not able to bark; seeing empty and futile things, sleeping, and loving dreams;)

11 and (they be) most unshamefast dogs (that) knew not fullness. Those shepherds knew not understanding; all they bowed into their (own) way, each man to his avarice, from the highest till to the last. (and they be the most shameless dogs who shall never know fullness. They be shepherds who understand nothing; they all be turned to their own way, each one to his own greed, from the highest unto the lowest.)

12 Come ye, take we wine, and be we filled of drunkenness; and it shall be as today, so and tomorrow, and much more. (And they say, Come ye, take we wine, and be we filled with drunkenness; and tomorrow shall be like today, and even more so.)

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.