1 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Keep H8104 ye judgment, H4941 and do H6213 justice: H6666 for my salvation H3444 is near H7138 to come, H935 and my righteousness H6666 to be revealed. H1540
2 Blessed H835 is the man H582 that doeth H6213 this, and the son H1121 of man H120 that layeth hold H2388 on it; that keepeth H8104 the sabbath H7676 from polluting H2490 it, and keepeth H8104 his hand H3027 from doing H6213 any evil. H7451
3 Neither let the son H1121 of the stranger, H5236 that hath joined H3867 himself to the LORD, H3068 speak, H559 saying, H559 The LORD H3068 hath utterly H914 separated H914 me from his people: H5971 neither let the eunuch H5631 say, H559 Behold, I am a dry H3002 tree. H6086
4 For thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 unto the eunuchs H5631 that keep H8104 my sabbaths, H7676 and choose H977 the things that please H2654 me, and take hold H2388 of my covenant; H1285
5 Even unto them will I give H5414 in mine house H1004 and within my walls H2346 a place H3027 and a name H8034 better H2896 than of sons H1121 and of daughters: H1323 I will give H5414 them an everlasting H5769 name, H8034 that shall not be cut off. H3772
6 Also the sons H1121 of the stranger, H5236 that join H3867 themselves to the LORD, H3068 to serve H8334 him, and to love H157 the name H8034 of the LORD, H3068 to be his servants, H5650 every one that keepeth H8104 the sabbath H7676 from polluting H2490 it, and taketh hold H2388 of my covenant; H1285
7 Even them will I bring H935 to my holy H6944 mountain, H2022 and make them joyful H8055 in my house H1004 of prayer: H8605 their burnt offerings H5930 and their sacrifices H2077 shall be accepted H7522 upon mine altar; H4196 for mine house H1004 shall be called H7121 an house H1004 of prayer H8605 for all people. H5971
8 The Lord H136 GOD H3069 which gathereth H6908 the outcasts H1760 of Israel H3478 saith, H5002 Yet will I gather H6908 others to him, beside those that are gathered H6908 unto him.
9 All ye beasts H2416 of the field, H7704 come H857 to devour, H398 yea, all ye beasts H2416 in the forest. H3293
10 His watchmen H6822 are blind: H5787 they are all ignorant, H3045 they are all dumb H483 dogs, H3611 they cannot H3201 bark; H5024 sleeping, H1957 lying down, H7901 loving H157 to slumber. H5123
11 Yea, they are greedy H5794 H5315 dogs H3611 which can H3045 never have H3045 enough, H7654 and they are shepherds H7462 that cannot understand: H995 they all look H6437 to their own way, H1870 every one H376 for his gain, H1215 from his quarter. H7097
12 Come H857 ye, say they, I will fetch H3947 wine, H3196 and we will fill H5433 ourselves with strong drink; H7941 and to morrow H4279 shall be as this day, H3117 and much H3966 more H3499 abundant. H1419
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Isaiah 56
Commentary on Isaiah 56 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 56
Isa 56:1-12. The Preparation Needed on the Part of Those Who Wish to Be Admitted to the Kingdom of God.
1. judgment—equity. John the Baptist preached similarly a return to righteousness, as needed to prepare men for Messiah's first coming (Lu 3:3, 8-14). So it shall be before the second coming (Mal 4:4-6).
near to come—(Mt 3:2; 4:17), also as to the second coming (Isa 62:10, 11; Lu 21:28, 31; Ro 13:11, 12; Heb 10:25).
righteousness—answering to "salvation" in the parallel clause; therefore it means righteousness which bringeth salvation (Isa 46:13; Ro 3:25, 26).
2. (Lu 12:43).
the man—Hebrew, enosh, "a man in humble life," in contradistinction to Hebrew, ish, "one of high rank." Even the humblest, as "the stranger" and "the eunuch" (Isa 56:4, 6), are admissible to these privileges.
this … it—what follows: "keeping the Sabbath," &c. (Isa 58:13, 14; Eze 20:12). A proof that the Sabbath, in the spirit of its obligation, was to be binding under the Gospel (Isa 66:23). That gospel times are referred to is plain, from the blessing not being pronounced on the man who observed the sacrificial ritual of the Jewish law.
layeth hold—image from one grasping firmly some precious object which he is afraid of having forcibly snatched from him. The "Sabbath" here includes all the ordinances of divine worship under the new gospel law.
keepeth … hand … from … evil—The observance of the second table of the law; as the "Sabbath" referred to the first table. Together, they form the whole duty of man, the worship of God and a holy life.
3. God welcomes all believers, without distinction of persons, under the new economy (Ac 10:34, 35).
joined … to … Lord—(Nu 18:4, 7). "Proselytes."
separated—Proselytes from the Gentiles were not admitted to the same privileges as native Israelites. This barrier between Jews and Gentiles was to be broken down (Eph 2:14-16).
eunuch—(Ac 8:27, &c.). Eunuchs were chamberlains over harems, or court ministers in general.
dry tree—barren (compare Lu 23:31); not admissible into the congregation of Israel (De 23:1-3). Under the Gospel the eunuch and stranger should be released from religious and civil disabilities.
4. please me—sacrifice their own pleasure to mine.
take hold—so "layeth hold" (see on Isa 56:2).
5. in mine house—the temple, the emblem of the Church (1Ti 3:15). They shall no longer be confined as proselytes were, to the outer court, but shall be admitted "into the holiest" (Heb 10:19, 20).
a place—literally, "a hand."
than of sons—Though the eunuch is barren of children (Isa 56:3), I will give him a more lasting name than that of being father of sons and daughters (regarded as a high honor among the Hebrews) (Joh 1:12; 10:3; 1Jo 3:1; Re 2:17; 3:12).
6. join … Lord—(Jer 50:6). Conditions of admission to the privileges of adoption.
7. Even them—(Eph 2:11-13).
to my holy mountain—Jerusalem, the seat of the Lord's throne in His coming kingdom (Isa 2:2; Jer 3:17).
joyful—(Ro 5:11).
burnt offerings … sacrifices—spiritual, of which the literal were types (Ro 12:1; Heb 13:15; 1Pe 2:5).
accepted—(Eph 1:6).
altar—(Heb 13:10), spiritually, the Cross of Christ, which sanctifies our sacrifices of prayer and praise.
house … for all people—or rather, "peoples." No longer restricted to one favored people (Mal 1:11; Joh 4:21, 23; 1Ti 2:8). To be fully realized at the second coming (Isa 2:2-4). No longer literal, but spiritual sacrifice, namely, "prayer" shall be offered (Ps 141:2; 51:17; Mal 1:11; Mt 21:13).
8. Jehovah will not only restore the scattered outcasts of Israel (Isa 11:12; Ps 147:2) to their own land, but "will gather others ('strangers') to him (Israel), besides those gathered" (Margin, "to his gathered"; that is, in addition to the Israelites collected from their dispersion), (Joh 10:16; Eph 1:10; 2:19).
9. beasts—Gentile idolatrous nations hostile to the Jews, summoned by God to chastise them (Jer 12:7-9; 50:17; Eze 34:5): the Chaldeans and subsequently the Romans. The mention of the "outcasts of Israel" (Isa 56:8) brings in view the outcasting, caused by the sins of their rulers (Isa 56:10-12).
to devour—namely, Israel.
10. His watchmen—Israel's spiritual leaders (Isa 62:6; Eze 3:17).
dumb dogs—image from bad shepherds' watchdogs, which fail to give notice, by barking, of the approach of wild beasts.
blind—(Mt 23:16).
sleeping, lying down—rather, "dreamers, sluggards" [Lowth]. Not merely sleeping inactive, but under visionary delusions.
loving to slumber—not merely slumbering involuntarily, but loving it.
11. greedy—literally, "strong" (that is, insatiable) in appetite (Eze 34:2, 3; Mic 3:11).
cannot understand—unable to comprehend the wants of the people, spiritually: so Isa 56:10, "cannot bark."
look to … own way—that is, their own selfish interests; not to the spiritual welfare of the people (Jer 6:13; Eze 22:27).
from his quarter—rather, "from the highest to the lowest" [Lowth]. "From his quarter"; that is, from one end to the other of them, one and all (Ge 19:4).
12. fetch wine—language of the national teachers challenging one another to drink. Barnes translates, "I will take another cup" (Isa 5:11).
to-morrow, &c.—Their self-indulgence was habitual and intentional: not merely they drink, but they mean to continue so.