= Isaiah 56 * Please see [[nsv:license|License]] for Copyright notice and Licensing information. * [ [[Isaiah_55|Previous]] | [[Isaiah_57|Next]] ] == Isaiah 56 1 Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. 2 Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. 3 Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. 4 For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; 5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. 6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; 7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. 8 The Lord God, which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him. 9 All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest. 10 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. 11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. 12 Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant. == Notes == Cross Reference == Commentary == Rashi ==== Verse 2 who will do this who observes the Sabbath, etc. ==== Verse 3 “The Lord will surely separate me from His people,” Why should I become converted? Will not the Holy One, blessed be He, separate me from His people when He pays their reward. Let not the eunnuch say Why should I better my ways and my deeds? I am like a withered tree, for lack of remembrance. ==== Verse 4 and hold fast Heb. וּמַחֲזִיקִים, and hold fast. ==== Verse 7 for all peoples Not only for Israel, but also for the proselytes. ==== Verse 8 I will yet gather of the heathens ([Mss. and K’li Paz:] of the nations) who will convert and join them. ( together with his gathered ones In addition to the gathered ones of Israel.) ==== Verse 9 All the beasts of the field All the proselytes of the heathens ([Mss. and K’li Paz:] All the nations) come and draw near to Me, and you shall devour all the beasts in the forest, the mighty of the heathens ([Mss. and K’li Paz:] the mighty of the nations) who hardened their heart and refrained from converting. the beasts of the field [The beast of the field is not as strong as the beast of the forest.] The beast of the field is weaker and of weaker strength than the beast of the forest. Since he stated, “I will yet gather others to him,” he stated this verse. ==== Verse 10 His lookouts are all blind Since he said, “Seek the Lord,” and the entire section, and they do not heed, he returns and says, Behold the prophets cry out to them ([Mss.:] to you) and announce concerning repentance, so that it will be good for them. Yet their leaders are all like blind men, and they do not see the results, like a lookout appointed to see the approaching army, to warn the people, but he is blind, unable to see whether the army is coming, and dumb, unable to warn the people, like a dog that was appointed to guard the house, but he is dumb, unable to bark. Similarly, the leaders of Israel do not warn them to repent to do good. they lie slumbering Heb. הֹזִים. Dunash (Teshuvoth Dunash p. 24) explained: lying sound asleep, and Jonathan rendered: lying slumbering, and there is no comparable word in Scripture. ==== Verse 11 And the dogs are of greedy disposition wanting to fill their stomachs [engrote talent in O.F.], sick with hunger. and they are shepherds Just as the dogs know no satiety, neither do the shepherds know to understand what will occur at the end of days. they all turned to the way of their benefit, each one to his gain, to rob the rest of the people over whom they are appointed. every last one Heb. מִקָּצֵהוּ, [lit. from its end.] Comp. (Gen. 19:4) “all the people from the end (מִקָּצֶה),” from one end of their number until its other end, they all behave in this manner. ==== Verse 12 Come, I will take wine So would they say to one another. and tomorrow shall be like this with feasting and drinking.