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Isaiah 56

KJV · Chapter 56/66

1Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.

2Blessed 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.

3Neither 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.

4For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;

5Even 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.

6Also 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;

7Even 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.

8The Lord God which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.

9All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest.

10His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.

11Yea, 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.

12Come 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.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

God declares that foreigners and eunuchs who keep his covenant will be welcomed into his house, which will be a 'house of prayer for all peoples.' The chapter closes by denouncing irresponsible religious leaders, compared to 'dumb dogs' that cannot bark (to warn the people).

Explanation

This chapter is radically inclusive by the standards of its time: eunuchs and foreigners were traditionally excluded from full religious participation in Israel (as in Deuteronomy 23:1-3), but God promises them "a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters" if they keep his covenant sincerely. The phrase "my house shall be called a house of prayer for all people" is quoted directly by Jesus when he drives out the money changers from the temple (Matthew 21:13, Mark 11:17), expressing indignation because the court set aside for the Gentiles (non-Jews) was being used for commerce instead of prayer. The final criticism of leaders as "dumb dogs" that cannot bark denounces spiritual shepherds who neglect their duty to warn the people about moral and spiritual dangers. The practical application today is that the community of faith should be genuinely welcoming to all who sincerely seek God, regardless of their origin or social status.

Fun facts

  • The phrase "my house shall be called a house of prayer for all people" is quoted directly by Jesus during the cleansing of the temple, one of the most dramatic moments of his ministry recorded in the Gospels.
  • The radical inclusion of eunuchs and foreigners in this chapter represents a remarkable expansion of the vision of religious belonging beyond the original Mosaic Law, anticipating the broader inclusion that would fully appear in the New Testament.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Isaiah 56:1“Keep ye judgment” and “do justice,” linked directly to the nearness of salvation, sum up a shift in tone in the book: after so many chapters of promise, now comes the call for concrete ethical behavior.
  2. Isaiah 56:2Keeping the sabbath and avoiding evil are cited together as the practice that brings blessing, linking religious observance to ethical conduct without treating them as separate categories.
  3. Isaiah 56:3A dry tree was how a eunuch might describe himself, because the ancient law excluded anyone unable to have children from the assembly of the people. Here God promises these eunuchs a place and a name better than that of sons — an explicit reversal of that exclusion.
  4. Isaiah 56:4Eunuchs who keep the sabbath and choose what pleases God receive special attention here, setting up the surprising reversal announced in the next verse for a traditionally excluded group.
  5. Isaiah 56:5Promising the eunuchs “an everlasting name” better than sons and daughters directly answers the ancient law that excluded them from the assembly for being unable to produce descendants, showing a place of honor that physical lineage never guaranteed.
  6. Isaiah 56:6Foreigners who kept the sabbath also gained a guaranteed place in the temple, a striking opening for that era’s context. Access once more restricted to Israel itself came to include those from outside.
  7. Isaiah 56:7“An house of prayer for all people” expands the temple itself beyond the people of Israel, including foreigners in the same promise given to the eunuchs — one of the most inclusive verses in the chapter.
  8. Isaiah 56:8The description of God as the one who “gathereth the outcasts of Israel” repeats the theme of return from exile, but the promise to gather “others” besides them suggests the final group will include people beyond the original exiles, echoing the inclusion of foreigners and eunuchs.
  9. Isaiah 56:9The call to the “beasts of the field” to come and devour is a shocking image inviting predators in, probably symbolizing enemy nations invited to take advantage of the weakness of the negligent leaders described next.
  10. Isaiah 56:10Mute dogs describes leaders and watchmen who should warn the people of danger, like a watchdog that barks, but instead they lie sleeping or thinking only of their own gain. It’s a direct critique of that era’s leadership.
  11. Isaiah 56:11Comparing leaders to greedy dogs that are never satisfied, and to shepherds incapable of understanding, is a direct critique of authorities who should protect the people but only seek their own advantage.
  12. Isaiah 56:12The words attributed to these leaders, about drinking and expecting an even better tomorrow, show total unconcern for the danger around them — a scene of irresponsible partying while the flock is left unprotected.

Chapters

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