Focused Passage

Isaiah 56:3-8

The LORD Welcomes the Faithful Outsider and Rebukes Blind Shepherds

From the call to maintain justice because salvation is near, to blessing on those who keep Sabbath and covenant, to the inclusion of foreigners and eunuchs in the LORD’s worshiping community, to the declaration that God’s house is for all nations, to a severe rebuke of blind watchmen and greedy shepherds.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

3Let no foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will utterly exclude me from His people.” And let the eunuch not say, “I am but a dry tree.”

4For this is what the LORD says: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, who choose what pleases Me and hold fast to My covenant—

5I will give them, in My house and within My walls, a memorial and a name better than that of sons and daughters. I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.

6And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD to minister to Him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be His servants—all who keep the Sabbath without profaning it and who hold fast to My covenant—

7I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.”

8Thus declares the Lord GOD, who gathers the dispersed of Israel: “I will gather to them still others besides those already gathered.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 3

Original words

Let noוְאַל־H408Conjunctive waw | Adverbforeignerבֶּן־H1121Noun - masculine singular construct. . .הַנֵּכָ֗רH5236Article | Noun - masculine singularwho has joined himselfהַנִּלְוָ֤הH3867Article | Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe LORDיְהוָה֙H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularsayיֹאמַ֣רH559Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularלֵאמֹ֔רלֵאמֹ֔רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructThe LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularwill utterly exclude meהַבְדֵּ֧לH914Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute. . .יַבְדִּילַ֛נִיH914Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singularfromמֵעַ֣לH5921Preposition-mHis peopleעַמּ֑וֹH5971Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularAnd let the eunuchהַסָּרִ֔יסH5631Article | Noun - masculine singularnotוְאַל־H408Conjunctive waw | Adverbsayיֹאמַר֙H559Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularIאֲנִ֖יH589Pronoun - first person common singularam butהֵ֥ןH2005Interjectiona dryיָבֵֽשׁ׃סH3002Adjective - masculine singulartreeעֵ֥ץH6086Noun - masculine singular
Verse 4

Original words

Forכִּי־H3588Conjunctionthis is whatכֹ֣ה׀H3541Adverbthe LORDיְהוָ֗הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularsaysאָמַ֣רH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularTo the eunuchsלַסָּֽרִיסִים֙H5631Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine pluralwhoאֲשֶׁ֤רH834Pronoun - relativekeepיִשְׁמְרוּ֙H8104Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerMy Sabbathsשַׁבְּתוֹתַ֔יH7676Noun - common plural construct | first person common singularwho chooseוּבָֽחֲר֖וּH977Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralwhatבַּאֲשֶׁ֣רH834Preposition-b | Pronoun - relativepleases Meחָפָ֑צְתִּיH2654Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularand hold fastוּמַחֲזִיקִ֖יםH2388Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine pluralto My covenantבִּבְרִיתִֽי׃H1285Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Verse 5

Original words

I will giveוְנָתַתִּ֨יH5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularthemלָהֶ֜םPreposition | third person masculine pluralin My houseבְּבֵיתִ֤יH1004Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularand within My wallsוּבְחֽוֹמֹתַי֙H2346Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singulara memorialיָ֣דH3027Noun - feminine singularand a nameוָשֵׁ֔םH8034Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructbetter thanט֖וֹבH2896Adjective - masculine singularthat of sonsמִבָּנִ֣יםH1121Preposition-m | Noun - masculine pluraland daughtersוּמִבָּנ֑וֹתH1323Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - feminine pluralI will giveאֶתֶּן־H5414Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularthemל֔וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularan everlastingעוֹלָם֙H5769Noun - masculine singularnameשֵׁ֤םH8034Noun - masculine singular constructthatאֲשֶׁ֖רH834Pronoun - relativewill notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particlebe cut offיִכָּרֵֽת׃סH3772Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 6

Original words

And the foreignersוּבְנֵ֣יH1121Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct. . .הַנֵּכָ֗רH5236Article | Noun - masculine singularwho joinהַנִּלְוִ֤יםH3867Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine pluralthemselves toעַל־H5921Prepositionthe LORDיְהוָה֙H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularto minister to Himלְשָׁ֣רְת֔וֹH8334Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singularto loveוּֽלְאַהֲבָה֙H157Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe nameשֵׁ֣םH8034Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularand to beלִהְי֥וֹתH1961Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructHisל֖וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularservantsלַעֲבָדִ֑יםH5650Preposition-l | Noun - masculine pluralallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructwho keepשֹׁמֵ֤רH8104Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularthe Sabbathשַׁבָּת֙H7676Noun - common singularwithout profaning itמֵֽחַלְּל֔וֹH2490Preposition-m | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singularand who hold fastוּמַחֲזִיקִ֖יםH2388Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine pluralto My covenantבִּבְרִיתִֽי׃H1285Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Verse 7

Original words

I will bring themוַהֲבִיאוֹתִ֞יםH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine pluraltoאֶל־H413PrepositionMy holyקָדְשִׁ֗יH6944Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularmountainהַ֣רH2022Noun - masculine singular constructand make them joyfulוְשִׂמַּחְתִּים֙H8055Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine pluralin My houseבְּבֵ֣יתH1004Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof prayerתְּפִלָּתִ֔יH8605Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularTheir burnt offeringsעוֹלֹתֵיהֶ֧םH5930Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine pluraland sacrificesוְזִבְחֵיהֶ֛םH2077Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine pluralwill be acceptedלְרָצ֖וֹןH7522Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularonעַֽל־H5921PrepositionMy altarמִזְבְּחִ֑יH4196Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularforכִּ֣יH3588ConjunctionMy houseבֵיתִ֔יH1004Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularwill be calledיִקָּרֵ֖אH7121Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singulara houseבֵּית־H1004Noun - masculine singular constructof prayerתְּפִלָּ֥הH8605Noun - feminine singularfor allלְכָל־H3605Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructthe nationsהָעַמִּֽים׃H5971Article | Noun - masculine plural

BSB notes

  • Cited in Matthew 21:13, Mark 11:17, and Luke 19:46
Verse 8

Original words

Thus declaresנְאֻם֙H5002Noun - masculine singular constructthe Lordאֲדֹנָ֣יH136Noun - proper - masculine singularGODיְהוִ֔הH3069Noun - proper - masculine singularwho gathersמְקַבֵּ֖ץH6908Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singularthe dispersedנִדְחֵ֣יH5080Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural constructof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularI will gatherאֲקַבֵּ֥ץH6908Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singularto themעָלָ֖יוH5921Preposition | third person masculine singularstill othersע֛וֹדH5750Adverbbesides those already gatheredלְנִקְבָּצָֽיו׃H6908Preposition-l | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.