Focused Passage

Isaiah 56:9-12

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

9 Come, all you beasts of the field; eat greedily, all you beasts of the forest.

10 Israel’s watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber.

11 Like ravenous dogs, they are never satisfied. They are shepherds with no discernment; they all turn to their own way, each one seeking his own gain:

12 “Come, let me get the wine, let us imbibe the strong drink, and tomorrow will be like today, only far better!”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 9

Original words

Come אֵתָ֕יוּ H857 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural all כֹּ֖ל H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct you beasts חַיְת֣וֹ H2416 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular of the field שָׂדָ֑י H7704 Noun - masculine singular eat greedily לֶאֱכֹ֥ל H398 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct you beasts חַיְת֖וֹ H2416 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular of the forest בַּיָּֽעַר׃ס H3293 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

[Israel’s] watchmen צָפוּ H6822 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular are blind עִוְרִ֤ים H5787 Adjective - masculine plural they are all כֻּלָּם֙ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural oblivious יָדָ֔עוּ H3045 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural . . . לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle they are all כֻּלָּם֙ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural mute אִלְּמִ֔ים H483 Adjective - masculine plural dogs כְּלָבִ֣ים H3611 Noun - masculine plural they cannot לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle . . . יוּכְל֖וּ H3201 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural bark לִנְבֹּ֑חַ H5024 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct they are dreamers הֹזִים֙ H1957 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural lying around שֹֽׁכְבִ֔ים H7901 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural loving אֹהֲבֵ֖י H157 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct to slumber לָנֽוּם׃ H5123 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 11

Original words

Like ravenous dogs וְהַכְּלָבִ֣ים H3611 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural . . . עַזֵּי־ H5794 Adjective - masculine plural construct . . . נֶ֗פֶשׁ H5315 Noun - feminine singular they are never לֹ֤א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle satisfied יָֽדְעוּ֙ H3045 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural . . . שָׂבְעָ֔ה H7654 Noun - feminine singular They וְהֵ֣מָּה H1992 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine plural are shepherds רֹעִ֔ים H7462 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural with יָדְע֖וּ H3045 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural no לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle discernment הָבִ֑ין H995 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct they all כֻּלָּם֙ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural turn פָּנ֔וּ H6437 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural to their own way לְדַרְכָּ֣ם H1870 Preposition-l | Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine plural each מִקָּצֵֽהוּ׃ H7097 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular one אִ֥ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular seeking his own gain לְבִצְע֖וֹ H1215 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

Come אֵתָ֥יוּ H857 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural let me get אֶקְחָה־ H3947 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular the wine יַ֖יִן H3196 Noun - masculine singular let us imbibe וְנִסְבְּאָ֣ה H5433 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural the strong drink שֵׁכָ֑ר H7941 Noun - masculine singular and tomorrow מָחָ֔ר H4279 Adverb will be וְהָיָ֤ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular like today כָזֶה֙ H2088 Preposition-k | Pronoun - masculine singular . . . י֣וֹם H3117 Noun - masculine singular only far מְאֹֽד׃ H3966 Adverb . . . יֶ֥תֶר H3499 Noun - masculine singular better גָּד֖וֹל H1419 Adjective - 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.