The Prophets · Old Testament
Isaiah 56
Isaiah 56: a place for the stranger and the eunuch, and watchmen who cannot bark
General context
The Lord commands his hearers to keep judgment and do justice because his salvation is near. Blessed is the man who does this, keeps the sabbath from polluting it and keeps his hand from evil. The son of the stranger who has joined himself to the Lord must not say the Lord has separated him from his people, and the eunuch must not call himself a dry tree. To eunuchs who keep his sabbaths, choose what pleases him and take hold of his covenant, the Lord promises a place and a name within his house and walls better than sons and daughters, an everlasting name not cut off. The sons of the stranger who join themselves to the Lord to serve him and love his name, keeping the sabbath and holding his covenant, he will bring to his holy mountain and make joyful in his house of prayer; their offerings will be accepted on his altar, for his house will be called a house of prayer for all people. The Lord God who gathers the outcasts of Israel says he will gather others besides. The chapter then turns: all the beasts of the field and forest are called to come and devour. His watchmen are blind, ignorant, dumb dogs that cannot bark, sleeping and loving slumber; they are greedy dogs that never have enough, shepherds who cannot understand, each looking to his own gain. Their words are quoted: they will fetch wine, fill themselves with strong drink, and tomorrow will be like today and more abundant.
Cited passages: Isaiah 56:1, Isaiah 56:2, Isaiah 56:3, Isaiah 56:4, Isaiah 56:5, Isaiah 56:6, Isaiah 56:7, Isaiah 56:8, Isaiah 56:9, Isaiah 56:10, Isaiah 56:11, Isaiah 56:12
Isaiah 56 (KJV)
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.
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Historical context
No individual is named. The two groups addressed are the son of the stranger who has joined himself to the Lord and the eunuch, and the text records what each might say about himself, separated from his people and a dry tree, in order to forbid it. The conditions attached to the promises are stated in the text: keeping the sabbath, choosing what pleases the Lord, and taking hold of his covenant; the chapter does not say where these people have come from or how they joined themselves. The house, walls, holy mountain and altar are the Lord's, and the house is to be called a house of prayer for all people; the chapter does not name the house or its city. The watchmen and shepherds of the closing verses belong to an unnamed his, and the text does not say whose leaders they are or when they held office. The shift from verse 8 to verse 9 is unmarked; no new speaker is announced. Later, Matthew and Mark report the words my house shall be called the house of prayer as it is written, with Mark adding of all nations; those are later citations of this verse. The gathering of outcasts is described as the Lord's action, and the others he will gather are not identified.
Cited passages: Isaiah 56:3, Isaiah 56:4, Isaiah 56:6, Isaiah 56:5, Isaiah 56:7, Isaiah 56:10, Isaiah 56:11, Isaiah 56:9, Matthew 21:13, Mark 11:17, Isaiah 56:8
Literary context
The chapter has two unequal halves, and the break between them at verse 9 is abrupt. The first half works by quotation and reversal: the stranger's fear that he is separated is answered by a holy mountain and an accepted sacrifice, and the eunuch's dry tree is answered by a name better than of sons and of daughters and an everlasting name not cut off. The conditions repeat in near identical words for both groups, keepeth the sabbath from polluting it and taketh hold of my covenant, so the two outsiders are treated by one rule. The word all widens the house at verse 7 to all people, and verse 8 widens the gathering to others beside those already gathered. Then the animals change. The house of prayer gives way to beasts called to devour, and the people's guards are dogs that cannot bark and shepherds who cannot understand. Their own speech closes the chapter, and its last words, to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant, are a boast placed in the mouths of men the chapter has just called blind. The indictment runs on without a break into the next chapter, where the righteous perish and no man lays it to heart.
Cited passages: Isaiah 56:3, Isaiah 56:7, Isaiah 56:5, Isaiah 56:2, Isaiah 56:6, Isaiah 56:8, Isaiah 56:9, Isaiah 56:10, Isaiah 56:11, Isaiah 56:12, Isaiah 57:1
Key moments
- Keep judgment, do justice (Isaiah 56:1). The Lord commands justice because his salvation is near.
- Not a dry tree (Isaiah 56:3). The stranger and the eunuch are told not to call themselves separated or barren.
- A name better than sons and daughters (Isaiah 56:5). The Lord promises faithful eunuchs an everlasting name within his house.
- A house of prayer for all people (Isaiah 56:7). Strangers who hold the covenant are brought to the holy mountain and their offerings accepted.
- Others gathered besides (Isaiah 56:8). The Lord who gathers Israel's outcasts says he will gather others too.
- Watchmen who cannot bark (Isaiah 56:10). The watchmen are called blind, dumb dogs who love to slumber.
- Tomorrow like today, and more (Isaiah 56:12). The greedy shepherds are quoted planning wine and strong drink and expecting more of the same.
For reflection
The stranger and the eunuch are each forbidden to say the discouraging thing they might say about themselves. What is the difference between a limit a person actually has and a limit they have only been told to expect?
