Christian Standard Bible
Isaiah 56:2
2Happy is the person who does this, the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.
Isaiah 56:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Blessed is the one who does this— the person who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps their hands from doing any evil.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Blessed is the man who does this, And the son of man who lays hold on it; Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
Context of Isaiah 56:2
1This is what the Lord says: Preserve justice and do what is right, for my salvation is coming soon, and my righteousness will be revealed. Happy is the person who does this, the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil. 3No foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord should say, “The Lord will exclude me from his people,” and the eunuch should not say, “Look, I am a dried-up tree.” 4For the Lord says this: “For the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, and choose what pleases me, and hold firmly to my covenant,
Read all of Isaiah 56Isaiah 56:2 word by word
אַשְׁרֵ֤י אֱנוֹשׁ֙ יַעֲשֶׂה־זֹּ֔את וּבֶן־אָדָ֖ם יַחֲזִ֣יק בָּ֑הּ שֹׁמֵ֤ר שַׁבָּת֙ מֵֽחַלְּל֔וֹ וְשֹׁמֵ֥ר יָד֖וֹ מֵעֲשׂ֥וֹת כָּל־רָֽע׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Blessedאֶ֫שֶׁר'esher · blessedH835
- the manאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- doethעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- this, and the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- layeth holdחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: holdH2388
- on it; that keepethשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: obeyH8104
- the sabbathשַׁבָּתshabbâth · SabbathH7676
- from pollutingחָלַלchâlal · to profane/begin: profaneH2490
- his handיָדyâd · handH3027
- any evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
Cross-references for Isaiah 56:2
- Psalms 1:1How happy is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of mockers!
- Psalms 15:1Lord, who can dwell in your tent? Who can live on your holy mountain?
- Psalms 106:3How happy are those who uphold justice, who practice righteousness at all times.
- Psalms 112:1Hallelujah! Happy is the person who fears the Lord, taking great delight in his commands.
- Psalms 119:1How happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk according to the Lord’s instruction!
- Psalms 128:1How happy is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways!
- Luke 11:28He said, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”
- Luke 12:43Blessed is that servant whom the master finds doing his job when he comes.
- John 13:17If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
- Revelation 22:14“Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates.
- Isaiah 56:4For the Lord says this: “For the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, and choose what pleases me, and hold firmly to my covenant,
- Proverbs 4:13Hold on to instruction; don’t let go. Guard it, for it is your life.
- Ecclesiastes 7:18It is good that you grasp the one and do not let the other slip from your hand. For the one who fears God will end up with both of them.
- Isaiah 58:13“If you keep from desecrating the Sabbath, from doing whatever you want on my holy day; if you call the Sabbath a delight, and the holy day of the Lord honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, seeking your own pleasure, or talking business;
- Exodus 31:13“Tell the Israelites: You must observe my Sabbaths, for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, so that you will know that I am the Lord who consecrates you.
- Leviticus 19:30Keep my Sabbaths and revere my sanctuary; I am the Lord.
Commentaries on Isaiah 56:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2That keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it - Kimchi has an excellent note here. "The Sabbath is sanctified when it is distinguished in dignity; and separated from other days. As to the body, in meat, drink, and clean clothing. As to the soul, that it be empty of worldly occupations, and be busily employed in the words of the law and wisdom, and in meditation on the works of the Lord." The rabbins say, "Jerusalem had never been destroyed, had not the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Blessed is the man - Hebrew, The blessings of the man‘ (see Psalm 1:1). The sense is, happy is the man.‘ The word here rendered man‘ (אנושׁ 'ĕnôsh ) usually denotes a man in humble life or in a subordinate rank, in contradistinction from אישׁ 'ı̂ysh a man in elevated rank. As the object of the prophet here is particularly to say, that the stranger‘ and the eunuch‘ would be admitted to these privileges, it is possible that he designedly used a word…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Blessed: Compare Isaiah 30:18; 32:20; see also Psalms 1:1; 119:1; Matthew 5:3. The Sabbath is a sign of the covenant (Exodus 31:13–17), and is God's gift to his people. It applies to both the present age and the age to come (Isaiah 56:4, 6; 58:13–14; see Hebrews 4:1–13).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. (Lu 12:43). the man--Hebrew, enosh, "a man in humble life," in contradistinction to Hebrew, ish, "one of high rank." Even the humblest, as "the stranger" and "the eunuch" (Is 56:4, 6), are admissible to these privileges. this ... it--what follows: "keeping the Sabbath," &c. (Is 58:13, 14; Eze 20:12). A proof that the Sabbath, in the spirit of its obligation, was to be binding under the Gospel (Is 66:23). That gospel times are referred to is plain, from…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 56:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 56
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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