Christian Standard Bible
Isaiah 56:4
4For the Lord says this: “For the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, and choose what pleases me, and hold firmly to my covenant,
Isaiah 56:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;
- New International Version (NIV)For this is what the Lord says: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant—
- English Standard Version (ESV)For thus says the Lord: "To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant,
- New King James Version (NKJV)For thus says the Lord: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, And choose what pleases Me, And hold fast My covenant,
Context of Isaiah 56:4
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. 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.” For the Lord says this: “For the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, and choose what pleases me, and hold firmly to my covenant, 5I will give them, in my house and within my walls, a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters. I will give each of them an everlasting name that will never be cut off. 6As for the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to become his servants — all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold firmly to my covenant —
Read all of Isaiah 56Isaiah 56:4 word by word
כִּי־כֹ֣ה׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה לַסָּֽרִיסִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִשְׁמְרוּ֙ אֶת־שַׁבְּתוֹתַ֔י וּבָֽחֲר֖וּ בַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר חָפָ֑צְתִּי וּמַחֲזִיקִ֖ים בִּבְרִיתִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For thus saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- unto the eunuchsסָרִיסsârîys sâris · eunuchH5631
- that keepשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: obeyH8104
- my sabbathsשַׁבָּתshabbâth · SabbathH7676
- and chooseבָּחַרbâchar · to chooseH977
- that pleaseחָפֵץchâphêts · to delight inH2654
- me, and take holdחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: holdH2388
- of my covenantבְּרִיתberîyth · covenantH1285
Cross-references for Isaiah 56:4
- Joshua 24:15But if it doesn’t please you to worship the Lord, choose for yourselves today: Which will you worship — the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living? As for me and my family, we will worship the Lord.”
- Psalms 119:111I have your decrees as a heritage forever; indeed, they are the joy of my heart.
- Luke 10:42but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.”
- Isaiah 27:5Or let it take hold of my strength; let it make peace with me — make peace with me.
- Isaiah 55:3Pay attention and come to me; listen, so that you will live. I will make a permanent covenant with you on the basis of the faithful kindnesses of David.
- 2 Samuel 23:5Is it not true my house is with God? For he has established a permanent covenant with me, ordered and secured in every detail. Will he not bring about my whole salvation and my every desire?
- Jeremiah 50:5They will ask about Zion, turning their faces to this road. They will come and join themselves to the Lord in a permanent covenant that will never be forgotten.
- Hebrews 6:17Because God wanted to show his unchangeable purpose even more clearly to the heirs of the promise, he guaranteed it with an oath,
Commentaries on Isaiah 56:4
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs - Even the eunuchs, who have hitherto been excluded from the privileges of the people of God, and who have been regarded as a separated and degraded people, shall be admitted to the same privileges as others. That keep my sabbaths - The word is used here in the plural, though the weekly Sabbath is probably particularly intended. It may be, however, that the word is used to represent religious observances in general…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-8Verses 3-8 Unbelief often suggests things to discourage believers, against which God has expressly guarded. Spiritual blessings are unspeakably better than having sons and daughters; for children are a care, and may prove a grief and shame, but the blessings we partake of in God's house, are comforts which cannot be made bitter. Those who love the Lord truly, will serve him faithfully, and then his commandments are not grievous. Three things are promised…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4The Sabbath is a sign of the covenant (Exodus 31:13–17). It shows the special relationship between the Lord and Israel.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. please me--sacrifice their own pleasure to mine. take hold--so "layeth hold" (see on Is 56:2).Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 56:4
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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