Isaiah 56:4

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

2God will bless the people who do what is right. They must be careful to obey my laws. They must respect the rules for the Sabbath day and keep it special. They must refuse to do anything that is evil. 3When a foreigner decides to serve the Lord, he should not say, “The Lord will keep me separate from his own people.” A eunuch should not say, “I am no better than a dead tree.” ’ The Lord says this: ‘I will bless eunuchs who obey my laws. They must respect the rules for Sabbath days. They must choose to do what pleases me. They must always obey my covenant with my people. 5If they do that, I will give them a special place in my temple. It will cause people to remember them. Their name will continue in a better way than through sons and daughters. People will always honour their name. Nobody will cut it off. 6I will also bless foreigners who decide to serve me. They must be faithful to me as my servants. They must respect the rules for the Sabbath day and keep it special. They must always obey my covenant.

Isaiah 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 you refuse to serve the Lord, then you should choose another god to worship. Decide today! Will you serve the gods that your ancestors worshipped across the river? Will you serve the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are now living? You choose! But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.’
• Psalms 119:111Your laws will always be with me. They make me happy deep inside.
• Luke 10:42But only one thing is really important. That is what Mary has chosen to do. Nobody will take it away from her.’
• Isaiah 27:5But my enemies should turn to me for help. They should agree to live in peace with me. Yes, that is what they should do.
• Isaiah 55:3Come to me and listen carefully. If you accept my teaching, you will have real life! Then I will make a covenant with you, to be my people. My promise will continue for ever, like the promise that I made to King David.
• 2 Samuel 23:5That is how God will bless my descendants. He has made a promise to me that will continue for ever. It is a strong promise that will never change. I know that he will always help me. He will do for me everything that I hope for.
• Jeremiah 50:5They will ask people to show them the way to Zion. They will travel in that direction. They will promise to serve the Lord. They will make a covenant with him that will continue for ever. Nobody will ever forget that covenant.
• Hebrews 6:17God wanted to show very clearly that he would never change his purpose. He wanted his people to know that he would certainly bless them. So when he made this promise, he also used his own name to make it strong.

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

• Church
• Eunuch
• Isaiah
• Righteous
• Sabbath

In the dictionaries

• Gather
• Proselyte
• Sabbath
• Covenant, in the Old Testament
• Eunuch
• Isaiah
• Law in the Old Testament
• Saviour

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