God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 56:11
11These dogs have huge appetites. They are never full. They are the shepherds, but they don’t understand. All of them have turned to go their own ways. Each one seeks his own gain.
Isaiah 56:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Yea, 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.
- New International Version (NIV)They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding; they all turn to their own way, they seek their own gain.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The dogs have a mighty appetite; they never have enough. But they are shepherds who have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, one and all.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Yes, they are greedy dogs Which never have enough. And they are shepherds Who cannot understand; They all look to their own way, Every one for his own gain, From his own territory.
Context of Isaiah 56:11
9All you animals in the field, all you animals in the forest, come and eat. 10⌞Israel’s⌟ watchmen are blind. None of them know anything. All of them are like dogs that are unable to bark. They lie around dreaming; they love to sleep. These dogs have huge appetites. They are never full. They are the shepherds, but they don’t understand. All of them have turned to go their own ways. Each one seeks his own gain. 12⌞Each one cries,⌟ “Let me get some wine, and we’ll fill ourselves with liquor. And tomorrow will be like today, only better.”
Read all of Isaiah 56Isaiah 56:11 word by word
וְהַכְּלָבִ֣ים עַזֵּי־נֶ֗פֶשׁ לֹ֤א יָֽדְעוּ֙ שָׂבְעָ֔ה וְהֵ֣מָּה רֹעִ֔ים לֹ֥א יָדְע֖וּ הָבִ֑ין כֻּלָּם֙ לְדַרְכָּ֣ם פָּנ֔וּ אִ֥ישׁ לְבִצְע֖וֹ מִקָּצֵֽהוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- greedyנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: appetiteH5315
- greedyעַז‛az · strongH5794
- dogsכֶּ֫לֶבkeleb · dogH3611
- canיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- enoughשׇׂבְעָהώob‛âh · satietyH7654
- shepherdsרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
- cannot understandבִּיןbîyn · to understandH995
- they all lookפָּנָהpânâh · to turnH6437
- to their own wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
- every oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- for his gainבֶּ֫צַעbetsa‛ · unjust-gainH1215
- from his quarterקָצֶהqâtseh qêtseh · endH7097
Cross-references for Isaiah 56:11
- 1 Samuel 2:12Eli’s sons, ⌞Hophni and Phinehas,⌟ were good-for-nothing priests; they had no faith in the Lord.
- Ezekiel 13:19You dishonor me in front of my people for a few handfuls of barley and a few pieces of bread. You kill people who shouldn’t die, and you spare the lives of people who shouldn’t live. You lie to my people who are willing to listen.
- Ezekiel 34:2“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy to these shepherds. Tell them, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: How horrible it will be for the shepherds of Israel who have been taking care of only themselves. Shouldn’t shepherds take care of the sheep?
- Micah 3:5This is what the Lord says about the prophets who mislead my people: When they have something to eat, they say, “All is well!” But they declare a holy war against those who don’t feed them.
- Malachi 1:10“I wish one of you would shut the doors ⌞to my house⌟ so that you could not light fires on my altar for no reason. I’m not pleased with you,” says the Lord of Armies, “and I won’t accept your offerings.
- Acts 20:29I know that fierce wolves will come to you after I leave, and they won’t spare the flock.
- Philippians 3:2Beware of dogs! Beware of those who do evil things. Beware of those who insist on circumcision.
- 1 Timothy 3:3He must not drink excessively or be a violent person, but he must be gentle. He must not be quarrelsome or love money.
- 1 Peter 5:2Be shepherds over the flock God has entrusted to you. Watch over it as God does: Don’t do this because you have to, but because you want to. Don’t do it out of greed, but out of a desire to serve.
- 2 Peter 2:3In their greed they will use good-sounding arguments to exploit you. The verdict against them from long ago is still in force, and their destruction is not asleep.
- Jude 1:11How horrible it will be for them! They have followed the path of Cain. They have rushed into Balaam’s error to make a profit. They have rebelled like Korah and destroyed themselves.
- Revelation 22:15Outside are dogs, sorcerers, sexual sinners, murderers, idolaters, and all who lie in what they say and what they do.
- Ecclesiastes 5:10Whoever loves money will never be satisfied with money. Whoever loves wealth will never be satisfied with more income. Even this is pointless.
- Micah 3:6That is why you will have nights without visions. You will have darkness without revelations. The sun will set on the prophets, and the day will turn dark for them.
- Zechariah 11:15Then the Lord said to me, “Use the equipment of a foolish shepherd again.
- Matthew 13:14So they make Isaiah’s prophecy come true: ‘You will hear clearly but never understand. You will see clearly but never comprehend.
Commentaries on Isaiah 56:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11Greedy dogs - Insatiably feeding themselves with the fat, and clothing themselves with the wool, while the flock is scattered, ravaged, and starved! O what an abundance of these dumb and greedy dogs are there found hanging on and prowling about the flock of Christ! How can any careless, avaricious, hireling minister read this without agitation and dismay?Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11Yea, they are greedy dogs - Margin, Strong of appetite.‘ Literally, Strong of soul‘ (עזי־נפשׁ ‛azēy -nephesh Jerome renders it, Canes impudentissimi. So the Septuagint, ́ ̓͂ ͂ͅ ͂ͅ Kunes anaideis tē psuchē - Dogs impudent in soul.‘ They were greedy and insatiable in that which the soul or the appetite demands. The idea here is, that the prophets to whom reference is here made were sensual, and disposed to gorge themselves; living only for carnal…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-12Verses 9-12 Desolating judgments are called for; and this severe rebuke of the rulers and teachers of the Jewish church, is applicable to other ages and places. It is bad with a people when their shepherds slumber, and are eager after the world. Let us pray the Great Shepherd to send us pastors after his own heart, who will feed us with knowledge, that we may rejoice in his holy name, and that believers may be daily added to the church.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11shepherds with no discernment: Israel's leaders did not know how to rule in a godly way (see also Ezekiel 34:1–6). In contrast, the Lord is the faithful shepherd of his people (Isaiah 40:11). they all turn to their own way: They did not care about God or his standards for leadership (see also Isaiah 53:6). his own gain: Compare Isaiah 33:15.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. greedy--literally, "strong" (that is, insatiable) in appetite (Eze 34:2, 3; Mi 3:11). cannot understand--unable to comprehend the wants of the people, spiritually: so Is 56:10, "cannot bark." look to ... own way--that is, their own selfish interests; not to the spiritual welfare of the people (Jr 6:13; Eze 22:27). from his quarter--rather, "from the highest to the lowest" [Lowth]. "From his quarter"; that is, from one end to the other of them, one and…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 56:11
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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