God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 56:2
2Blessed is the one who does these things and the person who holds on to them. Blessed is the one who keeps the day of rest—a holy day, from becoming unholy and his hands from doing anything wrong.
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. My salvation is about to come. My righteousness is about to be revealed. Blessed is the one who does these things and the person who holds on to them. Blessed is the one who keeps the day of rest—a holy day, from becoming unholy and his hands from doing anything wrong. 3Foreigners who have joined the Lord should not say, “The Lord will separate us from his people.” Castrated men should not say, “We’re only dead trees!” 4This is what the Lord says: ⌞I will remember⌟ the castrated men who keep my days of rest as holy days, choose what pleases me, and faithfully observe the conditions of my promise.
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 1:1Blessed is the person who does not follow the advice of wicked people, take the path of sinners, or join the company of mockers.
- Psalms 15:1O Lord, who may stay in your tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?
- Psalms 106:3Blessed are those who defend justice and do what is right at all times.
- Psalms 112:1Hallelujah! Blessed is the person who fears the Lord and is happy to obey his commands.
- Psalms 119:1Blessed are those whose lives have integrity, those who follow the teachings of the Lord.
- Psalms 128:1Blessed are all who fear the Lord and live his way.
- Luke 11:28Jesus replied, “Rather, how blessed are those who hear and obey God’s word.”
- Luke 12:43That servant will be blessed if his master finds him doing this job when he comes.
- John 13:17If you understand all of this, you are blessed whenever you follow my example.
- Revelation 22:14“Blessed are those who wash their robes so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.
- Isaiah 56:4This is what the Lord says: ⌞I will remember⌟ the castrated men who keep my days of rest as holy days, choose what pleases me, and faithfully observe the conditions of my promise.
- Proverbs 4:13Cling to discipline. Do not relax your grip on it. Keep it because it is your life.
- Ecclesiastes 7:18It’s good to hold on to the one and not let go of the other, because the one who fears God will be able to avoid both extremes.
- Isaiah 58:13If you stop trampling on the day of rest and doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the day of rest a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, if you honor it by not going your own way, by not going out when you want, and by not talking idly,
- Exodus 31:13“Say to the Israelites, ‘Be sure to observe my days of rest as holy days. This will be a sign between me and you for generations to come so that you will know that I am the Lord who makes you holy.
- Leviticus 19:30“Observe my days of rest as holy days and respect my holy tent. 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
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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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