Isaiah 56:3

Isaiah 56:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.
• New International Version (NIV)Let no foreigner who is bound to the Lord say, “The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.” And let no eunuch complain, “I am only a dry tree.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say, "The Lord will surely separate me from his people"; and let not the eunuch say, "Behold, I am a dry tree."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Do not let the son of the foreigner Who has joined himself to the Lord Speak, saying, “The Lord has utterly separated me from His people”; Nor let the eunuch say, “Here I am, a dry tree.”

Context of Isaiah 56:3

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. 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. Foreigners 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. 5Inside my house and within my walls, I will give them something better than sons and daughters. I will give them a monument and a name. I will give them a permanent name that will not be forgotten.

Isaiah 56:3 word by word

וְאַל־יֹאמַ֣ר בֶּן־הַנֵּכָ֗ר הַנִּלְוָ֤ה אֶל־יְהוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הַבְדֵּ֧ל יַבְדִּילַ֛נִי יְהוָ֖ה מֵעַ֣ל עַמּ֑וֹ וְאַל־יֹאמַר֙ הַסָּרִ֔יס הֵ֥ן אֲנִ֖י עֵ֥ץ יָבֵֽשׁ׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Neither let the sonבֵּןbên · son: type ofH1121
• of the strangerנֵכָרnêkâr · foreignH5236
• that hath joinedלָוָהlâvâh · to joinH3867
• himself to the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• speakאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• hath utterlyבָּדַלbâdal · to separateH914
• me from his peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• neither let the eunuchסָרִיסsârîys sâris · eunuchH5631
• a dryיָבֵשׁyâbêsh · dryH3002
• treeעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086

Cross-references for Isaiah 56:3

• Numbers 18:4They will join you and do whatever work is necessary for the tent of meeting, including all the maintenance work for the tent. But no one else may come near you.
• Deuteronomy 23:1A man whose testicles are crushed or whose penis is cut off may never join the assembly of the Lord.
• Zechariah 8:20This is what the Lord of Armies says: People and citizens from many cities are going to come.
• Matthew 8:10Jesus was amazed when he heard this. He said to those who were following him, “I can guarantee this truth: I haven’t found faith as great as this in anyone in Israel.
• Acts 8:27So Philip went. An Ethiopian man who had come to Jerusalem to worship was on his way home. The man was a eunuch, a high-ranking official in charge of all the treasures of Queen Candace of Ethiopia.
• Acts 10:1A man named Cornelius lived in the city of Caesarea. He was a Roman army officer in the Italian Regiment.
• Acts 13:47The Lord gave us the following order: ‘I have made you a light for the nations so that you would save people all over the world.’ ”
• Acts 17:4Some of the Jews were persuaded to join Paul and Silas, especially a large group of Greeks who had converted to Judaism and the wives of many prominent men.
• Acts 18:7Then he left the synagogue and went to the home of a man named Titius Justus, who was a convert to Judaism. His house was next door to the synagogue.
• Romans 2:10But there will be glory, honor, and peace for every person who does what is good, for Jews first and Greeks as well.
• Romans 16:9Greet Urbanus our coworker in the service of Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.
• Ephesians 2:12Also, at that time you were without Christ. You were excluded from citizenship in Israel, and the pledges ⌞God made in his⌟ promise were foreign to you. You had no hope and were in the world without God.
• 1 Peter 1:1From Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. To God’s chosen people who are temporary residents ⌞in the world⌟ and are scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.
• Jeremiah 50:5They will ask which road goes to Zion and turn in that direction. They will go there to make a permanent agreement with the Lord. It will not be forgotten.
• Zephaniah 2:11The Lord will terrify them, because he will make all the gods of the earth waste away. So every person from every coast and nation will bow to him.
• 1 Corinthians 6:17However, the person who unites himself with the Lord becomes one spirit with him.

Commentaries on Isaiah 56:3

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Neither let the son of the stranger - The foreigner who shall become a proselyte to the true religion. That hath joined himself - That has embraced the true faith, and become a worshipper of the true God. It is evidently implied here that there would be such proselytes, and that the true religion would be extended so as to include and embrace them. The idea is, that they should be admitted to the same privileges with those who had been long recognized as…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. 3Foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord would become full members of his covenant community. In earlier times, their participation had strict limits (Deuteronomy 23:3, 7–8). eunuch: In the past, a man who had been emasculated was not allowed to take part fully in the community (Deuteronomy 23:1). Both eunuchs and foreigners were seen as outside Israel’s holiness. They were considered on the edge of God’s people. But in the age to come, God would…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. God welcomes all believers, without distinction of persons, under the new economy (Ac 10:34, 35). joined ... to ... Lord--(Nu 18:4, 7). "Proselytes." separated--Proselytes from the Gentiles were not admitted to the same privileges as native Israelites. This barrier between Jews and Gentiles was to be broken down (Ep 2:14-16). eunuch--(Ac 8:27, &c.). Eunuchs were chamberlains over harems, or court ministers in general. dry tree--barren (compare Lu…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 56:3

• Church
• Eunuch
• Gentiles
• Isaiah
• Righteous

In the dictionaries

• Chamberlain
• Gather
• Proselyte
• Isaiah
• Law in the Old Testament
• Sabbath
• Saviour
• Stranger and Sojourner (in the Old Testament)

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