God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 56:4
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.
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
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. 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!” This 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. 6And ⌞I will remember⌟ the foreigners who have joined the Lord to worship him, to love the Lord’s name, and to be his servants. All of them will keep the day of rest—a holy day, from becoming unholy and will faithfully observe the conditions of my promise.
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 you don’t want to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Even if you choose the gods your ancestors served on the other side of the Euphrates or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live, my family and I will still serve the Lord.”
- Psalms 119:111Your written instructions are mine forever. They are the joy of my heart.
- Luke 10:42There’s only one thing you need. Mary has made the right choice, and that one thing will not be taken away from her.”
- Isaiah 27:5Or else let them come to me for protection. Let them make peace with me. Yes, let them make peace with me.
- Isaiah 55:3Open your ears, and come to me! Listen so that you may live! I will make an everlasting promise to you— the blessings I promised to David.
- 2 Samuel 23:5“Truly, God considers my house to be that way, because he has made a lasting promise to me, with every detail arranged and assured. ⌞He promised⌟ everything that helps me, everything that pleases me. Truly, he makes these things happen.
- 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.
- Hebrews 6:17God wouldn’t change his plan. He wanted to make this perfectly clear to those who would receive his promise, so he took 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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