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;
• 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,
• New Living Translation (NLT)For this is what the Lord says: I will bless those eunuchs who keep my Sabbath days holy and who choose to do what pleases me and commit their lives to me.

Context of Isaiah 56:4

2Blessed 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.” 3Let 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.” 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— 5to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will endure forever. 6And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to 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 serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
• Psalms 119:111Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart.
• Luke 10:42but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
• Isaiah 27:5Or else let them come to me for refuge; let them make peace with me, yes, let them make peace with me.”
• Isaiah 55:3Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.
• 2 Samuel 23:5“If my house were not right with God, surely he would not have made with me an everlasting covenant, arranged and secured in every part; surely he would not bring to fruition my salvation and grant me my every desire.
• Jeremiah 50:5They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and bind themselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.
• Hebrews 6:17Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with 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

• 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