New King James Version
Isaiah 56:11
11Yes, 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)Like greedy dogs, they are never satisfied. They are ignorant shepherds, all following their own path and intent on personal gain.
Context of Isaiah 56:11
9All you beasts of the field, come to devour, All you beasts in the forest. 10His watchmen are blind, They are all ignorant; They are all dumb dogs, They cannot bark; Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. 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. 12“Come,” one says, “I will bring wine, And we will fill ourselves with intoxicating drink; Tomorrow will be as today, And much more abundant.”
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 2:12Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the Lord.
- Ezekiel 13:19And will you profane Me among My people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, killing people who should not die, and keeping people alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies?”
- Ezekiel 34:2“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
- Micah 3:5Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets Who make my people stray; Who chant “Peace” While they chew with their teeth, But who prepare war against him Who puts nothing into their mouths:
- Malachi 1:10“Who is there even among you who would shut the doors, So that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain? I have no pleasure in you,” Says the Lord of hosts, “Nor will I accept an offering from your hands.
- Acts 20:29For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.
- Philippians 3:2Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation!
- 1 Timothy 3:3not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;
- 1 Peter 5:2Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;
- 2 Peter 2:3By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.
- Jude 1:11Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
- Revelation 22:15But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.
- Ecclesiastes 5:10He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.
- Micah 3:6“Therefore you shall have night without vision, And you shall have darkness without divination; The sun shall go down on the prophets, And the day shall be dark for them.
- Zechariah 11:15And the Lord said to me, “Next, take for yourself the implements of a foolish shepherd.
- Matthew 13:14And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive;
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries