New Living Translation
Isaiah 56:4
4For 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.
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 are all those who are careful to do this. Blessed are those who honor my Sabbath days of rest and keep themselves from doing wrong. 3“Don’t let foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord say, ‘The Lord will never let me be part of his people.’ And don’t let the eunuchs say, ‘I’m a dried-up tree with no children and no future.’ 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. 5I will give them—within the walls of my house— a memorial and a name far greater than sons and daughters could give. For the name I give them is an everlasting one. It will never disappear! 6“I will also bless the foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord, who serve him and love his name, who worship him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day of rest, and who hold fast to my covenant.
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 refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”
- Psalms 119:111Your laws are my treasure; they are my heart’s delight.
- Luke 10:42There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”
- Isaiah 27:5unless they turn to me for help. Let them make peace with me; yes, let them make peace with me.”
- Isaiah 55:3“Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David.
- 2 Samuel 23:5“Is it not my family God has chosen? Yes, he has made an everlasting covenant with me. His agreement is arranged and guaranteed in every detail. He will ensure my safety and success.
- Jeremiah 50:5They will ask the way to Jerusalem and will start back home again. They will bind themselves to the Lord with an eternal covenant that will never be forgotten.
- Hebrews 6:17God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind.
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
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