Chapter 56

Rewards for Obedience to God

1 Thus says the Lord,

“aPreserve justice and do righteousness,

For My bsalvation is about to come

And My righteousness to be revealed.

2 “How ablessed is the man who does this,

And the son of man who btakes hold of it;

Who ckeeps from profaning the sabbath,

And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

3 Let not the aforeigner who has joined himself to the Lord say,

“The Lord will surely separate me from His people.”

Nor let the beunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”

4 For thus says the Lord,

“To the eunuchs who akeep My sabbaths,

And choose what pleases Me,

And bhold fast My covenant,

5 To them I will give in My ahouse and within My bwalls a memorial,

And a name better than that of sons and daughters;

I will give 1them an everlasting cname which dwill not be cut off.

6 “Also the aforeigners who join themselves to the Lord,

To minister to Him, and to love the name of the Lord,

To be His servants, every one who bkeeps from profaning the sabbath

And holds fast My covenant;

7 Even athose I will bring to My bholy mountain

And cmake them joyful in My house of prayer.

Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on dMy altar;

For eMy house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”

8 The Lord 1God, who agathers the dispersed of Israel, declares,

“Yet bothers I will gather to 2them, to those already gathered.”

9 All you abeasts of the field,

All you beasts in the forest,

Come to eat.

10 His awatchmen are bblind,

All of them know nothing.

All of them are mute dogs unable to bark,

1Dreamers lying down, who love to slumber;

11 And the dogs are 1agreedy, they 2are not satisfied.

And they are shepherds who have bno understanding;

They have all cturned to their own way,

Each one to his unjust gain, to the last one.

12 “Come,” they say, “let 1us get awine, and let us drink heavily of strong drink;

And btomorrow will be like today, only more so.”