Isaías 56
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Isaías 56
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS There is a change from Isaiah's message to the returnees from Mesopotamian exile (Isaiah 40-55) to the faithless, covenant people in Palestine (Isaiah 56-66).
Isaías 56:1-5
56:1 This chapter starts out with two commands related to an appropriate life of faith (cf. Isa. 55:7). preserve justice ‒ Qal IMPERATIVE (BDB 1036, KB 1581, cf. Isa. 1:17); for "justice," see SPECIAL TOPIC: JUDGE, JUDGMENT, JUSTICE do righteousness ‒ Qal IMPERATIVE (BDB 793, KB 889); for "righteousness," see SPECIAL TOPIC: RIGHTEOUSNESS ▣ The reason for the life of faith is My salvation is about to come ‒ Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT (BDB 97, KB 112, cf. Isa. 46:13; 51:5; Ps. 85:9) My righteousness to be revealed ‒ Niphal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT (BDB 162, KB 191, see same first two references as #1) NT Believers must live every day as if the Lord was returning! This attitude and lifestyle keeps us close to God (cf. Ps. 85:9), as it did the faithful followers under the Old Covenant (i.e. Ps. 1). SPECIAL TOPIC: SALVATION (OT) TERM 56:2 Notice the first two lines are parallel. Also the "blessed man" (cf. Ps. 1:1-3; 112:1; 119:1-2; 128:1) is the one who obeys/observes God's law. ▣ The second two lines describe two specific things that "the blessed man" will not do. keeps from profaning the sabbath (cf. Exod. 20:8-11; 31:16-17; 35:2-3; Isa. 58:13; see SPECIAL TOPIC: SABBATH) keeps his hand from doing any evil (summary phrase) The VERB "keep" (BDB 1036, KB 1581) occurs four times in this chapter (Isa. 56:2 [twice],4,6). Lifestyle faith and obedience are vital and crucial aspects of a personal relationship with YHWH. SPECIAL TOPIC: BLESSING SPECIAL TOPIC: KEEP 56:3 This verse assures those who were normally excluded from Israel's God that they would be included. the physically damaged person (cf. Isa. 56:6-8, Deut. 23:1-8) the non-Israelite worshiper (cf. Isa. 56:4-5) The word "says," which is repeated twice (foreigner, eunuch) is a Qal IMPERFECT (BDB 55, KB 65) used in a JUSSIVE sense. ▣ "surely separate" This is a Hiphil INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and a Hiphil IMPERFECT from the same root (BDB 95, KB 110) used for emphasis. However, the great emphasis is that this statement is not true! ▣ "the eunuch" This refers to a person with damaged testicles a castrated person a royal servant (i.e. Potiphar and Daniel) The account of the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8 being fully accepted into the people of God by faith in Jesus Christ, the Suffering Servant, is a great example of this type of persons' inclusion! 56:4 Notice the qualifications of a faithful eunuch. keeps My sabbaths ‒ BDB 1036, KB 1581, Qal IMPERFECT chooses what pleases Me ‒ BDB 103, KB 119, Qal PERFECT with waw holds fast My covenant ‒ BDB 304, KB 302, Hiphil ACTIVE PARTICIPLE 56:5 Eunuchs could have no natural children (i.e. "a dry tree," v. 3) so YHWH will give the faithful eunuchs a memorial in His house (i.e. temple). He will give them "an everlasting name" (i.e. Hebrew idiom for descendants). SPECIAL TOPIC: FOREVER ('olam and aiōnios) ▣ NASB, REB "memorial" NRSV, LXX, Peshitta "a place" NJB, JPSOA "monument" The Hebrew term is literally "hand" (BDB 388, #4) but used idiomatically for memorial (cf. 1 Sam. 15:12; 2 Sam. 18:18). SPECIAL TOPIC: HAND
Isaías 56:6-8
56:6 Notice how the faithful foreigners are characterized. join themselves to the Lord ‒ Niphal PARTICIPLE (BDB 530, KB 522) minister to Him ‒ Piel INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT (BDB 1058, KB 1661) love the name of the Lord ‒ Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT (BDB 12, KB 17; see SPECIAL TOPIC: "THE NAME" OF YHWH) be His servants ‒ Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT (BDB 224, KB 243) keep from profaning the sabbath ‒ Qal PARTICIPLE (BDB 1036, KB 1581, cf. vv 2,4) and a Piel INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT (BDB 320, KB 319) holds fast My covenant ‒ Hiphil PARTICIPLE (BDB 304, KB 302) YHWH's true followers are known by their lifestyle faith (cf. Matthew 5-7, esp. Matt. 7:15-23,24-27; Eph. 1:4; 2:10; James 2:14-26). 56:7-8 As Isa. 56:6 described the faithful foreigners' actions, so Isa. 56:7-8 describe what the faithful God will do for them. I will bring to My holy mountain (i.e. temple, cf. Isa. 27:13; 57:13; 65:14; 66:20; Jer. 31:23; Ezek. 20:40; Dan. 9:16,20) I will make them joyful in My house of prayer I will accept their sacrifices on My altar I will gather them and others 56:7 "My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples" This was the stated purpose of Solomon's temple (cf. 1 Kgs. 8:41-43,60). Jesus quotes this verse in Matt. 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46 as He cleansed Herod's temple (i.e. the court of the Gentiles) of the animal sellers and money changers. For a complete listing of this universal element in Isaiah see Isa. 45:22. ▣ "burnt offering" See SPECIAL TOPIC: BURNT OFFERING. 56:8 "Yet others I will gather to them" "Yet I will gather to him others besides" NRSV, Peshitta "I will gather others to them" (Peshitta, "to him") "has promised that he will bring still other people to join them" "there are others I shall gather" "I will gather still more to those gathered" "I shall add to those who have already been gathered" "I will gather to him a congregation" There are two possibilities. YHWH will gather even more of the exiled descendants of Abraham (JPSOA, LXX, NET, cf. Isa. 60:4-14) YHWH will gather other outcasts (i.e. foreigners, eunuchs, cf. Isa. 19:24-25; 60:3; 66:18-21; Joel 2:28-32) Jesus' use of this text in Mark 11:17, following the LXX, shows its wider intended scope; also note John 10:16. This is the thrust of Joel 2:28-32 (quoted by Paul in Rom. 10:13).
Isaías 56:9-12
56:9 This is a parody of the invitation to the Divine supper (cf. Isa. 56:12; 55:1-2), but here in the context of judgment (Isa. 56:10-12) it is a command ("come" ‒ BDB 87, KB 102, Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT). This will be a banquet of judgment! There is an interpretive question related to Isa. 56:9-12, as to when this occurs. pre-exilic exilic post-exilic The issue is to which period of Israel's history do these verses refer? Possibly it relates to some in each period (i.e. multiple fulfillment prophecy, or at least the historical ambiguity of Isaiah's poems can relate to different periods). There were always faithless leaders and people. 56:10-12 These verses are in sharp contrast to the faithful outcasts of Isa. 56:1-8. These describe Israel's spiritual condition (mostly her leaders). the watchmen (spiritual leaders) are blind all of them know nothing all of them are dumb dogs dream/rave from Arabic root or "pant" (KB 243), referring to "dogs" of Isa. 56:10c DSS has "seers," referring to prophets love to sleep greedy never satisfied shepherds without understanding all tuned to their own ways (cf. Isa. 53:6) each one turned to unjust gain drunkards no plans or motive to change their evil ways Wow! What a terrible description of the covenant people. Their leaders are corrupt and the proverb is true, like leader, like people! God's revelation, temple, and godly leaders had made no difference (i.e. Roim. 9:4-5). Their fruit is obvious (i.e. self)! 56:10 "His watchmen are blind" The MT scholars noted a problem in the Hebrew text. It reads a Qal PERFECT (BDB 859, KB 1044), but they suggest a Qal PARTICIPLE. Either one does not change the sense of the text. 56:12 "Come" This IMPERATIVE (Qal, BDB 87, KB 102) matches the one in Isa. 56:9c! The humans come to get drunk and ignore God (Isa. 56:12b), so now the animals are invited by God to come and devour His covenant people (cf. Isa. 18:6; Jer. 7:33; 12:9; 15:3; 34:20). SPECIAL TOPIC: WINE AND STRONG DRINK, II. A. #4,5,6