Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version 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. New Living Translation Like greedy dogs, they are never satisfied. They are ignorant shepherds, all following their own path and intent on personal gain. English Standard Version 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. Berean Standard Bible Like ravenous dogs, they are never satisfied. They are shepherds with no discernment; they all turn to their own way, each one seeking his own gain: King James Bible 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 King James Version 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. New American Standard Bible And the dogs are greedy, they are never satisfied. And they are shepherds who have no understanding; They have all turned to their own way, Each one to his unjust gain, without exception. NASB 1995 And the dogs are greedy, they are not satisfied. And they are shepherds who have no understanding; They have all turned to their own way, Each one to his unjust gain, to the last one. NASB 1977 And the dogs are greedy, they are not satisfied. And they are shepherds who have no understanding; They have all turned to their own way, Each one to his unjust gain, to the last one. Legacy Standard Bible And the dogs have a strong appetite; they do not know satisfaction. And they are shepherds who do not know understanding; They have all turned to their own way, Each one to his greedy gain, to the last one. Amplified Bible And the dogs are greedy; they never have enough. They are shepherds who have no understanding; They have all turned to their own way, Each one to his unlawful gain, without exception. Christian Standard Bible These dogs have fierce appetites; they never have enough. And they are shepherds who have no discernment; all of them turn to their own way, every last one for his own profit. Holman Christian Standard Bible These dogs have fierce appetites; they never have enough. And they are shepherds who have no discernment; all of them turn to their own way, every last one for his own gain.” American Standard Version Yea, the dogs are greedy, they can never have enough; and these are shepherds that cannot understand: they have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter. Contemporary English Version You stupid leaders are a pack of hungry and greedy dogs that never get enough. You are shepherds who mistreat your own sheep for selfish gain. English Revised Version Yea, the dogs are greedy, they can never have enough; and these are shepherds that cannot understand: they have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter. GOD'S WORD® Translation These dogs have huge appetites. They are never full. They are the shepherds, but they don't understand. All of them have turned to go their own ways. Each one seeks his own gain. Good News Translation They are like greedy dogs that never get enough. These leaders have no understanding. They each do as they please and seek their own advantage. International Standard Version Meanwhile, the dogs have a mighty appetite— they can never get enough. And as for them, they are the shepherds who lack understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, each and every one. Majority Standard Bible Like ravenous dogs, they are never satisfied. They are shepherds with no discernment; they all turn to their own way, each one seeking his own gain: NET Bible The dogs have big appetites; they are never full. They are shepherds who have no understanding; they all go their own way, each one looking for monetary gain. New Heart English Bible Yes, the dogs are greedy, they can never have enough; and these are shepherds who can't understand: they have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter. Webster's Bible Translation Yes, 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. World English Bible Yes, the dogs are greedy. They can never have enough. They are shepherds who can’t understand. They have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd the dogs [are] strong of desire, "" They have not known sufficiency, "" And they [are] shepherds! They have not known understanding, "" All of them turned to their own way, "" Each to his dishonest gain from his quarter: Young's Literal Translation And the dogs are strong of desire, They have not known sufficiency, And they are shepherds! They have not known understanding, All of them to their own way they did turn, Each to his dishonest gain from his quarter: Smith's Literal Translation And dogs hard of soul, they knew not fulness; and they are evil, they know not understanding; they all looked to their way, a man to his plunder from his extremity. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd meet impudent dogs, they never had enough: the shepherds themselves knew no understanding: all have turned aside into their own way, every one after his own gain, from the first even to the last. Catholic Public Domain Version And these very imprudent dogs have never known satisfaction. The shepherds themselves do not know understanding. All have turned aside in their own way, each one to his own avarice, from the highest even to the least: New American Bible Yes, the dogs have a ravenous appetite; they never know satiety, Shepherds who have no understanding; all have turned their own way, each one covetous for gain: New Revised Standard Version The dogs have a mighty appetite; they never have enough. The shepherds also have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, to their own gain, one and all. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleYea, they are greedy dogs that can never have enough, they are so wicked that they cannot understand; they all have turned aside to their own way, every one for his own gain and his own advantage. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And they are dogs whose soul is greedy, and they do not know how to be satisfied. They shall be evil and they do not know understanding. All of them turned to their way, each man to this side and to that side OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Yea, the dogs are greedy, They know not when they have enough; And these are shepherds That cannot understand; They all turn to their own way, Each one to his gain, one and all. Brenton Septuagint Translation Yea, they are insatiable dogs, that known not what it is to be filled, and they are wicked, having no understanding: all have followed their own ways, each according to his will. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Israel's Sinful Leaders…10Israel’s watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber. 11Like ravenous dogs, they are never satisfied. They are shepherds with no discernment; they all turn to their own way, each one seeking his own gain: 12“Come, let me get the wine, let us imbibe the strong drink, and tomorrow will be like today, only far better!”… Cross References Ezekiel 34:2-10 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who only feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed their flock? / You eat the fat, wear the wool, and butcher the fattened sheep, but you do not feed the flock. / You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bound up the injured, brought back the strays, or searched for the lost. Instead, you have ruled them with violence and cruelty. ... Jeremiah 23:1-2 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” declares the LORD. / Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who tend My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your deeds, declares the LORD. Micah 3:11 Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.” Zechariah 11:15-17 And the LORD said to me: “Take up once more the equipment of a foolish shepherd. / For behold, I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will neither care for the lost, nor seek the young, nor heal the broken, nor sustain the healthy, but he will devour the flesh of the choice sheep and tear off their hooves. / Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May a sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered and his right eye utterly blinded!” Matthew 23:25-28 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. / Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well. / Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. ... Philippians 3:18-19 For as I have often told you before, and now say again even with tears: Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. / Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things. 2 Peter 2:1-3 Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. / Many will follow in their depravity, and because of them the way of truth will be defamed. / In their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with deceptive words. The longstanding verdict against them remains in force, and their destruction does not sleep. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come. / For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, / unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good, ... Jeremiah 6:13 “For from the least of them to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; from prophet to priest, all practice deceit. Hosea 4:8-9 They feed on the sins of My people and set their hearts on iniquity. / And it shall be like people, like priest. I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds. 1 Timothy 6:5-10 and constant friction between men of depraved mind who are devoid of the truth. These men regard godliness as a means of gain. / Of course, godliness with contentment is great gain. / For we brought nothing into the world, so we cannot carry anything out of it. ... Titus 1:10-11 For many are rebellious and full of empty talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision, / who must be silenced. For the sake of dishonorable gain, they undermine entire households and teach things they should not. Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. John 10:12-13 The hired hand is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf pounces on them and scatters the flock. / The man runs away because he is a hired servant and is unconcerned for the sheep. Acts 20:29-30 I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. / Even from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them. Treasury of Scripture Yes, 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. yea they are 1 Samuel 2:12-17,29 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD… Ezekiel 13:19 And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies? Ezekiel 34:2,3 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? … greedy. Ecclesiastes 5:10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. are shepherds Micah 3:6 Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them. Zechariah 11:15-17 And the LORD said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd… Matthew 13:14,15 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: … all look Exodus 23:3 Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause. Jeremiah 22:17 But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it. 2 Peter 2:15,16 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; … Jump to Previous Appetites Desire Dishonest Dogs Enough Food Gain Greedy Keepers Last Mighty Pleasure Profit Quarter Satisfied Sheep Shepherds Strong Sufficiency Turn Turned Understand Understanding Unjust Way WisdomJump to Next Appetites Desire Dishonest Dogs Enough Food Gain Greedy Keepers Last Mighty Pleasure Profit Quarter Satisfied Sheep Shepherds Strong Sufficiency Turn Turned Understand Understanding Unjust Way WisdomIsaiah 56 1. The prophet exhorts to sanctification3. He promises it shall be general, without respect of persons 9. He protests against blind watchmen Like ravenous dogs, they are never satisfied. This phrase paints a vivid picture of insatiable greed and selfishness. In biblical times, dogs were often seen as unclean animals, scavengers that roamed the streets. The imagery of "ravenous dogs" suggests leaders who are driven by their own appetites, never content with what they have. This reflects a broader biblical theme of warning against greed and self-indulgence, as seen in Proverbs 30:15-16, which speaks of things that are never satisfied. The metaphor underscores the moral and spiritual decay of those who should be guiding the people. They are shepherds with no discernment; they all turn to their own way, each one seeking his own gain: Persons / Places / Events 1. ShepherdsIn this context, the shepherds symbolize leaders or those in positions of spiritual authority who are failing in their duties. They are described as lacking discernment and being self-serving. 2. Ravenous Dogs This metaphor is used to describe the insatiable greed and selfishness of the leaders. Dogs in ancient Near Eastern culture were often seen as scavengers, highlighting the leaders' lack of integrity. 3. Isaiah The prophet who conveyed God's message to the people of Israel. His role was to call out the injustices and spiritual failures of the leaders and the people. 4. Israel The nation to whom Isaiah was prophesying. At this time, Israel was experiencing spiritual decline and needed correction and guidance. 5. God The ultimate authority and judge who is displeased with the leaders' behavior and calls for righteousness and justice. Teaching Points The Danger of Selfish LeadershipLeaders must be vigilant against the temptation to prioritize personal gain over the well-being of those they lead. True leadership reflects the heart of a servant, as modeled by Christ. Discernment in Leadership Spiritual leaders are called to exercise discernment, seeking God's wisdom and guidance in their decisions. This requires a deep relationship with God and a commitment to His Word. The Insatiable Nature of Greed Greed is never satisfied and leads to destructive behavior. Believers are called to find contentment in Christ and to steward their resources for His glory. Accountability Before God All leaders will ultimately give an account to God for their actions. This should inspire a reverent fear and a commitment to lead with integrity and righteousness. The Call to Follow the Good Shepherd Jesus, the Good Shepherd, provides the perfect example of selfless leadership. Believers are encouraged to follow His example and to trust in His guidance.(11) Shepherds that cannot understand . . .--Better, and such are shepherds; they cannot understand. There is no confusion or change of metaphors. What is implied is that the prophets who are not fit to be watch-dogs of the flock, assume the office of its shepherds. From his quarter--i.e., in modern phrase, from his own sphere of influence. Verse 11. - Yea, they are greedy dogs. Another defect is noted. Not only do they fail in the way of neglect of duty, but they are actively culpable. Being worldly and not spiritually minded, they are "greedy" after gain. Anciently, the taking of a gift, or fee, from those who came to consult them was regarded as no dishonour to the prophetic office (Numbers 22:7; 1 Samuel 9:7; 1 Kings 14:3); but the nobler class of prophets declined to make a profit of their spiritual powers, and would receive no fee (2 Kings 5:16; Matthew 10:8; Acts 8:20). In Ezekiel and Micah the taking of gifts by prophets is regarded as discreditable (Ezekiel 13:19; Ezekiel 22:25; Micah 3:3). From his quarter; rather, to the uttermost (Kay), or every one, without exception (Cheyne).Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Like ravenous dogs,וְהַכְּלָבִ֣ים (wə·hak·kə·lā·ḇîm) Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 3611: A dog, a male prostitute they are never לֹ֤א (lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no satisfied. יָֽדְעוּ֙ (yā·ḏə·‘ū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 3045: To know They וְהֵ֣מָּה (wə·hêm·māh) Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine plural Strong's 1992: They are shepherds רֹעִ֔ים (rō·‘îm) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural Strong's 7462: To tend a, flock, pasture it, in, to graze, to rule, to associate with with יָדְע֖וּ (yā·ḏə·‘ū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 3045: To know no לֹ֥א (lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no discernment; הָבִ֑ין (hā·ḇîn) Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct Strong's 995: To separate mentally, understand they all כֻּלָּם֙ (kul·lām) Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every turn פָּנ֔וּ (pā·nū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 6437: To turn, to face, appear, look to their own way, לְדַרְכָּ֣ם (lə·ḏar·kām) Preposition-l | Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action each מִקָּצֵֽהוּ׃ (miq·qā·ṣê·hū) Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 7097: End, extremity one אִ֥ישׁ (’îš) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person seeking his own gain: לְבִצְע֖וֹ (lə·ḇiṣ·‘ōw) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 1215: Gain made by violence, unjust gain, profit Links Isaiah 56:11 NIVIsaiah 56:11 NLT Isaiah 56:11 ESV Isaiah 56:11 NASB Isaiah 56:11 KJV Isaiah 56:11 BibleApps.com Isaiah 56:11 Biblia Paralela Isaiah 56:11 Chinese Bible Isaiah 56:11 French Bible Isaiah 56:11 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Isaiah 56:11 Yes the dogs are greedy they can (Isa Isi Is) |
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