Isaiah 56:3
New International Version
Let no foreigner who is bound to the LORD say, “The LORD will surely exclude me from his people.” And let no eunuch complain, “I am only a dry tree.”

New Living Translation
“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.’

English Standard Version
Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will surely separate me from his people”; and let not the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”

Berean Standard Bible
Let no foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will utterly exclude me from His people.” And let the eunuch not say, “I am but a dry tree.”

King James Bible
Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

New King James Version
Do not let the son of the foreigner Who has joined himself to the LORD Speak, saying, “The LORD has utterly separated me from His people”; Nor let the eunuch say, “Here I am, a dry tree.”

New American Standard Bible
Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will certainly separate me from His people.” Nor let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”

NASB 1995
Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will surely separate me from His people.” Nor let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”

NASB 1977
Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will surely separate me from His people.” Neither let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to Yahweh say, “Yahweh will surely separate me from His people.” Nor let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”

Amplified Bible
Do not let the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will most certainly separate me from His people.” And do not let the eunuch say, “Look, I am a dry tree.”

Christian Standard Bible
No foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD should say, “The LORD will exclude me from his people,” and the eunuch should not say, “Look, I am a dried-up tree.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
No foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD should say,” The LORD will exclude me from His people"; and the eunuch should not say,” Look, I am a dried-up tree.”

American Standard Version
Neither let the foreigner, that hath joined himself to Jehovah, speak, saying, Jehovah will surely separate me from his people; neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

Contemporary English Version
Foreigners who worship me must not say, "The LORD won't let us be part of his people." Men who are unable to become fathers must no longer say, "We are dried-up trees."

English Revised Version
Neither let the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD will surely separate me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Foreigners who have joined the LORD should not say, "The LORD will separate us from his people." Castrated men should not say, "We're only dead trees!"

Good News Translation
A foreigner who has joined the LORD's people should not say, "The LORD will not let me worship with his people." A man who has been castrated should never think that because he cannot have children, he can never be part of God's people.

International Standard Version
"Let no foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say: 'The LORD will surely exclude me from his people.' Furthermore, let no eunuch say, 'Look! I am just a dry tree.'"

Majority Standard Bible
Let no foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will utterly exclude me from His people.” And let the eunuch not say, “I am but a dry tree.”

NET Bible
No foreigner who becomes a follower of the LORD should say, 'The LORD will certainly exclude me from his people.' The eunuch should not say, 'Look, I am like a dried-up tree.'"

New Heart English Bible
Neither let the foreigner, who has joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, "The LORD will surely separate me from his people"; neither let the eunuch say, "Look, I am a dry tree."

Webster's Bible Translation
Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

World English Bible
Let no foreigner who has joined himself to Yahweh speak, saying, “Yahweh will surely separate me from his people.” Do not let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Do not let a son of the stranger speak, "" Who is joined to YHWH, saying, “YHWH certainly separates me from His people.” Nor let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dried up tree,”

Young's Literal Translation
Nor speak let a son of the stranger, Who is joined unto Jehovah, saying: 'Jehovah doth certainly separate me from His people.' Nor say let the eunuch, 'Lo, I am a tree dried up,'

Smith's Literal Translation
And the son of the stranger joining himself to Jehovah, shall not say, saying, Jehovah separating, will separate me from his people; and the eunuch shall not say, Behold me a dry tree.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And let not the son of the stranger, that adhereth to the Lord, speak, saying: The Lord will divide and separate me from his people. And let not the eunuch say: Behold I am a dry tree.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And let not the son of the new arrival, who adheres to the Lord, speak, saying, “The Lord will divide and separate me from his people.” And let not the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”

New American Bible
The foreigner joined to the LORD should not say, “The LORD will surely exclude me from his people”; Nor should the eunuch say, “See, I am a dry tree.”

New Revised Standard Version
Do not let the foreigner joined to the LORD say, “The LORD will surely separate me from his people”; and do not let the eunuch say, “I am just a dry tree.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Do not let the son of the stranger who follows the LORD speak, saying, The LORD has utterly separated me from his people; neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And a son of a foreigner who follows LORD JEHOVAH will not say: "Truly, LORD JEHOVAH separated me from his people”, and a Eunuch will not say, "I am a dry tree"
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Neither let the alien, That hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying: 'The LORD will surely separate me from His people'; Neither let the eunuch say: 'Behold, I am a dry tree.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Let not the stranger who attaches himself to the Lord, say, Surely the Lord will separate me from his people: and let not the eunuch say, I am a dry tree.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Salvation for Foreigners
2Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it and keeps his hand from doing any evil.” 3Let no foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will utterly exclude me from His people.” And let the eunuch not say, “I am but a dry tree.” 4For this is what the LORD says: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, who choose what pleases Me and hold fast to My covenant—…

Cross References
Acts 8:27-39
So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official in charge of the entire treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship, / and on his return was sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet. / The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that chariot and stay by it.” ...

Ephesians 2:12-13
remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. / But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Romans 10:12-13
For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him, / for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

John 10:16
I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.

Matthew 8:11
I say to you that many will come from the east and the west to share the banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

Acts 10:34-35
Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism, / but welcomes those from every nation who fear Him and do what is right.

Romans 3:29-30
Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, / since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.

Colossians 3:11
Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all.

Revelation 7:9
After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.

Isaiah 14:1
For the LORD will have compassion on Jacob; once again He will choose Israel and settle them in their own land. The foreigner will join them and unite with the house of Jacob.

Isaiah 56:6-7
And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD to minister to Him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be His servants—all who keep the Sabbath without profaning it and who hold fast to My covenant— / I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.”

Isaiah 60:10
Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Although I struck you in anger, yet in favor I will show you mercy.

Isaiah 61:5
Strangers will stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners will be your plowmen and vinedressers.

Isaiah 62:2
Nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. You will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.


Treasury of Scripture

Neither let the son of the stranger, that has joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD has utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

the son

Numbers 18:4,7
And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you…

Deuteronomy 23:1-3
He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD…

Zechariah 8:20-23
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: …

joined

Jeremiah 50:5
They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.

Zephaniah 2:11
The LORD will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.

1 Corinthians 6:17
But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

the Lord hath

Matthew 15:26,27
But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs…

Luke 7:6-8
Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: …

neither

Isaiah 56:5
Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.

Isaiah 39:7
And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.

Jeremiah 38:7-13
Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin; …

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Isaiah 56
1. The prophet exhorts to sanctification
3. He promises it shall be general, without respect of persons
9. He protests against blind watchmen














Let no foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD
The term "foreigner" in Hebrew is "נֵכָר" (nekar), which refers to someone who is not of Israelite descent. Historically, foreigners were often seen as outsiders in Israelite society, yet this passage emphasizes inclusion. The phrase "joined himself to the LORD" suggests a voluntary and sincere commitment to the God of Israel, transcending ethnic and cultural boundaries. This reflects the universal scope of God's covenant, foreshadowing the New Testament's message of salvation available to all through Christ (Galatians 3:28).

say, 'The LORD will surely exclude me from His people.'
The Hebrew word for "exclude" is "בָּדַל" (badal), meaning to separate or divide. In ancient Israel, there were strict laws about who could participate in the assembly of the LORD (Deuteronomy 23). However, this verse reassures that those who earnestly seek God and align themselves with His covenant are not to be excluded. This is a profound message of hope and acceptance, emphasizing God's desire for a diverse and inclusive community of believers.

And let no eunuch say, 'I am but a dry tree.'
The term "eunuch" refers to a man who has been castrated, often serving in royal courts. In the ancient Near East, eunuchs were typically denied full participation in religious and social life due to their inability to procreate, symbolized by the phrase "a dry tree." However, Isaiah's prophecy challenges this exclusion, offering a promise of spiritual fruitfulness and belonging. This anticipates the New Testament's teaching that spiritual identity in Christ transcends physical limitations (Acts 8:26-39, where the Ethiopian eunuch is baptized).

(3) Neither let the son of the stranger . . .--Two classes of persons were likely to suffer specially from Manasseh's policy--(1) the heathen proselytes, who, as in Psalms 87, had been admitted as citizens of Zion under Hezekiah's special protection; and (2) in the highest degree, those of that body who had been taken, as Ebed-Melech afterwards was (Jeremiah 38:7), into the king's household as eunuchs. The courtiers of Manasseh would taunt them as aliens, and in the second case would press the letter of Deuteronomy 23:2. The principle of Isaiah's teaching was, of course, applicable to the Israelites who, like Daniel and his friends, had been mutilated against their will by heathen conquerors (Daniel 1:3), and most commentators refer the words to such cases. It is scarcely probable, however, that the household of Hezekiah would have been supplied with home-born eunuchs, and, on the hypothesis which I have adopted, I find in the eunuchs a sub-section of the proselytes. The words put into the mouths of the complainers are the natural utterances of men treated as they had been.

Verse 3. - The son of the stranger; i.e. the foreigner, who has become a proselyte. During the depression of the Captivity these are not likely to have been many. Still, there were doubtless some; and these, who had embraced Judaism under such unfavourable circumstances, were entitled to special consideration. As Messianic hopes prevailed, and the time of restoration to Palestine drew near (ver. 1), they might naturally be afraid that they would not be looked upon as equals by the native Israelites, but would be made into a lower grade, if not even excluded. The Lord hath utterly separated me; rather, the Lord will utterly separate me. They do not suppose it done, but think it will be done. The eunuch. Isaiah had prophesied to Hezekiah that a certain number of his seed should serve as eunuchs in the royal palace of the King of Babylon (2 Kings 20:18). Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were such persons (Daniel 1:3-6), and there may have been others. By the letter of the Law (Deuteronomy 23:1), they were cut off from the congregation, but practically it would seem that during the Captivity they were on a par with other Israelites. These persons feared, with more reason than the foreign proselytes, that, on the return of Israel to their own land, a stricter practice would be established than had prevailed during the Captivity, and the letter of the Law would be enforced against them. I am a dry tree. Therefore useless, and entitled to no consideration at all.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Let no
וְאַל־ (wə·’al-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

foreigner
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

who has joined
הַנִּלְוָ֤ה (han·nil·wāh)
Article | Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3867: To twine, to unite, to remain, to borrow, to lend

himself to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the LORD
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

say,
יֹאמַ֣ר (yō·mar)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“The LORD
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

will utterly exclude
הַבְדֵּ֧ל (haḇ·dêl)
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 914: To be divided, separate

me from
מֵעַ֣ל (mê·‘al)
Preposition-m
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

His people.”
עַמּ֑וֹ (‘am·mōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

And let the eunuch
הַסָּרִ֔יס (has·sā·rîs)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5631: A eunuch, valet, a minister of state

not
וְאַל־ (wə·’al-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

say,
לֵאמֹ֔ר (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“I
אֲנִ֖י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

am but
הֵ֥ן (hên)
Interjection
Strong's 2005: Lo! behold!

a dry
יָבֵֽשׁ׃ (yā·ḇêš)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 3002: Dry, dried

tree.”
עֵ֥ץ (‘êṣ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6086: Tree, trees, wood


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 56:3 Neither let the foreigner who has joined (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 56:2
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