Isaiah 56:6
New International Version
And foreigners who bind 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 desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant—

New Living Translation
“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.

English Standard Version
“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, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant—

Berean Standard Bible
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—

King James Bible
Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;

New King James Version
“Also the sons of the foreigner Who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, And to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants— Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And holds fast My covenant—

New American Standard Bible
“Also the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, To attend to His service and to love the name of the LORD, To be His servants, every one who keeps the Sabbath so as not to profane it, And holds firmly to My covenant;

NASB 1995
“Also the foreigners 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 keeps from profaning the sabbath And holds fast My covenant;

NASB 1977
“Also the foreigners 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 keeps from profaning the sabbath, And holds fast My covenant;

Legacy Standard Bible
“Also the foreigners who join themselves to Yahweh, To minister to Him, and to love the name of Yahweh, To be His slaves, every one who keeps from profaning the sabbath And takes hold of My covenant,

Amplified Bible
“Also the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, To minister to Him, and to love the name of the LORD, To be His servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it And holds fast to My covenant [by conscientious obedience];

Christian Standard Bible
As for the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to become his servants — all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold firmly to my covenant —

Holman Christian Standard Bible
And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD minister to Him, love the name of Yahweh and become His servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold firmly to My covenant—

American Standard Version
Also the foreigners that join themselves to Jehovah, to minister unto him, and to love the name of Jehovah, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, and holdeth fast my covenant;

Contemporary English Version
Foreigners will follow me. They will love me and worship in my name; they will respect the Sabbath and keep our agreement.

English Revised Version
Also the strangers, that join themselves to the LORD, to minister unto him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, and holdeth fast by my covenant;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
And [I will remember] the foreigners who have joined the LORD to worship him, to love the LORD's name, and to be his servants. All of them will keep the day of worship from becoming unholy and will faithfully observe the conditions of my promise.

Good News Translation
And the LORD says to those foreigners who become part of his people, who love him and serve him, who observe the Sabbath and faithfully keep his covenant:

International Standard Version
"Also, the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, and to bless the LORD'S name, observing the Sabbath without profaning it, and who hold fast my covenant—

Majority Standard Bible
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—

NET Bible
As for foreigners who become followers of the LORD and serve him, who love the name of the LORD and want to be his servants--all who observe the Sabbath and do not defile it, and who are faithful to my covenant--

New Heart English Bible
Also the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and holds fast my covenant;

Webster's Bible Translation
Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, and taketh hold of my covenant;

World English Bible
Also the foreigners who join themselves to Yahweh to serve him, and to love Yahweh’s name, to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and holds fast my covenant,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And sons of the stranger, who are joined to YHWH, "" To serve Him, and to love the Name of YHWH, "" To be for servants to Him, "" All keeping from defiling the Sabbath, "" And those keeping hold on My covenant,

Young's Literal Translation
And sons of the stranger, who are joined to Jehovah, To serve Him, and to love the name of Jehovah, To be to Him for servants, Every keeper of the sabbath from polluting it, And those keeping hold on My covenant.

Smith's Literal Translation
And the sons of the stranger joining themselves to Jehovah to serve him, and to love the name of Jehovah, to be to him for servants, every one watching the Sabbath from defiling it, and taking hold upon my covenant;
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the children of the stranger that adhere to the Lord, to worship him, and to love his name, to be his servants: every one that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, and that holdeth fast my covenant:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the sons of the new arrival, who adhere to the Lord so as to worship him and to love his name, shall be his servants: all who keep the Sabbath without profaning it, and who hold to my covenant.

New American Bible
And foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, To love the name of the LORD, to become his servants— All who keep the sabbath without profaning it and hold fast to my covenant,

New Revised Standard Version
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, and do not profane it, and hold fast my covenant—
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Also to the sons of the strangers who follow the LORD, to serve him and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one who keeps from profaning the sabbath and takes hold of my covenant,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And to the foreign children who follow LORD JEHOVAH for his service and to love the name of LORD JEHOVAH, and they who will be Servants to him, everyone who also keeps the Sabbath that he will not break it, and they are empowered in my covenant
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Also the aliens, that join themselves to the LORD, to minister unto Him, And to love the name of the LORD, To be His servants, Every one that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, And holdeth fast by My covenant:

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And I will give it to the strangers that attach themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be to him servants and handmaids; and as for all that keep my sabbaths from profaning them, and that take hold of my covenant;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Salvation for Foreigners
5I will give them, in My house and within My walls, a memorial and a name better than that of sons and daughters. I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off. 6And 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— 7I 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.”…

Cross References
Isaiah 56:7
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 2:2-3
In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. / And many peoples will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

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 60:3
Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

Isaiah 66:18-21
“And I, knowing their deeds and thoughts, am coming to gather all nations and tongues, and they will come and see My glory. / I will establish a sign among them, and I will send survivors from among them to the nations—to Tarshish, Put, and the archers of Lud; to Tubal, Javan, and the islands far away who have not heard of My fame or seen My glory. So they will proclaim My glory among the nations. / And they will bring all your brothers from all the nations as a gift to the LORD on horses and chariots and wagons, on mules and camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the LORD, “just as the Israelites bring an offering in a clean vessel to the house of the LORD.” ...

Zechariah 2:11
“On that day many nations will join themselves to the LORD, and they will become My people. I will dwell among you, and you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent Me to you.

Zechariah 8:20-23
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Peoples will yet come—the residents of many cities— / and the residents of one city will go to another, saying: ‘Let us go at once to plead before the LORD and to seek the LORD of Hosts. I myself am going.’ / And many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of Hosts in Jerusalem and to plead before the LORD.” ...

Psalm 86:9
All the nations You have made will come and bow before You, O Lord, and they will glorify Your name.

Psalm 22:27
All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD. All the families of the nations will bow down before Him.

Jeremiah 31:33
“But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.

Jeremiah 32:38-40
They will be My people, and I will be their God. / I will give them one heart and one way, so that they will always fear Me for their own good and for the good of their children after them. / I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never turn away from doing good to them, and I will put My fear in their hearts, so that they will never turn away from Me.

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.

Acts 15:14-17
Simon has told us how God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people to be His own. / The words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written: / ‘After this I will return and rebuild the fallen tent of David. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, ...

Romans 11:17-24
Now if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root, / do not boast over those branches. If you do, remember this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. / You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” ...

Romans 15:9-12
so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to Your name.” / Again, it says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people.” / And again: “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and extol Him, all you peoples.” ...


Treasury of Scripture

Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keeps the sabbath from polluting it, and takes hold of my covenant;

join

Isaiah 56:3
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.

Isaiah 44:5
One shall say, I am the LORD'S; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.

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.

to love

Mark 12:30-34
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment…

Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

1 Corinthians 16:22
If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.

every

Isaiah 56:2
Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.

Isaiah 58:13
If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

Revelation 1:10
I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

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Agreement Aliens Bind Country Covenant Desecrating Fast Foreigners Hold Holds Holy Honour Join Keepeth Keeps Love Minister Polluting Profane Profaning Sabbath Servants Serve Strange Stranger Themselves Worship
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Agreement Aliens Bind Country Covenant Desecrating Fast Foreigners Hold Holds Holy Honour Join Keepeth Keeps Love Minister Polluting Profane Profaning Sabbath Servants Serve Strange Stranger Themselves Worship
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














And the foreigners
The Hebrew word for "foreigners" is "נֵכָר" (nekar), which refers to those who are not native Israelites. Historically, Israel was a nation set apart, and foreigners were often seen as outsiders. However, this verse highlights God's inclusive plan, showing that His love and covenant are open to all who seek Him, regardless of their ethnic background. This reflects the universal scope of God's salvation plan, which is fully realized in the New Testament through Christ.

who join themselves to the LORD
The phrase "join themselves" comes from the Hebrew "לָוָה" (lavah), meaning to attach or bind oneself. This signifies a deep, committed relationship with God, akin to a covenantal bond. It implies a voluntary and wholehearted decision to align with God's people and His ways, emphasizing the personal choice and dedication required to follow the LORD.

to minister to Him
The Hebrew root "שָׁרַת" (sharat) means to serve or attend to. In the context of the Old Testament, this often referred to the Levitical duties in the temple. Here, it extends the privilege of service to those outside the traditional Israelite lineage, indicating that worship and service to God are not limited by heritage but are open to all who are devoted to Him.

to love the name of the LORD
Loving the name of the LORD involves reverence and adoration for God's character and reputation, as "name" in Hebrew culture encapsulates one's essence and authority. This love is not merely emotional but is demonstrated through obedience and worship, reflecting a deep, personal relationship with God.

and to be His servants
The term "servants" (עֲבָדִים, avadim) denotes those who are in a position of service or worship. In biblical times, a servant was someone who was wholly devoted to their master's will. This phrase underscores the call to live a life of submission and dedication to God's purposes, highlighting the honor and responsibility of serving the Almighty.

all who keep the Sabbath without profaning it
The Sabbath, or "שַׁבָּת" (Shabbat), is a day of rest and worship instituted by God. To "keep" it means to observe it faithfully, while "profaning" (חָלַל, chalal) means to defile or treat it as common. Observing the Sabbath is a sign of covenant faithfulness, symbolizing trust in God's provision and a commitment to His commandments.

and who hold fast to My covenant
"Holding fast" (חָזַק, chazaq) implies a strong, unwavering grip. The "covenant" (בְּרִית, berit) refers to the solemn agreement between God and His people. This phrase calls for steadfastness in faith and obedience, emphasizing the importance of remaining true to God's promises and commands. It reflects the enduring nature of God's relationship with those who are faithful to Him, transcending cultural and ethnic boundaries.

(6) Also the sons of the stranger . . .--Proselytes also were to share in the blessings of the wider covenant. The words "to serve him" have been referred to some menial offices like that of the Nethinim, "hewers of wood and drawers of water" (Joshua 9:27; Ezra 8:20). The usage of the word, however, limits it to honourable functions. The germ of Isaiah's thought appears in Solomon's dedication prayer (1Kings 8:41-43). It receives its highest development (in its entire separation from the building with which there and here it is associated), in John 4:23. Comp. a further emancipation from the bondage of the law in Isaiah 66:21.

Verse 6. - Also the sons of the stranger (comp. ver. 3). The proselytes shall not be treated as they fear. On the contrary, God will treat them in exactly the same way as his original people - will conduct them to Palestine, settle them in his "holy mountain," admit them to the temple services, accept their burnt offerings and their sacrifices. All this will be a foretaste of their position in the Christian Church, where there will be neither Jew nor Gentile, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision, but a community where all are brethren and all have equal privileges.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And the foreigners
וּבְנֵ֣י (ū·ḇə·nê)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

who join
הַנִּלְוִ֤ים (han·nil·wîm)
Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 3867: To twine, to unite, to remain, to borrow, to lend

themselves to
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

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

to minister to Him,
לְשָׁ֣רְת֔וֹ (lə·šā·rə·ṯōw)
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 8334: To attend as a, menial, worshipper, to contribute to

to love
וּֽלְאַהֲבָה֙ (ū·lə·’a·hă·ḇāh)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 157: To have affection f

the name
שֵׁ֣ם (šêm)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8034: A name

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

and to be
לִהְי֥וֹת (lih·yō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

His servants—
לַעֲבָדִ֑ים (la·‘ă·ḇā·ḏîm)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

who keep
שֹׁמֵ֤ר (šō·mêr)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

the Sabbath
שַׁבָּת֙ (šab·bāṯ)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 7676: Intermission, the Sabbath

without profaning it
מֵֽחַלְּל֔וֹ (mê·ḥal·lə·lōw)
Preposition-m | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2490: To bore, to wound, to dissolve, to profane, to break, to begin, to play

and who hold fast
וּמַחֲזִיקִ֖ים (ū·ma·ḥă·zî·qîm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 2388: To fasten upon, to seize, be strong, obstinate, to bind, restrain, conquer

to My covenant—
בִּבְרִיתִֽי׃ (biḇ·rî·ṯî)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1285: A covenant


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 56:6 Also the foreigners who join themselves (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 56:5
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