THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET
ISAIAH
Isaiah 56 ©
The Lord exhorts everyone to godliness, v. 1, etc. Promising to the converted Gentiles that their worship and service would be also well-pleasing and acceptable unto Him, 5. The Lord calls the tyrants to come and destroy the blind and hypocritical watchmen, whom He calls dumb dogs, 9.
THUS saith the LORD, Keep ye 1judgment, and do 2justice: 3for 4my salvation is near to come, and 5my righteousness to be revealed.
Blessed is the man 6that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth 7the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.
¶Neither let 8the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, 9speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunucha say, Behold, 10I am a dry tree.
For thus saith the LORD 11unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;
Even unto 12them will I give 13in mine house and 14within my walls 15a place and a name 16better than of sons and of daughters: I will give 17them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.
Also 18the 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 19the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;
Even them will I bring 20to my holy mountain, and make them joyful 21in my house of prayer: their 22burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted 23upon mine altar; for mineb house shall be 24called an house of prayer 25for all people.
The Lord GOD which gathereth the outcasts 26of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others 27to him, 28beside those that are gathered 29unto him.
¶ 30All 31ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest.
32His 33watchmen are 34blind: they are all ignorant, they are all 35dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
Yea, they are 36greedy dogs 37which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one 38for his gain, 39from his quarter.
Come ye, say they, 40I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; 41and 42to morrow shall be as this day, and 43much more abundant.