Isaiah 56:6

Isa 56:6 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;

Ver. 6. Also the sons of the stranger that joineth.] Relinquishing his heathenish superstition, and devoting himself to my fear. The Levites had their name from the word here used; and leviathan, whose scales and parts are so fast joined and jointed together.

To love the name of the Lord, to be his servants.] Plato could say, Parere legibus est Deo servire: et haec summa est libertas, To obey the laws, is to serve God; and this is the chiefest liberty, this is perfect freedom. But Plato never knew what it was to love to be God’s servant. Lex voluntarios quaerit, saith Ambrose. {a} All God’s soldiers are volunteers, all his people free hearted; {Psa 110:3} they wait for his law. {Isa 42:8 Deu 10:12}

Every one that keepeth the Sabbath.] See on Isa 56:2.

{a} In Psalm i.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Isa_56:6-7

Also the sons of the stranger

Gentiles enjoying Gods favour

This is a clear prophecy of the call of the Gentiles into the Church of Christ.

Let us attend to this description of those who are objects of the Divine favour, and entitled to the privileges of His house.

1. They join themselves to the Lord. This supposes a former distance and alienation from Him. But that is removed by humble repentance and returning to the Lord. It includes, renouncing all their idols; forsaking all their sin, everything contrary to the nature and will of God: a deliberate choice of Him, as their portion and felicity; and of His people, as their friends and associates.

2. The design of their thus joining themselves unto the Lord is to serve Him. This is further expressed in the phrase, to be His servants; not only to serve Him occasionally, or for a while, but perpetually; to adhere to Him and His ways, from a deep conviction that nothing can be more reasonable, important, and advantageous than to hear what He saith, and to do it.

3. It is added, and to love the name of the Lord. They take delight in His service; they perform it not from fear and a servile dread, but from a sincere and strong affection. They love His name; that is, they love him, His worship and His ways, and pursue His work with delight. It is opposed to narrow; selfish, mercenary views, which render the service less acceptable and comfortable. They esteem it their meat and drink to do His will.

4. Another thing-expected from Gods people is, that they keep His Sabbath from polluting it. This is an essential character, a distinguishing mark, of good men.

5. Gods people take hold of His covenant. They enter into serious, deliberate, solemn engagements to observe and keep His laws, in order to obtain the blessings which He hath promised; and which, in so doing, they cheerfully expect. They take hold of it; which implies a hearty consent to Gods terms, a cheerful approbation and acceptance of them and delight in them. It likewise implies a steady resolution. They take hold of it, as those who are determined not to let it go. (J. Orton.)

The rewards of Gods servants

The text--

I. HOLDS OUT UNIVERSAL ENCOURAGEMENT TO MAN.

1. By the transfer of the priesthood from Aaron to Christ.

2. By the change of sacrifice. From the blood of bulls and of goats to the precious blood of the Son of God.

3. By the removal of place. From Jerusalem to the temple of the universe.

4. By a change of worship. From ritual to spiritual. What an encouraging prospect! (Eph_2:11-22.)

II. INCULCATES UNIVERSAL PIETY, Piety in heart and practice. The duties enumerated may be divided into three classes.

1. Those which relate to Christ, expressed by taking hold of His covenant--accepting--agreeing to it.

2. Those which relate to God as the Governor of the world.

(1) His servants.

(2) Walk by His laws.

(3) Keep His Sabbaths.

3. Those which relate to the Church.

III. PROMISES UNIVERSAL HAPPINESS.

1. Access to heaven. I will bring them to My holy mountain.

2. Joyfulness in His service. I will make them joyful in My house of prayer.

3. The Divine acceptance of their religious engagements. Their burnt-offerings and sacrifices shall be accepted upon Mine altar. (R. Watson.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Isa 56:6-7. The sons of the stranger that join themselves to the Lord — That with purpose of heart cleave unto him, as is said Act 11:23. To love the Lord, to be his servants — To serve him out of love to him and to his worship. Them will I bring to my holy mountain — To my house which stood upon mount Zion, including mount Moriah; and make them joyful — By accepting their services, and comforting their hearts with the sense of my love; in my house of prayer — In my temple, in and toward which prayers are daily made unto me. Their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar — They shall have as free access to my house and altar as the Jews themselves, and their services shall be as acceptable to me. Evangelical worship is here described under such expressions as agreed to the worship of God which was then in use. My house shall be called a house of prayer for all people — Jews and Gentiles shall have equal freedom to my house, and shall there call upon my name. “The temple was originally designed for strangers as well as Jews, as a place to offer up their prayers to the Divine Majesty; which is sufficiently plain from the prayer of Solomon, at the dedication of it, though the number of proselytes was small till the time of the second temple. But there can be no doubt that this verse alludes particularly to the conversion of the Gentiles. This truth could not be told the Jewish people otherwise than by using terms taken from rites familiar to them, unless the nature of the Christian dispensation had been previously explained; a matter evidently unfit for their information, when they were yet to live so long under the Jewish law. For though the prophets speak of the little value of their regard to the ceremonial law, they easily make themselves understood, that they mean, when it was observed without the moral law; which they describe in the purity and perfection of the gospel. So admirable was this conduct, that while it hid the future dispensation it prepared men for it.” — Bishop Warburton’s Div. Leg. Upon the whole, the reader may observe, “that the principal scope of this paragraph is to teach that all the privileges of the covenant of grace should be common to all, without distinction of nation, state, or condition; that God would distribute to all believers, according to the measure of their grace, equal gifts, as our Lord hath taught in the parable of the labourers in the vineyard, Matthew 20.”

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The fears of proselytes from among the heathen are also removed. "And the foreigners, who have joined themselves to Jehovah, to serve Him, and to love the name of Jehovah, to be His servants, whoever keepeth the Sabbath from desecrating it, and those who hold fast to my covenant, I bring them to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their whole-offerings and their slain-offerings are well-pleasing upon mine altar: for my house, a house of prayer shall it be called for all nations." The proselytes, who have attached themselves to Jehovah (על־הא),

(Note: The oriental reading, not in Isa 56:3, but here in Isa 56:6, is על־ה; the western, אל־ה. The Masora follows the western (מערבאי( nre), i.e., the Palestinian, and reckons this passage as one of the 31 על־ה in the Old Testament Scriptures.)

the God of Israel, with the pure intention of serving Him with love, are not to be left behind in the strange land. Jehovah will bring them along with His people to the holy mountain, upon which His temple rises once more; there will He cause them to rejoice, and all that they place upon His altar will find a most gracious acceptance. It is impossible that the prophet should be thinking here of the worship of the future without sacrifice, although in Isa 53:1-12 he predicts the self-sacrifice of the "Servant of Jehovah," which puts an end to all animals sacrifices. But here the temple is called "the house of prayer," from the prayer which is the soul of all worship. It will be called a house of prayer for all nations; and therefore its nature will correspond to its name. This ultimate intention is already indicated in Solomon's dedicatory prayer (Kg1 8:41-43); but our prophet was the first to give it this definite universal expression. Throughout this passage the spirit of the law is striving to liberate itself from its bondage. Nor is there anything to surprise us in the breaking down of the party wall, built up so absolutely between the eunuchs on the one hand and the congregation on the other, or the one partially erected between the heathen and the congregation of Israel; as we may see from Isa 66:21, where it is affirmed that Jehovah will even take priests and Levites out of the midst of the heathen whom Israel will bring back with it into its own land.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

56:6 The essential ingredient for covenant fellowship is love for God (Deut 6:5; 30:20; Matt 22:34-38). • Keeping the Sabbath is a sign of keeping the covenant itself (see Exod 31:13-17).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

join . . . Lord-- (Jer 50:6). Conditions of admission to the privileges of adoption.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 6. The sons of the stranger] The Gentiles.

That join themselves to the Lord] Who shall enter into the Christian covenant by baptism and faith in Christ, as the Jews and proselytes did by circumcision.

To serve him] To live according to the Gospel, and ever do that which is right in the sight of the Lord.

To love the name of the Lord] The name of JESUS, the Christ, the Saviour of sinners, the Anointed of God, and the Giver of the Holy Spirit to his followers.

To be his servants] To worship no other God but JEHOVAH, and to trust in none for salvation but his CHRIST.

That keepeth the Sabbath] That observes it as a type of the rest that remains for the people of God.

And taketh hold of my covenant] בבריתי biberithi, "of my covenant sacrifice;" as without this he can do nothing good; and without it nothing can be acceptable to the infinite majesty of the Most High.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(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” (Jos_9:27; Ezr_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 (1Ki_8:41-43). It receives its highest development (in its entire separation from the building with which there and here it is associated), in Joh_4:23. Comp. a further emancipation from the bondage of the law in Isa_66:21.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6, 7. The answer to the misgivings of proselytes (Isa_56:3).

to serve him] Better as R.V. to minister unto him. The verb is used of honourable personal service (Gen_39:4; Gen_40:4), and especially of the priestly service of God at the sanctuary. It is found again in ch. Isa_60:7; Isa_60:10, Isa_61:6.

to love the name of the Lord] Cf. Deu_6:5; Deu_11:1, &c.

to be his servants] i.e. worshippers (a different word from that used above).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Also the sons of the stranger that join themselves to the Lord,.... Having answered the objection and removed the discouragement of the eunuch, he now returns to the sons of the stranger, who also join themselves to the Lord, as the eunuch had done; see Isa 56:4 and who do this,

to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants; who give up themselves to him, not only to be saved by him, but to serve him in righteousness and holiness, with reverence and godly fear, and from a principle of love to him; being heartily desirous, and accounting it an honour, to be his servants:

everyone that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; See Gill on Isa 56:4.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Also the sons of the stranger - (see the note at Isa 56:3). The conditions on which they should be admitted to the same privileges are specified, and are the following:

1. They were to ‘join themselves to the Lord’ (see the note at Isa 56:3).

2. This should be with a purpose to ‘serve him.’ Their aim and design should be to keep his commandments and to do his will.

3. They were to ‘love the name of the Lord;’ that is, to love Yahweh himself, for the ‘name’ of the Lord is often used as denoting the Lord himself.

4. They were to keep his sabbaths (see the notes at Isa 56:4).

5. They were to take hold of his covenant (see the notes at Isa 56:4).

On these conditions the sons of the foreigner were to be admitted to all the privileges of the children of God, and to be united with all who love and serve him.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

That join themselves to the Lord; that with purpose of heart cleave unto him, as is said, Act 11:23.

To serve him, and to love the name of the Lord; to serve him out of love to him, and to his worship.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

6, 7. Stranger — Again, Gentiles throughout the world are more than urged and invited — they are made welcome with outstretched arms, if seen coming, even before invitation, “to the mountain of the Lord’s house.” Only a sense of penitence and spiritual want could influence their steps thitherward.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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.

HOMILIES BY W.M. STATHAM Ver. 6. Service.

"The sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him," etc. This word is often degraded in human speech. "Service" is con-sidereal humiliating, and only mastership is glorious. But "the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister." We are all of us debtors to others; we owe them much, and we owe Christ all.

I SERVICE CALLS OUT WHAT IS BEST IN MEN.

1. Their unselfishness.

2. Their heroism.

3. Their patience.

II SERVICE CHARACTERIZES THE NOBLEST AND THE BEST OF MEN.

1. Think of the world"s great leaders.

2. Think of the Church"s sufferers and martyrs.

III SERVICE IS EMBODIED IN MANY FORMS. There is a service of gift; a service of speech; a service of submission. "They also serve who only stand and wait.

All God"s universe is alive with blest activity. The idler is out of harmony with the entire creation of God. W.M.S.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

“And (as to) the foreigners joining themselves to Jehovah, to serve Him and to love the name of Jehovah, to be to Him for servants, every one keeping the Sabbath from profaning it, and holding fast my covenant, I will bring them to my mount of holiness, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their offerings and their sacrifices (shall be) to acceptance on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” The verb sharath although strictly a generic term, is specially appropriated to the official service of the priests and Levites. Some interpreters accordingly suppose it to be here said that the heathen shall partake of the sacerdotal honors elsewhere promised to the church. (See Isa 61:6; Exo 19:6; 1Pe 2:5; 1Pe 2:9; Rev 1:6). To ‘love the name of Jehovah’, is to love His attributes as manifested in His word and works. (Compare Isa 60:9; Isa 66:5). “Shall be called”, as in many other cases, implies that it shall be so. Our Savior quotes a part of the last clause, not in reference to its main sense, but to what is incidentally mentioned, viz. its being called ‘a house of prayer’. This part of the sentence was applicable to the material temple while it lasted; but the whole prediction could be verified only after its destruction, when the house of God even upon earth ceased to be a limited locality, and became co-extensive with the church in its enlargement and diffusion. The form of expression is derived, however, from the ceremonies of the old economy, and worship is described by names familiar to the writer and his original readers. (Compare Hos 14:3; Heb 13:13; Joh 4:21-23). The general promise is the same as that in Mal 1:11, and is so far from being inconsistent with the principles on which the old economy was founded, that it simply carries out its original design as settled and announced from the beginning.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Prophecies of Isaiah (1846–1847; New York: Scribner, 1870–1878) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

who join themselves to Yahweh

This refers to foreigners who have joined Yahweh's people.

who love the name of Yahweh

Yahweh's "name" represents himself. AT: "who love Yahweh" (See: Metonymy)

holy mountain

See how you translated this in Isaiah 11:9.

will be accepted on my altar

This can be stated in active form. AT: "I will accept on my altar" (See: Active or Passive)

my house will be called a house of prayer

This can be stated in active form. AT: "my house will be a house of prayer" (See: Active or Passive)

translationWords

alien

Yahweh

servant

love

name

worship

Sabbath

defile

covenant

holy

joy

house of God

pray

burnt offering

sacrifice

altar

nation

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

Also the sons of the stranger, etc. The eunuchs are mentioned before the sons of the strangers, because they are the last named (ver. 3). Comp. And I gave to Isaac, Jacob, and Esau, and I gave to Esau, etc. (Jos. 24:4).

To serve him. The service of the Lord consists in keeping His commandments.

Ibn Ezra on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0); and “Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.