Isaiah 56
ืืฉืขืืื ืคืจืง ื ืดื
Section: ื ืืืืื ยท ื ืืืืื ืืืจืื ืื | Book: Isaiah | Chapter: 56 of 66 | Day: 203 of 742
Date: September 2, 2026
ืงืืืื ืขื ืื ืดื
Chapter 56 opens the final movement of Sefer Yeshayahu, and it opens it with a demand rather than a promise. โObserve what is right and do what is justโ (ืฉืืจื ืืฉืคื ืืขืฉื ืฆืืงื), the prophet begins, โfor soon My salvation shall come.โ The logic of that โforโ (ืื) is the hinge of the whole chapter. Metzudat David reads it as cause and effect: keep the laws of the Torah and deal justly with one another, and by this My salvation will be near to come. Radak, addressing the verse to the exiles, states the principle even more sharply, that this shows repentance holds back the coming of the redemption. Chapters 40 through 55 poured out consolation almost unconditionally; here the prophet turns to ask what the consoled community must actually do. The answer arrives in verse 2 in a form both narrow and vast: happy is the one who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it and holds back his hand from doing any evil. Radak explains at length why the Sabbath in particular is singled out for the exiles, citing the teaching of Chazal that Jerusalem was destroyed only because the Sabbath was profaned there, and the promise that if Israel keeps two Sabbaths they are redeemed at once. Metzudat David adds the theological reason: Shabbat is the foundation stone of belief in a created world, and one who truly believes there is a Creator will inevitably restrain his hand from evil.
From this general call the chapter narrows to two figures who might reasonably think themselves excluded. The foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord (ืื ืื ืืจ ืื ืืื ืื ืืณ) fears that God will surely separate him from His people; the eunuch fears he is only a withered tree (ืขืฅ ืืืฉ). Rashi puts the despair into direct speech, imagining each asking why bother, why convert, why improve my ways, when at the hour of reward I will be set apart and I will leave no memory behind. Radak sharpens the pairing by noting that both are in the same predicament from the standpoint of inheritance, the one having no portion in the land and the other no son to inherit him, and he cites the saying of Chazal that one who leaves no son is like one placed under a ban of heaven, immediately softening it: like one, but not actually one, if his deeds are good.
The answer God gives is one of the most striking reversals in Tanakh. To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, who choose what I desire and hold fast to My covenant, I will give in My house and within My walls a monument and a name (ืื ืืฉื) better than sons and daughters, an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. Metzudat David locates that โhand and nameโ concretely, in the precincts of the Temple where the Sanhedrin and the elders sat, so that his place and his memory would stand in the very center of Israelโs life. Radak reads ืื as a place of honor rather than a physical plot, and stresses that God Himself plants the memory of such a person in the hearts of others, so that his deeds are told from father to son through the generations. The point is uncompromising: covenantal loyalty, not lineage, is what generates permanence. The foreigners of verse 6 receive the parallel promise, brought to the holy mountain and gladdened in the house of prayer, their offerings accepted with favor on the altar, for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples (ืืืช ืชืคืื ืืื ืืขืืื). Rashi comments simply that this means not for Israel alone but for the converts as well, and Radak connects the phrase directly to Shlomoโs dedicatory prayer at the Temple, which already made room for the foreigner who comes from a distant land.
Verse 8 seals the section with the divine signature: the One who gathers the dispersed of Israel declares, I will gather still more to those already gathered. Rashi hears in this the ingathering of those from the nations who will convert and attach themselves to Israel; Radak, following his father, hears something darker, a second gathering of Gog and Magog, and points to the verse that follows as proof. That following verse is indeed a jolt. The chapter that had been building toward universal welcome suddenly summons the beasts of the field and the beasts of the forest to come and devour. Rashi and Metzudat David both read the two kinds of beasts as two kinds of nations, the weaker beasts of the field being those who softened and converted, the stronger beasts of the forest being those who hardened their hearts and refused; Radak reads it as the literal carnage of the war of Gog, echoing the summons to the birds and beasts in Yechezkel.
The final three verses turn the prophetโs fire on Israelโs own leadership, and the imagery is savage. The watchmen are blind, all of them; they are dumb dogs that cannot bark, sprawling and drowsing. Rashi explains the double failure precisely: a lookout is posted to see the coming sword and warn the people, but this one is blind and cannot see, and he is mute like a guard dog that cannot bark, so Israelโs leaders neither perceive what is coming nor warn the people to repent. Radak identifies the blind watchmen as the false prophets and notes the sharp shift in wording, that the text says they do not know rather than they do not see, because their blindness is a blindness of the heart. Then the metaphor darkens further: the dogs are greedy of soul and never know satiety, the shepherds have no understanding, everyone has turned to his own way, each to his own gain, from one end to the other. And their own words close the chapter, quoted with devastating economy: come, I will fetch wine, let us swill strong drink, and tomorrow will be like today, even greater by far. Radak understands this as the false prophets seducing the people with food and drink until the people will follow them in anything. That the same chapter which opened the Temple gates to the eunuch and the foreigner should end with Israelโs own shepherds drinking themselves blind is not an accident of editing but the argument itself: the covenant belongs to whoever holds fast to it, and it can be forfeited by those who assume it is theirs by right.
ืคืจืง ื ืดื ยท Chapter 56
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1
Hebrew:
ืึผึนึื ืึธืึทึฃืจ ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืฉืึดืึฐืจึฅืึผ ืึดืฉืึฐืคึผึธึื ืึทืขึฒืฉืึฃืึผ ืฆึฐืึธืงึธึื ืึผึดึฝืึพืงึฐืจืึนืึธึคื ืึฐืฉืืึผืขึธืชึดืึ ืึธืึืึนื ืึฐืฆึดืึฐืงึธืชึดึื ืึฐืึดืึผึธืึฝืึนืชื
English:
Thus said GOD: Observe what is right and do what is just; For soon My salvation shall come, And My deliverance be revealed.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 2
Hebrew:
ืึทืฉืึฐืจึตึคื ืึฑื ืึนืฉืึ ืึทึฝืขึฒืฉืึถืึพืึผึนึืืช ืึผืึถืึพืึธืึธึื ืึทืึฒืึดึฃืืง ืึผึธึืึผ ืฉืึนืึตึคืจ ืฉืึทืึผึธืชึ ืึตึฝืึทืึผึฐืึืึน ืึฐืฉืึนืึตึฅืจ ืึธืึืึน ืึตืขึฒืฉืึฅืึนืช ืึผืืึพืจึธึฝืขืย {ืก} ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
Happy is the mortal who does this, The one who holds fast to it: Who keeps the sabbath and does not profane it, And holds back from doing any evil.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 3
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึทืึพืึนืืึทึฃืจ ืึผึถืึพืึทื ึผึตืึธึืจ ืึทื ึผึดืึฐืึธึคื ืึถืึพืึฐืึนืึธืึ ืึตืืึนึืจ ืึทืึฐืึผึตึงื ืึทืึฐืึผึดืืึทึื ึดื ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึตืขึทึฃื ืขึทืึผึืึน ืึฐืึทืึพืึนืืึทืจึ ืึทืกึผึธืจึดึืืก ืึตึฅื ืึฒื ึดึื ืขึตึฅืฅ ืึธืึตึฝืฉืืย {ืค}
English:
Let not the foreigner say, Who is joined to GOD, โ GOD will keep me apart from the covenanted peopleโ; And let not the eunuch say, โI am a withered tree.โ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 4
Hebrew:
ืึผึดืึพืึนึฃืโื ืึธืึทึฃืจ ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึทืกึผึธึฝืจึดืืกึดืืึ ืึฒืฉืึถึคืจ ืึดืฉืึฐืึฐืจืึผึ ืึถืชึพืฉืึทืึผึฐืชืึนืชึทึื ืึผืึธืึฒืจึืึผ ืึผึทืึฒืฉืึถึฃืจ ืึธืคึธึืฆึฐืชึผึดื ืึผืึทืึฒืึดืืงึดึืื ืึผึดืึฐืจึดืืชึดึฝืื
English:
For thus said GOD: โAs for the eunuchs who keep My sabbaths, Who have chosen what I desire And hold fast to My covenantโ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 5
Hebrew:
ืึฐื ึธืชึทืชึผึดึจื ืึธืึถึื ืึผึฐืึตืืชึดึคื ืึผืึฐืึฝืึนืึนืชึทืึ ืึธึฃื ืึธืฉืึตึื ืึืึนื ืึดืึผึธื ึดึฃืื ืึผืึดืึผึธื ึืึนืช ืฉืึตึคื ืขืึนืึธืึ ืึถืชึผึถืึพืึืึน ืึฒืฉืึถึืจ ืึนึฅื ืึดืึผึธืจึตึฝืชืย {ืก} ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
I will give them, in My House And within My walls, A monument and a name Better than sons or daughters. I will give them an everlasting name That shall not perish.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 6
Hebrew:
ืึผืึฐื ึตึฃื ืึทื ึผึตืึธึืจ ืึทื ึผึดืึฐืึดึคืื ืขึทืึพืึฐืึนืึธืึ ืึฐืฉืึธึฃืจึฐืชึืึน ืึผึฝืึฐืึทืึฒืึธืึ ืึถืชึพืฉืึตึฃื ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึดึฝืึฐืึฅืึนืช ืึืึน ืึทืขึฒืึธืึดึืื ืึผืืึพืฉืึนืึตึคืจ ืฉืึทืึผึธืชึ ืึตึฝืึทืึผึฐืึืึน ืึผืึทืึฒืึดืืงึดึืื ืึผึดืึฐืจึดืืชึดึฝืื
English:
As for the foreigners Who are joined to GOD, To render service, And to love GODโs name, To be devoted servantsโ All who keep the sabbath and do not profane it, And who hold fast to My covenantโ
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 7
Hebrew:
ืึทืึฒืึดืืืึนืชึดึืื ืึถืึพืึทึฃืจ ืงืืึฐืฉืึดึื ืึฐืฉืึดืึผึทืึฐืชึผึดืืึ ืึผึฐืึตึฃืืช ืชึผึฐืคึดืึผึธืชึดึื ืขืึนืึนืชึตืืึถึงื ืึฐืึดืึฐืึตืืึถึื ืึฐืจึธืฆึืึนื ืขึทึฝืึพืึดืึฐืึผึฐืึดึื ืึผึดึฃื ืึตืืชึดึื ืึผึตืืชึพืชึผึฐืคึดืึผึธึฅื ืึดืงึผึธืจึตึื ืึฐืืืึพืึธืขึทืึผึดึฝืืื
English:
I will bring them to My sacred mount And let them rejoice in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices Shall be welcome on My altar; For My House shall be called A house of prayer for all peoples.โ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 8
Hebrew:
ื ึฐืึปืึ ืึฒืึนื ึธึฃื ืึฑืึนืึดึื ืึฐืงึทืึผึตึืฅ ื ึดืึฐืึตึฃื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึื ืขึืึนื ืึฒืงึทืึผึตึฅืฅ ืขึธืึธึืื ืึฐื ึดืงึฐืึผึธืฆึธึฝืืื
English:
Thus declares my Sovereign GOD, Who gathers the dispersed of Israel: โI will gather still more to those already gathered.โ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 9
Hebrew:
ืึผึนึื ืึทืึฐืชึฃืึน ืฉืึธืึธึื ืึตืชึธึืืึผ ืึถืึฑืึนึฅื ืึผืืึพืึทืึฐืชึืึน ืึผึทืึผึธึฝืขึทืจืย {ืค}
English:
All you wild beasts, come and devour, All you beasts of the forest!
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 10
Hebrew:
ืฆึนืคึธึื ืขึดืึฐืจึดึคืื ืึผึปืึผึธืึ ืึนึฃื ืึธืึธึืขืึผ ืึผึปืึผึธืึ ืึผึฐืึธืึดึฃืื ืึดืึผึฐืึดึืื ืึนึฅื ืืึผืึฐืึืึผ ืึดื ึฐืึผึนึืึท ืึนืึดืืึ ืฉืึนึฝืึฐืึดึืื ืึนืึฒืึตึื ืึธื ึฝืึผืื
English:
The lookouts are blind, all of them, They perceive nothing. They are all dumb dogs That cannot bark; They lie sprawling, They love to drowse.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 11
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึทืึผึฐืึธืึดึฃืื ืขึทืึผึตืึพื ึถึืคึถืฉื ืึนึคื ืึธึฝืึฐืขืึผึ ืฉืืืึฐืขึธึื ืึฐืึตึฃืึผึธื ืจึนืขึดึืื ืึนึฅื ืึธืึฐืขึืึผ ืึธืึดึืื ืึผึปืึผึธืึ ืึฐืึทืจึฐืึผึธึฃื ืคึผึธื ึืึผ ืึดึฅืืฉื ืึฐืึดืฆึฐืขึืึน ืึดืงึผึธืฆึตึฝืืึผื
English:
Moreover, the dogs are greedy; They never know satiety. As for the shepherds, they know not What it is to give heed. Everyone has turned their own way, Every last one seeks their own advantage.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 12
Hebrew:
ืึตืชึธึฅืืึผ ืึถืงึฐืึธืึพืึทึืึดื ืึฐื ึดืกึฐืึผึฐืึธึฃื ืฉืึตืึธึืจ ืึฐืึธืึธึคื ืึธืึถืึ ืึฃืึนื ืึธืึธึืจ ืึผึธืึืึนื ืึถึฅืชึถืจ ืึฐืึนึฝืื
English:
โCome, Iโll get some wine; Let us swill liquor. And tomorrow will be just the same, Or even much grander!โ