A House of Prayer for All Nations

Isaiah 56

The Lord promises that foreigners and eunuchs who keep his sabbaths and hold to his covenant will be given an honored, everlasting place in his house, which will be called a house of prayer for all nations. Israel's own watchmen are then rebuked as blind, silent dogs who cannot bark, lovers of slumber rather than faithful guardians.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonTHUS saith the Lord: Keep judgment and practise righteousness; for My salvation is near, just ready to come, and My saving kindness to be revealed.

BrentonThus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my mercy to be revealed.

GreekΤάδε λέγει Κύριος, φυλάσσεσθε κρίσιν, καὶ ποιήσατε δικαιοσύνην· ἤγγικε γὰρ τὸ σωτήριόν μου παραγίνεσθαι, καὶ τὸ ἔλεός μου ἀποκαλυφθῆναι.

KJVThus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.

JPSThus saith the LORD: Keep ye justice, and do righteousness; For My salvation is near to come, And My favour to be revealed.

ThomsonHappy the man who doth these things and the mortal who adhereth to them; and who is careful not to profane My sabbaths, and who restraineth his hands from doing evil.

BrentonBlessed is the man that does these things, and the man that holds by them, and keeps the sabbaths from profaning them, and keeps his hands from doing unrighteousness.

GreekΜακάριος ἀνὴρ ὁ ποιῶν ταῦτα, καὶ ἄνθρωπος ὁ ἀντεχόμενος αὐτῶν, καὶ φυλάσσων τὰ σάββατα μὴ βεβηλοῦν, καὶ διατηρῶν τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ μὴ ποιεῖν ἄδικα.

KJVBlessed 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.

JPSHappy is the man that doeth this, And the son of man that holdeth fast by it: That keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, And keepeth his hand from doing any evil.

ThomsonLet not the stranger who cleaveth to the Lord say, The Lord will separate me from His people. Nor let the eunuch say, I am a dry tree.

BrentonLet 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.

GreekΜὴ λεγέτω ὁ ἀλλογενὴς ὁ προσκείμενος πρὸς Κύριον, ἀφοριεῖ με ἄρα Κύριος ἀπὸ τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ· καὶ μὴ λεγέτω ὁ εὐνοῦχος, ὅτι ξύλον ἐγώ εἰμι ξηρόν.

KJVNeither 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.

JPSNeither 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.’

ThomsonFor thus saith the Lord to the eunuchs, Whoever of them shall keep My sabbaths, and choose the things in which I delight, and adhere to My covenant;

BrentonThus saith the Lord to the eunuchs, as many as shall keep my sabbaths, and choose the things which I take pleasure in, and take hold of my covenant;

GreekΤάδε λέγει Κύριος τοῖς εὐνούχοις, ὅσοι ἄν φυλάξωνται τὰ σάββατά μου, καὶ ἐκλέξωνται ἃ ἐγὼ θέλω, καὶ ἀντέχωνται τῆς διαθήκης μου,

KJVFor thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;

JPSFor thus saith the LORD Concerning the eunuchs that keep My sabbaths, And choose the things that please Me, And hold fast by My covenant:

ThomsonI will give them, in My house and within My walls, an honourable place better than sons and daughters—I will give them an everlasting name which shall not fail.

BrentonI will give to them in my house and within my walls an honourable place, better than sons and daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, and it shall not fail.

Greekδώσω αὐτοῖς ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ μου καὶ ἐν τῷ τείχει μου τόπον ὀνομαστὸν, κρείττω υἱῶν καὶ θυγατέρων· ὄνομα αἰώνιον δώσω αὐτοῖς, καὶ οὐκ ἐκλείψει·

KJVEven 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.

JPSEven unto them will I give in My house And within My walls a monument and a memorial Better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting memorial, That shall not be cut off.

ThomsonAnd with regard to the strangers who cleave to the Lord to serve Him, and love the name of the Lord—to be His man servants and handmaids, even all who are careful not to profane My sabbaths and who adhere to My covenant;

BrentonAnd 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;

Greekκαὶ τοῖς ἀλλογενέσι τοῖς προσκειμένοις Κυρίῳ δουλεύειν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀγαπᾷν τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου, τοῦ εἶναι αὐτῷ εἰς δούλους καὶ δούλας· καὶ πάντας τοὺς φυλασσομένους τὰ σάββατά μου μὴ βεβηλοῦν, καὶ ἀντεχομένους τῆς διαθήκης μου,

KJVAlso 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;

JPSAlso 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:

Thomsonthem I will bring to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer; their burnt offerings, and their sacrifices shall be acceptable on Mine altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations.

BrentonI will bring them to my holy mountain, and gladden them in my house of prayer: their whole-burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be acceptable upon mine altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations,

Greekεἰσάξω αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄρος τὸ ἅγιόν μου, καὶ εὐφρανῶ αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τῆς προσευχῆς μου· τὰ ὁλοκαυτώματα αὐτῶν, καὶ αἱ θυσίαι αὐτῶν ἔσονται δεκταὶ ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριόν μου· ὁ γάρ οἶκός μου, οἶκος προσευχῆς κληθήσεται πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν,

KJVEven them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

JPSEven them will I bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer; Their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices Shall be acceptable upon Mine altar; For My house shall be called A house of prayer for all peoples.

ThomsonThe Lord who gathereth the dispersed of Israel said, Because I will gather a congregation for him,

Brentonsaith the Lord that gathers the dispersed of Israel; for I will gather to him a congregation.

Greekεἶπε Κύριος ὁ συνάγων τοὺς διεσπαρμένους Ἰσραὴλ, ὅτι συνάξω ἐπʼ αὐτὸν συναγωγήν.

KJVThe Lord GOD, which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.

JPSSaith the Lord GOD who gathereth the dispersed of Israel: Yet I will gather others to him, beside those of him that are gathered.

ThomsonO all ye beasts of the field, come!

BrentonAll ye beasts of the field, come, devour, all ye beasts of the forest.

GreekΠάντα τὰ θηρία τὰ ἄγρια, δεῦτε, φάγετε, πάντα τὰ θηρία τοῦ δρυμοῦ.

KJVAll ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest.

JPSAll ye beasts of the field, come to devour, Yea, all ye beasts in the forest.

ThomsonO all ye beasts of the forests, devour! you see that they are all blind; that they have not knowledge. They are dumb dogs, they cannot bark; they are asleep in bed, they love to slumber:

BrentonSee how they are all blinded: they have not known; they are dumb dogs that will not bark; dreaming of rest, loving to slumber.

GreekἼδετε, ὅτι ἐκτετύφλωνται πάντες, οὐκ ἔγνωσαν, κύνες ἐνεοί οὐ δυνήσονται ὑλακτεῖν, ἐνυπνιαζόμενοι κοίτην, φιλοῦντες νυστάξαι.

KJVHis watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.

JPSHis watchmen are all blind, Without knowledge; They are all dumb dogs, They cannot bark; Raving, lying down, loving to slumber.

Thomsonyet these dogs are of untamed appetite; they can never have enough. They are indeed mischievous, they have no consideration. They all followed their own ways, each according to his own desire.

BrentonYea, they are insatiable dogs, that know not what it is to be filled, and they are wicked, having no understanding: all have followed their own ways, each according to his own will.

GreekΚαὶ οἱ κύνες ἀναιδεῖς τῇ ψυχῇ, οὐκ εἰδότες πλησμονήν· καί εἰσι πονηροὶ οὐκ εἰδότες σύνεσιν, πάντες ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτων ἐξηκολούθησαν, ἕκαστος κατὰ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ.

KJVYea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.

JPSYea, the dogs are greedy, They know not when they have enough; And these are shepherds That cannot understand; They all turn to their own way, Each one to his gain, one and all.