Isaiah 56

Isaiah · Chapter 56

Isaiah 56:10

1Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.2Blessed 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.3Neither 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.4For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;5Even 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.6Also 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;7Even 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.8The Lord GOD, which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.9All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest.10His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.11Yea, 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.12Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
10His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.Israel’s watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber.His watchmen are blind, they are all without knowledge; they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
watchmen itsצֹפָ֞יוtza-fiuH6822
to watch

צָפָה (tsa.phah) 1) to look out or about, spy, keep watch, observe, watch 1a)(Qal) to keep watch, spy 1b) (Piel) to watch, watch closely

[are] blindעִוְרִ֤ים'iv-RIMH5787
blind

עִוֵּר (iv.ver) 1) blind 1a) blind (physically) 1b) blind (fig.)

all of themכֻּלָּם֙ku-LAMH3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

notלֹ֣אlo'H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

they knowיָדָ֔עוּya-DA-'uH3045
to know

יָדַע (ya.da) 1) to know 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to know 1a1a) to know, learn to know 1a1b) to perceive 1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern 1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish 1a1e) to know by experience 1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess 1a1g) to consider 1a2) to know, be acquainted with 1a3) to know (a person carnally) 1a4) to know how, be skilful in 1a5) to have knowledge, be wise 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed 1b2) to make oneself known 1b3) to be perceived 1b4) to be instructed 1c) (Piel) to cause to know 1d) (Poal) to cause to know 1e) (Pual) …

all of themכֻּלָּם֙ku-LAMH3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

[are] dogsכְּלָבִ֣יםke-la-VIMH3611
dog

כֶּ֫לֶב (ke.lev) 1) dog 1a) dog (literal) 1b) contempt or abasement (fig.) 1c) of pagan sacrifice 1d) of male cult prostitute (fig.)

dumbאִלְּמִ֔ים'i-le-MIMH0483
mute

אִלֵּם (il.lem) mute, silent, dumb, unable to speak

notלֹ֥אlo'H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

they are ableיוּכְל֖וּyu-khe-LUH3201
be able

יָכֹל (ya.khol) 1) to prevail, overcome, endure, have power, be able 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be able, be able to gain or accomplish, be able to endure, be able to reach 1a2) to prevail, prevail over or against, overcome, be victor 1a3) to have ability, have strength Aramaic equivalent: ye.khel (יְכִל "be able" H3202)

to barkלִנְבֹּ֑חַlin-BO-achH5024
to bark

נָבַח (na.vach) (Qal) to bark

[they] dreamהֹזִים֙ho-ZIMH1957
to dream

הָזָה (ha.zah) (Qal) to dream, sleep, rave

[they] lie downשֹֽׁכְבִ֔יםsho-khe-VIMH7901G
to lie down: lay down

שָׁכַב (sha.khav) : lay_down/lie_with 1) to lie down 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to lie, lie down, lie on 1a2) to lodge 1a3) to lie (of sexual relations) 1a4) to lie down (in death) 1a5) to rest, relax (fig) 1b) (Niphal) to be lain with (sexually) 1c) (Pual) to be lain with (sexually) 1d) (Hiphil) to make to lie down 1e) (Hophal) to be laid

[they] loveאֹהֲבֵ֖י'o-ha-VEIH0157G
to love: lover

אָהֵב (a.hav) : lover 1) to love 1a) (Qal) 1a1) human love for another, includes family, and sexual 1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom 1a3) human love for or to God 1a4) act of being a friend 1a4a) lover (participle) 1a4b) friend (participle) 1a5) God's love toward man 1a5a) to individual men 1a5b) to people Israel 1a5c) to righteousness 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) lovely (participle) 1b2) loveable (participle) 1c) (Piel) 1c1) friends 1c2) lovers (fig. of adulterers) 2) to like Also means: a.hav (אָהֵב ": friend" H0157H)

of to slumberלָנֽוּם׃la-NUMH5123
to slumber

נוּם (num) 1) to be drowsy, slumber, sleep 1a) (Qal) to slumber, be drowsy

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.