Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, November 28th, 2024
the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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New Living Translation

Isaiah 56:3

"Don't let foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord say, ‘The Lord will never let me be part of his people.' And don't let the eunuchs say, ‘I'm a dried-up tree with no children and no future.'

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Church;   Eunuch;   Gentiles;   Isaiah;   Righteous;   Thompson Chain Reference - Eunuchs;   The Topic Concordance - Sabbath;   Strangers;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Proselytes;   Trees;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Covenant;   Foreigner;   Sabbath;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Chamberlain;   Proselyte;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Proselytes;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Covenant;   Isaiah;   Sabbath;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Garden;   Isaiah, Book of;   Micah, Book of;   Righteousness;   Servant of the Lord;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Tree;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Law in the Old Testament;   Proselyte;   Sabbath;   Stranger and Sojourner (in the Old Testament);   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Barren, Barrenness;   Gentile;   Proselyte;   Son of Man;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Some foreigners will choose to follow the Lord . They should not say, "The Lord will not really accept me like the rest of his people." A eunuch should not say, "I am only a dry piece of wood. I cannot have any children. "
Update Bible Version
Neither let the foreigner, that has joined himself to Yahweh, speak, saying, Yahweh will surely separate me from his people; neither let the eunuch say, Look, I am a dry tree.
New Century Version
Foreigners who have joined the Lord should not say, "The Lord will not accept me with his people." The eunuch should not say, "Because I cannot have children, the Lord will not accept me."
New English Translation
No foreigner who becomes a follower of the Lord should say, ‘The Lord will certainly exclude me from his people.' The eunuch should not say, ‘Look, I am like a dried-up tree.'"
Webster's Bible Translation
Neither 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.
World English Bible
Neither let the foreigner, who has joined himself to Yahweh, speak, saying, Yahweh will surely separate me from his people; neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.
Amplified Bible
Do not let the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, "The LORD will most certainly separate me from His people." And do not let the eunuch say, "Look, I am a dry tree."
English Standard Version
Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say, "The Lord will surely separate me from his people"; and let not the eunuch say, "Behold, I am a dry tree."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And seie not the sone of a comelyng, that cleueth faste to the Lord, seiynge, Bi departyng the Lord schal departe me fro his puple; and a geldyng, ether a chast man, seie not, Lo! Y am a drie tree.
English Revised Version
Neither let the stranger, 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.
Berean Standard Bible
Let no foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, "The LORD will utterly exclude me from His people." And let the eunuch not say, "I am but a dry tree."
Contemporary English Version
Foreigners who worship me must not say, "The Lord won't let us be part of his people." Men who are unable to become fathers must no longer say, "We are dried-up trees."
American Standard Version
Neither let the foreigner, that hath joined himself to Jehovah, speak, saying, Jehovah will surely separate me from his people; neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.
Bible in Basic English
And let not the man from a strange country, who has been joined to the Lord, say, The Lord will certainly put a division between me and his people: and let not the unsexed man say, See, I am a dry tree.
Complete Jewish Bible
A foreigner joining Adonai should not say, " Adonai will separate me from his people"; likewise the eunuch should not say, "I am only a dried-up tree."
Darby Translation
And let not the son of the alien, that hath joined himself to Jehovah, speak saying, Jehovah hath entirely separated me from his people; neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree;
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Neither 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.'
King James Version (1611)
Neither let the sonne of the stranger, that hath ioyned himselfe to the Lord, speake, saying, The Lord hath vtterly separated mee from his people: neither let the Eunuch say, Behold, I am a drie tree.
New Life Bible
Let not the man from a strange land who has joined the Lord say, "For sure the Lord will keep me away from His people." Let not the man who had been made so that he could not have children say, "See, I am a dry tree."
New Revised Standard
Do not let the foreigner joined to the Lord say, "The Lord will surely separate me from his people"; and do not let the eunuch say, "I am just a dry tree."
Geneva Bible (1587)
And let not the sonne of the stranger, which is ioyned to the Lord, speake and say, The Lord hath surely separate me from his people: neither let the Eunuch say, Beholde, I am a drye tree.
George Lamsa Translation
Do not let the son of the stranger who follows the LORD speak, saying, The LORD has utterly separated me from his people; neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And let not the son of the foreigner, who hath joined himself unto Yahweh, speak, saying, Yahweh, will separate, me from his people, Neither let the eunuch, say, Lo! I, am a tree dried up!
Douay-Rheims Bible
And let not the son of the stranger, that adhereth to the Lord, speak, saying: The Lord will divide and separate me from his people. And let not the eunuch say: Behold I am a dry tree.
Revised Standard Version
Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, "The LORD will surely separate me from his people"; and let not the eunuch say, "Behold, I am a dry tree."
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then shall not the straunger whiche cleaueth to the Lorde, say, Alas the Lorde hath shut me cleane out from his people: Neither shall the gelded man say, Lo I am a drye tree.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Let 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.
Good News Translation
A foreigner who has joined the Lord 's people should not say, "The Lord will not let me worship with his people." A man who has been castrated should never think that because he cannot have children, he can never be part of God's people.
Christian Standard Bible®
No foreigner who has joined himself to the Lordshould say,“The Lord will exclude me from his people,”and the eunuch should not say,“Look, I am a dried-up tree.”
Hebrew Names Version
Neither let the foreigner, who has 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.
King James Version
Neither 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.
Lexham English Bible
And do not let the foreigner who joins himself to Yahweh say, "Surely Yahweh will separate me from his people." And do not let the eunuch say, "Look! I am a dry tree!"
Literal Translation
And do not let the son of the foreigner speak, he who joins himself to Jehovah, saying, Separating Jehovah separates me from His people; and not do let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dried tree.
Young's Literal Translation
Nor speak let a son of the stranger, Who is joined unto Jehovah, saying: `Jehovah doth certainly separate me from His people.' Nor say let the eunuch, `Lo, I am a tree dried up,'
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then shal not the straunger, which cleaueth to the LORDE, saye: Alas the LORDE hath shut me cleane out from his people. Nether shal the gelded man saye: lo, I am a drie tre.
New American Standard Bible
Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, "The LORD will certainly separate me from His people." Nor let the eunuch say, "Behold, I am a dry tree."
New King James Version
Do not let the son of the foreigner Who has joined himself to the LORD Speak, saying, "The LORD has utterly separated me from His people"; Nor let the eunuch say, "Here I am, a dry tree."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, "The LORD will surely separate me from His people." Nor let the eunuch say, "Behold, I am a dry tree."
Legacy Standard Bible
Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to Yahweh say,"Yahweh will surely separate me from His people."Nor let the eunuch say, "Behold, I am a dry tree."

Contextual Overview

3 "Don't let foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord say, ‘The Lord will never let me be part of his people.' And don't let the eunuchs say, ‘I'm a dried-up tree with no children and no future.' 4 For this is what the Lord says: I will bless those eunuchs who keep my Sabbath days holy and who choose to do what pleases me and commit their lives to me. 5 I will give them—within the walls of my house— a memorial and a name far greater than sons and daughters could give. For the name I give them is an everlasting one. It will never disappear! 6 "I will also bless the foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord , who serve him and love his name, who worship him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day of rest, and who hold fast to my covenant. 7 I will bring them to my holy mountain of Jerusalem and will fill them with joy in my house of prayer. I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices, because my Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations. 8 For the Sovereign Lord , who brings back the outcasts of Israel, says: I will bring others, too, besides my people Israel."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the son: Numbers 18:4, Numbers 18:7, Deuteronomy 23:1-3, Zechariah 8:20-23, Matthew 8:10, Matthew 8:11, Acts 8:27, Acts 10:1, Acts 10:2, Acts 10:34, Acts 13:47, Acts 13:48, Acts 17:4, Acts 18:7, Romans 2:10, Romans 2:11, Romans 15:9-12, Romans 15:16, Ephesians 2:12, Ephesians 2:22, 1 Peter 1:1

joined: Jeremiah 50:5, Zephaniah 2:11, 1 Corinthians 6:17

The Lord hath: Matthew 15:26, Matthew 15:27, Luke 7:6-8

neither: Isaiah 56:5, Isaiah 39:7, Jeremiah 38:7-13, Jeremiah 39:16, Jeremiah 39:17, Daniel 1:3-21, Matthew 19:12-30, Acts 8:26-40

Reciprocal: Genesis 37:36 - officer Genesis 48:9 - my sons Leviticus 25:45 - General Numbers 9:14 - General Deuteronomy 23:3 - Ammonite Ruth 2:10 - seeing 2 Samuel 22:45 - Strangers 1 Kings 8:41 - a stranger 2 Chronicles 6:32 - the stranger Esther 4:4 - chamberlains Esther 9:27 - all such Ecclesiastes 4:8 - one Isaiah 56:6 - join Acts 10:35 - in

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Neither let the son of the stranger,.... A Gentile, that is so by birth, the son of one that is an alien from the commonwealth of Israel, a stranger from the covenants of promise, and so had no right to come into the congregation of the Lord under the former dispensation; but now the middle wall of partition being broken down, in the times to which this prophecy belongs, such are encouraged to expect admission:

that hath joined himself to the Lord; who, having a spiritual knowledge of him in Christ, loves him, believes in him, gives up himself to him, to walk in his ways and ordinances, and cleaves unto him with full purpose of heart; see Isaiah 44:5 such an one should not speak,

saying, the Lord hath utterly separated me from his people; by a law of his, Deuteronomy 23:3, for now the wall of separation, the ceremonial law, is destroyed, and God declares himself to be the God of the Gentiles, as well as of the Jews; and of all that fear God, and believe in Christ, of every nation, who are accepted with him; and that they are all one in Christ, and all partakers of the same promises and blessings; so strangers, and the sons of strangers, were to have an inheritance among the children of Israel in Gospel times; see Ezekiel 47:22 and therefore should have no reason to speak after this manner:

neither let the eunuch say, behold, I am a dry tree; having no children, nor could have any; and to be written childless was reckoned a reproach and a curse; nor might an eunuch enter the congregation of the Lord, Deuteronomy 23:1, and yet such a man, having the grace of God, and acting agreeably to it, as in the following verse, should not distress himself on the above accounts.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Neither let the son of the stranger - The foreigner who shall become a proselyte to the true religion.

That hath joined himself - That has embraced the true faith, and become a worshipper of the true God. It is evidently implied here that there would be such proselytes, and that the true religion would be extended so as to include and embrace them. The idea is, that they should be admitted to the same privileges with those who had been long recognized as the people of God.

The Lord hath utterly separated - Let him not esteem himself to be an outcast, or cut off from the privileges of the people of God. This language is used with reference to the opinion which prevailed among the Jews, that the Gentiles were excluded from the privileges of the people of God, and it is designed to intimate that hereafter all such barriers would be broken down. They who entered the church as proselytes from the pagan world, were not to come in with any sense of inferiority in regard to their rights among his people; but they were to feel that all the barriers which had heretofore existed were now broken down, and that all people were on a level. There is to be no assumption of superiority of one nation or rank over another; there is to be no sense of inferiority of one class in reference to another.

Neither let the eunuch say - This class of men was usually set over the harems of the East Esther 2:3, Esther 2:14-15; Esther 4:5; and they were employed also as high officers at court Esther 1:10, Esther 1:12, Esther 1:15; Daniel 1:3; Acts 8:27. The word is sometimes used to denote a minister of court; a court officer in general Genesis 37:6; Genesis 39:1. The Targum often renders the word by רבא rabbâ', “a prince.”

Behold, I am a dry tree - A dry tree is an emblem of that which is barren, useless, unfruitful. By the law of Moses such persons could not be enrolled or numbered in the congregation of the Lord Deuteronomy 23:2. The sense here is, that they should not hereafter be subjected to the religious and civil disabilities to which they had been. These external barriers to the full privileges among the people of God, would be removed. All classes and ranks would be admitted to the same privileges; all would be on the same level (see Isaiah 56:5).


 
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