Isaiah – Chapter 56

Old Testament12 Verses

Chapter Summary

Isaiah 56 opens with the words: "Thus saith the Lord: Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my justice to be revealed." Across its 12 verses, two threads run through the text: family and covenant relationships and prayer. Read slowly, this chapter rewards the kind of prayerful attention the Church calls lectio divina.

1Thus saith the Lord: Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my justice to be revealed.

2Blessed is the man that doth this, and the son of man that shall lay hold on this: that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, that keepeth his hands from doing any evil.

3And 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.

4For thus saith the Lord to the eunuchs, They that shall keep my sabbaths, and shall choose the things that please me, and shall hold fast my covenant:

5I will give to them in my house, and within my walls, a place, and a name better than sons and daughters: I will give them an everlasting name which shall never perish.

6And the children of the stranger that adhere to the Lord, to worship him, and to love his name, to be his servants: every one that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, and that holdeth fast my covenant:

7I will bring them into my holy mount, and will make them joyful in my house of prayer: their holocausts, and their victims shall please me upon my altar: for my house shall be called the house of prayer, for all nations.

8The Lord God, who gathereth the scattered of Israel, saith: I will still gather unto him his congregation.

9All ye beasts of the field come to devour, all ye beasts of the forest.

10His watchmen are all blind, they are all ignorant: dumb dogs not able to bark, seeing vain things, sleeping and loving dreams.

11And most impudent dogs, they never had enough: the shepherds themselves knew no understanding: all have turned aside into their own way, every one after his own gain, from the first even to the last.

12Come, let us take wine, and be filled with drunkenness: and it shall be as to day, so also to morrow, and much more.

Important Verses in Isaiah 56

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

Isaiah 56:1

For thus saith the Lord to the eunuchs, They that shall keep my sabbaths, and shall choose the things that please me, and shall hold fast my covenant:

Isaiah 56:4

The Lord God, who gathereth the scattered of Israel, saith: I will still gather unto him his congregation.

Isaiah 56:8

Come, let us take wine, and be filled with drunkenness: and it shall be as to day, so also to morrow, and much more.

Isaiah 56:12

Historical Context

Isaiah addresses judah in crisis, the exiles in Babylon, and all who await the Messiah within the broader story of God's covenant people. Chapter 56 of 66 moves toward the climax of the book as earlier promises and conflicts converge. It is a prophetic oracle addressed to Israel in a moment of covenant crisis or renewal with 12 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. It opens with the line: "Thus saith the Lord: Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my justice to be revealed." It concludes: "Come, let us take wine, and be filled with drunkenness: and it shall be as to day, so also to morrow, and much more. " Read against its original backdrop, Isaiah prophesied in Jerusalem during the Assyrian crisis, calling kings to trust God rather than alliances. Catholic tradition dates the book to the period described in its introduction: Isaiah's ministry about 740-700 BC; the book's later chapters address the exile and return (6th century BC).

Who Wrote It

The prophet Isaiah of Jerusalem; chapters 40-66 continue his message through inspired disciples

When It Was Written

Isaiah's ministry about 740-700 BC; the book's later chapters address the exile and return (6th century BC)

Catholic Commentary

The prophet addresses Israel with a message rooted in covenant fidelity and the hope of restoration. A pivotal line is verse 1: "Thus saith the Lord: Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my justice to be revealed." The passage repeatedly touches on family and covenant relationships.

Catholic exegesis reads Isaiah 56 within the unity of Scripture and Tradition. Isaiah's prophecies are fulfilled in Christ, especially the Suffering Servant (CIC 601). St. Bede the Venerable and other Fathers of the Church saw in texts like this a preparation for or reflection of Christ, the center of revelation (CIC 1965).

For Christians today, the chapter's lesson is clear: The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.. The Church invites us to receive this word not as antiquarian information but as living Scripture proclaimed at Mass and prayed in lectio divina.

Main Teachings

  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • God invites His people to approach Him confidently in prayer, trusting that He hears and answers.
  • God defends the poor and the oppressed, and calls His people to act with justice.

Reflection for Today

Catholic exegesis approaches Isaiah Chapter 56 with reverence, seeking both the literal sense and the spiritual meaning ordered to Christ.

Catholic theology recognizes that judgment, comfort, and messianic hope is not an abstract idea but a reality encountered in prayer, sacraments, and charity. This chapter contributes to that vision by stressing justice, charity, and the common good.

Let Isaiah Chapter 56 deepen your love for the Eucharist, where the Word made flesh continues to feed His people. The same Christ who speaks in Scripture offers Himself sacramentally on the altar.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Isaiah Chapter 56 about?

Isaiah 56 contains 12 verses. It opens with "Thus saith the Lord: Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my justice to be revealed." and closes with "Come, let us take wine, and be filled with drunkenness: and it shall be as to day, so also to morrow, and much more. ". The book as a whole is prophetic oracles and poetry.

What is a key verse in Isaiah 56?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "Thus saith the Lord: Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my justice to be revealed." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who wrote Isaiah and when?

The prophet Isaiah of Jerusalem; chapters 40-66 continue his message through inspired disciples. Isaiah's ministry about 740-700 BC; the book's later chapters address the exile and return (6th century BC).

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