Isaiah 56 · Verse 2

Isaiah 56:2

Blessed 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.
Isaiah 56:2, King James Version

Isaiah 56:2 in other translations

BSBBlessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
WEBBlessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast; who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
ASVBlessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that holdeth it fast; that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.
YLTO the happiness of a man who doth this, And of a son of man who keepeth hold on it, Keeping the sabbath from polluting it, And keeping his hand from doing any evil.
DARBYBlessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that holdeth fast to it; that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.
BBEHappy is the man who does this, and the son of man whose behaviour is so ordered; who keeps the Sabbath holy, and his hand from doing any evil.
WebsterBlessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.

What does Isaiah 56:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. (Lu 12:43). the man--Hebrew, enosh, "a man in humble life," in contradistinction to Hebrew, ish, "one of high rank." Even the humblest, as "the stranger" and "the eunuch" (Is 56:4, 6), are admissible to these privileges. this ... it--what follows: "keeping the Sabbath," &c. (Is 58:13, 14; Eze 20:12). A proof that the Sabbath, in the spirit of its obligation, was to be binding under the Gospel (Is 66:23). That gospel times are referred to is plain, from the blessing not being pronounced on the man who observed the sacrificial ritual of the Jewish law. layeth hold--image from one grasping firmly some precious object which he is afraid of having forcibly snatched from him. The "Sabbath" here includes all the ordinances of divine worship under the new gospel law. keepeth ... hand ... from ... evil--The observance of the second table of the law; as the "Sabbath" referred to the first table. Together, they form the whole duty of man, the worship of God and a holy life.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 That keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it - Kimchi has an excellent note here. "The Sabbath is sanctified when it is distinguished in dignity; and separated from other days. 1. As to the body, in meat, drink, and clean clothing. 2. As to the soul, that it be empty of worldly occupations, and be busily employed in the words of the law and wisdom, and in meditation on the works of the Lord." The rabbins say, "Jerusalem had never been destroyed, had not the Sabbaths been profaned in it."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Isaiah 56:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אַשְׁרֵ֤י'ash.Reihow blessed!H835
אֱנוֹשׁ֙'e.no.Vosh[is the] personH582
יַעֲשֶׂה\־ya.'a.seh-[who] he doesH6213
זֹּ֔אתZotthisH2063
וּבֶן\־u.ven-and [the] child ofH1121
אָדָ֖ם'a.DamhumankindH120
יַחֲזִ֣יקya.cha.Zik[who] he takes holdH2388
בָּ֑הּBahon it
שֹׁמֵ֤רsho.Mer[who] keepsH8104
שַׁבָּת֙sha.Bat[the] sabbathH7676
מֵֽחַלְּל֔וֹme.cha.le.Lofrom profaning itH2490
וְשֹׁמֵ֥רve.sho.Merand [who] keepsH8104
יָד֖וֹya.Dohand hisH3027
מֵעֲשׂ֥וֹתme.'a.Sotfrom doingH6213
כָּל\־kol-anyH3605
רָֽע\׃\ \סRa'evilH7451

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 56:2

  • Exodus 31:13-16

    Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.

  • Isaiah 58:13

    If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

  • Psalms 112:1

    Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.

  • Ezekiel 20:12

    Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.

  • Luke 11:28

    But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

  • Jeremiah 17:21-22

    Thus saith the Lord; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers.

  • Exodus 20:10

    But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

  • Ezekiel 20:20

    And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.

  • Psalms 106:3

    Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.

  • John 13:17

    If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

  • Proverbs 4:13

    Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.

  • Psalms 119:1-5

    א ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Blessed.
Ps 1:1-3; 15:1-5; 106:3; 112:1; 119:1-5; 128:1; Lu 11:28; 12:43
Joh 13:17; Re 22:14
layeth.
4; Pr 4:13; Ec 7:18
keepeth the.
58:13; Ex 31:13-16; Le 19:30; Ne 13:17; Jer 17:21,22; Eze 20:12,20
keepeth his.
Ps 34:14; 37:27; 119:101; Pr 4:27; 14:16; 16:6,17; Ro 12:9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 56:1

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

  • Isaiah 56:2

    Blessed 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.

  • Isaiah 56:3

    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.

Read all of Isaiah 56

Isaiah 56:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Bienaventurado el hombre que esto hiciere, y el hijo del hombre que esto abrazare: que guarda el sábado de profanarlo, y que guarda su mano de hacer todo mal.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Bienheureux l’homme qui fait cela, et le fils de l’homme qui le tient ferme; qui garde le sabbat pour ne pas le profaner, et qui garde sa main de faire aucun mal.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Glückselig der Mensch, der dieses tut, und das Menschenkind, welches hieran festhält: Der den Sabbath hält, daß er ihn nicht entweihe, und seine Hand davor bewahrt, irgend etwas Böses zu tun!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Beatus vir qui facit hoc, et filius hominis qui apprehendet istud, custodiens sabbatum ne polluat illud, custodiens manus suas ne faciat omne malum.