The Meaning of Isaiah 56:1 Explained

Isaiah 56:1

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

YLT: Thus said Jehovah: 'Keep ye judgment, and do righteousness, For near is My salvation to come, And My righteousness to be revealed.'

Darby: Thus saith Jehovah: Keep ye judgment and do righteousness; for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.

ASV: Thus saith Jehovah, Keep ye justice, and do righteousness; for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.

Discover Isaiah 56:1

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Isaiah 56:1?

MEANING: What does Isaiah 56:1 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Isaiah 56:1 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Isaiah 56:1?

What is the context of Isaiah 56:1?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Isaiah 56:1 Mean?

Verse Meaning

This pericope flows smoothly out of the previous section of the book dealing with God"s provision of salvation for Israel and the world. The Lord had more to say to Isaiah"s audience: "Thus says the LORD."

Since His salvation was about to appear, in return from captivity and in the atoning work of the Servant, His people should practice justice and righteousness (cf. Matthew 3:2; Matthew 4:17; Titus 3:8). They had a responsibility beyond just believing His promises (chs54-55). Notice that practicing justice and righteousness does not accomplish salvation. They should be its consequence; they cannot be its cause (cf. Romans 12:1-2).

"We would indeed be blind not to observe that Isaiah 56:1 reflects precisely where the church stands today: looking back to the once-for-all redemption at Calvary ( Isaiah 52:13 to Isaiah 53:12) and awaiting a final divine act which will rescue the church from sin, failure and opposition and deal finally with any and every counterforce." ^[1]

Context Summary

Isaiah 56:1-12 - The Blessedness Of Sabbath-Keeping

The bright array of Messianic promises, which occupied the preceding chapters, is now followed by a portion of less interest, seeing that our attention is not now fastened on Christ, but on Israel. Birk calls this sermon "The Middle Ages of Delay," and says: "This new section of advice and warning belongs to this whole period from Isaiah to Christ. The like message applies now to the Church of Christ and its prospect of the Second Advent."

Special emphasis is laid on Sabbath-keeping because it was the special sign of God's connection with Israel. See Exodus 31:13-17; Ezekiel 20:12. It was also a type and pledge of the redemption rest, soon to be brought in and perfected by Christ's finished work, Hebrews 4:9-10.

What an ideal is presented here for character and conduct! To keep God's rest in our heart-the rest of faith; to cease from ourselves; to be joined to the Lord by one Spirit; to minister to Him; to love His name; to be His servants! What more could we imagine as characteristic of the Christian soul! Let us ask God to bring us to His "holy mountain" and to make us "joyful" in His "house of prayer." [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 56

¹ The prophet exhorts to sanctification
³ He promises it shall be general, without respect of persons
⁹ He protests against blind watchmen

What do the individual words in Isaiah 56:1 mean?

Thus says Yahweh Keep justice and do righteousness for about My salvation [is] to come and My righteousness to be revealed

כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה שִׁמְר֥וּ מִשְׁפָּ֖ט וַעֲשׂ֣וּ צְדָקָ֑ה כִּֽי־ קְרוֹבָ֤ה יְשֽׁוּעָתִי֙ לָב֔וֹא וְצִדְקָתִ֖י לְהִגָּלֽוֹת

כֹּ֚ה	Thus
Parse: Adverb Root: כֹּה Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֣ר	says
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular Root: אָמַר Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֔ה	Yahweh
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: יהוה Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
שִׁמְר֥וּ	Keep
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural Root: שָׁמַר Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
מִשְׁפָּ֖ט	justice
Parse: Noun, masculine singular Root: מִשְׁפָּט Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
וַעֲשׂ֣וּ	and do
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural Root: עָשָׂה Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
צְדָקָ֑ה	righteousness
Parse: Noun, feminine singular Root: צְדָקָה Sense: justice, righteousness.
קְרוֹבָ֤ה	about
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular Root: קָרֹוב Sense: near.
יְשֽׁוּעָתִי֙	My salvation [is]
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular Root: יְשׁוּעָה Sense: salvation, deliverance.
לָב֔וֹא	to come
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct Root: בֹּוא Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
וְצִדְקָתִ֖י	and My righteousness
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular Root: צְדָקָה Sense: justice, righteousness.
לְהִגָּלֽוֹת	to be revealed
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Nifal, Infinitive construct Root: גָּלָה Sense: to uncover, remove.

What are the major concepts related to Isaiah 56:1?

Loading Information...

Similar Scriptures for Isaiah 56:1

		Psalms 85:9 [8]
		Romans 13:11-14 [7]
		Matthew 3:2 [6]
		Romans 1:17 [6]
		Isaiah 1:16-19 [5]
		Romans 10:6-10 [5]
		Isaiah 55:7 [4]
		Psalms 50:23 [4]
		Isaiah 51:5 [4]
		Luke 3:3-9 [4]
		Isaiah 26:7-8 [4]
read more (7)
		Psalms 24:4-6 [4]
		Isaiah 46:13 [4]
		Jeremiah 7:3-11 [3]
		Matthew 4:17 [3]
		Mark 1:15 [3]
		John 7:17 [3]
		Malachi 4:4 [2]
read less