The Meaning of Isaiah 56:2 Explained

Isaiah 56:2

KJV: 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.

YLT: O 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.

Darby: Blessed 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.

ASV: Blessed 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Isaiah 56:2 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Ethical conduct will result in divine blessing. Profaning the Sabbath and doing evil are the opposite of preserving justice and doing righteousness. They represent specific acts of obedience (observing the Sabbath) and an attitude toward life (doing good). By refraining from work on the Sabbath, the Israelites expressed trust that God would provide for their needs as He promised. Next to circumcision, keeping the Sabbath was the central sign of the Mosaic Covenant (cf. Exodus 31:13-17; Ezekiel 20:12-17). God"s standard is perfection: His people were to keep their hands from doing "any evil" (cf. Matthew 5:48).
"Those who have received mighty blessings from the Lord have an obligation faithfully to do His will, and in the Old Testament dispensation this would be accomplished by keeping the law and observing the sabbath" [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 56:2 mean?

Blessed [is] the man [who] does this and the son of man [who] lays hold on it who keeps the Sabbath from defiling and keeps his hand from doing any evil -
אַשְׁרֵ֤י אֱנוֹשׁ֙ יַעֲשֶׂה־ זֹּ֔את וּבֶן־ אָדָ֖ם יַחֲזִ֣יק בָּ֑הּ שֹׁמֵ֤ר שַׁבָּת֙ מֵֽחַלְּל֔וֹ וְשֹׁמֵ֥ר יָד֖וֹ מֵעֲשׂ֥וֹת כָּל־ רָֽע ס

אַשְׁרֵ֤י  Blessed  [is] 
Parse: Interjection
Root: אֶשֶׁר 
Sense: happiness, blessedness.
אֱנוֹשׁ֙  the  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
יַעֲשֶׂה־  [who]  does 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
זֹּ֔את  this 
Parse: Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
וּבֶן־  and  the  son 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אָדָ֖ם  of  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
יַחֲזִ֣יק  [who]  lays  hold 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
בָּ֑הּ  on  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
שֹׁמֵ֤ר  who  keeps 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
שַׁבָּת֙  the  Sabbath 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: שַׁבָּת  
Sense: Sabbath.
מֵֽחַלְּל֔וֹ  from  defiling 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חָלַל 
Sense: to profane, defile, pollute, desecrate, begin.
וְשֹׁמֵ֥ר  and  keeps 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
יָד֖וֹ  his  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
מֵעֲשׂ֥וֹת  from  doing 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
כָּל־  any 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
רָֽע  evil 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation