The Meaning of Isaiah 56:6 Explained

Isaiah 56:6

KJV: Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;

YLT: And sons of the stranger, who are joined to Jehovah, To serve Him, and to love the name of Jehovah, To be to Him for servants, Every keeper of the sabbath from polluting it, And those keeping hold on My covenant.

Darby: Also the sons of the alien, that join themselves to Jehovah, to minister unto him and to love the name of Jehovah, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, and holdeth fast to my covenant;

ASV: Also the foreigners that join themselves to Jehovah, to minister unto him, and to love the name of Jehovah, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, and holdeth fast my covenant;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Also the sons  of the stranger,  that join  themselves to the LORD,  to serve  him, and to love  the name  of the LORD,  to be his servants,  every one that keepeth  the sabbath  from polluting  it, and taketh hold  of my covenant; 

What does Isaiah 56:6 Mean?

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 56:6 mean?

And the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to Yahweh to serve Him and to love - the name of Yahweh to be His servants Everyone who keeps the Sabbath from defiling and holds fast My covenant
וּבְנֵ֣י הַנֵּכָ֗ר הַנִּלְוִ֤ים עַל־ יְהוָה֙ לְשָׁ֣רְת֔וֹ וּֽלְאַהֲבָה֙ אֶת־ שֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֔ה לִהְי֥וֹת ל֖וֹ לַעֲבָדִ֑ים כָּל־ שֹׁמֵ֤ר שַׁבָּת֙ מֵֽחַלְּל֔וֹ וּמַחֲזִיקִ֖ים בִּבְרִיתִֽי

וּבְנֵ֣י  And  the  sons 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
הַנֵּכָ֗ר  of  the  foreigner 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֵכָר  
Sense: foreign, alien, foreignness, that which is foreign.
הַנִּלְוִ֤ים  who  join  themselves 
Parse: Article, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: לָוָה 
Sense: to join, be joined.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לְשָׁ֣רְת֔וֹ  to  serve  Him 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁרַת  
Sense: (Piel) to minister, serve, minister to.
וּֽלְאַהֲבָה֙  and  to  love 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person feminine singular
Root: אָהַב  
Sense: to love.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שֵׁ֣ם  the  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
יְהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לִהְי֥וֹת  to  be 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
ל֖וֹ  His 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
לַעֲבָדִ֑ים  servants 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
כָּל־  Everyone 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
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.
וּמַחֲזִיקִ֖ים  and  holds  fast 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine plural
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
בִּבְרִיתִֽי  My  covenant 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.