chaldee-paraphraseapocrypha
Targum Isaiah 56
Jehovah opens the covenant to every soul who keeps His Sabbath and lays hold on His covenant — the foreigner joined to His people and the one who counts himself cut off are both welcomed to the house of prayer on the holy mountain, given a name better than sons and daughters. The gathering oracle of verse 8 carries explicit weight: the scattered of Israel will be re-gathered, and the nations hostile to Jerusalem will fall. Set against this is the indictment of blind watchmen — shepherds too dumb to bark, drunk and self-serving — who fail to guard the flock entrusted to them.
1
Thus saith the Lord, keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.
2
Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; every one that shall keep the Sabbath from polluting it, and shall keep his hand from doing any evil.
3
Neither let the son of the heathen, that is joined to the people of the Lord, say, The Lord hath utterly separated me from His people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am considered a dry tree.
4
For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my Sabbath days, and delight in what I desire, and take hold on my covenant:
5
Even unto them will I give in the house of my sanctuary, and in the land of the house of my Shekinah a place, and a name that is better than that of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.
6
And the sons of the Gentiles, that are joined unto the people of 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;
7
Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their holy sacrifices shall be offered up with acceptance upon mine altar; for the house of my sanctuary shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
8
The Lord God, who will gather together the scattered ones of Israel, saith, I will again gather their captivity, by collecting them together.
9
All the kings of the nations, who are assembled together to oppress thee, O Jerusalem, shall be cast down in the midst of thee; they shall be for food to the beasts of the field, the beasts of the forest shall be satisfied with them.
10
Their watchmen are blind: they know nothing, all of them are dumb dogs, they are not able to bark, they are slumbering, they lie down, they love to sleep.
11
Yea, they are greedy dogs, they know not how to be satisfied; they are evildoers, they know not how to become wise: all of them go their own way, to rob the treasures of Israel.
12
Come ye, say they, We will fetch wine, and we will be inebriated with old wine, and tomorrow our banquet shall be better than to-day, great, very great.
