Joy for the Outcasts

¹Yahweh says to his people :

“Promote the cause of justice!

Do what is just and right,

for soon my salvation will come

and my righteousness will be unveiled.

²Blessed is the one who will faithfully keep his commitment.

Yes, blessed is the one

who honors the Sabbath and does not disregard it,

and the one who keeps their hands from doing evil.”

³The foreigner who joins himself to Yahweh

should never say,

“Because I’m a foreigner ,

Yahweh will exclude me from his people.”

And the eunuchs should never say,

“Because I can’t have children , I’m just a barren tree.”

⁴For Yahweh says to such a man ,

“To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,

and choose the things that honor me,

and remain true to my covenant, I make this promise :

⁵‘I will bestow upon them within my household[#56:5 Or “in my house and within my walls.” This becomes a figure of speech for God’s household or family, not a literal plaque in the temple.]

both an honored place and an honored name,

even better than the honor that comes from having children.

I bestow upon them my everlasting favor;

you will never be forgotten.’

⁶And to the foreigners who join themselves to Yahweh

to worship him, those who want to be his servants

and love the name of Yahweh —

all who honor the Sabbath and do not disregard it,

and who remain true to my covenant—I make this promise :

⁷‘I will welcome you into my holy mountain[#56:7 ’s holy mountain is the Zion-realm. See Heb. 12:22–24.]

and make you joyful in my house of prayer.

I will accept every sacrifice and offering

that you place on my altar,

for my house of worship will be known

as a house of prayer for all people.’ ”

⁸The Lord God Almighty,

who brings home the outcasts of Israel, says,

“There are many others I will gather,

and I will add them to those who are already gathered.”

Corrupt Leaders

⁹All you wild beasts, come and devour,

you wild animals of the forest.

¹⁰Blind watchmen, all of them!

They have no revelation-knowledge;

they’re like dumb dogs that don’t even bark—

dreaming, sleeping, devoted to slumber.

¹¹They’re greedy dogs that never eat enough.

And the shepherds have no discernment;

they follow their own desires.

Every last one of them seeks his own profit.

¹²Each one says, “Let’s get wine and liquor and have a party!

And tomorrow, more of the same, except even better!”