And let not the son of the stranger, that adhereth to the Lord, speak, saying: The Lord will divide and separate me from his people. And let not the eunuch say: Behold I am a dry tree.

“The son of the stranger. The true proselytes. הַנִּלְוׇה That hath joined himself. It is the past tense with a prefixed ה, which is here equivalent to the relative אשר that; comp. ההלכוא who went (Jos. 10:24). יבדילֵנִי=יבדילַני The Lord will separate me. Comp. יאהבַני (my husband) will love me (Gen. 29:32). I am a dry tree, because I cannot have children.”

“Thus says the Lord. Here, after he had promised liberation from evils, he begins to promise salvation in the conferring of goods. And it is divided into three parts. In the first is set down the preparation for salvation; in the second, the promise of salvation, chapter 60: Arise, be enlightened; in the third, the great discernment of the salvation conferred, chapter 63: Who is this. The first into two. In the first is set down the preparation on the part of the one receiving salvation; in the second, on the part of the one saving, chapter 59: Behold, it is not shortened. The first into two. In the first he gives the wholesome counsel of preparation; in the second he excludes the vain remedy, chapter 58: Cry, cease not. The first into two. In the first he sets down the diversity of those who receive the counsel, as regards the establishment of rewards; in the second, as regards the escape from dangers, chapter 57: the just man perishes. The first into three. In the first he sets down the counsel; in the second, the fruit of the counsel in those who receive it, Blessed is the man who does; in the third, the failure of salvation in those who despise it, all you beasts. Concerning the first he does two things. First he counsels the due preparation: keep judgment, you prelates, whose office it is to judge; do justice, you subjects, that is, every virtue, according as one is conformed to another by the precepts of the law. Micah 6: I will show you, O man, what is good. Second he promises the nearness of salvation: for near, that is, close, is my salvation, because you will be saved by me after the captivity, and my justice, as regards the enemies of whom I will avenge you. Above, 46: I have brought my justice near. Blessed is the man. Here he sets down the fruit of the counsel in those who receive it: and first he sets down its usefulness, setting down the fruit of fulfillment: blessed is the man who does, fulfilling in deed, who lays hold, vigorously undertaking. Psalm 111: blessed is the man who fears the Lord; and the manner of fulfilling, as regards ceremonial matters, keeping the sabbath: for the observance of the sabbath was moral as regards this, that rest is placed in God, and that one is at some time free for divine things by abstaining from other things; but it was ceremonial as regards the determination of the time. Now the seventh day was determined for them on account of the work of creation, than which nothing more worthy had yet preceded. For us, the first day, or the eighth, on account of the mystery of the resurrection, by which nature once founded is repaired for the better. Exodus 20: remember to keep holy the sabbath day. Jeremiah 17: keep your souls. And as regards moral matters, keeping the hands. Psalm 25: I will wash my hands among the innocent. Second he sets down the universality of its usefulness, and let him not say: and first he excludes the despair of certain ones who seemed unworthy, whether on account of a defect of lineage, because they were not of the race of Israel. Who adheres, keeping his precepts. By separation, not making me a partaker of the salvation promised to them. Romans 10: for there is no distinction of Jew and Greek: for the same is Lord of all. Or on account of a defect of the generative power: and let not the eunuch say: a dry tree, powerless to beget, as a dry tree is powerless to sprout. Proverbs 11: the just, like a flourishing leaf. Second he sets down the promise: for thus says the Lord. And first to them specially, as regards the eunuchs: they shall have kept, as regards the worship of religion; they shall have chosen, as regards obedience to the law; they shall have held fast, as regards the observance of the promise of abstaining from evils: within the walls, that is, a dwelling within the walls of my city; a better name, in that they shall be called my servants and holy ones; and than sons, as if they had begotten many sons. Wisdom 3: the eunuch who has not wrought. And as regards the strangers: and to sons, that is, I will give the privileges in which the Jews glory, that they may worship, as regards special worship, and love, as sons, that they may be as servants, and glory in his dominion. Above, 19: they shall worship the Lord. And these things indeed were fulfilled in the return of the people from the captivity; but more fully in the conversion of the nations to the faith of Christ, as the Gloss explains. Second, as regards all in general: every one who keeps. And concerning this he does two things. First he sets down the promise, by which he promises the restoration of the sacred place: to the holy mountain. Namely, as above, 1: come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord. And as regards the acceptance of sacrifices: holocausts. Malachi 3: the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem shall be pleasing to God. Second he sets down the order of fulfillment: and first as regards the veneration of the temple: for my house. 2 Maccabees 3: the temple throughout the whole. John 2 and Matthew 21: my house shall be called a house of prayer. Second, as regards the gathering of the people: says the Lord, to him; he gathers Israel, the nations adhering to him. Psalm 146: the Lord, building up Jerusalem, will gather the dispersions of Israel. Note on that word, and I will give a better name, that the saints have a name, first from predestination. Above, 49: the Lord has called me from the womb; second, from divine attainment. 1 John 3: behold what manner of love or charity God the Father has given us, that we should be called, and should be, sons of God. Third, from the infusion of grace. Apocalypse 2: you have a name, and you hold my name. Fourth, from the renewal of the mind. In the same place, Apocalypse 2: I will give a stone. Also note, that the name of God is to be loved: first, because it is great, so as to be feared. Malachi 1: my name is great among the nations, says the Lord. Second, because it is holy, so as to be venerated. Luke 1: he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. Third, because it is sweet, so as to be meditated upon. Above, 26: your name and your memorial are in the desire of the soul. Fourth, because it is abundant, so as to show mercy. Canticle 1: your name is oil poured out. Fifth, because it is efficacious, so as to obtain. John 15: whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name, he will give you. Sixth, because it is powerful, so as to save. Acts 4: there is no other name under heaven whereby we must be saved. Seventh, because it is hidden, so as to be known. Proverbs 30: what is his name. All you beasts of the field. Here he threatens those who despise it with the failure of salvation: and first he designates the punishment of slaughter: all beasts, to devour, their corpses. Ezekiel 39: speak to every bird, to all. Second he sets down the fault: and first, of the prelates, as regards their failure in government and in foreseeing dangers. Watchmen: for prelates are set up to guard the people from dangers, as a watchman guards against enemies: they have not known, to foresee dangers. Matthew 15: let them alone: they are blind leaders of the blind. In the correction of vices, all of them dogs. To bark, against vices. Psalm 37: but I, as a deaf man, heard not, and as a dumb man, not opening his mouth. In the admonition of things to be done, seeing vain things, promising them prosperous things when adverse things were imminent; and thus nourishing them in sins. Ezekiel 22: her prophets daubed them. In the plundering of goods, and most shameless dogs; as if, without any restraint of shame, despoiling their subjects of their goods, and never satisfied. Psalm 58: they shall suffer hunger like dogs. And as regards their failure in the perfection of knowledge: they, the shepherds, understanding, of the law and the prophets. Proverbs 1: the intelligent man shall possess the helm. Psalm 81: they have not known nor understood; they walk on in darkness. Second, the fault of the subjects, or of all in common: and first, as regards their own will, which pertains to pride: all, into his own way. Jeremiah 16: every one walks. Second, as regards their covetousness, which pertains to avarice: every one. Jeremiah 6: from the least even to the greatest, all are given to avarice. Third, as regards pleasure, which pertains to the concupiscence of the flesh: come. And it shall be; that is, if today we rejoice in such things, tomorrow much more. Above, 22: and behold joy and gladness, killing calves and slaying rams, eating flesh and drinking wine.”

“The prophet is here, in God's name, encouraging those that were hearty in joining themselves to God and yet laboured under great discouragements. 1. Some were discouraged because they were not of the seed of Abraham. They had joined themselves to the Lord, and bound their souls with a bond to be his for ever (this is the root and life of religion, to break off from the world and the flesh, and devote ourselves entirely to the service and honour of God); but they questioned whether God would accept them, because they were of the sons of the stranger, Isa 56:3. They were Gentiles, strangers to the commonwealth of Israel and aliens from the covenants of promise, and therefore feared they had no part nor lot in the matter. They said, "The Lord has utterly separated me from his people, and will not own me as one of them, nor admit me to their privileges." It was often said that there should be one law for the stranger and for him that was born in the land (Exo 12:49), and yet they came to this melancholy conclusion. Note, Unbelief often suggests things to the discouragement of good people which are directly contrary to what God himself has said, things which he has expressly guarded against. Let not the sons of the stranger therefore say thus, for they have no reason to say it. Note, Ministers must have answers ready for the disquieting fears and jealousies of weak Christians, which, how unreasonable soever, they must take notice of. 2. Others were discouraged because they were not fathers in Israel. The eunuch said, Behold, I am a dry tree. So he looked upon himself, and it was his grief; so others looked upon him, and it was his reproach. He was thought to be of no use because he had no children, nor was ever likely to have any. This was then the more grievous because eunuchs were not admitted to be priests (Lev 21:20), nor to enter into the congregation (Deu 23:1), and because the promise of a numerous posterity was the particular blessing of Israel and the more valuable because from among them the Messiah was to come. Yet God would not have the eunuchs to make the worst of their case, nor to think that they should be excluded from the gospel church, and from being spiritual priests, because they were shut out from the congregation of Israel and the Levitical priesthood; no, as the taking down of the partition wall, contained in ordinances, admitted the Gentiles, so it let in likewise those that had been kept out by ceremonial pollutions. Yet, by the reply here given to this suggestion, it should seem the chief thing which the eunuch laments in his case is his being written childless. Now suitable encouragements are given to each of these. I. To those who have no children of their own, who, though they had the honour to be the children of the church and the covenant themselves, yet had none to whom they might transmit that honour, none to receive the sign of circumcision and the privileges secured by that sign. Now observe, 1. What a good character they have, though they lie under this ignominy and affliction; and those only are entitled to the following comforts who in some measure answer to these characters. (1.) They keep God's sabbaths as he has appointed them to be kept. In the primitive times, if a Christian were asked, "Hast thou kept holy the Lord's day?" He would readily answer, "I am a Christian, and dare not do otherwise." (2.) In their whole conversation they choose those things that please God. They do that which is good; they do it with a sincere design to please God in it; they do it of choice, and with delight. If sometimes, through infirmity, they come short in doing that which pleases God, yet they choose it, they endeavour after it, and aim at it. Note, Whatever is God's pleasure should without dispute be our choice. (3.) They take hold of his covenant, and that is a thing that pleases God as much as any thing. The covenant of grace is proposed and proffered to us in the gospel; to take hold of it is to consent to it, to accept the offer and come up to the terms, deliberately and sincerely to take God to be to us a God and to give up ourselves to him to be to him a people. Taking hold of the covenant denotes an entire and resolute consent to it, taking hold as those that are afraid of coming short, catching at it as a good bargain, and as those that are resolved never to let it go, for it is our life: and we take hold of it as a criminal took hold of the horns of the altar to which he fled for refuge. 2. What a great deal of comfort they may have if they answer to this character, though they are not built up into families (Isa 56:5): Unto them will I give a better place and name. It is supposed that there is a place and a name, which we have from sons and daughters, that is valuable and desirable. It is a pleasing notion we have that we live in our children when we are dead. But there is a better place, and a better name, which those have that are in covenant with God, and it is sufficient to counterbalance the want of the former. A place and a name denote rest and reputation; a place to live comfortably in themselves, and a name to live creditably with among their neighbours; they shall be happy, and may be easy both at home and abroad. Though they have not children to be the music of their house, or arrows in their quiver, to keep them in countenance when they speak with their enemies in the gate, yet they shall have a place and a name more than equivalent. For, (1.) God will give it to them, will give it to them by promise; he will himself be both their habitation and their glory, their place and their name. (2.) He will give it to them in his house, and within his walls; there they shall have a place, shall be planted so as to take root (Psa 92:13), shall dwell all the days of their life, Psa 27:4. They shall be at home in communion with God, as Anna, that departed not from the temple night nor day. There they shall have a name. A name for the good things with God and good people is a name better than that of sons and daughters. Our relation to God, our interest in Christ, our title to the blessings of the covenant, and our hopes of eternal life, are things that give us in God's house a blessed place and a blessed name. (3.) It shall be an everlasting name, that shall never be extinct, shall never be cut off; like the place and name of angels, who therefore marry not, because they die not. Spiritual blessings are unspeakably better than those of sons and daughters; for children are a certain care and may prove the greatest grief and shame of a man's life, but the blessings we partake of in God's house are a sure and constant joy and honour, comforts which cannot be embittered. II. To those that are themselves the children of strangers. 1. It is here promised that they shall now be welcome to the church, Isa 56:6, Isa 56:7. When God's Israel come out of Babylon, let them bring as many of their neighbours along with them as they can persuade to come, and God will find room enough for them all in his house. And here, (as before) we may observe, (1.) Upon what terms they shall be welcome. Let them know that God's Israel, when they come out of Babylon, will not be plagued, as they were when they came out of Egypt, with a mixed multitude, that went with them, but were not cordially for them; no, the sons of the strangers shall have a place and a name in God's house provided, [1.] That they forsake other gods, all rivals and pretenders whatsoever, and join themselves to the Lord, so as to become one spirit, Co1 6:17. [2.] That they join themselves to him as subjects to their prince and soldiers to their general, by an oath of fidelity and obedience, to serve him, not occasionally, as one would serve a turn, but to be constantly his servants, entirely subject to his command, and devoted to his interest. [3.] That they join themselves to him as friends to his honour and the interests of his kingdom in the world, to love the name of the Lord, to be well pleased with all the discoveries he has made of himself and all the memorials they make of him. Observe, Serving him and loving him go together; for those that love him truly will serve him faithfully, and that obedience is most acceptable to him, as well as most pleasant to us, which flows from a principle of love, for then his commandments are not grievous, Jo1 5:3. [4.] That they keep the sabbath from polluting it; for the stranger that is within thy gates is particularly required to do that. [5.] That they take hold of the covenant, that is, that they come under the bonds of it, and put in for the benefits of it. (2.) To what privileges they shall be welcome, Isa 56:7. Three things are here promised them, in their coming to God: - [1.] Assistance: "I will bring them to my holy mountain, not only bid them welcome when they come, but incline them to come, will show them the way, and lead them in it." David himself prays that God by his light and truth would bring them to his holy hill, Psa 43:3. And the sons of the stranger shall be under the same guidance. The church is God's holy hill, on which he hath set his King, and, in bringing them to Zion Hill, he brings them to be subjects to Zion's King, as well as worshippers in Zion's holy temple. [2.] Acceptance: "Their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted on my altar, and be never the less acceptable for being theirs, though they are sons of the stranger." The prayers and praises (those spiritual sacrifices) of devout Gentiles shall be as pleasing to God as those of the pious Jews, and no difference shall be made between them; for, though they are Gentiles by birth, yet through grace they shall be looked upon as the believing seed of faithful Abraham and the praying seed of wrestling Jacob, for in Christ Jesus there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision. [3.] Comfort. They shall not only be accepted, but they themselves shall have the pleasure of it: I will make them joyful in my house of prayer. They shall have grace, not only to serve God, but to serve him cheerfully and with gladness, and that shall make the service the more acceptable to him; for, when we sing in the ways of the Lord, then great is the glory of our God. They shall go away and eat their bread with joy, because God now accepts their works, Ecc 9:7. Nay, though they came mourning to the house of prayer, they shall go away rejoicing, for they shall there find such ease, by casting their cares and burdens upon God, and referring themselves to him, that, like Hannah, they shall go away and their countenance shall be no more sad. Many a sorrowful spirit has been made joyful in the house of prayer. 2. It is here promised that multitudes of the Gentiles shall come to the church, not only that the few who come dropping in shall be made welcome, but that great numbers shall come in, and the door be thrown open to them: My house shall be called a house of prayer for all people. The temple was then God's house, and to that Christ applies these words (Mat 21:13), but with an eye to it as a type of the gospel church, Heb 9:8, Heb 9:9. For Christ calls it his house, Heb 3:6. Now concerning this house it is promised, (1.) That it shall not be a house of sacrifice, but a house of prayer. The religious meetings of God's people shall be meetings for prayer, in which they shall join together, as a token of their united faith and mutual love. (2.) That it shall be a house of prayer, not for the people of the Jews only, but for all people. This was fulfilled when Peter was made, not only to perceive it himself, but to tell it to the world, that in every nation he that fears God and works righteousness is accepted of him, Act 10:35. It had been declared again and again that the stranger that comes nigh shall be put to death, but Gentiles shall now be looked upon no longer as strangers and foreigners, Eph 2:19. And it appears by Solomon's prayer, at the dedication of the temple, both that it was primarily intended for a house of prayer and that strangers should be welcome to it, Kg1 8:30, Kg1 8:41, Kg1 8:43. And it is intimated here (Isa 56:8) that when the Gentiles are called in they shall be incorporated into one body with the Jews, that (as Christ says, Joh 10:16) there may be one fold and one Shepherd; for, [1.] God will gather the outcasts of Israel. Many of the Jews that had by their unbelief cast themselves out shall by faith be brought in again, a remnant according to the election of grace, Rom 11:5. Christ came to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Mat 15:24), to gather their outcasts (Psa 147:2), to restore their preserved (Isa 49:6), and to be their glory, Luk 2:32. [2.] He will gather others also to him, besides his own outcasts that are gathered to him. Or, though some of the Gentiles have come over now and then into the church, that shall not serve (as some may think) to answer the extent of these promises; no, there are still more and more to be brought in: "I will gather others to him besides these; these are but the first-fruits in comparison with the harvest that shall be gathered for Christ in the nations of the earth, when the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in." Note, The church is a growing body: when some are gathered to it we may still hope there shall be more, till the mystical body be completed. Other sheep I have.”

“Neither let the son of the stranger,.... A Gentile, that is so by birth, the son of one that is an alien from the commonwealth of Israel, a stranger from the covenants of promise, and so had no right to come into the congregation of the Lord under the former dispensation; but now the middle wall of partition being broken down, in the times to which this prophecy belongs, such are encouraged to expect admission: that hath joined himself to the Lord; who, having a spiritual knowledge of him in Christ, loves him, believes in him, gives up himself to him, to walk in his ways and ordinances, and cleaves unto him with full purpose of heart; see Isa 44:5 such an one should not speak, saying, the Lord hath utterly separated me from his people; by a law of his, Deu 23:3, for now the wall of separation, the ceremonial law, is destroyed, and God declares himself to be the God of the Gentiles, as well as of the Jews; and of all that fear God, and believe in Christ, of every nation, who are accepted with him; and that they are all one in Christ, and all partakers of the same promises and blessings; so strangers, and the sons of strangers, were to have an inheritance among the children of Israel in Gospel times; see Eze 47:22 and therefore should have no reason to speak after this manner: neither let the eunuch say, behold, I am a dry tree; having no children, nor could have any; and to be written childless was reckoned a reproach and a curse; nor might an eunuch enter the congregation of the Lord, Deu 23:1, and yet such a man, having the grace of God, and acting agreeably to it, as in the following verse, should not distress himself on the above accounts.”

“People. The Jews would not admit all nations to their communion, Deuteronomy xxxiii. 1. A little before Christ’s coming, they began to make more proselytes; (Matthew xxiii. 15.) and the sacred books being translated, came to the knowledge of the Gentiles, who were thus induced by degrees to embrace the true faith. The road to heaven was always open for those who kept the commandments, (ver. 6.; Calmet) though they might not receive circumcision. (Haydock) — Christ has removed the wall of separation, (Ephesians ii. 14.; Calmet) and established one fold for all, John x. (Haydock)”

“God welcomes all believers, without distinction of persons, under the new economy (Act 10:34-35). joined . . . to . . . Lord-- (Num 18:4, Num 18:7). "Proselytes." separated--Proselytes from the Gentiles were not admitted to the same privileges as native Israelites. This barrier between Jews and Gentiles was to be broken down (Eph 2:14-16). eunuch-- (Act 8:27, &c.). Eunuchs were chamberlains over harems, or court ministers in general. dry tree--barren (compare Luk 23:31); not admissible into the congregation of Israel (Deu 23:1-3). Under the Gospel the eunuch and stranger should be released from religious and civil disabilities.”

“The אשרי (blessed) of Isa 56:2 is now extended to those who might imagine that they had no right to console themselves with the promises which it contained. "And let not the foreigner, who hath not joined himself to Jehovah, speak thus: Assuredly Jehovah will cut me off from His people; and let not the eunuch say, I am only a dry tree." As נלוה is not pointed as a participle (נלוה), but as a 3rd pers. pres., the ה of הנּלוה is equivalent to אשׁר, as in Jos 10:24; Gen 18:21; Gen 21:3; Gen 46:27; Kg1 11:9 (Ges. 109). By the eunuchs we are to understand those of Israelitish descent, as the attributive clause is not repeated in their case. Heathen, who professed the religion of Jehovah, and had attached themselves to Israel, might be afraid lest, when Israel should be restored to its native land, according to the promise, as a holy and glorious community with a thoroughly priestly character, Jehovah would no longer tolerate them, i.e., would forbid their receiving full citizenship. יבדּילני has the connecting vowel , as in Gen 19:19; Gen 29:32, instead of the usual ē. And the Israelitish eunuchs, who had been mutilated against their will, that they might serve at heathen courts or in the houses of foreign lords, and therefore had not been unfaithful to Jehovah, might be afraid lest, as unfruitful trees, they should be pronounced unworthy of standing in the congregation of Jehovah. There was more ground for the anxiety of the latter than for that of the former. For the law in Deu 23:4-7 merely prohibits Ammonites and Moabites for all time to come from reception into the congregation, on account of their unbrotherly conduct towards the Israelites as they came out of Egypt, whilst that in Deu 23:8-9 prohibits the reception of Edomites and Egyptians to the third generation; so that there was no prohibition as to other allies - such, for example, as the Babylonians. On the other hand, the law in Deu 23:2 expressly declares, as an expression of the horror of God at any such mutilation of nature, and for the purpose of precluding it, that no kind of emasculated person is to enter the congregation of Jehovah. But prophecy breaks through these limits of the law.”