Question 1

In Isaiah 56:1, what does God command, and what reason does he give for that command?

Accepted Answer

Verse 1 contains two paired imperatives: “keep justice” and “do righteousness.” The reason is also twofold and time-sensitive: God’s “deliverance” is “near to come,” and God’s “righteousness” is about to be “revealed.” The verse does not present the commands as general moral advice detached from history; it anchors them in what God is about to do. The logic is that the community’s conduct should match an approaching moment when God’s saving action and rightness become publicly visible.

Question 2

How does verse 2 describe the “blessed” person, and what does “holds it fast” add to the picture?

Accepted Answer

Verse 2 pronounces blessing on “the man” and “the son of man” who “does this” and “holds it fast.” “Does this” points back to keeping justice and doing righteousness in verse 1. “Holds it fast” adds the idea of persistence—continuing in that path rather than a one-time action. The verse then offers concrete expressions of that perseverance: guarding the Sabbath from being profaned and keeping one’s hand from any evil. Blessing is tied to sustained, practiced faithfulness that can be observed over time.

Question 3

What is the relationship between “deliverance” and “righteousness” in verse 1?

Accepted Answer

The verse places “my deliverance” and “my righteousness” side by side, treating them as closely connected aspects of what God is about to bring. The text explicitly says deliverance is near and righteousness is about to be revealed, implying that when God rescues, he also shows something true about himself. Interpreters debate whether “righteousness” is mainly God’s moral perfection or God’s faithful right action in history, but either way the verse links rescue with the public display of God’s rightness rather than separating salvation from justice.

Question 4

Why might Sabbath-keeping be singled out in verse 2 as an example of “holding fast”?

Accepted Answer

The verse moves from broad moral language (“does this,” “holds it fast,” “keeps his hand from any evil”) to a specific practice: “keeps the Sabbath from profaning it.” Sabbath-keeping functions as a visible, communal marker of loyalty and order, not merely a private feeling. Because it is public and regular, it can serve as a concrete indicator of whether someone is treating God’s ways as weighty. The text does not say it is the only sign of faithfulness, but it does treat it as a key example.

Question 5

What does the pairing of “keep justice” and “do righteousness” suggest about the scope of the passage’s concern?

Accepted Answer

The two phrases together suggest a wide scope: “justice” points toward fair and consistent treatment in community life (how people are handled in disputes, power, and public dealings), while “righteousness” points toward right conduct more broadly. Verse 2 then shows that the passage is not limited to one sphere: it connects social fairness (“justice”), worship rhythms (Sabbath), and personal restraint (“keeps his hand from any evil”). The text presents these as integrated rather than separate compartments of life.

Question 6

How do “man” and “son of man” function in verse 2, and what effect do they have on the statement?

Accepted Answer

Verse 2 uses two overlapping expressions—“the man” and “the son of man”—for the person who receives the blessing. In this context, “son of man” functions as a plain way of saying “human being,” reinforcing that the blessing is stated in general terms rather than restricted to an elite group. The doubling also intensifies the beatitude-like wording: it underlines that real people, in ordinary human life, can be described as blessed when they keep justice, hold it fast, honor the Sabbath, and refrain from evil.

Isaiah 56:1-2

Scripture