Isaiah 1:13

1:13 Do not bring any more meaningless ¹  offerings;

I consider your incense detestable! ² 

You observe new moon festivals, Sabbaths, and convocations,

but I cannot tolerate sin-stained celebrations! ³ 

Isaiah 56:2

56:2 The people who do this will be blessed, ⁴ 

the people who commit themselves to obedience, ⁵ 

who observe the Sabbath and do not defile it,

who refrain from doing anything that is wrong. ⁶ 

Isaiah 56:4

56:4 For this is what the Lord says:

“For the eunuchs who observe my Sabbaths

and choose what pleases me

and are faithful to ⁷  my covenant,

[1:13]  ¹ tn Or “worthless” (NASB, NCV, CEV); KJV, ASV “vain.”

[1:13]  ² sn Notice some of the other practices that Yahweh regards as “detestable”: homosexuality (Lev 18:22-30; 20:13), idolatry (Deut 7:25; 13:15), human sacrifice (Deut 12:31), eating ritually unclean animals (Deut 14:3-8), sacrificing defective animals (Deut 17:1), engaging in occult activities (Deut 18:9-14), and practicing ritual prostitution (1 Kgs 14:23).

[1:13]  ³ tn Heb “sin and assembly” (these two nouns probably represent a hendiadys). The point is that their attempts at worship are unacceptable to God because the people’s everyday actions in the socio-economic realm prove they have no genuine devotion to God (see vv. 16-17).

[56:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “blessed is the man who does this.”

[56:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “the son of mankind who takes hold of it.”

[56:2]  ⁶ tn Heb and who keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

[56:4]  ⁷ tn Heb “and take hold of” (so KJV); NASB “hold fast.”