Foreigners and Eunuchs in Yeshayahu 56/2

Foreigners and Eunuchs in Yeshayahu 56

Exegetical Approaches

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Era of Nechemyah

The prophecy is aimed at the people living in Israel in the time of Nechemyah, and constitutes a call for acceptance of the foreign converts living among them.

Sources:Biur, modern scholars

"כִּי קְרוֹבָה יְשׁוּעָתִי לָבוֹא" – The Biur maintains that the prophet refers to salvation from "the enemies of Yehuda and Binyamin" ("צָרֵי יְהוּדָה וּבִנְיָמִן"), such as Sanbalat and Toviah, who attempted to prevent the nation from rebuilding the city's walls.

"שִׁמְרוּ מִשְׁפָּט וַעֲשׂוּ צְדָקָה " – Oppression of the poor was a problem in the time of Nechemyah, as evidenced by Nechemyah 5:1-11.  Thus, the prophet exhorts the people to do justice as a precondition for Hashem's assistance. The Biur further notes that to stand up against their enemies, the struggling nation of returnees needed to be united; before dealing with injustices from without they needed to ensure justice within.

Emphasis on Shabbat – Sanctifying Shabbat, in particular, is emphasized as there was a laxity in its observance in this era. [See Nechemyah's outcry against those who engaged in business on Shabbat in Nechemyah 13:15-22.] Here, too, the Biur points out that observance of Shabbat would promote unity among the nation, as celebration of the day brings people together.

"בְנֵי הַנֵּכָר" and "סָרִיסִים"

• According to Y. Ben-Ze'ev both of these groups were actually non-Jews who had taken on Hashem's commandments ("הַנִּלְוִים עַל י"י", "וּמַחֲזִיקִים בִּבְרִיתִי") in Bavel, and joined the nation when they returned to Israel. The "בְנֵי הַנֵּכָר" were laymen, while the "סָרִיסִים" were of the courtier class.¹
• The Biur agrees that both groups were originally non-Jews, but differs regarding the status of the "סָרִיסִים". He claims that the word means servant, and that the term might refer to either "בְּנֵי עַבְדֵי שְׁלֹמֹה" or the "נְתִינִים", two groups who are mentioned in Ezra 2 as being among those who returned to Israel.  The first were descendants of the remnants of the Seven Nations enslaved by Shelomo, and the second were the Givonites, tasked by Yehoshua with being servants in the Mikdash.

Converts in Bavel – This position assumes that many non-Jews joined the nation during their stay in Bavel.²

Concerns of the "בני נכר" and "סָרִיסִים" – According to the Biur, the common denominator between the two groups was their inability to marry into Israel, either because of their legal status as slaves/ נתינים, or because of the general perception that their foreign roots made them unworthy. Thus the "בְנֵי הַנֵּכָר" complain, "הַבְדֵּל יַבְדִּילַנִי י"י מֵעַל עַמּוֹ", and the "סָרִיסִים" bemoan their childless state, "הֵן אֲנִי עֵץ יָבֵשׁ". 

Consolation of the Prophet – The prophet comforts the foreigners, telling the "סָרִיסִים" that even if they cannot have children with Israelites,³ they can still leave a mark, and will be mentioned and remembered among the builders of the wall.⁴ The converts, who are legally allowed to marry, are instead encouraged that they might even merit to marry priests and have their descendants sacrifice in the Temple. The message for the rest of the people is clear: accept these members of the nation and value them as contributors to society. Here, too, the Biur points out how the prophet is encouraging unity in face of adversity from without.

Attitude towards converts in Yeshayahu – In our chapter the prophet relays a message of tolerance of converts, pointing out that as long as the foreigners have accepted the yoke of Torah (and are "שֹׁמֵר שַׁבָּת מֵחַלְּלוֹ וּמַחֲזִיקִים בִּבְרִיתִי") they have a place in Israel.  This fits with several other prophecies of Yeshayahu which similarly speak of foreigners joining the nation.  See, for instance, Yeshayahu 14's promise "וְנִלְוָה הַגֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם וְנִסְפְּחוּ עַל בֵּית יַעֲקֹב" or the vision in Yeshayahu 2 of non-Jews streaming towards the Mikdash to learn Torah and hear the word of Hashem.

"כׇּל בֶּן נֵכָר עֶרֶל לֵב וְעֶרֶל בָּשָׂר לֹא יָבוֹא אֶל מִקְדָּשִׁי" – Yechezkel's words (Yechezkel 44:9) would seem to directly contradict this prophecy.

End of Babylonian Exile

The prophet's words are addressed to the nation in Babylonia, on the eve of their return to Israel.  The prophet encourages those foreigners and eunuchs who fear a worsening of their status with the move back to Israel.

"כִּי קְרוֹבָה יְשׁוּעָתִי לָבוֹא" – The salvation refers to the return from exile.

Emphasis on Shabbat – Yeshayahu highlights the mitzvah of shabbat because its desecration was what led to the exile, asayikra 26 states:

Current Exile

Yeshayahu's words relate to the current exile and the redemption of Messianic times. The prophet encourages all to hasten the redemption through good deeds, promising even those outsiders who feel that all is for naught, that they will share in the rewards.

¹ He notes that throughout Tanakh, "סָרִיסִים" serve kings in their courts and palaces. See, for instance, Bereshit 40:2, Shemuel I 8:15 and Esther 1:12. Ben Zeev further posits that oneneed not assume that all "סָרִיסִים" were castrated. Potiphar, for example, was married.

² See the similar phenomenon in Esther 8:17, "וְרַבִּים מֵעַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ מִתְיַהֲדִים כִּי נָפַל פַּחַד הַיְּהוּדִים עֲלֵיהֶם."

³ According to Ben  Ze'ev who maintains hat the סריסים were no different than th בני נכר and that they too could marry,

⁴ The Biur points out that the נתינים are indeed listed among the builders of the wall in Nechemyah 3:26.