Isaiah 56:7 Meaning and Explanation
“Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →God brings outsiders to His holy mountain and welcomes their worship.
The Context of Isaiah 56:7
The verse names two groups: the eunuchs and strangers from verse 6, and then 'others'—the outcasts of Israel whom verse 8 will make explicit. The 'holy mountain' is Mount Zion, the site of the temple. The word 'joyful' is crucial; this is not a grim court appearance but a celebration of belonging.
What Does Isaiah 56:7 Mean?
The excluded are brought up the holy mountain. The temple, from which they were barred, becomes a place where their offerings are accepted, where their sacrifice is not rejected as inferior but received as gladly as any other. And the house is called 'a house of prayer for all people'—not just for the pure, the complete, the legitimate. The holiness of God's house is not diminished by welcoming them; it is revealed most fully in that welcome.
Jesus walked into the temple and said, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations' (Mark 11:17). He quoted this verse and then overturned the tables of commerce, clearing the space so that the poor, the sick, the women, the children—all who had been pushed to the margins—could approach. That gesture says: the holiness of God is never found in exclusion. It is found in a love so large and so real that it welcomes the entire human race to come near, to be heard, to have their worship accepted.
How to Apply Isaiah 56:7 Today
Where do you feel unwelcome or as though your worship does not count? Bring that to the God who explicitly calls His house a place for all people. Your presence is not intrusion. Your prayer is wanted. Your offering is received.
Frequently Asked Questions About Isaiah 56:7
What does Isaiah 56:7 mean?
God brings outsiders to His holy mountain and welcomes their worship.
What is the context of Isaiah 56:7?
The verse names two groups: the eunuchs and strangers from verse 6, and then 'others'—the outcasts of Israel whom verse 8 will make explicit. The 'holy mountain' is Mount Zion, the site of the temple. The word 'joyful' is crucial; this is not a grim court appearance but a celebration of belonging.
How can I apply Isaiah 56:7 today?
Where do you feel unwelcome or as though your worship does not count? Bring that to the God who explicitly calls His house a place for all people. Your presence is not intrusion. Your prayer is wanted. Your offering is received.