Yes, the dogs are greedy. They can never have enough. They are shepherds who can’t understand. They have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter.
Parallel Translations
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Yes, the dogs are greedy. They can never have enough. They are shepherds who can’t understand. They have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter.
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Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.
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Yea, the dogs are greedy, they know not when they have enough; and these are shepherds that cannot understand; they all turn to their own way, each one to his gain, one and all.
Cross-references (30)
Passages linked to Isaiah 56:11 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Ezekiel 34:2-3 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy, and tell them, even the shepherds, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Shouldn’t the shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat. You clothe yourself with the wool. You kill the fatlings, but you don’t feed the sheep.
- Ezekiel 13:19 You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to kill the souls who should not die, and to save the souls alive who should not live, by your lying to my people who listen to lies.’
- Micah 3:11 Her leaders judge for bribes, and her priests teach for a price, and her prophets of it tell fortunes for money: yet they lean on Yahweh, and say, “Isn’t Yahweh among us? No disaster will come on us.”
- John 8:43 Why don’t you understand my speech? Because you can’t hear my word.
- Isaiah 1:3 The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master’s crib; but Israel doesn’t know. My people don’t consider.”
- Isaiah 57:17 I was angry because of the iniquity of his covetousness and struck him. I hid myself and was angry; and he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.
- Micah 3:5-6 Yahweh says concerning the prophets who lead my people astray; for those who feed their teeth, they proclaim, “Peace!” and whoever doesn’t provide for their mouths, they prepare war against him: “Therefore night is over you, with no vision, and it is dark to you, that you may not divine; and the sun will go down on the prophets, and the day will be black over them.
- Zechariah 11:15-17 Yahweh said to me, “Take for yourself yet again the equipment of a foolish shepherd. For, behold, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, who will not visit those who are cut off, neither will seek those who are scattered, nor heal that which is broken, nor feed that which is sound; but he will eat the meat of the fat sheep, and will tear their hoofs in pieces. Woe to the worthless shepherd who leaves the flock! The sword will be on his arm, and on his right eye. His arm will be completely withered, and his right eye will be totally blinded!”
- Titus 1:7 For the overseer must be blameless, as God’s steward, not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain;
- Revelation 22:15 Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
- 1 Samuel 2:12-17 Now the sons of Eli were wicked men. They didn’t know Yahweh. The custom of the priests with the people was that when anyone offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant came while the meat was boiling, with a fork of three teeth in his hand; and he stabbed it into the pan, or kettle, or cauldron, or pot. The priest took all that the fork brought up for himself. They did this to all the Israelites who came there to Shiloh. Yes, before they burned the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man who sacrificed, “Give meat to roast for the priest; for he will not accept boiled meat from you, but raw.” If the man said to him, “Let the fat be burned first, and then take as much as your soul desires;” then he would say, “No, but you shall give it to me now; and if not, I will take it by force.” The sin of the young men was very great before Yahweh; for the men despised Yahweh’s offering.
- 1 Timothy 3:8 Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money,
- Titus 1:11 whose mouths must be stopped: men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain’s sake.
- 1 Peter 5:2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, not for dishonest gain, but willingly;
- 2 Peter 2:3 In covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words: whose sentence now from of old doesn’t linger, and their destruction will not slumber.
- 2 Peter 2:14-16 having eyes full of adultery, and who can’t cease from sin; enticing unsettled souls; having a heart trained in greed; children of cursing; forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wrongdoing; but he was rebuked for his own disobedience. A mute donkey spoke with a man’s voice and stopped the madness of the prophet.
- Jude 1:11 Woe to them! For they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in Korah’s rebellion.
- Jude 1:16 These are murmurers and complainers, walking after their lusts—and their mouth speaks proud things—showing respect of persons to gain advantage.
- Exodus 23:3 You shall not favor a poor man in his cause.
- 1 Samuel 2:29 Why do you kick at my sacrifice and at my offering, which I have commanded in my habitation, and honor your sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel my people?’
- Ecclesiastes 5:10 He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase: this also is vanity.
- Jeremiah 22:17 But your eyes and your heart are only for your covetousness, for shedding innocent blood, for oppression, and for doing violence.”
- Malachi 1:10 “Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you,” says Yahweh of Armies, “neither will I accept an offering at your hand.
- Matthew 13:14-15 In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, ‘By hearing you will hear, and will in no way understand; Seeing you will see, and will in no way perceive: for this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again; and I would heal them.’
- Acts 20:29 For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
- Acts 20:33 I coveted no one’s silver, gold, or clothing.
- 2 Corinthians 4:4 in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.
- Philippians 3:19 whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things.
- 1 Timothy 3:3 not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;
- Philippians 3:2 Beware of the dogs; beware of the evil workers; beware of the false circumcision.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (14 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Isa 56:11 Yea, [they are] greedy dogs [which] can…
Isa 56:11 Yea, [they are] greedy dogs [which] can never have enough, and they [are] shepherds [that] cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.
Ver. 11. Yea, they are greedy dogs that can never have enough.] Heb., Strong of soul, or of appetite; they know not to be satisfied. Lac et luna, is that they look for; the "instruments of a foolish shepherd," forcipes et mulctra, the shears and milk pail are in their hand; {Zec 11:15} they eat the fruit and drink the milk; {as Eze 25:4} yea, they eat the fat, and tear the claws in pieces. {Zec 11:16} Albertus Magnus complained heavily of the covetousness of pastors in his time. Temporalia colliguntper se, spiritualia seminant per alios saith he on Mat 10:16; {a} they take little pains, but care not how much profit they make. He that made Fasciculus temporum, doth the like. Another modern writer fitly applieth that to them, which Oedipus in Sophocles saith of Tiresias the heathen prophet -
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“οστις εν τοις κερδεσι
Mονον δεδορκε, την τεχνην δ εφυτυφλος, ”
i.e., that he looked only to his gain, but was little seen in his profession. Such a one was Balaam; {Jdg 1:11} such were those false prophets; {Eze 13:2-3} the covetous Pharisees; {Luk 16:14} the false apostles, {Rom 16:18} called dogs; {Php 3:2} such as had a greedy worm under their tongues, and could never be satisfied.
And they are shepherds that cannot understand.] The dust of covetousness hath even put out their eyes. As it fared with the blind {a} and greedy Pharisees, Avidi a non videndo, the world is a pearl in their eyes; they cannot see God, nor skill of their office. Tremellius rendereth it nesciunt docere; they know not to teach, as being choked haply with a fat benefice - a common practice of the Pope.
They all look to their own way.] Mind their own commodity, whereby they are led up and down, as an ox may be all aground over by a bottle of hay.
{a} Midas secundum Etymologiam Graecam caecus est. Midas, according to Greek mythology, was blind.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Greedy dogs which can never have enough; insatiably covetous.
Greedy dogs which can never have enough; insatiably covetous.
That cannot understand, Heb. that know not to understand; that do not care, or love, or desire (as knowing is frequently taken) either to understand the law or word of God themselves, or to make the people to understand it.
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They all look to their own way; they regard neither God’s command and glory, nor the people’s good, but only the satisfaction of their own base lusts. See Poole "Isa 53:6".
Every one for his gain, from his quarter; in their several places and stations, as they have opportunity. Heb. from his or their end or extremity, i.e. universally, or all from one end of that body or society of men unto the other; as the same word signifies, Gen 19:4; from one end of the city to the other; or, as we there render it,
from every quarter; and as the same word is by divers learned men rendered, 1Ki 12:31, out of the meanest of the people, but out of all the people, or indifferently out of every tribe; of which See Poole "1Ki 12:31". But if that phrase be rightly rendered there, out of the meanest of the people, as divers also expound the same phrase, Gen 47:2, of the meanest of his brethren, why may it not as well be rendered here, even from the meanest or poorest of his flock? which is a great aggravation of their covetousness and cruelty, to extort gains from such as needed their charity.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Yea, they are greedy dogs,.... Or "strong of soul"…
Yea, they are greedy dogs,.... Or "strong of soul" (y); of great appetites, and are never satisfied: or "strong of body"; the soul is sometimes put for the body; large bodied, fat bellied men, such as the priests, monks, and friars, that live upon the fat of the land; gluttons, epicures, men of a canine appetite, like dogs,
which can never have enough; know not fulness (z), or what it is to be filled to satisfaction, always craving more. Though some think this denotes their insatiable avarice, their greedy desire of money, not being satisfied with what they have, in order to support their voluptuous way of living.
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And they are shepherds that cannot understand; or, "and they are", or "are they shepherds?" these blind and ignorant watchmen; these dumb and greedy dogs; these pretend to be the shepherds of the flock, and to feed them?
yet they know not to understand (a), or "know not understanding"; have no knowledge and understanding of divine things, and therefore unfit and incapable of feeding the people therewith:
they all look to their own way: to do that which is most pleasing to them, agreeable to their carnal lusts; they seek that which is most for their worldly profit and advantage, having no regard to the glory of God, the interest of Christ, and the welfare of the flock:
everyone for his gain from his quarter; from the province, city, or town he is in; from his archbishopric, bishopric, or parish; making the most of his benefice, of his tithes and revenues; increasing his salary as much as he can; getting as much as possible from all sorts of persons, rich and poor, high and low, that are under his jurisdiction; and this is the case of everyone, from the greatest to the least. The Targum is,
"everyone to spoil the substance of Israel;''
as the Pharisees devoured widows' houses, Mat 23:14.
(y) "fortes animo", Montanus; "fortes anima, sub. appetente", Vatablus; "sunt valido appetitu", Vitringa. (z) "nesciunt, vel non noverunt saturitatem", Paguinus, Montanus, &c, (a) "et iili pastores? non sciunt docere", Cocceius; "et illi cum pastores sunt, mulla pollent discernendi peritia", Vitringa.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain They look - They regard neither God's glory, nor…
They look - They regard neither God's glory, nor the peoples good, but only the satisfaction of their own base desires. Quarter - In their several stations.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 11. Greedy dogs] Insatiably feeding themselves with the…
Verse 11. Greedy dogs] Insatiably feeding themselves with the fat, and clothing themselves with the wool, while the flock is scattered, ravaged, and starved! O what an abundance of these dumb and greedy dogs are there found hanging on and prowling about the flock of Christ! How can any careless, avaricious, hireling minister read this without agitation and dismay?
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Isa 56:11. Yea, they are greedy dogs — Insatiably…
Isa 56:11. Yea, they are greedy dogs — Insatiably covetous: shepherds that cannot understand — Hebrew, that know not to understand; that do not care, or love, or desire either to understand the word of God themselves, or to make the people understand it. They all look to their own way — They regard neither God’s glory nor the people’s good, but only the satisfaction of their own base desires. Every one for his gain from his quarter — In their several places and stations, as they have opportunity.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Yea, they are greedy dogs - Margin, ‘Strong of…
Yea, they are greedy dogs - Margin, ‘Strong of appetite.’ Literally, ‘Strong of soul’ (עזי־נפשׁ ‛azēy-nephesh. Jerome renders it, Canes impudentissimi. So the Septuagint, Κύνες ἀναιδεῖς τῇ ψυχῇ Kunes anaideis tē psuchē - ‘Dogs impudent in soul.’ They were greedy and insatiable in that which the soul or the appetite demands. The idea here is, that the prophets to whom reference is here made were sensual, and disposed to gorge themselves; living only for carnal indulgence, insensible to the rights of others, and never satisfied.
And they are shepherds that cannot understand - Who are ignorant of the needs of the people, and who cannot be made to comprehend what is needed by them (see Isa 56:10).
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They all look to their own way - That is, they are all selfish. The ministers of religion are set apart not to promote their own interests bug the welfare and salavation of others.
Every one for his gain - For his own private ends and emoluments.
From his quarter - Lowth, ‘From the highest to the lowest.’ So Rosenmuller. Septuagint, Κατὰ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ Kata to heautou - ‘Each one according to his own purpose.’ The Hebrew is literally, ‘From his end,’ or extremity. Gen 19:4 : ‘From every quarter’ (מקצה mı̂qqâtseh) that is, from one end to the other; one and all, the whole. This seems to be the idea here, that one and all were given to selfishness, to covetousness, and to indulgence in luxury and sensuality.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Last. The scribes devour the houses of widows, making…
Last. The scribes devour the houses of widows, making long prayers, Matthew xxiii. 14. They are blind, Matthew xv. 14. (Haydock)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain greedy--literally, "strong" (that is, insatiable) in appetite (Eze 34:2-3;…
greedy--literally, "strong" (that is, insatiable) in appetite (Eze 34:2-3; Mic 3:11).
cannot understand--unable to comprehend the wants of the people, spiritually: so Isa 56:10, "cannot bark."
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look to . . . own way--that is, their own selfish interests; not to the spiritual welfare of the people (Jer 6:13; Eze 22:27).
from his quarter--rather, "from the highest to the lowest" [LOWTH]. "From his quarter"; that is, from one end to the other of them, one and all (Gen 19:4).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 11. The first line reads, And the dogs are…
11. The first line reads, And the dogs are greedy (lit. “strong of soul,” i.e. appetite), they know not how to be satisfied. The charge of cupidity and of selling oracles for gain is one frequently brought against the false prophets (Mic_3:5; Mic_3:11; Jer_6:13; Eze_13:19; Eze_22:25); a contemporary instance may be the incident of Shemaiah (Neh_6:10 ff.). That the priesthood was infected with the same vice of covetousness is shown by Mal_1:12; on the upper classes generally see Neh_5:7 ff.
and they are shepherds &c.] The meaning can hardly be that those who have been called dogs are really the shepherds of the flock; but it is not easy to obtain a satisfactory sense. Cheyne renders “and these, pastors as they are,” taking “pastors” in the figurative sense of rulers. Dillmann with a slight change of the text reads “and even these, the shepherds,” supposing that a class of persons different from the “watchmen” (prophets) are now spoken of, viz., the nobles and elders. On any view the sentence is awkward; it adds nothing to the thought, and may originally have been a marginal gloss.
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they all look to their own way] R.V. they have all turned to their own way; all pursue their selfish interests (cf. Isa_53:6).
from his quarter] Render, without exception, as Eze_25:9; Gen_19:4.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (11) Shepherds that cannot understand . . .—Better, and…
(11) Shepherds that cannot understand . . .—Better, and such are shepherds; they cannot understand. There is no confusion or change of metaphors. What is implied is that the prophets who are not fit to be watch-dogs of the flock, assume the office of its shepherds.
From his quarter—i.e., in modern phrase, from his own sphere of influence.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Yea, they are greedy dogs. Another defect is noted.…
Yea, they are greedy dogs. Another defect is noted. Not only do they fail in the way of neglect of duty, but they are actively culpable. Being worldly and not spiritually minded, they are "greedy" after gain. Anciently, the taking of a gift, or fee, from those who came to consult them was regarded as no dishonour to the prophetic office; (1Sa_9:7 1Ki_14:3) but the nobler class of prophets declined to make a profit of their spiritual powers, and would receive no. (2Ki_5:16 Mat_10:8 Act_8:20) In Ezekiel and Micah the taking of gifts by prophets is regarded as discreditable. (Eze_13:19 Eze_22:25 Mic_3:3) From his quarter; rather, to the uttermost (Kay), or every one, without exception (Cheyne).
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 General Information:
General Information:
Yahweh continues describing the evil leaders of his people.
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The dogs have big appetites
Yahweh continues comparing Israel's bad leaders to dogs. (See: Metaphor)
translationWords
shepherd
discern
turn
wine
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 56:11 ignorant shepherds: Israel’s leaders did not know how…
56:11 ignorant shepherds: Israel’s leaders did not know how to rule in a godly way (see also Ezek 34:1-6). By contrast, the Lord is the faithful Shepherd of his people (Isa 40:11). • all following their own path: They had no concern for God or his standards of godly leadership (see also 53:6). • personal gain: Cp. 33:15.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.