Verses 6-7 speak about the foreigners who have joined God’s people. God’s message to these people follows the same pattern as that used for the eunuchs in verses 4-5. The requirements for them (verse 6) are followed by his promises to them (verse 7). Verse 6 begins a sentence that is completed in verse 7. Good News Translation renders verse 6 as a quote frame that introduces the LORD’s words to foreigners in verse 7 (similarly Bible en français courant). This is a valid model.
And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD repeats the description of the Jewish proselytes in verse 3 (see the comments there), but this time in the plural.
To minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants: The Hebrew text uses three infinitives here to describe the proselytes further. The Hebrew verb rendered minister can refer to secular service, but in later writings it is normally limited to the priestly ministry. So to minister to him means the foreigners serve as priests in the worship of Yahweh. Bible en français courant has “to honor him,” but New International Version and New Jerusalem Bible say “to serve him.”
Normally, the name of the LORD refers to more than just the name “Yahweh” but to Yahweh himself (see the comments on 12.4). However, since these are foreigners and they would have known the names of other gods they worshiped in the past, the actual name “Yahweh” is significant here. Good News Translation and Bible en français courant seem to miss this deeper meaning by rendering love the name of the LORD simply as “love him.” The sense is more that they have a profound love and respect for the name of Israel’s God, Yahweh.
The Hebrew word rendered servants is a keyword in Second Isaiah (see the comments on 41.8). Here it occurs in its plural form, referring to the foreigners who serve Yahweh. New International Version renders to be his servants as “to worship him” (similarly Contemporary English Version). Since the word “servant” is so important in this book, we recommend that translators try to retain it or use the verb “serve.” Good News Translation combines this clause with to minister to him, saying simply “and serve him.”
Every one who keeps the sabbath, and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant: For these two lines, which continue to describe the foreigners, see the comments on verses 2 and 4.
Translation examples for this verse are:
• Those foreigners who have chosen to join Yahweh’s people,
to serve him, to show deep love for the name Yahweh, and to be his servants,
every one who keeps the Sabbath laws without fail,
and strictly keeps the covenant I made with my people….
• Foreigners who have become members of the LORD’s people,
ministering for him, loving him, and beings his servants,
every one who observes the Sabbath and doesn’t dishonor it,
and who faithfully keeps the covenant between me and my people….
If translators wish to express this verse as several sentences, they may render verses 6-7 as follows:
• 6 There are foreigners who have become members of Yahweh’s people.
They minister for him, love him, and serve him.
They are those who observe the Sabbath and do not dishonor it;
they faithfully keep the covenant with the LORD.
7 Such people I will bring to my holy mountain….
Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .