Rashi on the Prophets and Writings

counsels from long ago in true faith Counsels that You advised from long ago to Abraham in the Covenant between the Parts. true faith (אֱמוּנָה אֹמֶן). אֹמֶן is like אֹהֶל, tent, אֹכֶל, food, and it is not a verb in present tense but an expression of a noun, obrement (truth) in O.F.

For You have made Mount Seir from a city into a heap. a palace of strangers, because of the city Because of the iniquity they committed in Your city, that they destroyed it, You shall make its palaces a ruin, which shall never be rebuilt.

a shelter from pouring rain a covering of a tent to save from pouring rain and a shade to protect from heat. Now, what is that pouring rain? A spirit of tyrants, for their spirit is like a stream that floods the wall and causes it to fall.

Like heat in the dry season In the dry season, when the seeds dry out to be cut off, so shall You humble the multitude of the strangers. like heat with a thick cloud When the heavens thicken with thick clouds in the hot season, with which everyone rejoices, so will the song of the righteous be sung concerning the cutting down of the tyrants and their downfall. the downfall of (lit., the cutting down of. זְמִיר). An expression related to (Lev. 25:4): “You shall not prune (תִזְמֹר).”

And the Lord of Hosts shall make for all the peoples when they come to mobilize against Jerusalem. a feast of fat things which they think that it will be easy for them like fat, which is smooth and soft, will be converted for them to a feast of dregs. fat things full of marrow soft and fat like the marrow of bones, will be dregs well refined from any liquid of wine or oil, for there will be there only the dregs. All this will be in the war of Gog and Magog.

the covering The covering that covers all the people. Heb. הלוט, similar to “he wrapped his face” (I Kings 19:13), and to “behold, it is wrapped in a garment” (I Samuel 21:10). and the kingdom (Heb. וְהַמַּסֵּכָה.) An expression of kingdom and ruling.

He has concealed death He will cover it and hide it forever from Israel.

And they shall say (Lit., and he shall say, i.e.,) His people (shall say) on that day, “Behold, etc.” we hoped for Him that he would save us We were hoping for Him that He would save us.

For the hand of the Lord shall rest The might of the Omnipresent. shall be trampled וְנָדוֹשׁ, shall be trampled. in its place (תַּחְתָּיו, lit., under him,) in its place. וְנָדוֹשׁ is of the same structure as (Eccl. 12: 6) “And the wheel is crushed (וְנָרוֹץ),” the “nun” indicating the passive voice. straw (מַתְבֵּן) derived from תֶּבֶן. mire (מַדְמֵנָה) mire. Comp. (Jer. 8:2) “For dung (לְדֹמֶן) on the face of the earth.”

And he shall spread out his hands (וּפֵרַשׂ) He shall break his hands and his arms by clapping his hands in weeping. the swimmer (הַשׂחֶה) the one who floats upon the water. to swim (לִשְׂחוֹת) to float, as: (Ezekiel 47:5) “Water fit to swim in (מֵי שָׂחוּ).” and He shall humble the One Who humbles his haughtiness. with the cunning of His hands (אָרְבוֹת,) an expression similar to (Deut. 19:11): “And he lay in wait for him (וְאָרַב).” Jonathan renders: The layings of His hands. The place where He lays His hands to lie in wait. These are the high towers. אַשְׁוַת is an expression of walls and towers, as: (Jer. 50: 15) “Her walls fell (אָשְׁיוֹתֶיהָ).”

the strength of your walls He addresses Moab.