Rashi on the Prophets and Writings

Shake yourself Heb. הִתְנַעֲרִי, escourre in O.F., to shake strongly, like one who shakes out a garment. arise from the ground, from the decree (supra 3:26), “She shall sit on the ground.” sit down on a throne. free yourself Untie yourself [from Jonathan]. bands of Heb. מוֹסְרֵי, cringatro umbriah in O.F., [strap]. captive Heb. שְׁבִיָה, like שְׁבוּיָה, captive.

You were sold for nought Because of worthless matters, i.e., the evil inclination, which affords you no reward. and you shall not be redeemed for money but with repentance.

My people first went down to Egypt The Egyptians had somewhat of a debt upon them, for they served for them as their hosts and sustained them, but Assyria oppressed them for nothing and without cause.

And now, what have I here Why do I stay and detain My children here? boast Heb. יְהֵילִילוּ, Boast saying, “Our hand was powerful.” is blasphemed Blasphemes itself, and this is an instance similar to (Num 7:89) “And he heard the voice speaking to him.”

My people shall know When I redeem them, they will recognize that My name is master, monarch, and ruler, as is its apparent meaning. therefore, on that day The day of their redemption, they will understand that I am He Who speaks, and behold, I have fulfilled the prophecy.

The voice of your watchmen The watchmen who are stationed on the walls and the towers to report and to see (to see and to report [Parshandatha]) who comes to the city.

has revealed Heb. חָשַׂף, has revealed.

touch no unclean one They shall be abominable to you to touch them. get out of its midst Out of the midst of the exile, for all these last consolations refer only to the last exile. purify yourselves Heb. הִבָּרוּ, purify yourselves. you who bear the Lord’s vessels You, the priests and the Levites, who carried the vessels of the Holy One, blessed be He, in the desert [from here is proof of the resurrection of the dead].

for...goes before you Two things at the end of this verse explain two things in its beginning, [viz.] For not with haste shall you go forth. What is the reason? For the Lord goes before you to lead you on the way, and one whose agent advances before him to lead him on the way his departure is not in haste. And not in the flurry of flight shall you go, for your rear guard is the God of Israel. He will follow you to guard you from any pursuer. Comp. (Num. 10:25) “And the division of the camp of Dan shall travel, the rear guard of all the camps.” Whoever goes after the camp is called מְאַסֵּף, the rear guard, because he waits for the stragglers and the stumblers. Similarly, Scripture states in Joshua (6: 13): “And the rear guard was going after the Ark.”

Behold My servant shall prosper Behold, at the end of days, My servant, Jacob, [i.e.,] the righteous among him, shall prosper.

As many wondered As many peoples wondered about them when they saw them in their humble state, and said to one another, How marred is his [Israel’s] appearance from that of a man! See how their features are darker than those of other people, so, as we see with our eyes.

So shall he cast down many nations So now, even he his hand will become powerful, and he will cast down the horns of the nations who scattered him. shall shut Heb. יִקְפְּצוּ. They shall shut their mouths out of great bewilderment. for honor. what had not been told them concerning any man, they saw in him. they gazed Heb. הִתְבּוֹנָנוּ, they gazed.