Ibn Ezra on Isaiah

ספר כריתות Bill of divorcement. Of your mother and her husband.—This verse seems to contradict the prophecy of Jeremiah, I had put her away and given her a bill of divorce (3:8); but in fact the latter refers to the kingdom of the ten tribes which will never again be established; comp. She shall no more rise (Am. 5:2); but Isaiah speaks of the kingdom of the house of David, which will be restored by Messiah.

Wherefore when I come, etc. This verse proves that already prophets have tried to make Israel return to the Lord. Behold I dry up, etc. This proves that the power of God will not fail in redeeming Israel.

מלבוש קדרׂות = קדרות With black cloth, that is, with clouds. Some understand it to refer to an eclipse of the sun, when the sky becomes obscure in the middle of the day, and appears as if covered with sackcloth, which is usually black.

The Lord hath given me, etc. The first person refers to the prophet. למודים Learning.. It is an adjective; comp. למד מדבר used to the wilderness (Jer. 2:24); כלמדים as the pupils (at the end of this verse). לדעת לעות את יעף דבר That I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary. The infinitive לעות is governed by לדעת to know; it is derived from עת time, or it is hap. leg. By him that is weary, the pupil is meant, who has a hard lesson to learn, of which he soon becomes tired and weary. He wakeneth, etc. The Lord stirreth me up every morning; he stirreth up my ear that I may listen as pupils do; for I am a pupil of the Lord.

The Lord God hath opened mine ear, etc. Since the Lord hath opened mine ear, and revealed His plan to me, I have not objected to be His messenger.

I gave my back, etc. I did not care that I had to expose my back to strokes for the sake of His name.

I shall not be ashamed. God will fulfil all the words prophesied by me.

Near is, etc. Near is the time, when I shall appear as justified in my prophecies; then I shall say, Who will, etc.

Behold the Lord, etc. Since God assists me, who will condemn me ? And all those that condemn me by their words, they will wax old as a garment. יבלו They shall wax old. They shall perish.

Who is amongst you, etc. The prophet now addresses those same people, that condemn him. That walked in darkness, etc. The relative pronoun refers to ירא יי him that feareth the Lord. The meaning of the sentence is, Who is among you, etc., that does not run after material honours and pleasures; let him trust in the Lord, etc. According to others, the words that walketh in darkness, describe His servant, the prophet, and the meaning of the whole sentence is, Who is among you, etc., that is, there is none among you, that feareth the Lord, because you see the prophet obtaining no honours from the people. This is the right explanation, and it is confirmed by the words which follow.

זיקות Sparks. The meaning of the word must be found from the context. מאזרי Who compass yourselves. This. This decree. למעצבה תשכבון Ye shall lie down in sorrow. You shall die in sorrow. Comp. וישכב דוד and David slept, that is, and David died (1 Kings 2:10); there are, besides, a great many instances of the use of the verb שכב in this sense.