Ibn Ezra

“Our sages have said that the [letter] bet was added, like the bet in barishonah (“in the beginning”) Bereshit 13:4, for you find “at the beginning (rishonah) they travelled” Bamidbar 2:9. But were that the meaning, the bet would have been vocalized with a kamatz gadol. And there are those who say that [the word] bereshit always [appears in] attached [form], where the meaning is “at the beginning of the evening, or the night, or the darkness”. But behold, they forgot “he saw a beginning reishit for himself” Devarim 33:21. And there are those who say that the bet is a subject without meaning. Their reason is that it is unthinkable that there is no beginning to the heavens and the earth. Therefore, it said “bereshit. But according to my opinion, it is indeed an attached form, like “At the beginning (bereshit) of the rule of Yehoyakim” Yirmiyahu 26:1. Now don’t wonder how can it be attached to a past tense verb [instead of a noun], for behold, thus: “At the beginning (techilat) spoke Hashem with Hoshea, and Hashem said to Hoshea” Hoshea 1:2, “The city (kiryat) where David camped” Yishayahu 29:1. The meaning [of this usage] will be explained for you in the second verse. “Created” – Most commentators have said that creation means bringing forth something from nothing, and thus: “But if Hashem will created a creation” [referring to something never seen before] Bamidbar 16:30. But they have forgotten “And G-d created the crocodiles” Bereshit 1:21, as well as three times in the same verse: “G-d created man in His image…” Bereshit 1:27; “and Who creates darkness” Isaiah 45:7 – which is the opposite of light, which is something. Now here is the precise grammar of the word barat - it has two meanings. One is as stated. The other: “He did not revive them with bread” Samuel II 12:17. In this second one, aleph is in place of hey, for similar to it is “And the whole people came to revive David” – this is in the hif’il verb construction. If it were with an aleph, it would be like “To revive you from the beginning of every grain-gift of Yisrael” Samuel I 2:29. We also find [the same root] in the pi’el verb construction: “You will clear for yourselves there” Joshua 17:15. It’s not like “choose for yourselves a man” Samuel I 17:8, rather like “And He BARAed them” Ezekiel 23:47. And its meaning is to cut, to place a divided border – and the enlightened will understand. “E-lohim” – After we have found [the word] e-loah, we know that E-lohim is its plural form, and the root [of this] is in the nature of language. For every language has a formal form. The way of expressing formality in non-Hebrew languages is by the lesser using the plural in the presence of the greater. In Arabic the way of formal expression is for the greater to speak, as royalty, in the plural. In the Holy Tongue, the way is to refer to the greater in the plural. Like “master” (adonim), “owner” b’alim as they said, “a harsh master” (b’alim) Isaiah 19:4, “his master (b’alim) shall take”. Likewise the word “upon him” (alav), “to him” (elav), “until him” (adav). For this reason does Scripture state “He created” and not “they created”. Now from a perspective of wisdom, we know that speech is called “lip” [Hebrew parallel to the English “tongue”] since people see that words emanate from there. Likewise, the supernal human soul is called “heart”, yet the heart is [part of the] body, since the heart is the first “chariot” for it. Now is called thus [“(E-lohim)”)since all the acts of Hashem are [delivered] into the hands of the angels, who do His Will. (I will explain a bit more of the secret of the Name on the verse “for My Name is within him” – Exodus 23:21). And pay no attention to the words of [Rav Sa’adiah] Ga’on who said that man is more prestigious than angels. I’ve already explained in Sefer HaYesod that all his proofs are actually the opposite. Now we know that, amongst men, there are none more prestigious than the prophets, yet Yehoshua fell on his face before an angel of Hashem and prostrated himself, and said, “what is my master speaking to his servant” – Joshua 5:14. and likewise Zechariah and Daniel, but why should I go on? And the meaning of “G-d of hosts” is like “G-d of gods [masters]”. So the meaning of E-lohim is like “king”, and people who are involved in divine law will be called thus – but it is an adjective [lit. descriptive name], not a [true] noun – you won’t find any future or past forms. And don’t think that, since we find it written, “He makes the winds His angels” that angels are [made] from fire and wind, for that is not the straightforward way of interpreting that verse. It’s rather that David spoke initially of the work of creation, beginning with light and saying, “He enwraps [in] light” and afterwards “He spreads out the heavens” – that is, the firmament, with the waters above it, and fire, snow and wind. He [then] said that the wind is Hashem’s messenger to go to any place He may send it, likewise is fire amongst His servants, and he said, “He founded the earth upon its elements” – this is regarding the dry land. Likewise is it written, “the stormy wind does His will” Psalms 148:8 The meaning of et is like the thing itself, yet indicating a direct object, like et hashamayim, and sometimes it is omitted, as in “since G-d created man” [with the direct object indicator missing] – Deuteronomy 4:32. And at times it’s [even] found with the subject, as in “the lion came and et the bear” – Samuel I 17:34, but there are few of these. It can [also] be in place of “with” and in place of ‘from”. “The heavens” – with the definite article, to indicate that that it’s speaking of those [heavens] which are visible, and [“heavens”] are always plural. And it's possible that it means, "its domain" – the domain of each one. The meaning of “heavens” is heights and elevation, and thus it is in Arabic, which is primarily based on the Holy Tongue. There are also “heavens of heavens”, but there is no singular form, like rechayim [“millstones”] and tzohorayim [“afternoon”]. People of stature will understand these secrets. Now the Ga’on says that the earth is like a point, and the heavens are like a thread encompassing it, and after these two were created, were everything within them [created], like water and fire. Others have said that the water was included with the earth, and the wind with the heavens. According to my opinion, these heavens and earth are [identical to] the firmament and the dry land, for only one things was created on each day: on the first day, light; on the second day, the firmament; on the third day, plants; on the fourth day, the luminaries, of the fifth day, and on the sixth day, the living things. The psalm mentioned [above] bears witness. And it’s impossible for the line which surrounds to precede the point, or for the point to precede the line, so therefore did they say that the heavens and the earth were created simultaneously. Bearing witness is “I call to them, they stand up together” – Isaiah 48:13. Yet this proof is not [sufficiently] clear, for this is not the explanation of the verse, for how can He say “to them” when they are not!? And how can He call it tohu? Rather, its meaning is “I created them”, and at the time I call to them, they will both stand up before Me like servants to do My will”, as in “Your word is standing in the heavens” – Psalms 119:89. And afterwards he mentioned the earth, afterwards stating that both will arise to execute judgment as He commands them.”

““And the earth” – this word is an unusual [form], since it appears with a kamatz in the alef when [preceded by] the hey [i.e., the definite article] in all places. It is not like “The thousand (ha’elef) for you, Shlomo” Song of Songs 8:12, or “and this stone ha’even” Genesis 28:22. “Void” (tohu) – The Ga’on [Rav Sa’adiah] said that [this word] is from “deep” (tehom), but that is not possible, since the mem of tehom is a root letter, like the mem of hadom. Now in Sefer Yetzira: “tohu - this [refers to] the green line”, and bohu - this [refers to] MEFULAM stones”. What’s correct is as the Aramaic translator has said, and likewise with “the howling, desolate tohu Deuteronomy 32:10, and likewise, “after tohu” Samuel I 12:21 – without substance. “And confused” – "The brother of", and the vav in place of the hey, like the vav in [the word] vayishtachu (“and he bowed”) Genesis 18:2, “and they pastured amongst he reeds (achu)” Genesis 41:2. The meaning is [as follows:] The creation of the firmament and the dry land was not in a area to be settled, since it was covered with water, and thus G-d placed its generative power to be beneath the water. Now don’t be surprised by the vav of veha’aretz (“and the earth’), for its meaning is like the feh in Arabic and like “and a mist” v’ed would rise up from the earth” Genesis 2:6, for Moshe did not speak about the World to Come, which is the world of the angels, but rather of this transitory world. And those who explain that the heavens in the first verse are really the heavenly heavens, what will they do [here] with the earth? Behold, complete proofs, for reasonable people, that there is only earth. Now it is expounded that there were seven earths is [actually] that the earth is divided into seven and the Temple was in the center of the settled region, for it was distant from the center of the earth. “And a spirit of G-d” – It juxtaposed “spirit” with the Name [of G-d] since it was an agent regarding the Divine will to dry the land. Water is plural form, with no singular, and both of them are in the dual construction, for they are both masculine and feminine. Yet it is found with a singular [verb] – “was not thrown zorak upon him” Numbers 19:13. The meaning of “hovering” – blowing above the water, and likewise, “over its hatchlings does it hover” Deuteronomy 32:11 And the meaning of "hovers". Blows above the waters, like "hovers over its chicks".”

““And He said” – The Gaon said that the meaning of vayomer (“And He said”) is like “and He desired”. But if this was so, it would have been appropriate for there to have been light [from the beginning, without darkness]. Rather, it’s in accordance with its [plain] meaning. And thus, “By the word of G-d were the heavens made” Psalms 33:6, “for He commanded and they were created” Psalms 148:5, The meaning is: a way of referring to an effortless action, comparable to a king and his servants. Now this light was above the wind.”

““And He called” – The hey of layla is added, and it [i.e., the word] is accented on the penultimate syllable, and it is always masculine. “Evening” [erev - close in meaning to darkness, and it’s called thus since forms are mixed together [nitarvu i.e., indistinct]. “Morning” [boker] – the opposite of evening, for a person is able to check [l’vaker, i.e., to distinguish] between forms. The meaning of “one day” is referring to the rotation of the sphere. There is a secret to the midrash of six thousand. And after it has said that the light is called day, it isn’t possible that the evening should be called day, rather its explanation is “it was evening and also morning of Day One”, for if it was [referring to] the evening and morning(g of one day, what would be the meaning of “a second day”?”

““And He said”, the Gaon said regarding the firmament (raki’a) things that could not be; rather its explanation is “extended”, like “they were extended” (vayerak’u) Exodus 39:3, “I shall extend them” (erka’em Samuel II 22:43, and similarly, “and He stretched them [i.e., the heavens] out like a tent for dwelling”. Isaiah 40:22. And how profound is the word of the one who says that the edges of the sun are with the edges of the waters of the oceans. Now this firmament is the atmosphere, for when the light coalesced over the earth and a dry wind from the earth, the blade/flame was changed and became the firmament. And thus did it say in a Psalm Psalms 104:2 “He stretches the heavens like a curtain… the one who makes roofbeams of water”. And it mentions the clouds and the wind and the earth element, which is higher than the water, and thus it writes, “for He founded it upon the seas” Psalms 24:2, “the One Who extends the earth over the waters" Psalms 136:6 and similarly, anyone who goes to the sea is called, “goes down”. The meaning of “the One Who calls to the waters of the sea” Amos 5:8 – so that they should ascend, referring to clouds, and afterwards, “and He pours them out”.”

““And He made” – there is distinction employing [the word] bein with lamed. like “between water and water” (bein mayim lamayim) Genesis 1:6, “between holy and profane” (bein kodesh l’chol) Ezekiel 44:23 and there is [distinction] with bein and bein, as here – “and He separate between bein the waters below the firmament and between bein etc.”, and there is [distinction] with both of them, like “between you and between your G-d” (beineichem l’vein e-loheichem). The meaning of “and it was so” is that it attached to what follows: “when that happened, He called the heavens…””

“"and He said" - according to my opinion, this passage is attached to one that precedes it, for the firmament was not made until the earth became dry, and as proof: "On the day which Hashem, G-d, make earth and heaven" - behold, on one day they were made. Now revealing a hidden thing and gathering that which is scattered is not creation [per se] (beri'ah). The meaning is then, "G-d had already said, let the waters be gathered", and there are hundreds of similar usages in the Torah. In parashat Bereshit alone I will give you two witnesses. The first: "And He placed there [in the Garden] the man whom He had formed", while afterwards, "And Hashem, G-d, caused to grow [from the ground every tree...]" - but before [placing] man had He caused it to grow. The second witness: He commanded man not to eat from the tree of knowledge, and afterwards it is written, "And Hashem, G-d, formed from the ground..." - rather, its explanation is, "He had already formed". According to this explanation, the words, "and G-d saw that it was good" [verse 10] refers to the second day, and "Let the earth bring forth grass" is the beginning of the third day. The explanation of "let them be gathered" is: "let them join together", and likewise: "[and all the nations] shall be gathered to her [Jerusalem] Jeremiah 3:17”

“And He said - the text states "Let the earth bring forth grass", "let them swarm", "let the earth bring forth" - behold, He placed a power within the earth and the water to do [these] at the command of Hashem, and this is the [concept of] regeneration / procreation. The meaning of "let it bring forth grass" is like "let it grow" (tatzmiach) ["let it bring forth plants"]”

“"And He said" - The word yehi is [identical to] yihyeh ("let there be/there will be"). And since it is used frequently, it is [the same form] for singular and plural, also for feminine: "if there will be (yehi) a young virgin woman..." Deuteronomy 22:23 "for signs" - moments "and for appointed times" - hours. It's also possible that "signs" refers to the lunar and solar eclipses and {PRESENTLY INCOMPLETE} "and they shall be for signs" - A great Spanish sage said that the firmament is divided into eight parts, for the seven planets and the sphere of constellations, but this cannot be, for there is no physical body above the sphere of the constellations. Now behold, the text says, "in the firmaments of the heavens", which indicates that there is a heaven beyond the firmament. And likewise, "the heavens of the heavens", "for the one who rides in the heavens of the heavens of yore" kedem - where kedem here does not signify "east". Now the gaon Rav Sa'adia (may the memory of a righteous individual be for blessing), fled from this place [i.e., did not expound this]. What is correct in my eyes: The sun and the moon and all the stars/planets are luminaries in the firmament, for there they appear [to us to be]”

“And He made - the two were called "great" as compared to the stars. Similarly, the three [oldest] sons of Yishai were called "great/oldest" as compared to the others, while Eliav was the first-born, the oldest of all of them. It does not mean [here] that one was greater than the other, for there is a hidden meaning - the dominion of the sun in the day and not at night, for it has no light [then]. And likewise regarding the moon and starts, their light is not seen in the day. Now if one should ask, behold the astronomers have said that Jupiter and all the planets except for Mercury and Venus are larger than the moon, so how can it write "the great ones" [including the moon]? The answer is that "the great ones" does not refer to their physical measure, but rather to their light, and the light of the moon is many times greater, due to its being close to the earth, and therefore is it written "luminary".”

“"and to rule" - the day of the Torah is from the hour that the sun rises until its setting, and the night is from the time of seeing the stars, and they were correct who said: at the word of three witnesses. Know, that the time that the sun become darkened is evening, [continuing] until one and a third hours, when a semblance of light can be seen in the clouds, and likewise morning - light before the [actual] shining of the sun. With the emergence of the light of the sun in the day and the light of the moon at night, [people] will distinguish between light and darkness.”

“"and He said, "let swarm" - this is a transitive verb, and similar to it: "The Nile swarmed [with] frogs" Exodus 7:28. The meaning is: Let swarm the offspring with [the ability of] elevation. And what is written - that the foul will fly over the face of the firmament - is witness for [my prior] explanation of firmament. Now the Ga'on has said that "on the face of" [here] is equivalent to "with [i.e., adjoining] the face". But if so, the face of the heavens are below. The [letter] feh of ye'ofef is doubled, like the non of yechonen.”

“"living soul" - this is a general term, for anything generated of fire and water and earth - including man. "[domesticated] beasts" - they are with human beings, for their needs - riding and eating. "creeping things" - they are the little things which go about on the earth. "the animals of the earth" - they are in the unsettled wilds [lit. - fields]. The final vav of the word hayto (animals) is added [i.e., extra], like l'may'no mayim Psalm 114:8, b'no b'or Numbers 24:3.”

“"Let us make man" - there are those who say that the word na'aseh is passive participle in the Nif'al verb construction, like, "and which was made (na'aseh) for one day" Nehemiah 5:18, and they [also] said that "in our image", "after our likeness" are the words of Moshe. Its meaning [would be]: G-d created man in his [own] image, where the vav [i.e., the pronominal suffix] refers back to man. And they would [further] explain: In the image of G-d, that the word "G-d" is attached to the word "made", as though it said that G-d made man in an image. But this is an explanation which lacks sense [haser lev], for the first passage should then have been thus: "And G-d said, 'let man be made'", and likewise, He made him "in his image" - how can "his" (the vav of b'tzalmo) refer to man, for then, he would have had an image before he would be [created]! And [further], what reason would there be [in the verse] such that “the one who spills the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed” – because man was made in his own image? There was an image for all living creatures! Now the Gaon said that me explanaion of “in our image, after our likeness” is regarding dominion. The meaning [of the verse] would [then] be: in the image that He as as good and appropriate though wisdom. And due to the honor owed man, the text attributes it to G-d, and likewise [with the verse] “and from his land did he go forth” Ezekiel 36:20, for to Hashem is the earth and its fullness. And he said [further] that the word na’aseh, though it is in plural, is the manner of royal speak [i.e., the plural of majesty]. Similarly, “we shall give nitnah to you also this one” Genesis 29:27. “We say before the king” Daniel 2:36, “perhaps I will be able and we will smite him” Numbers 22:6. But these witnesses are false witnesses, for nitnah is [actually] the nif’al verb construction, and similarly “the city is given” nitnah Jeremiah 32:24, and the vav converts it to the future tense, like is the rule with all past-tense verbs, meaning “she will be given to you”. And “we shall smite him” – he [Balak] and his camp, or it could be the infinitive of the verb, like “clease nakeh, I shall not clease you” Jeremiah 46:28. And even though we do find “they were not smitten” Exodus 9:32, [nevertheless], only that verb construction (pu'al) lacks an infinitive form – and R. Moshe of Spain erred in his book [on this matter]. And the word “we shall say (before the king)” Daniel 2:37 is Aramaic, and [further], how could Daniel speak hautily with Nebuchadnezzar, who was the king of kings? Now I shall explain: Know that all of the work of creation was created for the honor of man at the command of Hashem. The plants – the earth and the water brought them forth, and all the living souls [i.e., the animals]. And afterwards, Hashem said to the angels, “let US make man” – WE will busy ourselves with him, not the water and the earth. Now, since we know that he Torah speaks in the language of human beings, for the one who speaks is [as it were] a human [character], as well as the one who listens, and one cannot speak to one above or below his level, except by means of human imagery. Likewise, it says, "the mouth of the earth", "the hand of the Jorden [river]", "the head of the ores of the earth", and G-d forbid there should be [attributed] a physical form to Hashem, for thus it says: “to whom shall you compare Me?” Isaiah 25. Now since the human soul is most exalted, for it is immortal, it is compare in it livingness to Hashem, who is not corporal yet fills everything. Now the human body is like a microcosm. May G-d we blessed, Who began with the great and concluded with the small. Likewise did the prophet say that he saw the glory/manifestation of G-d like the image of man (see Ezekiel 1:28). Now Hashem is one, and He creates all, and He is all, and I cannot expound this further. Man was initially created as a dual-faced creature and yet he is one, and yet he is also two, and behold, an angel is in the image of G-d. He was created male and female. The word for “fruitfulness” and “multiplication” is a blessing, as with the creation of water, yet it is [also] a command as transmitted by our ancient [Sages], (may their remembrance be a blessing!), and they used this verse as a mnemonic for this [matter].”

“"The sixth day: - there are those who say that that it is juxtaposed [to another noun, i.e., referring to something other than "day"] - the meaning being "the sixth heavenly orb". And likewise [we could explain] "the seventh day" Genesis 2:3. But this is not true. And the referent of "the sixth day" [the planet associated with the sixth day] would prove this. Rather, its explanation is "a day which is sixth to the first day. Likewise for "the seventh day". And we find similar [usages - where the noun lacks the definite article born by the adjective]: "The Israelite man" Numbers 24:10 ish hayisraeli and many like it. Also thus: The firmament of the heaven - the firmament which is the heaven.”

“CAIN SAID "..." - It seems to me that [Cain] said to [Abel] all of the ways that God had rebuked him. One must have been born on a dismal day to ask the question, "How did he kill him without [the advent of] a sword?" What an astonishing question, since he could have killed him by throttling him with his bare hands, moreover, there were thousands of sticks and rocks about.”

““Lech Lecha (Go forth)” - God already commanded Abraham, when they were still in Ur Kasdim, to leave his land and country and birthplace and the house of his father. And the reason is that God knew that Terach, after he went to go to the Land of Canaan, would stay in Haran. And Terach did not die until 60 years after Abraham left his house in Haran. But the Torah did not detail all the years after he left Ur Kasdim. And after it says, “that I will show you,” He revealed to him the secret. That’s why it says, in Chapter 11, “They went out to go to the Land of Canaan. Or, the reason it says "I will show you" is that He is saying, "All the land that you can see, I will give you."”

“And if not, I know... For in truth G-d is called Everything because Gd includes everything and everything is included in Him, and the persons are called "a piece" for we are only a part of the creation. This is why He is the only one that is fit to examine the persons' heart and also know the actual persons' actions in a way that is complete and not partial like the human way. Therefore in this same perasha in verse 23 Abraham said to G-d "Will You sweep away the innocent along with the guilty?"... because Abraham could only see a part of the situation and not the whole.”

“Some say we need to read with different spelling: נשא instead of נסה ‘Uplifted’ instead of ‘Test’. And I say, the content of the Parashah (the story) proves that נסה is a ‘Test’. And experts explain that נסה (Test) means - to know what exists in the present. And the Gaon (a Babylonian Jewish leader) explained that the purpose of the test was to show His righteousness to the people. But the Gaon surely knew that when Avraham bound his son, no one else was there. And others say “go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the heights” meant to be “make a sacrifice upon the mountain.” And not him for sacrifice. And Abraham did not know the secret of the prophecy, and he hurried to slaughter him, and God said to him, “I did not ask for this.” All these wise leaders needed their interpretations because they couldn't believe that God would command a Mitzvah and then change it. But all those leaders did not notice that there is a precedent for a change like that. In the case of commanding a role for the first born male child (Bamidbar ג – Nombers 3) He replaces them with the Levites one year later. (And my understanding is) that the text of the Torah uses “נסה" Test, and that is why we don't need to think that anything changed. God tested Avraham for the purpose of giving him a reward (and not for the purpose of commanding sacrifices or showing his righteousness).”

“AND AFTER THIS, ABRAHAM BURIED SARAH: After [the burial of Sarah] the field was made sure as a burial ground possession belonging to Abraham and his descendents. Torah tells [of the purchase of the field of Machpelah] ...it informs us that G-d's word to Abraham that he would possess the land as an inheritance was fullfilled.”

“1 Place your hand underneath my thigh. There are those who say this alludes to the Brit Mila. However, if this were the case, Abraham would have sworn on his brit mila and not in God's name. But the explanation that I think is the closest [to understanding this custom] is that it was the law in those days for a man to place his hand underneath the thigh of someone in whose domain/service he was in; and the reason was because, "if you are in my domain/service, place your hand underneath my thigh." The master would then sit with his thigh on the servant's hand underneath in accordance with this reason: "My hand is in your domain to do your will." And this is the still the law in the Land of Hodu [India].”

“"Knew the hunt." [Esau] was always full of deception, for most wild animals catch [their prey] using deception. But Jacob was the opposite of Esau because he was a "plain man." Esau was also a "man of the field." And Jacob "stayed in the tents." And it seems likely that its meaning is like "those who dwell in tents and amidst herds." (Gen. 4:20)”

“The nature of a ladder [sulam] is a symbol [semel], or it is an explanation of the Gematria valuation of 'Sinai' (Genesis Rabbah 68:12-14). And Rabbi Shlomo HaSefardi said that 'ladder' hints at the highest soul and 'G-d's angels' hints at wise thoughts. Rabbi Joshua said that the reason for the ladder is that his (Jacob's) prayer rose on it and his salvation from the heavens came down on it. These explanations do not explain it in light of the prophecy of Zecharia (1:8), Amos (7:1), and Jeremiah (1:11). The reason for the ladder here is a metaphor, for nothing is concealed from G-d. Worldly things hang onto the heavens as though there is a ladder between them, upon which the angels go up to report on things after they have been walking along the earth. Likewise, it is written that other angels descend to fulfill G-d's tasks, like a king with his servants.”

“The midrashic interpretation of the dots on top of the word and he kissed him, וישקהו is good for those who have just been weaned, but according to the straightforward interpretation Esav did not plan to do evil to his brother. And the proof is [the word] ויבכו, and they cried, [which is also used in the context of the reunion between] Yosef and his brothers.”

“1 Remove all of your strange gods. Heaven that a prophet should lie with a woman who worshiped foreign gods! And the explanation for this is as we find in Parashat Vayelech (Deuteronomy 31). 2 purify yourselves. that you should wash your body 3 and change your clothes. From this source we learn that is incumbent upon any Israelite when he goes to pray in a fixed place to have a clean body and clean clothes.”

“1. And it is possible that it could be interpreted as "he erected?" It could be that he erected it for the first time or that he did so for a second time. The first interpretation seems closest to me. 2 And he poured upon it a libation. Water or wine. And the reason is that he washed it, and afterward he soaked it in oil. In Beit El Jacob fulfilled his vow and gave a tenth of his wealth to honor God so that a person living in that generation could see fit to learn a lesson.”

“חזון The vision of. The נ is not radical. The son of Amoz. There exists an opinion, though a solitary one, that when the father of a prophet is mentioned by name, he also was a prophet; another opinion is, that Isaiah was a member of the royal family, that his father Amoz and Amaziah were brothers, and that the evil-disposed of Israel were unable on that account to do harm to Isaiah, as they did to Jeremiah (vid. Jer. 38); but in fact Isaiah did not escape persecution, for he says, I gave my back to smiters, etc. (1. 6). Irrespectively of all traditional explanations, we may say that the father of a prophet, if mentioned by name, was a man of some distinction, whose character rendered him conspicuous among his fellow-men; sometimes he was himself a prophet, at others not, e.g., David, the son of Jesse (2 Sam. 23:1). David was the man of God (2 Chron. 8:14), Jesse was not. It is with prophecy as with royalty; comp. Jehu, king of Israel, the son of Nimshi (1 Kings 19:16); Nimshi was not a king. We read, it is true, In the vision of Isaiah, the son of Amoz, the prophet (2 Chron. 32:32), where the qualifying term, the prophet, may as well be referred to Amoz as to Isaiah; but from the words, To Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz (2 Kings 19:2), we learn that Isaiah was the prophet. Thus the forefathers of Zephania are named (Zeph. 1:1), because the king Hezekiah was one of them. Concerning Judah and Jerusalem. The greater part of Isaiah’s prophecies refer to the cities of Judah, which were to be taken by the king of Assyria, and to Jerusalem, which was to be delivered out of his hand; the whole of the second part of the Book of Isaiah has as its subject the exile of Judah, the other tribes not being mentioned here at all. In the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Isaiah very probably commenced his prophetical career in the last year of King Uzziah, as shall be explained below (6:1). In strict regard to the words of the text, we think that he died in the days of Hezekiah; for had he lived in the days of Manasse, the son of Hezekiah, it would certainly have been stated in this verse. Some say that Isaiah was slain by Manasse, because he exclaimed, Mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts (6:5). If this statement is based on tradition, it may be accepted.”

“והאזיני And give ear. Sometimes verbs are derived from nouns, as האזיני, ‘give ear,’ from אׂזֶן ‘ ear.’ .There is in reality no difference between שמע ‘to hear’ and האזן ‘to give ear.’).—Isaiah begins his prophecy, by addressing those witnesses, that have been pointed out to Israel by Moses, when he said I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you shall soon utterly perish (Deut. 4:26); the time, foretold by Moses, had then come. For the Lord speaketh. Listen to His word, since it is the Lord that speaketh ; or, because the Lord has commanded you to listen. I have nourished and brought up children. The Israelites are compared to feeble children, who, nevertheless, through the care of their father are enabled to distinguish themselves amongst their companions. פשעו בי They have rebelled against me. They withdrew from my command (comp. 2 Kings 8:22; Exod. 22:8).”

“The ox knoweth, etc. Ox and ass are mentioned, as animals which are in constant use among people. אבוס the crib. The place for the ass’s food. The form of the word is in the construct state the same as in the absolute. The participle passive Kal, 1) אבוסים Kings 5:3) and אבוס (Prov. 15:17), ‘fatted,’ is derived from this word; it means literally, ‘placed at the crib.’ Israel doth not know. They are, therefore, in their character inferior to the cattle. My people doth not consider. Repetition of the preceding idea, as usual in most of the prophecies, in the song of Moses (Deut. 32), in the parables of Balaam (Num. 23., 24iMy people doth not consider. Repetition of the preceding idea, as usual in most of the prophecies, in the song of Moses (Deut. xxxii.), in the parables of Balaam (Num. xxiii., xxiv.), etc. The meaning of the whole verse is, I have brought them up, but they do not know me.”

“הוי. Some consider the ה as a substitute for א, and explain אוי ═ הוי, ‘woe;’ comp. אדורם and הדורם, N. pr. (2 Chr. 10:18; 1 Kings 12:18); איך and היך, how (1 Chr. 13:12 ; 2 Sam. 6:9); but I think that it is a sign of the vocative case (derived from the verb היה ‘to be’), and that the passage must be rendered, O sinful people, etc. ; comp. הוי הוי ונסו, Ho, ho, flee (Zach. 2:10), הוי ציון המלטי O Zion, deliver thyself (Ibid. 11). The second person is, therefore, used in the next verse, Why should ye be stricken any more. כֶבֶד Laden with. An adjective in the construct state; comp. עֶרֶל לב ועֶרֶל בשר, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh (Ez. 44:9). Seed of evil doers. They and their forefathers have been wicked ; or, their father was an Amorite, their mother a Hittite (Ez. 16:3), as I shall explain. משחיתים Corrupters. That corrupt their soul or their way. They have forsaken the Lord, that is, the service of the Lord. נאצו They have provoked unto anger. נזורו. They are gone away. Root נזר ‘to separate’ ; comp. וינזרו that they separate themselves (Lev. 22:2). נָזוֹרוּ is formed like יָבׂלוּ ‘ they could ’ (Exod. 8:14). Many take it as Niphal of זור ‘ to separate ’; comp. נָכוֹנוּ ‘ they are prepared ’ (Prov. 19:29); Niphal of כּוּן, ‘ to stand.”

“תֻּבּוּ. Should ye be stricken. The ת in תֻּבּוּ, they sat down. (Deuter. 33:3), is part of the root—תֻּבּוּ being Pual of תכה ; comp. וְשֻׁפּוּ and they stick out (Job 33:21)—but here it is the prefix representing the second person; תֻּבּוּ being Hophal of נכה.—You will revolt more and more. The more you are smitten, the more you revolt, while the proper way for you would be to repent; comp., And in the time of his—Ahaz, king of Judah’s—distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord. (2 Chr. 28:22.) סָרָה Rebellious. Adjective; root סרר, ‘to be rebellious,’ comp. סורר, ‘rebellious’ (Deuter. 21:18); supply מלה or דברה ‘ word;’ סרה may also be taken as a substantive, ‘ rebellion.’ The whole head is sick. Whereupon shall ye be stricken? for the whole head is afflicted already with all kinds of sickness, etc. The head and heart are mentioned as the principal parts of the body. דַּוָּי Faint. Adjective; a form like נַּנָּב ‘ thievish,’ סַלָּח ‘ placable.”

“מְתוֹם A place containing soundness (תּוֹם ‘ soundness or integrity’). The form of the word is irregular, for it should be מָתוֹם like מָעוֹז (25:4). The same form is used Ps. 38:4. R. Moses Hakkohen says that מְתוֹם is the same as מְתִים ‘ people;’ he quotes a parallel, Judges 20:48, and explains our verse, there is nothing in them that is good for man; but this explanation is rather far-fetched. פצע Wounds. Supply the word רק ‘only,’ ‘but,’ before פצע. There is no soundness in him; there are but wounds and bruises; comp. שיאכל ושתה אין טוב באדם There is nothing good for man but that he should eat and drink. (Eccles. 2:24). פצע A wound caused by the breaking of the bone. חבורת A sore attended with suppuration. טריה Fresh, not yet dry (comp. Judges 15:15); in Arabic the word طرا has the same meaning... זׂרוּ They have been squeezed. Root זׁרד ‘ to squeeze ’ (comp. Judges 6:38). The wound cannot be healed unless the matter is removed from it. חבשו They have been bound up. Root חבש ‘ to compress,’ ‘to bind up ’ (comp. חובש ‘ruler,’ 3:7). בַּשָּׁמֶן With the oil. With the oil, which the cure of the wound requires.”

“Your country, etc. What has been said hitherto in figurative expressions is now repeated in plain language. All their land has been smitten, a part of it is desolate, without inhabitants, a part destroyed by fire, another part robbed of its produce by strangers. אכלים אתה Devour it. Devour its produce; comp. בעצבון תאכלנה In sorrow shalt thou eat of it. (Gen. 3:17.) ושממה And desolate. Supply ארצכם ‘ your country ’—and your country is desolate. זרים can be derived from זרם ‘ tempest ’ (32:2); the final מ would then be not a sign of the plural, but one of the radical letters; if so, if this derivation be correct, the two words זרים of this verse are two different grammatical forms.”

“And the daughter of Zion is left, etc. The fortified cities of Judah will be taken and only Zion will be left. סוכה The hut. The place for the watchman ; that is, the temple built in honour of the Almighty. מלונה A lodge, where the watchman stays through the night. במקשה In the garden of cucumbers. נצורה Ruined (comp. 65:4)”

“To what purpose, etc. Why should I leave you longer in the land ? Is it for the sake of the multitude of your burnt offerings ? I am full, etc. An anthropomorphism ; in reality, He does not want anything; comp. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee, etc. (Ps. 1. 12 ff). אילים Large sheep. מריאים A species of cattle, akin to the ox, but larger; its fat is prohibited. The Gaon compares מריאים fed beasts with מרא to feed (Mishnah Sabbath 24:3). כבשים The young of the flock. עתודים The old of the flock (comp. Gen. 31:10)”

“לא תוסיפו Ye shall not continue. A prohibition (comp. Deut. 4:2); not a mere future. להביא═הביא To bring. Vain oblations, etc. For your oblation is vain in mine eyes, and your incense an abomination. ראש חדש═חדש Day of the new moon. In the Pentateuch it is clearly stated that the word bears this meaning, New-moon. קרא מקרא That you proclaim them to be holy convocations. Isaiah mentions these festivals, together with the burnt offerings and oblations, because of the additional offering (מוסף) brought on such days. לא אוכל I cannot bear. Supply the word נְשאׁ, ‘to bear.’ Comp. חמור לחם an ass laden with bread (1 Sam. 16:20). עצרה Restraint. Comp. עׂצֶר ‘prison’ (53:8). Restraint from doing any work. עצרת (Lev. 23:36) has the same meaning. Iniquity and restraint. God cannot bear iniquity coupled with the observance of holy days; for of what use is it to keep holy days and to do evil at the same time.”

“להיטב═היטב To do well. It is infinitive. אשרו Straighten. Root א ; ישר replaces the radical י ; the reverse is the case in תתאמרו═תִּתְיַמָּרוּ you shall boast yourselves(61:6). חמוץ Cruel. An adjective, like קרוב ‘ near ;’ comp. חומץ ‘ cruel ’ (Ps. 71:4). Many explain אשרו חמוץ Give due consideration to the cause, do not judge off hand ; the meaning of אשרו would then be, Praise ye (comp. Gen. 30:13).”

“ונוכחה. Some say that God is now speaking ; Let us—God and Israel—reason together (comp. Mic. 6:2); but I think the words may well be assigned to the prophet; as if he said God told me that we—you, Israel, and I—should submit to His rebuke ; for the prophet himself was not entirely without blame, as he reports, And He reproved me, that I should not walk, etc. (8:11), as I shall explain below (6:5). שנים Scarlet (comp. Exod. 25:4). The idea contained in this verse is the reverse of that conveyed by the words of Jeremiah, Though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me (Jerem. 2:22); namely, the iniquity will depart, and you will again be free from all sin. The same is expressed by the words Wash you, etc. (ver. 16). Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. A repetition of the same idea.”

“You shall be devoured with the sword. That is to say, If you be obedient you shall eat the good, and if you rebel you shall be devoured with the sword. Supply before חֶרֶב ‘ the sword,’ either the verbal noun אֲכִילַת. ‘ a devouring of,’ or the preposition ב ‘ with ’ ; comp. בבית ═ בית ‘ in the house ’ (2 Kings 18:15). For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Be sure that this prediction will be fulfilled, for the mouth, etc.”

“The prophet has thus reproved the people but they do not listen. How is the faithful city become an harlot. Jerusalem is like a woman that has become faithless to her husband, after having been a faithful wife. מלאתי Full of. The י is paragogic as in גנבתי the theft of (Gen. 31:39.) ילין Was lodging. The future is here used for the imperfect, which has no special form in Hebrew. מרצחים Murderers. Literally, they that cause to murder. It is participle Piel, and has a causative meaning, referring to the judges.”

“שלמנים Rewards. (Comp. Exod. 22:5). They perverted judgment; the judge said, Give me such and such a sum, and it shall stand thee in good part in thy lawsuit with thy neighbour. To the orphan—of whom they are not afraid. They judge not. That is, they do not render justice. The cause of the widow—which she has to bring forward. Doth not come unto them: they do not like to hear her cause, therefore it does not come before them.”

“נאום The word of. A noun (comp. Jer. 23:31). To use נֻם instead of נאום is a blunder, נעל ים). for א cannot be omitted. The Lord. This is added because the judges appear as the lords of the earth. The Lord of hosts. He is truly the Lord, and the hosts of the universe are His witnesses. Why the name of God is joined, in the construct state, to צבאות, though being a proper noun, is explained in the Book of Samuel. The mighty One of Israel, and The Lord of hosts compose a parallelism, in which Israel on earth beneath corresponds to the hosts of heaven above, for the Israelites are likewise called the hosts of God (comp. Exod. 12:41). אוי ═ חוי Woe. Woe unto them when I shall do the following thing. I will ease me of mine adversaries. I will find comfort for their having provoked me. An anthropomorphism.”

“ידי My hand; that is, my smiting (comp. Exod. 9:3). כבור As if it were with soap ; ═ בור בורית ‘ soap ’; or more correctly, purely (comp. Ps. 18:25). Thy dross. This expression reverts to the former metaphor, thy silver is become dross. בדיליך Thy tin. R. Moses Hakkohen remarks, that the names of the seven kinds of metal are not found in the Bible in the plural ; he forgets בדיליך, which is plural; the singular would be בדילֵך . היחידים, two exceptions: בדיליך ‘thy tin,’ and כספיהם ‘their silver’ (Gen. 42:25). R. Moses Hakkohen does not say the seven kinds of metal, but ועפרת זהב וכסף ונחשת וברזל ובדיל Gold, silver, brass, iron, tin, lead. I. E. makes seven out of these six by applying כסף to silver and mercury (כסף חי)”

“And I will restore thy judges, etc. When the kingdom of Israel, the ten tribes, with their judges, shall cease here, and the judges of Ahaz shall likewise have gone, Hezekiah will appoint upright judges ; and this is in fact recorded of him. As at first. As in the days of David and Solomon. The ב in כבראשנה is not essential.”

“אילים Terebinths. The singular is אלה ; it has a masculine termination in the plural like נָשִׁים of אִשָּׁח woman, and סאים of סאה measure (Gen. 18:6); comp. The gardens, which, in the corresponding phrase, balances terebinths. יבשו They shall be ashamed. Some say that the י is here used instead of ת, the third instead of the second person, and explain many other instances in the same way; but I think that the third person of יכלו they shall be consumed of the preceding verse, is continued in יבשל, and in חמדתם ye have desired, passes over to the second person; there are many instances like it. ותחפרו And ye shall be confounded”

“For he shall be as an oak tree, etc. After having said that they shall be ashamed of the oak trees they have coveted and stolen, the prophet compares them to an oak tree whose leaves have withered. נובלת עליה Whose leaf fadeth. Literally, which is withering with regard to its leaves; comp. ותאבדו דרך, And you shall perish with regard to the way (Ps. 2:12); similarly we say in the Confession, (קשינו ערף (ודוי We are stiff with regard to our neck. כאלה As an oak. This proves that מאי לים(ver. 29) is the plural of אלה oak, especially since this is likewise followed by and as a garden, etc.”

“החסון. The strong. Adjective; the substantive is חוסן strength. נעורת Tow. That which is shaken off (נער to shake) from the flax. לניצוץ As a spark (comp. Ez. 1:7). This verse refers to the idols, which are made strong, that they should not shake, but which those who formed them will burn in time of trouble, because they helped not; but the workmen themselves will likewise be burnt; .. this is meant by and they will both burn. (Comp. Exod. 3:3.) And none shall quench. And none shall help.”

“This will take place, as the prophet says, In the last of the days. That is, in the days of Messiah, which are the last of the days of the world. Those days have not yet come; for since the days of Isaiah there has never been a period free from war. We learn from Josephus, and the literature of the Persians and Medes, that during the whole time of the second temple in Jerusalem war had never ceased. Moreover,.’ the prophet distinctly declares, Neither shall they learn war any more. And shall be exalted. We know that the mount of the temple will not be physically raised; but what the phrase means is, that it will be established in such a way that people will hasten up to it from the four comers of the earth, as if it were higher than all hills. ונהרו And they will flow. Root, נהר ‘to flow’; comp. נהר river, which is so called on account of its flowing motion.”

“And he shall judge. He, who is the judge, the Messiah, shall judge (comp. Numb. 26:59). לְאִתִּים Into plowshares. Comp. אֵתוֹ his plowshare (1 Sam. 13:20); the Dagesh of the ת compensates for the omitted silent letter י; the same purpose is served by the long vowel Zere under א in the word .אֵתוֹ למזמרות Pruning-hooks. Instruments for pruning the vineyards.”

“O house of Jacob, etc. With these words the prophet rebukes Israel, as if he said, Since Zion will now, as you are well aware, be redeemed for her justice, and a time, besides, will come for her great salvation, we all owe obedience to the words of the prophecies, which are true as the light. The prophet includes himself in this rebuke, by using the first person plural, pro formd, as Moses did when he prayed, forgive our iniquity; or because he grew up among the people and acquired something of their mode of speaking, as I shall explain (6:5)”

“Thou hast forsaken, etc. Some refer the second person to God, and say that the prophet confesses here before Him that He has justly forsaken them, for they are full of Eastern customs, etc. R. Moses Hakkohen refers it to Israel, and explains accordingly : Thou, O Israel, hast forgotten thy people and its religion. מלאו According to some, they are enthusiastic; comp. מלא with enthusiasm (Jer. 12:6); I think that it means, they are full, namely, with the wisdom of the children of the East, the Aramæans ; comp. Aram in the east, and the Philistines in the west (9:11); the next is, therefore, And are soothsayers like the Philistines. בית יעקב in this verse must then be vocative, like the first (5:5). ובילדי And with ideas of. And with what they bring forth by thought; for the resultant of any two forces is called נולד ‘ born, product.’ ישפיקו They satisfy themselves. Comp. יִשְׂפׂק ‘it shall suffice’ (1 Kings 20:10), although of a different conjugation; the latter being Kal, the former Hiphil. They are satisfied with secular knowledge, and do not seek for the prophecy, which is the best light.”

“Full of silver and gold. Silver is mentioned before gold, because it is in quantity more abundant. קצה End. ה is paragogic, like ה in לילה night; the accent is therefore on the penultima. In the preceding verse Israel is described as wise, in this as rich and mighty; in the same order Jeremiah enumerates these qualities (Jer. 9:23)”

“אלילים Idols. Root אַל "not"; the idols are called by this name, because there is no reality in them. They worship the work of his hands, that which his fingers have made. They—all the people—worship the work of his—the smith’s—hands, that which his—the smith’s—fingers have made. ידיו "his hands", and ישתחוו "they worship" ; the Version evades the difficulty by translating ידיו "their hands".”

“וישה And boweth down. Niphal of שחח; comp. וימס ‘And it was melted’ (Jos. 7:5) Niphal of מסס. Their acts degraded them. ואל תשא להם According to some—the ת being the sign for the second person, and referring to God—and thou forgive them not. I am, however, of opinion that the passage has the following meaning: Not one of them dares to lift up his head or soul, because the context requires a phrase similar to And the man humbles himself ; or that the word ארץ ‘ the earth ’ is to be supplied: And the earth is not able to bear them (comp. Gen. 13:6). The Grammarian, who asserts that אַל is only found with a command, is mistaken; comp. אל־מות, where there is no death (Prov. 12:28)”

“עיני The looks of. עין ‘eye,’ or ‘ look,’ though generally feminine, is sometimes masculine (as e.g. in this verse, since the masculine form שָׁפֵל is joined to עֵינֵי) ; and עֵינֵי ‘ the looks,’ is identical with כל אחד מעיני ‘ each of the looks’; comp. בנות ‘ each of the branches ’ (Gen. 49:22). in עֵינֵי נבהות אדם שָׁפֵל The lofty looks of man shall be humbled) is explained by giving to the plural the meaning one of, or each of. Haughtiness. The contrary, lowliness, is meant; comp. He will enlighten my darkness (Ps. 18:29)”

“יחלוף He shall abolish. Comp. בני חלוף the afflicted (Prov. 31:5), to whom death is imminent; this root has a similar meaning in חלף it is over (Song 2:11). כליל. This word remains the same in the masculine and feminine, singular and plural; it means all (comp. Exod. 28:31; Lev. 6:16). He shall abolish. The third person refers to God.”

“עשו They made. The subject is not named; it is the indefinite one or they; comp. ויאמר ליוסף and he (═ some one) said to Joseph (Gen. 48:1). עשוהו one has done it (Eccles. 2:12). חפר פרות. I think the singular is חפרפרת, and signifies a bird that flies out in the night like the bat, and keeps itself hidden during the day ; others say that חפרפרת means a bird which eats up the fruits during the night; in this case it consists of two separate words.”

“נקרת The clefts of. Literally a hollowed place of. סעפי. Branchlike pieces projecting from the rocks, where people can hide themselves. לערוץ To be mighty. Root ערץ ; comp. עריץ mighty. According to others, it is a transitive verb, meaning to terrify; אל תערץ (Jos. 1:9) has, perhaps, the same meaning, the word לבך thine heart, being supplied—do not terrify or discourage thine heart—and עריץ (29:20), is then a transitive adjective, terrible, like אימים (Gen. 14:5), the terrifying ones.”

“THIS Chapter is either the explanation of the latter part of Chapter II., beginning the cedars, the mountains, etc. (2:13, ff.) or the continuation of the subject, commencing Cease, ye from man, etc. (2:22); I adopt this latter view. משען ומשענה. The stay and the staff. Poetically said for every kind of staff. The explanation of the figure follows immediately, The whole stay of bread and water.”

“The mighty man. He who has the strength required for a successful war. The man of war. He who has the experience. The judge, who is asked to show the right way according to the law. The prophet, who serves the same purpose; and also the astrologer, who foretells future events through the science of astrology. The ancient, who has profited by the changes and trials of life.”

“תעלולים Babes. The ת is not a radical letter; root עול to be young. Comp. עולל child (Jer. 6:11). העלולים is here an adjective, they that are young, החכם the wise האיש החכם═, The wise man; העלולים, Young תעלולים אנשים═, Young men. More correctly this word may be explained as an abstract noun, which is used instead of the concrete ; childishness═children. but in chap. 66:4, it is a noun, childishness, delusions.”

“הכרת. According to some, the cutting off, derived from כרת to cut off, but more correctly, the knowing of; comp. הכירהו they knew him (Gen. 42:8); the Dagesh in כ indicates the omission of the radical נ which appears in ינכר He is known (Prov. 26:24). He who is able to judge of the constitution of the whole body from the face will find in it the declaration and confession of the truth; no further evidence is wanted. And they tell their sin like Sodom. They do not even conceal their sins; for he who does conceal them feels at least ashamed of what he has done.”

“אמרו According to some, Praise ye (comp. Dent. 26:17); I prefer Say ye, from אמר to say—in the heart or with the mouth. Shall they eat. They, that is, all the righteous (for these words have to be supplied); as if to say, Do not think that only one righteous man shall enjoy the fruit of his actions. This verse is closely connected with the preceding.”

“נגשיו מעולל Every one of his rulers is playful. The מ in מעולל is not essential; מעולל is an adjective, and not a participle. מישריך ═ מאשריך They that lead thee. א in מאשריך is instead of י, for the letters א ה ו י interchange; comp. 1:17.—They that ought to guide you mislead you. בלעו They have destroyed. (Literally, they have swallowed up.) They have destroyed the way to such an extent that it is no more to be recognised.”

“ומשקרות And wantonly looking about. In Rabbinical literature a woman of this class is called סקרנית (Bereshith Rabba, 100:19). וטפוף According to some, Speaking; comp. והטף And prophesy (Ez. 21:2); but the grammatical principles of the Hebrew language will not admit of this explanation ; according to others, Mincing—comp. אטיף, the Chaldæan translation of הציף He made overflow (Deut. 11:8)—‘ moving slowly, like one that swims upon the surface of the water.’ Others, again, derive it from טף Little ones (Est. 3:16), and I incline to this opinion ; walking slowly like a child. תעכסנה They put spurs. They wear spurs on their feet, like riding-men; according to some, they make a tinkling with their spurs.”

“ושפח And he will smite with a scab. It has the same root as מספחת scab (Lev. 13:6), although written with שׂ; comp. בסורי ═ בשׂורי when I turn away (Hos. 9:12). פתהן Some supply א, so that פאתהן ═ פתהן the locks of their head ; but I compare it rather with הפותות the hinges (1 Kings 7:50), that is, the back of the doors, and find in this verse the description of the plagues of the whole body, from the head to the foot.”

“פארים comp. תפארת ornament; for the hands. צעדות An ornament for the arms; comp. אצעדה bracelet (which Saul wore on his arm, 2 Sam. 1:10). א of אצעדה is pleonastic, as the א in אזרוע (Jer. 32:21). קשרים A well-known ornament for the neck. בתי הנפש An ornament for the breast; the breast is called נפש soul, because it is the seat of the soul, it contains the heart. לחשים Amulets. Inscriptions on gold and silver, for a charm.”

“מחלצות Changeable suits of garments, worn over the dress; comp. חלצתו his armour (2 Sam. 2:21), which is worn over the garments. מעטפות Mantles. A dress wherein the woman wraps herself. According to some, מחלצות shifts; מעטפות trowsers. מטפחות Vails (comp. Ruth 3:15). הריטים According to some, a dress in the form of a Taleth (this word has a similar meaning in Arabic ), or figures (comp. 8:1), as I shall explain further on (ibid.)”

“בושם Sweet smell. It keeps the body fresh and healthy. מק Rottenness is nearly the opposite of the preceding. Root מקק, to rot; verb, ע״ע; comp. תמקנה They shall consume away (Zac. 14:2). נקפה A noun; נ is radical; we may fairly compare with it ונקף And he shall cut down (10:34); its mean-is a kind of cutting. מעשה מקשה Well set hair; comp. עשה שפמו ולא Nor trimmed his beard (1 Sam. 19:25). פתיגיל A fine embroidered garment, which is worn over all the dresses. כי תחת יופי According to Saadiah: for the contrary (תחת) is more fit for them; others take כויה ═ כי burning (Exod. 21:24); comp. ברויה ═ ברי (root רוה) with plenty (Job. 37:11); but this is contrary to the rules of the grammar, since ו in כויה is radical. I think the passage must be taken in this sense: For instead of beauty, the above-mentioned consumption, destruction and baldness shall come.”

“ואנו And they shall lament; comp. באני In my sorrow (Deuter. 26:14); root און to lament, it is a weak verb (ע״ו); the accent is on the ultima. as in וסרו And shall depart (Exod. 8:1). פתחיה Her gates. Those of Zion, which is mentioned at the beginning of the chapter. ונקתה And she shall be desolate. Comp. נקיון שנים cleanness of teeth (Am. 4:6). She will sit. The pronoun refers to Zion.”

“The branch of the Lord. Some refer this to Hezekiah; I think that it signifies the righteous portions of the inhabitants of Jerusalem that will be saved. צבי Beauty (comp. Ez. 20:6); according to some, desire; comp. the Chaldæan יצבא he desires (Dan. 4:14). R. Moses Hakkohen takes it literally: God will send his blessing upon the plants and fruits.”

“נא Now. נא is always identical in meaning with עתה now. לידידי Concerning my well-beloved; comp. אמרי לי Say of me (Gen. 20:13). לכרמו Touching his vineyard. ידידי My well-beloved. Root tri-literal דודי .(ידד) My beloved. Root bi-literal (דוד). השניים, and Zahoth, on the biliteral verbs. בקרן בן שמן In Keren Ben Shamen. A beautiful spot among the vineyards of Jerusalem. According to some, בקרן On a hill. בן שמן Fruitful; comp. שָׁמֵן fat (30:23), לשׁד הַשָֽׁמֶן fat oil (Num. 11:8); and this explanation is not incorrect.”

“ויעזקהו According to some: he sealed it; comp. the Chaldæan עזקתא Ring (3:21) for the Hebrew ;טבעת but this gives no sense; I think that this word is hapax legomenon. In Arabic there is, however, a word of the same root, meaning fence or hedge (to fence). ויסקלהו, Piel; he removed the stones thereof; the Kal, (סקל) has the meaning, to heap up stones; comp. ושרשך And he shall root thee out (Ps. 52:7). ויטעהו מטע שרק ═ ויטעהו שרק And he planted it, the planting of a choicest vine. The verbal substantive is implied in every form of the verb, whether past or future. Tower. A place for the watchman to dwell in. And also made a wine-press therein. To press the vine within the vineyard. באושים Thorns; comp. באשה thorn (31:40). [The application of the parable is as follows:] And he fenced it. Palestine was filled with good houses and protected by strong walls. And he removed the stones thereof. God expelled the Canaanites. And built a tower. The temple on Mount Moriah was built. And also made a wine-press. The altar of burnt-offering was erected. And he looked that it should bring forth grapes, that is righteous men.”

“בתה Waste. Comp. בתות The desolate places (7:19). יזמר It shall be pruned. זמורה branch is of the same root; זמר means to dress the vineyard by cutting off the branches. יעדר It shall be digged. עדר to dig, to prepare the vineyard by digging (comp. 7:25). שמיר ושית Two kinds of thorns. The application of this figure is The wicked will increase. The clouds. The prophets are hereby meant; comp. Her prophets also find no vision from the Lord (Lam. 2:9).”

“הוי Oh. The sign for the vocative; or (אוי ═) woe. That join house to house, etc. That move the boundaries of the houses and fields according to their own interest. אין ═ אפס Not. Till there be no place. Till they have taken away every place. הושבתם That you may be placed. Hophal of a verb ;פ״י comp. והורד and it was taken down (Num. 10:17)”

“משכימי That rise up early. Status constructus, although followed by the preposition ב; comp. השכוני באהלים that dwell in tents (Judg. 8:11); the same is the case with the following מאחרי בנשף, that continue until night. נשף The beginning of the night (comp. Prov. 7:9, Job 3:9); sometimes נשף is the time before daybreak, the dawning. ידליקם Causative. He will cause them to pursue; comp. דלקת Thou hast pursued (Gen. 31:36); others compare it with דאדלק, the Chaldæan translation of המבעיר, he that kindled (Exod. 22:5).”

“כנור Harp. A well-known musical instrument. נבל A musical instrument with ten holes. חליל Pipe. Likewise a hollow instrument; חליל is of the same root as חלול, hollow. And they regard not the work of the Lord. Many explain, They regard, etc., because he who is given to drunkenness does not regard the ways of the Lord; comp. Whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise (Prov. 20:1); but my opinion is, that by the work of the Lord those punishments are to be understood which the Lord was bringing over Israel, when the ten tribes went into exile.”

“נפשה Her breath. נפש is the breath that comes out of the mouth; comp. נפשו his breath (Job 41:21). ופערה And opened; comp. פערו they opened (Job 29:23). לבלי חק Unusually. ועלז בה And all that rejoice in it. or, and rejoicing will be—to others—at his fall. According to R. Jonah, the phrase ועלז בה And rejoicing, or laughing will be in it, describes that kind of laughter which may sometimes be noticed in people at the moment of death.”

“Then shall the lambs feed, etc. Judah will then be desolate, and lambs will feed therein, as if they were driven to be there. כדברם As if they were driven. Comp. the Chaldee דבר to lead, to drive; and דברת floats (1 Kings 5:25). מחים Strong lambs, that have marrow (מוח) in their bones; comp. ממוחים things full of marrow (25:6). וחרבות And the waste places of; comp. חרבן destruction. It is the construct state; supply הארץ the land; comp. ושכורת And drunken of SORROW. (51:21). משא ח׳ ל׳ ═ חמר לחם An ass’s LOAD of bread (1 Sam. 16:20). גרים Strangers, that will then dwell there. מחים (Adjective, strong lambs) is the objective case; גרים strangers, the subject.”

“ימהר Either transitive, let him bring hastily; comp. מהרו (Esth. 5:5), fetch hastily; or intransitive, let him make speed; and only יחישה transitive, let him accelerate. As to two verbs in the future following each other without conjunction, comp. אל תרבו תדברו Talk no more (1 Sam. 2:3).—Let these prophecies be fulfilled, that we may see whether they are true.”

“קש Stubble. Objective case. לשון אש The flame of fire. Subject. חשש Chaff; comp. 33:11. בלהבה ═ להבה through the flame; comp. בששת ═ ששת in six (Exod. 20:11); בבית ═ בית in the house (2 Kings 18:15); for ירפה, the predicate to חשש, is an intransitive verb. Their root shall be as rottenness. Their root will rot, and they will not be able to stand. כאבק As the dust of. It is the construct state; supply הארץ the earth, or a similar word. Their root. Their blossom. The parents and their children.”

“And He will lift up, etc. It will be as if He lifted up a banner to all nations to come and to fight against Israel; the same is meant by And will hiss, etc. בזמן קל ═ קל Swiftly; or it is an adjective, attribute to the subject contained in the verb יבא he, a swift one, will come, and this latter explanation is the right one.”

“וינהום And he shall roar. Irregular form; because regularly the guttural letter widens the vowel, and causes the form of the future to be like ,יִפְעַל the second radical of the verb פעל being a guttural; in the conjugation tables, however, no notice is taken of this property, else we should not have in the paradigm the standard form of the future ויפליט יִפְצוֹל And he lets escape. He lets escape the prey, as I think, in order to see whether there is any one to deliver it.”

“עליו Against him: against Israel. Like the roaring of the sea, etc.; behold darkness. For the light shall then be withheld from the earth. Comp. darkness of water (Ps. 18:12). And if he look unto the land, etc. For they will be on the land, not on the sea. And behold darkness. Darkness is here a figure for the distress of the heart. ונבט According to some it is Niphal, And it is looked; but I think it is Piel, And he looks, and its subject is Israel, the same to whom reference is made in the word עליו, as I have already stated. צר ואור According to some, Sun and moon; according to others, Moon and sun, because the moon is small (צַר) if compared with the sun; R. Adonim thinks that ה is omitted, צהר═צר light; for the letters א ה ו י are sometimes present in a word when they are superfluous, and at others omitted where they properly form part of the root; but he is mistaken, because ה does not belong to the vowel letters, and cannot be dropped except at the end of a word, where it replaces א. I take צר literally; it has here the same meaning as in Ps. 119:143, namely, distress, or—being an adjective—distressed. Palestine will be darkened by distress as well as by the sun, which will cast a gloom over her at the time of her destruction; for a mist will rise and hide the sun. בעריפיה In her destructions. Comp. יערף (Hos. 10:2) He will destroy; similar to it is וערפתו And break its neck (Exod. 13:13)”

“In the year that King Uzziah died. Our sages said that died is here used for became a leper; and Talmud Babli Nedarim, 64: There are four persons who, though living, may be counted as dead: the poor, the blind, the leper, the childless. for when Uzziah entered the temple to offer the incense, the earthquake took place. This may be true; but מות can also be taken literally; in that case the death of Uzziah must be placed in the same year in which Isaiah became prophet; no objection can be raised from In the days of Uzziah (1:1), since even months might have passed between Isaiah’s initiation as prophet and the death of Uzziah. This chapter contains the first prophecy of Isaiah. High and lifted up. Attributes to throne (כסא), not, as many thought, to the Lord. The throne. עולם העליון the highest world, described as spiritual, indivisible, and unchangeable; b. עולם התיכון the middle world, or היכל the divine temple, described as being of a mixed nature, containing bodiless forms, and also bodies, but of a pure and unchangeable substance; c. עולם השפלות the lowest world, the earth and the fulness thereof, consisting of bodies of all description. The forms and bodies of the middle world are contained in ten spheres : sun, moon, and five planets in seven spheres, the large body of stars in the eighth, the Zodiac in the ninth, the tenth is the throne.—The angels inhabit the middle world. See I. E. on Ps. 8:4, and on Dan. 10:21. is above the Hajoth as I shall explain on Ezekiel. And his train. The train of the throne; kings usually have their thrones covered with drapery. Seraphim. The prophet calls them Seraphim—i.e., burning ones—because they seared his mouth. Stood by Him. Comp. 1 Kings 22:19. Anthropomorphism drawn from the custom of great kings. What the wings mean I shall explain on the visions of Ezekiel. He covered his face. Comp. And Moses hid his face (Exod. 3:6). He covered his feet, out of reverence. He did fly, to carry the message of the Lord.”

“And one cried unto another. The number of the seraphim is not mentioned; some believe they were two, but I am of opinion that there were many. Holy, holy, holy. Repeated thrice, to express the continuity of the declaration. Comp. Jer. 7:4, Jer. 22:29. Holy. An adjective. Holiness is an essential attribute of the Lord; it is therefore the same in every place. God showed Isaiah this vision, that he might purify himself from the uncleanness of the lips; for the Lord is holy, and so also should be His servants and messengers. Hosts. Angels that are above. The whole earth, etc. Although He is holy above, still His glory filleth the earth below. He who explains מלא כל הארץ that which filleth the whole earth, that is, its inhabitants, and compares it with וּמְלאׇׁהּ and the fulness thereof (Ps. 24), is mistaken. Comp. ה׳ את כל הארץ וימלא כבוד And the whole earth will be full of the glory of the Lord. (Num. 14:21)”

“And the posts of the threshold moved. It was as if the threshold would move away from its place. אמות Posts. About the meaning of the word there is no question; in this sense, it is, according to some, hapax legomenon. ההמון הקורא מקול ═ מקול הקורא At the voice of the multitude that cried. The verse begins with the past וינועו, and continues with the future ימלא, because the Hebrew language has no special form for the imperfect tense; past and future are therefore used for it promiscuously.”

“נדמיתי I am undone. I am cut off from the company of the holy ones; comp. ודמיתי And I will destroy (Hos. 4:5). Some compare it with דׂמִּי Be silent (Ps. 62:6). This view also may be correct. A man of unclean lips. The prophet was a man of unclean lips, I think, because he grew up with the Israelities, that were unclean in deeds and words, and he learnt their way of speaking; comp. And he warned me not to go the way of this people (8:11); therefore he says, And in the midst of a people of unclean lips I am dwelling. For mine eyes have seen the king, who is holy, and whom I was afraid to anctify because of the uncleanness of my lips. Although he says, Mine eyes have seen, etc., it is but in a prophetical vision that he saw Him.”

“ויעׇף Then flew. As written here, with a short kamez under ע, it is derived from עוף to fly; but ויעַף (Jud. 4:21), where the ע has a pathah, is derived from עיף to be weary. רצפה A live coal. Comp. רצפים coals (1 Kings 19:6). With tongs. As men use to do. From off the altar. Where the fire is holy, where there is no strange fire.”

“Hear ye, indeed, etc. Some assert that God does not accept the repentance of the sinner, when his earthly punishment is already decreed, to cancel the sentence. R. Moses Hakkohen is of opinion that this passage describes the benefit the people will derive from listening to the good advice of the prophet; that they will be delivered from their afflictions. This is, however, contradicted by Lest they return and be healed. The first explanation is the right one.”

“השמן Make fat. According to some it is infinitive, like הקטר To burn incense (1 Sam. 3:16); and הׇשַׁע likewise, like הׇרַע To do evil (Lev. 5:4); but this cannot be so, because of the conjunction פן lest. They are all rather imperative forms. We know that the prophet cannot make the heart fat; he shall only declare their heart to be so; there are many instances like it. הׇשַׁע Shut. Comp. תשעינה Will be shut (32:3). In Chaldee, this word שעה has the same meaning. The imperative Hiphil ought to be הֶשֶׁע like הֶרֶף, but the guttural letter ע causes the alteration; the form הָשַׁע can also be derived from a verb (שעע) ע״ע”

“ועוד בה וגו׳ And yet in it shall be, etc. According to some: Ten more kings will rule over Judah before the exile, and then ושבה והיתה לבער it shall again be removed: comp. ובערת And thou shalt put away (Deuter. 21:21); others compare לבער with תבערו You shall kindle (Exod. 35:3)—and the number of kings from that time, Uzziah included, was really ten. Some explain, the tenth part will be left in the land. Grammatically, עשיריה is an adjective, the tenth; but different from עשירית the tenth part; comp. שלישיה (19:24) the third. It is, therefore, clear that עשיריה refers to the number of kings. אשר בשלכת Which were in Shalecheth. Two trees were in the gate Shalecheth, which were exceedingly strong. Those that take לשכת ═ שלכת are wrong, as well as those that derive it from השליך he cast; for whoever is able to say such things has no knowledge of grammar. מצבת בם Substance is in them. They will still remain and stand firmly for ever; the comparison of the people with a tree is by no means uncommon; comp. for as the days of a tree, etc. (65:22). Holy seed will be the substance thereof. Holy seed will they be that will remain after that. Those that would come back from the Babylonian exile are here hinted at.”

“נא Now. Shear Yashub. The name of the prophet’s son, as I shall explain (ver. 14). בנך Thy son. Those that derive בנך from בינה understanding understand nothing of grammar. תעלת Ditch (comp. 1 Kings 18:38), where the water is running; while בְרֵכָה pool signifies a gathering of rain water; many derive בְּרֵכָה from בְּרָכָה blessing, its water coming from a blessed place, from heaven.”

“חִשָּׁמֵ֨ר Accent on the last syllable. This word is to be compared with שמרים dregs, lees (25:6.), שמריו ושקם הוא על He has settled on his lees (Jerem. 48:11), and explained, Remain on thy lees (that is remain quiet), for הִשָּֽׁמֶר Take heed has the accent on the last syllable but one; and besides, the following Fear not proves the correctness of this explanation. והשקט Transitive verb Make quiet; supply נפשך thyself or עמך thy people. Tails of smoking firebrands. The prophet compares these kings to the tails of firebrands—אודים firebrands comp. Zach. 3:2—because they are like the remnant of a firebrand that smokes, but cannot burn; and adds. In the fierce anger because it is by their fierce anger that they are like tails of firebrands.”

“ונקיצנה Transitive verb, let us cause her to be distressed because of us; the suffix נה her, refers to Jerusalem; the following, Let us make a breach therein, proves the correctness of this interpretation. The son of Tobel. According to some טבאל is by a certain interchange of letters the same as רמלא, and בן טבאל therefore the same as בן רמליהו; this is nonsense, because Ben Remaliahu is mentioned before, and he says with Aram, Let us set a king in the midst of it, the son of Tobel. Others say that טָבְאַל means טׂב אֵלֵינוּ good for us, but אַל can only be taken as equal to לא, and בן טבאל would then be בן טבלא ═ good for nothing; but I conclude that it is the name of some famous prince in Israel or Aram.”

“כי Although, Comp. כי עם קשה ערף הוא Although they be a stiffnecked people. (Exod. 34:9.) This plan will not be realised, although Rezin and Pekah besiege Jerusalem. And yet threescore, etc. Comp. the common phrase so and so many years are still left before such and such an event will take place. ב in בעוד is superfluous as in (טרם═)בטרם before. These sixty-five years begin with the year of the earthquake, that happened in the days of Uzziah, when Amos prophesied And Israel will surely go into exile (Amos 7:11). Comp. And it was at the end of forty years (2 Sam. 15:7.) יֵחַת Shall be broken; comp. החתות Thou hast broken (9:3); it is Niphal, like יִמַּס (13:7) Will be melted מֵעָם By a people. Evil shall befall them by means of a people that will come against them. יֵחַת can also be Kal of a verb נחת ,פ״נ to go down, (like יִגַּשׁ he will approach; comp. תֵּחַת It comes down) (Prov. 17:9); הנחת Cause to come down (Joel 3:11), where the נ is not omitted. The meaning of יֵחַת מֵעָם is accordingly: They will go down and be no more considered as a nation.”

“And the head of, etc. As I explained. If you will not believe. Supply speak, or ask for a sign; wherefore immediately succeeds, And the Lord, etc., Ask thee a sign. But it appears that when the prophet said, If ye will not believe, etc., Ahaz did not answer. כי לא תאמנו Because there is no truth in you; comp. ויאמנו דבריכם So shall your words be verified (Gen. 42:20)”

“Therefore the Lord himself etc. Though you do not ask a sign, He will give it you. It is to me a matter of surprise that there are those who say the prophet here refers to Jesus, since the sign was given to Ahaz, and Jesus was born many years afterwards; besides, the prophet says, For before the child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land shall be forsaken; but the countries of Ephraim and Syria were wasted in the sixth year of Hezekiah, and it is distinctly said of whose two kings, etc. Many make the mistake of identifying Immanuel with Hezekiah; they cannot be the same, granting even this prophecy to have been uttered at the beginning of the reign of Ahaz; he reigned only sixteen years, and Hezekiah was at the death of Ahaz twenty-five years old. According to others, Immanuel is another son of Ahaz, and others again take the names (Immanuel, Maher Shalal and Shear Yashub) as symbolical of the kingdom; but if so, what meaning would be in the child’s knowing good and evil and in Maher Shalal calling father and mother? (8:4). I think that Immanuel is the son of Isaiah, as well as Maher Shalal; the latter is proved by And I went unto the prophetess, etc. (8:3). Shear Yashub is similarly related to the prophet (ver. 3); each of the three sons received a name that contained some hint at future events; Immanuel implied that God would help them and be with them during the troubles caused by the two kings; Maher Shalal, that the time for the exile of Samaria had arrived; and Shear Yashub, that the remnant of Israel would repent; this explanation is well borne out by the words, Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me, are for signs and for wonders. Comp. The children which the Lord hath graciously given to thy servant (Gen. 33:5). Those that in the former passage regard children as equivalent to pupils must produce us some analogy from Scripture. Isaiah himself was a sign and an example concerning Egypt (20:3).—The Gaon says that the sign consisted in the child being a male child; but in my opinion the sign was that the child was to eat butter and honey; for it is not usual that children eat these things immediately after their birth. after its birth. We know that a male child is called נער, a female child נערה or עלמה—the feminine of עֶלֶם—whether she be a virgin or not; for עלמה signifies a person of a certain age, like the masculine עלם; and in דרך גבר בעלמה the way of a man with a young woman (Prov. 30:19) עלמה is certainly not a virgin; because at the beginning of that passage it is said, which I know not (ibid. 18). וקראת And shall call. Subject is, העלמה; comp. וחטאת And it sinneth (Ex. 5:16).”

“For before the child shall know, etc. Some assume that such is the case at the age of twenty years, because of the words of Moses, From twenty years old, etc. (Exod. 30:14); if so, this prophecy must have been delivered after the second year of the reign of Ahaz. But it is possible that an earlier age than twenty is meant.”

“וְנָחֽוּ And shall rest. Accent on the last syllable; comp. שָֽׂמוּ (Gen. 40:15), וְשָׂמֽוּ (Num. 6:27). בתות Desolate places. Comp. בתה desolate (5:6). ובנקיקי And in the holes of. Hapax legomenon; its meaning is found by the context. נעצוצים Thorns Trees that bear no fruit. Comp. נעצוץ (55:13) thorn. נהלולים Bushes. Hap. leg.—They will be so many that they will encamp even in uninhabited and desolate places.”

“Shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired. This refers to the angel of the Lord coming forth and destroying the camp of Assyria (37:36). Some take השכירה in the meaning of great; comp. שכיריה (Jer. 46:21) her great ones. I think that שכירה is a noun like אכילה the eating (1 Kings 19:8), derived from שכר hire, which the owner of the razor receives; for this instrument, the hired razor, is very sharp; it is his profession. The head, the hair of the feet, the beard. Every mighty one, all princes and noblemen; it is said so distinctly (9:14)”

“And on all hills, etc. And all the hills, where vineyards have formerly been carefully dressed, will now again be prepared; for there will be no thorns, and God will give such a blessing on the vineyards of the mountains, that people will send the cattle there; comp. He bindeth his foal to the vine (Gen. 49:4). The prophet says that from one cow and two sheep there will be obtained a plentiful supply of milk; and the vineyards of the mountains, that will alone remain undamaged, will enjoy a boundless blessing from the Almighty.”

“גליון. According to some related to מגלה scroll; the י of גליון compensates for the omission of the Dagesh in ל; comp. דליו They are poor (Prov. 26:7). בחרט In the form of. Comp. Exod. 32:4. בחרט אנוש. In the form of a man. That is, in a form cast in the same way as the figure of a man is cast. Others take גליון as the singular to גליונים (3:23) a cloth to which the writing was affixed by embroidery. Maher-shalal-hash-baz. The prophet is told to indicate by these words the fall of Samaria.”

“.ואעידה According to some the א is here instead of ה. And take unto me faithful witnesses. According to others the future is used for the past: And I took unto me faithful witnesses. It may, however, be taken literally, that I should take as witnesses for me. The prophet did what God commanded, although it is not related in the text. Uriah THE priest; Uriah was then high priest. Zachariah was likewise a great man; what our Sages say about the prophecies of Zachariah and Uriah is well known.”

“The water of the Shiloah. According to some Jerusalem is referred to by these words, but it is more correct to explain them as indicating the house of David, because the majority of the kings of this house were righteous, but the kings of Israel were all bad and wicked. מי השילח, literally: the canal, the water which is conducted by man, or which causes plants (שלחים) to sprout forth; comp. שלחיך Thy plants (Song 4:13).”

“Upon them. Upon the men of Judah, that conspired against Ahaz. אפיקיו Its rapid parts. — comp. Ps. 42:2, Song 5:12 — or banks, according to the context. גדותיו its banks; some supply ;ר comp. שרשות ═ שרשרות (Exod. 28:14, 22), but this is a mistaken inference, for in שרשרות it is the ר of reduplication which is dropped in שרשת; the root is שרש, but we have no instance where a radical ר is dropped, since it does not belong to the silent letters.”

“Take counsel, etc. Whatever you will counsel against Jerusalem will not be realised. עצו. Take counsel. A biliteral verb (ע״ו). According to R. Moses Hakkohen, י is dropped, and it should be יעוצו like זכורו (Neh. 4:8). כי עמנואל. For God is with us. Here we have the reason for עמנואל Immanuel being the name of the prophet’s son.”

“For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, that is: When the prophecy came with force upon me; comp. The hand of the Lord was upon me (Ez. 37:1). ויסרני And instructed me. The ס has a dagesh to compensate for the absence of the י, which is the first radical; comp. אֶצָּרְךָ I formed thee (Jer. 1:5). He instructed me, etc. A proof of the correctness of my view concerning Unclean lips (6:5).”

“והיה And he—namely, the King of Assyria—shall be. למקדש For a sanctuary. For a place whither man is used to go to receive blessing and strength. It is to be connected with לאבן .נֶגֶף For a stone. For a rock, upon which man is used to go to find shelter. For the two houses of Israel. The kingdom of Israel and that of Judah. For a gin, to Ephraim. And for a stumbling, to Judah.”

“צור According to some נ of the root is dropped; נצור ═ צור keep; but more correctly it is explained, Bind up; comp. וצרת And bind up (Deuter. 14:25). צור has, then, the same meaning as in the parallel phrase, חתום seal.—Do not reveal these prophecies, the testimony and the law. למורי My disciples. An adjective (comp. 1. 4); it is the same as תלמידי my pupils.”

“To you. He addresses his pupils. המצפצפים That peep. צִפְצֵף has a meaning similar to רִּבֵּר; comp. אצפצף I shall peep (38:14). והמהגים. Hiphil. And they that cause others to mutter. Surely a people that seeketh unto their God, etc. This is the reply. Surely such is a people that seeketh unto his God! sarcastically and ironically said. How could one seek unto the lifeless idols for the benefit of the living.”

“לתורה ולתעודה Concerning the law and concerning the testimony. The preposition ל has the same meaning as in לי of me (Gen. 20:13). לתורה ולתעודה Concerning the law and the testimony contained in the prophecy.—They will surely speak according to this word, etc. They will say : We shall not listen to it, for it is like a night that is not followed by a dawn; its secret will never come forth to light. According to some לתורה is an oath, by the law; but we find no analogy to this in Scripture.”

“And they shall pass through it, etc. Some explain this verse in the following way: Days will come when he that is travelling in Judah, and being himself of the tribe of Judah, will be hardly bestead and hungry through the host of Sennacherib; and when he sees that neither his king nor his idol will help him, then he will turn upwards to pray to God in heaven. I think it refers to the host of Sennacherib when marching through the land of Judah; for when the army is large, it is frequently exposed to hunger. Their king; that is, the King of Assyria. And look upward. Wherever they will turn, upward or downward, only darkness shall meet them.”

“מי לא מועף וגו׳ For such dimness and darkness will not come over Jerusalem, though it is distressed by the enemy. According to others, The enemy will not be able to hurry to Jerusalem, which he had distressed. At the first, etc. The first time that the king of Assyria came, he afflicted the land of Israel only slightly, by taking the districts of Zebulun and Naphtali; but the last time he afflicted it heavily, and took the whole of Galilæa. Of the nations. Perhaps Israel is meant; comp. בעממיך Amongst thy people (Judg. 5:14)”

“Thou hast multiplied the nation, that is, the tribe of Judah, that assembled again in Jerusalem. לו הגדלת השמחה Unto him thou hast increased the rejoicing; this is according to the Keri; but according to the Ketib, To whom thou hast never before given so great rejoicing; comp. לא היה פחד There was no such dread before (Ps. 53:6).”

“סבלו His burden. The form of the noun varies., סׂבֶל and סֵבֶל burden. The staff of his shoulder. The staff that smote his shoulder. החתות Thou hast broken. The ה has Pathah on account of the succeeding guttural (ח); comp. הַחלות Thou hast begun (Deuter. 3:24); it is a regular form. The second person refers to God, as in הרבית Thou hast multiplied. As in the days of Midian. In the time of Gideon.”

“סאון. According to some, this word is related to סאה measure, and the meaning of the whole phrase is, God gave to Assyria the full measure according to her deeds. Some say, that by metathesis סאון is said for אסון mishap; comp. כשב ═ כבש lamb; more correctly it may be said that this word is a hapax legomenon, and from the succeeding סואן, which is a verb (participle Kal), we see that נ is radical; the meaning of סאן is to cry loudly. ושמלה מגוללה בדמים And garments rolled in blood. Every one lies slain in his blood. Or the garment which rolled in the blood of murdered people, etc. לשרפה והיתה It was burned. This refers to the destruction of the host of Sennacherib, which was burnt by the angel (37:36)”

“For unto us, etc. All this has come to pass through the merit of the child that is born unto us. We know that at the time of the invasion of Sennacherib, Hezekiah was thirty-nine years old; at the time of this prophecy he is, therefore, called child (ילד). פלא יועץ אל גבור אבי עד. According to some, these expressions are names of God, and the following שר שלום, the name of the child. I think that all these words are names of the child; he is called פלא wonder, because God did wonders in his days; יועץ counselling; this is distinctly said of Hezekiah (comp. 2 Chr. 30:2); אל גבור Mighty chief; for Hezekiah was powerful; אבי עד The father of perpetuity, because the reign of the house of David was prolonged through his merits: עַד has here the same meaning as in 58:15. שר שלום Prince of peace because peace was established in his days; comp. 2 Chron. 32:22”

“למרבה Some remark, after the manner of the Midrash,, when a final Mem is found in the middle of a word; as such instances are too striking to be easily forgotten, any lesson which may be attached to them will probably retain a firm hold upon the memory. that the use of the final Mem in this word hints at the miracle of the sun’s shadow going backward (38:8). מרבה is either a noun, increase, like מְַעַשֶׂה work, or a regular participle Hiphil, causing to increase. With justice. Comp. 2 Chr. 32:22”

“עשיתי I have acted valiantly. Supply גבורה valour. נבונותי I am prudent. Niphal of בין, verb ע"י. ואסיר And I was removing. Future for the imperfect; comp. יעשו they made. Ps. 106:19. ועתודתיהם And their treasures. Comp. ועתדה And prepare it (Prov. 24:26); the possessions which man provides for himself for the days that are to come. כאביר Although it is written with Aleph, this letter is pleonastic, and the word means strong, mighty—I subdued those that dwell in strong fortresses. According to R. Moses Hakkohen, who takes the א as radical—comp. אביר the chief (1 Sam. 21:8)—it means like a hero.”

“הגרזן. An instrument to cut with. Comp. נגרזתי, I have been cut. (Ps. 31:23.) Shall the axe, etc. That is to say, It is God that has given the power to the Assyrians. משוד. Only one parallel is found to this word; וישר, And he cut (1 Chr. 20:3); it is derived from a verb ע״ע (שרר, to cut), after the form of מֽעוֹז, strength. Another figure is contained in the succeeding .וחנופת מרימיו כהנפת שבט ═ כהניף שבט ואת מרימיו It is like the shaking of the rod; and this is principally the action of them that lift it up. כהרים מטה. As the lifting up of the staff, which is done by the people, not by the wood.”

“Among his fat ones, leanness. This refers to the death of the nobles of Assyria, related 2 Chr. 32:21. יֵקַד He will kindle. Comp. וַיֵרַד, And he came down (Ps. 18:10.) in the second syllable of the future Kal; e.g., יֵצֵא יֵרֵד, but occasionally Pathah, e.g. וַיׅרֵד יֵקֵד. יקד. A burning. A noun like כְּפׂר, hoar frost (Ps. 147:16.”

“And the glory of his forest and of his fruitful field. A figure, signifying that his armies would be as numerous as the trees of the forest, and as the ears of a fruitful field. Both soul and body. He destroyed them as if it were by burning. מְסוֹס, Destruction. A noun like יְקׂד; it is not in the construct state. נוסס. Wonderful; appearing as a miracle (נֵס)”

“שאר יעקב. The remnant shall return. This is the name of the prophet’s son, which is to be explained now. Supply יעקב, after the first שאר. The remnant of Jacob, that is Judah, will return; repeat likewise ישוב before אל: The remnant of Jacob will return to the mighty God (comp. Prov. 21:14). The verse, if written in full, would run thus: שאר יעקב ישוב אל אל גבור שאר יעקב ישוב,. The remnant of Jacob will return, the remnant of Jacob will return to the mighty God. Mighty, who is able to help them.”

“מסעף Shall cut off the branches (סעיפים). Comp. לא תפאר Thou shalt not take off the crown (פאר, Deut. 24:20); ושרשך And he will take away thy root (Ps. 52:7). פארה Bough. Comp. פארות Branches (Ez. 17:6). במערצה With strength. Comp. עריץ strong. And the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, etc. The nobles shall be cut off.”

“The majority of commentators apply this chapter to the Messiah, as if the prophet said, The Assyrian army, which is now attacking Jerusalem, will perish; but besides this partial deliverance, a time of complete redemption will come for Jerusalem. R. Moses Hakkohen refers the chapter to Hezekiah, on account of its being the continuation of the prophecy recorded in the preceding chapter. חטר Rod. Comp. חוטרא, the Chaldæan translation of .מטה גזע Seed. נצר Branch. Comp. 14:19. And there shall come forth, etc. Hezekiah was very young at the time of this prophecy.”

“והריחו And his enquiry. The ear is sometimes deceived in hearing sounds, which are only imaginary; the eye, too, sees things in motion, which in reality are at rest; the sense of smell alone is not deceived. He will properly investigate the question before him by his piety; he will not judge according to what he seems to see or to hear, because the testimony of the witnesses might be false. The rebuking and judging mentioned in this verse are privileges of royalty.”

“They shall not hurt, etc. The asp and cockatrice will do no harm, as if all Palestine were full of the knowledge of the Lord; for it is an acknowledged fact, that he who knows the Lord will never destroy, but always build and improve. כמים אשר לים מכסים ═ כמים לים מכסים Knowledge will increase, like the water which covers the sea. The water is never stopped, so knowledge will continually make progress.”

“To him shall nations seek. To him, that is, to Messiah, shall nations seek, that is, shall all nations be subjected. But according to the above-mentioned view of R. Moses Hakkohen, this verse may predict the circumstances which would accompany the miracle of the sun; comp. the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder (2 Chron. 32:31). בכבוד ═ כבוד With honour; comp. בבית ═ בית in the house (2 Kings 18:15)”

“The second time, with regard to the deliverance from Egypt. This verse may be taken as a proof that the prophet in the whole passage refers to the Messianic period; for the restoration during the second temple was not. complete, since not all the tribes, and not even all the men of Judah, returned to Palestine. He who refers the chapter to Hezekiah finds in this verse the description of the return of the people to Palestine, when they found that Jerusalem had escaped uninjured, and that Sennacherib had died after the loss of the greater part of his army. his men died, but I. E. in his commentaries frequently remarks that כל all, is not to be taken literally. Compare I. E. on Ex. 16:6.”

“The envy also of Ephraim, etc. Ephraim will not be jealous, that Messiah will be of the tribe of Judah; or, if Hezekiah be the person here indicated, that his kingdom will be strengthened. And the adversaries of Judah. The enemies of Israel generally; if the prophecy refers to Hezekiah, Aram is to be understood. Shall not vex Ephraim, by taking revenge for their hostilities in the days of Pekah.”

“ועפו According to some, And they will spread; comp. מגלה עׁפה A roll that was spread (Zach. 5:1). According to R. Moses Hakkohen it is hapax legomenon, and means they will rest. פלשתים Supply מקום or ארץ The place, or the land of the Philistines. Toward the west. The Philistines dwelt in the west of Palestine. Them of the east. The Syrians. They shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab, in order to spoil them. משמעתם. Supply יסורו אל or יסורו תחת Will come under their supremacy.”

“והחרים And shall utterly destroy. Comp. חרם doomed to destruction (Lev. 27:29). The Israelites shall then cross upon dry land, and the sea shall not hinder them by rapidly returning to its bed. בעים Hapax legomenon. ם is part of the root. The meaning of the word is, with strength. Those that compare it with תבעיון בעיו (21:12) have no knowledge in grammar. הנהר The Nile. והדריך And make go over. It is a verb with two accusatives.”

“נשפה High. According to some related to נֶשֶׁף (5:11) dimness; more correctly it may be compared with שְׁמׇיׅם heights (41:18), נ in that case being the characteristic of the Niphal; in both cases it means high; or the word must be considered as hap. leg. For them. For those that come to attack Babylon. That they may go into the gates of the nobles. They shall come and march at once into the country; they will undoubtedly conquer it.”

“קול המון A resounding voice. It is the nature of mountains to echo the sound of words uttered by any person, and this echo is alluded to by the expression קול המון. The root of המון is המה resound; comp. הומה being in an uproar (1 Kings 1:41). The prophet explains also what this noise among the kingdoms of the heathen people signifies; Cyrus, the king of Persia, and Darius, the king of Media, became allies in a war against Babylon; this is distinctly stated in Daniel. מפקד He is appointing officers, or, he is causing to number; comp. פקודים number. The word מפקד governs two accusatives.”

“וכסיליהם According to some, כְּסִיל is the name of the star which is nearest to the south pole, at the sight of which the camels die. My opinion is that כסיל is the Heart of the Scorpion constellation; it is, however, possible that כסילים in this verse—comp. כְּסׇלִים flanks (Lev. 3:4)—signifies the stars near the poles. R. Jonah remarks that there is only one star named כסיל, and that here, in the plural כסילים, other stars are included; comp. בתי השן the houses of ivory (Am. 3:15). יׇהֵלּוּ They will let shine. Its form is like that of וַיׇחֵלּוּ and they began (Judg. 20:31). Its root is הלל, and it is a transitive verb; comp. בהלו גרו when he lights his candle (Job 29:3). יַגִּיהַ Shall cause to shine. Likewise a transitive verb, as proved by יַגִּיהַ חׇשְׁכִּי He will enlighten my darkness (Ps. 18:29)”

“איים Vultures. Plural of אַיׇה Vulture (Lev. 11:14). וענה And will sing or And will dwell; comp. מעון habitation (Ps. 26:8). באלמנותיו According to some the same as בארמנותיו in his palaces; comp. Ez. 19:7; but as the letters—with the exception of אׄ הׄ וֹ יׄ—do not interchange;, Moznaim, sub voce המתהפכים. it is better to explain the expression thus : And every one of the vultures will sing with his widows. ותנים And dragons. Comp. Job 30:29”

“מכת Stroke. It is the construct state; supply יד of the hand, or with the hand; comp. השותים במזרקי יין They that drink wine out of basons [of silver or gold] (Am. 6:6). מורדף Persecuted. Participle Hophal. The meaning of the whole sentence is: Who ruled over him that was persecuted without intermission. The word מורדף might, however, be taken in the active sense persecuting.”

“שאול The grave. It is common; therefore רׇגְזׇה (femin.) and עורר (mas.). רפאים The dead. The א is, perhaps, instead of ה (the root being רפה to be weak). עתודי The chiefs (lit., the he-goats) Comp. An he goat also and a king (Prov. 30:31). It hath raised up from their thrones. They were rising from their thrones as if they were alive; it is possible that the Babylonians had the custom of having thrones in the graves of their kings.”

“יצע Was spread. It is the past, like יֻלַּד was born (Gen. 35:26); or the future instead of the past.—As to the masculine form יצע (the subject רמה being feminine) compare לקח מהם קללה And of them a curse shall be taken up. (Jer. 29:22); this is a poetical license; the same freedom in the use of the gender is to be noticed in the Arabian language. Concerning the following ומכסך, which is participle masculine, the same remark is to be made.”

“הילל Very probably Lucifer, as בן שחר morning star proves. It is seen on certain days a little before dawn, and of all the host of heaven there is no star that shines with such brilliancy as this; its name is therefore הילל (lit., splendour); comp. יחלו They shall cause to shine (13:11). חולש Who didst weaken. Comp. ויחלוש And he defeated (Exod. 17:13). According to others: Who didst cast lots; comp. קלקל בחצים He divined by arrows (Ez. 21:26).”

“I will ascend to heaven. An expression indicating the pride of the heart. Upon the appointed mount. Upon mount Zion, which is the place appointed by the Lord for His sanctuary; comp. מועדי אל the synagogues of God (Ps. 74:8). This explanation is confirmed by the words which follow: in the sides of the north; for Zion was in the north of Jerusalem.”

“There is an old tradition that when Nebuchadnezzar had died, and was buried, he was dragged out of his grave again, because the people of his kingdom were in doubt whether he really was dead, and feared he might again return to them as he had done before., and Dan. iv. This is perhaps really the fact; there is at least no doubt, that this verse refers to Nebuchadnezzar, who was the first of the Babylonian kings that reigned over Israel. This we may infer also from the words Prepare slaughter for his sons (ver. 21)., etc., was not to begin with the king addressed here, but with one of his descendants. כנצר As a bough. מטועני Pierced. Comp. طَعَنَ (טען) to pierce in Arabic. According to some,—who in a rather circuitous way derive it from טען to load, comp. טענו load (Gen. 45:17)—full. מובס Trodden, A verb ע״ו; (root בוס.”

“תחר Thou shall be joined. The radical א is dropped; comp. אהב I love (Prov. 8:17); according to the grammarian R. Jehudah, י is omitted, and the word is derived from יחד to be together. For thou hast destroyed thy land, even thy land, how much more other countries; this explains the words : And he pulled down his cities (ver. 17).”

“To his sons. To Belshazzar and his whole family. Their fathers. His father Evil Merodach and his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar. ערים Enemies. עיר═ציר messenger; ארע ═ ארץ earth. A. V., Cities. Comp. ערך thine enemy (1 Sam. 28:16). ומלאו וגו׳ Nor fill, etc. For they would stir up hatred everywhere; ולא מלאו═ומלאו. According to others : the face of the world will then be filled with cities, because the Babylonian kings will no longer be the masters of the earth.”

“צפע Cockatrice. It is the same as צפעני (11:8); it is more dangerous than the serpent.—Hezekiah shall be mightier than his father, and more dangerous to the Philistines (comp. 2 Kings 18:8). And his fruit. The fruit that he will bring forth, will be שרף מעופף a fiery flying serpent; the flying one is the most dangerous of the fiery serpents.”

“הילילי Howl. Lift up thy voice publicly. For there shall come from the north a smoke. The king of Assyria, and probably Sennacherib is meant, as may be inferred from the words that the Lord hath founded Zion (ver. xxxii). בודד Alone. Related to בָּדָד alone. במועדיו In his castles. The smoke shall enter, and no one shall be able to remain there, even alone.”

“הבית The inhabitant of Bayith. יושב הבית═הבית; Bayith is a place in Moab. To the high places. In order to worship the idols. Their heads. The heads of the Moabites. גרועה A cutting. It is a noun, (not a participle); comp. חבלתו חוב his pledge for the debt חבלתו בחוב═חבלתו חוב, or by extending the force of the preposition before בל ראשיו, and referring it also to כל זקן. (Ez. 18:7). The preposition ב on before כל ראשיו governs also .כל זקן Comp. Gen. 49:25.”

“למואב For Moab. בריחיה ונו׳ Her bars, etc. The bars of the country cry, etc.; comp. Howl, O gate (14:31); or Her bars have been brought to Egypt, whence the king of Assyria was coming, or to Zoar near Sodom; in either case ענלת שלישיה a heifer of three years oldis in apposition to Zoar; or בריחיה being equivalent to בורחיה —not to ברוחיה for how could a participle passive be formed of a neuter verb!—her fugitive men came to Zoar. יעערו They shall raise up. The second ע is not radical, but the reduplication of the radical ע. The form is irregular.”

“יתרה Abundance. A noun. עשה He hath gotten. Comp. Deut. 8:17. ופקדתם And that which they have laid up. Comp. פקדון that which hath been delivered him to keep (Lev. 5:23).—They will carry their treasures to the willows of the brook, to hide them there, or better they will carry away their treasures by boats on a certain river in their land, which flows between willows; that is, they will carry their property to another place, where it may be kept for them.”

“כר The dromedary. A species of camel, that runs swiftly; comp. הכרי the swift messenger (2 Kings 11:19). According to some, הכר the dromedary, is called מושל ארץ the ruler of the earth, because its strides over the ground are the greatest; but it is more correct to say that כר is in the construct state: the animal is found only in the possession of monarchs.”

“Take counsel, etc. The prophet says to Moab, Before this misfortune befalls thee, take counsel for thyself. פלילה Judgment. The form of the word is like that of אכילה eating (1 Kings 21:32); comp. פלילים judges (Deut. 32:21). Thy shadow. To hide the Israelites, when they take refuge with thee. נדחים Outcasts. People that are banished from their home. נודד Him that wandereth, without being banished. Bewray not, when he cometh unto thee.”

“Mine outcasts. The outcasts, who are the brethren of the prophet, or who are the people of the Lord. It is certainly flattering attribute assigned to the Israelites. The spoiler, who had conquered Samaria, viz., the king of Assyria. For the extortioner, etc. For there shall yet be a time, when this tyrant will perish and oppression cease. המץ The extortioner. A transitive adjective; root מצץ to suck, or to press; comp. תמצו You press out (66:11). They are gone. The armies of the oppressor, the king of Assyria, are gone.”

“We have heard. The prophet represents now the Israelites or the other nations as speaking. נא Proud. The omission of the ה is irregular. לא כן בדיו His branches will not be so. Comp. בדים branches (Ez. 17:6). Others render בדיו his thoughtsand כן right; comp. Num. 27:7. As to בדיו his thoughtscomp. בדיך thy words (Job 11:3)”

“לאשישי קיר חרשת תהגו אך נכאים Some explain, For the foundations of Kir Haresheth shall you mourn, Surely they are stricken; that is, they will think of the present ruins of Kir Haresheth, when people will speak of their former grandeur. As to אשישי foundations, comp. the Chaldæan אֻשַׁיָא the foundations (Ezra 4:12). I, however, prefer to connect לאשישי with אשישי flagons (Hos. 3:1), since the vine of Sibma is mentioned immediately afterwards, and to explain the passage thus—When you will remember the joyful days of the past, which are a contrast to the distress now prevailing, you will lament that you are stricken.”

“שדמות Vine trees. Comp. Deut. 32:32. אמלל Languisheth. Each of them languisheth. בעלי גוים The chief of nations. Comp. אדני יוסף the master of Joseph (Gen. 39:20). לבעליו to his owner (Ex. 21:34). The king of Assyria is meant by בעלי הגוים the chief of nations. הלמו Have broken down. Root הלם to smite; comp. והלמה And she smote (Judg. 5:26). They are come even unto Jazer. They are so long. They wandered into the wilderness. They extended beyond the boundaries of the inhabited land. שלוחתיה Her trees. Comp. שלחיך פרדס דמונים thy plants an orchard of pomegranates (Song 4:13). נטשו They spread. Comp. נטושים spread (2 Sam. 30:16)”

“I will bewail. These are the words which every Moabite will speak. Sibma. Name of a place; supply על for. אריוך I will water thee. An irregular form; י is instead of ו, and ו instead of ה; the pronominal suffix of the second person refers to Heshbon, the largest province of Moab. קיצך Thy summer fruit. Thy fruit of the summer (קַיִץ). הידד Hedad. A word used by those that stamp and trample about, causing damage to the fruits and the com while they are still fresh.”

“The gladness is gathered, to be taken away from them and given to others; it will leave them. The Karmel. A part of which belonged to Moab. ירועע He will shout. Comp. תרועה blowing the trumpet (Lev. 23:24); ירועע is Polel of a verb הידד. ע״ו Hedad. The hedad is pleasant, when it is heard at the wine press, at the time when the wine is produced; but its effect is of an opposite character, when it is heard in the midst of the fresh fruits and corn.”

“But now the Lord hath spoken, etc. God hath now revealed this prediction, namely, that three years are left till the fulfilment of the above prophecy. As the years of a hireling, who daily counts when the end will come; so the prophet is satisfied, when he sees that the time of the calamity of Moab approaches. And the glory of Moab. His great armies. ונקלה וגו׳ Shall be diminished, and but very few will remain. לא כביר Not great, quantitative; comp. כבירים many (Job 34:24), or Not great, qualitative; the meaning of the phrase is there will not be left of them any great man; comp. כביר great (Job 36:5)”

“מוסר Taken away. Comp. הסיר He took away (18:5). דמשק מוסר מעיר Damascus is taken away from being a city. Join מוסר with the feminine noun דמשק, although it has a masculine form. More correctly, however, דמשק may be taken as equal to עם דמשק the people of Damascus, especially since in the phrase which follows, the feminine והיתה and she will be, is used. מעי Heap. Comp. לעיים to heaps (Ps. 79:1); the מ is not radical.”

“The fortress also shall cease, etc. When Sennacherib came, Damascus had been already conquered and also Samaria with its fortresses. And the remnant of Syria, Damascus was the capital of Syria. They shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, of which it is said, The glory of Jacob shall be made thin (ver. 4). Others explain, And the remnant of Syria will be reduced to so disgraceful a condition, that the condition of the Israelites will be considered glorious, in comparison with the fate of Damascus.”

“And it shall be, the first time., that of King Phul. כאסף קציר As when the harvestman gathereth the corn. הקוצר the harvestman, must be supplied before קציר. And it shall be, the second time. The king of Assyria came twice against the land of Israel. In the valley of Rephaim. A place where the harvest was bad, thin and meagre.”

“His strong cities. The strong cities of Israel. החרש The tree. Comp. Ezek. 31:3. והאמיר And the uppermost branch. They abandoned everything, the root and the branches, in their flight, when the Israelites entered the land of Canaan. They left. By the pronoun they the Canaanites are meant. And she shall be desolate. The prophet speaks here of Samaria, for she was the capital of the kingdom of Israel.”

“תשגשגי Thou shalt make to grow. Root שנא to be large; comp. שניא great. Thou shalt make it to grow quickly. And in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish. The same. As a general rule for the understanding of the prophetical books, I say, that from the one part of the verse we can infer what the words of the other part signify. נד There will depart. קציר The branch. Comp. בקצירי in my branch (Job 29:19) נחלה Sore. Supply מכה plague, to which the word is an attribute (מכה נחלה ═ נחלה), a sore plague; comp. בריאה ומאכלו and their meat plenteous (Hab. 1:16) ═ בריאה ומאכלו אכילה. This explanation is supported by the words which follow: וכאב אנוש and of desperate sorrow; with אנוש con-connect ויאנש and it was very sick (2 Sam. 12:15). Thou hast a great many children, but when the day of affliction shall come they will all perish.”

“At eveningtide, that is, when the inhabitants of Jerusalem are afraid of him. בלהה Trouble. Comp. בלהות terror (Ez. 26:21); בהלה ═ בלהה like כבש ═ כשב lamb. And he is not. When the angel will have come forth and destroyed the greater part of the camp. This is the portion of them that spoil us. These are the words of the prophet in his rejoicing.”

“That sendeth, etc. That is accustomed to send messengers over the sea. Go, ye swift messengers, and bring good tidings to the Israelites, that are fled or are driven into exile, and are now beyond the rivers of Ethiopia. And in vessels of bulrushes. This phrase is added because of the rivers mentioned before, גוי ממשך ומורט A nation dragged and peeled. The Israelites are meant, that have been dragged from their homes like sheep, until they were flayed from the dragging. To a terrible people. To the Ethiopians. מן הוא From thence. From that people, or from those rivers. גוי קו קו A nation of line by line. A nation whose intellect is like that of a child, who is taught gradually, line by line. ומבוסה And therefore it is trodden down. בזאו They have spoiled. א is to replace the second ז of the root which is omitted; comp. דליו they are thin (Prov. 26:7). This is the explanation of R. Moses Hakkohen. Rivers. This is a figure for kings; comp. The water of the river (8:7)”

“I will take my rest. This refers to the divine glory which remained. ואביטה And I shall see. מכוני My dwelling-place, Jerusalem. אויר צח ═ צח Pure air. עלי אור After rain. Comp. ענן אורו the cloud of his rain (Job 37:11). The sun is also called אור, the moon too,—comp. אורים גדולים great luminaries (Ps. 136:7)—because they are the cause of the rain, but of course only at the will of the Almighty.”

“גומל Ripening, Comp. ויגמל And it ripened (Num. 17:23). יהיה נצה Will still be in the flower. And He will cut off. The pronoun refers to God. הזלזלים The sprigs. The branches which are joined to the root; the word is hap. leg. הנטישות The large branches, that spread (נטש) widely. כרת ═ התז He cut. This verb is often met with in Rabbinical Hebrew. The two verbs in the past follow each other without a conjunction, like חמק עבר Hath gone, passed by (Song 5:6). The meaning of the verse is: The Assyrians will perish before the fruit of their devices will be ripe.”

“They will be left, etc. The host of Assyria, having been destroyed through the angel, will be left, etc. לעיט To the fowl (comp. Gen. 15:11); its forms are like those of שֵׁשׁ (Est. 1:6), and שַׁיִשׁ (1 Chron. 29:2), marble. וקץ And shall summer. Comp. קיץ summer (Gen. 8:22). תחרף Shall winter. Comp. הֹרֶף winter (Gen. 8:22).—The beasts will remain there to eat the corpses of the killed.”

“שי Present. Comp. Ps. 76:12. A people dragged and peeled. Israel, who has been dragged and flayed during the period of his captivity, will now be brought, to the honour of God, to His abode on Mount Zion. According to R. Moses Hakkohen, this chapter describes the redemption announced by the words—The Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of the people, etc. (11:11.”

“וסכרתי And I will give over. The כ is here, according to some, substituted for נ, but, in fact, only the silent letters interchange; it is rather to be compared with ויסכרו and were stopped (Gen. 8:2). אדנים קשה A cruel lord. The grammatical irregularity is already explained (Ex. 21:4). And a fierce king. The king of Assyria.”

“והאזניחו And shall leave.. א is epenthetic. והאזניחו נהרות And the people will leave the rivers. דללו They shall be poor. Comp. דל poor (Lev. 14:21). יאורי מצור The ponds of siege. The ponds which are prepared in order that the enemy should not be able to destroy the inhabitants through want of water, when he besieges the town. קנה וסוף The reeds and flags. The plants on the banks of the river. קמלו Shall be cut off. Another instance of the same root occurs in this book (33:9)”

“ערות Some compare it with מתערה spreading himself (Ps. 37:35), and say that it means green; all green herbs that grow on the banks of the river and at its mouth, and all that is sown near the river, all will dry up. Others, The banks of the river and its mouths have been stripped of every thing that had been there, for the plants may be considered as a covering to them.”

“שריקות Red. Some compare it with משרק comb, but more correctly it is derived from שורק vine branch (5:2), and it signifies, having the colour of the vine branch, red; comp. שרקים red (Zac. 1:8). חורי It is either an adjective, meaning white, or a noun, signifying fine things, חוֹרָי being a plural form used instead of חורים; comp. חוֹרֵי the nobles of (Jer. 27:20).”

“שתותיה Her foundations. Comp. Ps. 11:3. The buildings which they erect to take the fish in. שכר Sluices. Comp. ויסכרו and they were stopped (Gen. 8:2), although שכר is spelt with שֹ; comp. בסורי ═ בשורי when I depart (Hos. 9:12). אנמי נפש The ponds for fish. Ponds containing the lives (נפש) of the fish.., עֹשֵֹ֖י שֶֹכֶ֥ר אַנְמֵי־נָ֑פֶשֹ.”

“חכמי פרעה, יעצי פרעה ═ חכמי יועצי פרעה The wise men of Pharaoh, the counsellors of Pharaoh. This is an elliptical expression; comp. נחרי נחלי דבש Rivers, brooks of honey (Job 20:17). נבערה Foolish. Comp. בער fool (Ps. 73:22). I am a son of wise men. Comp. A son of free men (Koh. 10:17). Each of them will praise himself: my father was wise, my forefathers in days of old were also kings.”

“Head or tail. Even a plant in its integrity, with head and tail, will not be left to them. Others take the phrase and explain it figuratively, They are wandering about and do not know what to begin; they can do neither the work of the head, of the old and noble (9:14), nor that of the tail, of the common people. In the same way the phrase, palm-tree and reed, is to be explained.”

“They shall cry unto the Lord because of the oppressors, etc. Whosoever will be in trouble will come thither to bring his offering. ורב And a great one.: a deliverer who is also a great man; a great deliverer. It would be a more natural explanation to take רב as participle of ריב to plead; a helper and a defender. Comp. רב chief (Est. 1:8)”

“שלשיה The third. Most of the commentators compare it with ושלשים and chiefs (Ex. 14:7); but they must presume the existence of the second degree before they speak of the third. More naturally it is derived from שלשה three, and explained by the third; for there will be in Assyria people that will know the Lord, and many more so in Egypt; and Israel will be a blessing in the midst of the land, for through him Egypt and part of Assyria will know the Lord.”

“Whom the Lord of hosts hath blessed. For the Lord has blessed Israel, therefore he will be a blessing, etc; or He has blessed each of the three. My people. Because they will erect an altar to the Lord publicly, He calls them my people. And the work of my hands (and not my people), for there will be only a few of them that will know the work of the Lord. And mine inheritance. Israel remains His inheritance for ever, for Assyria and Egypt are this only temporarily in comparison with Israel. The Chaldæan translation renders this passage thus: Blessed be my people that is in Egypt.”

“Ethiopia, that came to help them. וַחְַשׁוּפַי And my naked people. The first person refers either to the prophet, the people whose nakedness he indicated by going naked, or to God; the people whom God hath made bare. שת The back. Comp. 2 Sam. 10:14. ערות מצרים Either, To the shame of Egypt; or join וחשופי, mentioned before, also to ערות, so that ערות מצרים is in apposition to .שת”

“חזות A vision. Grievous for Babylon. Unto me. The first person refers to the prophet. The treacherous dealer, etc. He who wishes to be treacherous and rebellious will be able to be so, and he who wishes to rob will be able to rob. Elam. A Persian province. צוּרִֽי Besiege. Root צור to besiege; comp. וצרת and thou wilt besiege (Deut. 20:12). It has the accent on the last syllable, like שׁוּבִֽי return (Ps. 116:7). All the sighing thereof have I made to cease. Some explain, None will be left that should sigh for Babylon; others, All the sighing she has caused, has ceased. I think that the whole passage, from the beginning of this verse till the end of the chapter, is the speech which the prophet put into the mouth of King Belshazzar; for it is well known that the prophet rejoiced in the fall of Babylon; how, then, could he have said, Therefore are my loins filled with pain (ver. 3)? The connection is as follows: the king says, When I heard the cry, ‘ Go up, O Elam ‘—the soldiers used to call out in battle the name of their country—I made all her sighing cease with musical instruments; the vessels of the house of the Lord were brought, and they drank out of them, while Babylon was in siege and distress.”

“פלצות Boasting. Comp. מפלצתה her pride (1 Kings 15:13); the meaning of the whole phrase is: The boasting of the Persians terrified me; it may also be rendered trembling; comp. יתפלצון they tremble (Job 9:6). The night of my pleasure. The night in which he drank out of the holy vessels. Hath he turned, into fear unto me. Belshazzar was frightened when Daniel read to him the miraculous writing (Dan. 5:3)”

“צפה הצפית I think that these words are hap. leg., and that the phrase means sing the song. Arise ye princes, and anoint the shield. For Belshazzar was killed that same night, and Darius, the old, was anointed king. The king is called shield, מָגֵז, because he protects the people; comp. Behold, O Lord, our shield (Ps. 84:10)”

“צמד With a couple. Supply עם. with, before ויען .צמד And every one of them answered, Babylon is fallen, is fallen. The repetition indicates that no remnant has been left to her. He hath broken. There is no noun in the text to which the pronoun he could refer; comp. אשר ילדה אותה ללוי whom she had born unto Levi (Num. 26:59)., .יָלְדָה הַיוֹלֶדֶת ,שִׁבֵּר הַמְּשַׁבֵּ־”

“My threshing. Babylon is the object of threshing; the pronoun my refers to God, to the prophet, or to the chariot of men. The meaning of the phrase is: I also threshed it, and it has become like ‘ the corn of my floor.’ It is also possible that בן גרן signifies the pure corn that is kept in the threshing-floor, and refers figuratively to Israel.”

“Dumah. Comp. Gen. 25:18. He calleth to me. The prophet here represents Dumah as speaking, and we have to imagine a spy coming from Seir to search Dumah; he asks the watchman, Watchman, tell me, what is the time of the night, what is the time of the night? just as one of the people of Dumah would ask who had to rise early for a journey, or for work in the field, as is usual in a great many places. The repetition indicates that he asks several men. I, however, think that this question is put to see whether the watchmen sleep. מליל Of the night. It should be followed by a genitive; it is without the genitive, like בייז חלבון in the good wine of (Ez. 27:18); מיין הטוב like the good wine of (Song 7:10), where the name of the place, whence the wine comes, is omitted. According to the Gaon (Saadiah), the meaning of the phrase is, O watchman, how much has passed of the night? O watchman, how much is left? I explain it thus, O watchman, what of such and such a night of the week; comp. 15:1”

“Morning hath come, and also the night. Many mornings and nights have passed, and you, O Seirites—for you are one of them—did not come against us to war. תבעיון Ye wish. The root בעה to wish, to enquire, is of Chaldaic origin; the third letter of the root is here fully written, י being substituted for ה. The same is the case in בְּעָיוּ wish ye, which is like שְׁלָחוּ send (2 Kings 2:17). The meaning of the whole phrase is: If you wish to come, do so. Return to those that sent you, and come all together. אתיו Come. The word is irregular, the regular form is אְַתוּ; the א has a Zere,, here, in אֵתָיוּ by Zere. probably because of its guttural character. By the watchman, the chief of the country is perhaps meant; for there are many chiefs that cannot endure hardship, and prefer to surrender their country.”

“Bring water. The prophet tells them to be kind to the caravans, and to give them water, for Moab was rebuked for not having done so (Deut. 23:5). התיו Bring. ה is instead of .א Tema. Comp. Gen. 25:15. With his bread. With the bread of him that is now thirsty.—Be kind to him, for he used to feed every one that came wandering to him. They prevented. They, that is, he and his men or friends.”

“ומבוכה And of perplexity. Comp. נבוכים entangled (Ex. 14:3). מקרקר overthrowing, or pulling down, derived from קיר wall, with a negative sense; comp. ושרשך, and he will take away thy root (Ps. 52:7), derived from שרש root. ושוע אל ההר And of crying to the mountains. Some say that this phrase means the same as ישעו ואין מושיע they look, but there is none to save (2 Sam. 22:42); others, their cry will reach the mountains.”

“ומקוה And a ditch. מקוה מים ═ מקוה A gathering of water (Lev. 2:36). Unto the maker thereof. Unto God, who has decreed to bring Nebuchadnezzar against Jerusalem. Unto him that fashioned it. That fashioned the decree. מרחוק Long ago. Join מרחוק either with ויוצרה, he that fashioned it long ago, or with לא ראיתם, you have not seen for a long time.”

“הרג Slaying, causing the separation of the soul from the body; הרג is used with reference to cattle instead of שחט, and on the other side וישחטם, And he slaughtered them (Num. 14:16) is used with reference to men instead of .ויהרגם For to-morrow we shall die. The prophet foretells what people will say in the days of the siege.”

“ונגלה And it was revealed. This thing was revealed. באזני In mine ears. Supply אָזְנֵי the ears of. Comp. נביאכם יי Your prophet, the prophet of the Lord (Num. 12:6). According to some the suffix in באזני refers to the prophet; but the first explanation is better. Till ye die by the hand of the enemy who will besiege you.”

“What hast thou here? Why didst thou stop here? And whom hast thou here of thy family that could assist thee? חצבת Thou hast hewed. Comp. חצובים hewed (Deut. 6:11). Thou thinkest that thou wilt always remain treasurer, and that thou wilt die in Jerusalem, and therefore thou hast already prepared a grave for thee.—Those commentators that take gravein the sense of palace are mistaken, as shown by the words there shalt thou die (ver. 18).”

“צנוף יצנפך צנפה He will surely bind thee together. Comp. מצנפת mitre (Ex. 28:4). He will take him, together with all his money and wealth. כדור Like a ball. The כ is the prefix of comparison; the word is familiar from its use in the Rabbinical literature; its meaning may also be gathered from the context. A large country. Babylon. There shalt thou die, etc. There he shall die, with all his horsemen. The shame of thy lord’s house. For thou art a disgrace to the house of thy master; or thou wilt then be, etc. This prediction was probably verified in the exile of King Jehoiakim or Jehoiachim; comp. And I will call my servant Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah (ver. 20)”

“And they shall hang, etc. Having compared Eliakim with a nail, the prophet continues, they shall hang upon it, etc. הצאצאים The offspring. The children that will come out of him. והצפיעות And the issue. The female children are perhaps meant; comp. יצא צפע shall come forth a cockatrice (14:29). Since he is said to be the father, the men of Judah are as it were his sons, and the women his daughters. All vessels of small quantity. The children are compared to small vessels. האגנות The cups. (Comp. 24:6). The gold was perhaps kept in those vessels. כלי הנבלים. The vessels of psalteries. Musical instruments. Nothing will remain in the royal palace, that should not be placed under his authority.”

“Tyre. A town near the sea; it was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar.. 10:11). As to the first siege, it is distinctly stated by Josephus that it was not successful; the result of the second is not mentioned, and some infer from Ez. 29:18, that Nebuchadnezzar did not conquer Tyre. But whether conquered or not, the distress and misery which so long a siege must have entailed upon the inhabitants of Tyre, the loss they sustained in wealth and territories, fully corresponds with the humiliation predicted by Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. I. E. refers this chapter to the second and not to the first siege, very likely because the Chaldæans are mentioned in it, according to his interpretation, as the conquerors of Assyria (ver. 13). כי שרר מבית מבוא For it is laid waste, that there is no house, no entering in. For every house in Tyre is destroyed, that no merchants come there any more. From the land of Chittim. Even from the land of Chittim, which is very far, this destruction was announced to the ships of Tarshish. Chittim is mentioned, because of the ships which passed the coast thereof. Comp. (Num. 24:25)”

“And by great waters, etc. The merchants brought to Tyre the seed of the Sihor, and her increase was the harvest of the Nile. סחר A mart. סחר is a noun and means merchandise; but we have here to supply בעלת; And she was the mistress of the merchandise (that is, the mart) of the nations. Comp. ובעל חסרון ═ וחסרון That which is wanting (Eccl. 1:15)”

“עברי ארצך כיאור Pass over to thy land as a river (עברי אל ארצך═עברי ארצך); that is, hasten to thy country, as quickly as the river flows, or, pass through thy land as the river which overflows the country. מזח Strength. Literally, girdle. (Comp. Ps. 109:19). It is used as a figure for strength, because a girdle supports the loins.”

“He stretched out His hand. God stretched out His hand, that is, He brought the punishment. מעזניה The strongholds thereof. The fortresses of Tyre.—The נ in מעזניה is instead of the Dagesh in the .ז כנען Merchant city. According to some, ארחת כנען ═ כנען, the caravan of Canaan, because of the feminine pronoun in מעזניהֹ her strongholds.”

“The land. The inhabitants of the land. This people. The people of the Chaldæans. לא היה There was none like them. Comp. לא היה פחד There was no fear like it (Ps. 53:6). According to others: Would that it were not; for it founded the kingdom of Assyria for wild beasts, that is, the Chaldsæans laid Assyria waste, and it became the habitation of wild beasts. לציים For the little wild beasts that live in the land. They set up the towers thereof etc. Although they, viz., the Assyrians, have set up the towers for defence, etc. בחוניו The towers thereof. Comp. בוחן tower (32:14). More correctly, the suffix in בחוניו refers to the people of the Chaldæans: when they, viz., the Chaldæans, set up their towers of siege. עוררו They raised up. It is a transitive verb. The palaces thereof. It was as if the towers stirred up the palaces, but before they awoke, he brought her to ruin, that is, the Chaldæan brought Assyria to ruin.”

“And her merchandise, etc. Of her profits she will sanctify a part to the Lord. לא יאצר It shall not be treasured up. It shall not be put in the storehouse ולא יחסן .(אוצר) Nor laid up. It will not be put away in a strong place (חוסן). To them that dwell before the Lord. To the exiles of Jerusalem, when they will return in the days of Cyrus. To eat sufficiently. The exiles will be satisfied. וּלְמִבְסֶה ═ וְלִמְבַסֶּה And for a clothing. עתיק Durable. Strong; comp. עתק strength (1 Sam. 2:3). Some ask, How can the prophet promise that the hire of the harlot Tyre will be sanctified to the Lord, since the Law prohibits the hire of an harlot to be brought to the house of the Lord? (Deut. 23:19). The reply to this question is, that the Law prohibits the real hire of an harlot, but the prophet uses the words, her hire, in a figurative sense; in reality, he does not speak of an harlot at all.”

“And it shall be, etc. All men shall be alike in this catastrophe. כעם ככהן וגו׳. As with the people, so with the priest. etc. When two nouns with the prefix כ follow each other, the phrase is elliptical; the complete sentence would be: as with the people so with the priest, and as with the priest so with the people, as with the servant so with the master, and as with the master so with the servant, etc. כמלוה As with the lender, as with him who gives away money without security. נושה The capitalist. אשר נושה בו He who borrows money on security.”

“The earth mourneth, because the King of Assyria has destroyed many countries. נבלה Fadeth away. Niphal of בלל, to confound; comp. ונבקה, and it will be emptied (19:3); ונסבה and it will be surrounded (Ez. 41:7); the second נבלה might, however, be the Kal of נבל, to fade; comp. נבול תבול, thou wilt surely wear away (Ex. 18:18). יושבי מרום═מרום they that sit on high, the chiefs of the land.”

“תורות The laws. The laws which are dictated by common sense, in which all agree. are generally distinguished by saying that the former refers to those laws which society would make even without revelation; the latter, to such laws as would not be made without direct command in Scripture. This distinction is not applicable here, because the prophet speaks in this passage of laws that concern all nations. The explanation, however, given here by I. E., does not agree with his remark on Gen. 26:5, where תורה is explained to refer to the law of circumcision. What I. E. means by the laws contained in the natural order of things or by the covenant of the universe is more clearly stated in his commentary on Gen. 26:5, namely, שילך אדם אחרי מעשיו Man shall follow the ways of God displayed in his works. Comp. I. E. on Lev. 19:19. חלפו They have abolished. Comp. יחלוף, he shall abolish (2:18). חק Ordinance. The laws of God, contained in the natural order of things; and this is likewise the meaning of ברית עולם, the covenant of the universe.”

“באלה ═ אלה By a curse; comp. בששת ═ ששת, in sin (Ex. 20:11); according to others, the preposition תחת, for, is to be supplied; comp. פ׳ שפ׳ ונ׳ תחת ═ ונשלמה פרים שפתינו. And let us bring our lips (that is, the words of our lips, our prayer) instead of bulls (Hos. 14:2). חרו They are burned. Comp. וחרה, and may be burnt (Ez. xxiv. II).”

“They shall lift up, etc. All commentators agree that from the words, Behold, the Lord maketh, etc. (ver. 1), the prophet refers to the remote future, to the war of Gog and Magog; only R. Moses Hakkohen refers this prophecy to the king of Assyria, and finds in a feast of fat things (25:6) the indication of the destruction of the hosts of Sennacherib, which remains the subject of the prophecy until the words, Woe to the crown of pride, etc. (28:1).— They shall lift up, etc., they that escaped, etc. ירנו They shall shout. Comp. הרנה the proclamation (1 Kgs. 22:36). They shall cry aloud from the sea. They that go on the sea, shall cry, etc. צהלו They shall cry aloud. Comp. צהלת הסום the neighing of the horse.”

“באורים Some explain it, In the countries; comp. כשרים אור the land of the Chaldæans (Gen. 11:31); others: In valleys. The former explanation is the right one. שם The name. Supply כבדו glorify; for the verb כבדו in the first half of the sentence refers also to the second. They (ver. 14) can also be explained to refer to the righteous.”

“מכנף From the uttermost part. The word כנף corner, is used here to signify a great distance, because the earth is round. צבי Glory. The word is derived from a Chaldaic root. And I said. Each nation will say so. Have we heard, etc. The same. רז׳ Leanness. Comp. רזון leanness (Ps. 106:15). The repetition indicates that these words are said every moment. בגדים בגדו וגו׳ Treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously, etc. For all people deal treacherously again and again.”

“The earth shall reel, etc. The inhabitants of the land will flee from one place to the other, and be moved like the cottage of the watchman; for the watchman changes the place of his abode. And shall be heavy, etc. When they will be about to move and to flee, their transgression will be too heavy for them, and they will fall. קום To rise. It is infinitive; comp. אלקום no rising up (Prov. 30:31 ).”

“Many refer this prediction to an eclipse of the sun and moon; but more correctly it is referred to the angels, that are ready to assist or to attack a nation. Comp. Dan. 10:13, 20. These words are therefore followed by: the kings of the earth on the earth; for the reign of the kings is in connexion with the reign of the angels.”

“באסיר ═ אסיר As a prisoner. As prisoners are gathered, etc. As people who are brought to the prison to be shut in are often left there for a long time before they are visited to be supplied with their food. The idea contained in this simile is, that this evil will last a long time. יפקדו they shall be visited, may also be compared with ומימים רבים תפקד and after many years thou wilt be visited (Ez. 38:8), and explained in an evil sense.”

“Then the moon, etc. Sun and moon, the rulers of heaven, are used here in a figurative sense for the kings of the earth, who will be ashamed; but it is also possible that an eclipse of sun and moon is meant by the prophet. The kingdom of God will then appear on the mount of Zion, and honour will be given to those that remain faithful to God. According to others this passage refers to the worshippers of the heavenly bodies; but this explanation is at variance with the context.”

“My God. The first person singular refers to the prophet, or these are the words which every one of the ancients is represented speaking (24:23). עצות מרחוק Counsels of old. Objective case governed by עשית thou hast done.—The counsels of oldare the plans of God predicted by the prophets. אמונה אמן With faithfulness and truth. As to the repetition אמונה אמן comp. עזי ומעזי my strength and my fortress (Jer. 16:19).”

“For thou hast been, etc. It is wonderful how all well fortified towns were taken, and the city of the poor, that is, Jerusalem, escaped. A refuge from the showers, from the enemy who is compared to showers of water. For the blast of the terrible ones is as showers against the wall. This phrase is to explain the expression from the showers.”

“בציון In a dry place. Comp. בארץ ציה in a dry land (Jer. 2:6). חורב בצל עב ונו׳ The heat in the shadow of a cloud, etc. Repetition of the same idea. בצל עב In the shadow of a cloud, that is, in the shadow which hides the clouds and makes them invisible. זמיר עריצים The song of the terrible ones. It is the same as שאון זרים; comp. זמירות songs (24:16). יענה Shall be low. It is an intransitive verb of the same root as עני poor (Deut. 24:12); לענות to be humbled (Ex. 10:3)”

“In this mountain. In Zion. A feast of fat things, etc. God will feed them with fat things, ממחים with things full of marrow—comp. ומוח and the marrow (Job. 21:24); ממחים is participle Pual— and then he will give them to drink lees well refined, so that they will become drunk; comp. As you have drunk on my holy mountain, etc. (Obad. 16)”

“And he shall spread forth. The Lord shall spread forth. In the midst of them. In the midst of Moab. השוחה He that swimmeth. Comp. שחו to swim (Ez. 47:5). His pride. The pride of Moab. ארבות Hap. leg.; the meaning must be found from the context. Some compare it with ארבות windows (Gen. 7:11), but their explanation is far-fetched.”

“Thy walls. The pronoun refers to Moab. השח השפיל He brought down, he laid low., Rashi: towers, Kimchi: the wrists, R. Jonah: the multitude, A. V., the spoils. Asyndeton; comp. כרע שכב נפל He bowed, he fell, he lay down (Judg. 5:27). The past is used here because the action was already completed in the time of Sennacherib.”

“Trust ye, etc. Therefore fathers will say to their children, Trust in the Lord, etc. ביה In the Lord. ב is a preposition, and has its usual meaning., גיה ,ביה ,איה, and so on. In his commentary on the book of Psalms (68:5), I. E. rejects this opinion, but without giving the explanation which is promised here., גיה ,ביה ,איה, and so on. In his commentary on the book of Psalms (68:5), I. E. rejects this opinion, but without giving the explanation which is promised here., גיה ,ביה ,איה, and so on. In his commentary on the book of Psalms (68:5), I. E. rejects this opinion, but without giving the explanation which is promised here. צור עולמים Everlasting strength. ביה In some books all the letters of the Alphabet are combined with this word (יה), which consists of one-half the number of letters composing the full name of God, in order to form new names for the Divine Being. In the book of Psalms (68:5) I shall explain this.”

“נפשי My soul, that is, the thought of my soul, was בלילה אויתיך I have desired Thee in the night; Yea the thought of my spirit within me, was אשחרך I will seek Thee early. Man has נפש soul and רוח spirit, as I explained in Koheleth. When Thy judgments are, etc. When Thy judgments appear on the earth the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. תבל World. The inhabited part of the earth.”

“יחן Let favour be shewn. A verb ע״ע; it is a form like יוסב is turned (28:27).—God is merciful to the wicked, but they will not learn righteousness; He has patience with them for a long time, they might perhaps improve. In the land of uprightness. In the place where the people are upright, they (the wicked) will do wrong. נבחות Straightforwardness. It is related to נכח before (Ex. 26:35); comp. נכחים right (2 Sam. 15:3). And will not behold, etc. He does not wish to consider the greatness of God.”

“רמה ידך בל יחזיון When Thy hand is lifted up they will not see. יחזו ויבשו קנאת עם But they shall see and be ashamed for their envy at the people; let them show their envy of Thy people, and be ashamed, אף אש צריך תאכלם And let the fire devour Thine enemies. Some explain the former phrase thus: Let them see Thy punishment inflicted upon all of them. According to this explanation, the phrase has the same meaning as the words אף אש צריך תאכלם yea, even the fire, which shall devour thine enemies.”

“Other lords, besides Thee, have had dominion, etc. For we worshipped Thee even when others became our masters. בעלונו Had dominion over us, were our masters (בעלים); comp. לבעליו unto the owner of them (Ex. 21:34). But by Thee only we make mention of Thy name. Nevertheless we praised Thy name. לבד בך But by Thee. Thou hast helped us, therefore we were able to praise Thee.”

“In trouble. In their trouble. צקון They poured out. The נ is paragogic, as in ידעון they knew (Deut. 8:3); the word is besides irregular; the regular form is יצקו; the first radical is dropped in צקון; comp. ירד═רד he went down (Judg. 19:11). As to the phrase they poured out a prayer, comp. he will pour out his prayer (Ps. 102:1). מוסרך למו Thy chastening upon them. They mention in their prayer the punishment which thou hast inflicted upon them.”

“We have conceived, we have been in pain with, as we have brought forth, wind. We have conceived, and we have been in pain with wind, and so we have also brought forth wind. We had no strength to deliver ourselves; this is the meaning of the following ישועות בל נעשה we have not wrought any deliverance. We were not able to bring any deliverance. ארץ In the earth. Supply ב; comp. בששת═ששת (Ex. 20:11). ובל יפלו Some say, that א is omitted, as in ויפלו (Neh. 6:16); but the latter has its usual meaning (and they fell), as will be explained by me. I explain בל יפלו we could not help their falling.”

“Thy dead men shall live. Only Thy dead men shall live; God is addressed. Generally, it is believed, that this phrase contains some reference to the resurrection of the dead. Some explain it as a contrast to They are dead, they will not live, (ver. 14), they, that is, our masters, are dead, but we, who were considered as dead, are living. My dead body. The first person refers to the prophet, who is one of the Israelites, that are considered as dead. Let Thy dead men live, and let the dead of my people rise, as if they heard the cry: Awake, etc. טל אורות A dew of light. A dew acccompanied by light. Thy dew. God is addressed in these words. According to others, אורות means herbs; comp. 2 Kings 4:39; it signifies a kind of herb, which turns toward the sun and moon. וְהָאָרֶץ ═ וָאָרֶץ. And the earth Shall cast out the dead, out of itself. תפיל Shall cast out, shall bear; comp. כנפל אשח As the untimely birth of a woman (Psalm 58:9). Others explain, Thou alone hast given life to Thy dead; for it is the nature of the earth to throw the dead into its midst.”

“Come, my people, etc. R. Moses Hakkohen explains this verse to mean that the people shall shut themselves in Jerusalem, because of Sennacherib. חבי Some explain this word as a regular form of a verb (חבה) ל״ה; the feminine form חבי is used, because עם is sometimes feminine; comp. וחטאת עמך And thy people sinneth (Ex. 5:16). R. Jehudah, the Grammarian, says, חבה. that חבי is a noun like שבי captivity. The first explanation is the right one.”

“ביום ההוא In those days. The Lord shall visit. As mentioned in the preceding verse. Leviathan. The Theli ; (תלי) it has the epithet בריח stretching, because it stretches from one end to the other. [I think it is a sea monster]. Even Leviathan, that crooked serpent. This is likewise an animal that lives in the sea; it is like a serpent, for there are also serpent-like animals in the sea. עקלתון Crooked. It is an adjective. And the dragon that is in the sea. That is, The great dragon in the sea. (Ez. 29:3). Some are of opinion that the Leviathan, the stretching serpent, and the Leviathan, the crooked serpent, are both land animals, and are used figuratively for the kings of the land; while the dragon that is in the sea, is used for the king of Egypt (Comp. Ez. 29:3), or as others believe, for the king of Tyre. R. Moses Hakkohen thinks, that this verse refers to the élite of soldiers, princes, and nobles.”

“I, the Lord, do keep it, that is to say, the Divine glory remains in Zion. I will water it every moment. The prophecy will not cease. פן יפקד. R. Jonah, the Grammarian, says, that לא ═ פן, and פן יפקד עליה ;אפקד ═ יפקד means accordingly, I will not punish her (though I shall punish all other nations). Comp. פן תפלס Do not ponder. R. Isaak ben Saul compares יפקד with נפקד there lacketh (Num. 31:49), and joins this with the preceding phrase in this way, I will water it every moment, lest its leaves drop. עליה Its leaves. Each of its leaves. Comp. 1:30. R. Moses Hakkohen explains it thus, I shall guard it day and night, lest the enemy hurt it. I think that this explanation is the right one.”

“Fury is not in me, etc. Some say that this verse is the continuation of the words of the Lord. Fury is not in me, that is, great fury is not in me. Who would set, etc. Anthropomorphism. Supply ב before שמיר brier, comp. בששח═ששח in six, (Ex. 20:11). The meaning of the sentence is, Who would set me against the brier and thorn of the vineyard, that is, against the wicked people; and in the day of my war against the vineyard, אפשעה בה I would go through it;—comp. כפשע but a step (1 Sam. 20:3)— אציתנה I would burn it;—comp. הציתו they have burnt (2 Sam. 14:35)”

“Or let him take hold, etc. Or let the Israelites take hold of my strength, then I shall not have war with them—comp. the Lord hath been like an enemy (Lam. 2:5)— nor with other nations, for the sake of Israel; this double peace is indicated by the repetition of the words he will make peace unto me. R. Moses Hakkohen explains these two verses in the following way: Fury is not in me, what I am going to say, I shall not say with fury. מי יתנני וגו׳ Who would give me—comp. נתתני thou hast given me (Judges 1:15)—the briers and thorns of the vineyard! I would go through them, etc.; that is, if they do not remove the wicked men of Israel, I will slay them all; or let him take hold of my strength, etc., then Jacob shall take root.— I think that God is not represented as speaking in these two verses, as is the case in many passages of this book—we need only refer to the preceding chapter, verses 18 and 19—but the men of Judah, after having heard God’s promise, I the Lord will keep it, lest he visit it, are introduced, saying, We do not declare with fury, that if the enemy should come to turn the vineyard into a place of briers and thorns, we should kill ourselves. Comp. And Ezekiel shall be, instead of And I shall be (Ez. 25:24), And Samuel, instead of And myself (1 Sam. 12:11); As he hath done, instead of As I have done (Lev. 8:34); במלחמה in war, is to be joined with מי יתנני who would turn me in this way: If one should come to turn me by war into a place of briers and thorns, etc. או יחזק Or if He would strengthen my stronghold, etc., to give me the strengthening promise that He will be in peace with me, and so should the enemy be, then Jacob would take root, etc. I am compelled to explain in this way by the phrase, He will make peace unto me, because it is God alone that maketh peace.”

“Hath he smitten him, etc. This prophecy refers to the fall of Samaria, to which alone the expression אשרים groves can be applied. Those that smote him. The Assyrians. Of them that are slain by him. Of the Canaanites that were slain when the Israelites conquered their country. God did not smite the Israelites in the same way as he smote the Canaanites.”

“בסאסאה. In measure. According to most commentators בסאסאה is a reduplication of סאה measure, like ירקרק green (Lev. 13:49); מטלטלך Will carry thee away (22:17). Thou wilt debate with it, with Samaria; comp. the defenced city (ver. 10). בשלחה According to some: with its sword. The meaning of the sentence accordingly is: Samaria destroyed itself with its own instruments of war. Comp. השלח the sword (Joel 2:8). More correctly, however, it may be compared with שלחיך thy plants (Song 4:13), especially because of the words: on the day of the east wind. Samaria was punished with her own measure, she had quarrelled even with the people of her own villages,—which may be considered as her plants (שלחה)—therefore. הגה the Lord removed her; comp. הוגה he was removed (2 Sam. 20:13); ה replaces the radical י; as in ידה═הדה he stretched forth (11:8). קדים East wind.”

“By this, therefore, shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, etc. That is, no evil shall befall him—for the iniquity of Jacob (עון יעקב) is the source of all his evils—and the decree shall be rescinded, if they abolish idolatry. הסר To take away. Infinitive. The altar of Baal. גיר Chalk. מנפצות Beaten in sunder. Comp. תנפצם Thou shalt break them (Ps. 2:9). לא יקמו Shall not stand. Shall not remain.”

“קצירה The bough thereof. Comp. בקצירי In my branch (Job. 29:19). They shall be broken off. The pronoun they refers to פארות the smaller branches, while קציר signifies the large branch. מאירות Some explain: Collect; comp. אריתי I have gathered (Song 5:1). Even the women that have no strength will break and gather them. Others: Set on fire. The branches will be used as fuel. This is the right explanation. Comp. תאירו ye kindle fire (Mal. 1:10)”

“The drunkards of Ephraim. The princes indulged in wine. צבי Beauty. Comp. 4:2. Crown. The royal crown, the king. ראש The best. Comp. ראשי בשמים the chief spices (Song 4:14). ניא שמנים Valley of oil. There was so much of it, that it was like a valley full of oil. Comp. בגיא in the valley (Deut. 3:29). Others compare נֵּיא with נֵּא proud (16:6), and say that the radical ה is omitted. הלומי Overcome. Comp. הלמוני they have smitten me (Prov. 23:35)”

“חזק Mighty. Attribute to יום day, or חיל host, which is to be supplied. שער קטב. The כ in כזרם refers also to שער: As a destroying wind. קטב Destruction. Comp. קטבך thy destruction (Hos. 13:14). הניח לארץ He cast down to the earth. God sent those storms and caused them to visit the earth. ביד With the hand. With His mighty hand.”

“They also, etc. There are also some of the men of Judah that have erred through wine, etc. The priest, whose duty it is to teach; the prophets, whose duty it is to exhort the people. בראה In the words of the prophet, who rebukes the people; בדברי הראה ═ בראה. פקו פליליה, they pervert judgment; by the subject they the judges are meant, and the verb פקו has a transitive meaning; or the words of the judgment are unstable, דברי the words of being supplied. I prefer this latter explanation; for פקו is intr.; comp. ופיק ברכים, and the tottering of the knees. (Nahum 2:11.”

“Whom shall he teach knowledge, etc. When the prophet is about to reprove them, no one understands him; for because of the wine they have not their reason; they are like little children. שמועה Doctrine. A noun. גמולי Those that are weaned. This form can be both the absolute state of the noun as well as the construct; comp. השכוני באהלים they that dwell in tents (Judg. viii., 11). Note 2. עתיקי Drawn. An adjective of the same root as ויעתק and he removed (Gen. xii., 8)”

“For precept must be upon precept, etc. One must speak to them in the same way as the father speaks to his little child, that does not yet know much. צו לצו Precept after precept, or precept joined to precept. קו לקו Line after line. This is just the way how writing is taught. Here a little and there a little. Little by little, gradually.”

“בלעני שפה With laughing lips. Comp. לענ derision (Ps. lxxix., 4). The teacher speaks to the child in a laughing and mocking way. And with another tongue. The teacher usually tries to substitute letters which are easy to pronounce for the more difficult ones; in the same manner the prophet must speak, when he rebukes this people.”

“He said. The prophet said. This is the rest, etc. Jerusalem is the place of your rest; there procure rest for the weary; he shall not take refuge in Assyria or Egypt. המרנעה The refreshing. Comp. מרגוע rest (Job 6:16); both words are substantives. According to the grammarian of Jerusalem מרגעה is a participle. אבו ═ אבוא They would. Comp. ההלכו ═ ההלכוא who went (Jos. 10:24)”

“We have made a covenant with death. We shall not die now. חזה An agreement. R. Moses Hakkohen says that חזות (ver. 18) signifies a kind of prophecy; but how can he apply this explanation to the phrase ?עשינו חזה I think that חזה means prophet, and explain עשינו חזה to be the same as עשינו ברית חזה We have made a prophet’s covenant, a covenant like that made by divine inspiration. שוט שוטף An overflowing scourge, that is, famine; or better, the scourge of an overflowing stream; שוט נחל שוטף ═שוט שוטף. כי Although. Comp. Ps. 41:5”

“הנני יִסַּד I will lay the foundation. יסד is an adjective, derived from a Piel like אִבַּד he hath destroyed (Lam. 2:9). Comp. ושבח אני and I praise (Koh. 4:2); which is likewise transitive. בחן Tower. Comp. ובוחן and towers (32:14). Zion will be protected against the King of Assyria. מוסד מוסד A sure foundation. The first מוסד is a noun, meaning foundation; it is a genitive, governed by the preceding noun יקרת the value of; the second is a participle Hophal, like מוסב; the ס has therefore a Dagesh, as a substitute for the omitted silent letter (ו). Shall not make haste. For this prophecy refers to a very remote future.”

“To the line, to the plummet. The figure, taken from the line and plummet of the builders, is used because of the words I will lay the foundation. Some are of opinion that Hezekiah is meant by the tried stone. ויעה ברד And the hail shall sweep away. Comp. היעים the shovels. ברד the hail is the subject to יעה, which is a transitive verb; by hail the King of Assyria is here meant. וסתר מים ישטפו. Repeat כזב falsehood after וסתר; And the waters shall overflow the hiding-place of falsehood; or supply אלה these: And the waters will overflow the unstable hiding-place.”

“That it goeth forth. That the overflowing river goeth forth. זועה Vexation. It is not the same as זעוה (Deut. 28:25), with transposition of letters, as many think; but it is derived from זוע to tremble, to move; comp. ולא זע and he moved not (Est. 5:9); the ו in the middle is analogous to the ו of מָוֶת death. The meaning of the whole phrase is: Whoever hears of you, of what has befallen you, will be afraid.”

“המצע The mattress, which is underneath in the bed. מהשתרע than that a man can stretch himself on it. Comp. שרוע superfluous too long (Lev. 22:23). המכסה═המסכה The covering. בהתכנס It is Infinitive of כנס to assemble; comp. כנוס gather together (Est. 4:16); and means When many gather together under it. The figure refers to the people and its rulers.”

“As in mount Perazim, known by the wars of David (2 Sam. 5:20); the place was called בעל פרצים place of breaches, because the Philistines were suddenly defeated there in a miraculous way. As in the valley of Gibeon (Jos. 10:12), where sun and moon stood still. That He may do His work, His strange work. In the same way God will make a strange war against Israel, such as was never heard of before. And bring to pass His act, His strange act. A mere repetition of the preceding idea, not an exceptional instance.”

“שוה He hath made plain. Derived from שוה equal; comp. נשתוה alike (Prov. 27:15). קצח A kind of cummin, but smaller and black. שורה According to some, good; according to others, with measure; comp. במשורה with the measure (Lev. 19:35), and this is right. ושערה And barley. It is well known. נסמן Marked. Comp. סימן sign. נבלתו In its place. Comp. מגבלות measured (Ex. 28:14)”

“Bread corn is bruised. It is customary for bread corn to be bruised. אדוש To thresh. The א is prosthetic, as in אזרועך thine arm (Jer. 32:21). והמם And he turneth, etc. And when he turns the wheel of his cart to till the field, his horsemen will then not break it (the corn), for God has appointed every thing for its proper season; therefore the prophet continues This also cometh from the Lord, namely, that he shall not bruise it always.”

“הפליא עצה Who is wonderful in counsel. תושיה הגדיל Who is great in wisdom. R. Moses Hakkohen derives הושיה from יש substance.—The nature of the earth and the seeds is better than the character of man, who hears the words of the prophet without any profit The reverse is expressed by a similar figure: Let my doctrine drop like rain, as I explained (Deut. 32:2)”

“Ariel. Jerusalem. According to some, Ariel is the name of Jerusalem, on account of the altar therein, which is called הראל and also אריאל Harel and Ariel (Ez. 43:15, 16); for the letters אׄ הׄ וׄ יׄ interchange; according to others, on account of her planet being the lion; but this is absurd. קרית The city; it is in the construct state; supply אמת of truth, or some similar word: the city of truth, where David hath dwelt; or the city, where David dwelt, since the whole sentence, with the past tense of a verb, can in this case be considered as a noun in the genitive governed by a preceding substantive; comp. בראשית ברא in the beginning, when God created, etc. (Gen. 1:1); תחלת דבר וגו׳ the beginning of the Lord’s speaking to Hosea (Hos. 1:1). ספו Add. Comp. לספת to add (Num. 32:14). חגים Sacrifices. ינקפו Will cease. It is a neuter verb. It can also be rendered: they shall kill, ינקפו being explained to be a transitive verb with the omission of the subject (הנקפים the men that kill); comp. ויאמר ליוסף and one said to Joseph (Gen. 48:1)”

“To Ariel. To Jerusalem. תאניה ואניה Heaviness and sorrow. Comp. ואנו and they shall mourn (19:8). According to others, A waste place, the two words being derived from אנה where; the meaning of the phrase is, that only her place will be left. והיתה לי כאריאל And it shall be unto me as Ariel, as the altar which is desolate of sacrifices, or like an altar, because the inhabitants will be slaughtered.”

“הנני יוסיף Behold I will proceed, comp. ונשאר אני and I am left (Ez. 9:8); אמלל אני I am withering (Ps. 6:3); אמלל is the third person past, because of the Pathah under ל. Some explain יוסיף to be a participle like תומיך supporting (Ps. 16:5). להפליא את העם הזח הפלא ופלא To be very embarrassing to this people, that they shall not understand, that the wisdom of the wise shall be lost, etc. Others explain this phrase thus: To do a marvellous work among this people; comp. עשה פלא who performs wonders (Ex. 15:11). I explain it in the following way: To do to this people a wonderful thing like this.”

“מחטיאי אדם בדבר That make a man an offender for a word, that watch the words of man, and accuse him, in order to see him punished; or that cause others to sin by their words. יקושון They lay a snare. Comp. מוקש snare (Deut. 7:16). R. Moses Hakkohen explains יקושון they rebuke, comparing it with התקששו וקשו be rebuked and rebuke (Zeph. 2:1), and says that the ש ought to have a Dagesh.”

“For when he seeth his children, etc. For when he sees his children, and the good which I shall do to the pious, they—he and his children—shall sanctify my name. יעריצו They will cause others to fear the God of Israel, or they shall be afraid, intransitive. Having mentioned Jacob, the prophet says metaphorically, they will sanctify, etc. that is to say, if Jacob were alive and saw his pious children, and the wonders which God performed for their sake, he would join his children in sanctifying His name; for He was the holy one of Jacob.”

“That walk to go down, etc. This verse explains the preceding. במעוז In the strength of. מ retains its vowel, although the word is in the construct state, because of the second and third letter of the root being the same. מָעוֹז strength, root מָקוֹם :עזז place, root קום; in the construct state, however, they differ; the former retains the Kamez under מ, the latter changes it into Sheva.”

“The burden of the beasts of the south. This refers to those that went down to Egypt. South. Egypt, which is in the south of Palestine. The prophet says that, on their way, those messengers would meet wild beasts, as bears, tigers, etc.; this is expressed in the words a lion, a leopard, amongst them an asp, etc. בארץ צרה In a narrow land, whence they will not be able to escape. They will carry, etc. Those messengers will carry their property on the back of the mules, in order to bring it to Egypt into safety. חיליהם Their property. Comp. החיל the property (Deut. 8:17). דבשת Bunches. Hap. leg.—The beasts of the south will do them much damage.”

“Therefore, because you trust in the money, which you send to the King of Assyria, that he shall not come. This iniquity shall be to you, etc., that is, it will destroy you. כפרץ מגדל נופל ═ נופל כפרץ As a breach of a falling tower. דבר נבעה ═ נבעה A swelling thing. Of the same root is אבעבועות blains (Exod. 9:9). נבעה can also be joined with פרץ: a swelling breach. לפתע פתאם Suddenly at an instant. The two words have nearly the same meaning; comp. אדמת עפר the dust of the earth (Dan. 12:12). קדש הקדשים the most holy; so also לפתע פתאם most suddenly.”

“נבל Vessel. He shall not spare, to break it. לחתות אש To take fire. Comp. יחתה אש he takes fire (Prov. 6:27). גחלים אתה חותה thou shalt heap coals of fire (ib. 25:22). במכתתו In the bursting of it. Derived from כתת, a verb ע׳ע. ולחשוף מים And to take water. Lit., to reveal the water, which is hidden. Comp. מחשוף to make appear (Gen. 30:37); חשף he made bare, (52:10). גבא Pit. Comp. וגבאיו and its pits. (Ez. 42:11), and גבא, the Chaldæan translation of בור (14:15). This prophecy refers to those that went down to Egypt for assistance.”

“ננוס. According to the grammarian R. Jonah: we shall lift ourselves up; he compares it with נֵס banner (that is lifted up), and gives thus to ננוס a meaning similar to that of נרכב we will ride, as required by the parallelism. Others taking ננוס in its usual sense, we shall flee, explain the passage thus: You fled without cause, you will therefore be compelled to flee by your pursuers. קל The swift. An epithet of the horse, as is כר swift of the camel.”

“אלף Thousand. It is in the constr. st. אלף אחד The thousand men of one of you; אחד signifies the officer. The meaning of the whole phrase is: An officer over a thousand men will flee at the threatening of one man. Shall ye flee, shall all of you flee. Till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, etc., till a few out of many will be left. I think that the words as an ensign on a hill refer to those who remained in Jerusalem and did not go down to Egypt.”

“Will the Lord wait. An anthropomorphism. לחננכם That He may be gracious unto you. A verb ע״ע like לחמם to warm (47:14); it is the Kal like לשכב to lie (Gen. 34:7); all these forms, however, are irregular. And therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you, for the Lord is a God of judgment, He will do judgment on Assyria for your sake.”

“And thine ears, etc. Thou wilt see thy teachers before thee, and hear the words of thy prophets and instructers, that call after thee from behind. Some explain the words thine eyes shall see and thine ears shall hear to express figuratively the seeing and understanding of the heart. תאמינו ═ חימינו; א is substituted for י as is frequently done. When you turn to the right hand, etc.: When you are about to depart from the right way, either to the right or to the left, you will hear distinctly the words of them that show the right way.”

“The oxen and young asses that ear the ground, that are employed in ploughing the fields. אלפים Oxen. Comp. אלפיך thine oxen (Deut. 7:13). בליל Provender. Comp. Job 6:5. חמיץ═חמץ Leaven. אשד זרה Which he winnows. Supply אתי it. ברחת With the shovel. Derived from רוח wind. It is an instrument used for the same purpose as מזרה the fan.”

“יבלי Rivers. Comp. יובל river (Jer. 17:8). And there shall be upon every high mountain, etc. The rain will come in such quantity, that the water will remain upon the mountains. In the day of great slaughter, etc. When people will die through the fall of towers. It is a kind of consolation to learn, that when ten die, myriads are kept alive: for although the wall might fall upon the widow through the rain, the Lord will not keep it back from coming down and giving life to many; the rain has no knowledge that it should come down upon one place and not at the same time upon the neighbouring ones.”