For a man shall take hold or his brother, one of the house of his father, saying: Thou hast a garment, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand.

“When a man shall seize his brother When a man shall seize his brother in his father’s house, saying, “You are wealthy in Torah, and it is as white to you as a garment.” be an officer to us and teach us. and this obstacle upon which we are stumbling, in prohibition or permissibility, in defilement or in purity, shall be under your hand, for you know how to instruct us. Another explanation is: You have a garment to clothe the naked. and this obstacle fajjlejjnca in O.F. [faibless in modern French]. My want, that I lack bread, is under your hand to supply me. Therefore, you shall be to us as an officer. He replies, In my house there is neither bread nor clothing. What then are my qualifications as an officer?”

“"Behold, for the ruler." Here begins the second part, in which he accuses their sin as regards the oppression of their neighbors; and it is divided into two parts. In the first is set down the refutation of those who oppress; in the second, the consolation of the oppressed, chapter 4: "and they shall take hold." And because violent dominion is not only a fault of man, but also a punishment from God judging the sins of the people, as is said in Job 34: "who makes a hypocrite reign because of the sins of the people": therefore the first part is divided into two parts. For in the first, it is foretold insofar as it is a punishment inflicted by God; in the second, it is accused insofar as it is a fault committed by man, at the place, "my people." The first is divided into two. In the first he threatens the subversion of government; in the second he assigns the reason for what has been said, at the place, "for it is ruined." The first into three. In the first, those fit for the office of government are taken away; in the second, the unworthy are set in charge, at the place, "and I will give boys"; in the third, those called are refused, at the place, "a man shall take hold." The first into two. In the first he takes away one fit for the office of governing; in the second, one useful for the aid of the ruler, at the place, "and the counselor." The first into three, according to the three things required for the fitness of prelates. For first he takes away one fit as regards power; in the second as regards sagacity, at the place, "the judge"; in the third as regards authority, at the place, "the old man." Power is required in a leader or king for waging the wars of the people, and for restraining lawless acts: Ecclesiasticus 9: "do not seek to become a judge, unless you have the strength to break through iniquities": and this consists in three things, according to which the first part is divided into three parts; namely, in strength of body, which consists in three things: namely, in vigor of constitution; and as to this he says: therefore I warn that you be still; for, that is, because, behold, it is at hand, he will take away the strong, that is, one well in the health of his constitution. In the robustness of limbs; and thus he says, strong, because strength consists in bones and sinews, as the Philosopher says. Again, in abundance of food; and thus he says, all the strength of bread, in which all food and drink is signified. Ecclesiasticus 29: "the beginning of the life of man is water and bread and clothing." Second, the power spoken of consists in constancy of heart; and thus he says, strong, according as it comes from fortitude, which is a virtue of the soul. Third, it consists in the exercise of the art of war, and thus he says, a man of war. But wisdom is required for exercising judgments; on account of which Solomon asked wisdom from God. 3 Kings 3: "you will give your servant a teachable heart (...) that he may discern between good and evil." And this is had in three ways. Either by human instruction; and as to this he says, judge, as it were one skilled in law: or by divine inspiration; and as to this he says, prophet: or by the revelation of a demon; and as to this he says, soothsayer, because at the altars of demons they divined, and sometimes spoke the truth. Authority is necessary for reverence; and this consists in three things. In the dignity of office; and as to this he says, prince, etc.; and by these he understands all the other princes, as the Gloss says: in the honesty of morals; the old man, in morals. In the maturity of countenance; honorable in countenance. But some are useful to princes for the governing of the people, or for dispatching doubtful matters; and as to this he says, counselor: or for making buildings; the wise man of the architects, from archos, which is chief, and techne, which is art, and especially of the mechanical arts. An architect is called the principal craftsman, who commands the craftsmen to introduce the form, and to prepare the matter, according to the consideration of the end, the knowledge of which he holds in use or in reason. But wisdom, according to the Philosopher, is spoken of in two ways; namely, universal and particular. Defining the particular, he says it is a virtue by which a man is set at the furthest point of any art whatsoever, as of medicine: and a physician is called wise who is most certain in the things belonging to medicine; and likewise a wise craftsman; and so of the others. And it is taken in this way here. Universal wisdom is that which is the furthest point in all arts and sciences; and this is that by which a man is set in the knowledge of the most noble things, namely of separate substances, or spiritual ones. And this, according to the Philosopher, is metaphysics, and according to us, theology. Third, someone is necessary for instructing in divine things: and as to this he says: and prudent in mystical speech, from mystim, which is secret, that is, of divine words which are secret. And concerning all these it is had in 4 Kings, the penultimate chapter, that they were carried away by Nebuchadnezzar into Babylon. He also carried Joachim away into Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and the eunuchs, and led the judges of the land into captivity. "And I will give boys." Here is shown the subversion of government as regards the fact that the unworthy are put in charge. And it is divided into two. In the first is set down the prelacy of the unworthy; in the second, the consequent disturbance of the people, at the place, "and the people shall fall"; and they are unworthy as regards a lack of wisdom and of age; and thus he says: I will give boys: and as regards a lack of virtue; and thus he says: and effeminate ones, that is, wanton and feeble. Hosea 13: "I will give you kings in my fury." But a threefold effect of this government in the disturbance of the people is touched upon. First, a universal dissension: whence he says: the people shall fall, from the unity of peace, through which it is a people, man to man, that is, against. Proverbs 11: "where there is no governor, the people shall fall." Zechariah 10: "they were led away like a flock: they shall be afflicted, because they have no shepherd." Second, the dissolution of friendship: each one to his neighbor, that is, against his neighbor. Jeremiah 10: "every brother, supplanting, will be supplanted, and every friend will walk deceitfully." Third, confusion of order: the child shall behave insolently against the old man. Lamentations 4: "they did not blush at the faces of the priests, nor did they have pity on the old." "He shall take hold." Here he shows the subversion of government as regards the fact that those invited refuse (the office), as something ruinous. And it is divided into two parts. In the first is set down the invitation of those choosing; in the second, the refusal of the one elected, at the place, "and he shall answer." Concerning the first, three things are set down: namely, the election itself, the occasion of the election, the imposition of the office. The election is disordered, because it is by one only; whence he says: thence there shall be tumult, for: that is, because they will not choose in common; but a man shall take hold of his brother, one joined by blood, of the household of his father, accepted by familiarity, however lowly he may even be. Micah 3: "who builds Zion in blood, and Jerusalem in iniquity." And this is against the form observed in Numbers 17, in the election of princes made by the command of the Lord, by the authority of the prelate, and the consent of the multitude. But the occasion is base, because it is on account of riches: whence he says: you have a garment: for he hopes for temporal assistance; and this is against the form handed down in Exodus 18: "provide out of all the people able men, and fearing God, in whom there is truth, and who hate avarice; and appoint from among them rulers of thousands and of hundreds," etc., "who may judge the people at all times." But the imposition is dangerous: whence he says: be a prince over us; but this ruin, that is, danger, is under your hand, that is, under your custody and your defense. 3 Kings 20: "keep this man, who if he shall have escaped, your life shall be for his life." "He shall answer." Here is set down the refusal of the one elected: and first is shown a reasonable excuse; second, the refutation of the office is concluded, at the place, "do not." In the excuse he puts forward three things; namely, his inability to repel harmful things: I am not a physician, namely such that I could heal your miseries. Jeremiah 8: "is there no balm in Gilead, or is there no physician there?" To supply a lack: and in my house there is no bread, by which I might supply the lack of your hunger. Lamentations 4: "the little ones asked for bread, and there was none to break it for them." To foster or preserve what is necessary; nor a garment, by which warmth is preserved. Proverbs, the last chapter: "she shall not fear for her household from the colds of snow. For all her household are clothed with double garments." "Do not appoint me prince of the people." Here the refutation of the office is concluded, where a threefold reason is set down, namely, the hindrance of devout contemplation, Judges 9: "can I forsake my fatness, which gods and men make use of?" Of sweet affection: below: "can I forsake my sweetness?" Of spiritual exultation: "can I forsake my wine, which cheers God and men, and be promoted among the other trees?"”

“When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father,.... One of the same country, kindred, and family; for only one of their brethren, and not a stranger, might rule over them, Deu 17:15 this taking hold of him may design not so much a literal taking hold of his person, his hand or garment, much less using any forcible measures with him; though indeed the Jews would have took Christ by force, who was one of their brethren, and would have made him a temporal king, which he refused, as this man did here spoken of, Joh 6:15 but rather an importunate desire and entreaty, urging him, as follows, saying, thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler; that is, he had good and rich clothing, fit for a ruler or civil magistrate to appear in, which everyone had not, and some scarce any in those troublesome times: and let this ruin be under thy hand; that is, let thy care, concern, and business, be to raise up the almost ruined state of the city and nation; and let thy hand be under it, to support and maintain it. The Targum is, "and this power shall be under thy hand;'' thou shalt have power and government over the nation, and the honour and greatness which belong unto it, and all shall be subject unto thee. The Septuagint renders it, "let my meat be under thee", or "from thee", as the Arabic version.”

“Such will be the want of men of wealth and ability, that they will "take hold of" (Isa 4:1) the first man whom they meet, having any property, to make him "ruler." brother--one having no better hereditary claim to be ruler than the "man" supplicating him. Thou hast clothing--which none of us has. Changes of raiment are wealth in the East (Kg2 5:5). ruin--Let our ruined affairs be committed to thee to retrieve.”

“At length there would be no authorities left; even the desire to rule would die out: for despotism is sure to be followed by mob-rule, and mob-rule by anarchy in the most literal sense. The distress would become so great, that whoever had a coat (cloak), so as to be able to clothe himself at all decently, would be asked to undertake the government. "When a man shall take hold of his brother in his father's house, Thou hast a coat, thou shalt be our ruler, and take this ruin under thy hand; he will cry out in that day, I do not want to be a surgeon; there is neither bread nor coat in my house: ye cannot make me the ruler of the people." "his father's house" - this is not an unmeaning trait in the picture of misery. The population would have become so thin and dispirited through hunger, that with a little energy it would be possible to decide within the narrow circle of a family who should be ruler, and to give effect to the decision. "In his father's house:" Beth âbiv is an acc. loci. The father's house is the place where brother meets with brother; and one breaks out with the urgent petition contained in the words, which follow without the introductory "saying" (cf., Isa 14:8, Isa 14:16, and Isa 22:16; Isa 33:14). לכה for לך with He otians, a form rarely met with (vid., Gen 27:37). תּהיה, which would be written תּהי before the predicate, is jussive in meaning, though not in form. "This ruin:" macshelah is used in Zep 1:3 for that which occasions a person's fall; here it signifies what has been overthrown; and as Câshal itself, which means not only to stumble, strip, or slide, but also to fall in consequence of some force applied from without, is not used in connection with falling buildings, it must be introduced here with an allusion to the prosopopeia which follows in Isa 3:8. The man who was distinguished above all others, or at any rate above many others, by the fact that he could still dress himself decently (even if it were only in a blouse), should be made supreme ruler or dictator (cf., kâtzin, Jdg 11:6); and the state which lay so miserably in ruins should be under his hand, i.e., his direction, protection, and care (Kg2 8:20; Gen 41:35, cf., Isa 16:9, where the plural is used instead of the ordinary singular yâd.) The apodosis to the protasis introduced with Chi as a particle of time (when) commences in Isa 3:7. The answer given by the brother to the earnest petition is introduced with "he will raise (viz., his voice, Isa 24:14) in that day, saying." It is given in this circumstantial manner because it is a solemn protest. He does not want to be a Chobēsh, i.e., a binder, namely of the broken arms, and bones, and ribs of the ruined state (Isa 30:26; Isa 1:6; Isa 61:1). The expression ehyeh implies that he does not like it, because he is conscious of his inability. He has not confidence enough in himself, and the assumption that he has a coat is a false cone: he not only has no coat at home (we must remember that the conversation is supposed to take place in his father's house), but he has not any bread; so that it is utterly impossible for a naked, starving man like him to do what is suggested ("in my house," ubebethi with a Vav of causal connection: Ges. 155, 1, c).”