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Nach YomiIsaiah ยท ื™ืฉืขื™ื”ื•Chapter 13

Isaiah 13

ื™ืฉืขื™ื”ื• ืคืจืง ื™ืดื’

Section: ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ยท ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ืื—ืจื•ื ื™ื | Book: Isaiah | Chapter: 13 of 66 | Day: 160 of 742

Date: July 21, 2026

ืงืœืื•ื“ ืขืœ ื”ื ืดืš

With chapter 13 Sefer Yeshayahu turns outward. The first movement of the book (chapters 1-12) ended in a song; now begins the long cycle of massaโ€™ot โ€” the oracles concerning the nations โ€” that will run through chapter 23. The heading itself is a genre marker: โ€˜Massa Bavel, which Yeshayahu ben Amotz saw.โ€™ Rashi defines the term at once: a massa is a burden, a prophecy of retribution. Radak notes why the full formula โ€˜which Yeshayahu ben Amotz sawโ€™ appears here and not over the later oracles: this is the first of the series, announcing that the prophet of Yehudah and Yerushalayim also prophesied about the nations of the world. And the first nation is the startling one. In Yeshayahuโ€™s own day the empire was Assyria; Bavel was not yet the destroyer of Yerushalayim, and would not be for more than a century. The Torah reader should feel the audacity: before Bavel has even risen, its fall is already written. For the exiles who would one day sit by its rivers, this chapter was consolation stored in advance โ€” the destroyerโ€™s own destruction, sealed before the destruction it would inflict.

The oracle opens with a muster. A banner is raised on a bare hill, a voice cries out, a hand waves to those too far to hear โ€” and the summoned army enters โ€˜the gates of the nobles.โ€™ Who is summoned? Rashi identifies them immediately: โ€˜My consecrated onesโ€ฆ My mighty onesโ€™ (verse 3) are Persia and Media, the men of Koresh and Daryavesh, appointed by God for this task. The language is liturgical โ€” mekudashai, as though the invaders were sanctified and invited like guests to an offering โ€” and the theology is the same instrument-doctrine the book developed for Assyria in chapter 10: the armies of history are โ€˜the weapons of His wrathโ€™ (verse 5), mustered and counted by Hashem of Hosts Himself, as Radak explains, like a commander reviewing his troops before battle. What Assyria was to Yehudah, Madai will be to Bavel; no empire in this book ever wields itself.

Verses 6-13 unleash the vocabulary of the Yom Hashem, the day of the Lord โ€” near, cruel, a shattering โ€˜like destruction from Shaddaiโ€™ (keshod miShaddai, with its untranslatable wordplay). Hands go limp, hearts melt, pangs seize the besieged like a woman in labor, and the heavens themselves go dark: stars and constellations give no light, the sun is dark at its rising. Radak supplies the indispensable interpretive key: the prophets speak in figures, and one on whom calamity falls is described as sitting in darkness with no sun rising and no star shining โ€” the cosmic imagery is the prophetic idiom for total catastrophe, and Rashi similarly notes that in their distress it seems to the sufferers as though the sun has darkened. Rashi adds a bolder note on verse 13, โ€˜I will make heaven quakeโ€™: the Holy One does not punish a nation below until He has cast down its heavenly prince above โ€” which is why the heavens shake before the earth, and why the next chapter will open its taunt at โ€˜Heilel ben Shachar,โ€™ the fallen morning star. The moral center of the passage is verse 11: โ€˜I will visit upon the world its evil, and upon the wicked their iniquity; I will end the pride of the arrogant and humble the haughtiness of tyrants.โ€™ Radak reads โ€˜the worldโ€™ as Bavel and specifies the sin: the evil they did to Israel, beyond their commission โ€” โ€˜I was a little angry, and they helped for evil.โ€™

The description of the conquest (verses 14-18) is among the most unflinching in the Neviโ€™im, and the commentators sharpen rather than soften it. The foreign traders and auxiliaries in Bavel flee like a hunted gazelle, each to his own land (Radak). Whoever remains is run through; infants are dashed before their parentsโ€™ eyes; houses are plundered. And the instrument is chosen with terrifying precision: โ€˜Behold, I stir up against them Madai, who do not value silver and do not delight in gold.โ€™ Radak connects this to verse 12, โ€˜I will make man scarcer than fine goldโ€™: the two verses interlock โ€” no ransom will be accepted, because the conquerors cannot be bought. An enemy who wants your wealth can be negotiated with; an enemy who wants only vengeance cannot. Rashi anchors it in the book of Daniel: Daryavesh the Mede slew Belshazzar on that very night โ€” and, in his comment on verse 12, adds the midrashic grace-note that on that same night one man was honored above fine gold: Daniel, robed in purple for reading the writing on the wall. Radak records Targum Yonatanโ€™s reading of the same verse as a promise that Israel in Bavel would be more precious than gold to the conquerors, and spared.

The oracle closes with Sedom. โ€˜And Bavel, the beauty of kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans, shall be as when God overturned Sedom and Amorah.โ€™ Rashi and Radak both cite the tradition of Seder Olam: the blow fell in two stages in two years โ€” Daryavesh slew Belshazzar and reigned a year, and in the second year the city was overturned from heaven like Sedom. What follows is the great desolation catalogue (verses 20-22): never again inhabited, no Arab pitching a tent there, no shepherd resting a flock โ€” Rashi notes that even the tent-dwelling nomads, who move their herds anywhere, will find nothing there worth stopping for. Instead: tziyim of the desert, ochim (about which Rashi writes, with the honesty that is his signature, โ€˜I do not know what kind of animal they areโ€™), ostriches, howling iyim in the palaces โ€” and seโ€™irim dancing there, which Rashi and Radak identify as sheidim, demons, the final tenants of the beauty of kingdoms. The last line sets the clock ticking: โ€˜her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.โ€™ Rashi hears in it the seventy years promised through Yirmiyahu โ€” โ€˜when seventy years of Bavel are complete, I will remember youโ€™ โ€” the remembering that would come through Koresh of Persia. The massa of Bavel thus ends where Israelโ€™s hope begins; and the next chapter will hand the redeemed a song to sing over the fallen king himself.

ืคืจืง ื™ืดื’ ยท Chapter 13

ืคืกื•ืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1

Hebrew:

ืžึทืฉื‚ึผึธึ–ื ื‘ึผึธื‘ึถึ‘ืœ ืึฒืฉืึถึฃืจ ื—ึธื–ึธึ”ื” ื™ึฐืฉืึทึฝืขึฐื™ึธึ–ื”ื•ึผ ื‘ึผึถืŸึพืึธืžึฝื•ึนืฅืƒ

English:

The โ€œBabylonโ€ Pronouncement, a prophecy of Isaiah son of Amoz.

The heading of the new section: 'Massa Bavel' โ€” Rashi defines a massa as a burden, a prophecy of retribution. Radak explains why the full formula 'which Yeshayahu ben Amotz saw' appears here alone: this is the first of the oracles concerning the nations, announcing that the prophet of Yehudah also prophesied about the world powers โ€” beginning, audaciously, with Bavel long before its rise.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžืฉื ื‘ื‘ืœ. ืžืฉื ืคื•ืจืขื ื•ืช ืฉืขืœ ื‘ื‘ืœ:
The harsh prophecy of Babylon The prophecy of the retribution which [will fall] upon Babylon.

ืคืกื•ืง ื‘ืณ ยท Verse 2

Hebrew:

ืขึทึคืœ ื”ึทืจึพื ึดืฉืึฐืคึผึถื”ึ™ ืฉื‚ึฐึฝืื•ึผึพื ึตึ”ืก ื”ึธืจึดึฅื™ืžื•ึผ ืงึ–ื•ึนืœ ืœึธื”ึถึ‘ื ื”ึธื ึดึฃื™ืคื•ึผ ื™ึธึ”ื“ ื•ึฐื™ึธื‘ึนึ–ืื•ึผ ืคึผึดืชึฐื—ึตึฅื™ ื ึฐื“ึดื™ื‘ึดึฝื™ืืƒ

English:

โ€œRaise a standard upon a bare hill,Cry aloud to them;Wave a hand, and let them enterThe gates of the nobles!

The muster begins: a banner raised on a high, bare hill, a voice crying out, a hand waved to those too far to hear โ€” all so the summoned army may enter 'the gates of the nobles' of Bavel. Metzudat David identifies the summoned as the men of Paras and Madai; Radak explains the waving hand as the gesture one makes to a person beyond earshot, and notes Targum Yonatan's rendering of the hill as the tranquil city itself.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืขืœ ื”ืจ ื ืฉืคื” ืฉืื• ื ืก. ืœื”ืงื‘ืฅ ืขืœ ื”ืจ ืฉืงื˜ ื•ื‘ื•ื˜ื— ื‘ืฉื•ืคื™ ืฉืื• ื ืก ืœื’ื•ื™ื ื•ื”ืจื™ืžื• ืงื•ืœ ืœื ืงื‘ืฆื™ื ืฉื™ื‘ื•ืื• ืขืœื™ื•: ื”ื ื™ืคื•. ืœื”ื ื™ื“ ืœืจื—ื•ืงื™ื ืฉืื™ืŸ ื™ื›ื•ืœื™ื ืœืฉืžื•ืข ื•ื™ืจืื• ืื•ืช ื”ื ืคืช ื”ื™ื“ ื•ื™ื‘ื•ืื• ื‘ืคืชื—ื™ ื ื“ื™ื‘ื™' ืฉืœ ืฉืจื™ ื‘ื‘ืœ: ืคืชื—ื™. ื›ืžื• ื‘ืคืชื—ื™ ื•ืชืฉื‘ ื‘ื™ืช ืื‘ื™ื” (ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ืœื) ื”ื ืกืชืจ ื‘ื‘ื™ืช ืื‘ื™ื” ื•ืžื ื—ื ื‘ืŸ ืกืจื•ืง ืคืชืจ ื—ืจื‘ื•ืช ื›ืžื• ื•ื”ืžื” ืคืชื™ื—ื•ืช (ืชื”ืœื™ื ื ื”):
On a tranquil mountain raise a banner to gather. On a tranquil, trusting, undisturbed mountain, raise a banner to the nations and raise your voice to those gathering, that they come upon it. wave your hand Wave your hand to the distant ones who cannot hear, and let them see the waving of the hand and enter the gates of the nobles, of the princes of Babylon. the gates Heb. ืคึผึดืชึฐื—ึตื™. As though it would say, ื‘ึผึฐืคึดืชึฐื—ึตื™, into the gates. Comp. (Gen. 38:11) "Stay as a widow in your father's house (ื‘ึผึตื™ืช ืึธื‘ึดื™ืšึฐ)," interpreted as ื‘ึผึฐื‘ึตื™ืช ืึธื‘ึดื™ืšึฐ. Menachem ben Seruk (Machbereth Menachem p. 147) interpreted it as swords. Comp. (Psalms 55:22) "And they are drawn swords (ืคึผึฐืชึดื™ื—ื•ึนืช)."

ืคืกื•ืง ื’ืณ ยท Verse 3

Hebrew:

ืึฒื ึดึฅื™ ืฆึดื•ึผึตึ–ื™ืชึดื™ ืœึดืžึฐืงึปื“ึผึธืฉืึธึ‘ื™ ื’ึผึทึฃื ืงึธืจึธึคืืชึดื™ ื’ึดื‘ึผื•ึนืจึทื™ึ™ ืœึฐืึทืคึผึดึ”ื™ ืขึทืœึผึดื™ื–ึตึ–ื™ ื’ึผึทืึฒื•ึธืชึดึฝื™ืƒ

English:

I have summoned My purified guestsTo execute My wrath;Behold, I have called My stalwarts,My proudly exultant ones.โ€aThe impending slaughter is spoken of as a sacrificial meal, for which the guests were notified to purify themselves ritually; cf. Zeph. 1.7.

The summons decoded: 'I have commanded My consecrated ones, I have called My mighty ones for My anger.' Rashi identifies them โ€” Persia and Media, the men of Koresh and Daryavesh, appointed by God for this task. Radak explains the sacral language: God stirred their spirit as though He had consecrated and invited them, and they rejoice as the instruments of His triumph over Bavel.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืื ื™ ืฆื•ื™ืชื™ ืœืžืงื•ื“ืฉื™. ืฉื™ื‘ืื• ื•ื™ืชื—ื™ืœื• ืœื”ืชื’ืจื•ืช ื‘ื ื•ื”ื ืคืจืก ื•ืžื“ื™ ืื ืฉื™ ื›ื•ืจืฉ ื•ื“ืจื™ื•ืฉ ืฉื–ืžื ืชื™ื ืœื›ืš: ืงืจืืชื™ ื’ื‘ื•ืจื™ ืœืืคื™. ืœืขืฉื•ืช ื—ืจื•ืŸ ืืคื™ ื‘ื”ื ืฉื”ื ืขืœื™ื–ื™ ื’ืื•ืชื™ ืฉืื ื™ ืžืชืคืืจ ื‘ื”ื:
I commanded My appointed ones that they come and commence to incite them, and they are Persia and Media, the men of Cyrus and Darius, whom I appointed for this. I summoned My heroes to [execute] My wrath To execute My wrath upon them, for they rejoice in My pride that I boast of them.

ืคืกื•ืง ื“ืณ ยท Verse 4

Hebrew:

ืงึฅื•ึนืœ ื”ึธืžึ›ื•ึนืŸ ื‘ึผึถื”ึธืจึดึ–ื™ื ื“ึผึฐืžึฃื•ึผืช ืขึทืึพืจึธึ‘ื‘ ืงึ ื•ึนืœ ืฉืึฐืึžื•ึนืŸ ืžึทืžึฐืœึฐื›ึคื•ึนืช ื’ึผื•ึนื™ึดืึ™ ื ึถืึฑืกึธืคึดึ”ื™ื ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฃื” ืฆึฐื‘ึธืึ”ื•ึนืช ืžึฐืคึทืงึผึตึ–ื“ ืฆึฐื‘ึธึฅื ืžึดืœึฐื—ึธืžึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

Hark! a tumult on the mountainsโ€”As ofbAs of Meaning of Heb. uncertain. a mighty force;Hark! an uproar of kingdoms,Nations assembling! GOD of Hosts is musteringA host for war.

The prophet hears the army before he describes it: a tumult on the mountains like a great people, the roar of assembled kingdoms. Radak paints the scene โ€” the commander reviewing this host, counting its troops as a general does before battle, is Hashem of Hosts Himself. The invasion of Bavel is a mustered, numbered, commanded campaign.

ืคืกื•ืง ื”ืณ ยท Verse 5

Hebrew:

ื‘ึผึธืึดึ›ื™ื ืžึตืึถึฅืจึถืฅ ืžึถืจึฐื—ึธึ–ืง ืžึดืงึฐืฆึตึฃื” ื”ึทืฉืึผึธืžึธึ‘ื™ึดื ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ™ ื•ึผื›ึฐืœึตึฃื™ ื–ึทืขึฐืžึ”ื•ึน ืœึฐื—ึทื‘ึผึตึ–ืœ ื›ึผื‡ืœึพื”ึธืึธึฝืจึถืฅืƒย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

They come from a distant land,From the end of the skyโ€” GOD with the weapons of divine wrathโ€”To ravage all the earth!

The army comes 'from a far land, from the end of the heavens' โ€” Radak explains the phrase as hyperbole for the farthest east, where the earth seems to touch the sky. Rashi identifies 'the weapons of His wrath': the warriors of Madai and Paras, in God's hand, to destroy the whole land of Bavel. No empire in this book wields itself.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื›ืœื™ ื–ืขืžื•. ื”ื ื’ื‘ื•ืจื™ ืžื“ื™ ื•ืคืจืก: ืœื—ื‘ืœ ื›ืœ ื”ืืจืฅ. ืฉืœ ื‘ื‘ืœ:
and the weapons of His fury They are the mighty men of Media and Persia. to destroy all the land of Babylonia.

ืคืกื•ืง ื•ืณ ยท Verse 6

Hebrew:

ื”ึตื™ืœึดึ•ื™ืœื•ึผ ื›ึผึดึฅื™ ืงึธืจึ–ื•ึนื‘ ื™ึฃื•ึนื ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ‘ื” ื›ึผึฐืฉืึนึ–ื“ ืžึดืฉืึผึทื“ึผึทึฅื™ ื™ึธื‘ึฝื•ึนืืƒ

English:

Howl!For the day of GOD is near;It shall come like havoc from Shaddai.cShaddai Traditionally rendered โ€œthe Almighty.โ€

The cry goes up: 'Wail, for the day of Hashem is near โ€” like destruction from Shaddai it comes' (keshod miShaddai, with its untranslatable wordplay). Radak explains the comparison: a shattering from the Mighty One is one from which no escape exists; Metzudat David adds that the verse addresses Bavel itself โ€” this calamity is no accident but comes from God.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ืฉื•ื“. ื›ื™ื•ื ื‘ื™ื–ื” ืžืืช ื”ืงื‘"ื” ื™ื‘ื:
like a raid Like a day of plunder, from the Holy One, blessed be He, it shall come.

ืคืกื•ืง ื–ืณ ยท Verse 7

Hebrew:

ืขึทืœึพื›ึผึตึ–ืŸ ื›ึผื‡ืœึพื™ึธื“ึทึฃื™ึดื ืชึผึดืจึฐืคึผึถึ‘ื™ื ึธื” ื•ึฐื›ื‡ืœึพืœึฐื‘ึทึฅื‘ ืึฑื ึ–ื•ึนืฉื ื™ึดืžึผึธึฝืกืƒ

English:

Therefore all hands shall grow limp,And every human heart shall sink;

The response of the doomed city: every hand goes limp, every heart melts. Radak explains the anatomy of the image โ€” courage resides in the heart, as Scripture says 'the stout of heart among the mighty' โ€” so when the heart melts, no strength or resolve remains to resist.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ืœ ื™ื“ื™ื. ืฉืœ ื‘ื‘ืœ:
all hands of the Babylonians.

ืคืกื•ืง ื—ืณ ยท Verse 8

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐึฝื ึดื‘ึฐื”ึธึ“ืœื•ึผโ€‰ื€ ืฆึดื™ืจึดึคื™ื ื•ึทื—ึฒื‘ึธืœึดื™ืึ™ ื™ึนึฝืื—ึตื–ึ”ื•ึผืŸ ื›ึผึทื™ึผื•ึนืœึตื“ึธึ–ื” ื™ึฐื—ึดื™ืœึ‘ื•ึผืŸ ืึดึคื™ืฉื ืึถืœึพืจึตืขึตึ™ื”ื•ึผึ™ ื™ึดืชึฐืžึธึ”ื”ื•ึผ ืคึผึฐื ึตึฅื™ ืœึฐื”ึธื‘ึดึ–ื™ื ืคึผึฐื ึตื™ื”ึถึฝืืƒ

English:

And, overcome by terror,They shall be seized by pangs and throes,Writhe like a woman in travail.They shall gaze at each other in horror,Their faces livid with fright.dlivid with fright Taking the root lhb as a variant of bhl; in contrast to others โ€œshall be faces of flame.โ€

The terror is rendered as labor: pangs and throes seize them, they writhe like a woman giving birth, and 'their faces are faces of flames.' Rashi explains tzirim from the hinges of the womb that break open in childbirth, and reads the flaming faces as the strange, fearsome countenances of the invaders at which the Babylonians stare amazed; Radak reads the burning faces as the flush of shame and shock.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืฆื™ืจื™ื ื•ื—ื‘ืœื™ื. ื”ื ืœืฉื•ืŸ ื™ืกื•ืจื™ ืืฉื” ื”ื›ื•ืจืขืช ืœื™ืœื“ ืฉืฆื™ืจื™ ื“ืœืชื™ ื‘ื˜ื ื” ืžืชืคืจืงื™ื ืœื”ืคืชื—: ื™ื—ื™ืœื•ืŸ. ื—ื™ืœ ื•ื—ืœื—ืœื” ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืจืชืช ื”ื: ืื™ืฉ ืืœ ืจืขื”ื• ื™ืชืžื”ื•. ื‘ื ื™ ื‘ื‘ืœ ืขืœ ื”ืฆื•ื‘ืื™ื ืขืœื™ื”ื ื›ื™ ืžืฉื•ื ื™ื ื”ื: ื•ืคื ื™ ืœื”ื‘ื™ื ืคื ื™ื”ื. ืื•ืžืจ ืื ื™ ืฉืคื ื™ื”ื ืฆื”ื•ื‘ื™ื ื•ืžืื•ื™ื™ืžื™ืŸ ืžืื“ ืื• ื™"ืœ ืฉื”ื ืขื ื—ื•ืฉื‘ื™ ืžื—ืฉื‘ื•ืช ื•ืืช ื‘ื ื™ ื‘ื‘ืœ (ื“ื™ืžื” ืœื”ื ืขืœ ืฉื ื”ืชืžื”ื•ืŸ):
pangs and throes (ืฆึดื™ืจึดื™ื ื•ึทื—ึฒื‘ึธืœึดื™ื) These are expressions of pains of a woman who kneels to give birth, for the hinges (ืฆึดื™ืจึดื™ื) of her womb break apart to open. they shall writhe Heb. ื™ึฐื—ึดื™ืœื•ึผืŸ. ื—ึดื™ืœ, ื—ึทืœึฐื—ึธืœึธื” are expressions of shivering. each man shall be amazed at his fellow The Babylonians will be amazed at those who advanced against them, for they are peculiar. their faces are faces of flames A nation whose faces are red and very frightful, [or alternatively, because they are a pensive people, and he compares the Babylonians to them because of the amazement.]

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืณ ยท Verse 9

Hebrew:

ื”ึดื ึผึตึคื” ื™ื•ึนืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ™ ื‘ึผึธึ”ื ืึทื›ึฐื–ึธืจึดึฅื™ ื•ึฐืขึถื‘ึฐืจึธึ–ื” ื•ึทื—ึฒืจึฃื•ึนืŸ ืึธึ‘ืฃ ืœึธืฉื‚ึคื•ึผื ื”ึธืึธึ™ืจึถืฅึ™ ืœึฐืฉืึทืžึผึธึ”ื” ื•ึฐื—ึทื˜ึผึธืึถึ–ื™ื”ึธ ื™ึทืฉืึฐืžึดึฅื™ื“ ืžึดืžึผึถึฝื ึผึธื”ืƒ

English:

Lo! The day of GOD is comingWith pitiless fury and wrath,To make the earth a desolation,To wipe out the sinners upon it.

The sentence in full: the day of Hashem comes cruel, with wrath and burning anger, 'to make the land a desolation and destroy its sinners from it.' Radak specifies: the land is the land of Bavel, and the sinners are its wicked inhabitants, destroyed until the land is left empty of its people by their own iniquity.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื—ื˜ืื™ื”. ื—ื•ื˜ืื™ื”:
and its sinners Heb. ื•ึฐื—ึทื˜ึผึธืึถื™ื”ึธ, similar to ื—ื•ึนื˜ึฐืึถื™ื”ึธ.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืณ ยท Verse 10

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึฝื™ึพื›ื•ึนื›ึฐื‘ึตึคื™ ื”ึทืฉืึผึธืžึทึ™ื™ึดืึ™ ื•ึผื›ึฐืกึดึฃื™ืœึตื™ื”ึถึ”ื ืœึนึฅื ื™ึธื”ึตึ–ืœึผื•ึผ ืื•ึนืจึธึ‘ื ื—ึธืฉืึทึคืšึฐ ื”ึทืฉืึผึถึ™ืžึถืฉืึ™ ื‘ึผึฐืฆึตืืชึ”ื•ึน ื•ึฐื™ึธืจึตึ–ื—ึท ืœึนืึพื™ึทื’ึผึดึฅื™ื”ึผึท ืื•ึนืจึฝื•ึนืƒ

English:

The stars and constellations of heavenShall not give off their light;The sun shall be dark when it rises,And the moon shall diffuse no glow.

The cosmic darkness: stars and constellations give no light, the sun is dark at its rising, the moon does not shine. Radak supplies the interpretive key โ€” the prophets speak in figures, and one upon whom calamity falls is described as sitting in darkness with no light; Rashi similarly explains that in their distress it seems to the sufferers as though the sun has darkened.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื›ืกื™ืœื™ื”ื. ืžื–ืœื•ืชื™ื”ื: ื™ื”ืœื•. ื™ืื™ืจื• ื•ื›ืŸ ื‘ื”ืœื• ื ืจื• (ืื™ื•ื‘ ื›ืดื˜:ื’ืณ) ื•ื›ืŸ ืื•ืจ ื›ื™ ื™ื”ืœ (ืฉื ืœื): ื—ืฉืš ื”ืฉืžืฉ. ืžืชื•ืš ืฆืจืชื ื ื“ืžื” ืœื”ื ื›ืื™ืœื• ื—ืฉืš ื”ืฉืžืฉ:
and its constellations Similar to ืžึทื–ึผึธืœื•ึนืชึตื™ื”ึถื. illuminate Heb. ื™ึธื”ึตืœึผื•ึผ. They shall illuminate, and so (Job 29:3), "When his lamp shone," (ื‘ึผึฐื”ึดืœึผื•ึน)" (ibid. 31:26). The light when it shone brightly (ื™ึธื”ึตืœ). the sun has become dark Because of their distress, it seems to them as though the sun has become dark.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื ยท Verse 11

Hebrew:

ื•ึผืคึธืงึทื“ึฐืชึผึดึคื™ ืขึทืœึพืชึผึตื‘ึตืœึ™ ืจึธืขึธึ”ื” ื•ึฐืขึทืœึพืจึฐืฉืึธืขึดึ–ื™ื ืขึฒื•ึบื ึธึ‘ื ื•ึฐื”ึดืฉืึฐื‘ึผึทืชึผึดื™ึ™ ื’ึผึฐืึฃื•ึนืŸ ื–ึตื“ึดึ”ื™ื ื•ึฐื’ึทืึฒื•ึทึฅืช ืขึธืจึดื™ืฆึดึ–ื™ื ืึทืฉืึฐืคึผึดึฝื™ืœืƒ

English:

โ€œAnd I will requite to the world its evil,And to the wicked their iniquity;I will put an end to the pride of the arrogantAnd humble the haughtiness of tyrants.

The moral center of the oracle: 'I will visit upon the world its evil... I will end the pride of the arrogant and humble the haughtiness of tyrants.' Rashi and Radak read 'the world' (tevel) as the land of Bavel, and Radak names the sin: the evil they did to Israel beyond their commission โ€” as the prophet says elsewhere, 'I was a little angry, and they helped for evil.'
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืขืœ ืชื‘ืœ. ืขืœ ืืจืฆื:
upon the earth On their land.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื‘ ยท Verse 12

Hebrew:

ืื•ึนืงึดึฅื™ืจ ืึฑื ึ–ื•ึนืฉื ืžึดืคึผึธึ‘ื– ื•ึฐืึธื“ึธึ–ื ืžึดื›ึผึถึฅืชึถื ืื•ึนืคึดึฝื™ืจืƒ

English:

I will make people scarcer than fine gold,And mortals [more scarce] than gold of Ophir.โ€

'I will make man scarcer than fine gold, than the gold of Ophir' โ€” Radak and Metzudat David explain: no ransom will be accepted; the conquerors will not take a man's weight in gold to spare him. Rashi adds the midrashic grace-note: on that very night one man was honored above fine gold โ€” Daniel, robed in purple for reading the writing on the wall. Radak also records Targum Yonatan's reading: Israel in Bavel will be more precious than gold, and spared.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืื•ืงื™ืจ ืื ื•ืฉ ืžืคื–. ื‘ื• ื‘ืœื™ืœื” ืื›ื‘ื“ ืืช ื“ื ื™ืืœ ืžืคื– ื›ืฉื”ื‘ื™ืื•ื”ื• ืœืงืจื•ืช ืžื›ืชื‘ ืžื ื ืžื ื ืชืงืœ ื•ืคืจืกื™ืŸ (ื“ื ื™ืืœ ื”ืณ:ื›ืดื”) ื‘ืื“ื™ืŸ ืืžืจ ื‘ืœื˜ืฉืฆืจ ื•ื”ืœื‘ื™ืฉื• ื™ืช ื“ื ื™ืืœ ืืจื’ื•ื ื ื•ื’ื•': ื›ืชื ืื•ืคื™ืจ. ืงื‘ื•ืฆืช ื–ื”ื‘ ืื•ืคื™ืจ:
I will make mortal man dearer than fine gold On that night I will honor Daniel more than fine gold. When they brought him to read the writing (Dan. 5:25): "Mene mene tekel ufarsin"; (ibid. 5: 25) "Then Belshazzar ordered, and they dressed Daniel in purple..." more than a collection of the gold of Ophir Heb. ืžึดื›ึผึถืชึถื ืื•ึนืคึดื™ืจ, a collection of the gold of Ophir.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื’ ยท Verse 13

Hebrew:

ืขึทืœึพื›ึผึตืŸึ™ ืฉืึธืžึทึฃื™ึดื ืึทืจึฐื’ึผึดึ”ื™ื– ื•ึฐืชึดืจึฐืขึทึฅืฉื ื”ึธืึธึ–ืจึถืฅ ืžึดืžึผึฐืงื•ึนืžึธึ‘ื”ึผ ื‘ึผึฐืขึถื‘ึฐืจึทืชึ™ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฃื” ืฆึฐื‘ึธืึ”ื•ึนืช ื•ึผื‘ึฐื™ึ–ื•ึนื ื—ึฒืจึฅื•ึนืŸ ืึทืคึผึฝื•ึนืƒ

English:

Therefore shall heaven be shaken,eshall heaven be shaken Lit. โ€œI will shake heaven.โ€ And earth leap out of its place,At the fury of GOD of HostsOn the day of Godโ€™s burning wrath.

'Therefore I will make heaven quake, and the earth will shake from its place.' Rashi teaches the bold principle: the Holy One does not punish a nation below until He casts down its heavenly prince first โ€” hence the heavens quake before the earth, previewing the fallen morning star of chapter 14. Radak reads the verse as a figure for the sheer magnitude of the catastrophe.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืฉืžื™ื ืืจื’ื™ื–. ื›ืœ ืฆื‘ืื” ื™ืจื’ื– ื•ืื•ืžืจ ืื™ืš ื ืคืœืช ืžืฉืžื™ื ื”ื™ืœืœ ื‘ืŸ ืฉื—ืจ (ืœืงืžืŸ ื™ื“) ื•ืื—ืจ ื›ืš ื ื’ื“ืขืช ืœืืจืฅ ื—ื•ืœืฉ ืขืœ ื’ื•ื™ื ืืฃ ื›ืืŸ ืชื—ืœื” ืฉืžื™ื ืืจื’ื™ื– ื•ืื—ืจ ื›ืš ื•ืชืจืขืฉ ื”ืืจืฅ ื™ืจืขืฉื• ื™ื•ืฉื‘ื™ื” ืœืงื•ืœ ืžืคืœืชื” ืฉื™ืชืžื”ื• ื‘ื“ื‘ืจ:
I will make heaven quake All their host will quake when I cast down the prince of Babylon, for the Holy One, blessed be He, does not punish the nations until He punishes their heavenly princes first, as Scripture states (infra 24:21): "The Lord shall visit upon the heavenly host on high," and afterwards, "on the kings of the earth on the earth." Scripture states further (infra 14:12): "How have you fallen from heaven, Lucifer, the morning star?" And then, "You have been cut down to the ground, you who cast lots on nations." Here too, first, "I will make heaven quake," and afterwards, "the earth will quake." Its inhabitants shall quake at the news of its downfall, for they shall be astonished at the event.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื“ ยท Verse 14

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื”ึธื™ึธื”ึ™ ื›ึผึดืฆึฐื‘ึดึฃื™ ืžึปื“ึผึธึ”ื— ื•ึผื›ึฐืฆึนึ–ืืŸ ื•ึฐืึตึฃื™ืŸ ืžึฐืงึทื‘ึผึตึ‘ืฅ ืึดึคื™ืฉื ืึถืœึพืขึทืžึผื•ึนึ™ ื™ึดืคึฐื ึ”ื•ึผ ื•ึฐืึดึฅื™ืฉื ืึถืœึพืึทืจึฐืฆึ–ื•ึน ื™ึธื ึฝื•ึผืกื•ึผืƒ

English:

Then like gazelles that are chased,And like sheep that no one gathers,Each man shall turn back to his people,They shall flee every one to his land.

The foreigners in Bavel โ€” traders, auxiliaries, resident strangers โ€” flee 'like a hunted gazelle, like sheep with none to gather them,' each turning to his own people and land. Radak explains: when the blow falls, everyone from another nation rushes out of the city in panic, and none return.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื”ื™ื”. ื™ื•ืฉื‘ ื‘ื‘ืœ: ื›ืฆื‘ื™ ืžื•ื“ื—. ืžืžืงื•ืžื•:
And he shall be i.e., every inhabitant of Babylon. like a roving deer i.e., like a deer roving from its place.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืดื• ยท Verse 15

Hebrew:

ื›ึผื‡ืœึพื”ึทื ึผึดืžึฐืฆึธึ–ื ื™ึดื“ึผึธืงึตึ‘ืจ ื•ึฐื›ื‡ืœึพื”ึทื ึผึดืกึฐืคึผึถึ–ื” ื™ึดืคึผึฅื•ึนืœ ื‘ึผึถื—ึธึฝืจึถื‘ืƒ

English:

All who remain shall be pierced through,All who are caughtfare caught Meaning of Heb. uncertain; emendation yields โ€œflee.โ€ Shall fall by the sword.

Whoever is found is run through, and 'whoever is joined falls by the sword.' Rashi parses the two clauses: whoever is found outside is stabbed, and whoever took refuge inside the city to be included in the siege falls when the city is taken โ€” nispeh from the root meaning 'to be added.'
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ืœ ื”ื ืžืฆื. ื‘ื—ื•ืฅ ื™ื“ืงืจ: ื•ื›ืœ ื”ื ืกืคื”. ืขืœ ื‘ื ื™ ื”ืขื™ืจ ืœื”ื™ื•ืช ื ืงืœื˜ ืขืžื”ื ื‘ืžืฆื•ืจ ื™ืคื•ืœ ื‘ื—ืจื‘ ื›ืฉืชืœื›ื“ ื”ืขื™ืจ, ื ืกืคื” ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืกืคื•ืช ื”ืจื•ื” (ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ื›ื“) ืกืคื• ืฉื ื” ืขืœ ืฉื ื” (ืœืงืžืŸ ื›ื˜) ืกืคื• ืขืœ ื–ื‘ื—ื™ื›ื (ื™ืจืžื™ื” ื–) ืืงื•ื™ื™ืœื™ื™"ืจ ื‘ืœืข"ื–:
Everyone who is found outside, shall be stabbed. and anyone who takes refuge with the people of the city to be included with them in the siege, shall fall by the sword when the city capitulates. ื ึดืกึฐืคึผึถื” is an expression similar to (Deut. 29:18): "To add the unintentional sins to the lustful ones (ืกึฐืคื•ึนืช)"; (infra 29:1) "Add year upon year (ืกึฐืคื•ึผ)"; (Jer. 7:21) "Add (ืกึฐืคื•ึผ) to your sacrifices." [akojjlir in O.F.], to join.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืดื– ยท Verse 16

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืขึนืœึฐืœึตื™ื”ึถึฅื ื™ึฐืจึปื˜ึผึฐืฉืึ–ื•ึผ ืœึฐืขึตื™ื ึตื™ื”ึถึ‘ื ื™ึดืฉืึผึทึ™ืกึผื•ึผึ™ ื‘ึผึธืชึผึตื™ื”ึถึ”ื ื•ึผื ึฐืฉืึตื™ื”ึถึ–ื (ืชืฉื’ืœื ื”) [ืชึผึดืฉืึผึธื›ึทึฝื‘ึฐื ึธื”]ืƒ

English:

And their babes shall be dashed to pieces in their sight,Their homes shall be plundered,And their wives shall be raped.

The atrocities of the sack, stated without flinching: infants dashed before their parents' eyes, houses plundered, wives ravished. Radak notes the deliberate cruelty of the sequence โ€” all of it done before the victims' eyes, before they themselves are killed โ€” and records the ketiv/keri euphemism in the verse's final word.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื™ืจื•ื˜ืฉื•. ื™ืชื‘ืงืขื• ื•ื›ืŸ ื ืขืจื™ื ืชืจื˜ืฉื ื”:
shall be dashed Heb. ื™ึฐืจึปื˜ึผึธืฉืื•ึผ. Comp. (verse 18) "Shall dash (ืชึผึฐืจึทื˜ึผึทืฉืึฐื ึธื”) youths."

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื– ยท Verse 17

Hebrew:

ื”ึดื ึฐื ึดึ›ื™ ืžึตืขึดึฅื™ืจ ืขึฒืœึตื™ื”ึถึ–ื ืึถืชึพืžึธื“ึธึ‘ื™ ืึฒืฉืึถืจึพื›ึผึถึ™ืกึถืฃึ™ ืœึนึฃื ื™ึทื—ึฐืฉืึนึ”ื‘ื•ึผ ื•ึฐื–ึธื”ึธึ–ื‘ ืœึนึฅื ื™ึทื—ึฐืคึผึฐืฆื•ึผึพื‘ึฝื•ึนืƒ

English:

โ€œBehold,I stir up the Medes against them,Who do not value silverOr delight in gold.

The instrument named: 'Behold, I stir up against them Madai, who do not value silver and do not delight in gold.' Rashi anchors it in Daniel โ€” Daryavesh the Mede slew Belshazzar that very night and received the kingdom. Radak interlocks this verse with verse 12: the reason no man can be ransomed for gold is that the conquerors cannot be bought; they want only vengeance.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ื ื ื™ ืžืขื™ืจ ืขืœื™ื”ื ืืช ืžื“ื™. ื“ืจื™ื•ืฉ ื”ืžื“ื™ ื”ืจื’ ืืช ื‘ืœืฉืืฆืจ ื•ื›ืŸ ื”ื•ื ืื•ืžืจ ื‘ื™ื” ื‘ืœื™ืœื™ื ืงื˜ื™ืœ ื‘ืœืฉืืฆืจ (ื“ื ื™ืืœ ื”ืณ:ืœืณ) ื•ื“ืจื™ื•ืฉ ืžื“ืื” ืงื‘ื™ืœ ืžืœื›ื•ืชื (ืฉื ื•): ื•ื–ื”ื‘ ืœื ื™ื—ืคืฆื• ื‘ื•. ืื™ืŸ ื—ื•ืฉืฉื™' ื›ื™ ืื ืœื”ืจื•ื’ ื•ืœื”ื ืงื ืขืœ ื›ืœ ื”ืจืขื” ืืฉืจ ืขืฉื• ืžืœื›ื™ ื‘ื‘ืœ ืœื›ืœ ื”ืขืžื™ื:
Behold I stir up Media against them Darius the Mede assassinated Belshazzar. So Scripture states (Dan. 5:30): "On that very night, Belshazzar...was slain"; (ibid. 6:1) "And Darius the Mede acquired the kingdom." and do not desire gold They do not care [for anything,] but to kill and to avenge the harm the kings of Babylon did to all the peoples.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื— ยท Verse 18

Hebrew:

ื•ึผืงึฐืฉืึธืชึ–ื•ึนืช ื ึฐืขึธืจึดึฃื™ื ืชึผึฐืจึทื˜ึผึทึ‘ืฉืึฐื ึธื” ื•ึผืคึฐืจึดื™ึพื‘ึถึ™ื˜ึถืŸึ™ ืœึนึฃื ื™ึฐืจึทื—ึตึ”ืžื•ึผ ืขึทืœึพื‘ึผึธื ึดึ–ื™ื ืœึนืึพืชึธื—ึฅื•ึผืก ืขึตื™ื ึธึฝืืƒ

English:

Their bows shall shatter the young;They shall show no pity to infants,They shall not spare the children.โ€

'And bows shall dash the youths' โ€” Radak preserves the most terrible reading: the invaders load the young men onto their bows in place of arrows and shoot them against the ground and the walls. On the fruit of the womb they have no mercy; on children their eye does not pity. The unbribable army is also the pitiless one.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ืงืฉืชื•ืช. ืฉืœ ื‘ื ื™ ืžื“ื™: ื ืขืจื™ื. ืฉืœ ื‘ื‘ืœ: ืชืจื˜ืฉื ื”. ืชื‘ืงืขื ื” ื‘ื—ืฆื™ื”ื ืืฉืจ ื™ื•ืจื• ื‘ืงืฉืชื•ืชื™ื”ื: ื•ืคืจื™ ื‘ื˜ืŸ. ืขื•ืœืœื™ื ื“ืงื™ื:
And the bows of the peoples of Media. youths of Babylon. shall dash shall split with their arrows that they shoot with their bows. newborn [lit. fruit of the womb] Frail infants.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื˜ ยท Verse 19

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื”ึธื™ึฐืชึธึคื” ื‘ึธื‘ึถืœึ™ ืฆึฐื‘ึดึฃื™ ืžึทืžึฐืœึธื›ึ”ื•ึนืช ืชึผึดืคึฐืึถึ–ืจึถืช ื’ึผึฐืึฃื•ึนืŸ ื›ึผึทืฉื‚ึฐื“ึผึดึ‘ื™ื ื›ึผึฐืžึทื”ึฐืคึผึตื›ึทึฃืช ืึฑืœึนื”ึดึ”ื™ื ืึถืชึพืกึฐื“ึนึ–ื ื•ึฐืึถืชึพืขึฒืžึนืจึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

And Babylon, glory of kingdoms,Proud splendor of the Chaldeans,Shall become like Sodom and GomorrahOverturned by God.

The climax: 'And Bavel, the beauty of kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans, shall be as when God overturned Sedom and Amorah.' Rashi and Radak cite Seder Olam: the blow fell in two stages in two years โ€” Daryavesh slew Belshazzar and reigned a year, and in the second year the city was overturned from heaven like Sedom. Radak adds that the later city called Bavel is a different city built nearby; the ancient one was never rebuilt.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื”ื™ืชื” ื‘ื‘ืœ. ืฉืชื™ ืคื•ืจืขื ื™ื•ืช ื‘ืื• ืœื” ื‘ืฉืชื™ ืฉื ื™ื ื“ืจื™ื•ืฉ ื”ืจื’ ื‘ืœืฉืืฆืจ ื•ืžืœืš ืฉื ื” ื•ืœืฉื ื” ื”ืฉื ื™ื™ื” ื ื”ืคื›ื” ื›ืžื”ืคื›ืช ืกื“ื•ื ืžืŸ ื”ืฉืžื™ื ื•ื›ืŸ ืฉื ื™ื ื• ื‘ืกื“ืจ ืขื•ืœื (ื™ืจืžื™ื”ื• ื ืดื:ืžืดื•) ื•ื‘ื ื‘ืฉื ื” ื”ืฉืžื•ืขื” ืฉืœ ื“ืจื™ื•ืฉ ื•ืื—ืจื™ื• ื‘ืฉื ื” ื”ืฉืžื•ืขื” ื•ื”ื™ืชื” ื‘ื‘ืœ ืฆื‘ื™ ืžืžืœื›ื•ืช ื•ื’ื•', ืฉื”ื™ืชื” ืžืฆื‘ ื•ืจืืฉ ื”ืžืžืœื›ื•ืช ื•ืฉื”ื™ืชื” ืชืคืืจืช ื’ืื•ืŸ ื›ืฉื“ื™ื ืขืชื” ื•ื”ื™ืชื” ื›ืžื”ืคื›ืช ืกื“ื•ื:
And Babylon...shall be Two calamities befell her in two years. Darius assassinated Belshazzar and ruled a year, and in the second year it was turned over like Sodom from heaven. And so we learned in Seder Olam (ch. 28). And in that year the news came concerning Darius, and after him, in the year, the news, and Babylon that was the beauty of the kingdoms...that was the leader and the head of the kingdoms and that was the glory of the pride of the Chaldees now, shall be like the overturning of Sodom.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืณ ยท Verse 20

Hebrew:

ืœึนืึพืชึตืฉืึตึฃื‘ ืœึธื ึถึ”ืฆึทื— ื•ึฐืœึนึฅื ืชึดืฉืึฐื›ึผึนึ–ืŸ ืขึทื“ึพื“ึผึฃื•ึนืจ ื•ึธื“ึ‘ื•ึนืจ ื•ึฐืœึนืึพื™ึทื”ึตึฅืœ ืฉืึธืึ™ ืขึฒืจึธื‘ึดึ”ื™ ื•ึฐืจึนืขึดึ–ื™ื ืœึนืึพื™ึทืจึฐื‘ึผึดึฅืฆื•ึผ ืฉืึธึฝืืƒ

English:

Nevermore shall it be settledNor dwelt in through all the ages.No Arab shall pitch his tent there,No shepherds make flocks lie down there.

The desolation decreed: never inhabited again, through all generations. Rashi explains the grammar of 'lo yahel' (for lo ya'ahel) and the force of the image: even the Arab nomads, who pitch their tents anywhere and move their herds from place to place, will find nothing there โ€” the land will not even be fit for pasture.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ืœื ื™ื”ืœ ืฉื ืขืจื‘ื™. ื›ืžื• ืœื ื™ืื”ืœ ืœื ื™ืคืจื•ืฉ ืฉื ืื”ืœ ืืคื™' ืขืจื‘ื™ ืฉื“ืจื›ื ืœื™ืฉื‘ ื‘ืื”ืœื™' ื•ืœื”ืกื™ืข ืžืงื ื™ื”ื ืžืžืงื•ื ืœืžืงื•' ืœื ืชืžืฆื ื—ืŸ ื‘ืขื™ื ื™ื”ื ืœืงื‘ื•ืข ืฉื ืื”ืœื™ื”ื ื›ื™ ืืฃ ืœืžืจืขื” ืฆืืŸ ืœื ืชื”ื™ื” ืจืื•ื™ื” ื•ืœื ืชืชืžื” ืขืœ ืœื ื™ื”ืœ ื”ื ื‘ืืจ ื›ืื™ืœื• ื”ื™ืชื” ื‘ื• ืืœ"ืฃ ื›ื™ ื”ืจื‘ื” ืžืงื•ืžื•ืช ื™ืฉ ืฉื”ื‘ืจืช ืงื•ืœ ื”ืื•ืช ื‘ืžืงื•ื ืื•ืช ื•ื›ืŸ (ืื™ื•ื‘ ืœืดื”:ื™ืดื) ืžืœืคื ื• ืžื‘ื”ืžื•ืช ืืจืฅ ื›ืžื• ืžืืœืคื ื• ื•ื›ืŸ (ืžืฉืœื™ ื™ืดื–:ื“ืณ) ืฉืงืจ ืžื–ื™ืŸ ืขืœ ืœืฉื•ืŸ ื”ื•ืช ื›ืžื• ืฉืงืจ ืžืื–ื™ืŸ:
and no Arab shall pitch his tent there Heb. ื™ึทื”ึตืœ, like ื™ึทืึฒื”ึตืœ. Even Arabs, who customarily dwell in tents and move their livestock from place to place, will not be pleased with Babylon, to set up their tents there, for it will not even be fit for pasture for flocks. And do not wonder about ืœึนื ื™ึทื”ึตืœ, which is explained like ืœึนื ื™ึทืึฒื”ึตืœ, for there are many places in which the sound of the letter is substituted for the letter, and so (Job 35:11), "He teaches us (ืžึทืœึฐืคึตื ื•ึผ) from the beasts of the earth," like ืžึฐืึทืœึฐืคึตื ื•ึผ, and so, (Prov. 17:4), "A liar hearkens (ืžึตื–ึดื™ืŸ) to a destructive tongue," like ืžึทืึฒื–ึดื™ืŸ.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื ยท Verse 21

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืจึธื‘ึฐืฆื•ึผึพืฉืึธึฃื ืฆึดื™ึผึดึ”ื™ื ื•ึผืžึธืœึฐืึฅื•ึผ ื‘ึธืชึผึตื™ื”ึถึ–ื ืึนื—ึดึ‘ื™ื ื•ึฐืฉืึธึคื›ึฐื ื•ึผ ืฉืึธืึ™ ื‘ึผึฐื ึฃื•ึนืช ื™ึทืขึฒื ึธึ”ื” ื•ึผืฉื‚ึฐืขึดื™ืจึดึ–ื™ื ื™ึฐืจึทืงึผึฐื“ื•ึผึพืฉืึธึฝืืƒ

English:

But beastsgbeasts Meaning of Heb. uncertain. shall lie down there,And the houses be filled with owls;howls Meaning of Heb. uncertain. There shall ostriches make their home,And there shall satyrs dance.

The new tenants of the beauty of kingdoms: desert beasts (tziyim) couch there, the houses fill with ochim โ€” about which Rashi writes, with characteristic honesty, 'I do not know what kind of animal they are' โ€” ostriches dwell there, and se'irim dance there, which Rashi and Radak identify as sheidim, demons, appearing goat-like to those who believe in them.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืฆื™ื™ื. ืช"ื™ ืชืžื•ืŸ ื”ื ื ืžื™ื•ืช ืžืจื˜ืจื™ื "ืฉ ื‘ืœืข"ื–: ืื•ื—ื™ื. ืœื ื™ื“ืขืชื™ ืžื” ืžื™ืŸ ื—ื™ื” ื”ื, (ืื•ื—ื™ื ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืงื•ืฆื™ื ื•ื—ื•ื—ื™ื ื•ื“ืจื“ืจื™ื): ื•ืฉืขื™ืจื™ื. ืฉื“ื™ื:
martens Heb. ืฆึดื™ึผึดื™ื. Jonathan translates: ืชึผึทืžึฐื•ึธืŸ, identical with ื ึดืžึผึดื™ึผื•ึนืช [found in the Talmud] martrines in O.F. ferrets Heb. ืึนื—ึดื™ื. I do not know what kind of animal they are. [ืึนื—ึดื™ื is an expression of thorns, thistles, and briars.] and satyrs demons.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื‘ ยท Verse 22

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืขึธื ึธึคื” ืึดื™ึผึดื™ืึ™ ื‘ึผึฐืึทืœึฐืžึฐื ื•ึนืชึธึ”ื™ื• ื•ึฐืชึทื ึผึดึ–ื™ื ื‘ึผึฐื”ึตึฃื™ื›ึฐืœึตื™ ืขึนึ‘ื ึถื’ ื•ึฐืงึธืจึคื•ึนื‘ ืœึธื‘ื•ึนืึ™ ืขึดืชึผึธึ”ื”ึผ ื•ึฐื™ึธืžึถึ–ื™ื”ึธ ืœึนึฅื ื™ึดืžึผึธืฉืึตึฝื›ื•ึผืƒ

English:

And jackalsijackals Meaning of Heb. uncertain. shall abide in its castlesAnd dragonsjdragons Meaning of Heb. uncertain. in the palaces of pleasure.Her hour is close at hand;Her days will not be long.

The final sounds: iyim howl in its palaces (Radak: almenotav means armenotav, its citadels), tanim in the temples of pleasure. 'Her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged' โ€” Rashi hears the seventy years promised through Yirmiyahu, to be remembered through Koresh of Persia, and cites the pact of Media and Persia: 'if the kings are from us, the governors are from you.' Bavel's clock is already running; Israel's hope is set inside its doom.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ืขื ื” ืื™ื™ื ื‘ืืœืžื ื•ืชื™ื•. ื•ื™ื’ื•ืจื• ื—ืชื•ืœื™' ื‘ืืจืžื ื•ืชื™ื•: ื•ืขื ื”. ื›ืžื• ื•ืขื ืชื” ืฉืžื” (ื”ื•ืฉืข ื‘) ื•ืžืขื•ื ื•ืชื™ื• ื˜ืจืคื” (ื ื—ื•ื ื‘) ื•ื™ืฉ ืœืคืจืฉ ืขื•ื“ ื•ืขื ื” ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืขื ื™ื™ืช ืงื•ืœ: ื•ืชื ื™ื. ื™ืขื ื• ื‘ื”ื›ืœื™ ืขื•ื ื’ ืฉืœื”ื: ื•ื™ืžื™ื”. ื™ืžื™ ื˜ื•ื‘ืชื” ืœื ื™ืžืฉื›ื• ื›ื™ ื›ื‘ืจ ื”ื•ื‘ื˜ื—ื• ื™ืฉืจืืœ (ื™ืจืžื™' ื›ื˜) ืœืคื™ ืžืœืืช ืœื‘ื‘ืœ ืฉื‘ืขื™ื ืฉื ื” ืืคืงื“ ืืชื›ื ื•ืื•ืชื” ืคืงื™ื“ื” ืขืœ ื™ื“ื™ ื›ื•ืจืฉ ืžืœืš ืคืจืก ืฉื™ื˜ื•ืœ ื”ืžืœื•ื›ื” ืžื‘ื‘ืœ ืื—ืจ ื“ืจื™ื•ืฉ ื”ืžื“ื™ ื›ื™ ืฉื ื™ื”ื ืžื“ื™ ื•ืคืจืก ื ืชื—ื‘ืจื• ืขืœื™ื”ื ื•ื”ืชื ื• ื‘ื™ื ื™ื”ื ืื™ ืžื™ื ืŸ ืžืœื›ื™ ืžื ื™ื™ื›ื• ืืคืจื›ื™:
And cats shall dwell in his palaces Heb. ื•ึฐืขึธื ึธื” ืึดื™ึผึดื™ื ื‘ึผึฐืึทืœึฐืžึฐื ื•ึนืชึธื™ื•. And cats shall dwell in his palaces. ื•ึฐืขึธื ึธึทื” is similar to (Hosea 2:17) "And she shall dwell (ื•ึฐืขึธื ึฐืชึธื”) there." Also (Nahum 2:13) "And his dens (ื•ึผืžึฐืขื•ึนื ื•ึนืชึธื™ื•) with what he had torn." ื•ึฐืขึธื ึธื” may also be interpreted as an expression of raising the voice. and serpents shall dwell [or howl] in their temples of pleasure. and her days The days of her flourishing shall not be extended, for Israel was promised (Jer. 29:10): "When seventy years of Babylon are over, I will remember you." And that remembering will be through Cyrus king of Persia, who will take the kingdom from Babylon after Darius the Mede, for they both, Media and Persia, joined over it, [i.e., over Babylon,] and stipulated between themselves, if the kings are from us, the governors are from you.

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