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Nach YomiIsaiah ยท ื™ืฉืขื™ื”ื•Chapter 14

Isaiah 14

ื™ืฉืขื™ื”ื• ืคืจืง ื™ืดื“

Section: ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ยท ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ืื—ืจื•ื ื™ื | Book: Isaiah | Chapter: 14 of 66 | Day: 161 of 742

Date: July 22, 2026

ืงืœืื•ื“ ืขืœ ื”ื ืดืš

Chapter 14 completes the massa of Bavel with one of the most extraordinary poems in the Tanakh: the mashal over the king of Bavel โ€” a taunt-song that Israel itself is commanded to sing on the day of its release. The frame comes first (verses 1-3): โ€˜For Hashem will have mercy on Yaakov and will yet choose Israel and set them on their own soil,โ€™ with converts joining themselves to the house of Yaakov and the nations themselves carrying Israel home. Radak reads the frame on two levels at once: its first fulfillment in the return from Bavel โ€” where indeed the conquering king confessed that โ€˜all the kingdoms of the earth has the God of heaven given meโ€™ โ€” and its complete fulfillment in the days of Mashiach, when โ€˜many nations shall join themselves to Hashem.โ€™ Rashi divides the verse the same way: the mercy on Yaakov is the promised redemption from Bavel; the choosing โ€˜againโ€™ is the future, final redemption. Only then, โ€˜on the day Hashem gives you rest from your sorrow and trouble and the hard service,โ€™ comes the instruction: you shall take up this mashal against the king of Bavel.

The mashal itself (verses 4-21) is structured as a descent. It opens above ground: the taskmaster has ceased, Hashem has broken the staff of the wicked, and the whole earth โ€” which this king struck โ€˜with a blow that never turned asideโ€™ (Radak: this is Nevuchadnetzar, founder of the dynasty, who conquered everything the verses describe) โ€” breaks into song. Even the cypresses and cedars of Levanon rejoice: โ€˜since you lay down, no cutter comes up against us,โ€™ which Rashi (following Targum Yonatan) and Radak read as the kings and rulers of the nations, free at last of the axe. Then the poem plunges beneath the earth: Sheol itself is stirred to meet him, rousing the rephaim, raising all the kings of the nations from their thrones โ€” Radak explains the deliberate inversion, that the living rejoiced while the dead trembled, as though even the grave feared this manโ€™s arrival. Their greeting is the poemโ€™s cruelest line: โ€˜You too have been made weak as we; you have become like us.โ€™ The pomp is brought down; the harps are silenced; โ€˜beneath you the maggot is spread, and worms are your covering.โ€™

At the center stands the verse that echoes through all later literature: โ€˜How have you fallen from heaven, Heilel ben Shacharโ€™ โ€” the shining one, son of dawn, the morning star. Rashi reads it on two registers at once: it is the lament over the heavenly prince (sar) of Bavel, cast down from heaven before his nation falls below โ€” the principle Rashi articulated at 13:13 โ€” and it is Nevuchadnetzar himself, โ€˜who cast lots over nationsโ€™ (cholesh al goyim), deciding by lottery which king would serve him on which day. Then the poem quotes the kingโ€™s own heart in five ascending boasts: โ€˜I will ascend to the heavens; above the stars of God I will raise my throne; I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of Tzafon; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.โ€™ Rashi decodes each figure toward Yerushalayim: the โ€˜stars of Godโ€™ are Israel, the โ€˜mount of assemblyโ€™ is Har Tzion where all Israel gathers, the โ€˜far reaches of Tzafonโ€™ the north side of the Temple courtyard where the offerings are slaughtered โ€” the kingโ€™s cosmic ambition is, concretely, the ambition to sit enthroned in Godโ€™s own house. The answer is one line: โ€˜But to Sheol you are brought down, to the far reaches of the pit.โ€™ Radak notes the exact symmetry โ€” against โ€˜above the stars of God,โ€™ Sheol; against โ€˜the far reaches of Tzafon,โ€™ the far reaches of the grave.

The final movement of the mashal is the disgrace of the corpse. All the kings of the nations lie in honor, โ€˜each in his houseโ€™ โ€” his tomb โ€” โ€˜but you are flung from your grave like a loathed shoot, clothed in the garb of the slain.โ€™ Here Rashi, Metzudat David, and Radak all bring the tradition of Chazal: when Nevuchadnetzar was driven from among men for seven years, the people crowned his son Evil-Merodach; when the father returned, he imprisoned the son until the day he died. When they then came to crown Evil-Merodach, he refused โ€” โ€˜if he returns again, he will kill meโ€™ โ€” and would not believe the king was dead until they dragged the corpse from its grave and showed him. The refused burial has a moral logic, which the poem states: โ€˜for your land you destroyed, your people you slewโ€™ โ€” Radak points to the king who executed his own wise men over an untold dream, cruelty so extreme that his own nation rejoiced at his death. The oracle then seals the dynastyโ€™s fate in Godโ€™s own voice: slaughter prepared for the sons, and โ€˜I will cut off from Bavel name and remnant, nin and nechedโ€™ โ€” son and grandson, which Rashi identifies with startling specificity as Belshazzar and Vashti. Bavel itself becomes โ€˜a possession of the hedgehog, and pools of water,โ€™ swept away โ€˜with the broom of destructionโ€™ โ€” the word so rare that, as Rashi and Radak both relate, the Sages did not know its meaning until they heard the maidservant of Rebbi tell her companion, โ€˜take the broom and sweep the house.โ€™

The chapter closes with two shorter panels that anchor the great vision in verifiable history. First, the oath concerning Assyria (verses 24-27): โ€˜As I intended, so it was โ€” to break Assyria in My land, and on My mountains I will trample him.โ€™ Rashi spells out the argument: Nevuchadnetzar himself saw the words of Israelโ€™s prophets fulfilled against Sancheriv; the already-fulfilled Assyrian prophecy is the guarantee of the not-yet-fulfilled Babylonian one. โ€˜This is the plan planned for all the earthโ€™ โ€” over Assyria in its hour and over Bavel in its hour, as Rashi puts it, and none can annul it. Second, the brief massa on Pelishtim from the year King Achaz died (verses 28-32): do not rejoice that the rod that struck you is broken, โ€˜for from the root of the snake shall emerge a tzefaโ€™ โ€” from the weakened house of David comes Chizkiyahu, who, as Rashi and Radak note from Melachim, struck the Pelishtim as far as Azah. The chapterโ€™s last verse hands Israel its answer to every foreign embassy, and it may stand as the motto of the entire oracle cycle: โ€˜What shall one answer the messengers of the nation? That Hashem has founded Tzion, and in it the poor of His people take refuge.โ€˜

ืคืจืง ื™ืดื“ ยท Chapter 14

ืคืกื•ืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดื™ึฉ ื™ึฐืจึทื—ึตึจื ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึœื” ืึถึฝืชึพื™ึทืขึฒืงึนึ—ื‘ ื•ึผื‘ึธื—ึทึฅืจ ืขื•ึนื“ึ™ ื‘ึผึฐื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตึ”ืœ ื•ึฐื”ึดื ึผึดื™ื—ึธึ–ื ืขึทืœึพืึทื“ึฐืžึธืชึธึ‘ื ื•ึฐื ึดืœึฐื•ึธึคื” ื”ึทื’ึผึตืจึ™ ืขึฒืœึตื™ื”ึถึ”ื ื•ึฐื ึดืกึฐืคึผึฐื—ึ–ื•ึผ ืขึทืœึพื‘ึผึตึฅื™ืช ื™ึทืขึฒืงึนึฝื‘ืƒ

English:

But GOD will pardon Jacob, and will again choose Israel, and will settle them on their own soil. And strangers shall join them and shall cleave to the House of Jacob.

The frame of the taunt-song: Hashem will have mercy on Yaakov and 'yet choose Israel,' settling them on their own soil with converts joined to them. Rashi splits the verse across the two redemptions โ€” mercy now in the return from Bavel, the choosing 'again' in the complete future redemption โ€” and Radak reads it the same double way, noting that the ger joining Israel belongs to the days of Mashiach, as in 'many nations shall join themselves to Hashem on that day.'
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ื™ ื™ืจื—ื ื”' ืืช ื™ืขืงื‘. ืœืฉืžื•ืจ ืœื”ื ื”ื‘ื˜ื—ืช ื’ืื•ืœืชื ืžื™ื“ ื‘ื‘ืœ: ื•ื‘ื—ืจ ืขื•ื“ ื‘ื™ืฉืจืืœ. ืœืขืชื™ื“ ื™ื’ืืœื ื’ืื•ืœ' ืฉืœื™ืžื”: ื•ื ืกืคื—ื•. ื•ื ื•ืกืคื• ื•ื›ืŸ ืกืคื—ื ื™ ื ื (ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ื‘ืณ:ืœืดื•) ื•ื›ืŸ ืžื”ืกืชืคื— ื‘ื ื—ืœืช ื”' (ืฉื ื›ื–):
For the Lord shall have mercy on Jacob to keep for them the promise of their redemption from Babylonia. and again choose Israel in the future, He shall redeem them with a complete redemption. and join And they shall be added on. Comp. (I Sam. 2:36) "Take me now into... (ืกึธืคึฐื—ึตื ึดื™)" and also (ibid. 27:19) "From cleaving to the Lord's heritage (ืžึตื”ึดืกึฐืชึผึทืคึผึตื—ึท)."

ืคืกื•ืง ื‘ืณ ยท Verse 2

Hebrew:

ื•ึผืœึฐืงึธื—ึฃื•ึผื ืขึทืžึผึดื™ืึฎ ื•ึถื”ึฑื‘ึดื™ืึฃื•ึผื ืึถืœึพืžึฐืงื•ึนืžึธืึ’ ื•ึฐื”ึดึฝืชึฐื ึทื—ึฒืœึฃื•ึผื ื‘ึผึตึฝื™ืชึพื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตึ—ืœ ืขึทึšืœ ืึทื“ึฐืžึทึฃืช ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ืœึทืขึฒื‘ึธื“ึดึ–ื™ื ื•ึฐืœึดืฉืึฐืคึธื—ึ‘ื•ึนืช ื•ึฐื”ึธื™ื•ึผึ™ ืฉืึนื‘ึดึฃื™ื ืœึฐืฉืึนื‘ึตื™ื”ึถึ”ื ื•ึฐืจึธื“ึ–ื•ึผ ื‘ึผึฐื ึนื’ึฐืฉื‚ึตื™ื”ึถึฝืืƒย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

For peoples shall take themathem I.e., the House of Jacob. and bring them to their homeland; and the House of Israel shall possess thembthem I.e., the peoples. as slaves and handmaids on GODโ€™s soil. They shall be captors of their captors and masters to their taskmasters.

The nations themselves carry Israel home, and on God's soil the captives become the captors, masters over their former taskmasters. Radak cites the parallel promise: 'strangers shall stand and feed your flocks' โ€” the inversion of servitude is a fixed feature of the redemption prophecies.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื”ืชื ื—ืœื•ื. ื™ื”ื™ื• ื ื ื—ืœื™ื ืžื”ื ื•ื›ืŸ ื•ื”ืชื ื—ืœืชื ืื•ืชื (ื•ื™ืงืจื ื›ื”): ื•ืจื“ื•. ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืจื“ื•ื™ ื•ื ื’ื™ืฉื” ื›ืžื• ืœื ืชืจื“ื” ื‘ื• (ืฉื):
shall inherit they shall inherit from them, and similarly, "and you shall hold onto them as an inheritance" (Lev. 25:46). and rule Heb. ื•ึฐืจึธื“ื•ึผ, an expression of ruling and dominating, as (Lev. 25: 46): "You shall not rule over him (ืชึดืจึฐื“ึถื”)."

ืคืกื•ืง ื’ืณ ยท Verse 3

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื”ึธื™ึธึ—ื” ื‘ึผึฐื™ึจื•ึนื ื”ึธื ึดึคื™ื—ึท ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ™ ืœึฐืšึธึ” ืžึตึฝืขื‡ืฆึฐื‘ึผึฐืšึธึ– ื•ึผืžึดึฝืจื‡ื’ึฐื–ึถึ‘ืšึธ ื•ึผืžึดืŸึพื”ึธืขึฒื‘ึนื“ึธึฅื” ื”ึทืงึผึธืฉืึธึ–ื” ืึฒืฉืึถึฅืจ ืขึปื‘ึผึทื“ึพื‘ึผึธึฝืšึฐืƒ

English:

And when GOD has given you rest from your sorrow and trouble, and from the hard service that you were made to serve,

The song has a set time: 'on the day Hashem gives you rest from your sorrow and your trouble and the hard service.' Rashi notes that Scripture addresses Israel directly โ€” the sorrow and trembling were the king of Bavel's doing, and his downfall itself is the rest; Radak fixes the day as the day of Bavel's destruction.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื‘ื™ื•ื ื”ื ื™ื— ื”' ืœืš. ืœื™ืฉืจืืœ ื”ื›ืชื•ื‘ ืžื“ื‘ืจ: ืžืขืฆื‘ืš ื•ืžืจื’ื–ืš. ืฉืขืฆื‘ืš ื•ื”ืจื’ื™ื–ืš ืžืœืš ื‘ื‘ืœ ื•ื‘ืจืื•ืชืš ืžืคืœืชื• ื™ื ื™ื— ืœืš ื›ื™ ืชืฆื ื—ืคืฉื™:
on the day the Lord allows you to rest Scripture is addressing Israel. from your sorrow and from your shuddering which the king of Babylon saddened you and caused you to shudder, and when you see his downfall, you will be eased, since you will go out free.

ืคืกื•ืง ื“ืณ ยท Verse 4

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื ึธืฉื‚ึธึœืืชึธ ื”ึทืžึผึธืฉืึธึฅืœ ื”ึทื–ึผึถึ›ื” ืขึทืœึพืžึถึฅืœึถืšึฐ ื‘ึผึธื‘ึถึ–ืœ ื•ึฐืึธืžึธึ‘ืจึฐืชึผึธ ืึตึšื™ืšึฐ ืฉืึธื‘ึทึฃืช ื ึนื’ึตึ”ืฉื‚ ืฉืึธื‘ึฐืชึธึ–ื” ืžึทื“ึฐื”ึตื‘ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

you shall recite this song of scorn over the king of Babylon:How is the taskmaster vanished,How is oppressioncoppression Reading marhebah with 1QIsแตƒ (cf. Septuagint). The traditional reading madhebah is of unknown meaning. ended!

The commission: 'you shall take up this mashal against the king of Bavel โ€” How has the taskmaster ceased, the madhevah ceased!' Radak defines a mashal as speech not meant in its plain sense, and reads madhevah as 'the golden one' โ€” Bavel, mistress of gold and tribute; Rashi records the wordplay of Chazal: the city of 'measure and bring' (medod v'havei), whose appetite for tribute never ended.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžื“ื”ื‘ื”. ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืžืจื‘ื™ืช ื’ืื•ื” ื•ืžืฉื ื›ื‘ื“, ื•ืจื‘ื•ืชื™ื ื• ื“ืจืฉื• ื”ืื•ืžืจื™ื ืžื“ื•ื“ ื•ื”ื‘ื:
the haughty one Heb. ืžึทื“ึฐื”ึตื‘ึธื”. An expression of an excess of haughtiness and a heavy burden. Our Rabbis, however, expound it as: Those who say, 'Measure and bring.'

ืคืกื•ืง ื”ืณ ยท Verse 5

Hebrew:

ืฉืึธื‘ึทึฅืจ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ–ื” ืžึทื˜ึผึตึฃื” ืจึฐืฉืึธืขึดึ‘ื™ื ืฉืึตึ–ื‘ึถื˜ ืžึนืฉืึฐืœึดึฝื™ืืƒ

English:

GOD has broken the staff of the wicked,The rod of tyrants,

'Hashem has broken the staff of the wicked, the rod of rulers.' Radak names the staff: Nevuchadnetzar, Evil-Merodach, and Belshazzar โ€” the dynasty itself is the rod, and its breaking is the subject of the whole poem.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืฉื‘ืจ ื”' ืžื˜ื” ืจืฉืขื™ื. ืฉื”ื™ื” ืžื›ื” ืขืžื™ื ื‘ืขื‘ืจื”:
The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked For he would smite peoples with wrath.

ืคืกื•ืง ื•ืณ ยท Verse 6

Hebrew:

ืžึทื›ึผึถึคื” ืขึทืžึผึดื™ืึ™ ื‘ึผึฐืขึถื‘ึฐืจึธึ”ื” ืžึทื›ึผึทึ–ืช ื‘ึผึดืœึฐืชึผึดึฃื™ ืกึธืจึธึ‘ื” ืจึนื“ึถึคื” ื‘ึธืึทืฃึ™ ื’ึผื•ึนื™ึดึ”ื ืžึปืจึฐื“ึผึธึ–ืฃ ื‘ึผึฐืœึดึฅื™ ื—ึธืฉื‚ึธึฝืšึฐืƒ

English:

That smote peoples in wrathWith stroke unceasing,That belabored nations in furyIn relentless pursuit.

The indictment of the rod: it struck peoples in fury 'with a blow that never turned aside,' and pursued nations without restraint. Radak explains why this describes Nevuchadnetzar specifically โ€” he was the founder who conquered everything, showing no mercy, while his heirs merely held what he seized; Rashi reads 'pursued without relenting': every single nation was chased by him, none released.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžื•ืจื“ืฃ ื‘ืœื™ ื—ืฉืš. ืžื•ืจื“ืฃ ื›ืœ ื’ื•ื™ ื•ื’ื•ื™ ืขืœ ื™ื“ื• ื‘ืœื™ ื—ืฉืš ืขืฆืžื• ืžืจื“ื•ืฃ ื•ืžื“ืœื•ืง ืื—ืจ ื›ืœ ืื•ืžื” ื•ืื•ืžื”:
pursued without relenting Every nation was pursued by him without his relenting from pursuing and chasing each nation.

ืคืกื•ืง ื–ืณ ยท Verse 7

Hebrew:

ื ึธึฅื—ึธื” ืฉืึธืงึฐื˜ึธึ–ื” ื›ึผื‡ืœึพื”ึธืึธึ‘ืจึถืฅ ืคึผึธืฆึฐื—ึ–ื•ึผ ืจึดื ึผึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

All the earth is calm, untroubled;Loudly it cheers.

The earth's response to the tyrant's fall: 'the whole earth rests, is quiet; they break out in song.' Rashi's elegant touch: the verse itself is the song they sing โ€” 'the whole earth rests and is quiet.' Radak notes the poem speaks as though Nevuchadnetzar died the day his dynasty fell.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืคืฆื—ื• ืจื ื”. ื–ืืช ื”ืจื ื” ืคืฆื—ื• ื ื—ื” ืฉืงื˜ื” ื›ืœ ื”ืืจืฅ:
opened [their mouth] in song This is the song they recited, "All the land rested, became tranquil."

ืคืกื•ืง ื—ืณ ยท Verse 8

Hebrew:

ื’ึผึทืึพื‘ึผึฐืจื•ึนืฉืึดึ›ื™ื ืฉื‚ึธืžึฐื—ึฅื•ึผ ืœึฐืšึธึ– ืึทืจึฐื–ึตึฃื™ ืœึฐื‘ึธื ึ‘ื•ึนืŸ ืžึตืึธึฃื– ืฉืึธื›ึทึ”ื‘ึฐืชึผึธ ืœึนืึพื™ึทืขึฒืœึถึฅื” ื”ึทื›ึผึนืจึตึ–ืช ืขึธืœึตึฝื™ื ื•ึผืƒ

English:

Even pines rejoice at your fate,And cedars of Lebanon:โ€œNow that you have lain down,None shall come up to fell us.โ€

Even the trees rejoice: 'the cypresses and the cedars of Levanon โ€” since you lay down, no cutter comes up against us.' Rashi, following Targum Yonatan, decodes the trees as rulers rejoicing at the fall; Radak develops it: the cedars are the kings themselves โ€” even those who paid only tribute rather than slave-labor rejoice, for Nevuchadnetzar killed, imprisoned, and enslaved kings.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื’ื ื‘ืจื•ืฉื™ื ืฉืžื—ื•. ืืฃ ืฉืœื˜ื•ื ื™ืŸ ื—ื“ื™ืื• ืฉืžื—ื• ืขืœ ืžืคืœืชืš:
Box trees, too, rejoiced Rulers, too, rejoiced [from Jonathan]; i.e., they rejoiced at your downfall.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืณ ยท Verse 9

Hebrew:

ืฉืึฐืึ—ื•ึนืœ ืžึดืชึผึทึ›ื—ึทืช ืจึธื’ึฐื–ึธึฅื” ืœึฐืšึธึ– ืœึดืงึฐืจึทึฃืืช ื‘ึผื•ึนืึถึ‘ืšึธ ืขื•ึนืจึตึจืจ ืœึฐืšึธึค ืจึฐืคึธืึดื™ืึ™ ื›ึผื‡ืœึพืขึทืชึผึฃื•ึผื“ึตื™ ืึธึ”ืจึถืฅ ื”ึตืงึดื™ืึ™ ืžึดื›ึผึดืกึฐืื•ึนืชึธึ”ื ื›ึผึนึ–ืœ ืžึทืœึฐื›ึตึฅื™ ื’ื•ึนื™ึดึฝืืƒ

English:

Sheol below was astirTo greet your comingโ€”Rousing for you the shadesOf all earthโ€™s chieftains,Raising from their thronesAll the kings of nations.

The poem descends below ground: Sheol is stirred to greet the king's arrival, rousing the rephaim and raising all the kings of the nations from their thrones. Radak explains the inversion โ€” the living rejoiced, but the dead trembled, as though the man who terrorized the world above might terrorize the world below; Rashi explains the 'he-goats of the earth' as Scripture's idiom for kings, who lead as he-goats lead the flock.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืœืงืจืืช ื‘ืืš. ื›ืฉืชืจื“ ืœื’ื™ื”ื ื ื•ืžื” ื”ื™ื ื”ืจื’ื–ื” ืœืขื•ืจืจ ืœืงืจืืชื: ืจืคืื™ื. ืขื ืงื™ื ื”ืฉื•ื›ื‘ื™ื ืฉื: ื›ืœ ืขืชื•ื“ื™ ืืจืฅ. ื›ืœ ืžืœื›ื™ ื”ืขื›ื•"ื ื”ืฉืจื™ื ื•ื”ืฉืจื•ืช ื”ื›ืชื•ื‘ ืžื•ืฉืœื ืœืคืจื™ื ื•ืœืคืจื•ืช ื•ืœืขืชื•ื“ื™' ื›ืžื• (ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื ื›ืดื‘:ื™ืดื’) ื›ื™ ืกื‘ื‘ื•ื ื™ ืคืจื™ื ื•ื›ืžื• (ืขืžื•ืก ื“ืณ:ืืณ) ืคืจื•ืช ื”ื‘ืฉืŸ ืืฉืจ ื‘ืฉื•ืžืจื•ืŸ ื•ื›ืืŸ ืžื•ืฉืœื ืœืขืชื•ื“ื™ื: ื”ืงื™ื. ื”ืฉืœื™ืš: ืžื›ืกืื•ืชื. ืฉื‘ื’ื™ื”ื ื ื›ืœ ืžืœื›ื™ ื’ื•ื™ื:
toward your arrival When you descend to Gehinnom, and what is the quaking? To arouse toward you... giants Heb. ืจึฐืคึธืึดื™ื, the giants lying there. all the chiefs of the earth [lit. the he-goats.] All the kings of the nations, the princes, and the princesses, are compared by Scripture, to bulls, to cows, and to he-goats. Comp. (Psalms 22:13) "Bulls surrounded me." Also (Amos 4:1): "The cows of the Bashan that were on Mt. Shomron," and here he compares them to he-goats. he caused to rise he threw from their thrones [i.e.,] the messenger of Gehinnom caused all the kings of the nations [to rise] from their thrones. [according to mss. and Shem Ephraim]

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืณ ยท Verse 10

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึปืœึผึธึฃื ื™ึทืขึฒื ึ”ื•ึผ ื•ึฐื™ึนืืžึฐืจึ–ื•ึผ ืึตืœึถึ‘ื™ืšึธ ื’ึผึทืึพืึทืชึผึธึ›ื” ื—ึปืœึผึตึฅื™ืชึธ ื›ึธืžึ–ื•ึนื ื•ึผ ืึตืœึตึฅื™ื ื•ึผ ื ึดืžึฐืฉืึธึฝืœึฐืชึผึธืƒ

English:

All speak up and say to you,โ€œSo you have been stricken as we were,You have become like us!

The greeting of the dead kings is the poem's cruelest line: 'You too have been made weak as we; you have become like us.' Radak catches the amazement in it โ€” you who ruled over all of us in life turn out to share the one democracy of death.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื’ื ืืชื” ื—ืœื™ืช ื›ืžื•ื ื•. ืชืžื™ื”ื™ื ืื ื• ืื™ืš ื‘ืืช ืขืœื™ืš ืจืขื” ืฉื’ื ืืชื” ื ื—ืœื™ืช ืœื”ื™ื•ืช ื›ืžื•ื ื• ืœืžื•ืช:
Have you too become weak like us We are amazed how the misfortune has fallen upon you, that you too have become weak, to be like us, to die.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื ยท Verse 11

Hebrew:

ื”ื•ึผืจึทึฅื“ ืฉืึฐืึ›ื•ึนืœ ื’ึผึฐืื•ึนื ึถึ–ืšึธ ื”ึถืžึฐื™ึทึฃืช ื ึฐื‘ึธืœึถึ‘ื™ืšึธ ืชึผึทื—ึฐืชึผึถึ™ื™ืšึธึ™ ื™ึปืฆึผึทึฃืข ืจึดืžึผึธึ”ื” ื•ึผืžึฐื›ึทืกึผึถึ–ื™ืšึธ ืชึผื•ึนืœึตืขึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

Your pomp is brought down to Sheol,And the strains of your lutes!Worms are to be your bed,Maggots your blanket!โ€

The inventory of the descent: the pomp brought down to Sheol, the sound of the harps silenced, 'beneath you the maggot is spread, and worms are your covering.' Radak draws the contrast: the precious couches and royal coverlets of the palace are exchanged for a bed of maggots and a blanket of worms โ€” grandeur inverted point for point.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ืžื™ืช ื ื‘ืœื™ืš. ื ื‘ืœื™ื ื•ื›ื ื•ืจื•ืช ืฉื”ื™ื• ืžื–ืžืจื™ื ืœืคื ื™ืš ื•ื™ืฉ ืœืคืชื•ืจ ื”ืžื™ืช ื ื‘ืœื™ืš ื”ืžื™ืช ื‘ื ื™ ื ื‘ืœ ืขื•ืฉื™ ื ื‘ืœื” ืฉื‘ื—ื™ื™ืœื•ืชื™ืš ื•ืžื“ื•ืžื” ืื ื™ ืฉื‘ืžืกื•ืจื” ื”ื’ื“ื•ืœื” ื—ื™ื‘ืจ ืืช ื–ื” ื•ืืช ื–ืžืจืช ื ื‘ืœื™ื (ืฉื ื”) ื‘ืืœืฃ ื‘ื™ืช ืฉืœ ื‘' ืœืฉื•ื ื•ืช:
the stirring of your psalteries The psalteries and harps that used to play before you. It is also possible to interpret, ื”ึถืžึฐื™ึทืช ื ึฐื‘ึธืœึถื™ืšึธ as, the stirring of the wanton ones, who commit wanton acts, of your armies, and it seems to me that in the great Masorah, this was combined with (Amos 5:21) "The song of your psalteries," in the aleph-beth of two meanings.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื‘ ยท Verse 12

Hebrew:

ืึตึ›ื™ืšึฐ ื ึธืคึทึฅืœึฐืชึผึธ ืžึดืฉืึผึธืžึทึ–ื™ึดื ื”ึตื™ืœึตึฃืœ ื‘ึผึถืŸึพืฉืึธึ‘ื—ึทืจ ื ึดื’ึฐื“ึผึทึฃืขึฐืชึผึธ ืœึธืึธึ”ืจึถืฅ ื—ื•ึนืœึตึ–ืฉื ืขึทืœึพื’ึผื•ึนื™ึดึฝืืƒ

English:

How are you fallen from heaven,O Shining One, son of Dawn!dShining One, son of Dawn A character in some lost myth. How are you felled to earth,O vanquisher of nations!

The immortal line: 'How have you fallen from heaven, Heilel ben Shachar' โ€” the shining morning star. Rashi reads it doubly: the lament over the heavenly prince of Bavel, cast down before his nation falls, and Nevuchadnetzar himself, 'who cast lots over nations' (cholesh al goyim) โ€” deciding by lottery, as Radak details from Yechezkel, which land he would attack and which king would serve him on which day.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ื™ืœืœ ื‘ืŸ ืฉื—ืจ. ื›ื•ื›ื‘ ื”ื ื•ื’ื” ื”ืžืื™ืจ ืื•ืจ ื›ื›ื•ื›ื‘ ื”ื‘ื•ืงืจ ื–ื• ื”ืงื™ื ื” ืขืœ ืฉืจื” ืฉืœ ื‘ื‘ืœ ื ืืžืจ' ืฉื™ืคื•ืœ ืžืฉืžื™ื: ื ื’ื“ืขืช ืœืืจืฅ. ืืชื” ื ื‘ื•ื›ื“ื ืฆืจ ืฉื”ื™ื™ืช ื—ื•ืœืฉ ืขืœ ื’ื•ื™ื ืžื˜ื™ืœ ื’ื•ืจืœ ืขืœื™ื”ื ืขืœ ื”ืžืœื›ื™ื ืžื™ ืžื”ื ื™ืฉืจืชืš ื‘ื™ื•ื ืคืœื•ื ื™ ื•ืžื™ ื‘ื™ื•ื ืคืœื•ื ื™ ื•ืจื‘ื•ืชื™ื ื• ื“ืจืฉื•ื”ื• ืฉื”ื™ื” ืžื˜ื™ืœ ื’ื•ืจืœ ืขืœ ื”ืžืœื›ื™ื ื•ื›ื•':
Lucifer, the morning star This is Venus, which gives light as the morning star, ื”ึตื™ืœึตืœ being derived from ื™ื”ืœ, to shed light. This is the lamentation over the heavenly prince of Babylon, who will fall from heaven. You have been cut down to earth You, Nebuchadnezzar, who would cast lots on nations. You would cast lots on them, on the kings, who of them would serve you on such and such a day, and who on such and such a day. Our Rabbis, however, expounded this to mean that he would cast lots on the kings for purposes of pederasty.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื’ ยท Verse 13

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืึทืชึผึธึžื” ืึธืžึทึคืจึฐืชึผึธ ื‘ึดึฝืœึฐื‘ึธื‘ึฐืšึธึ™ ื”ึทืฉืึผึธืžึทึฃื™ึดื ืึถืขึฑืœึถึ”ื” ืžึดืžึผึทึฅืขึทืœ ืœึฐื›ื•ึนื›ึฐื‘ึตื™ึพืึตึ–ืœ ืึธืจึดึฃื™ื ื›ึผึดืกึฐืึดึ‘ื™ ื•ึฐืึตืฉืึตึฅื‘ ื‘ึผึฐื”ึทืจึพืžื•ึนืขึตึ–ื“ ื‘ึผึฐื™ึทืจึฐื›ึผึฐืชึตึฅื™ ืฆึธืคึฝื•ึนืŸืƒ

English:

Once you thought in your heart,โ€œI will climb to the sky;Higher than the stars of GodI will set my throne.I will sit in the mount of assembly,eassembly I.e., the assembly of the gods in council. On the summit of Zaphon:fthe summit of Zaphon The abode of the gods; cf. Ps. 48.3.

The king's heart quoted in ascending boasts: 'I will ascend to the heavens; above the stars of God I will raise my throne; I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of Tzafon.' Rashi decodes each figure toward Yerushalayim โ€” the stars of God are Israel, the mount of assembly is Har Tzion, and the far reaches of Tzafon the north side of the Temple courtyard; Radak adds his father's alternative, that the 'mount of assembly' is Bavel itself, where all the world assembled to its king.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžืžืขืœ ืœื›ื•ื›ื‘ื™ ืืœ. ื™ืฉืจืืœ: ื‘ื”ืจ ืžื•ืขื“. ื”ืจ ืฉื”ื›ืœ ืžืชื•ืขื“ื™' ืฉื ื”ื•ื ื”ืจ ืฆื™ื•ืŸ: ื‘ื™ืจื›ืชื™ ืฆืคื•ืŸ. ื‘ืขื–ืจื” ืžืงื•ื ืฉื ื‘ื—ืจ ื‘ื• ื™ืจืš ื”ืฆืคื•ื ื™ ื›ืขื ื™ืŸ ืฉื ื' (ื•ื™ืงืจ' ื) ืขืœ ื™ืจืš ื”ืžื–ื‘ื— ืฆืคื•ื ื”:
above the stars of God Israel. on the mount of the assembly The mount where all assemble, i.e., Mount Zion. in the farthest end of the north In the forecourt, the chosen place, the north side, as the matter is stated (Lev. 1:11): "On the side of the altar to the north."

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื“ ยท Verse 14

Hebrew:

ืึถืขึฑืœึถึ–ื” ืขึทืœึพื‘ึผึธึฃืžึณืชึตื™ ืขึธึ‘ื‘ ืึถื“ึผึทืžึผึถึ–ื” ืœึฐืขึถืœึฐื™ึฝื•ึนืŸืƒ

English:

I will mount the back of a cloudโ€”I will match the Most High.โ€

The boast reaches its ceiling: 'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.' Rashi renders the delusion vividly โ€” 'I am not fit to dwell with mortals; I will make myself a small cloud and dwell in it'; Metzudat David reads it as the figure for limitless arrogance: to sit apart from mankind, like the One above.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืืขืœื” ืขืœ ื‘ืžืชื™ ืขื‘. ืื™ื ื™ ื›ื“ืื™ ืœื“ื•ืจ ืขื ื‘ื ื™ ืื“ื ืืขืฉื” ืœื™ ืขื‘ ืงื˜ื ื” ื‘ืื•ื™ืจ ื•ืืฉื‘ ื‘ื” ื™ื•ื ืชืŸ ืชืจื’ื ืืกืง ืขืœื•ื™ ื›ืœ ืขืžื:
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds I am not fit to dwell with mortals. I will make myself a small cloud in the air and I will dwell there. Jonathan renders: I will ascend over all nations.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืดื• ยท Verse 15

Hebrew:

ืึทึงืšึฐ ืึถืœึพืฉืึฐืึ›ื•ึนืœ ืชึผื•ึผืจึธึ–ื“ ืึถืœึพื™ึทืจึฐื›ึผึฐืชึตื™ึพื‘ึฝื•ึนืจืƒ

English:

Instead, you are brought down to Sheol,To the bottom of the Pit.gthe bottom of the Pit A region of the netherworld reserved for those who have not received decent burial; cf. Ezek. 32.21ff.

The answer is one line: 'But to Sheol you are brought down, to the far reaches of the pit.' Radak lays out the exact symmetry of the sentence โ€” against 'above the stars of God,' Sheol; against 'the far reaches of Tzafon,' the far reaches of the grave, which is the pit (bor).

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืดื– ยท Verse 16

Hebrew:

ืจึนืึถึ™ื™ืšึธึ™ ืึตืœึถึฃื™ืšึธ ื™ึทืฉืึฐื’ึผึดึ”ื™ื—ื•ึผ ืึตืœึถึ–ื™ืšึธ ื™ึดืชึฐื‘ึผื•ึนื ึธึ‘ื ื•ึผ ื”ึฒื–ึถึคื” ื”ึธืึดื™ืฉืึ™ ืžึทืจึฐื’ึผึดึฃื™ื– ื”ึธืึธึ”ืจึถืฅ ืžึทืจึฐืขึดึ–ื™ืฉื ืžึทืžึฐืœึธื›ึฝื•ึนืชืƒ

English:

They who behold you stare;They peer at you closely:โ€œIs this the manWho shook the earth,Who made realms tremble,

The onlookers stare at the corpse and cannot believe it: 'Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms?' Radak notes the word yashgichu โ€” a peering, narrowed gaze, the squint of disbelief; Rashi renders it as looking through holes and cracks, scarcely daring a full look.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื™ืฉื’ื™ื—ื•. ื™ื‘ื™ื˜ื• ื“ืจืš ื—ื•ืจื™ืŸ ื•ื—ืจื›ื™ืŸ ืื‘ื•ื˜"ืจ ื‘ืœืข"ื–: ื™ืชื‘ื•ื ื ื•. ืคื•ืจื•ืคื ืฉื™"ืจ ื‘ืœืข"ื–:
shall look at you They will look through holes and cracks [aboater in O.F.]. shall gaze earnestly [Por panser in O.F.] To think of oneself.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื– ยท Verse 17

Hebrew:

ืฉื‚ึธึฅื ืชึผึตื‘ึตึ›ืœ ื›ึผึทืžึผึดื“ึฐื‘ึผึธึ–ืจ ื•ึฐืขึธืจึธึฃื™ื• ื”ึธืจึธึ‘ืก ืึฒืกึดื™ืจึธึ–ื™ื• ืœึนืึพืคึธึฅืชึทื— ื‘ึผึธึฝื™ึฐืชึธื”ืƒ

English:

Who made the world like a wasteAnd wrecked its towns,Who never released his prisoners to their homes?โ€

The staring continues: he 'made the world like a desert, tore down its cities โ€” and never opened the house for his prisoners.' Rashi and Radak explain the last charge: once he imprisoned a man, the prison never opened again for the rest of the man's life โ€” a cruelty beyond conquest itself.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืœื ืคืชื— ื‘ื™ืชื”. ืœื ืคืชื— ืœื”ื ื‘ื™ืช ืืกื•ืจื™ื”ื ืœื”ื•ืฆื™ืื ื›ืœ ื™ืžื™ ื—ื™ื™ื”ื ืœืคื•ื˜ืจ' ืœืœื›ืช ืœื‘ื™ืชื ื›ืœ ืชื™ื‘ื” ืฉืฆืจื™ื›' ืœืž"ื“ ื‘ืชื—ืœืชื” ื”ื˜ื™ืœ ืœื” ื”"ื ื‘ืกื•ืคื”:
he did not open the house Heb. ื‘ึผึธื™ึฐืชึธื”. He did not open their house of imprisonment to release them all the days of their lives, to allow them to go to their home. Every word that requires a 'lammed' at the beginning Scripture placed a 'heh' to it at the end.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื— ยท Verse 18

Hebrew:

ื›ึผื‡ืœึพืžึทืœึฐื›ึตึฅื™ ื’ื•ึนื™ึดึ–ื ื›ึผึปืœึผึธึ‘ื ืฉืึธื›ึฐื‘ึฅื•ึผ ื‘ึฐื›ึธื‘ึ–ื•ึนื“ ืึดึฅื™ืฉื ื‘ึผึฐื‘ึตื™ืชึฝื•ึนืƒ

English:

All the kings of nationsWere laid, every one, in honorhWho never released โ€ฆ in honor Emendation yields โ€œWho chained to his palace gate / All the kings of nations? / Yet they were all laid in honorโ€ฆโ€ The practice of chaining captive chieftains to gates is attested in Mesopotamia. Each in his tomb;

The foil for the final disgrace: 'All the kings of the nations lie in honor, each in his house' โ€” and Rashi, with Targum Yonatan, explains: each in his tomb, his eternal house. Ordinary tyrants at least die into dignity; the next verse will deny even that.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืื™ืฉ ื‘ื‘ื™ืชื•. ื‘ืงื‘ืจื• ื•ื›ืŸ ืช"ื™ ื‘ื‘ื™ืช ืขืœืžื™ื”:
each in his house In his grave, and so did Jonathan render: In his eternal house.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื˜ ยท Verse 19

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืึทืชึผึธึžื” ื”ื‡ืฉืึฐืœึทึคื›ึฐืชึผึธ ืžึดึฝืงึผึดื‘ึฐืจึฐืšึธึ™ ื›ึผึฐื ึตึฃืฆึถืจ ื ึดืชึฐืขึธึ”ื‘ ืœึฐื‘ึปึฅืฉื ื”ึฒืจึปื’ึดึ–ื™ื ืžึฐื˜ึนึฃืขึฒื ึตื™ ื—ึธึ‘ืจึถื‘ ื™ื•ึนืจึฐื“ึตึฅื™ ืึถืœึพืึทื‘ึฐื ึตื™ึพื‘ึ–ื•ึนืจ ื›ึผึฐืคึถึฅื’ึถืจ ืžื•ึผื‘ึธึฝืกืƒ

English:

While you were left lying unburied,Like loathsome carrion,icarrion So several ancient versions; cf. postbiblical neแนฃel, โ€œputrefying flesh or blood.โ€ Like a trampled corpse[In] the clothing of slain gashed by the swordWho sink to the very stones of the Pit.

'But you are flung from your grave like a loathed shoot, in the garb of the slain.' All three commentators bring the tradition of Chazal: during Nevuchadnetzar's seven bestial years the people crowned Evil-Merodach; the returning father imprisoned him; and when the king died, Evil-Merodach refused the crown โ€” 'if he returns, he will kill me' โ€” until they dragged the corpse from its grave to prove the death. The man who would not release prisoners is disinterred by his own heir's terror.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ื ืฆืจ ื ืชืขื‘. ื›ื™ื•ื ืง ืื™ืœืŸ ื”ื ืชืขื‘ ื‘ืขื™ื ื™ ื‘ืขืœื™ื• ืฉื—ื•ืคืจ ื•ืžืฉืจืฉ ื•ืžื•ืฆื™ืื• ื›ืš ื”ื•ืฉืœื›ืช ืžืงื‘ืจืš, ืืžืจื• ื—ื›ืžื™ื ื›ืฉื ืขืฉื” ื‘ื”ืžื” ื•ื—ื™ื” ื–' ืฉื ื™ื ื”ืžืœื™ื›ื• ืขื ื”ืืจืฅ ืืช ืื•ื™ืœ ืžืจื•ื“ืš ื•ื›ืฉื—ื–ืจ ืœืžืœื›ื•ืชื• ื ื˜ืœื• ื•ื—ื‘ืฉื• ื‘ื‘ื™ืช ื”ืืกื•ืจื™ืŸ ืขื“ ื™ื•ื ืžื•ืชื• ื›ืฉืžืช ื”ื•ืฆื™ืื• ืื•ื™ืœ ืžืจื•ื“ืš ืžื‘ื™ืช ื”ืกื•ื”ืจ ืœื”ืžืœื™ื›ื• ื•ืœื ืงื‘ืœ ืขืœื™ื• ืืžืจ ืื ื™ืฉื•ื‘ ืœืžืœื›ื•ืชื• ื™ื”ืจื’ื ื™ ืืžืจื• ืœื• ืžืช ื•ื ืงื‘ืจ ื•ืœื ื”ืืžื™ืŸ ืขื“ ืฉื”ื•ืฆื™ืื•ื”ื• ืžืงื‘ืจื•: ืœื‘ื•ืฉ ื”ืจื•ื’ื™ื ืžื˜ื•ืขื ื™ ื—ืจื‘. ื‘ืœื‘ื•ืฉ ืžืœื•ื›ืœืš ื›ืžื• ืœื‘ื•ืฉ ื”ืจื•ื’ื™ื: ืžื˜ื•ืขื ื™ ื—ืจื‘. ืžื“ื•ืงืจื™ ืจืžื—ื™ื ืžื“ื•ืงืจ ื‘ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืขืจื‘ื™ ืžื•ื˜ืขืŸ: ื™ื•ืจื“ื™ ืืœ ืื‘ื ื™ ื‘ื•ืจ. ืืœ ืขืžืงื™ ื‘ื•ืจ ืžืงื•ื ืฉื”ืื‘ื ื™ื ืฆื•ืœืœื™ื ืฉื ื™ืจื“ืช: ื›ืคื’ืจ ืžื•ื‘ืก. ืช"ื™ ืžื“ืฉื“ืฉ ื›ืžื• ื ื‘ื•ืก ืงืžื™ื ื• (ืชืœื™ื ืžื“) ื•ืขืœ ื”ืจื™ ืื‘ื•ืกื ื• (ื›ืืŸ ื›"ื”) ืžืชื‘ื•ืกืกืช ื‘ื“ืžื™ืš (ื™ื—ื–ืงืืœ ื˜ื•), ื”ื ื“ื•ืฉ ื›ื˜ื™ื˜ ื—ื•ืฆื•ืช:
like a despised sapling Like a sapling of a tree, which is despised by its owner, who digs it up and uproots it and takes it out. So were you cast out of your grave. The Sages stated (Lev. Rabbah 18:2): When he became an animal and a wild beast for seven years, the populace crowned Evil-Merodach, and when he was restored to his kingdom, he took him and imprisoned him in the dungeon until the day of his death. When he died, they took Evil-Merodach out of prison to crown him king, but he did not accept it upon himself. He said, If he returns to his kingdom, he will kill me. They said to him, He is dead and buried. But he did not believe them until they took him out of his grave and dragged him. [in] the garb of the slain With filthy apparel, like that of the slain. of those pierced by the sword Heb. ืžึฐื˜ึนืขึฒื ึตื™, pierced by spears (sic). "Pierced" in Arabic is 'mut'an.' who descend to the stones of the pit to the depths of the pit, the place where stones sink there, you have descended. like a trampled corpse Heb. ืžื•ึผื‘ึธืก. Jonathan renders: trampled, like (Ps. 44:6), "We will trample (ื ึธื‘ื•ึผืก) those who rise up against us"; (infra verse 25) "And on my mountains I will trample him (ืึฒื‘ื•ึผืกึถื ื•ึผ)"; (Ezekiel 16: 6) "Trampled (ืžึดืชึฐื‘ึผื•ึนืกึถืกึถืช) in your blood," trampled like the mud of the streets.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืณ ยท Verse 20

Hebrew:

ืœึนึฝืึพืชึตื—ึทึคื“ ืึดืชึผึธืึ™ ื‘ึผึดืงึฐื‘ื•ึผืจึธึ”ื” ื›ึผึดื™ึพืึทืจึฐืฆึฐืšึธึฅ ืฉืึดื—ึทึ–ืชึผึธ ืขึทืžึผึฐืšึธึฃ ื”ึธืจึธึ‘ื’ึฐืชึผึธ ืœึนืึพื™ึดืงึผึธืจึตึฅื ืœึฐืขื•ึนืœึธึ–ื ื–ึถึฅืจึทืข ืžึฐืจึตืขึดึฝื™ืืƒ

English:

You shall not have a burial like them;Because you destroyed your country,Murdered your people.jyour country, / Murdered your people Emendation yields โ€œโ€ฆcountries, / Murdered peoples.โ€ Let the breed of evildoersNevermore be named!

The moral logic of the refused burial: 'You shall not be united with them in burial, for your land you destroyed, your people you slew.' Rashi points to Daniel โ€” the order to execute all the wise men of Bavel; Radak adds the crushing taxation and the killings over trifles, cruelty so extreme that his own people rejoiced at his death and buried him without honor. And the curse extends forward: 'the seed of evildoers shall never be named.'
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืœื ืชื—ื“ ืืชื ื‘ืงื‘ื•ืจื”. ืœื ืชืฉื•ื” ืœืฉืืจ ืžืœื›ื™ื ืœื ื•ื— ื‘ืงื‘ืจืš: ื›ื™ ืืจืฆืš ืฉื—ืช. ื‘ืจื•ื‘ ืขื‘ื•ื“ื” ื•ืขืžืš ื”ืจื’ืช ื—ื ื ื›ืžื• ืฉืžืคื•ืจืฉ ื‘ื“ื ื™ืืœ ื•ืืžืจ ืœื”ื•ื‘ื“' ืœื›ืœ ื—ื›ื™ืžื™ ื‘ื‘ืœ ืœื›ืš ืฉื ืื•ืš ื•ื ื”ื’ื• ื‘ืš ื‘ื–ื™ื•ืŸ ืœื”ืฉืœื™ื›ืš ืžืงื‘ืจืš: ืœื ื™ืงืจื ืœืขื•ืœื ื–ืจืข ืžืจืขื™ื. ื•ืืฃ ื‘ื ื™ืš ื™ืœืงื• ื‘ืขื•ื ื™ืš ื•ืœื ื™ืชืงื™ื™ืžื• ืื—ืจื™ืš ื™ืžื™ื ืจื‘ื™ื ื›ื™ ื™ืชื—ื‘ืจื• ืขืœื™ื”ื ืฉื•ื ืื™ืš ื•ื™ืฉื—ื™ืชื•ื ื•ื™ืืžืจื• ื–ื” ืœื–ื”:
You shall not join them in burial You shall not be equal to other kings, to rest in your grave. for you have destroyed your land with excessive labor, and you have slain your people groundlessly, as it is related in Daniel (2:12): "And he said to destroy all the wise men of Babylon." Therefore, they hated you and treated you with contempt to throw you out of your grave. the seed of evil doers shall not be named forever Even your children shall suffer for your iniquities, and they shall not endure long after you, for their enemies will unite against them and destroy them, and they shall say to each other.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื ยท Verse 21

Hebrew:

ื”ึธื›ึดึงื™ื ื•ึผ ืœึฐื‘ึธื ึธึ›ื™ื• ืžึทื˜ึฐื‘ึผึตึ–ื—ึท ื‘ึผึทืขึฒื•ึบึฃืŸ ืึฒื‘ื•ึนืชึธึ‘ื ื‘ึผึทืœึพื™ึธืงึปึ™ืžื•ึผึ™ ื•ึฐื™ึธึฃืจึฐืฉืื•ึผ ืึธึ”ืจึถืฅ ื•ึผืžึธืœึฐืึฅื•ึผ ืคึฐื ึตื™ึพืชึตื‘ึตึ–ืœ ืขึธืจึดึฝื™ืืƒ

English:

Prepare a slaughtering block for his sonskhis sons As potential heirs to the throne; cf. Kimhi. Because of the guilt of their father.lfather Heb. โ€œfathers.โ€ Let them not arise to possess the earth!Then the worldโ€™s face shall be covered with towns.

The sentence on the dynasty: 'Prepare a slaughtering-place for his sons for the iniquity of their fathers, lest they rise and possess the earth.' Radak explains the fear driving the verse โ€” sons may be as evil as the fathers โ€” and offers both readings of the last clause: lest the world fill with enemies (arim as adversaries, per Targum), or, as Rashi also suggests, so that with the destroyers gone the face of the world may again fill with cities.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ื›ื™ื ื• ืœื‘ื ื™ื• ืžื˜ื‘ื—. ืœื‘ืœ ื™ืงื•ืžื• ื•ื™ืจืฉื• ืืจืฅ, ื•ืชืžืœื ื”ืืจืฅ ืฉื•ื ืื™ื ื•ืžืฆื™ืงื™ื ื•ื›ืŸ ืชื™ืจื’ื ื™ื•ื ืชืŸ ื‘ืขืœื™ ื“ื‘ื‘ื™ืŸ ื›ืžื• (ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ื›ืดื—:ื˜ืดื–) ื•ื™ื”ื™ ืขืจืš, ื•ืขื•ื“ ื™ืฉ ืœืคืชื•ืจ ื•ืžืœืื• ืคื ื™ ืชื‘ืœ ืขืจื™ื ื›ืœืคื™ ืฉืืžืจื ื• ืœืžืขืœื” ืฉื ืชื‘ืœ ื›ืžื“ื‘ืจ ื•ืขืจื™ื• ื”ืจืก ื—ื–ืจ ื•ืืžืจ ื•ื›ืœื” ื–ืจืขื• ื•ื™ื—ื–ืจื• ื™ื•ืฉื‘ื™ ื”ืขืจื™ื ืœืžืงื•ืžืŸ ื•ืžืœืื• ืคื ื™ ืชื‘ืœ ืขื™ื™ืจื•ืช:
Prepare a slaughter for his sons lest they rise and inherit the land, and the land will be filled with enemies and oppressors. So did Jonathan render ืขึธึทืจึดื™ื, enemies. Comp. (I Sam. 28:16) "And has become your adversary (ืขึธืจึถืšึฐ)." It can also be interpreted: And fill the surface of the earth with cities. In contrast with what he said before (verse 17): "Who made the land like a desert and demolished his cities," he says further: His seed shall perish, and the inhabitants of the cities shall return to their place, and the surface of the earth shall be filled with cities.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื‘ ยท Verse 22

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืงึทืžึฐืชึผึดึฃื™ ืขึฒืœึตื™ื”ึถึ”ื ื ึฐืึปึ–ื ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฃื” ืฆึฐื‘ึธืึ‘ื•ึนืช ื•ึฐื”ึดื›ึฐืจึทืชึผึดึจื™ ืœึฐื‘ึธื‘ึถึœืœ ืฉืึตึฅื ื•ึผืฉืึฐืึธึ›ืจ ื•ึฐื ึดึฅื™ืŸ ื•ึธื ึถึ–ื›ึถื“ ื ึฐืึปืึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

I will rise up against themโ€”declares GOD of Hostsโ€”and will wipe out from Babylon name and remnant, kith and kinโ€”declares GODโ€”

God Himself seals it: 'I will rise against them... and cut off from Bavel name and remnant, nin and neched' โ€” son and grandson. Rashi identifies them with startling specificity: the nin is Belshazzar, the neched is Vashti โ€” the dynasty's last thread running into the scroll of Esther.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ืฉืืจ. ืฉืืจื™ืช: ื ื™ืŸ. ื‘ืŸ ืžื•ืฉืœ ื‘ืžืœื›ื•ืช ืื‘ื™ื•: ื•ื ื›ื“. ื‘ืŸ ื”ื‘ืŸ ื ื™ืŸ ื–ื” ื‘ืœืฉืฆืจ ื•ื ื›ื“ ื–ื• ื•ืฉืชื™:
and a remnant Heb. ืฉืึฐืึธืจ, a remnant. and a son Heb. ื•ึฐื ึดื™ืŸ, a son ruling in the kingdom of his father. and a grandson The son of the son. The son is Belshazzar, and the grandson [or granddaughter in this case] was Vashti.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื’ ยท Verse 23

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืฉื‚ึทืžึฐืชึผึดึ›ื™ื”ึธ ืœึฐืžื•ึนืจึทึฅืฉื ืงึดืคึผึนึ–ื“ ื•ึฐืึทื’ึฐืžึตื™ึพืžึธึ‘ื™ึดื ื•ึฐื˜ึตืื˜ึตืืชึดึ™ื™ื”ึธึ™ ื‘ึผึฐืžึทื˜ึฐืึฒื˜ึตึฃื ื”ึทืฉืึฐืžึตึ”ื“ ื ึฐืึปึ–ื ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฅื” ืฆึฐื‘ึธืึฝื•ึนืชืƒย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

and I will make it a home of bitterns,mbitterns Meaning of Heb. uncertain. pools of water. I will sweep it with a broom of exterminationโ€”declares GOD of Hosts.

Bavel's final state: 'a possession of the hedgehog, and pools of water โ€” and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction.' Rashi and Radak both tell the famous story: the Sages did not know the word matatei until they heard the maidservant of Rebbi's household tell her companion, 'take the broom (matatei) and sweep the house.' The rarest word in the oracle was preserved in a servant's kitchen speech.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืงืคื•ื“. ื”ืจื™ืฆื•"ืŸ ื‘ืœืข"ื–: ื•ื˜ืื˜ืืชื™ื”. ืœืฉื•ืŸ ื›ื™ื‘ื•ื“ ืืฉืงื•ื‘ื™"ืจ ื‘ืœืข"ื– ื›ืžื• ืฉืืžืจื• ืจื‘ื•ืชื™ื ื• ืœื ื”ื•ื™ ื™ื“ืขื™ ืจื‘ื ืŸ ืžืื™ ื•ื˜ืื˜ืืชื™ื” ืขื“ ื“ืฉืžืขื•ื” ื›ื•':
hedgehog Heb. ืงึดืคึผึนื“ [hricon or hericon in O.F.] [In Modern French it is spelled herisson.] and I will sweep Heb. ื•ึฐื˜ึดืื˜ึตืืชึดื™ื”ึธ, an expression of sweeping [eskober in O.F.], as our Rabbis stated: The Rabbis did not know the meaning of ื•ึฐื˜ึดืื˜ึตืืชึดื™ื”ึธ ื‘ึผึฐืžึทื˜ึฐืึฒื˜ึตื ื”ึทืฉืึฐืžึตื“, until they heard [Rabbi's (R. Judah Hanasi's) maidservant say to her friend, "Take a broom (ืžึทื˜ึฐืึฒื˜ึตื) and sweep (ื•ึฐื˜ึทืึฐื˜ึฐืึดื™) the house."]

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื“ ยท Verse 24

Hebrew:

ื ึดืฉืึฐื‘ึผึทึ›ืข ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฅื” ืฆึฐื‘ึธืึ–ื•ึนืช ืœึตืืžึนึ‘ืจ ืึดืึพืœึนึžื ื›ึผึทืึฒืฉืึถึคืจ ื“ึผึดืžึผึดึ™ื™ืชึดื™ึ™ ื›ึผึตึฃืŸ ื”ึธื™ึธึ”ืชึธื” ื•ึฐื›ึทืึฒืฉืึถึฅืจ ื™ึธืขึทึ–ืฆึฐืชึผึดื™ ื”ึดึฅื™ื ืชึธืงึฝื•ึผืืƒ

English:

GOD of Hosts has sworn this oath:โ€œAs I have designed, so shall it happen;What I have planned, that shall come to pass:

The oath that guarantees everything: 'Hashem of Hosts has sworn โ€” as I intended, so it was; as I planned, so it shall stand.' Rashi supplies the referent: as I intended concerning Assyria, so it happened โ€” and Nevuchadnetzar himself saw the prophets' words fulfilled against Sancheriv. The fulfilled prophecy is the collateral for the unfulfilled one.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ืืฉืจ ื“ืžื™ืชื™. ื‘ืืฉื•ืจ ื›ืŸ ื”ื™ืช', ืืชื” ื ื‘ื•ื›ื“ื ืฆืจ ืจืื™ืช ืฉื ืชืงื™ื™ืžื• ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื ื‘ื™ืื™ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื‘ืกื ื—ืจื™ื‘:
as I thought concerning Assyria, so it was. You, Nebuchadnezzar, saw that the words of the prophets of Israel about Sennacherib were fulfilled.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื” ยท Verse 25

Hebrew:

ืœึดืฉืึฐื‘ึผึนึคืจ ืึทืฉืึผื•ึผืจึ™ ื‘ึผึฐืึทืจึฐืฆึดึ”ื™ ื•ึฐืขึทืœึพื”ึธืจึทึ–ื™ ืึฒื‘ื•ึผืกึถึ‘ื ึผื•ึผ ื•ึฐืกึธึคืจ ืžึตึฝืขึฒืœึตื™ื”ึถืึ™ ืขึปืœึผึ”ื•ึน ื•ึฐืกึปึจื‘ึผึณืœึ”ื•ึน ืžึตืขึทึฅืœ ืฉืึดื›ึฐืžึ–ื•ึน ื™ึธืกึฝื•ึผืจืƒ

English:

To break Assyria in My land,To crush him on My mountain.โ€nMy mountain Heb. โ€œMy mountainsโ€; for the designation of the entire land of Israel as GODโ€™s mountain, cf. 11.9. And his yoke shall drop off them,And his burden shall drop from theirotheir Heb. โ€œhis.โ€ backs.pAnd his yoke โ€ฆ backs These lines would read well after v. 26.

The content of the fulfilled intention: 'to break Assyria in My land, and on My mountains I will trample him' โ€” Radak locates it precisely: the angel struck the Assyrian camp on the mountains around Yerushalayim, and the yoke and burden fell from Yehudah's shoulder. The prophecy of chapters 9-10, already history, underwrites the massa of Bavel.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืœืฉื‘ื•ืจ ืืฉื•ืจ ื‘ืืจืฆื™. ื•ื‘ื–ืืช ืชื“ืข ื›ื™ ืืช ืืฉืจ ื™ืขืฆืชื™ ืืœื™ืš ื’ื ื”ื™ื ืชืงื•ื: ืœืฉื‘ื•ืจ ืืฉื•ืจ ื•ื’ื•'. ืžื•ืกื‘ ืขืœ ื›ืืฉืจ ื“ืžื™ืชื™ ื›ืŸ ื”ื™ืชื”: ืื‘ื•ืกื ื•. ืืฉืจ ืืžืจืชื™ ืœืจื•ืžืกื• ื•ืœื‘ื•ืกืกื•:
To break Assyria in My land And with this you shall know that what I planned about you will remain as well. "To break..." is connected to "As I thought, so it was." will I trample him Heb. ืึฒื‘ื•ึผืกึถื ื•ึผ, which I said to tread upon him and trample him.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื• ยท Verse 26

Hebrew:

ื–ึนึ›ืืช ื”ึธืขึตืฆึธึฅื” ื”ึทื™ึผึฐืขื•ึผืฆึธึ–ื” ืขึทืœึพื›ึผื‡ืœึพื”ึธืึธึ‘ืจึถืฅ ื•ึฐื–ึนึ›ืืช ื”ึทื™ึผึธึฅื“ ื”ึทื ึผึฐื˜ื•ึผื™ึธึ–ื” ืขึทืœึพื›ึผื‡ืœึพื”ึทื’ึผื•ึนื™ึดึฝืืƒ

English:

That is the plan that is plannedFor all the earth;That is why an arm is poisedOver all the nations.

The principle generalized: 'This is the plan planned for all the earth, and this is the hand stretched out over all the nations.' Rashi's gloss is a theology of history in six words: over Assyria in its hour, over Bavel in its hour. Radak adds that when the nations saw the hand fall on Assyria, they feared Hashem โ€” even Egypt and Cush who witnessed the camp's fall.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืขืœ ื›ืœ ื”ื’ื•ื™ื. ืขืœ ืืฉื•ืจ ื‘ืฉืขืชื• ื•ืขืœ ื‘ื‘ืœ ื‘ืฉืขืชื”:
over all the nations Over Assyria in its time and over Babylon in its time.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื– ยท Verse 27

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึฝื™ึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึงื” ืฆึฐื‘ึธืึ›ื•ึนืช ื™ึธืขึธึ–ืฅ ื•ึผืžึดึฃื™ ื™ึธืคึตึ‘ืจ ื•ึฐื™ึธื“ึฅื•ึน ื”ึทื ึผึฐื˜ื•ึผื™ึธึ–ื” ื•ึผืžึดึฅื™ ื™ึฐืฉืึดื™ื‘ึถึฝื ึผึธื”ืƒย {ืค}

English:

For GOD of Hosts has planned,Who then can foil it?It is the divine arm that is poised,And who can stay it?

The rhetorical seal: 'For Hashem of Hosts has planned โ€” who shall annul it? His hand is stretched out โ€” who shall turn it back?' Radak draws the conclusion the whole chapter has argued: since none can annul His counsel, His word through the prophets is as binding as an oath โ€” so it shall be, and so it shall stand.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื— ยท Verse 28

Hebrew:

ื‘ึผึดืฉืึฐื ึทืชึพืžึ–ื•ึนืช ื”ึทืžึผึถึฃืœึถืšึฐ ืึธื—ึธึ‘ื– ื”ึธื™ึธึ–ื” ื”ึทืžึผึทืฉื‚ึผึธึฅื ื”ึทื–ึผึถึฝื”ืƒ

English:

This pronouncement was made in the year that King Ahaz died:

A new, dated heading: 'In the year of King Achaz's death was this massa' โ€” the brief oracle on the Pelishtim. Rashi and Radak set the scene: Achaz has died and Chizkiyahu now reigns, and the prophecy addresses the Philistines at precisely that transition of power.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื‘ืฉื ืช ืžื•ืช ื”ืžืœืš ืื—ื–. ื•ืžืœืš ื—ื–ืงื™ื”ื• ื‘ื ื• ื”ื™ื” ื”ืžืฉื ื”ื–ื” ืขืœ ืคืœืฉืชื™ื:
In the year of King Ahaz's death and his son Hezekiah reigned, was this harsh prophecy concerning the Philistines given.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื˜ ยท Verse 29

Hebrew:

ืึทึฝืœึพืชึผึดืฉื‚ึฐืžึฐื—ึดึคื™ ืคึฐืœึถึ™ืฉืึถืชึ™ ื›ึผึปืœึผึตึ”ืšึฐ ื›ึผึดึฅื™ ื ึดืฉืึฐื‘ึผึทึ–ืจ ืฉืึตึฃื‘ึถื˜ ืžึทื›ึผึตึ‘ืšึฐ ื›ึผึดึฝื™ึพืžึดืฉืึผึนึคืจึถืฉื ื ึธื—ึธืฉืึ™ ื™ึตึฃืฆึตื ืฆึถึ”ืคึทืข ื•ึผืคึดืจึฐื™ึ–ื•ึน ืฉื‚ึธืจึธึฅืฃ ืžึฐืขื•ึนืคึตึฝืฃืƒ

English:

Rejoice not, all Philistia,Because the staff of him that beat you is broken.For from the stock of a snake there sprouts an asp,A flying seraph qseraph In contrast to others โ€œfiery serpentโ€; cf. Num. 21.6, 8. branches out from it.

The warning: 'Rejoice not, Pelishet, all of you, that the rod that struck you is broken โ€” for from the root of the snake shall emerge a tzefa, and its fruit a flying saraf.' Rashi and Radak unpack the serpent genealogy: the rod was the house of David (Uzziyahu breached the walls of Gat and Ashdod); in weak Achaz's days the Pelishtim raided freely; but from that root comes one fiercer than the snake โ€” Chizkiyahu, who 'struck the Pelishtim as far as Azah.' Radak also records Targum Yonatan's reading of the shoot as the Mashiach from the sons of Yishai.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืืœ ืชืฉืžื—ื™ ืคืœืฉืช ื›ื•ืœืš. ืฉื”ืจื™ืžื•ืช ืจืืฉ ื‘ื™ืžื™ ืื—ื– ืฉื”ื™' ืจืฉืข ืฉื’ืจื ืœื• ืจืฉืขื• ืฉื ืžืกืจ ื‘ื™ื“ื›ื ื›ืขื ื™ืŸ ืฉื ืืžืจ (ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื”ื™ืžื™ื ื‘ ื›ืดื—:ื™ืดื—) ื•ื‘ืคืœืฉืชื™ื ืคืฉื˜ื• ื‘ืขืจื™ ื”ืฉืคืœื” ื•ื’ื•': ื›ื™ ื ืฉื‘ืจ ืฉื‘ื˜ ืžื›ืš. ื›ื™ ื ื—ืœืฉื” ื•ื ืฉืคืœื” ืžืœื›ื•ืช ื‘ื™ืช ื“ื•ื“ ืฉื”ื™ื• ืœืžื•ื“ื™ื ืœื”ื›ื•ืช ื‘ื›ื ื›ืžื• ืฉืžืฆื™ื ื• ื‘ื“ื•ื“ ื•ื›ืŸ ืขื•ื–ื™ื”ื• ืžืœืš ื™ื”ื•ื“ื” ืฉื”ื›ื” ืืชื›ื ื›ืขื ื™ืŸ ืฉื ืืžืจ (ื“"ื” ื‘' ื›ื•) ื•ื™ืฆื ื•ื™ืœื—ื ื‘ืคืœืฉืชื™ื ื•ื™ืคืจื•ืฅ ืืช ื—ื•ืžืช ื’ืช: ื›ื™ ืžืฉืจืฉ ื ื—ืฉ. ืžืฉื•ืจืฉ ืื•ืชื• ื ื—ืฉ ื™ืฆื ืฆืคืข ืฉื”ื•ื ืงืฉื” ืžื ื—ืฉ ื•ืžื™ ื”ื™ื” ื–ื” ื—ื–ืงื™ื” ืฉื ืืžืจ ื‘ื• (ืžืœื›ื™ื ื‘ ื™ืดื—:ื—ืณ) ื”ื•ื ื”ื›ื” ืืช ื”ืคืœืฉืชื™ื ื•ืืช ืขื–ื” ื•ืืช ื’ื‘ื•ืœื” ืžืžื’ื“ืœ ื ื•ืฆืจื™ื ืขื“ ืขื™ืจ ืžื‘ืฆืจ: ื•ืคืจื™ื• ืฉืจืฃ ืžืขื•ืคืฃ. ืช"ื™ ื•ื™ื”ื•ืŸ ืขื•ื‘ื“ื•ื”ื™ ื‘ื›ื•ืŸ ื›ื—ื™ื•ื™:
Rejoice not, Philistia, all of you for you have lifted your head during the days of Ahaz, who was wicked, whose wickedness brought about that he was delivered into your hands, as the matter is stated in II Chron. 28:18: "And the Philistines raided the cities of the lowlands..." that the rod that smote you has been broken that the kingdom of the House of David, which was wont to smite you, has been weakened and humbled, as we find concerning David, and so, concerning Uzziah, king of Judah, who smote you, as the matter is stated (II Chron. 26:6): "And he went out and fought against the Philistines and breached the wall of Gath." for, from the root of a snake From the root of that snake, shall emanate a venomous serpent, which is more formidable than a snake. Now who was this? This was Hezekiah, concerning whom it is stated (II Kings 18:8): "He slew the Philistines up to Gaza and its boundaries, from watchtower to fortified city." and his offspring is a fiery flying serpent Jonathan renders: And his deeds against you will be like flying snakes.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืณ ยท Verse 30

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืจึธืขื•ึผึ™ ื‘ึผึฐื›ื•ึนืจึตึฃื™ ื“ึทืœึผึดึ”ื™ื ื•ึฐืึถื‘ึฐื™ื•ึนื ึดึ–ื™ื ืœึธื‘ึถึฃื˜ึทื— ื™ึดืจึฐื‘ึผึธึ‘ืฆื•ึผ ื•ึฐื”ึตืžึทืชึผึดึคื™ ื‘ึธืจึธืขึธื‘ึ™ ืฉืื‡ืจึฐืฉืึตึ”ืšึฐ ื•ึผืฉืึฐืึตืจึดื™ืชึตึ–ืšึฐ ื™ึทื”ึฒืจึนึฝื’ืƒ

English:

The first-born of the poor shall grazerThe first-born of the poor shall graze Emendation yields โ€œThe poor shall graze in his pasture.โ€ And the destitute lie down secure.sThe first-born โ€ฆ lie down secure These lines would read well after v. 32. I will kill your stock by famine,tI will kill your stock by famine Emendation yields โ€œIt shall kill your offspring with its venom (zarสปekh beroสผsho).โ€ And it shall slay the very last of you.

The reversal of fortunes: 'the firstborn of the poor shall graze, and the needy lie down secure' โ€” Israel, till now impoverished by Philistine raids, grazes in safety like flocks in an open field (Radak), while famine kills the Philistine root and Chizkiyahu slays the remnant. Radak notes the shift of voice โ€” 'I will kill' and 'he shall slay' โ€” for what Chizkiyahu does is God's own act, done in His strength.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ืจืขื• ื‘ื›ื•ืจื™ ื“ืœื™ื. ื•ืจืขื• ื‘ื™ืžื™ ืฉืจื™ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืฉื”ืŸ ืขื›ืฉื™ื• ื“ืœื™ื ืžืคื ื™ื›ื, ื‘ื›ื•ืจื™ ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืฉืจื™ื ื›ืžื• (ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื ืคืดื˜:ื›ืดื—) ื’ื ืื ื™ ื‘ื›ื•ืจ ืืชื ื”ื•:
And the first born of the poor shall graze In his days, the princes of Israel, who are now poor because of you, shall graze. "Firstborn," is an expression of princes. Comp. (Ps. 89:28) "Also, I will appoint him My firstborn."

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื ยท Verse 31

Hebrew:

ื”ึตื™ืœึดึคื™ืœึดึฝื™ ืฉืึทึ™ืขึทืจึ™ ื–ึทึฝืขึฒืงึดื™ึพืขึดึ”ื™ืจ ื ึธืžึ–ื•ึนื’ ืคึผึฐืœึถึฃืฉืึถืช ื›ึผึปืœึผึตึ‘ืšึฐ ื›ึผึดึคื™ ืžึดืฆึผึธืคื•ึนืŸึ™ ืขึธืฉืึธึฃืŸ ื‘ึผึธึ”ื ื•ึฐืึตึฅื™ืŸ ื‘ึผื•ึนื“ึตึ–ื“ ื‘ึผึฐืžื•ึนืขึธื“ึธึฝื™ื•ืƒ

English:

Howl, O gate; cry out, O city;Quake, all Philistia!For a stout one is coming from the northAnd there is no straggler in his ranks.uFor a stout one โ€ฆ in his ranks Meaning of Heb. uncertain; the rendering โ€œstout oneโ€ is suggested by the Syriac สปashshฤซn.

The alarm sounds in Pelishet: 'Wail, O gate; cry, O city; all Pelishet is melted away โ€” for from the north comes smoke, and there is no straggler in his ranks.' Rashi explains the geography โ€” Azah lies at the southwest corner, so Eretz Yisrael is its north โ€” and, with Targum Yonatan, reads the last phrase: no one in Chizkiyahu's mustered companies lags behind or comes alone; they come as one, in strength.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ื™ ืžืฆืคื•ืŸ ืขืฉืŸ ื‘ื. ืคื•ืจืขื ื™ื•ืช ืงืฉื” ื›ืขืฉืŸ ืชื‘ื ืขืœื™ื”ื ืžืฆืคื•ืŸ, ืขื–ื” ื•ื’ื‘ื•ืœื™ื” ืฉื”ื›ื” ื—ื–ืงื™ื” ื”ื™ื• ื‘ื“ืจื•ืžื” ืฉืœ ืืจืฅ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื‘ืžืงืฆื•ืข ื“ืจื•ืžื™ืช ืžืขืจื‘ื™ืช ื ืžืฆืืช ืืจืฅ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืœื” ืžืฆืคื•ืŸ ื•ื›ืŸ ืžืฆื™ื ื• ื‘ืกืคืจื™ ื‘ื”ืื–ื™ื ื• ื‘ืงืฉื• ืœื‘ืจื•ื— ื›ืœืคื™ ื“ืจื•ื ื”ื™ื• ืžืกื’ื™ืจื™ืŸ ืื•ืชืŸ ืฉื ืืž' (ืขืžื•ืก ื‘ืณ:ืืณ) ืขืœ ืฉืœืฉื” ืคืฉืขื™ ืขื–ื” ืœืžื“ื ื• ืฉืขื–ื” ื‘ื“ืจื•ื: ื•ืื™ืŸ ื‘ื•ื“ื“ ื‘ืžื•ืขื“ื™ื•. ืช"ื™ ื•ืœื™ืช ื“ืžืื—ืจ ื‘ื–ืžื ื•ื”ื™ ื‘ื’ื“ื•ื“ื™ื ืฉื™ืขื“ ืœื‘ื ืขืœื™ื›ื ื•ืื™ืŸ ืžืื—ืจ ืคืขืžื™ื• ืœื”ื™ื•ืช ื‘ื•ื“ื“ ื•ื‘ื ื‘ื“ื“ ืœื‘ื“ื• ืืœื ื›ืœื ื›ืื—ื“ ื™ื‘ื•ืื• ื‘ื—ื–ืงื”:
for from the North smoke has come Retribution harsh as smoke shall come upon them from the north. Gaza and its boundaries, which Hezekiah smote, were in the south of Eretz Israel in the southwestern corner. Eretz Israel is found to be north of it. And so we find in Sifrei in Ha'azinu 322: They attempted to flee through the south, and they turned them over, as it is stated (Amos 1:6): "For three transgressions of Gaza... [because of their exiling a complete exile to deliver to Edom.]" Hence, we learn that Gaza is on the south. and there is no straggler in his ranks Jonathan renders: And there is no straggler among his appointed ones, i.e., in his ranks whom he appointed to come upon them, and no one delays his steps to be secluded and to come in seclusion alone, but all of them shall come as one, with strength.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื‘ ยท Verse 32

Hebrew:

ื•ึผืžึทึฝื”ึพื™ึผึทืขึฒื ึถึ–ื” ืžึทืœึฐืึฒื›ึตื™ึพื’ึ‘ื•ึนื™ ื›ึผึดึคื™ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ™ ื™ึดืกึผึทึฃื“ ืฆึดื™ึผึ”ื•ึนืŸ ื•ึผื‘ึธึฅื”ึผ ื™ึถื—ึฑืกึ–ื•ึผ ืขึฒื ึดื™ึผึตึฅื™ ืขึทืžึผึฝื•ึนืƒย {ืค}

English:

And what will he answer the messengers of any nation?That Zion has been established by GOD:In it, the needy of this people shall find shelter.

The chapter's last word is a motto for the whole oracle cycle: 'What shall one answer the messengers of the nation? That Hashem has founded Tzion, and in it the poor of His people take refuge.' Rashi hears Israel's own heralds announcing the news of Chizkiyahu's kingdom; Radak reads it of every foreign envoy asking for news and receiving the same answer โ€” the fortified cities fell, but Tzion stood, sheltered by the God who founded it.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ืžื” ื™ืขื ื” ืžืœืื›ื™ ื’ื•ื™. ื•ืžื” ื™ื’ื™ื“ื• ื‘ื™ืžื™ ื—ื–ืงื™ื”ื• ืžืœืื›ื™ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื”ื”ื•ืœื›ื™ื ืœื‘ืฉืจ ื‘ืฉื•ืจื•ืช ื›ืŸ ื™ื’ื™ื“ื• ื”' ื™ืกื“ ื‘ืฆื™ื•ืŸ ื”ืงื™ื ื‘ื” ืžืœืš ื”ื’ื•ืŸ ื•ื—ื–ืง ื”' ืขืžื•: ื•ื‘ื” ื™ื—ืกื• ืขื ื™ื™ ืขืžื•. ืืฃ ืžืขืฉืจืช ื”ืฉื‘ื˜ื™' ื‘ืื™ื ืฉื ื›ืžื• ืฉืžืคื•ืจืฉ (ื‘ื“"ื” ื‘ ืœ) ืฉืฉืœื— ื—ื–ืงื™ื”ื• ืžืœืื›ื™ื ื‘ื›ืœ ื’ื‘ื•ืœ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืœืฉื•ื‘ ืœื”ืงื‘"ื”:
And what shall the messengers of a nation announce What shall the messengers of Israel, who go to bring news, announce in the days of Hezekiah? This is what they shall announce: The Lord has founded in Zion; He has set up therein a fitting and powerful king; the Lord is with him. and therein shall the poor of His people shelter themselves Even from the ten tribes they would come there, as is related in II Chron. (30:6), "Hezekiah sent messengers throughout the border of Israel, to return to the Holy One, blessed be He.

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