Isaiah 25
ืืฉืขืืื ืคืจืง ืืดื
Section: ื ืืืืื ยท ื ืืืืื ืืืจืื ืื | Book: Isaiah | Chapter: 25 of 66 | Day: 172 of 742
Date: August 2, 2026
ืงืืืื ืขื ืื ืดื
After the cosmic desolation of chapter 24, where the earth is emptied and the very lights of heaven grow ashamed, chapter 25 turns abruptly to song. The prophet opens in the first person: โHashem, You are my God, I will exalt You, I will praise Your nameโ (ืโ ืืืื ืืชื ืืจืืืื). This is the voice of thanksgiving that the apocalyptic unit of chapters 24-27 has been building toward โ judgment is not an end in itself but the prelude to praise. The ground of that praise is stated at once: โcounsels from afar, steadfast faithfulnessโ (ืขืฆืืช ืืจืืืง ืืืื ื ืืื). What has come to pass was planned long ago; Rashi hears in โcounsels from afarโ the counsel given to Avraham at the Covenant between the Parts, while Metzudat David and Radak read it as the promises transmitted through the prophets that have now been fulfilled with unshakable firmness. Either way, the hymn celebrates not raw power but reliability โ history has kept faith with the ancient word.
The first movement of the hymn (verses 2-5) contemplates the fall of the oppressor city. The fortified city has become a heap, the citadel of strangers will never be rebuilt โ Rashi identifies the ruin with Seir, Metzudat David and Radak with Bavel, the archetypal โpalace of strangersโ that lorded over the nations. The result is that even โa fierce peopleโ (ืขื ืขื) must honor God; in Radakโs reading, the most brazen of the nations will fear Him when they see what He has done. Against this backdrop the prophet sets one of Tanakhโs tenderest images of providence: God has been โa stronghold for the poor, a stronghold for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm, shade from the heatโ (verse 4). The commentators identify the poor and needy as Yisrael in exile, and the storm as the fury of the tyrants โ โthe wrath of the oppressors is like a storm against a wall,โ a flood that would have toppled the wall entirely, Radak says, were it not for Godโs mercy. Verse 5 completes the picture with a double simile: the roar of strangers is subdued like desert heat quenched by the shade of a cloud.
The second movement (verses 6-8) is the famous feast โon this mountain.โ God will make for all the peoples a banquet of rich foods and aged wines (ืืฉืชื ืฉืื ืื ืืฉืชื ืฉืืจืื). Strikingly, Rashi, Metzudat David, and Radak all read this feast ironically, as the cup of judgment poured for the armies of Gog and Magog who gather against Yerushalayim: what they expect to be smooth as oil will turn to dregs. Yet the passage crests in a promise whose universal sweep exceeds any single battle. God will swallow up on this mountain the covering cast over all the peoples, and then, in one of the foundational sentences of Jewish eschatology: โHe will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from every faceโ (ืืืข ืืืืช ืื ืฆื). Rashi says death will be covered and hidden away from Yisrael forever; Metzudat David takes the verse at full strength โ death itself will be abolished โ and Chazal accordingly invoke this verse as a proof text for techiyat hameitim, the resurrection of the dead. Radak, characteristically sober, limits it to the violent death Yisrael suffered at the nationsโ hands in exile: the killing will cease, the tears shed under oppression will be wiped away, and the reproach of Godโs people removed from all the earth. The verse closes with the guarantee that anchors the whole chapter: โfor Hashem has spokenโ (ืื ืโ ืืืจ).
Verse 9 gives redeemed Yisrael its script for that day: โBehold, this is our God; we hoped for Him and He saved usโ (ืื ื ืืืืื ื ืื ืงืืื ื ืื). The repetition of โwe hoped for Himโ is the point โ the vindication belongs to those who waited through the long night of exile, and the reward of that waiting is not merely rescue but recognition, the ability to point and say โthis.โ Then the hymn pivots to its counterpoint (verses 10-12): while Godโs hand rests on โthis mountain,โ Moav is trodden down in its place like straw trampled into a dung-pit (ืืืื ื). Radak explains why Moav is singled out: as Yisraelโs near neighbor, Moav will guide and abet the invading armies, and so becomes the emblem of gloating hostility. God spreads out His hands against Moav as a swimmer spreads his arms, pressing its pride beneath the water; its high fortified walls are brought down to the ground, to the very dust, never to rise.
The chapter thus holds together, without embarrassment, universal hope and particular judgment. The same mountain hosts the feast for all peoples and the destruction of the shroud that covered them; the same hand that shelters the poor from the storm treads Moav into the mire. For the commentators these are not contradictions but two faces of a single fidelity โ the ืขืฆืืช ืืจืืืง, the ancient counsels โ in which the humbling of arrogance and the wiping of tears are one act. Chapter 26 will continue the song, placing on Yehudahโs lips the anthem of the strong city whose walls are salvation itself.
ืคืจืง ืืดื ยท Chapter 25
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึนืึธึคื ืึฑืึนืึทืึ ืึทืชึผึธึื ืึฒืจึฝืึนืึดืึฐืึธึ ืืึนืึถึฃื ืฉืึดืึฐืึธึ ืึผึดึฅื ืขึธืฉืึดึืืชึธ ืคึผึถึืึถื ืขึตืฆึฅืึนืช ืึตืจึธืึนึืง ืึฑืึฅืึผื ึธื ืึนึฝืึถืื
English:
O ETERNAL One, You are my God;I will extol You, I will praise Your name.For You planned graciousnessagraciousness See 9.5. of old,Counsels of steadfast faithfulness.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 2
Hebrew:
ืึผึดึฃื ืฉืึทึคืึฐืชึผึธ ืึตืขึดืืจึ ืึทืึผึธึื ืงึดืจึฐืึธึฅื ืึฐืฆืึผืจึธึื ืึฐืึทืคึผึตืึธึื ืึทืจึฐืึคืึนื ืึธืจึดืืึ ืึตืขึดึืืจ ืึฐืขืึนืึธึื ืึนึฅื ืึดืึผึธื ึถึฝืื
English:
For You have turned a city into a stone heap,A walled town into a ruin,The citadel of strangersbstrangers Emendation yields โarrogant men.โ into rubble,crubble Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Never to be rebuilt.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 3
Hebrew:
ืขึทืึพืึผึตึื ืึฐืึทืึผึฐืึฃืึผืึธ ืขึทืึพืขึธึื ืงึดืจึฐืึทึืช ืึผืึนืึดึฅื ืขึธืจึดืืฆึดึืื ืึดืืจึธืึฝืึผืึธื
English:
Therefore a fierce people must honor You,A city of cruel nations must fear You.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 4
Hebrew:
ืึผึดืึพืึธืึดึจืืชึธ ืึธืขึฅืึนื ืึทืึผึธึื ืึธืขึฅืึนื ืึธืึถืึฐืึืึนื ืึผึทืฆึผึทืจึพืึืึน ืึทืึฐืกึถึคื ืึดืึผึถึืจึถืึ ืฆึตึฃื ืึตืึนึืจึถื ืึผึดึื ืจึฅืึผืึท ืขึธืจึดืืฆึดึืื ืึผึฐืึถึฅืจึถื ืงึดึฝืืจื
English:
For You have been a refuge for the pauper,A shelter for the needy person in distressโShelter from rainstorm, shade from heat.When the fury of tyrants was like a winterdwinter Meaning of Heb. uncertain. rainstorm,
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 5
Hebrew:
ืึผึฐืึนึฃืจึถื ืึผึฐืฆึธืึืึนื ืฉืึฐืึฅืึนื ืึธืจึดึืื ืชึผึทืึฐื ึดึืืขึท ืึนึืจึถื ืึผึฐืฆึตึฃื ืขึธึื ืึฐืึดึฅืืจ ืขึธืจึดืืฆึดึืื ืึทืขึฒื ึถึฝืืย {ืค}
English:
The rage of strangersestrangers See note at v. 2. like heat in the desert,You subdued the heat with the shade of clouds,The singingfsinging Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields โrainstormโ; cf. v. 4d. of the tyrants was vanquished.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 6
Hebrew:
ืึฐืขึธืฉืึธืึฉ ืึฐืึนืึธึจื ืฆึฐืึธืึืึนืช ืึฐืืืึพืึธึฝืขึทืึผึดืืึ ืึผึธืึธึฃืจ ืึทืึผึถึื ืึด๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝืึฐืชึผึตึฅื ืฉืึฐืึธื ึดึืื ืึดืฉืึฐืชึผึตึฃื ืฉืึฐืึธืจึดึืื ืฉืึฐืึธื ึดืืึ ืึฐืึปึฃืึธืึดึื ืฉืึฐืึธืจึดึืื ืึฐืึปืงึผึธืงึดึฝืืื
English:
GOD of Hosts will make on this mountgthis mount I.e., the Holy Land, as in 11.9; 14.25; 57.13. For all the peoplesA banquet of rich viands,A banquet of choice winesโOf rich viands seasoned with marrow,Of choice wineshof rich viands โฆ / Of choice wines Meaning of Heb. uncertain. well refined.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 7
Hebrew:
ืึผืึดืึผึทืขึ ืึผึธืึธึฃืจ ืึทืึผึถึื ืคึผึฐื ึตึฝืึพืึทืึผึฅืึนืโืโืึทืึผึืึนื ืขึทืึพืึผืืึพืึธืขึทืึผึดึืื ืึฐืึทืึผึทืกึผึตืึธึฅื ืึทื ึผึฐืกืึผืึธึื ืขึทืึพืึผืืึพืึทืึผืึนืึดึฝืื
English:
And on this mountithis mount See note at v. 6. will be destroyed the shroudThat is drawn over the faces of all the peoples,And the covering that is spreadOver all the nations:
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 8
Hebrew:
ืึผึดืึผึทึคืข ืึทืึผึธึืึถืชึ ืึธื ึถึืฆึทื ืึผืึธืึธึจื ืึฒืึนื ึธึงื ืึฑืึนืึดึื ืึผึดืึฐืขึธึื ืึตืขึทึฃื ืึผืืึพืคึผึธื ึดึืื ืึฐืึถืจึฐืคึผึทึฃืช ืขึทืึผึืึน ืึธืกึดืืจึ ืึตืขึทึฃื ืึผืืึพืึธืึธึืจึถืฅ ืึผึดึฅื ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึผึดืึผึตึฝืจืย {ืค}
English:
Deathjdeath Perhaps an allusion to the mass killings committed by the Assyrians; cf. 10.7; 14.20. will be destroyed forever.My Sovereign GOD will wipe the tears awayFrom all facesAnd will put an end to the reproach of Godโs peoplekGodโs people Emendation yields โpeoples.โ Over all the earthโFor it is GOD who has spoken.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 9
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึธืึทืจึ ืึผึทืึผึฃืึนื ืึทืึืึผื ืึดื ึผึตึจื ืึฑืึนืึตึฅืื ืึผ ืึถึื ืงึดืึผึดึฅืื ืึผ ืึืึน ืึฐืืึนืฉืึดืืขึตึื ืึผ ืึถึคื ืึฐืึนืึธืึ ืงึดืึผึดึฃืื ืึผ ืึืึน ื ึธืึดึฅืืึธื ืึฐื ึดืฉืึฐืึฐืึธึื ืึผึดืืฉืืึผืขึธืชึฝืึนื
English:
In that day they shall say:This is our God;We trusted in the One who delivered us.This is GOD, in whom we trusted;Let us rejoice and exult in Godโs deliverance!
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 10
Hebrew:
ืึผึดืึพืชึธื ึฅืึผืึท ืึทืึพืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึผึธืึธึฃืจ ืึทืึผึถึื ืึฐื ึธืึคืึนืฉื ืืึนืึธืึ ืชึผึทืึฐืชึผึธึืื ืึผึฐืึดืึผึฅืึผืฉื ืึทืชึฐืึผึตึื (ืืื) [๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝึผึฐืึฅืึน] ืึทืึฐืึตื ึธึฝืื
English:
For GODโs hand shall descendUpon this mount,lthis mount See note at v. 6. And MoabmMoab Emendation yields โAssyriaโ; cf. 14.25. shall be trampled underfootAs straw is threshed to bits at Madmenah.nMadmenah A village near Jerusalem; see 10.31. Emendation yields โAs straw gets shredded in the threshing.โ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 11
Hebrew:
ืึผืคึตืจึทึคืฉื ืึธืึธืืึ ืึผึฐืงึดืจึฐืึผึืึน ืึผึทืึฒืฉืึถึืจ ืึฐืคึธืจึตึฅืฉื ืึทืฉืึผึนืึถึื ืึดืฉืึฐืึืึนืช ืึฐืึดืฉืึฐืคึผึดืืึ ืึผึทืึฒืึธืชึืึน ืขึดึื ืืืจึฐืึผึฅืึนืช ืึธืึธึฝืืื
English:
Then [Godโs] hands will be spread out in their homeland,ohomeland Lit. โmidst.โ As a swimmerโs hands are spread out to swim,And their pride will be humbledAlong with the emblems of their power.pthe emblems of their power Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields โtheir citadelsโ; cf. the next verse.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 12
Hebrew:
ืึผืึดืึฐืฆึทึืจ ืึดืฉืึฐืึผึทึฃื ืืึนืึนืชึถึืืึธ ืึตืฉืึทึฅื ืึดืฉืึฐืคึผึดึืื ืึดืึผึดึฅืืขึท ืึธืึธึืจึถืฅ ืขึทืึพืขึธืคึธึฝืจืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
Yea, the secure fortification of theirqtheir Heb. โyour.โ wallsWill be laid low and humbleโWill be razed to the ground, to the very dust.
โถCommentaries (1)