Isaiah 27
ืืฉืขืืื ืคืจืง ืืดื
Section: ื ืืืืื ยท ื ืืืืื ืืืจืื ืื | Book: Isaiah | Chapter: 27 of 66 | Day: 174 of 742
Date: August 4, 2026
ืงืืืื ืขื ืื ืดื
Chapter 27 brings to a close the great unit that began in chapter 24, in which Yeshayahuโs vision widens from the fate of particular nations to a judgment of cosmic scope. Three times the chapter strikes the note of โon that dayโ (ืืืื ืืืื), and each occurrence advances the drama a stage: the slaying of Leviathan, the singing of a new vineyard song, and the ingathering of the exiles. The opening verse depicts Hashem visiting His sword, โhard and great and strongโ (ืืงืฉื ืืืืืืื ืืืืืงื), upon Leviathan the slant serpent (ื ืืฉ ืืจืื), Leviathan the twisted serpent (ื ืืฉ ืขืงืืชืื), and the dragon in the sea. The classical commentators unanimously read the sea-monsters as figures for the world empires that oppressed Israel. Rashi, following Targum Yonatan, identifies the straight serpent with Egypt, the twisted one with Assyria, and the sea-dragon with Tzor sitting in the heart of the seas; Metzudat David sees in the serpent that spans the sea from end to end an image of Yishmael, sprawling across the settled world; and Radak, who places the verse in the war of Gog uMagog, explains that the mightiest kingdoms are likened to the Leviathan precisely because it is the greatest of creatures, its vast length bridging (ืืืจืื) the sea from end to end and coiling upon itself (ืขืงืืชืื).
Verse 2 then opens a song that deliberately answers the most bitter poem in the book. In chapter 5 Yeshayahu sang of a vineyard that yielded wild grapes and whose hedge Hashem removed; here, โon that day,โ a vineyard of rich wine (ืืจื ืืืจ) is sung to Israel. Metzudat David and Radak both make the reversal explicit: the vineyard that once produced beโushim now yields choice red wine โ chemer, Radak notes, denotes the redness that is the mark of a fine vintage. The reversals continue phrase by phrase. Against โI will remove its hedgeโ stands โI Hashem guard itโ (ืื ื ืโ ื ืฆืจื); against the command that the clouds withhold rain stands โI water it every momentโ (ืืจืืขืื ืืฉืงื ื), guarded night and day. โWrath I have notโ (ืืื ืืื ืื): the thorns and briers that once overran the vineyard are now offered a choice โ let them grasp My stronghold (ืืืืง ืืืขืืื), which Rashi, Metzudat David, and Radak all identify as the Torah, and make peace with Me; otherwise a single stride would set them ablaze together. The section closes with the vineyardโs destiny inverted into blessing: in days to come Yaakov will take root, Israel will bud and blossom, and the face of the world will be filled with fruit (ืืืืื ืคื ื ืชืื ืชื ืืื).
The middle of the chapter articulates one of Yeshayahuโs most consequential theological claims: Israelโs sufferings, real as they are, have always been measured, while the blows dealt to Israelโs oppressors are final. โHas He struck him as He struck his strikers?โ (ืืืืืช ืืืื ืืืื) โ Rashi hears in the question the measure-for-measure justice of the Exodus, where those who drowned Israelโs children were themselves drowned; Radak reads the verse as the proof of โwrath I have not,โ for Hashem pursues His enemies to destruction but chastises Israel only by the seโah (ืืกืืกืื), measure by measure, striking fields and produce before ever touching lives. Even the atonement demanded is stated with striking concreteness: Yaakovโs sin is purged when the altar stones of idolatry are pulverized like chalkstones (ืืืื ื ืืจ ืื ืคืฆืืช) and no asherim or sun-pillars rise again. Radak insists that idolatry is the root of all the other sins, and that the teshuvah must be irreversible โ the belief itself uprooted from the heart, so that the altars are never rebuilt. Verses 10-11 sound the chapterโs last dark chord: a fortified city solitary, grazed by calves, its dried boughs snapped and burned by women โ read by Rashi of the enemyโs city, and by Radak, in his preferred plain sense, of Yerushalayim or Shomron left desolate through the sin of โa people without understandingโ (ืื ืขื ืืื ืืช ืืื), whom their Maker will not pity until affliction turns them back.
The finale gathers everything into two verses that rank among the most beloved in the book. On that day Hashem will beat out His harvest (ืืืื) from the channel of the River to the Wadi of Egypt โ Rashi and Radak both develop the image of olives beaten from the tree and grain threshed from the straw: Israel lies scattered among the nations as wheat lies in chaff, and Hashem will knock each grain loose and gather His people โone by oneโ (ืืืื ืืื), no individual forgotten; Rashi adds that whoever finds a Jew will bring him like an offering. Then the great shofar is blown (ืืชืงืข ืืฉืืคืจ ืืืื), and the lost of the land of Assyria โ the ten tribes beyond the Sambatyon, in Rashiโs and Radakโs telling โ and the dispersed of the land of Egypt come to bow to Hashem on the holy mountain in Yerushalayim, which Radak and Metzudat David identify as Har HaMoriah, the site of the Beit HaMikdash. This closing verse passed directly into the life of tefilla: it stands behind the daily Amidaโs blessing of kibbutz galuyot, โSound the great shofar for our freedom,โ and is recited among the shofarot verses of Rosh Hashanah. The unit that opened in chapter 24 with the earth emptied and languishing thus ends with the earthโs exiles streaming home โ judgment executed upon Leviathan, the vineyard guarded night and day, and one people gathered grain by grain to worship in Yerushalayim.
ืคืจืง ืืดื ยท Chapter 27
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1
Hebrew:
ืึผึทืึผึฃืึนื ืึทืึกืึผื ืึดืคึฐืงึนึฃื ืึฐืึนืึธืึฉ ืึผึฐืึทืจึฐืึผึจืึน ืึทืงึผึธืฉืึธึื ืึฐืึทืึผึฐืืึนืึธึฃื ืึฐืึทืึฒืึธืงึธึื ืขึทึคื ืึดืึฐืึธืชึธืึ ื ึธืึธึฃืฉื ืึผึธืจึดึืึท ืึฐืขึทืึ ืึดืึฐืึธืชึธึื ื ึธืึธึืฉื ืขึฒืงึทืึผึธืชึืึนื ืึฐืึธืจึทึฅื ืึถืชึพืึทืชึผึทื ึผึดึืื ืึฒืฉืึถึฅืจ ืึผึทืึผึธึฝืืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
In that day GOD will punishWith a great, cruel, mighty swordLeviathan the ElusiveaElusive Meaning of Heb. uncertain. SerpentโLeviathan the TwistingbTwisting Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Serpent;The Dragon of the seacDragon of the sea The monster that GOD vanquished of old (cf. 51.9; Ps. 74.13โ14) was the embodiment of chaos; here it stands for the forces of evil in the present world. will be slain.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 2
Hebrew:
ืึผึทืึผึืึนื ืึทืึืึผื ืึผึถึฅืจึถื ืึถึืึถืจ ืขึทื ึผืึผึพืึธึฝืึผื
English:
In that day,They shall sing of it:dit Apparently the earth; cf. 26.21. โVineyard of Delight.โeDelight So some mss. (cf. Amos 5.11); other mss. and the editions have โWine.โ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 3
Hebrew:
ืึฒื ึดึคื ืึฐืึนืึธืึ ื ึนึฝืฆึฐืจึธึืึผ ืึดืจึฐืึธืขึดึืื ืึทืฉืึฐืงึถึื ึผึธื ืคึผึถึื ืึดืคึฐืงึนึฃื ืขึธืึถึืืึธ ืึทึฅืึฐืึธื ืึธืึืึนื ืึถืฆึผึณืจึถึฝื ึผึธืื
English:
I GOD keep watch over it,I water it every moment;That no harm may befall it,fThat no harm may befall it Meaning of Heb. uncertain; emendation yields โMy eye is open upon it.โ I watch it night and day.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 4
Hebrew:
ืึตืึธึื ืึตึฃืื ืึดึื ืึดึฝืึพืึดืชึผึฐื ึตึื ึดื ืฉืึธืึดึฅืืจ ืฉืึทึืึดืชึ ืึผึทืึผึดืึฐืึธืึธึื ืึถืคึฐืฉืึฐืขึธึฅื ืึธึืึผ ืึฒืฆึดืืชึถึฅื ึผึธื ืึผึธึฝืึทืื
English:
There is no anger in Me:If it offers Me thorns and thistles,gIf it offers Me thorns and thistles I.e., if the people through their misconduct fail to tend the vineyard. I will march to battle against it,And set it all on fire.hIf it offers โฆ on fire Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 5
Hebrew:
ืึืึน ืึทืึฒืึตึฃืง ืึผึฐืึธืขืึผืึผึดึื ืึทืขึฒืฉืึถึฅื ืฉืึธืึืึนื ืึดึื ืฉืึธืึืึนื ืึทืขึฒืฉืึถืึพืึผึดึฝืื
English:
But if it holds fast to My refuge,It makes peace with Me;It makes peace with Me.iIt makes peace with Me; / It makes peace with Me Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 6
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึธืึดืืึ ืึทืฉืึฐืจึตึฃืฉื ืึทึฝืขึฒืงึนึื ืึธืฆึดึฅืืฅ ืึผืคึธืจึทึื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึื ืึผืึธืึฐืึฅืึผ ืคึฐื ึตืึพืชึตืึตึื ืชึผึฐื ืึผืึธึฝืืย {ืค}
English:
[In days] to come Jacob shall strike root,Israel shall sprout and blossom,And the face of the worldShall be covered with fruit.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 7
Hebrew:
ื๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝืึผึฐืึทืึผึทึฅืช ืึทืึผึตึืืึผ ืึดืึผึธึืืึผ ืึดืึพืึผึฐืึถึฅืจึถื ืึฒืจึปืึธึืื ืึนืจึธึฝืื
English:
Was he beaten as his beater has been?Did he suffer such slaughter as his slayers?
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 8
Hebrew:
ืึผึฐืกึทืืกึผึฐืึธึื ืึผึฐืฉืึทืึฐืึธึฃืึผ ืชึผึฐืจึดืืึถึื ึผึธื ืึธืึธึื ืึผึฐืจืึผืึฅืึน ืึทืงึผึธืฉืึธึื ืึผึฐืึฅืึนื ืงึธืึดึฝืืื
English:
Assailing themjAssailing them Lit. โStriving with herโ; meaning of verse uncertain. with fury unchained,His pitiless blast bore them offOn a day of gale.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 9
Hebrew:
ืึธืึตึื ืึผึฐืึนืืชึ ืึฐืึปืคึผึทึฃืจ ืขึฒืึบึฝืึพืึทืขึฒืงึนึื ืึฐืึถึื ืึผืืึพืคึผึฐืจึดึื ืึธืกึดึฃืจ ืึทืึผึธืืชึืึน ืึผึฐืฉืืึผืึฃืึนโื ืึผืืึพืึทืึฐื ึตึฃื ืึดืึฐืึผึตึืึท ืึผึฐืึทืึฐื ึตืึพืึดืจึ ืึฐื ึปืคึผึธืฆึืึนืช ืึนืึพืึธืงึปึฅืืึผ ืึฒืฉืึตืจึดึืื ืึฐืึทืึผึธื ึดึฝืืื
English:
kThis verse would read well before v. 6; the thought of vv. 7โ8, dealing with the punishment of Israelโs enemies, is continued in vv. 10โ11. Assuredly, by this aloneShall Jacobโs sin be purged away;This is the only priceFor removing his guilt:That he make all the altar-stonesLike shattered blocks of chalkโWith no sacred postlsacred post See note at 17.8. left standing,Nor any incense altar.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 10
Hebrew:
ืึผึดึฃื ืขึดึคืืจ ืึผึฐืฆืึผืจึธืึ ืึผึธืึธึื ื ึธืึถึื ืึฐืฉืึปืึผึธึฅื ืึฐื ึถืขึฑืึธึื ืึผึทืึผึดืึฐืึผึธึืจ ืฉืึธึฃื ืึดืจึฐืขึถึฅื ืขึตึืึถื ืึฐืฉืึธึฅื ืึดืจึฐืึผึธึืฅ ืึฐืึดืึผึธึฅื ืกึฐืขึดืคึถึฝืืึธื
English:
Thus fortified cities lie desolate,Homesteads deserted, forsaken like a wilderness;There calves graze, there they lie downAnd consume its boughs.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 11
Hebrew:
ืึผึดืืึนึคืฉื ืงึฐืฆึดืืจึธืึผึ ืชึผึดืฉืึผึธืึทึืจึฐื ึธื ื ึธืฉืึดึืื ืึผึธืึืึนืช ืึฐืึดืืจึฃืึนืช ืืึนืชึธึืึผ ืึผึดึฃื ืึนึคื ืขึทืึพืึผึดืื ืึนืชึ ืึืึผื ืขึทืึพืึผึตืึ ืึนืึพืึฐืจึทืึฒืึถึฃื ึผืึผ ืขึนืฉืึตึืืึผ ืึฐืึนืฆึฐืจึืึน ืึนึฅื ืึฐืึปื ึผึถึฝื ึผืึผืย {ืค}
English:
When its crown is withered, they break;mAnd consume its boughs. / When its crown is withered, they break Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields โOr like a terebinth whose boughs / Break when its crown is withered.โ Women come and make fires with them.For they are a people without understanding;That is whyTheir Maker will show them no mercy,Their Creator will deny them grace.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 12
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึธืึธืึ ืึผึทืึผึฃืึนื ืึทืึืึผื ืึทื๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝืึผึนึงื ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึดืฉืึผึดืึผึนึฅืึถืช ืึทื ึผึธืึธึืจ ืขึทืึพื ึทึฃืึทื ืึดืฆึฐืจึธึืึดื ืึฐืึทืชึผึถึงื ืชึผึฐืึปืงึผึฐืึืึผ ืึฐืึทืึทึฅื ืึถืึธึื ืึผึฐื ึตึฅื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึฝืืย {ืค}
English:
And in that day, GOD will beat out [the peoples like grain] from the channel of the Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt; and you shall be picked up one by one, O children of Israel!
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 13
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึธืึธึฃืโื ืึผึทืึผึฃืึนื ืึทืึืึผื ืึดืชึผึธืงึทืขึฎ ืึผึฐืฉืืึนืคึธึฃืจ ืึผึธืืึนืึ ืึผืึธึืืึผ ืึธืึนึฝืึฐืึดืืึ ืึผึฐืึถึฃืจึถืฅ ืึทืฉืึผึืึผืจ ืึฐืึทื ึผึดืึผึธืึดึืื ืึผึฐืึถึฃืจึถืฅ ืึดืฆึฐืจึธึืึดื ืึฐืึดืฉืึฐืชึผึทืึฒืึงืึผ ืึทืืึนืึธึื ืึผึฐืึทึฅืจ ืึทืงึผึนึืึถืฉื ืึผึดืืจืึผืฉืึธืึธึฝอึดืืย {ืค}
English:
And in that day, a great ramโs horn shall be sounded; and the strayed who are in the land of Assyria and the expelled who are in the land of Egypt shall come and worship GOD on the holy mount, in Jerusalem.
โถCommentaries (1)