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Nach YomiIsaiah ยท ื™ืฉืขื™ื”ื•Chapter 29

Isaiah 29

ื™ืฉืขื™ื”ื• ืคืจืง ื›ืดื˜

Section: ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ยท ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ืื—ืจื•ื ื™ื | Book: Isaiah | Chapter: 29 of 66 | Day: 176 of 742

Date: August 6, 2026

ืงืœืื•ื“ ืขืœ ื”ื ืดืš

Isaiah 29 is one of the great oracles of the Assyrian crisis, built around the enigmatic name Ariel (ืืจื™ืืœ), which the prophet applies to Jerusalem. The commentators divide over the wordโ€™s meaning: Radak and Rashi, following Targum Yonatan, understand it as the altar (ืžื–ื‘ื—) and by extension the city that houses it, invoking the parallel in Ezekiel 43:16 where the altar hearth is called harโ€™el / ariโ€™el. Jerusalem is further identified as the city โ€˜where David campedโ€™ (ืงืจื™ืช ื—ื ื” ื“ื•ื“), the place where David first beheld the site of the altar on Mount Moriah. The chapter opens with a startling reversal of expectation: the holy city, the place of sacrifice, will itself be encircled by God like an altar ringed with offerings, and its slain will lie about it as the victims lie around the ariel. The prophet thereby fuses the imagery of worship and warfare, turning the vocabulary of the Temple against the complacent city.

The oracle then pivots from siege to sudden rescue. Jerusalem is brought so low that her voice will rise only โ€˜like a ghost from the groundโ€™ (ื›ืื•ื‘ ืžืืจืฅ ืงื•ืœืš), a chirping, whispered plea from the dust. Yet at the very moment of her humiliation the tables turn: the roaring multitude of her enemies, the massed nations besieging Ariel, will vanish โ€˜like fine dustโ€™ and โ€˜flying chaff,โ€™ dispersed in an instant by thunder, earthquake, and consuming fire from the Lord of Hosts (verses 5-6). The prophet crowns this reversal with one of Isaiahโ€™s most vivid similes (verses 7-8): the horde that besieges Zion will be like a dream of the night, like a starving man who dreams he eats and wakes still hungry, like a thirsting man who dreams he drinks and wakes parched. Radak and the commentators read this as a direct prophecy of the overnight destruction of Sennacheribโ€™s army, which encamped against the city yet was struck down before it could realize its dream of conquest.

At the heart of the chapter lies its indictment of spiritual blindness. The people are drunk but not with wine, staggering but not with liquor (verse 9); God has poured over them โ€˜a spirit of deep sleepโ€™ (ืจื•ื— ืชืจื“ืžื”) and sealed the eyes of the prophets and the seers. Prophecy itself has become to them like a sealed scroll (ื”ืกืคืจ ื”ื—ืชื•ื) that neither the literate nor the illiterate will read, each finding an excuse (verses 11-12). Metzudat David and Radak both stress that the failure is one of will rather than capacity, a refusal to open the book. From this comes the chapterโ€™s most famous verse, the divine rebuke that this people draws near with its mouth and honors God with its lips while its heart is far from Him, so that its reverence has become mitzvat anashim melumadah (ืžืฆื•ืช ืื ืฉื™ื ืžืœืžื“ื”), a commandment of men learned by rote (verse 13). Because worship has hollowed into habit, God promises to confound the people with wonder upon wonder until the wisdom of its wise men perishes and the discernment of its discerning is hidden (verse 14).

The chapterโ€™s rhetoric then turns to those who imagine they can hide their schemes from God, working in darkness and saying โ€˜Who sees us?โ€™ (verse 15). Isaiah answers with the image of the potter and the clay (verse 16): can the thing formed say of its maker โ€˜He did not make meโ€™? The absurdity of the vessel denying the potter exposes the folly of creatures who deny the Creatorโ€™s knowledge of their hearts. This sets the stage for the closing oracle of restoration (verses 17-24), which reverses every earlier calamity. In a little while Lebanon, the towering forest, will turn to fruitful field (ื›ืจืžืœ) and the field to woodland; Radak reads this as a social inversion in which the arrogant of Ahazโ€™s day are brought low and the humble exalted in the days of Hezekiah. On that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll and the eyes of the blind will see out of gloom and darkness, undoing the sealed-book stupor of verse 11. The humble will increase their joy in the Lord, the tyrant and scoffer will be cut off, and finally the house of Jacob will no longer be ashamed: when Jacobโ€™s children behold the work of Godโ€™s hands in their midst, they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and even the confused of spirit will acquire understanding and the grumblers accept instruction. The chapter thus closes the circle it opened, transforming Ariel from a besieged altar-city into the redeemed household of Jacob.

ืคืจืง ื›ืดื˜ ยท Chapter 29

ืคืกื•ืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1

Hebrew:

ื”ึšื•ึนื™ ืึฒืจึดื™ืึตึฃืœ ืึฒืจึดื™ืึตึ”ืœ ืงึดืจึฐื™ึทึ–ืช ื—ึธื ึธึฃื” ื“ึธื•ึดึ‘ื“ ืกึฐืคึฅื•ึผ ืฉืึธื ึธึ›ื” ืขึทืœึพืฉืึธื ึธึ–ื” ื—ึทื’ึผึดึฅื™ื ื™ึดื ึฐืงึนึฝืคื•ึผืƒ

English:

โ€œAh, Ariel,aAriel A poetic name of Jerusalem; cf. 33.7. Ariel,City where David camped!Add year to year,Let festivals come in their cycles!

The oracle opens with a cry of woe over Ariel, the name Isaiah gives Jerusalem as the city 'where David camped.' Rashi and Radak, following Targum Yonatan, understand Ariel as the altar itself, so the prophet mourns over the place of sacrifice; the call to pile year upon year and let the festivals come round hints that the accumulating cycle of offerings will not shield the city from judgment.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ื•ื™ ืืจื™ืืœ. ืช"ื™ ืžื“ื‘ื—ื ื“ื”' ื•ืืฃ ื™ื—ื–ืงืืœ ืงืจืื• ื›ืŸ ืฉื ื' (ื™ื—ื–ืงืืœ ืžืดื’:ื˜ืดื–) ื•ื”ืืจื™ืืœ ืฉืชื™ื ืขืฉืจื” ืข"ืฉ ืืฉ ืฉืœ ืžืขืœื” ืฉื”ื™ืชื” ืจื•ื‘ืฆืช ื›ืืจื™ ืขืœ ื’ื‘ื™ ื”ืžื–ื‘ื— ื›ืžื• ืฉืฉื ื™ื ื• ื‘ืกื“ืจ ื™ื•ืžื ื•ืจื‘ื•ืชื™ื ื• ืคื™ืจืฉื• ืขืœ ื”ื”ื™ื›ืœ ืฉื”ื™ื” ืฆืจ ืžืื—ื•ืจื™ื• ื•ืจื—ื‘ ืžืœืคื ื™ื•: ืงืจื™ืช ื—ื ื” ื“ื•ื“. ื“ืื™ืชื‘ื ื™ ื‘ืงืจืชื ื“ืฉืจื ื‘ื” ื“ื•ื“: ืกืคื• ืฉื ื” ืขืœ ืฉื ื”. ื•ืชืžื™ื“ ืขื•ื ื•ืชื™ื›ื ื”ื•ืœื›ื™ื ื•ื—ื–ืงื™ื ืขื“ ืฉื—ื’ื™ื ืฉืœื›ื ื™ื ืงื•ืคื• ื•ื™ื›ืจืชื• ืœ' ื ื•ืงืฃ ื–ื™ืช (ืœืขื™ืœ ื™ื–):
Woe, Ariel Jonathan renders: Altar of the Lord. Ezekiel, too, called it that, as it is said (43: 16): "And the altar (ื•ึฐื”ึธืึฒืจึดื™ืึตืœ) twelve [cubits] in length," [because of the heavenly fire that lay like a lion atop the altar, as we learned in Tractate Yoma (21b)]. Our Sages, however, explained it in reference to the heichal (the Temple proper), which was narrow from the rear and wide in the front. the city wherein David encamped The altar that was built in the city wherein David encamped [from Jonathan]. add year to year And always your sins are continuously increasing until your sacrifices are cut off (ื™ึดื ึฐืงึนืคื•ึผ), an expression similar to (supra 17:6): "like the cutting (ื›ึผึฐื ึนืงึผึถืฃ) of an olive tree."

ืคืกื•ืง ื‘ืณ ยท Verse 2

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื”ึฒืฆึดื™ืงึ–ื•ึนืชึดื™ ืœึทืึฒืจึดื™ืึตึ‘ืœ ื•ึฐื”ึธื™ึฐืชึธึคื” ืชึทึฝืึฒื ึดื™ึผึธื”ึ™ ื•ึทืึฒื ึดื™ึผึธึ”ื” ื•ึฐื”ึธึฅื™ึฐืชึธื” ืœึผึดึ–ื™ ื›ึผึทืึฒืจึดื™ืึตึฝืœืƒ

English:

And I will harass Ariel,And there shall be sorrow and sighing.She shall be to Me like Ariel.bShe shall be to Me like Ariel Meaning of Heb. uncertain.

God declares that He will besiege Ariel until the city is filled with sorrow and sighing. Rashi, Metzudat David, and Radak all explain the closing image: Jerusalem will become 'like Ariel' in that it will be ringed with the slain the way the altar is ringed with sacrifices, so that the vocabulary of worship is turned into a picture of siege.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื”ื™ืชื” ืœื™ ื›ืืจื™ืืœ. ืชื”ื ืžื•ืงืคืช ื—ืœืœื™ ื—ืจื‘ ื›ืžื–ื‘ื— ื”ืžื•ืงืฃ ื–ื‘ื—ื™ ื‘ื”ืž':
and it shall be to Me like Ariel It shall be surrounded by those slain by the sword, like the altar, which is surrounded by animal sacrifices.

ืคืกื•ืง ื’ืณ ยท Verse 3

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื—ึธื ึดึฅื™ืชึดื™ ื›ึทื“ึผึ–ื•ึผืจ ืขึธืœึธึ‘ื™ึดืšึฐ ื•ึฐืฆึทืจึฐืชึผึดึคื™ ืขึธืœึทึ™ื™ึดืšึฐึ™ ืžึปืฆึผึธึ”ื‘ ื•ึทื”ึฒืงึดื™ืžึนืชึดึฅื™ ืขึธืœึทึ–ื™ึดืšึฐ ืžึฐืฆึปืจึนึฝืชืƒ

English:

And I will camp against you round about;cround about Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Septuagint reads โ€œlike Davidโ€; cf. v. 1. I will lay siege to you with a mound,dwith a mound Meaning of Heb. uncertain. And I will set up siegeworks against you.

God describes encircling Jerusalem with troops, a siege-mound, and siegeworks. Radak stresses that although Sennacherib's army will do the encamping, it acts only by God's will, so the Lord Himself says 'I will camp against you'; Rashi and Metzudat David explain the difficult terms as the surrounding garrison and the wooden siege-tower set up to assault the city.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ื“ื•ืจ. ื›ืฉื•ืจื” ืฉืœ ื’ื™ื™ืกื•ืช ืžืงื™ืคื•ืช: ืžื•ืฆื‘. ืœ' ื›ืจืงื•ื ื”ืžื•ืฆื‘ ืขืœ ื”ืขื™ื™ืจื•ืช: ืžืฆื•ืจื•ืช. ืœ' ืžืฆื•ืจ:
in a circle like a row of surrounding troops. ([Other editions read:] In a row of surrounding troops.) ([Some manuscripts read:] An expression of the encampment of surrounding troops.) a camp of siege (ืžึปืฆึผึทื‘, lit. stationed,) an expression of a camp of siege stationed against the towns. siege works (ืžึฐืฆึปืจื•ึนืช) an expression of ืžึธืฆื•ึนืจ, a siege.

ืคืกื•ืง ื“ืณ ยท Verse 4

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืฉืึธืคึทืœึฐืชึผึฐึ™ ืžึตืึถึฃืจึถืฅ ืชึผึฐื“ึทื‘ึผึตึ”ืจึดื™ ื•ึผืžึตืขึธืคึธึ–ืจ ืชึผึดืฉืึผึทึฃื— ืึดืžึฐืจึธืชึตึ‘ืšึฐ ื•ึฐึฝึ ื”ึธื™ึธึ ื” ื›ึผึฐืึคื•ึนื‘ ืžึตืึถึ™ืจึถืฅึ™ ืงื•ึนืœึตึ”ืšึฐ ื•ึผืžึตืขึธืคึธึ–ืจ ืึดืžึฐืจึธืชึตึฅืšึฐ ืชึผึฐืฆึทืคึฐืฆึตึฝืฃืƒ

English:

And you shall speak from lower than the ground,Your speech shall be humbler than the sod;Your speech shall sound like a ghostโ€™s from the ground,Your voice shall chirp from the sod.

Brought low by the siege, Jerusalem's voice will seem to rise from beneath the ground like the whispered speech of a necromancer's ghost (ืื•ื‘), a faint chirping from the dust. Rashi reads this as the humbled city's plea for mercy, while Radak connects it to the hushed words Hezekiah's officials spoke to Rabshakeh; either way the once-proud city is reduced to a barely audible murmur.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžืืจืฅ ืชื“ื‘ืจื™. ื™ื”ื ื ืจืื” ื›ืื™ืœื• ื“ื‘ื•ืจ ื”ื™ื•ืฆื ืžืคื™ืš ื™ื•ืฆื ืžืชื—ืช ื”ืงืจืงืข: ืืžืจืชืš ืชืฆืคืฆืฃ. ืœื”ืชื—ื ืŸ ืืœื™ ื•ืžืชื•ืš ืชื—ื™ื ืชืš ื™ื›ืžืจื• ืจื—ืžื™: ืฆืคืฆื•ืฃ. ื”ื•ื ืœ' ืงื•ืœ ืœื—ืฉ ื›ืงื•ืœ ืขื•ืคื•ืช ื“ืงื™ื:
from the earth shall you speak It shall appear as though the speech that comes out of your mouth comes from below the ground. shall your speech chirp to supplicate to Me, and because of your supplication, My mercies shall be aroused. ืฆึดืคึฐืฆื•ึผืฃ is an expression of a whispering (var. weak) voice like the voice of small birds.

ืคืกื•ืง ื”ืณ ยท Verse 5

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื”ึธื™ึธึ›ื” ื›ึผึฐืึธื‘ึธึฅืง ื“ึผึทึ–ืง ื”ึฒืžึฃื•ึนืŸ ื–ึธืจึธึ‘ื™ึดืšึฐ ื•ึผื›ึฐืžึนึคืฅ ืขึนื‘ึตืจึ™ ื”ึฒืžึฃื•ึนืŸ ืขึธืจึดื™ืฆึดึ”ื™ื ื•ึฐื”ึธื™ึธึ–ื” ืœึฐืคึถึฅืชึทืข ืคึผึดืชึฐืึนึฝืืƒ

English:

And like fine dust shall beThe multitude of your strangers;eyour strangers Manuscript 1QIsแตƒ reads โ€œthose insolent toward you.โ€ And like flying chaff,The multitude of tyrants.โ€And suddenly, in an instant,

The oracle pivots from siege to sudden rescue: the vast host of foreign attackers will be scattered like fine dust blown away by a breath and like chaff carried off by the wind. Rashi identifies these enemies as Sennacherib's army, which will be consumed and reduced to dust; the commentators note the destruction will come 'suddenly, in an instant,' underscoring how swiftly the seemingly invincible siege will collapse.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื”ื™ื” ื›ืื‘ืง ื“ืง ื”ืžื•ืŸ ื–ืจื™ืš. ืื•ื›ืœื•ืกื™ ืกื ื—ืจื‘ ืฉื™ื”ื™ื• ืœืžืื›ื•ืœืช ืืฉ ื•ื™ืขืฉื• ืื‘ืง: ื•ื”ื™ื”. ื”ื“ื‘ืจ ื”ื–ื”: ืคืชืข ืคืชืื•ื. ืžืงืจื” ืคืชืื•ื:
And the multitude of your foreigners shall be like fine dust The army of Sennacherib, which will be consumed by fire and will become dust. and it shall be this thing. a sudden happening (ืœึฐืคึถืชึทืข ืคึผึดืชึฐืึนื) a sudden happening.

ืคืกื•ืง ื•ืณ ยท Verse 6

Hebrew:

ืžึตืขึดึจื ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึคื” ืฆึฐื‘ึธืื•ึนืชึ™ ืชึผึดืคึผึธืงึตึ”ื“ ื‘ึผึฐืจึทึฅืขึทื ื•ึผื‘ึฐืจึทึ–ืขึทืฉื ื•ึฐืงึฃื•ึนืœ ื’ึผึธื“ึ‘ื•ึนืœ ืกื•ึผืคึธื”ึ™ ื•ึผืกึฐืขึธืจึธึ”ื” ื•ึฐืœึทึ–ื”ึทื‘ ืึตึฅืฉื ืื•ึนื›ึตืœึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

She shall be remembered of GOD of HostsWith roaring, and shaking, and deafening noise,Storm, and tempest, and blaze of consuming fire.

The deliverance comes directly from the Lord of Hosts, who visits the enemy with thunder, earthquake, a great roar, storm, tempest, and blazing fire. Rashi explains that once the city has been humbled and chirps its plea, Ariel is 'visited' by God to be saved; Metzudat David and Radak read the storm imagery as a poetic likening of the plague that will strike the Assyrian camp.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžืขื ื”' ืฆื‘ืื•ืช ืชืคืงื“. ื•ืื—ืจื™ ืฉืชืฉืคืœื™ ื•ืชืฆืคืฆืฃ ืืžืจืชืš ืชืคืงื“ ืืจื™ืืœ ืžืืชื™ ืœื”ื•ืฉื™ืขื” ื‘ืจืขื ื•ื‘ืจืขืฉ ื•ื’ื•':
From the Lord of Hosts shall he be visited And after you become humble and your speech chirps, Ariel shall be visited by Me to save them, with thunder and with earthquake, etc.

ืคืกื•ืง ื–ืณ ยท Verse 7

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื”ึธื™ึธึ—ื” ื›ึผึทึฝื—ึฒืœื•ึนืึ™ ื—ึฒื–ึฃื•ึนืŸ ืœึทึ”ื™ึฐืœึธื” ื”ึฒืžื•ึนืŸึ™ ื›ึผื‡ืœึพื”ึทื’ึผื•ึนื™ึดึ”ื ื”ึทืฆึผึนื‘ึฐืึดึ–ื™ื ืขึทืœึพืึฒืจึด๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝืึตึ‘ืœ ื•ึฐื›ื‡ืœึพืฆึนื‘ึถึ™ื™ื”ึธึ™ ื•ึผืžึฐืฆึนึฃื“ึธืชึธึ”ื”ึผ ื•ึฐื”ึทืžึผึฐืฆึดื™ืงึดึ–ื™ื ืœึธึฝื”ึผืƒ

English:

Then, like a dream, a vision of the night,Shall be the multitude of nationsThat war upon Ariel,And all her besiegers, and the siegeworks against her,And those who harass her.

The multitude of nations warring against Ariel, together with all their besiegers and siegeworks, will prove as insubstantial as a dream in the night. Rashi explains that just as a dreamer imagines he sees what he never saw, so these nations will plan to conquer Jerusalem but never succeed; Radak notes that even a non-prophetic vision seen in sleep can be called a chazon.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื”ื™ื” ื›ื—ืœื•ื. ืฉื“ื•ืžื” ืฉืจื•ืื” ื•ืœื ืจืื” ื›ืš ื™ื”ื™ื” ื”ืžื•ืŸ ื›ืœ ื”ื’ื•ื™ื ื™ื“ืžื• ืœื›ื‘ื•ืฉ ื•ืœื ืชืขืœื” ื‘ื™ื“ื: ื•ื›ืœ ืฆื•ื‘ื™ื”. ื”ืžืฆื™ื‘ื™ื ืขืœื™ื” ืžืฆื‘ ื•ืžืฉื—ื™ืช ืฉืงื•ืจื™ืŸ ืฆื ื‘ื™"ืœ ื‘ืœืข"ื– ื›ืžื• ืฉื ืืžืจ ื‘ืฉืื•ืœ (ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ื™ืดื“:ื˜ืดื•) ื”ืžืฆื‘ ื•ื”ืžืฉื—ื™ืช ื—ืจื“ื•:
And shall be like a dream that one imagines that he saw, yet he did not see, so will this multitude of all the nations contemplate to conquer, but they will not succeed. those stationed around her who set up against her a garrison and raiders called cenbel in O.F., as it is stated regarding Saul (I Sam. 14: 15): "The garrison and the raiders trembled."

ืคืกื•ืง ื—ืณ ยท Verse 8

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื”ึธื™ึธึกื” ื›ึผึทืึฒืฉืึถืจึฉ ื™ึทื—ึฒืœึนึจื ื”ึธืจึธืขึตึœื‘ ื•ึฐื”ึดื ึผึตึฃื” ืื•ึนื›ึตึ—ืœ ื•ึฐื”ึตืงึดื™ืฅึฎ ื•ึฐืจึตื™ืงึธึฃื” ื ึทืคึฐืฉืื•ึนึ’ ื•ึฐื›ึทืึฒืฉืึถึจืจ ื™ึทื—ึฒืœึนึคื ื”ึทืฆึผึธืžึตืึ™ ื•ึฐื”ึดื ึผึตึฃื” ืฉืึนืชึถึ”ื” ื•ึฐื”ึตืงึดื™ืฅึ™ ื•ึฐื”ึดื ึผึตึฃื” ืขึธื™ึตึ”ืฃ ื•ึฐื ึทืคึฐืฉืึ–ื•ึน ืฉืื•ึนืงึตืงึธึ‘ื” ื›ึผึตึฃืŸ ื™ึดึฝื”ึฐื™ึถึ—ื” ื”ึฒืžื•ึนืŸึ™ ื›ึผื‡ืœึพื”ึทื’ึผื•ึนื™ึดึ”ื ื”ึทืฆึผึนื‘ึฐืึดึ–ื™ื ืขึทืœึพื”ึทึฅืจ ืฆึดื™ึผึฝื•ึนืŸืƒย {ืค}

English:

Like someone hungry who dreams of eating,But wakes up still hungry;And like someone thirsty who dreams of drinking,But wakes faintAnd utterly parchedโ€”So shall be all the multitude of nationsThat war upon Mount Zion.

The dream simile is drawn out unforgettably: the enemy will be like a starving man who dreams he is eating and wakes with an empty stomach, or a thirsting man who dreams he drinks and wakes still parched. Rashi and the commentators apply this to the nations besieging Zion, who will crave the city's capture in their imagination but awake to find their desire utterly unfulfilled.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืฉื•ืงืงื”. ืชืื‘ื” ื•ื›ืŸ ืืœ ืื™ืฉืš ืชืฉื•ืงืชืš (ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ื™ื’): ื›ืŸ ื™ื”ื™ื” ื•ื’ื•'. ืœื ื™ืฉื™ื’ื• ืชืื•ืชื ืืฉืจ ื™ื–ืžื• ืœืขืฉื•':
yearns (ืฉืื•ึนืงึตืงึธื”) desires. Comp. (Gen. 3:16) "And to your husband shall be your yearning (ืชึผึฐืฉืื•ึผืงึธืชึตืšึฐ) ." So shall be, etc. They shall not achieve their desire which they planned to do.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืณ ยท Verse 9

Hebrew:

ื”ึดืชึฐืžึทื”ึฐืžึฐื”ึฃื•ึผ ื•ึผืชึฐืžึธึ”ื”ื•ึผ ื”ึดืฉืึฐืชึผึทืขึทืฉืึฐืขึ–ื•ึผ ื•ึธืฉืึนึ‘ืขื•ึผ ืฉืึธื›ึฐืจึฃื•ึผ ื•ึฐืœึนืึพื™ึทึ”ื™ึดืŸ ื ึธืขึ–ื•ึผ ื•ึฐืœึนึฅื ืฉืึตื›ึธึฝืจืƒ

English:

Act stupid and be stupefied!Act blind and be blinded!(They are drunk, but not from wine,They stagger, but not from liquor.)

The prophet turns to rebuke, commanding the people to be dumbfounded and blind, for they are drunk and staggering though not from wine or liquor. Rashi and Metzudat David explain this intoxication as a self-inflicted stupor of the mind, a bewilderment that comes from abandoning the true prophets and being seduced by false ones; Radak links the imagery to those who cannot see or understand, reeling like a drunkard even when sober.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ืชืžื”ืžื”ื•. ื”ื•ื• ืžืชื•ื ื™ื ืœื”ืชื‘ื•ื ืŸ ืœื—ืฉื•ื‘ ืขืœ ืžืขืœืœื™ื›ื: ื•ืชืžื”ื•. ื•ืชื”ื™ื• ืชืžื”ื™ื ืขืœ ืงื™ืœืงื•ืœื›ื: ื”ืฉืชืขืฉืขื•. ืœ' ืขื™ื ื™ื• ื”ืฉืข (ืœืขื™ืœ ื•) ื”ื™ื• ืขื•ืจื™ื ืžืจืื•ืช: ืฉื›ืจื•. ืขืฆืžื›ื ื•ืœื ืžื™ื™ืŸ ืœืžื”:
stop Be patient to reflect [to think] about your deeds. and wonder And wonder about your corruption. they became blind (ื”ึดืฉืึฐืชึผึทืขึทืฉืึฐืขื•ึผ) an expression related to (supra 6:10) "And his eyes are becoming sealed (ื”ึธืฉืึทืข)," they were blind, not being able to see [lit., from seeing]. They were intoxicated yourselves (sic) but not from wine. Why? ([Parshandatha claims that this reading is erroneous. The correct reading, according to all manuscripts is:] their wise men, but not from wine.)

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืณ ยท Verse 10

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึฝื™ึพื ึธืกึทึจืšึฐ ืขึฒืœึตื™ื›ึถึคื ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ™ ืจึฃื•ึผื—ึท ืชึผึทืจึฐื“ึผึตืžึธึ”ื” ื•ึทื™ึฐืขึทืฆึผึตึ–ื ืึถืชึพืขึตื™ื ึตื™ื›ึถึ‘ื ืึถืชึพื”ึทื ึผึฐื‘ึดื™ืึดึ›ื™ื ื•ึฐืึถืชึพืจึธืืฉืึตื™ื›ึถึฅื ื”ึทื—ึนื–ึดึ–ื™ื ื›ึผึดืกึผึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

For GOD has spread over youA spirit of deep sleep,And has shut your eyes, the prophets,And covered your heads, the seers;

The stupor is revealed as divine: God has poured over the people 'a spirit of deep sleep' (ืจื•ื— ืชืจื“ืžื”) and shut the eyes of the prophets and covered the heads of the seers. Metzudat David explains that when a person seeks to defile himself, heaven opens the way, so the willful blindness of the people is met by a God-given blindness; Radak likens it to the hardening described in Isaiah 6, so strong it seems to come straight from God.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ื™ ื ืกืš ืขืœื™ื›ื ื”'. ื•ื’ื•' ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืžื–ื’ ื›ืžื• ืžืกื›ื” ื™ื™ื ื” (ืžืฉืœื™ ื˜ืณ:ื‘ืณ) ืื• ืœืฉื•ืŸ ื ืกื™ื›ื•ืช ื”ืฉืœื™ื˜ ื‘ื›ื ืจื•ื— ืชืจื“ืžื” ืขืœ ืคื•ืฉืขื™ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื”ื™ื” ื ื™ื‘ื ืฉื”ื™ื• ื—ื•ื–ื™ื ื‘ื›ื•ื›ื‘ื™ื:
For the Lord has poured upon you, etc. (ื ึธืกึทืšึฐ) an expression of mixing wine. Comp. (Prov. 9: 2) "She mixed (ืžึธืกึฐื›ึธื”) her wine." It may also be an expression of princedom (ื ึฐืกึดื™ื›ื•ึผืช). He caused a spirit of deep sleep to overcome you, (lit., to rule over you). Concerning the transgressors of Israel he was prophesying, for they were stargazers and were experts in adjuring the heavenly princes, each one with the proper name for adjuring him. Therefore, they say, "Who will encamp upon us (Jer. 21:13)? If the enemy comes upon us, we can make for it a wall of fire around, ([Most manuscripts read:] If the enemy comes upon the city, we can make for it a wall of fire around,) or surround it with the Great Sea." Said the Holy One, blessed be He, "I will change the heavenly princes; the one appointed over fire, is appointed over water. When he adjures the prince of fire to bring him fire, he will reply, "This is not mine," And, likewise, the prince of water. And even the name by which you adjure him, he does not recognize. This is the closing of the eyes and the covering of the heads of the stargazers.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื ยท Verse 11

Hebrew:

ื•ึทืชึผึฐื”ึดึจื™ ืœึธื›ึถึœื ื—ึธื–ึฃื•ึผืช ื”ึทื›ึผึนึ—ืœ ื›ึผึฐื“ึดื‘ึฐืจึตื™ึฎ ื”ึทืกึผึตึฃืคึถืจ ื”ึถื—ึธืชื•ึผืึ’ ืึฒืฉืึถึฝืจึพื™ึดืชึผึฐื ึฃื•ึผ ืึนืชึ—ื•ึน ืึถืœึพื™ื•ึนื“ึตึฅืขึท (ื”ืกืคืจ) [ืกึตึ›ืคึถืจ] ืœึตืืžึนึ–ืจ ืงึฐืจึธึฃื ื ึธืึพื–ึถึ‘ื” ื•ึฐืึธืžึทืจึ™ ืœึนึฃื ืื•ึผื›ึทึ”ืœ ื›ึผึดึฅื™ ื—ึธืชึ–ื•ึผื ื”ึฝื•ึผืืƒ

English:

So that all prophecy has been to youLike the words of a sealed document.If it is handed to one who can read with a request to read it, the response will be, โ€œI canโ€™t, because it is sealedโ€;

All prophecy has become for the people like a sealed document: hand it to someone who can read and he replies 'I cannot, for it is sealed.' Metzudat David and Radak stress that this is a pretext, not a genuine incapacity, since a willing reader would simply ask to have the seal opened; the learned among the people use the claim that God's words are obscure as an excuse to ignore them.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื—ื–ื•ืช ื”ื›ืœ. ื›ืœ ืžื” ืฉื”ื™ื™ืชื ื—ื•ื–ื™ื ื‘ืžื–ืœื•ืช ื™ื”ื™ื” ืžื›ื•ืกื” ืžื›ื ื›ื“ื‘ืจื™ ืื’ืจืช ื”ื—ืชื•ืžื” ื‘ืฉืขื•ื” ืืฉืจ ื™ืชื ื•ื” ืœืงืจื•ืชื” ืœื™ื•ื“ืข ืœืงืจื•ืช ืื’ืจืช ื•ืืžืจ ืœื ืื•ื›ืœ ืฉื”ืจื™ ืื™ืŸ ืื ื™ ืจื•ืื” ื‘ืชื•ื›ื” ืœืคื™ ืฉื”ื™ื ื—ืชื•ืžื”:
the vision of everything All that you used to see in the constellations shall be concealed from you like the words of a letter sealed with wax, which, if they give to read one able to read a letter, he will say, "I cannot, for I see not what is inside, for it is sealed."

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื‘ ยท Verse 12

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื ึดืชึผึทึฃืŸ ื”ึทืกึผึตึ—ืคึถืจ ืขึทืœึฉ ืึฒืฉืึถึจืจ ืœึนืึพื™ึธื“ึทึฅืข ืกึตึ›ืคึถืจ ืœึตืืžึนึ–ืจ ืงึฐืจึธึฃื ื ึธืึพื–ึถึ‘ื” ื•ึฐืึธืžึทึ•ืจ ืœึนึฅื ื™ึธื“ึทึ–ืขึฐืชึผึดื™ ืกึตึฝืคึถืจืƒย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

and if the document is handed with the same request to one who cannot read, the response will be, โ€œI canโ€™t read.โ€

The same scroll given to one who cannot read draws the answer 'I do not know how to read.' Metzudat David and Radak apply this to the fools among the people, who plead ignorance and tell the wise 'we do not understand.' Between the learned who claim the words are sealed and the simple who claim they cannot read, the message of God's prophets goes unheeded by everyone.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื ืชืŸ ื”ืกืคืจ ืขืœ ืืฉืจ ืœื ื™ื“ืข ืกืคืจ. ื•ื›ืฉื ื•ื˜ืœื™ืŸ ืžืžื ื• ื•ืคื•ืชื—ื™ืŸ ื—ื•ืชืžื” ื•ื ื•ืชื ื™ืŸ ืื•ืชื” ืœืžื™ ืฉืื™ื ื• ืžื›ื™ืจ ืœ' ืื’ืจืช ื•ืื•ืžืจื™ืŸ ืœื• ืงืจื ื ื ื–ื” ื•ืืžืจ ืœื ื™ื“ืขืชื™ ืกืคืจ ื›ืš ื›ืฉืชืฉื‘ื™ืข ืฉืจ ื”ืืฉ ื™ืืžืจ ืœื ืื•ื›ืœ ื›ื™ ื—ืชื•ื ื”ื“ื‘ืจ ืžืžื ื™ ื•ื›ืฉืชืฉื‘ื™ืข ืืช ื—ื‘ื™ืจื• ื™ืืžืจ ืื™ื ื™ ืžื›ื™ืจ ืืช ื”ืฉื ื”ื–ื” ืฉืืชื” ืžืฉื‘ื™ืขื ื™ ื‘ื• ืฉืื™ืŸ ื–ื” ืฉืžื™ ื•ื–ื”ื• ืฉืืžืจ ื™ืจืžื™ื” ื”ื ื ื™ ืžื™ืกื‘ ืืช ื›ืœื™ ื”ืžืœื—ืžื” ืืฉืจ ื‘ื™ื“ื›ื (ื™ืจืžื™ื”ื• ื›ืดื:ื“ืณ) ื–ื” ื”ืฉื ื”ืžืคื•ืจืฉ ื‘ืžื“ืจ' ืชื”ืœื™':
And if the book is given And when they take it from him and open its seal and give it to one who does not understand the language of the letter, and they say to him, "now read this," he will say, "I cannot read." Similarly, when you adjure the prince of fire, he will say, "I cannot, for the matter is sealed from me," and when you adjure his colleague, he will say, "I do not recognize this name, by which you adjure me, for this is not my name." This is what Jeremiah said (Jer. 21:4): "Behold I will turn around my implements of war that are in your hands." This refers to the Explicit Name. In Midrash Tehillim (36:5).

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื’ ยท Verse 13

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึนึฃืืžึถืจ ืึฒื“ึนื ึธึ—ื™ ื™ึทึšืขึทืŸ ื›ึผึดึคื™ ื ึดื’ึผึทืฉืึ™ ื”ึธืขึธึฃื ื”ึทื–ึผึถึ”ื” ื‘ึผึฐืคึดึคื™ื• ื•ึผื‘ึดืฉื‚ึฐืคึธืชึธื™ื•ึ™ ื›ึผึดื‘ึผึฐื“ึ”ื•ึผื ึดื™ ื•ึฐืœึดื‘ึผึ–ื•ึน ืจึดื—ึทึฃืง ืžึดืžึผึถึ‘ื ึผึดื™ ื•ึทืชึผึฐื”ึดึคื™ ื™ึดืจึฐืึธืชึธืึ™ ืึนืชึดึ”ื™ ืžึดืฆึฐื•ึทึฅืช ืึฒื ึธืฉืึดึ–ื™ื ืžึฐืœึปืžึผึธื“ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

My Sovereign said:Because that people has approached [Me] with its mouthAnd honored Me with its lips,But has kept its heart far from Me,And its worship of Me has beenA social obligation,fsocial obligation Lit. โ€œcommandment of men.โ€ learned by roteโ€”

This is the chapter's most famous rebuke: the people draw near with mouth and lips to honor God while their heart is far from Him, so that their reverence has become mitzvat anashim melumadah, a commandment of men learned by rote. Rashi and Metzudat David explain that their fear of God is not heartfelt but a mere performance taught to them by others; Radak adds that one who does only what he is commanded, adding nothing of his own will, is not truly acting out of love.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื™ืขืŸ ื›ื™ ื ื’ืฉ ื”ืขื ื”ื–ื”. ื™ื•ื ืชืŸ ืชื™ืจื’ื ื—ืœืฃ ื“ืื™ืชืจื‘ืจื‘ ืขืžื ื”ื“ื™ืŸ ื›ืœื•ืžืจ ื ื’ืฉื• ืœื”ื’ื‘ื™ื” ืขืฆืžืŸ ืขื“ ืœืฉืžื™ื ื”ื ืžืจืื™ืŸ ืขืฆืžืŸ ื›ืžื›ื‘ื“ื™ืŸ ืื•ืชื™ ื‘ืคื” ื•ืฉืคื” ื•ืืช ืœื‘ื ื”ืจื—ื™ืงื• ืžืžื ื™: ื•ืชื”ื™ ื™ืจืืชื ืื•ืชื™. ืœื ื‘ืœื‘ ืฉืœื ื›ื™ ืื ื‘ืžืฆื•ืช ื”ืื ืฉื™ื ื”ืžืœืžื“ื™ื ืื•ืชื ื”ืชืจืื• ื›ื ื›ื ืขื™ื ืžืœืคื ื™ื• ื›ื“ื™ ืœืคืชื•ืชื• ื‘ืคื™ื›ื:
Because this people has come near Jonathan renders: Because this people has aggrandized itself. I.e., they have come near to raise themselves up to the heavens. They show themselves as though honoring Me with mouth and lip, but their heart they have drawn far away from Me. and their fear of Me has become not wholehearted, but by the command of the people who teach them, they show themselves as humbled before Him in order to entice Him with your mouth.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื“ ยท Verse 14

Hebrew:

ืœึธื›ึตึ—ืŸ ื”ึดื ึฐื ึดึฅื™ ื™ื•ึนืกึดึ›ืฃ ืœึฐื”ึทืคึฐืœึดึฅื™ื ืึถืชึพื”ึธืขึธืึพื”ึทื–ึผึถึ–ื” ื”ึทืคึฐืœึตึฃื ื•ึธืคึถึ‘ืœึถื ื•ึฐืึธึฝื‘ึฐื“ึธื”ึ™ ื—ื‡ื›ึฐืžึทึฃืช ื—ึฒื›ึธืžึธึ”ื™ื• ื•ึผื‘ึดื™ื ึทึฅืช ื ึฐื‘ึนื ึธึ–ื™ื• ืชึผึดืกึฐืชึผึทืชึผึธึฝืจืƒย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

Truly, I shall further baffle that peopleWith bafflement upon bafflement;And the wisdom of its wise shall fail,And the prudence of its prudent shall vanish.

Because worship has become empty routine, God will confound the people with 'wonder upon wonder' (ื”ืคืœื ื•ืคืœื) until the wisdom of their wise men perishes and the understanding of their discerning is hidden. Rashi memorably comments that the loss of Israel's sages is twice as severe as the destruction of the Temple, since the Torah threatens only a single 'wonder' of affliction while here two are decreed; Metzudat David reads it as the sages being unable to devise any escape from the coming calamity.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืœื›ืŸ ื”ื ื ื™. ื”ื•ื ืืฉืจ ื™ื•ืกื™ืฃ ืœื”ืคืœื™ื ืคืœื ื•ื ื•ืกืฃ ืขืœ ืคืœื ื›ื™ืกื•ื™ ืขืœ ื›ืกื•ื™ ืื•ื˜ื ืขืœ ืื•ื˜ื ื•ืžื”ื• ื”ืคืœื ื•ืคืœื ื•ืื‘ื“ื” ื—ื›ืžืช ื—ื›ืžื™ื•, ืงืฉื” ืกื™ืœื•ืงื ืฉืœ ื—ื›ืžื™ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื›ืคืœื™ื ื›ื—ื•ืจื‘ืŸ ื‘ื™ืช ื”ืžืงื“ืฉ ื•ื›ืœ ืงืœืœื•ืช ืฉื‘ืžืฉื ' ืชื•ืจื” ืฉื›ื•ืœืŸ ืื™ื ืŸ ืืœื ื”ืคืœืื” ืื—ืช ื•ื”ืคืœื ื”' ืืช ืžื›ื•ืชืš (ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ื›ืดื—:ื ืดื˜) ื•ื›ืืŸ ืฉืชื™ ื”ืคืœืื•ืช:
Therefore, I will continue I am He Who will continue to perform additional obscurity upon obscurity, concealment upon concealment, sealing upon sealing. And what is this obscurity upon obscurity? And the wisdom of their wise men shall be lost. The taking away of the sages of Israel is twice as hard as the destruction of the Temple and all the curses in Deuteronomy, for all of them are only one obscurity, as it is said (Deut. 28:59): "And the Lord shall make your plagues obscure (ื•ึฐื”ึดืคึฐืœึธื)," whereas here are two obscurities.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืดื• ยท Verse 15

Hebrew:

ื”ึ›ื•ึนื™ ื”ึทืžึผึทืขึฒืžึดื™ืงึดึฅื™ื ืžึตื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ–ื” ืœึทืกึฐืชึผึดึฃืจ ืขึตืฆึธึ‘ื” ื•ึฐื”ึธื™ึธึคื” ื‘ึฐืžึทื—ึฐืฉืึธืšึฐึ™ ืžึทึฝืขึฒืฉื‚ึตื™ื”ึถึ”๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝ ื•ึทื™ึผึนึฃืืžึฐืจึ”ื•ึผ ืžึดึฅื™ ืจึนืึตึ–ื ื•ึผ ื•ึผืžึดึฅื™ ื™ึนึฝื“ึฐืขึตึฝื ื•ึผืƒ

English:

Ha! Those who would hide their plansDeep from GOD!Who do their work in dark placesAnd say, โ€œWho sees us, who takes note of us?โ€

Woe is pronounced over those who dig deep to hide their plans from God, doing their deeds in darkness and saying 'Who sees us? Who knows us?' Metzudat David and Radak explain that these people imagine God does not oversee human affairs, so they act as they please, concealing their schemes from other people and wrongly assuming they are hidden from the Creator as well.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืœืกืชื™ืจ ืขืฆื”. ื›ืžื• ืœื”ืกืชื™ืจ ืขืฆื”:
to hide counsel (ืœึทืกึฐืชึผึดื™ืจ) equivalent to ืœึฐื”ึทืกึฐืชึผึดื™ืจ.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืดื– ยท Verse 16

Hebrew:

ื”ึทึจืคึฐื›ึผึฐื›ึถึ”ื ืึดืึพื›ึผึฐื—ึนึฅืžึถืจ ื”ึทื™ึผึนืฆึตึ–ืจ ื™ึตื—ึธืฉืึตึ‘ื‘ ื›ึผึดึฝื™ึพื™ึนืืžึทึจืจ ืžึทืขึฒืฉื‚ึถึคื” ืœึฐืขึนืฉื‚ึตึ™ื”ื•ึผึ™ ืœึนึฃื ืขึธืฉื‚ึธึ”ื ึดื™ ื•ึฐื™ึตึ›ืฆึถืจ ืึธืžึทึฅืจ ืœึฐื™ึนืฆึฐืจึ–ื•ึน ืœึนึฅื ื”ึตื‘ึดึฝื™ืŸืƒ

English:

How perverse of you!Should the potter be accounted as the clay?gHow perverse of you! / Should the potter be accounted as the clay? Meaning of first line uncertain; emendation yields โ€œShould the potter be accounted / Like the jugs or like the clay?โ€ Should what is made say of its Maker,โ€œThis One did not make me,โ€œAnd what is formed say of the One who formed it,โ€œThat One did not understandโ€?hThat One did not understand Emendation yields โ€œThat One did not fashion me.โ€

The prophet answers the schemers with the image of the potter and the clay: their perversity is as absurd as clay imagining it can hide from the one who shaped it. Rashi and Metzudat David draw the point that just as the potter knows what is in his clay, so God knows all their hidden thoughts; the vessel cannot say of its maker 'He did not make me,' nor claim its former 'did not understand' its making.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ืคื›ื›ื ืื ื›ื—ื•ืžืจ ื”ื™ื•ืฆืจ ื™ื—ืฉื‘. ืชื”ืคื•ื›ื•ืช ืฉืœื›ื ื”ื–ืืช ืืชื ื™ื•ื“ืขื™ื ืฉื”ื•ื ื›ื—ื•ืžืจ ื”ื™ื•ืฆืจ ืฉืื™ืŸ ื”ื—ื•ืžืจ ื™ื›ื•ืœ ืœื•ืžืจ ืœืขื•ืฉื”ื• ืœื ืขืฉืื ื™ ื›ืš ืื™ื ื›ื ื™ื›ื•ืœื™ืŸ ืœื•ืžืจ ืฉืื™ื ื™ ืžื‘ื™ืŸ ืžืขืฉื™ื›ื: ื›ื—ื•ืžืจ ื•ื’ื•'. ืœ' ืชืžื™ื” ื”ื•ื ื•ื™ืฉ ืชืžื™ื”ื•ืช ื”ืžืชืงื™ื™ืžื•ืช: ืœืขื•ืฉื”ื•. ื›ืžื• ืขืœ ืขื•ืฉื”ื• ื•ื“ื•ื’ืžืชื• ื•ืืžืจ ืคืจืขื” ืœื‘ื ื™ ื™ืฉืจืืœ (ืฉืžื•ืช ื™ื“), ืคืŸ ื™ืืžืจื• ืœื™ ืืฉื” ื”ืจื’ืชื”ื• (ืฉื•ืคื˜ื™' ื˜): ื•ื™ืฆืจ ืืžืจ ืœื™ื•ืฆืจื• ืœื ื”ื‘ื™ืŸ. ืืžืจ ืขืœ ื™ื•ืฆืจื• ืœื ื”ื‘ื™ืŸ ืžื” ื‘ื™ืฆืจื• ื•ื”ืœื ื”ื•ื ื‘ื ื” ืืช ื”ืžื˜ืžื•ื ื™ื•' ื•ื”ื—ื“ืจื™' ื•ื”ืžื—ืฉื‘ื•ืช:
Shall your perversion be regarded like the potter's clay (Heb. ื”ึธืคึฐื›ึผึฐื›ึถื) Your perversions. Do you know this, that it is like the potter's clay? Just as the clay cannot say of its maker, "He did not make me," so you cannot say that I do not understand your deeds. Shall...like the potter's clay, etc. This is an expression of a question, but there are questions to be answered in the affirmative. of him who made it (ืœึฐืขึนืฉื‚ึตื”ื•ึผ, lit. to him who made it.) Like ืขึทืœ ืขึนืฉื‚ึตื”ื•ึผ. Comp. (Ex. 14:3) "And Pharaoh shall say of the children of Israel (ื•ึฐืœึดื‘ึฐื ึตื™ ื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตืœ)." (Jud. 9:54) "Lest they say of me (ืœึดื™), 'A woman killed him.'" and the impulse say concerning the One Who formed it, "He does not understand"? Did he say concerning the One Who formed it, "He does not understand what is in my impulse"? Did He not build the hidden recesses, the inner chambers, and the thoughts?

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื– ยท Verse 17

Hebrew:

ื”ึฒืœื•ึนืึพืขื•ึนื“ึ™ ืžึฐืขึทึฃื˜ ืžึดื–ึฐืขึธึ”ืจ ื•ึฐืฉืึธึฅื‘ ืœึฐื‘ึธื ึ–ื•ึนืŸ ืœึทื›ึผึทืจึฐืžึถึ‘ืœ ื•ึฐื”ึทื›ึผึทืจึฐืžึถึ–ืœ ืœึทื™ึผึทึฅืขึทืจ ื™ึตื—ึธืฉืึตึฝื‘ืƒ

English:

Surely, in a little while,Lebanon will be transformed into farmland,And farmland accounted as mere brush.

The tone shifts to promise: in just a little while Lebanon, the mighty forest, will become fruitful field (ื›ืจืžืœ), and the field in turn be reckoned as woodland. Rashi reads this as a swift transformation should the people return to God; Radak understands it as a social reversal in which the arrogant of Ahaz's generation are brought low while the humble are exalted like the cedars of Lebanon in the days of Hezekiah.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ืœื ืขื•ื“ ืžืขื˜. ื‘ื™ืžื™ื ืžื•ืขื˜ื™ืŸ ื ืงืœ ื‘ืขื™ื ื™ ืื ืชืฉื•ื‘ื• ืืœื™: ื•ืฉื‘ ืœื‘ื ื•ืŸ. ืฉื”ื•ื ื™ืขืจ ืขืฆื™ื ืœื”ื™ื•ืช ื›ืจืžืœ ื•ื™ืฉื•ื‘ ืฉื“ื•ืช ื•ื›ืจืžื™ื: ื•ื”ื›ืจืžืœ ืœื™ืขืจ ื™ื—ืฉื‘. ืชื™ืจื’ื ื™ื•ื ืชืŸ ืงื™ืจื•ื™ืŸ ืกื’ื™ืื™ืŸ ื™ืชื™ื‘ ื•ืื’ื“ื” ื‘ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ืจื‘ื” ื—ื•ืจืฉื™ืŸ ื“ื‘ืจ ืื™ื ืฉ ื™ืฉื•ื‘ ืขืจื™ื ื•ื‘ื ื™ ืื“ื ืจืฆื•ืฃ ื•ืžืœื ื›ื™ืขืจ ื”ื–ื” ืฉื”ื•ื ืžืœื ืขืฆื™ื:
Indeed, in a short time In a few days, it is easy in My eyes, if you return to Me the Lebanon shall be turned The Lebanon, which is a forest of trees, shall be turned into a 'karmel,' a settlement of fields and vineyards. and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest Jonathan renders: It shall be populated by large cities. And the Aggadah in Gen. Rabbah (24:1) explains it as forests of people, a settlement of cities and people, crowded and full, like this forest, which is full of trees.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื— ยท Verse 18

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืฉืึธืžึฐืขึงื•ึผ ื‘ึทื™ึผื•ึนืึพื”ึทื”ึ›ื•ึผื ื”ึทื—ึตืจึฐืฉืึดึ–ื™ื ื“ึผึดื‘ึฐืจึตื™ึพืกึตึ‘ืคึถืจ ื•ึผืžึตืึนึฃืคึถืœ ื•ึผืžึตื—ึนึ”ืฉืึถืšึฐ ืขึตื™ื ึตึฅื™ ืขึดื•ึฐืจึดึ–ื™ื ืชึผึดืจึฐืึถึฝื™ื ึธื”ืƒ

English:

In that day, the deaf shall hear even written words,And the eyes of the blind shall seeEven in darkness and obscurity.

On that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll and the eyes of the blind will see out of gloom and darkness, reversing the sealed-book stupor of the earlier verses. Rashi notes explicitly that the curse of verses 10-14 will be annulled; Metzudat David and Radak explain that those who had stopped their ears and shut their eyes to God's word will finally perceive it once they behold His saving act.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ืฉืžืขื• ื‘ื™ื•ื ื”ื”ื•ื ื•ื’ื•'. ื•ืชื™ื‘ื˜ืœ ื”ืงืœืœื” ื”ืืžื•ืจื” ืœืžืขืœ' ื›ื™ ื ืกืš ื”' ืขืœื™ื›ื ื•ื’ื•' ื•ืชื”ื™ ืœื›ื ื—ื–ื•ืช ื”ื›ืœ ื•ืื‘ื“ื” ื—ื›ืžืช ื—ื›ืžื™ื•:
And on that day...shall hear, etc. And the curse stated above (v. 10 14): "For the Lord has poured upon you, etc....And the vision of everything has been to you, etc....And the wisdom of his wise men shall be lost," shall be repealed.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื˜ ยท Verse 19

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื™ึธืกึฐืคึงื•ึผ ืขึฒื ึธื•ึดึ›ื™ื ื‘ึผึทึฝื™ื”ึนื•ึธึ–ื” ืฉื‚ึดืžึฐื—ึธึ‘ื” ื•ึฐืึถื‘ึฐื™ื•ึนื ึตึฃื™ ืึธื“ึธึ”ื ื‘ึผึดืงึฐื“ึฅื•ึนืฉื ื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตึ–ืœ ื™ึธื’ึดึฝื™ืœื•ึผืƒ

English:

Then the humble shall have increasing joy through GOD,And the neediest of people shall exultIn the Holy One of Israel.

The humble (ืขื ื•ื™ื) will increase their joy in the Lord and the neediest of people will exult in the Holy One of Israel. Rashi explains the anavim as the patient ones who bore the yoke of God and His decrees; Metzudat David and Radak note that those who trusted in Him before the deliverance will rejoice all the more when they see their hope vindicated and the wicked brought low.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืขื ื•ื™ื. ืกื‘ืœื ื™ื ืฉืกื‘ืœื• ืขื•ืœื• ืฉืœ ื”ืงื‘"ื” ื•ื’ื–ืจื•ืชื™ื•:
And those who suffered The suffering ones, who bore the yoke of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His decrees.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืณ ยท Verse 20

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดื™ึพืึธืคึตึฅืก ืขึธืจึดึ–ื™ืฅ ื•ึฐื›ึธึฃืœึธื” ืœึตึ‘ืฅ ื•ึฐื ึดื›ึฐืจึฐืชึ–ื•ึผ ื›ึผื‡ืœึพืฉืึนึฅืงึฐื“ึตื™ ืึธึฝื•ึถืŸืƒ

English:

For the tyrant shall be no more,The scoffer shall cease to be;And those diligent for evil shall be wiped out,

The reason for the humble's joy is that the tyrant will be no more, the scoffer will cease, and all who are 'diligent for evil' (ืฉื•ืงื“ื™ ืื•ืŸ) will be cut off. Rashi explains this last phrase as those who hurry and scheme how to carry out wrongdoing; Radak adds that the righteous who had been silenced and could not rebuke the wicked will rejoice at seeing their oppressors destroyed.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ืœ ืฉื•ืงื“ื™ ืื•ืŸ. ื”ืฉื•ืงื“ื™ื ื•ืžืชื‘ื•ื ื ื™ื ื”ื™ืืš ื™ืคืขืœื• ืื•ืŸ:
those eager to commit violence Those who hurry and give thought how they will commit violence.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื ยท Verse 21

Hebrew:

ืžึทื—ึฒื˜ึดื™ืึตึคื™ ืึธื“ึธืึ™ ื‘ึผึฐื“ึธื‘ึธึ”ืจ ื•ึฐืœึทืžึผื•ึนื›ึดึฅื™ื—ึท ื‘ึผึทืฉืึผึทึ–ืขึทืจ ื™ึฐืงึนืฉืึ‘ื•ึผืŸ ื•ึทื™ึผึทื˜ึผึฅื•ึผ ื‘ึทืชึผึนึ–ื”ื•ึผ ืฆึทื“ึผึดึฝื™ืงืƒย {ืค}

English:

Who cause people to lose their lawsuits,Laying a snare for the arbiter at the gate,And wronging by falsehoodOne who was in the right.

The evildoers to be cut off are further described: those who lead people into sin by their words, who lay a snare for the one who reproves at the gate, and who deny justice to the innocent with empty falsehood. Rashi identifies the first group as the false prophets and explains that they set traps for anyone who rebukes them; Radak pictures them heaping up accusations against their critics to silence and slander them.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžื—ื˜ื™ืื™ ืื“ื ื‘ื“ื‘ืจ. ื”ื ื ื‘ื™ืื™ ื”ืฉืงืจ: ื•ืœืžื•ื›ื™ื— ื‘ืฉืขืจ ื™ืงื•ืฉื•ืŸ. ื•ืœื“ืžื•ื›ื— ืœื”ื•ืŸ ื‘ืขืŸ ืœื™ื” ืชืงืœื ืœ' ืžื•ืงืฉ: ื•ื™ื˜ื• ื‘ืชื”ื• ืฆื“ื™ืง. ื•ืืกื˜ื™ืื• ื‘ืฉืงืจ ื“ื™ืŸ ื–ื›ืื™ืŸ:
Those who cause man to sin by a word They are the false prophets. and him who reproves in the gate they trap (ื™ึฐืงืฉืื•ึผืŸ. Jonathan renders:) And for the one who reproves them, they seek for him a stumblingblock. (ื™ึฐืงืฉืื•ึผืŸ is) an expression related to ืžื•ึนืงึตืฉื, a trap. and they mislead the righteous through fraud And they pervert with fraud the cause of the just [from Jonathan].

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื‘ ยท Verse 22

Hebrew:

ืœึธื›ึตึ—ืŸ ื›ึผึนึฝื”ึพืึธืžึทึค๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ™ ืึถืœึพื‘ึผึตึฃื™ืช ื™ึทืขึฒืงึนึ”ื‘ ืึฒืฉืึถึฅืจ ืคึผึธื“ึธึ–ื” ืึถืชึพืึทื‘ึฐืจึธื”ึธึ‘ื ืœึนึฝืึพืขึทืชึผึธึคื” ื™ึตื‘ื•ึนืฉืึ™ ื™ึทืขึฒืงึนึ”ื‘ ื•ึฐืœึนึฅื ืขึทืชึผึธึ–ื” ืคึผึธื ึธึฅื™ื• ื™ึถื—ึฑื•ึธึฝืจื•ึผืƒ

English:

Assuredly, thus said GOD to the House of Jacob, Who redeemed Abraham:iWho redeemed Abraham Emendation yields โ€œWhose fathers were redeemed.โ€ No more shall Jacob be shamed,No longer his face grow pale.

God addresses the house of Jacob, invoking Himself as the One who redeemed Abraham, and promises that Jacob shall no longer be shamed nor his face grow pale. Rashi understands 'redeemed Abraham' as rescuing him from Ur of the Chaldeans and explains that the patriarch's descendants are without blemish, his 'bed complete'; Radak reads the shame as Jacob's imagined embarrassment over the wicked among his children, soon to be removed.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืืฉืจ ืคื“ื” ืืช ืื‘ืจื”ื. ืžืื•ืจ ื›ืฉื“ื™': ืœื ืขืชื” ื™ื‘ื•ืฉ ื™ืขืงื‘. ืžืื‘ื™ื•: ื•ืœื ืขืชื” ืคื ื™ื• ื™ื—ื•ืจื•. ืžืื‘ื™ ืื‘ื™ื• ืฉืื™ืŸ ื ืžืฆื ืคืกื•ืœ ื‘ืžื˜ืชื• ื•ืžื˜ืชื• ืฉืœื™ืžื”:
Who redeemed Abraham from Ur of the Chaldees. Now Jacob shall not be ashamed of his father. and now his face shall not pale because of his father's father, for no imperfection has been found in his bed, and his bed is perfect.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื’ ยท Verse 23

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึฃื™ ื‘ึดึ ืจึฐืึนืชึ ื•ึน ื™ึฐืœึธื“ึธึžื™ื• ืžึทืขึฒืฉื‚ึตึฅื” ื™ึธื“ึทึ›ื™ ื‘ึผึฐืงึดืจึฐื‘ึผึ–ื•ึน ื™ึทืงึฐื“ึผึดึฃื™ืฉืึฝื•ึผ ืฉืึฐืžึดึ‘ื™ ื•ึฐื”ึดืงึฐื“ึผึดึ™ื™ืฉืื•ึผึ™ ืึถืชึพืงึฐื“ึฃื•ึนืฉื ื™ึทึฝืขึฒืงึนึ”ื‘ ื•ึฐืึถืชึพืึฑืœึนื”ึตึฅื™ ื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตึ–ืœ ื™ึทืขึฒืจึดึฝื™ืฆื•ึผืƒ

English:

For when heโ€”that is, his progenyโ€”behold what My hands have wrought in his midst, they will hallow My name.They will hallow the Holy One of JacobAnd stand in awe of the God of Israel.

Jacob will not be ashamed because when he beholds his children, 'the work of My hands,' in his midst, they will sanctify God's name and stand in awe of the God of Israel. Rashi points to figures like Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah as examples of such righteous offspring who hallow the divine name; Radak explains that seeing the great miracle against the Assyrian host will move Jacob's children to proclaim the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ื™ ื‘ืจืื•ืชื• ื™ืœื“ื™ื•. ืืฉืจ ื™ื”ื™ื• ืžืขืฉื™ ื™ื“ื™ ื›ืœื•ืžืจ ืฆื“ื™ืงื™ื ื‘ืงืจื‘ื• ื›ื™ ื‘ืจืื•ืชื• ื‘ืงืจื‘ื• ืืฉืจ ื™ื“ื™ื• ืžืขืฉื” ื™ื“ื™ ื™ืงื“ื™ืฉื• ืฉืžื™ ื›ื’ื•ืŸ ื—ื ื ื™ื” ืžื™ืฉืืœ ื•ืขื–ืจื™ื” ืœื›ืš ืœื ื™ื—ื•ืจื• ืคื ื™ื•:
For, when he sees his children who will be the work of My hands, i.e., righteous men, in his midst, for when he sees in his midst that his children, the work of My hands, shall hallow My name, e. g., Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (see Dan. 3), therefore, his face shall not pale.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื“ ยท Verse 24

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื™ึธื“ึฐืขึฅื•ึผ ืชึนึฝืขึตื™ึพืจึ–ื•ึผื—ึท ื‘ึผึดื™ื ึธึ‘ื” ื•ึฐืจื•ึนื’ึฐื ึดึ–ื™ื ื™ึดืœึฐืžึฐื“ื•ึผึพืœึถึฝืงึทื—ืƒย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

And the confused shall acquire insightAnd grumblers accept instruction.

The chapter closes with a final reversal of its earlier blindness: those confused in spirit will acquire understanding and the grumblers will accept instruction (ืœืงื—). Rashi connects rogenim, grumblers, to those who murmured against the prophets, now learning to receive their teaching; Radak explains that upon seeing the great miracle the once-erring will grasp that God oversees human affairs and that the prophets spoke truth all along.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ืจื•ื’ื ื™ื ื™ืœืžื“ื• ืœืงื—. ืœืฉื•ืŸ ื•ืชืจื’ื ื• ื‘ืื”ืœื™ื›ื (ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ื) ืื•ืชื ืฉื”ื™ื• (ืžืชืœื•ื ื ื™ื) ื•ื ืจื’ื ื™ื ืขืœ ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื”ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ื™ืœืžื“ื• ืœืงื—:
and grumblers shall learn instruction (ื•ึฐืจื•ึนื’ึฐื ึดื™ื) an expression similar to (Deut. 1:27) "And you grumbled (ื•ึทืชึผึฐืจึธื’ึฐื ื•ึผ) in your tents." Those who were complaining and grumbling about the words of the prophets shall learn instruction.

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