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Nach YomiIsaiah ยท ื™ืฉืขื™ื”ื•Chapter 34

Isaiah 34

ื™ืฉืขื™ื”ื• ืคืจืง ืœืดื“

Section: ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ยท ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ืื—ืจื•ื ื™ื | Book: Isaiah | Chapter: 34 of 66 | Day: 181 of 742

Date: August 11, 2026

ืงืœืื•ื“ ืขืœ ื”ื ืดืš

Isaiah 34 is a chapter of cosmic judgment, the dark counterpart to the consolation that immediately follows in chapter 35. Together the two chapters form a diptych that some scholars have called a miniature apocalypse: chapter 34 pronounces the doom of the nations, epitomized by Edom, while chapter 35 sings of the flowering of the redeemed wilderness and the return of the ransomed to Zion. The prophecy opens not with a single addressee but with a summons to the entire created order to attend a divine tribunal: Approach, O nations, and listen (ืงึดืจึฐื‘ื•ึผ ื’ื•ึนื™ึดื ืœึดืฉึฐืืžึนืขึท), let the earth and its fullness hear, the world and all it brings forth. Radak reads this as an eschatological oracle (ืคืจืฉื” ื–ื• ืขืชื™ื“ื”), directed at the future destruction of Edom, after which Israelโ€™s final redemption dawns and there is no more exile โ€” a reading that colors the entire chapter as a vision of the end of days rather than a report of any single historical event.

The judgment first sweeps across all the nations before narrowing to a single object. The LORDโ€™s wrath is upon all peoples and their host; He has doomed them (ื”ึถื—ึฑืจึดื™ืžึธื) and consigned them to slaughter, until the slain lie unburied, the stench of corpses rises, and the mountains dissolve with blood โ€” a deliberate rhetorical hyperbole that Metzudat David and Radak both flag as ื’ื•ื–ืžื, poetic exaggeration meant to convey the totality of ruin. The imagery then turns cosmic: the host of heaven rots away, the sky rolls up like a scroll (ื•ึฐื ึธื’ึนืœึผื•ึผ ื›ึทืกึตึผืคึถืจ ื”ึทืฉึธึผืืžึทื™ึดื), and the stars fall like a withered leaf from the vine or shriveled fruit from a fig tree. Rashi and Radak understand this collapse of the heavens as figurative โ€” the language of a world turned upside down for those upon whom disaster falls, and the toppling of the heavenly princes (ืฉืจื™ื ืฉืœ ืžืขืœื”) before their earthly nations can fall, for no nation is punished until its celestial patron is struck first.

At the center of the chapter the sword of the LORD descends, sated and gorged, upon Edom (ืึฑื“ื•ึนื), the people of His ban (ืขึทื ื—ึถืจึฐืžึดื™). Verses 5 through 8 render this as a monstrous sacrifice: a great slaughter in Bozrah (ื–ึถื‘ึทื— ืœึทื”ืณ ื‘ึฐึผื‘ื‡ืฆึฐืจึธื”), the altar language of lambs, he-goats, and rams transformed into a metaphor for the killing of kings and princes. Rashi, drawing on the Pesikta, explains why Bozrah in particular is singled out โ€” though it lay in Moabite territory, it had supplied a king to Edom (the Jobab of Genesis 36), and so it suffers with Edom. The reason for this concentrated fury is given plainly in verse 8: it is the LORDโ€™s day of vengeance (ื™ื•ึนื ื ึธืงึธื), the year of recompense for the cause of Zion (ืฉึฐืื ึทืช ืฉึดืืœึผื•ึผืžึดื™ื ืœึฐืจึดื™ื‘ ืฆึดื™ึผื•ึนืŸ) โ€” Edom stands throughout the prophetic literature as the archetype of the nation that gloated over Jerusalemโ€™s fall, and its judgment is measured against that guilt.

The final movement, verses 9 through 17, depicts the aftermath as a permanent, uninhabitable desolation. Edomโ€™s streams turn to pitch and its dust to brimstone; the land becomes burning pitch that is never quenched night or day, its smoke rising forever โ€” a portrait explicitly likened by Radak to Sodom and Gomorrah, whose smoke still ascends. Over the ruin God stretches the line of chaos and the stones of emptiness (ืงึทื• ืชึนื”ื•ึผ ื•ึฐืึทื‘ึฐื ึตื™ ื‘ึนื”ื•ึผ), an ironic reversal of the builderโ€™s measuring line and plumb, deployed here not to raise a structure but to lay one waste. The nobles vanish, thorns overrun the palaces, and the desolate site becomes the haunt of wild and eerie creatures โ€” pelican and owl, raven and jackal, ostrich, wildcat, satyr, and Lilith the night-creature โ€” an inventory of birds and beasts of the wasteland that the commentators labor to identify from Talmudic and Aramaic parallels.

The chapter closes with one of its most striking rhetorical gestures: seek from the book of the LORD and read (ื“ึดึผืจึฐืฉืื•ึผ ืžึตืขึทืœ ืกึตืคึถืจ ื”ืณ ื•ึผืงึฐืจึธืื•ึผ), not one of these creatures shall be missing, for His mouth has commanded and His spirit has gathered them. Rashi connects this to the account of the Flood in Bereishit, where the creatures assembled in the ark by divine decree with none absent; Metzudat David points instead to the roster of clean and unclean animals in Vayikra; and Radak preserves his fatherโ€™s reading of the Torah generally alongside Ibn Ezraโ€™s view that sefer refers to the decrees inscribed by the finger of God. However the book is identified, the point is the same: the desolation is not chance but the precise fulfillment of a written divine word. God has cast the lot and apportioned the ruined land to these creatures with the measuring line, that they may possess it forever, from generation to generation โ€” the ban made permanent, the sentence sealed for all time.

ืคืจืง ืœืดื“ ยท Chapter 34

ืคืกื•ืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1

Hebrew:

ืงึดืจึฐื‘ึคื•ึผ ื’ื•ึนื™ึดืึ™ ืœึดืฉืึฐืžึนึ”ืขึท ื•ึผืœึฐืึปืžึผึดึ–ื™ื ื”ึทืงึฐืฉืึดึ‘ื™ื‘ื•ึผ ืชึผึดืฉืึฐืžึทึคืข ื”ึธืึธึ™ืจึถืฅึ™ ื•ึผืžึฐืœึนืึธึ”ื”ึผ ืชึผึตื‘ึตึ–ืœ ื•ึฐื›ื‡ืœึพืฆึถืึฑืฆึธืึถึฝื™ื”ึธืƒ

English:

Approach, O nations, and listen,Give heed, O peoples!Let the earth and those in it hear;The world, and what it brings forth.

The chapter opens with a cosmic summons to a divine tribunal: the nations, the peoples, the earth and all that fills it are called to draw near and listen. Radak reads this as an eschatological prophecy about the future destruction of Edom that precedes Israel's final redemption.

ืคืกื•ืง ื‘ืณ ยท Verse 2

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึฃื™ ืงึถึคืฆึถืฃ ืœึทึฝื™ื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ™ ืขึทืœึพื›ึผื‡ืœึพื”ึทื’ึผื•ึนื™ึดึ”ื ื•ึฐื—ึตืžึธึ–ื” ืขึทืœึพื›ึผื‡ืœึพืฆึฐื‘ึธืึธึ‘ื ื”ึถื—ึฑืจึดื™ืžึธึ–ื ื ึฐืชึธื ึธึฅื ืœึทื˜ึผึธึฝื‘ึทื—ืƒ

English:

For GOD is angry at all the nations,Furious at all their host;They have been doomed, consigned to slaughter.

The reason for the summons is stated: the LORD is enraged at all the nations and their host, and He has already doomed them (hecherimam) and consigned them to slaughter. Metzudat David notes that the decree is spoken as already accomplished, as though the ban were already carried out.

ืคืกื•ืง ื’ืณ ยท Verse 3

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื—ึทืœึฐืœึตื™ื”ึถึฃื ื™ึปืฉืึฐืœึธึ”ื›ื•ึผ ื•ึผืคึดื’ึฐืจึตื™ื”ึถึ–ื ื™ึทืขึฒืœึถึฃื” ื‘ื‡ืึฐืฉืึธึ‘ื ื•ึฐื ึธืžึทึฅืกึผื•ึผ ื”ึธืจึดึ–ื™ื ืžึดื“ึผึธืžึธึฝืืƒ

English:

Their slain shall be left lying,And the stench of their corpses shall mount;And the hills shall be drenched with their blood,

The slain are cast out unburied so that the stench of their corpses rises, and the mountains dissolve with their blood. Both Metzudat David and Radak note that the melting of the hills is deliberate poetic hyperbole (guzma) conveying the sheer scale of the slaughter.

ืคืกื•ืง ื“ืณ ยท Verse 4

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื ึธืžึทึ™ืงึผื•ึผึ™ ื›ึผื‡ืœึพืฆึฐื‘ึธึฃื ื”ึทืฉืึผึธืžึทึ”ื™ึดื ื•ึฐื ึธื’ึนึฅืœึผื•ึผ ื›ึทืกึผึตึ–ืคึถืจ ื”ึทืฉืึผึธืžึธึ‘ื™ึดื ื•ึฐื›ื‡ืœึพืฆึฐื‘ึธืึธึฃื ื™ึดื‘ึผึ”ื•ึนืœ ื›ึผึดื ึฐื‘ึนึคืœ ืขึธืœึถื”ึ™ ืžึดื’ึผึถึ”ืคึถืŸ ื•ึผื›ึฐื ึนื‘ึถึ–ืœึถืช ืžึดืชึผึฐืึตื ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

All the host of heaven shall molder.aAll the host of heaven shall molder 1QIsแตƒ reads โ€œAnd the valleys shall be cleft, / And all the host of heaven shall wither.โ€ The heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll,And all their host shall witherLike a leaf withering on the vine,Or shriveled fruit on a fig tree.

The judgment turns cosmic: the host of heaven rots away, the sky rolls up like a scroll (venagollu kasefer hashamayim), and the stars fall like a withered leaf from the vine or shriveled fruit from a fig tree. Rashi and Radak read this as figurative language for a world turned upside down, and for the toppling of the heavenly princes before their earthly nations can fall.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื ืžืงื• ื›ืœ ืฆื‘ื ื”ืฉืžื™ื. ื™ืคื—ื“ื• ื›ืฉืืฉืœื™ืš ืืช ืฉืจื™ ืืฉื•ืจ ื•ื‘ื‘ืœ: ื•ื ื’ื•ืœื•. ืœ' ื’ื•ืœืœ ื•ื ื’ืœื• ื›ืกืคืจ ื”ืฉืžื™ื ืช"ื™ ื•ื™ืชืžื—ื•ืŸ ืžืชื—ื•ืช ืฉืžื™ื ื›ืžื ื“ืืžืจ ืขืœื™ื”ืŸ ื‘ืกื™ืคืจื ื•ืื ื™ ืžืคืจืฉื• ืœืคื™ ื”ืขื ื™ืŸ ืžืคื ื™ ืฉืขื›ืฉื™ื• ื”ื˜ื•ื‘ื” ื•ื”ืื•ืจื” ืœืจืฉืขื™ื ืœื›ืฉื™ืชืžื—ื• ื•ื™ื—ืจื‘ื• ื™ื”ื™ื” ื“ื•ืžื ื”ืขื•ืœื ื—ืฉืš ืขืœื™ื”ื ื›ืื™ืœื• ื ื’ืœืœ ื”ืฉืžืฉ ื•ื”ืื•ืจ ื›ื’ืœื™ืœืช ืกืคืจ: ื™ื‘ื•ืœ. ื™ื›ืžื•ืฉ: ื•ื›ื ื•ื‘ืœืช ืžืชืื ื”. ื›ืžื•ืฉื” ื‘ืื™ืœืŸ ืงืจื•ื™ื” ื ื•ื‘ืœืช ื•ื–ื”ื• ืฉืคื™ืจืฉื• ืจื‘ื•ืชื™ื ื• (ื‘ืจื›ื•ืช ืž) ืžืื™ ื ื•ื‘ืœื•ืช ื‘ื•ืฉืœื™ ื›ื•ืžืจื ืฉื ืชื‘ืฉืœื• ื‘ื›ื•ืžืจ ืœืื—ืจ ืœืงื™ื˜ืชืŸ ืฆื•ื‘ืจืŸ ื•ืžืชื—ืžืžื•ืช ื•ืžืชื‘ืฉืœื•ืช:
And all the host of heaven shall melt They shall be frightened when I cast down the princes of the heathens.([Mss. yield:] the princes of the nations.) ([Warsaw edition:] of Assyria and Babylon.) shall be rolled (ื•ึฐื ึธื’ึนืœึผื•ึผ) an expression of rolling. And the heavens shall be rolled like a scroll. Jonathan renders: And they shall be erased from beneath the heavens, as it is stated about them in the Book. But I explain it according to the context, for now, the kingdoms of the Ishmaelites (the nations [ms.]) (the wicked [Warsaw ed.]) have fortune and light. When they are erased and destroyed, it will be as though the world has darkened for them, as though the sun and the light are rolled up like the rolling of a scroll. withers (ื™ึดื‘ึผื•ึนืœ) withers. and as a withered [fig] from a fig tree The withered fruit of a tree is called ื ื•ึนื‘ึฐืœื•ึนืช. This is what our Rabbis (Ber. 40b) explained: What are 'noveloth'? Fruit ripened in the heater, that become ripe in the heater. After they are picked, he gathers them and they become heated and ripen.

ืคืกื•ืง ื”ืณ ยท Verse 5

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึฝื™ึพืจึดื•ึผึฐืชึธึฅื” ื‘ึทืฉืึผึธืžึทึ–ื™ึดื ื—ึทืจึฐื‘ึผึดึ‘ื™ ื”ึดื ึผึตื”ึ™ ืขึทืœึพืึฑื“ึฃื•ึนื ืชึผึตืจึตึ”ื“ ื•ึฐืขึทืœึพืขึทึฅื ื—ึถืจึฐืžึดึ–ื™ ืœึฐืžึดืฉืึฐืคึผึธึฝื˜ืƒ

English:

For My sword shall be drunkbbe drunk 1QIsแตƒ reads โ€œbe seenโ€; cf. Targum. in the sky;Lo, it shall come down upon Edom,Upon the people I have doomed,To wreak judgment.

Once the LORD's sword has drunk its fill in heaven, it descends upon Edom, the people of His ban (am chermi), to execute judgment. Rashi explains am chermi as the nation with whom God contends, and Radak stresses that Edom is singled out for judgment because of the evil it did to Israel.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ื™ ืจื•ืชื” ื‘ืฉืžื™ื ื—ืจื‘ื™. ืœื”ืจื•ื’ ืฉืจื™ื ืฉืœ ืžืขืœื” ื•ืื—ืจ ื›ืš ืชืจื“ ืขืœ ืขืžืœืง ืœืžื˜ื” ืฉืื™ืŸ ื›ืœ ืื•ืžื” ืœื•ืงื” ืขื“ ืฉื™ืœืงื” ืฉืจ ืฉืœื” ื‘ืžืจื•ื: ืขื ื—ืจืžื™. ืขื ืžืœื—ืžืชื™ ืœ' ืžืฉื ื” (ื›ืชื•ื‘ื•ืช ื™ื–) ื‘ืฉืขืช ื—ื™ืจื•ื ืฉื ื• ื•ื›ืŸ (ืžืœื›ื™ื ื ื›ืณ:ืžืดื‘) ืืช ืื™ืฉ ื—ืจืžื™ ื“ืื—ืื‘:
For My sword has become sated in the heaven To slay the heavenly princes, and afterward it shall descend on the nation Ishmael ([mss. and Kli Paz:] Edom) ([Warsaw ed.:] Babylonians) below, for no nation suffers until its prince suffers in heaven. the nation with whom I contend (ืขึทื ื—ึถืจืžึดื™), the nation with whom I battle. This is a Mishnaic expression: (Keth. 17b) They taught this in connection with time of strife (ื—ึตืจื•ึผื). Comp. (I Kings 20:42) "The man with whom I contend (ืึดื™ืฉื ื—ึถืจึฐืžึดื™)," referring to Ahab.

ืคืกื•ืง ื•ืณ ยท Verse 6

Hebrew:

ื—ึถึฃืจึถื‘ ืœึทื™ื”ึนื•ึธึžื” ืžึธืœึฐืึธึฅื” ื“ึธืึ™ ื”ึปื“ึผึทึฃืฉืึฐื ึธื” ืžึตื—ึตึ”ืœึถื‘ ืžึดื“ึผึทึคื ื›ึผึธืจึดื™ืึ™ ื•ึฐืขึทืชึผื•ึผื“ึดึ”ื™ื ืžึตื—ึตึ–ืœึถื‘ ื›ึผึดืœึฐื™ึฃื•ึนืช ืึตื™ืœึดึ‘ื™ื ื›ึผึดึฃื™ ื–ึถึคื‘ึทื— ืœึทึฝื™ื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ™ ื‘ึผึฐื‘ื‡ืฆึฐืจึธึ”ื” ื•ึฐื˜ึถึฅื‘ึทื— ื’ึผึธื“ึ–ื•ึนืœ ื‘ึผึฐืึถึฅืจึถืฅ ืึฑื“ึฝื•ึนืืƒ

English:

GOD has a sword; it is sated with blood,It is gorged with fatโ€”The blood of lambs and he-goats,The kidney fat of rams.For GOD holds a sacrifice in Bozrah,A great slaughter in the land of Edom.

The slaughter is depicted as a great sacrifice in Bozrah, the sword gorged with the blood and fat of lambs, he-goats, and rams. Rashi, citing the Pesikta, explains that the lambs and goats represent princes and rulers, and that Bozrah suffers because it once supplied a king to Edom (Genesis 36).
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ืจื™ื ืขืชื•ื“ื™ื. ืฉืจื™ื ื•ืฉืœื˜ื•ื ื™ื: ื‘ื‘ืฆืจื”. ืžืืจืฅ ืžื•ืื‘ ื”ื™ื ืื‘ืœ ืœืคื™ ืฉื”ืขืžื™ื“ื” ืžืœืš ืœืื“ื•ื ืฉื ืืžืจ ื•ื™ืžืช ื—ื•ืฉื ื•ื™ืžืœื•ืš ืชื—ืชื™ื• ื™ื•ื‘ื‘ ื‘ืŸ ื–ืจื— ืžื‘ืฆืจื” (ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ืœื•) ืœืคื™ื›ืš ืชืœืงื” ืขืžื”ื, ื‘ืคืกื™ืงืชื:
lambs and goats princes and governors. in Bozrah It is from the land of Moab, but since it supplied a king for Edom, as it is stated (Gen. 36:33): "And Jobab son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead," it will, therefore, suffer with them. This is found in Pesikta.

ืคืกื•ืง ื–ืณ ยท Verse 7

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื™ึธืจึฐื“ึคื•ึผ ืจึฐืึตืžึดื™ืึ™ ืขึดืžึผึธึ”ื ื•ึผืคึธืจึดึ–ื™ื ืขึดืึพืึทื‘ึผึดื™ืจึดึ‘ื™ื ื•ึฐืจึดื•ึผึฐืชึธึคื” ืึทืจึฐืฆึธืึ™ ืžึดื“ึผึธึ”ื ื•ึทืขึฒืคึธืจึธึ–ื ืžึตื—ึตึฅืœึถื‘ ื™ึฐื“ึปืฉืึผึธึฝืŸืƒ

English:

Wild oxen shall fall with them,cwith them Emendation yields โ€œwith fatted calves.โ€ Young bulls with mighty steers;And their land shall be drunk with blood,Their soil shall be saturated with fat.

Wild oxen, young bulls, and mighty steers fall together with the smaller animals, and the land is drenched with blood and its soil saturated with fat. Rashi reads these larger beasts as kings and mighty rulers falling alongside the governors, so that the whole hierarchy of Edom is destroyed.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืจืืžื™ื ืขืžื. ืขื ื”ืขืชื•ื“ื™ื ื”ื›ืชื•ื‘ื™ื ืœืžืขืœ': ืื‘ื™ืจื™ื. ืคืจื™ื ื‘ืจื™ืื™ื ื•ื’ื“ื•ืœื™' ื›ืžื” ื“ืืช ืืžืจ ืขื ืื‘ื™ืจื™ ื‘ืฉืŸ ื›ืชืจื•ื ื™:
wild oxen with them Kings with governors, wild oxen with the goats mentioned above. fat bulls (ืึทื‘ึผึดื™ืจึดื™ื) fat and large bulls, as it is stated (Ps. 22:13): "Fat bulls (ืึทื‘ึผึดื™ืจึตื™) of Bashan surrounded me."

ืคืกื•ืง ื—ืณ ยท Verse 8

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึ›ื™ ื™ึฅื•ึนื ื ึธืงึธึ–ื ืœึทึฝื™ื”ึนื•ึธึ‘ื” ืฉืึฐื ึทึฅืช ืฉืึดืœึผื•ึผืžึดึ–ื™ื ืœึฐืจึดึฅื™ื‘ ืฆึดื™ึผึฝื•ึนืŸืƒ

English:

For it is GODโ€™s day of retribution,The year of vindication for Zionโ€™s cause.

The reason for the fury is stated plainly: it is the LORD's day of vengeance, the year of recompense for the cause of Zion (shnat shilumim leriv Tzion). Rashi and Metzudat David explain that God repays the nations for the wrong done to Zion, who cries out before Him for justice against those who harm her.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืฉืœื•ืžื™ื ืœืจื™ื‘ ืฆื™ื•ืŸ. ืฉื™ืฉืœื ื’ืžื•ืœ ืขืœ ืขื™ืกืงื™ ืจื™ื‘ ืฆื™ื•ืŸ ื”ืฆื•ืขืงืช ืœืคื ื™ื• ืœืฉื•ืคื˜ื” ืžืŸ ื”ืžืจื™ืขื™ื ืœื”:
retribution for the plea of Zion That He will mete out punishment (lit., pay a reward) for the plea of Zion, who cries before Him to judge her from those who harm her.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืณ ยท Verse 9

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื ึถื”ึถืคึฐื›ึคื•ึผ ื ึฐื—ึธืœึถึ™ื™ื”ึธึ™ ืœึฐื–ึถึ”ืคึถืช ื•ึทืขึฒืคึธืจึธึ–ื”ึผ ืœึฐื’ื‡ืคึฐืจึดึ‘ื™ืช ื•ึฐื”ึธื™ึฐืชึธึฃื” ืึทืจึฐืฆึธึ”ื”ึผ ืœึฐื–ึถึ–ืคึถืช ื‘ึผึนืขึตืจึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

ItsdIts I.e., Edomโ€™s. streams shall be turned to pitchAnd its soil to sulfur.Its land shall become burning pitch,

The aftermath is a permanent devastation: Edom's streams turn to pitch and its dust to brimstone, and the land itself becomes burning pitch. Radak compares its ruin to the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, whose land was likewise turned to sulfur and fire.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื ื”ืคื›ื• ื ื—ืœื™ื”. ืฉืœ ื‘ื‘ืœื™ื:
And its streams shall turn (I.e., the streams) of the heathens. ([Mss. yield:] of Edom.)

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืณ ยท Verse 10

Hebrew:

ืœึทึคื™ึฐืœึธื” ื•ึฐื™๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝึนืžึธืึ™ ืœึนึฃื ืชึดื›ึฐื‘ึผึถึ”ื” ืœึฐืขื•ึนืœึธึ–ื ื™ึทืขึฒืœึถึฃื” ืขึฒืฉืึธื ึธึ‘ื”ึผ ืžึดื“ึผึคื•ึนืจ ืœึธื“ื•ึนืจึ™ ืชึผึถื—ึฑืจึธึ”ื‘ ืœึฐื ึตึฃืฆึทื— ื ึฐืฆึธื—ึดึ”ื™ื ืึตึฅื™ืŸ ืขึนื‘ึตึ–ืจ ื‘ึผึธึฝื”ึผืƒ

English:

Night and day it shall never go out;Its smoke shall rise for all time.Through the ages it shall lie in ruins;Through the aeons none shall traverse it.

The burning never ceases night or day, its smoke rising forever, and the land lies in ruins from age to age with none passing through it. Radak likens the perpetually rising smoke to the land of Sodom and Gomorrah, and Rashi connects the enduring desolation to Moses' curse of eternal war against Amalek from generation to generation.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžื“ื•ืจ ืœื“ื•ืจ. ืžืื•ืชื• ื“ื•ืจ ืขื“ ื“ื•ืจ ืื—ืจื•ืŸ, ื“"ื ื”ื™ื ืงืœืœืช ืžืฉื” (ืฉืžื•ืช ื™ืดื–:ื˜ืดื–) ืžืœื—ืžื” ืœื”' ื‘ืขืžืœืง ืžื“ื•ืจ ื“ื•ืจ ืžื“ื•ืจื• ืฉืœ ืžืฉื” ืœื“ื•ืจื• ืฉืœ ืฉืื•ืœ ื•ืžืฉื ืœื“ื•ืจื• ืฉืœ ืžืจื“ื›ื™ ื•ืžืฉื ืœื“ื•ืจื• ืฉืœ ืžืœืš ืžืฉื™ื—ื ื•:
from generation to generation From that generation until the last generation. Another explanation is that this is Moses' curse (Ex. 17:16): "The Lord has a war against Amalek from generation to generation." From Moses' generation to Saul's generation, and from there to Mordecai's generation, and from there to the generation of the King Messiah.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื ยท Verse 11

Hebrew:

ื•ึดื™ืจึตืฉืึ™ื•ึผื”ึธึ™ ืงึธืึทึฃืช ื•ึฐืงึดืคึผึ”ื•ึนื“ ื•ึฐื™ึทื ึฐืฉืึฅื•ึนืฃ ื•ึฐืขึนืจึตึ–ื‘ ื™ึดืฉืึฐื›ึผึฐื ื•ึผึพื‘ึธึ‘ื”ึผ ื•ึฐื ึธื˜ึธึฅื” ืขึธืœึถึ›ื™ื”ึธ ืงึทึฝื•ึพืชึฟึนึ–ื”ื•ึผ ื•ึฐืึทื‘ึฐื ึตื™ึพื‘ึนึฝื”ื•ึผืƒ

English:

Jackdaws and owlseJackdaws and owls Meaning of Heb. uncertain. shall possess it;Great owls and ravens shall dwell there.[God] shall measure it with a line of chaosAnd with weights of emptiness.fmeasure it โ€ฆ emptiness I.e., plan chaos and emptiness for it; cf. 28.17; Lam. 2.8.

Wild birds of the wasteland โ€” pelican, bittern, owl, and raven โ€” take possession of the ruin, and God stretches over it the line of chaos and stones of emptiness (kav tohu ve'avnei vohu). Rashi and Metzudat David explain the measuring line and plumb as an ironic reversal of the builder's tools, deployed here to lay the land waste rather than to build it up.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ืงืคื•ื“. ืขื•ืฃ ื”ืคื•ืจื— ื‘ืœื™ืœื” ืฆื•ืื™ื˜"ื ื‘ืœืข"ื–: ืงื• ืชื”ื•. ืžืฉืคื˜ ืฉืœ ืฉืžืžื”: ื•ืื‘ื ื™ ื‘ื”ื•. ืžืฉืงืœื•ืช ืฉืœ ื“ื™ืŸ ื—ื•ืจื‘ืŸ ื›ืžื• (ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ื›ื”) ืื‘ืŸ ืฉืœืžื”:
owl (ืงึดืคึผึนื“) a bird that flies at night (chouette in French), an owl. a line of waste A judgment of desolation. and weights of destruction Weights of the judgment of destruction. (ืึทื‘ึฐื ึตื™, lit., stones.) Comp. (Deut. 25:15) "a whole weight (ืึถื‘ึถืŸ)."

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื‘ ยท Verse 12

Hebrew:

ื—ึนืจึถึฅื™ื”ึธ ื•ึฐืึตึฝื™ืŸึพืฉืึธึ–ื ืžึฐืœื•ึผื›ึธึฃื” ื™ึดืงึฐืจึธึ‘ืื•ึผ ื•ึฐื›ื‡ืœึพืฉื‚ึธืจึถึ–ื™ื”ึธ ื™ึดึฅื”ึฐื™ื•ึผ ืึธึฝืคึถืกืƒ

English:

It shall be called โ€œNo kingdom is there,โ€œgIt shall be called โ€œNo kingdom is thereโ€ Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Its nobles and all its lords shall be nothing.

Edom shall be called a place with no kingdom, and all its nobles and lords come to nothing. Rashi and Metzudat David explain that its princes remain standing, but none dares call himself by the name of ruler or king, for their sovereignty has utterly vanished.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื—ื•ืจื™ื” ื•ืื™ืŸ ืฉื ืžืœื•ื›ื” ื™ืงืจืื•. ืฉืจื™ื ืฉืœื” ืขื•ืžื“ื™ื ื•ืื™ืŸ ืื—ื“ ืžื”ื ืงื•ืจื ืขืœ ืขืฆืžื• ืฉื ืฉืจืจื” ื•ืžืœื•ื›ื”: ืืคืก. ื›ืœื™ื™ื”:
As for its nobles, there are none who proclaim the kingdom Its princes stand, and none of them calls upon himself the name of ruling and kingdom. nothing Destruction.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื’ ยท Verse 13

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืขึธืœึฐืชึธึคื” ืึทืจึฐืžึฐื ึนืชึถึ™ื™ื”ึธึ™ ืกึดื™ืจึดึ”ื™ื ืงึดืžึผึฅื•ึนืฉื‚ ื•ึธื—ึ–ื•ึนื—ึท ื‘ึผึฐืžึดื‘ึฐืฆึธืจึถึ‘ื™ื”ึธ ื•ึฐื”ึธึฝื™ึฐืชึธื”ึ™ ื ึฐื•ึตึฃื” ืชึทื ึผึดึ”ื™ื ื—ึธืฆึดึ–ื™ืจ ืœึดื‘ึฐื ึฅื•ึนืช ื™ึทืขึฒื ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

Thorns shall grow up in its palaces,Nettles and briers in its strongholds.It shall be a home of jackals,An abode of ostriches.

Thorns, nettles, and briers overrun the palaces and strongholds, and the ruin becomes a home for jackals and an abode for ostriches. Rashi notes that it is the nature of desolate ruins to sprout thorns, and that the site now belongs to the wild creatures of the wilderness.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ืขืœืชื” ืืจืžื ื•ืชื™ื” ืกื™ืจื™ื. ื›ืš ื“ืจืš ื—ื•ืจื‘ื•ืช ืœืฆืžื•ื— ื‘ื”ื ืงื•ืฆื™ื ื•ืกื ืื™ื ื•ื”ื•ื ืงื™ืžื•ืฉ ื•ื”ื•ื ื—ื•ื— ื›ื•ืœื ืžื™ื ื™ ืงื•ืฆื™ื ื”ื ื›ื’ื•ืŸ ืื•ืจื˜ื™ื"ืฉ ื•ื›ื™ื•ืฆื ื‘ื”ื: ื ื•ื” ืชื ื™ื. ื”ื•ื ืžื“ื‘ืจ ืฉื”ื•ื ื“ืจืš ืœื”ื™ื•' ื‘ื• ืชื ื™ื ืฉื”ื•ื ืžื™ืŸ ื—ื™ื” ืจืขื”:
And its palaces shall grow thorns So is the nature of ruins to grow thorns and briers, and that is 'kimosh' and that is 'choach'; they are all types of thorns, e.g., ortias, (nettles,) and the like. the habitat of jackals (ืชึผึทื ึผึดื™ื) That is a desert, which is usually frequented by 'tannim,' which is a species of wild animal.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื“ ยท Verse 14

Hebrew:

ื•ึผืคึธื’ึฐืฉืึคื•ึผ ืฆึดื™ึผึดื™ืึ™ ืึถืชึพืึดื™ึผึดึ”ื™ื ื•ึฐืฉื‚ึธืขึดึ–ื™ืจ ืขึทืœึพืจึตืขึตึฃื”ื•ึผ ื™ึดืงึฐืจึธึ‘ื ืึทืšึฐึพืฉืึธืึ™ ื”ึดืจึฐื’ึผึดึฃื™ืขึธื” ืœึผึดื™ืœึดึ”ื™ืช ื•ึผืžึธืฆึฐืึธึฅื” ืœึธึ–ื”ึผ ืžึธื ึฝื•ึนื—ึทืƒ

English:

hMost of the creatures in vv. 14โ€“15 cannot be identified with certainty. Wildcats shall meet hyenas,Goat-demons shall greet each other;There too the lilithililith A kind of demon. shall reposeAnd find herselfjGoat-demonsโ€ฆlilithโ€ฆherself Or โ€œOwlsโ€ฆnight-birdโ€ฆitself.โ€ a resting place.

Wildcats meet hyenas, satyrs (goat-demons) call to one another, and there Lilith the night-creature settles and finds a resting place. Rashi identifies the sa'ir as a demon and Lilith as the name of a female demon, while Radak treats these as eerie creatures of the desolate wilderness.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ืคื’ืฉื• ืฆื™ื™ื ืืช ืื™ื™ื. ื•ื™ืขืจืขืŸ ืชืžื•ืŸ ื‘ื—ืชื•ืœื™ืŸ ื›ืš ืชื™ืจื’ื ื™ื•ื ืชืŸ ืชืžื•ืŸ ื ืžื™ื•' ืžืจื˜ืจื™ื "ืฉ ื‘ืœืข"ื–: ื•ืฉืขื™ืจ. ืฉื“: ื”ืจื’ื™ืขื”. ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืžืจื’ื•ืข: ืœื™ืœื™ืช. ืฉื ืฉื™ื“ื”:
And martens shall meet cats And martens shall meet with cats. In this matter Jonathan rendered it. ืชึผึทืžึฐื•ึธืŸ is ื ึดืžึผึดื™ึผื•ึนืช (martrines in O.F.), martens. and a satyr A demon. rests (ื”ึดืจึฐื’ึผึดื™ืขึธื”) an expression related to ืžึทืจึฐื’ึผื•ึนืขึท, rest. lilith The name of a female demon.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืดื• ยท Verse 15

Hebrew:

ืฉืึธึฃืžึผึธื” ืงึดื ึผึฐื ึธึคื” ืงึดืคึผื•ึนื–ึ™ ื•ึทืชึผึฐืžึทืœึผึตึ”ื˜ ื•ึผื‘ึธืงึฐืขึธึ–ื” ื•ึฐื“ึธื’ึฐืจึธึฃื” ื‘ึฐืฆึดืœึผึธึ‘ื”ึผ ืึทืšึฐึพืฉืึธึ›ื ื ึดืงึฐื‘ึผึฐืฆึฅื•ึผ ื“ึทื™ึผึ–ื•ึนืช ืึดืฉืึผึธึฅื” ืจึฐืขื•ึผืชึธึฝื”ึผืƒ

English:

There the arrow-snake shall nest and lay eggs,And shall brood and hatch in its shade.There too the buzzards shall gatherWith one another.

The arrow-snake nests, lays eggs, and hatches its young in the shade of the ruin, and the buzzards gather there each with its fellow. Rashi describes the bird calling in its throat to draw its chicks after it, while Metzudat David stresses that these creatures find no more fitting place to gather than this desolation.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืงื ื ื”. ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืงืŸ ืฆืคื•ืจ (ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ื›ื‘): ืงืคื•ื–. ื”ื•ื ืงืคื•ื“: ื•ืชืžืœื˜. ื•ืชืœื“ ื‘ื™ืฆื”: ื•ื‘ืงืขื”. ื”ื™ื ื™ืฆื™ืืช ื”ืืคืจื•ื—ื™ื ืžืŸ ื”ื‘ื™ืฆื” ื•ื›ืŸ ื”ื•ื ืื•ืžืจ ื‘ื™ืฆื™ ืฆืคืขื•ื ื™ ื‘ืงืขื• (ืœืงืžืŸ ื ื˜): ื•ื“ื’ืจื”. ื”ื™ื ืงืจื™ืืช ื”ืขื•ืฃ ืฉื”ืขื•ืฃ ืงื•ืจื ื‘ื’ืจื•ื ื• ืœื”ืžืฉื™ืš ืืคืจื•ื—ื™ื ืื—ืจื™ื• ื’ืœื•ืฆื™ื™"ืจ ื‘ืœืข"ื– ื•ื›ืŸ (ื™ืจืžื™ื” ื™ื–) ืงื•ืจื ื“ื’ืจ: ื“ื™ื•ืช. ื•ืœื˜ื•ื™ื™ืจ"ืฉ ื‘ืœืข"ื–: ืืฉื” ืจืขื•ืชื”. ื›ืžื• ืืœ ืจืขื•ืชื”:
has made its nest (ืงึดื ึผึฐื ึธื”) an expression related to 'a bird's nest' (ืงึทืŸ) (Deut. 22:6). owl (ืงึดืคึผื•ึนื–) that is the owl (ืงึดืคึผึนื“). and she has laid She laid eggs. and hatched This is the emerging of the chicks from the egg. Comp. (below 59:5) The eggs of the viper have hatched. and gathered This is the call that the bird calls with its throat to draw the chicks after it, gloussera in French. Comp. (Jer. 17:11) "A cuckoo gathers (ื“ึธื’ึธืจ) what it did not lay." vultures (ื“ึทื™ึผื•ึนืช) voltojjrs in O.F. each one to her friend (lit., each one her friend,) like to her friend.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืดื– ยท Verse 16

Hebrew:

ื“ึผึดืจึฐืฉืึจื•ึผ ืžึตืขึทืœึพืกึตึคืคึถืจ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ™ ื•ึผึฝืงึฐืจึธึ”ืื•ึผ ืึทื—ึทึคืช ืžึตื”ึตึ™ื ึผึธื”ึ™ ืœึนึฃื ื ึถืขึฐื“ึผึธึ”ืจึธื” ืึดืฉืึผึธึฅื” ืจึฐืขื•ึผืชึธึ–ื”ึผ ืœึนึฃื ืคึธืงึธึ‘ื“ื•ึผ ื›ึผึดื™ึพืคึดื™ึ™ ื”ึฃื•ึผื ืฆึดื•ึผึธึ”ื” ื•ึฐืจื•ึผื—ึ–ื•ึน ื”ึฅื•ึผื ืงึดื‘ึผึฐืฆึธึฝืŸืƒ

English:

Search and read it in the scroll of GOD:Not one of these shall be absent,Not one shall miss its fellow.For Godโ€™skGodโ€™s Heb. โ€œMy.โ€ mouth has spoken,It is Godโ€™s spirit that has assembled themโ€”

The prophet tells the reader to seek from the book of the LORD and read: not one of these creatures shall be missing, for His mouth commanded and His spirit gathered them. Rashi connects this to the animals assembled in Noah's ark by divine decree, Metzudat David to the roster of clean and unclean creatures in Vayikra, and Radak preserves his father's reading of the Torah alongside Ibn Ezra's view of the decrees inscribed by God.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื“ืจืฉื• ืžืขืœ ืกืคืจ ื”'. ืงืจืื• ืžืขืœ ืกืคืจ ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ื›ืฉื”ื‘ื™ื ื”ืžื‘ื•ืœ ื’ื–ืจ ืฉื™ืชืงื‘ืฆื• ื›ืœ ื”ื‘ืจื™ื•ืช ืœื”ืกื’ืจ ื‘ืชื™ื‘ื” ื–ื›ืจ ื•ื ืงื‘ื”. ืื—ืช ืžื”ื ื” ืœื ื ืขื“ืจื” ืžืœื‘ื ืขืœ ืื—ืช ื›ืžื” ื•ื›ืžื” ื›ืฉื™ื’ื–ื•ืจ ืขืœื™ื”' ื–ืืช ื•ืœื”ืงื‘ืฅ ืœืฉืชื•ืช ื“ื ืœืื›ื•ืœ ื‘ืฉืจ ื•ื—ืœื‘: ืœื ืคืงื“ื•. ืœื ื—ืกืจื• ื›ืžื• (ื‘ืžื“ื‘ืจ ืœืดื:ืžืดื˜) ืœื ื ืคืงื“ ืžืžื ื• ืื™ืฉ: ื›ื™ ืคื™ ื”ื•ื ืฆื•ื”. ืฉื™ื‘ื•ืื•: ื•ืจื•ื—ื•. ืฉืœ ืคื™ ื”ื•ื ืงื‘ืฆืŸ. ืจื•ื—ื• ืžื•ืกื‘ ืขืœ ืคื™ ื›ืžื• (ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื ืœืดื’:ื•ืณ) ื•ื‘ืจื•ื— ืคื™ื• ื›ืœ ืฆื‘ืื ืืฃ ื›ืืŸ ืจื•ื—ื• ืฉืœ ืคื™ ื”ื•ื ืงื‘ืฆืŸ:
Seek out of the Book of the Lord Read out of the Book of Genesis; when He brought the Flood, He decreed that all the creatures gather in the Ark, male and female, and none of them was missing. How much more will this be so when He decrees this upon them, to gather to drink blood and to eat flesh and fat! did not miss (ืคึธืงึธื“ื•ึผ) Comp. (Num. 31:49) "Not a man was missing (ื ึดืคึฐืงึทื“) of us." for My mouth it has commanded that they come. and the breath of My mouth it gathered them. The antecedent of 'its breath' is 'My mouth.' Comp. (Ps. 33:6) "And with the breath of His mouth all their host." Here too, the breath of My mouth it gathered them.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื– ยท Verse 17

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื”ึฝื•ึผืึพื”ึดืคึผึดึคื™ืœ ืœึธื”ึถืŸึ™ ื’ึผื•ึนืจึธึ”ืœ ื•ึฐื™ึธื“ึ›ื•ึน ื—ึดืœึผึฐืงึทึฅืชึผึธื” ืœึธื”ึถึ–ื ื‘ึผึทืงึผึธึ‘ื• ืขึทื“ึพืขื•ึนืœึธืึ™ ื™ึดึฝื™ืจึธืฉืึ”ื•ึผื”ึธ ืœึฐื“ึฅื•ึนืจ ื•ึธื“ึ–ื•ึนืจ ื™ึดืฉืึฐื›ึผึฐื ื•ึผึพื‘ึธึฝื”ึผืƒย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

The One who apportioned it to them by lot,Whose hand divided it for them with the line.They shall possess it for all time,They shall dwell there through the ages.

The chapter closes with God casting the lot and dividing the ruined land among these creatures with the measuring line, that they may possess it forever, from generation to generation. Rashi explains that the prophet now speaks of the Holy One apportioning the desolate land to the beasts and birds as their permanent inheritance.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื”ื•ื ื”ืคื™ืœ ืœื”ืŸ. ืขื›ืฉื™ื• ื”ื ื‘ื™ื ืื•ืžืจ ืขืœ ื”ืงื‘"ื” ื•ื”ื•ื ื”ืคื™ืœ ืœื”ื ืœืื•ืชืŸ ื”ื—ื™ื•ืช ื•ื”ืขื•ืคื•' ื’ื•ืจืœ ืฉื™ืขืœื• ืืœื• ืœื—ืœืงื:
And He cast...for them Now the prophet says concerning the Holy One, blessed be He, "And He cast lots for them," for all those beasts and fowl, that these shall fall to their share.

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