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Nach YomiIsaiah ยท ื™ืฉืขื™ื”ื•Chapter 5

Isaiah 5

ื™ืฉืขื™ื”ื• ืคืจืง ื”ืณ

Section: ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ยท ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ืื—ืจื•ื ื™ื | Book: Isaiah | Chapter: 5 of 66 | Day: 152 of 742

Date: July 13, 2026

ืงืœืื•ื“ ืขืœ ื”ื ืดืš

Chapter 5 opens with the Song of the Vineyard (ืฉื™ืจืช ื”ื›ืจื), one of the most celebrated parables in all of prophetic literature. The prophet presents himself as a singer performing a love song on behalf of his Beloved โ€” Rashi explains that โ€˜lididiโ€™ means he sings for God, in His place and as His messenger โ€” about a vineyard planted on a fertile hill. Radak notes that the prophet deliberately casts the piece as a shirah, a love song in the manner of Shir HaShirim, because it celebrates the bond between the Lover and His beloved. The Owner lavished every conceivable care on the vineyard: he fenced it, cleared it of stones, planted the choicest vine (ืฉื•ืจืง), built a watchtower, and hewed a vat. Yet it produced beโ€™ushim, rotten grapes. The genius of the parable lies in its structure as a juridical trap: in verses 3-4 the Owner turns to the dwellers of Jerusalem and the men of Judah and asks them to judge between Him and His vineyard โ€” and only in verse 7 does the decoding fall like a hammer: โ€˜For the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the House of Israel.โ€™ The audience, like David before Natan, has condemned itself. The verse seals the indictment with the most famous wordplay in Yeshayahu: God hoped for mishpat (justice) and found mispach (a spreading lesion of sin); for tzedakah (righteousness), and behold tzeโ€™akah (the outcry of the oppressed).

The classical commentators decode the parableโ€™s imagery with remarkable specificity. Radak reads it as the history of Israelโ€™s election: the fence is the protective clouds of glory, the cleared stones are the seven nations removed from the land, the choice vine is the trusted seed of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, the tower is Godโ€™s promised protection (Yonatan renders it the Temple), and the vat the prophets, who press Israel toward deeds as a vat draws wine from grapes. He adds the derash that sorek has the numerical value of 606 โ€” the commandments added at Sinai to the seven laws of the children of Noach. Rashi preserves a second, older register from Bereishit Rabbah and Tanchuma, in which the vineyard is Adam HaRishon: planted in Gan Eden, hedged about with canopies, endowed with a flowing spring of wisdom, expected to produce praise and producing instead blasphemy โ€” and expelled from the enclosure of the Garden just as Israel is now to be expelled from its land. The chilling burst of realism in verse 6 โ€” โ€˜I will command the clouds to drop no rain on itโ€™ โ€” is where the parableโ€™s mask slips entirely, for no human farmer commands the clouds; Radak, following Yonatan, hears in the clouds the prophets, who will be commanded to withhold the rain of prophecy.

Verses 8-23 then itemize the rotten grapes in a series of six woes (hoy) โ€” Rashi notes that Yeshayahu pronounced twenty-two woes over the wicked, corresponding to the twenty-two declarations of ashrei, โ€˜fortunate,โ€™ pronounced in Tehillim over those who keep the Torah. The catalog is a portrait of a society devouring itself: land magnates joining house to house and field to field until the poor have nowhere to dwell (Rashi: they act as if neither God, whose tithes they steal, nor the poor have any share in the land); revelers who rise early to chase liquor and whose banquets have lyre and timbrel and wine but no thought for the work of God; those who drag sin along with cords of falsehood until, in the image the Sages made famous, the spider-thread of the yetzer thickens into a cart rope; scoffers who taunt the prophet to let God โ€˜hurry and hasten His workโ€™ so they can see it; moral inverters who call evil good and darkness light; the wise in their own eyes; drunken โ€˜heroesโ€™ whose only valor is at mixing drinks; and finally judges who acquit the guilty for a bribe. The woes trace a coherent moral anatomy: economic rapacity funds hedonism, hedonism dulls perception, dulled perception inverts values, and inverted values end in the corruption of justice itself โ€” precisely the mishpat and tzedakah the Owner had hoped to harvest.

The chapterโ€™s climax turns the drunkardsโ€™ banquet inside out with terrifying symmetry. Because they exiled knowledge from their feasts, โ€˜my people will go into exile for lack of knowledgeโ€™ (verse 13), the honored starving and the multitude parched โ€” measure for measure, as Radak stresses, for those who lived by feasting. Sheol widens its gullet without limit (li-vli chok), Rashi noting the precision of the phrase: appetites that knew no chok, no measure, are swallowed by a grave that has none. At the center stands verse 16, one of the theological pivots of the book: โ€˜And the Lord of Hosts is exalted through judgment, and the Holy God is sanctified through righteousnessโ€™ โ€” the very attributes Israel abandoned become the medium of Godโ€™s self-revelation in history. The chapter then closes with the summoned invader: God raises a banner and whistles for a nation from the end of the earth โ€” Radak identifies it as Assyria, which indeed seized all the land except Jerusalem โ€” described in deliberate hyperbole (derech haflagah, in Radakโ€™s phrase): none weary, none sleeping, no belt loosened, arrows sharpened, hooves like flint, wheels like the whirlwind, a lionโ€™s roar over prey that none can rescue. The refrain of verse 25, โ€˜with all this His anger has not turned back, and His hand is still outstretched,โ€™ will toll again through chapters 9-10, binding this chapterโ€™s judgment into the larger architecture of the book. The final verse leaves Israel peering at the land and finding only darkness โ€” the light blackened in the clouds โ€” the exact fate of those who chose to call darkness light.

ืคืจืง ื”ืณ ยท Chapter 5

ืคืกื•ืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1

Hebrew:

ืึธืฉืึดึคื™ืจึธื” ื ึผึธืึ™ ืœึดึฝื™ื“ึดื™ื“ึดึ”ื™ ืฉืึดื™ืจึทึฅืช ื“ึผื•ึนื“ึดึ–ื™ ืœึฐื›ึทืจึฐืžึ‘ื•ึน ื›ึผึถึ›ืจึถื ื”ึธื™ึธึฅื” ืœึดื™ื“ึดื™ื“ึดึ–ื™ ื‘ึผึฐืงึถึฅืจึถืŸ ื‘ึผึถืŸึพืฉืึธึฝืžึถืŸืƒ

English:

Let me sing for my belovedA song of my lover about his vineyard.My beloved had a vineyardOn a fruitful hill.aOn a fruitful hill Meaning of Heb. uncertain.

The prophet opens the famous Song of the Vineyard (ืฉื™ืจืช ื”ื›ืจื), singing on behalf of his Beloved about a vineyard on a fertile hill. Rashi explains that 'lididi' means the prophet sings for God, in His place and as His messenger; Radak identifies the vineyard as Israel, the Owner as God, and compares the poem's love-language to Shir HaShirim.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืืฉื™ืจื” ื ื ืœื™ื“ื™ื“ื™. ื”ื ื‘ื™ื ืื•ืžืจ ืืฉื™ืจื” ื ื ืœื™ื“ื™ื“ื™, ืชื—ืช ื™ื“ื™ื“ื™ ื•ื‘ืžืงื•ืžื• ื•ื‘ืฉืœื™ื—ื•ืชื• ื›ืžื• ื”' ื™ืœื—ื ืœื›ื (ืฉืžื•ืช ื™ืดื“:ื™ืดื“) ื‘ืฉื‘ื™ืœื›ื: ืฉื™ืจืช ื“ื•ื“ื™. ื”ื™ื ื–ื• ืืฉืจ ืฉืจ ื‘ืฉื‘ื™ืœ ื›ืจืžื• ืขืœ ืขืกืงื™ ื›ืจืžื• ื›ืžื• ื•ื™ืฉืืœื• ืื ืฉื™ ื”ืžืงื•ื ืœืืฉืชื• (ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ื›ืดื•:ื–ืณ): ื›ืจื ื•ื’ื•'. ื‘ืŸ ืฉืžืŸ ื‘ื–ื•ื™ื•ืช ื”ืขื•ืฉื” ืคื™ืจื•ืช ืฉืžื ื™ื ื›ืฉืžืŸ ื˜ื•ื‘: ื‘ืŸ ืฉืžืŸ. ื–ื•ื™ื•ืช ืจืื•ื™ ืœืฉืžืŸ ืœื–ื™ืชื™ื ืœืขืฉื•ืช ืฉืžืŸ ื›ืžื• ื‘ืŸ ืžื•ืช (ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื‘' ื‘') ืจืื•ื™ ืœืžื•ืช ื•ื“ื•ื’ืž' ื”ื•ื ื–ื• ื•ื‘ืกื•ืฃ ื”ืขื ื™ืŸ ื™ืคืจืฉื ื”:
I will now sing for my beloved The prophet says: "I will now sing for my beloved and in his place and as his messenger. [The word ืœึดื™ื“ึดื™ื“ึดื™ would usually mean, 'to my beloved.'] Similar to (Exodus 14: 4): "The Lord will wage war for you (ืœึธื›ึถื), for you [not 'to you']." the song of my beloved about his vineyard This is the song of my beloved that he sang for his vineyard, about his vineyard, as (Genesis 26:7): "And the people of the place asked about his wife (ืœึฐืึดืฉืึฐืชึผื•ึน), about his wife [not 'to his wife']." a vineyard in a fertile corner in a corner that produces fat fruit, like good oil. fertile Heb. ื‘ืŸ-ืฉืžืŸ [lit. the son of oil, i.e.,] a corner fit for oil, for olives to produce oil, [like] (I Samuel 20:31) ื‘ึผึถืŸ-ืžึธื•ึถืช, [lit. a son of death,] fit to die. This is a parable, and at the end of the section, he will explain it. (This is Odom Horishon) (This is Hakodosh Boruch Hu) (In Gan Eden)

ืคืกื•ืง ื‘ืณ ยท Verse 2

Hebrew:

ื•ึทึฝื™ึฐืขึทื–ึผึฐืงึตึฃื”ื•ึผ ื•ึทึฝื™ึฐืกึทืงึผึฐืœึตึ—ื”ื•ึผ ื•ึทื™ึผึดื˜ึผึธืขึตึ™ื”ื•ึผึ™ ืฉื‚ึนืจึตึ”ืง ื•ึทื™ึผึดึคื‘ึถืŸ ืžึดื’ึฐื“ึผึธืœึ™ ื‘ึผึฐืชื•ึนื›ึ”ื•ึน ื•ึฐื’ึทืึพื™ึถึ–ืงึถื‘ ื—ึธืฆึตึฃื‘ ื‘ึผึ‘ื•ึน ื•ึทื™ึฐืงึทึ›ื• ืœึทืขึฒืฉื‚ึฅื•ึนืช ืขึฒื ึธื‘ึดึ–ื™ื ื•ึทื™ึผึทึฅืขึทืฉื‚ ื‘ึผึฐืึปืฉืึดึฝื™ืืƒ

English:

He broke the ground, cleared it of stones,And planted it with choice vines.He built a watchtower inside it,He even hewed a wine press in it;For he hoped it would yield grapes.Instead, it yielded wild grapes.

The Owner lavished every care on the vineyard โ€” fencing, clearing stones, planting the choice vine (sorek), building a tower, hewing a vat โ€” yet it yielded rotten grapes. Radak decodes each image: the cleared stones are the seven nations removed from the land, the choice vine the seed of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, the tower God's protection (Yonatan: the Temple), and the vat the prophets who press Israel toward good deeds.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื™ืขื–ืงื”ื•. ืกื™ื™ื’ื• ื•ื’ื“ืจื• ืกื‘ื™ื‘ ืžื•ืงืฃ ื›ืžื™ืŸ ื˜ื‘ืขืช ื“ืžืชืจื’ืžื™ื ืŸ ืขื™ื–ืงื: ื•ื™ืกืงืœื”ื•. ื”ื•ืฆื™ื ืื‘ื ื™ื ืžืชื•ื›ื• ื”ืจืขื™ื ืœื’ืคื ื™ื ื›ืžื• ืกืงืœื• ืžืื‘ืŸ (ืœืงืžืŸ ืกื‘): ื•ื™ื˜ืขื”ื• ืฉื•ืจืง. ื”ื ื–ืžื•ืจื•ืช ื”ื™ืคื•ืช ืœื ื˜ื™ืขื” ืžืฉืืจ ื–ืžื•ืจื•ืช: ื•ื™ื‘ืŸ ืžื’ื“ืœ ื‘ืชื•ื›ื•. ื’ืช ืœืขืฆื•ืจ ืขื ื‘ื™ื: ื•ื’ื ื™ืงื‘ ื—ืฆื‘ ื‘ื•. ื”ื‘ื•ืจ ืฉืœืคื ื™ ื”ื’ืช ืœืงื‘ืœ ื”ื™ื™ืŸ ื•ื›ืŸ ื›ืœ ื™ืงื‘ ืฉื‘ืžืงืจื ืœ' ื‘ื•ืจ ื”ื•ื ื•ื›ืŸ ืขื“ ื™ืงื‘ื™ ื”ืžืœืš (ื–ื›ืจื™ื” ื™ืดื“:ื™ืณ) ืช"ื™ ืขื“ ืฉื™ื—ื™ื ื“ืžืœื›ื ื”ื•ื ืขื•ืžืง ืื•ืงื™ื ื•ืก ื•ืœื›ืŸ ื ื•ืคืœ ื‘ื• ื›ืืŸ ืœ' ื—ืฆื™ื‘ื” ื›ืžื• ื•ื‘ื•ืจื•ืช ื—ืฆื•ื‘ื™ื (ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ื•): ื•ื™ืงื• ืœืขืฉื•ืช ืขื ื‘ื™ื. ื•ื™ืงื• ื™ื“ื™ื“ื™ ืœืขืฉื•ืช ืœื• ื”ื›ืจื ื”ื–ื” ืขื ื‘ื™ื: ื•ื™ืขืฉ ื‘ืื•ืฉื™ื. ื“ื•ืžื™ื ืœืขื ื‘ื™ื ื•ืงื•ืจื™ืŸ ืื•ืชื (ืœื ื‘ืจื•ื•ื™ื™ืฉ"ื˜ ื‘ืœืข"ื–):
And he fenced it in Heb. ื•ึทื™ึฐืขึทื–ึผึฐืงึตื”ื•ึผ. He fenced it and walled it around, surrounded like a sort of ring, translated into Aramaic as ืขึดื™ื–ึฐืงึธื. and he cleared it of stones Heb. ื•ึทื™ึฐืกึทืงึฐืœึตื”ื•ึผ. He cleared it of the stones that are detrimental to the vines, comp. (infra 62:10) "Clear of stones (ืกึทืงึผึฐืœื•ึน ืžึตืึถื‘ึถืŸ)." and he planted it with the choicest vines They are the best of all branches for planting. and he built a tower in its midst A press in which to press the grapes. and also a vat he hewed therein Heb. ื™ึถืงึถื‘, the pit that is before the press, to receive the wine. Likewise, every ื™ึถืงึถื‘ in Scripture is an expression denoting a pit. Likewise (Zechariah 14:4), ืขึทื“ ื™ึดืงึฐื‘ึตื™ ื”ึทืžึถืœึถืšึฐ, which Jonathan renders, "Until the King's pits." This is the depth of the ocean. Therefore, the expression of hewing applies, just like (Deut. 6:11): "and hewn pits." and he hoped to produce grapes And my beloved hoped that this vineyard would produce grapes for him. and it produced wild berries Heb. ื‘ึผึฐืึปืฉืึดื™ื. Similar to grapes, and they are called lanbrojjses in O.F. Regarding the ten canopies that are stated in that chapter about Chirom the king of Tyre. From the Yetzer Horah, until he ate from the tree and then the Yetzer Horah entered him. The beginning of his creation is from the place of the altar. And he blew into his nostrils the breath of life from the upper realms. A spring flowing, the fountain of wisdom. That he should know and praise you. putrid things; he reviled and blasphemed. Since the end of the parable comes to say that they too did like him, he asks them the judgment.

ืคืกื•ืง ื’ืณ ยท Verse 3

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืขึทืชึผึธึ›ื” ื™ื•ึนืฉืึตึฅื‘ ื™ึฐืจื•ึผืฉืึธืœึทึ–อึดื ื•ึฐืึดึฃื™ืฉื ื™ึฐื”ื•ึผื“ึธึ‘ื” ืฉืึดืคึฐื˜ื•ึผึพื ึธึ•ื ื‘ึผึตื™ื ึดึ–ื™ ื•ึผื‘ึตึฅื™ืŸ ื›ึผึทืจึฐืžึดึฝื™ืƒ

English:

โ€œNow, then,Dwellers of JerusalemAnd citizenry of Judah,You be the judgesBetween Me and My vineyard:

God turns to the audience itself โ€” the dwellers of Jerusalem and the men of Judah โ€” and asks them to judge between Him and His vineyard, making the defendants jurors in their own case. Radak notes that only Judah and Binyamin are addressed because the ten tribes had already been exiled when this prophecy was delivered.

ืคืกื•ืง ื“ืณ ยท Verse 4

Hebrew:

ืžึทื”ึพืœึผึทืขึฒืฉื‚ึฅื•ึนืช ืขื•ึนื“ึ™ ืœึฐื›ึทืจึฐืžึดึ”ื™ ื•ึฐืœึนึฅื ืขึธืฉื‚ึดึ–ื™ืชึดื™ ื‘ึผึ‘ื•ึน ืžึทื“ึผึงื•ึผืขึท ืงึดื•ึผึตึ›ื™ืชึดื™ ืœึทืขึฒืฉื‚ึฅื•ึนืช ืขึฒื ึธื‘ึดึ–ื™ื ื•ึทื™ึผึทึฅืขึทืฉื‚ ื‘ึผึฐืึปืฉืึดึฝื™ืืƒ

English:

What more could have been done for My vineyardThat I failed to do in it?Why, when I hoped it would yield grapes,Did it yield wild grapes?

The rhetorical climax of the parable: what more could have been done for the vineyard that was not done? Metzudat David explains that having supplied every care a vineyard could possibly need, the Owner asks why His hope for grapes was answered with rotten fruit โ€” the failure cannot be laid at the Gardener's door.

ืคืกื•ืง ื”ืณ ยท Verse 5

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืขึทืชึผึธื”ึ™ ืื•ึนื“ึดื™ืขึธื”ึพื ึผึธึฃื ืึถืชึฐื›ึถึ”ื ืึตึ›ืช ืึฒืฉืึถืจึพืึฒื ึดึฅื™ ืขึนืฉื‚ึถึ–ื” ืœึฐื›ึทืจึฐืžึดึ‘ื™ ื”ึธืกึตึคืจ ืžึฐืฉื‚ื•ึผื›ึผึธืชื•ึนึ™ ื•ึฐื”ึธื™ึธึฃื” ืœึฐื‘ึธืขึตึ”ืจ ืคึผึธืจึนึฅืฅ ื’ึผึฐื“ึตืจึ–ื•ึน ื•ึฐื”ึธื™ึธึฅื” ืœึฐืžึดืจึฐืžึธึฝืกืƒ

English:

โ€œNow I am going to tell youWhat I will do to My vineyard:I will remove its hedge,That it may be ravaged;I will break down its wall,That it may be trampled.

The verdict: God will strip away the vineyard's thorn hedge and breach its stone wall, leaving it to be grazed and trampled. Radak explains that the hedge and wall are God's protective providence, whose removal leaves Israel exposed to the domination of the nations.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ืกืจ ืžืฉื•ื›ืชื•. ืœื”ืกืจ ื’ื“ืจ ื”ืžืกื•ื›ืš ื•ืžื’ื™ืŸ ืขืœื™ื•, ืžืกื•ื›ื” ื”ื•ื ืกื™ื™ื’ ืงื•ืฆื™ื, ื’ื“ืจ ื”ื•ื ื’ื“ืจ ืื‘ื ื™ื: ื•ื”ื™ื”. ื”ื›ืจื: ืœื‘ืขืจ. ืฉื™ืจืขื• ื‘ื• ื‘ื”ืžื” ื•ื—ื™ื”:
I will remove its hedge I will remove the fence that covers and protects it. ืžึฐืฉื‚ื•ึผื›ึธื” is a fence of thorns; ื’ึธื“ึตืจ is a fence of stones. and it shall be [i.e.,] the vineyard. eaten up For cattle and wild beasts will graze there. What appears in my eyes to do to him and I did it. I expelled him from amidst his canopies. He will eventually die and evil beats will rule over him. I expelled from the enclosure of Paradise.

ืคืกื•ืง ื•ืณ ยท Verse 6

Hebrew:

ื•ึทืึฒืฉืึดื™ืชึตึฃื”ื•ึผ ื‘ึธืชึธึ—ื” ืœึนึคื ื™ึดื–ึผึธืžึตืจึ™ ื•ึฐืœึนึฃื ื™ึตืขึธื“ึตึ”ืจ ื•ึฐืขึธืœึธึฅื” ืฉืึธืžึดึ–ื™ืจ ื•ึธืฉืึธึ‘ื™ึดืช ื•ึฐืขึทึคืœ ื”ึถึฝืขึธื‘ึดื™ืึ™ ืึฒืฆึทื•ึผึถึ”ื” ืžึตื”ึทืžึฐื˜ึดึฅื™ืจ ืขึธืœึธึ–ื™ื• ืžึธื˜ึธึฝืจืƒ

English:

And I will make it a desolation;bmake it a desolation Meaning of Heb. uncertain. It shall not be pruned or hoed,And it shall be overgrown with briers and thistles.And I will command the cloudsTo drop no rain on it.โ€

The abandonment deepens โ€” no pruning, no hoeing, briers and thistles โ€” until the image that bursts the parable: the clouds are commanded to withhold rain, an order no human farmer could give. Radak reads the rain plainly as God's blessing withheld from the land, and cites Yonatan's rendering of the clouds as the prophets, who will cease to prophesy over them.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ืืฉื™ืชื”ื• ื‘ืชื”. ืœ' ืฉืžืžื” ื•ืจื™ืงื ื•ืช ื”ื™ื ื•ื›ืŸ (ืœืงืžืŸ ื–) ื‘ื ื—ืœื™ ื”ื‘ืชื•ืช: ื•ืœื ื™ืขื“ืจ. ืœ' ื—ืคื™ืจืช ื›ืจื ื”ื™ื: ื•ืขืœื” ืฉืžื™ืจ ื•ืฉื™ืช. ืžื™ื ื™ ืงื•ืฆื™ื ืคืชืจ ื‘ื”ื ืžื ื—ื ื‘ืŸ ืกืจื•ืง ื•ืื ื™ ืื•ืžืจ ืฉืžื™ืจ ืœ' ืชื•ืœืขืช ื—ื–ืง ื”ื•ื ื”ืžื‘ืงืข ืื‘ื ื™ื ืฉื‘ื• ื‘ื ื” ืฉืœืžื” ืืช ื‘ื™ืช ื”ืžืงื“ืฉ ื›ืขื ื™ืŸ ืฉื ืืžืจ (ื™ื—ื–ืงืืœ ื’ืณ:ื˜ืณ) ื›ืฉืžื™ืจ ื—ื–ืง ืžืฆื•ืจ: ืฉื™ืช. ืœ' ื”ืฉืืช ื•ื”ืฉื‘ืจ (ืื™ื›ื” ื’ืณ:ืžืดื–) ืœ' ืชืฉืื” ืฉืžืžื” (ืœืงืžืŸ ื•) ืฆื“ื• ืžืื™ืŸ ื“ื•ืจืฉ ืœื™ื›ื ืก ื‘ื• ื•ืžืชื•ืš ื›ืš ืชืขืœื” ื‘ื• ืชื•ืœืขืช:
And I will make it a desolation Heb. ื‘ึธืชึธื”, an expression of desolation and emptiness. Compare (infra 7:19): "in the desolate valleys (ื”ึทื‘ึผึทืชึผื•ึนืช)." nor hoed Heb. ื™ึตืขึธื“ึตืจ ; this is an expression of digging in a vineyard. the shamir and desolation will come up Heb. ืฉืึธืžึดื™ืจ ื•ึธืฉืึธื™ึดืช. Menahem ben Seruk interprets them as kinds of thorns (Machbereth Menahem p. 176), but I say that "shamir" is a word denoting a strong worm that splits stones, with which Solomon built the Temple, like the matter that is written (Ezekiel 3:19), "Like a shamir, stronger than rock." desolation Heb. ืฉืึทื™ึดืช, an expression similar to (Lamentations 3:47), "desolation (ื”ึทืฉืึฐืึตืช) and breach," an expression similar to (infra 6:11), "shall be made desolate (ืชึผึดืฉึผืึธืึถื”) [as a wilderness"; i.e., it will be] empty with no one seeking it to enter it, and thereby worms will overrun it. I put him on his side, that I did not give him the Torah in his days. They did not learn from it not Zechus or good deeds. The Yetzer Horah ruled him and in the other generations for them to do disgusting things. I commanded him to keep guard and to guard the way of life.

ืคืกื•ืง ื–ืณ ยท Verse 7

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึฃื™ ื›ึถึœืจึถื ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึคื” ืฆึฐื‘ึธืื•ึนืชึ™ ื‘ึผึตึฃื™ืช ื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตึ”ืœ ื•ึฐืึดึฃื™ืฉื ื™ึฐื”ื•ึผื“ึธึ”ื” ื ึฐื˜ึทึ–ืข ืฉืึทืขึฒืฉืื•ึผืขึธึ‘ื™ื• ื•ึทื™ึฐืงึทึคื• ืœึฐืžึดืฉืึฐืคึผึธื˜ึ™ ื•ึฐื”ึดื ึผึตึฃื” ืžึดืฉื‚ึฐืคึผึธึ”ื— ืœึดืฆึฐื“ึธืงึธึ–ื” ื•ึฐื”ึดื ึผึตึฅื” ืฆึฐืขึธืงึธึฝื”ืƒย {ืค}

English:

For the vineyard of GOD of HostsIs the House of Israel,And the seedlings he lovingly tendedIs the citizenry of Judah.cThis sentence contains two word-plays: โ€œAnd [God] hoped for mishpaแนญ, And there is mispaแธฅ [exact meaning uncertain]; / For แนฃedaqah, But there is แนฃeสปaqah [lit. โ€˜outcryโ€™].โ€ And [God] hoped for justice,But behold, injustice;For equity,But behold, iniquity!

The parable is decoded: the vineyard is the House of Israel, and the cherished planting the men of Judah. The verse seals the indictment with its celebrated double wordplay โ€” God hoped for mishpat (justice) and found mispach (a spreading lesion of sin), for tzedakah (righteousness) and heard tze'akah (the cry of the oppressed) โ€” a sound-echo whose force Rashi and Radak both draw out.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ื™ ื›ืจื ื”' ืฆื‘ืื•ืช ื‘ื™ืช ื™ืฉืจืืœ. ืœื›ืจื ื”ื–ื” ืืชื ืžืฉื•ืœื™ื ื‘ื™ืช ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื›ื™ ื›ืœ ืžื” ืฉืขืฉื” ืœื›ืจื ื”ื–ื” ืขืฉื” ืœื™ืฉืจืืœ, ื•ื”ื›ืจื ื”ื•ื ืื“ื ื”ืจืืฉื•ืŸ ื›ื™ ืžืฆื™ื ื• ื‘ืž"ื ื‘ืžืงื•ืžื•ืช ื”ืจื‘ื” ื‘ืชื ื—ื•ืžื ื•ื‘ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ืจื‘ื” ืฉืžืงืจืื•ืช ื”ืœืœื• ื ื“ืจืฉื™ืŸ ืขืœื™ื• ืœื ื ื˜ืจื“ ืื“ื ื”ืจืืฉื•ืŸ ืขื“ ืฉื—ื™ืจืฃ ื•ื’ื™ื“ืฃ ืฉื ืืžืจ ื•ื™ืงื• ืœืขืฉื•ืช ืขื ื‘ื™ื ื•ื’ื•' ื•ื‘ืžืงื•' ืื—ืจ ืžืฆื™ื ื• ื”ื•ืฉื™ื‘ ืขืœื™ื• ืฉื•ืžืจื™ื ืฉืœื ื™ืื›ืœ ืžืขืฅ ื”ื—ื™ื™ื ืฉื ืืžืจ ื•ืขืœ ื”ืขื‘ื™ื ืืฆื•ื” ื•ื›ืŸ ื ื“ืจืฉื ื• ืขืœื™ื•: (ื›ืจื. ื–ื” ืื“ื ื”ืจืืฉื•ืŸ: ืœื™ื“ื™ื“ื™. ื–ื” ื”ืงื‘"ื”: ื‘ืŸ ืฉืžืŸ. ื‘ื’"ืข): ื•ื™ืขื–ืงื”ื•. ื‘ืขืฉืจ ื—ื•ืคื•ืช ื”ืืžื•ืจื•ืช (ื‘ื™ื—ื–ืงืืœ ื›ื—) ื‘ืค' ื—ื™ืจื ืžืœืš ืฆื•ืจ: ื•ื™ืกืงืœื”ื•. ืžื™ืฆืจ ื”ืจืข ืขื“ ืฉืื›ืœ ืžืŸ ื”ืขืฅ ื•ื ื›ื ืก ื‘ื• ื™ืฆืจ ื”ืจืข: ื•ื™ื˜ืขื”ื• ืฉื•ืจืง. ืชื—ื™ืœืช ื™ืฆื™ืจืชื• ืžืžืงื•ื ื”ืžื–ื‘ื—: ื•ื™ื‘ืŸ ืžื’ื“ืœ ื‘ืชื•ื›ื•. ื•ื™ืคื— ื‘ืืคื™ื• ื ืฉืžืช ื—ื™ื™ื ืžืŸ ื”ืขืœื™ื•ื ื™ื: ื•ื’ื ื™ืงื‘ ื—ืฆื‘ ื‘ื•. ืžืขื™ื™ืŸ ื ื•ื‘ืข ืžืงื•ืจ ื—ื›ืžื”: ื•ื™ืงื• ืœืขืฉื•ืช ืขื ื‘ื™ื. ืฉื™ื•ื“ื” ื•ื™ืฉื‘ื— ืœืคื ื™ื•: ื•ื™ืขืฉ ื‘ืื•ืฉื™ื. ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ื ื‘ืืฉื™ื ื—ื™ืจืฃ ื•ื’ื™ื“ืฃ: ืฉืคื˜ื• ื ื. ืœืคื™ ืฉืกื•ืฃ ื”ืžืฉืœ ื‘ื ืœื•ืžืจ ืฉืืฃ ื”ื ืขืฉื• ื›ืžื•ืชื• ืฉื•ืืœ ืœื”ื ื”ืžืฉืคื˜: ืื•ื“ื™ืขื” ื ื ืืชื›ื. ืžื” ื ืจืื” ื‘ืขื™ื ื™ ืœืขืฉื•ืช ืœื• ื•ืขืฉื™ืชื™: ื”ืกืจ ืžืฉื•ื›ืชื•. ื˜ืจื“ืชื™ื• ืžืชื•ืš ื—ื•ืคื•ืชื™ื•: ื•ื”ื™ื” ืœื‘ืขืจ. ืกื•ืคื• ืœืžื•ืช ื•ืœืžืฉื•ืœ ื‘ื• ื—ื™ื•ืช ืจืขื•ืช: ืคืจื•ืฅ ื’ื“ืจื•. ื˜ืจื“ืชื™ื• ืžืžื—ื™ืฆืช ื’ืŸ ืขื“ืŸ: ื•ืืฉื™ืชื”ื• ื‘ืชื”. ืฆื“ื• ื”ื•ืฉื‘ืชื™ื•, ืฉืœื ื ืชืชื™ ืชื•ืจื” ื‘ื™ืžื™ื•: ืœื ื™ื–ืžืจ ื•ืœื ื™ืขื“ืจ. ืœื ื™ืœืžื“ื• ืžืžื ื• ืœื ื–ื›ื•ืช ื•ืœื ืžืขืฉื” ื˜ื•ื‘: ื•ืขืœื” ืฉืžื™ืจ ื•ืฉื™ืช. ืฉืœื˜ ื‘ื• ื™ืฆืจ ื”ืจืข ื•ื‘ื“ื•ืจื•ืชื™ื• ืื—ืจื™ื• ืœืขืฉื•ืช ืžืขืฉื™ื ืžืงื•ืœืงืœื™ื: ื•ืขืœ ื”ืขื‘ื™ื ืืฆื•ื”. ืฆื•ื™ืชื™ ืขืœื™ื• ืฉื•ืžืจื™ื ืœืฉืžื•ืจ ืืช ื“ืจืš ืขืฅ ื”ื—ื™ื™ื: ื›ื™ ื›ืจื ื”' ืฆื‘ืื•ืช ื‘ื™ืช ื™ืฉืจืืœ. ื›ื™ ื›ืื•ืชื• ื”ื›ืจื ืœื™ ื‘ื™ืช ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืขืฉืจืช ื”ืฉื‘ื˜ื™ื ื”ื ื”ื™ื• ืœื™ ื›ื›ืจื ื™ื™ืŸ ื›ื›ืจื ื–ื™ืช ื›ืงืจืŸ ืฉืžืŸ ื‘ืืจืฅ ืฉืžื™ื ื” ืฉืžืŸ ื›ื”ื•ื ื” ืฉืžืŸ ืžืœื›ื•ืช ืฉืžืŸ ืžื ื•ืจื” ืฉืžืŸ ืžื ื—ื•ืช ืขื–ืงืชื™ื ืชื—ืœื” ื‘ื”ื™ืงืฃ ืขื ื ื™ ื›ื‘ื•ื“ ื‘ืžื“ื‘ืจ ื•ืกืงืœืชื™ื ื•ื ืงื™ืชื™ื ืžืคื•ืฉืขื™ ื”ื“ื•ืจ ื ื˜ืขืชื™ื ืฉื•ืจืง ืฉืฉ ืžืื•ืช ื•ืฉืฉ ืžืฆื•ืช ื›ืžื ื™ื™ืŸ ืฉื•ืจืง ื”ื•ืกืคืชื™ ืขืœื™ื”ื, ืขืœ ืฉื‘ืข ืžืฆื•ืช ืฉื ืฆื˜ื•ื• ื‘ื ื™ ื ื— ื‘ื ื™ืชื™ ืžื’ื“ืœ ื‘ืชื•ื›ื• ืžืฉื›ื ื™ ื•ืžืงื“ืฉื™ ื•ื’ื ื™ืงื‘ ื”ืžื–ื‘ื— ื•ื”ืฉื™ืชื™ืŸ: ื•ื™ืขืฉ ื‘ืื•ืฉื™ื. ืงื™ืœืงืœื• ืžืขืฉื™ื”ื: ื•ืขืชื” ื™ื•ืฉื‘ ื™ืจื•ืฉืœื™ื ื•ืื™ืฉ ื™ื”ื•ื“ื” ืืฉืจ ืœื ื’ืœื™ืชื™ื ืขื“ื™ื™ืŸ ื™ืฉืคื˜ื• ื ื ื‘ื™ื ื™ ื•ื‘ื™ื ื™ื”ื ืขืœ ื”ืจืขื” ืฉื”ื‘ืืชื™ ืขืœื™ื”ื ืžื™ ืกืจื— ืขืœ ืžื™ ืžื” ื”ื™ื” ืœื™ ืœืขืฉื•ืช ืขื•ื“ ื˜ื•ื‘ื” ืœื›ืจืžื™ ื•ืœื ืขืฉื™ืชื™ ืœื•: ืื•ื“ื™ืข ื ื ืืชื›ื. ื’ื ืืชื ื”ืžื›ืขื™ืกื™ื ืื•ืชื™ ืืช ืืฉืจ ื”ื’ื•ืŸ ื‘ืขื™ื ื™ ืœืขืฉื•ืช ืœื›ืจืžื™ ื›ื›ืœ ืืฉืจ ืขืฉื™ืชื™ ืœืื“ื ื”ืจืืฉื•ืŸ: ื”ืกืจ ืžืกื•ื›ืชื•. ืืกืœืง ืฉื›ื™ื ืชื™ ืžืขืœื™ื”' ื”ืžืกื•ื›ื›' ืขืœื™ื”ื ื›ืžื” ืฉื ืืžืจ (ืœืงืžืŸ ื ื‘) ื•ื™ื’ืœ ืืช ืžืกืš ื™ื”ื•ื“ื”: ืคืจื•ืฅ ื’ื“ืจื•. ืืชื•ืฅ ื—ื•ืžื•ืชื™ื•: ื•ืืฉื™ืชื”ื• ื‘ืชื”. ื•ืืฉื•ื™ื ื•ืŸ ืจื˜ื™ืฉื™ืŸ: ืœื ื™ื–ืžืจ ื•ืœื ื™ืขื“ืจ. ืœื ืืกืชืขื“ื•ืŸ ื•ืœื ื™ืกืชืžื›ื•ืŸ: ื•ืขืœื” ืฉืžื™ืจ ื•ืฉื™ืช. ื•ื™ื”ื™ื• ืžื˜ืœื˜ืœื™ืŸ ื•ืฉื‘ื™ืงื™ืŸ ื“ื•ื’ืžืช ืฉืžื™ืจ ื•ืฉื™ืช ืฉืœ ื›ืจื ื•ืืฆืœ ื”ื›ืจื ืžืžืฉ ื‘ืžืงื•ื ืื—ืจ ื”ื•ื ืžืชื•ืจื’' ื”ื•ื‘ืื™ ื•ื‘ื•ืจ: ื•ืขืœ ื”ืขื‘ื™ื ืืฆื•ื”. ื•ืขืœ ื ื‘ื™ื™ื ืืคืงื“ ื“ืœื ื™ืชื ื‘ื•ืŸ ืขืœื™ื”ื•ืŸ, ื”ื ื‘ื•ืื” ื ืžืฉืœื” ืœืžื˜ืจ ืฉื”ืขื‘ื™ื ืžืงื‘ืœื™ืŸ ืื•ืชื” ืžืŸ ื”ืฉืžื™ื ื›ืš ื”ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ืžืงื‘ืœื™ืŸ ื”ื ื‘ื•ืื” ืžืคื™ ื”ืงื“ื•ืฉื”: ื ื˜ืข ืฉืขืฉื•ืขื™ื•. ื›ืžื• ื ื˜ืข ื•ืœืคื™ ืฉื”ื•ื ื“ื‘ื•ืง ื ืงื•ื“ (ืคืชื—) ื›ืžื• ื‘ืงืจ ื–ื‘ื— ื”ืฉืœืžื™ื (ื‘ืžื“ื‘ืจ ื–ืณ:ืคืดื—): ื•ื™ืงื•. ืฉื™ืขืฉื• ืžืฉืคื˜ ื•ื”ื ื” ืžืฉืคื— ืืกื™ืค' ื—ื˜ื ืขืœ ื—ื˜ื ื›ืžื• ืžื”ืกืชืคื— (ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ื›ื•), ื“ื‘ืจ ืื—ืจ ืœ' ื ื’ืข ื•ืœืคื™ ืฉื”ื•ื ืœืฉื•ืŸ ื ื•ืคืœ ืขืœ ื”ืœ' ื‘ืงืจื™ืืชื• ื“ื•ืžื” ืžืฉืคื˜ ืœืžืกืคื— ื•ื›ืŸ ืฆืขืงื” ืœืฆื“ืงื” ื ืคืœ ื‘ื• ืจื•ื— ื”ืงื•ื“ืฉ ื‘ืคื™ ื”ื ื‘ื™ื:
For the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the House of Israel To this vineyard are you compared, O House of Israel, for all that He did for this vineyard, He did for Israel. The vineyard represents Adam, for we find in Midrash Aggadah, in many places in Tanhuma, and in Genesis Rabbah [that] these passages are expounded concerning him, e.g., Adam was not expelled from Paradise until he reviled and blasphemed, as it is said: And He hoped to produce grapes,... (Gen. Rabbah 19:12). And in another place we find: He appointed guards over him that he should not eat from the Tree of Life, as it is said (verse 6): "And I will command the clouds..." (ibid. 21:8). And in this manner, [the following verses] can be expounded concerning him: (1) My beloved had a vineyard. A vineyard This [alludes to] Adam. My beloved This is the Holy One, blessed be He. In a fertile corner in the Garden of Eden. (2) And he fenced it in with the ten canopies mentioned in Ezekiel (28), in the section dealing with Hiram, king of Tyre. And He cleared it of stones Of temptation, until he ate from the tree, and temptation gained entry into him. And He planted it with the choicest vines The beginning of his formation was from the place of the altar. And He built a tower in its midst And He breathed into his nostrils the spirit of life, from the heavenly beings. And also a vat He hewed therein A spring flowing, the fountain of wisdom. And He hoped to produce grapes that he would thank Him and praise Him. And it produced wild berries putrid things; he reviled and blasphemed. (3) Judge now Since the end of the parable comes to say that they too did like him, he asks them the judgment. (5) I will inform you what I decided to do to him and I did. I removed its hedge I expelled him from amidst his canopies. And it shall be eaten up His end will be to die and to be ruled over by wild beasts. Breach its wall I expelled from the enclosure of Paradise. (6) And I made it a desolation I made him dwell in desolation, for I did not give the Torah in his days. It shall neither be pruned nor hoed They will learn from him neither merit nor good deeds. The shamir and desolation will come up Temptation ruled over him and his posterity, to perform corrupt deeds. And I commanded the clouds I appointed guards over him to guard the way of the Tree of Life. (7) For the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the House of Israel For the House of Israel is to Me like that vineyard; The ten tribes were to Me like a vineyard producing wine, like an olive orchard, in a fat corner, in a fat land, [producing anointing] oil for the priesthood, [anointing] oil for the kingdom, oil for the Menorah, oil for the meal offerings. I fenced them in first with the encirclement of the clouds of glory in the desert and I cleared them of stones, i.e., I cleansed them of the transgressors of the generation. I planted them with the choicest vines (ืฉื‚ื•ึนืจึตืง) six hundred and six commandments, like the numerical value of ืฉื‚ื•ึนืจึตืง, I added for them to the seven commandments that the children of Noah were commanded. I built a tower in their midst, My Tabernacle and My Temple, and also a vat, the altar and the pits [the pits by the side of the altar into which the remainder of the libations was poured.] (2) And it produced wild berries They corrupted their deeds. (3) And now, dwellers of Jerusalem and men of Judah who have not yet been exiled, please judge between me and between them concerning the evil that I brought on them; who sinned against whom? What more could I have done beneficial deeds for My vineyard, and I have not done for it? (5) Now I will inform you Even you who anger Me, what is fitting in My eyes to do to My vineyard, according to all that I did to Adam, viz. to remove its hedge I will remove My Shechinah from them, the Shechinah that covers them, as it is said (infra 22:8), "And He bared the covert of Judah." Breach its wall I will demolish its walls. (6) And I will make it a desolation And I will make them forsaken [from Targum Jonathan]. It will neither be pruned nor hoed They will not be visited nor will they be supported. [from Targum Jonathan]. And the shamir and desolation will come up And they will be wandering and forsaken, represented by the ืฉืึธืžึดื™ืจ ื•ึธืฉืึธื™ึดืช [desolation] of the vineyard, and regarding the vineyard itself in another place, it is rendered ื”ึฒื‘ึธืึดื™ ื•ึผื‘ื•ึผืจ, desolate and fallow. And I will command the clouds And I will command the prophets not to prophesy on your behalf [Jonathan]. Prophecy is analogous to rain, which the clouds receive from heaven; so do the prophets receive the divine prophecy. The plant of His joy Comp. ื ึธื˜ึธืข (Job 14:9), but since it is in the construct state, it is vowelized with a patach, like (Num. 7:88) ื‘ึผึฐืงึทืจ ื–ึถื‘ึทื— ื”ึทืฉึผืึฐืœึธืžึดื™ื, "the cattle of the peace offerings." and He hoped that they would perform justice, and behold, there was ืžึดืฉื‚ึฐืคึผึธื—, an accumulation of sin upon sin, like (I Sam. 26:19), "From cleaving (ืžึตื”ึดืกึฐืชึผึทืคึผึตื—ึท)," also (ibid. 2:36), "Take me now into (ืกึฐืคึธื—ึตื ึดื™)." Another explanation is that it is an expression of a lesion, and since it is a similar expression, for, in pronunciation, ืžึดืฉื‚ึฐืคึผึธื— resembles ืžึดืฉืึฐืคึผึธื˜, and so, ื–ึฐืขึธืงึธื” resembles ืฆึฐื“ึธืงึธื”, it fell through divine inspiration into the prophet's mouth.

ืคืกื•ืง ื—ืณ ยท Verse 8

Hebrew:

ื”ึ—ื•ึนื™ ืžึทื’ึผึดื™ืขึตึฅื™ ื‘ึทึ™ื™ึดืชึ™ ื‘ึผึฐื‘ึทึ”ื™ึดืช ืฉื‚ึธื“ึถึฅื” ื‘ึฐืฉื‚ึธื“ึถึ–ื” ื™ึทืงึฐืจึดึ‘ื™ื‘ื•ึผ ืขึทึšื“ ืึถึฃืคึถืก ืžึธืงึ”ื•ึนื ื•ึฐื”ื•ึผืฉืึทื‘ึฐืชึผึถึฅื ืœึฐื‘ึทื“ึผึฐื›ึถึ–ื ื‘ึผึฐืงึถึฅืจึถื‘ ื”ึธืึธึฝืจึถืฅืƒ

English:

Ah,Those who add house to houseAnd join field to field,Till there is room for none but youTo dwell in the land!

The first of six woes (hoy) targets those who annex house to house and field to field until no room remains. Rashi โ€” who notes that Yeshayahu pronounces twenty-two woes against the wicked, matching the twenty-two 'ashrei' declarations of Tehillim โ€” explains the land-grab: the powerful squeeze out the weak poor between their expanding estates, acting as if neither God, whose tithes they steal, nor the poor have any share in the land.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ื•ื™ ืžื’ื™ืขื™ ื‘ื™ืช ื‘ื‘ื™ืช. ืขืฉืจื™ื ื•ืฉื ื™ื ืืฉืจื™ ื ืืžืจ ื‘ืกืคืจ ืชื”ืœื™ื ืขืœ ืžืงื™ื™ืžื™ ื”ืชื•ืจื” ื•ืขืฉืจื™ื ื•ืฉื ื™ื ื”ื•ื™ ืืžืจ ื™ืฉืขื™ื” ืขืœ ื”ืจืฉืขื™ื, ื”ื•ื™ ืœ' ืฆืขืงืช ืื ื—ื” ืขืœ ืคื•ืจืขื ื•ืช ื”ืขืชื™ื“ื” ืœื‘ื: ืžื’ื™ืขื™ ื‘ื™ืช ื‘ื‘ื™ืช. ืžืงืจื‘ื™ื ื‘ืชื™ื”ื ื–ื” ืืฆืœ ื–ื” ื•ืžืชื•ืš ื›ืš ื’ื•ื–ืœื™ื ืงืจืงืข ื”ืขื ื™ื™ื ื”ื—ืœืฉื™ื ืฉื‘ื™ืŸ ื‘' ื”ื‘ืชื™ื, ื•ื›ืŸ: ืฉื“ื” ื‘ืฉื“ื” ื™ืงืจื™ื‘ื• ืขื“ ืืคืก ืžืงื•ื. ืฉืื™ืŸ ืžืงื•ื ืœืขื ื™ ืœื™ืฉื‘: ื•ื”ื•ืฉื‘ืชื ืœื‘ื“ื›ื ื‘ืงืจื‘ ื”ืืจืฅ. ื›ืกื‘ื•ืจื™ื ืืชื ืฉืื™ืŸ ื—ืœืง ืœื”ืงื“ื•ืฉ ื‘ืจื•ืš ื”ื•ื ื•ืœื ืœืขื ื™ื™ื ื‘ืืจืฅ ื—ืœืงื• ื‘ืžืขืฉืจื•ืช ืืชื ื’ื•ื–ืœื™ื ื•ืœืขื ื™ื™ื ืืช ืืจืฆื ืฉืชื”ื™ื• ืืชื ืœื‘ื“ื›ื ื™ื•ืฉื‘ื™ื ื‘ื”:
Woe to those who join a house to a house Twenty-two instances of ืึทืฉืึฐืจึตื™, fortunate, were said in the Book of Psalms concerning those who fulfill [the tenets of] the Torah, and Isaiah said twenty-two times, "ื”ื•ึนื™," woe, concerning the wicked. Woe An expression of a cry of a sigh concerning the impending retribution. those who join a house to a house They draw their houses one to the other, thereby taking the land of the weak poor man between the two houses, and so a field to a field they draw near until there is no place No place for the poor man to live. and you will be settled alone in the midst of the land You think that neither the Holy One, blessed be He, nor the poor, have a share in the land. His share of the tithes you are stealing, and the poor, [you are robbing] of their land, so that you alone will occupy it.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืณ ยท Verse 9

Hebrew:

ื‘ึผึฐืื‡ื–ึฐื ึธึ–ื™ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฃื” ืฆึฐื‘ึธืึ‘ื•ึนืช ืึดืึพืœึนึžื ื‘ึผึธืชึผึดึคื™ื ืจึทื‘ึผึดื™ืึ™ ืœึฐืฉืึทืžึผึธึฃื” ื™ึดึฝื”ึฐื™ึ”ื•ึผ ื’ึผึฐื“ึนืœึดึฅื™ื ื•ึฐื˜ื•ึนื‘ึดึ–ื™ื ืžึตืึตึฅื™ืŸ ื™ื•ึนืฉืึตึฝื‘ืƒ

English:

In my hearing [said] GOD of Hosts:Surely, great housesShall lie forlorn,Spacious and splendid onesWithout occupants.

The prophet testifies that the decree was sworn in his own hearing: the many great and goodly houses will stand desolate, without inhabitant. Metzudat David and Radak both explain 'im lo' as the language of an oath โ€” measure for measure, the coveted mansions become empty shells.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื‘ืื–ื ื™ ื”' ืฆื‘ืื•ืช. ืืžืจ ื”ื ื‘ื™ื ืฉืชื™ ืื–ื ื™ ืฉืžืขื• ื›ืฉื ื’ื–ืจ ืขืœื™ื”ื ื’ื–ื™ืจื” ืžืืช ื”' ื•ื‘ืฉื‘ื•ืขื” ืื ืœื ืขืœ ื“ื‘ืจ ื–ื” ื‘ืชื™ื ืจื‘ื™ื ืœืฉืžื” ื™ื”ื™ื• ื•ื‘ืชื™ื ื’ื“ื•ืœื™' ื•ื˜ื•ื‘ื™ื ื™ื”ื™ื• ืžืื™ืŸ ื™ื•ืฉื‘:
In my ears [spoke] the Lord of Hosts Said the prophet, Both my ears heard when the decree was decreed upon them by the Lord, and with an oath, "Truly, because of this thing, great houses will become desolate, yea, large ones and good ones, without inhabitants."

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืณ ยท Verse 10

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึ—ื™ ืขึฒืฉื‚ึถึ™ืจึถืชึ™ ืฆึดืžึฐื“ึผึตื™ึพื›ึถึ”ืจึถื ื™ึทืขึฒืฉื‚ึ–ื•ึผ ื‘ึผึทึฃืช ืึถื—ึธึ‘ืช ื•ึฐื–ึถึฅืจึทืข ื—ึนึ–ืžึถืจ ื™ึทืขึฒืฉื‚ึถึฅื” ืึตื™ืคึธึฝื”ืƒย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

For ten acres of vineyardShall yield just one bath,djust one bath Of wine. The bath was the liquid equivalent of the ephah; and the แธฅomer was ten baths or ephahs (Ezek. 45.11). And a field sown with a แธฅomer of seedShall yield a mere ephah.

Agricultural collapse: ten yoke-measures of vineyard will yield a single bat of wine, and a chomer of seed a mere efah โ€” a tenth of what was sown. Rashi calls this payment in kind for joining field to field and robbing God's share in the tithes, and Radak explains that the curse on the produce is precisely why the great houses will be left without inhabitants.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ื™ ืขืฉืจืช ืฆืžื“ื™ ื›ืจื. ื•ืžืคื ื™ ื”ืจืขื‘ ื™ื’ืœื• ื™ื•ืฉื‘ื™ ื”ื‘ืชื™ื ื•ืื™ืŸ ื™ื•ืฉื‘ ื‘ื” ื•ื’ื ื–ืืช ืชื”ื™ื” ืœื›ื ืžื“ื” ื‘ืžื“ื” ืขืœ ื”ืงืจื‘ืช ื”ืฉื“ื” ื‘ืฉื“ื” ืฉื’ื–ืœืชื ื—ืœืงื• ืฉืœ ืžืงื•ื ื‘ืžืขืฉืจ ื”ืืจืฅ: ืขืฉืจืช ืฆืžื“ื™ ื›ืจื. (ืืจืคื™ื "ื˜ ื‘ืœืข"ื–) ื•ืื•ืžืจ ืื ื™ ื›ื“ื™ ืขื‘ื•ื“ืช ื™ื•ื ืื—ื“ ื‘ืฆืžื“ ื‘ืงืจ ืงืจื•ื™ ืฆืžื“: ื™ืขืฉื• ื‘ืช ืื—ืช. ืžื“ื” ืื—ืช ืฉืœ ื™ื™ืŸ, ื‘ืช ืฉืœืฉ ืกืื™ืŸ: ื•ื–ืจืข ื—ื•ืžืจ. ื‘ื™ืช ื›ื•ืจ ืฉื”ื™ื ืฉืœืฉื™' ืกืื™ืŸ ืฉืœ ืชื‘ื•ื' ื™ืขืฉื” ืื™ืคื” ืฉืœืฉ ืกืื™ืŸ:
For ten acres of vineyard And, because of the famine, the inhabitants of the house will be exiled, leaving no one dwelling in them. This, too, will be for your payment in kind for bringing one field near to the other field, for you have stolen the share of the Omnipresent in the tithe of the land. ten acres of vineyard arpent in French, and I say that the amount of land requiring the work of one day with a yoke of oxen is called ืฆึถืžึถื“, a yoke. will produce one bath One measure of wine. A bath is three se'ah. and the seed of a homer A place where a kur, which is thirty se'ah of grain, is usually produced, will produce an ephah three se'ah.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื ยท Verse 11

Hebrew:

ื”ึ›ื•ึนื™ ืžึทืฉืึฐื›ึผึดื™ืžึตึฅื™ ื‘ึทื‘ึผึนึ–ืงึถืจ ืฉืึตื›ึธึฃืจ ื™ึดืจึฐื“ึผึนึ‘ืคื•ึผ ืžึฐืึทื—ึฒืจึตึฃื™ ื‘ึทื ึผึถึ”ืฉืึถืฃ ื™ึทึ–ื™ึดืŸ ื™ึทื“ึฐืœึดื™ืงึตึฝ๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝืƒ

English:

Ah,Those who chase liquorFrom early in the morning,And till late in the eveningAre inflamed by wine!

The second woe: those who rise early in the morning to chase liquor and linger into the evening until wine inflames them. Radak laments that their entire occupation is drink and bodily pleasure while Torah and wisdom go untouched.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžืื—ืจื™ ื‘ื ืฉืฃ. ืœืฉืชื•ืช ื™ื™ืŸ ื‘ืœื™ืœื•ืช: ื™ื™ืŸ ื™ื“ืœื™ืงื. ื‘ื•ืขืจ ื‘ื:
They sit until late in the evening to drink wine at night. wine inflames them It burns in them.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื‘ ยท Verse 12

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื”ึธื™ึธึจื” ื›ึดื ึผึœื•ึนืจ ื•ึธื ึถึ—ื‘ึถืœ ืชึผึนึงืฃ ื•ึฐื—ึธืœึดึ›ื™ืœ ื•ึธื™ึทึ–ื™ึดืŸ ืžึดืฉืึฐืชึผึตื™ื”ึถึ‘ื ื•ึฐืึตึจืช ืคึผึนึคืขึทืœ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ™ ืœึนึฃื ื™ึทื‘ึผึดึ”ื™ื˜ื•ึผ ื•ึผืžึทืขึฒืฉื‚ึตึฅื” ื™ึธื“ึธึ–ื™ื• ืœึนึฅื ืจึธืึฝื•ึผืƒ

English:

Who, at their banquets,HaveeWho, at their banquets, / Have Emendation yields โ€œwhose interests areโ€ (mishสปehem, from shaสปah โ€œto turn to,โ€ 17.7, 8; 31.1). lyre and lute,Timbrel, flute, and wine;But who never give a thoughtTo the divine plan,And take no noteOf GODโ€™s design.

Their banquets have lyre, lute, timbrel, flute, and wine โ€” but they never regard the work of God. Radak brings the Sages' applications: the verse indicts even one who knows how to study the workings of the heavens and does not, and those who fail to praise God morning and evening with 'yotzer or' and 'hamaariv aravim' โ€” a reading Rashi cites as well.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ื ื•ืจ ื•ื ื‘ืœ. ื ื™ืžื™ืŸ ื™ืชืจื•ืช ื™ืฉ ื‘ื ื‘ืœ ืžืŸ ื”ื›ื ื•ืจ ื•ืœืžื” ื ืงืจื ืฉืžื• ื ื‘ืœ ืฉืžื ื‘ืœ ื›ืœ ืžื™ื ื™ ื›ืœื™ ื–ืžืจ ื‘ืžื“ืจืฉ ืชื”ืœื™ื: ืชื•ืฃ. ืฉืœ ืขื•ืจ ื”ื•ื: ื•ื—ืœื™ืœ. ืื‘ื•ื‘ ืฉืœ ืงื ื”, (ืฆืœืžื™ื™"ืœ ื‘ืœืข"ื–): ื•ืืช ืคื•ืขืœ ื”' ืœื ื™ื‘ื™ื˜ื•. ื•ื‘ืื•ืจื™ื™ืชื ื“ื”' ืœื ืืกืชื›ืœื•: ื•ืžืขืฉื” ื™ื“ื™ื• ืœื ืจืื•. ืขืฉื• ืขืฆืžื ื›ืื™ืœื• ืœื ืจืื• ืืช ื’ื‘ื•ืจื•ืชื™ื•, ื“"ื ืœื ืงืœืกื•ื”ื• ืฉื—ืจื™ืช ื™ื•ืฆืจ ืื•ืจ ื•ืœื ืขืจื‘ื™ืช ื”ืžืขืจื™ื‘ ืขืจื‘ื™ื:
harp and lute A lute has more strings than a harp. [Perhaps Rashi explains ื ึตื‘ึถืœ as a lyre, which may have more strings than a harp.] Now why is it called ื ึตื‘ึถืœ? Because it disgraces (ืžึฐื ึทื‘ึผึตืœ) all kinds of musical instruments. In Midrash Tehillim (81:3). tamborine That was made of skin. a flute A flute of reed, chalemel in O.F. and the work of the Lord they do not regard And in the Torah of the Lord they did not look [from Jonathan]. and the deed of His hands they have not seen They pretended that they did not see His mighty deeds. Another explanation is: They did not praise Him in the morning by reciting, "He Who forms light," nor in the evening, by reciting, "He Who brings on the evenings."

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื’ ยท Verse 13

Hebrew:

ืœึธื›ึตึ›ืŸ ื’ึผึธืœึธึฅื” ืขึทืžึผึดึ–ื™ ืžึดื‘ึผึฐืœึดื™ึพื“ึธึ‘ืขึทืช ื•ึผื›ึฐื‘ื•ึนื“ื•ึนึ™ ืžึฐืชึตึฃื™ ืจึธืขึธึ”ื‘ ื•ึทื”ึฒืžื•ึนื ึ–ื•ึน ืฆึดื—ึตึฅื” ืฆึธืžึธึฝืืƒ

English:

Assuredly,My people will suffer exileFor not giving heed,Its multitude victims of hungerAnd its masses parched with thirst.

Therefore exile comes 'for lack of knowledge' โ€” because they refused to know God's ways โ€” the honored dying of hunger and the masses parched with thirst. Radak underscores the measure for measure: those who lived for feasting meet famine, and the elaborate drinkers meet thirst.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžื‘ืœื™ ื“ืขืช. ืœืคื™ ืฉื”ื™ื” ืœื‘ื ื‘ืœื™ ื“ืขืช: ื•ื›ื‘ื•ื“ื• ืžืชื™ ืจืขื‘. ื ื›ื‘ื“ื™ื• ื™ืžื•ืชื• ื‘ืจืขื‘: ืฆื—ื” ืฆืžื. ืฆืžื ื›ื ื’ื“ ืจื•ื‘ ืžืฉืชื™ื”ื: ืฆื—ื”. ืชืจื’ื•ื ืฉืœ ืฆืžืื”:
because of lack of knowledge because their heart was without knowledge. and its esteemed ones shall die of hunger Heb. ื•ื›ื‘ื•ื“ื• ืžืชื™ ืจืขื‘ [lit. and its honor dead ones of hunger.] [Some editions add:] Payment in kind, corresponding to the satiety. shall be parched from thirst Thirst corresponds to their elaborate drinking feasts. Heb. ืฆื—ื” Aramaic for thirst.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื“ ยท Verse 14

Hebrew:

ืœึธื›ึตึ—ืŸ ื”ึดืจึฐื—ึดึคื™ื‘ึธื” ืฉืึผึฐืื•ึนืœึ™ ื ึทืคึฐืฉืึธึ”ื”ึผ ื•ึผืคึธืขึฒืจึธึฅื” ืคึดึ–ื™ื”ึธ ืœึดื‘ึฐืœึดื™ึพื—ึนึ‘ืง ื•ึฐื™ึธืจึทึจื“ ื”ึฒื“ึธืจึธึงื”ึผ ื•ึทื”ึฒืžื•ึนื ึธึ›ื”ึผ ื•ึผืฉืึฐืื•ึนื ึธึ–ื”ึผ ื•ึฐืขึธืœึตึฅื– ื‘ึผึธึฝื”ึผืƒ

English:

Assuredly,Sheol has opened wide its gulletAnd parted its jaws in a measureless gape;And down into it shall go,That splendor and tumult,That din and revelry.

Sheol itself widens its gullet and gapes without limit to swallow Jerusalem's splendor, tumult, and revelry. Rashi reads the measureless mouth of the grave as the exact counterpart of appetites that knew no measure or limit.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืœื›ืŸ ื”ืจื—ื™ื‘ื”. ืžื“ื” ื‘ืžื“ื” ื”ื ื”ืจื—ื™ื‘ื• ื ืคืฉื ืœื‘ืœื•ืข ืžืื›ืœ ื•ืžืฉืช' ืœืจื•ื‘ ื•ืคืขืจื• ืคื” ืœื‘ืœื•ืข ืืฃ ืฉืื•ืœ ืชืจื—ื™ื‘ ื ืคืฉื” ืœื‘ืœื•ืข: ื•ืคืขืจื”. ื•ืคืชื—ื”: ืœื‘ืœื™ ื—ืง. ื‘ืื™ืŸ ืกื•ืฃ ื•ืœืžื” ืœื‘ืœื™ ื—ืง ืœืคื™ ืฉืœื ื”ื™ื” ื‘ื™ื“ื ืฉืœ ืืœื• ื—ืง ื•ืงืฆื‘ื” ืœืชืคื ื•ืงื™ื”ื: ื•ื™ืจื“. ืฉื ื”ื“ืจื” ืฉืœ ื™ืจื•ืฉืœื™ื: ื•ืขืœื– ื‘ื”. ื”ืขืœื™ื–ื™ื ืฉื‘ื”:
Therefore, the nether-world has expanded Retribution corresponding to deed; they expanded themselves to swallow much food and drink, and they opened their mouth to swallow, so will the nether world expand itself to swallow. and opened Heb. ืคึผึธืขึฒืจึธื”. without measure Without end; and why [did the grave open] without measure? Because these people had no measure or limit to their enjoyments. shall descend There the splendor of Jerusalem. And those who rejoice therein Heb. ื•ืขืœื– ื‘ื”. [I.e., those who rejoiced in Jerusalem, or in all the Land of Israel, with the plenty they had there, will fall into Sheol, i.e., they will die.]

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืดื• ยท Verse 15

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึดืฉืึผึทึฅื— ืึธื“ึธึ–ื ื•ึทื™ึผึดืฉืึฐืคึผึทืœึพืึดึ‘ื™ืฉื ื•ึฐืขึตื™ื ึตึฅื™ ื’ึฐื‘ึนื”ึดึ–ื™ื ืชึผึดืฉืึฐืคึผึทึฝืœึฐื ึธื”ืƒ

English:

Yea, human is bowed,And mortal brought low;Brought low is the pride of the haughty.

Man is bowed and mortal brought low, and haughty eyes are humbled. Metzudat David notes that the eyes once raised in arrogance will be cast down like those of a person in distress; Radak observes that Scripture singles out the eyes because a person's haughtiness shows itself there.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื™ืฉื—. ื•ื™ื—ืœืฉ ืชืงื•ืฃ ื’ื‘ืจื™ืŸ ื•ืœืคื™ ืžื“ืจืฉื• ื–ื” ื”ืงื‘"ื” ืฉื”ื ื’ืจืžื• ืœื• ืœื”ืจืื•ืช ื›ืื™ืฉ ื ื“ื”ื ื•ื›ืŸ ื”ื•ื ืื•ืžืจ ืฆื•ืจ ื™ืœื“ืš ืชืฉื™ (ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ืœืดื‘:ื™ืดื—) ื•ืื•ืžืจ ื‘ืขืฆืœืชื™ื ื™ืžืš ื”ืžืงืจื” (ืงื”ืœืช ื™ืณ:ื™ืดื—):
And man shall be humbled... and the strong of men shall be weakened. [after Jonathan]. According to the Midrashic interpretation (Sotah 48a), this is the Holy One, blessed be He. They caused Him to appear as a man who is stunned. [The expression originates in Jeremiah 14:9]. And so Scripture states (Deut. 32:18): "The Rock that begot you, you have weakened (ืชึผึถืฉืึดื™)," [interpreting the word as originating from ืชึผึธืฉื, weak,] and Scripture states [further] (Ecclesiastes 10:18): "Through slothfulness, the One Who frames His upper chambers will become impoverished."

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืดื– ยท Verse 16

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึดื’ึฐื‘ึผึทึ›ื”ึผ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฅื” ืฆึฐื‘ึธืึ–ื•ึนืช ื‘ึผึทืžึผึดืฉืึฐืคึผึธึ‘ื˜ ื•ึฐื”ึธืึตืœึ™ ื”ึทืงึผึธื“ึ”ื•ึนืฉื ื ึดืงึฐื“ึผึธึ–ืฉื ื‘ึผึดืฆึฐื“ึธืงึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

And GOD of Hosts is exalted by judgment,The Holy God proved holy by retribution.

The theological pivot of the chapter: God of Hosts is exalted through judgment, and the Holy God is sanctified through righteousness. Rashi explains that when He executes judgment upon the wicked His Name is exalted in the world, and He is sanctified among the righteous who remain.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื™ื’ื‘ื” ื”' ืฆื‘ืื•ืช ื‘ืžืฉืคื˜. ื›ืฉื™ืขืฉื” ืžืฉืคื˜ื™ื ื‘ื”ื ื™ื’ื‘ื” ืฉืžื• ื‘ืขื•ืœื, ื‘ืžืฉืคื˜. ื™ื•ืฉื˜ื™ืฆ"ื ื‘ืœืข"ื–: ื•ื”ืืœ ื”ืงื“ื•ืฉ. ื™ืชืงื“ืฉ ื‘ืชื•ืš ื”ืฆื“ื™ืงื™ื ื”ื ืฉืืจื™ื ื‘ื›ื:
And the Lord of Hosts shall be exalted through judgment When He executes judgment upon them, His Name shall be exalted in the world. through judgment Jostise [justice] in O.F. and the holy God shall be hallowed among the righteous remaining of you.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื– ยท Verse 17

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืจึธืขึฅื•ึผ ื›ึฐื‘ึธืฉื‚ึดึ–ื™ื ื›ึผึฐื“ื‡ื‘ึฐืจึธึ‘ื ื•ึฐื—ื‡ืจึฐื‘ึฅื•ึนืช ืžึตื—ึดึ–ื™ื ื’ึผึธืจึดึฅื™ื ื™ึนืื›ึตึฝืœื•ึผืƒย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

fMeaning of verse uncertain. Emendation yields โ€œThe lambs shall graze / In the pasture of the fat [rams], / And the kids shall feed / On the ranges of the stout [bucks].โ€ The lambs and the kids are the poor, and the rams and bucks are the rich oppressors (cf. Ezek. 34.17โ€“22). Then lambs shall grazeAs in their meadows,And strangers shall feedOn the ruins of the stout.

After the judgment, lambs graze as in their own pasture and strangers feed among the ruins of the fat ones. Rashi identifies the lambs with the righteous and the ruins with the houses of the fat wicked; Radak sets the fulfillment in the days of Chizkiyahu, when the strong could no longer oppress the weak.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ืจืขื• ื›ื‘ืฉื™ื ื›ื“ื‘ืจื. ืฆื“ื™ืงื™ื ื”ื ืžืฉืœื™ื ื›ืขื“ืจ ื”ืจื—ืœื™ื: ื›ื“ื‘ืจื. ื›ืžื ื”ื’ื ื‘ื™ื•ืฉืจ ื•ื‘ืžื“ื” ืžื›ืœื›ืœื™ื ื“ื‘ืจื™ื”ื ื‘ืžืฉืคื˜ ื›ื›ื‘ืฉื™ื ื”ืœืœื•, ื•ืจื‘ื•ืชื™ื ื• ื“ืจืฉื• ื›ื“ื‘ืจื ื›ืžื“ื•ื‘ืจ ื‘ื ื ื—ืžื•ืช ื”ื ื“ื‘ืจื•ืช ืœื”ื: ื•ื—ืจื‘ื•ืช ืžื—ื™ื. ื‘ืชื™ ื”ืจืฉืขื™ื ืฉื”ื ืฉืžื ื™ื: ื’ืจื™ื ื™ืื›ืœื•. ื”ืฆื“ื™ืงื™ื ืฉื”ื ื›ื’ืจื™ื ื™ืื›ืœื•ื: ืžื—ื™ื. ืฉืžื ื™ื ื›ืžื• ืขื•ืœื•ืช ืžื—ื™ื ืืขืœื” (ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื ืกืดื•:ื˜ืดื•):
And lambs shall graze as their wont The righteous who are compared to a flock of ewes. as their wont Heb. ื›ื“ื‘ืจื. According to their habit, with equity and with a measure, guiding their affairs with justice, like these lambs. [Variant reading: According to their habit, with equity and of their own, for there will no longer be wicked people in the world, who will rob them.] Our Rabbis expounded ื›ึผึฐื“ึธื‘ึฐืจึธื to mean: According to all that was spoken regarding them, [i.e.,] the consolations spoken for them. and...the ruins of the fat ones the houses of the wicked, who are fat. sojourners shall eat The righteous, who are like sojourners, shall eat them. fat Heb. ืžึตื—ึดื™ื, meaning "fat," as (Psalms 66: 15): "Burnt offerings of fatlings will I offer up."

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื— ยท Verse 18

Hebrew:

ื”ึ›ื•ึนื™ ืžึนืฉืึฐื›ึตึฅื™ ื”ึถืขึธื•ึบึ–ืŸ ื‘ึผึฐื—ึทื‘ึฐืœึตึฃื™ ื”ึทืฉืึผึธึ‘ื•ึฐื ื•ึฐ๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝึทืขึฒื‘ึฅื•ึนืช ื”ึธืขึฒื’ึธืœึธึ–ื” ื—ึทื˜ึผึธืึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

Ah,Those who haul sin with cords of falsehoodAnd iniquity as with cart ropes!

The third woe: those who drag iniquity along with cords of falsehood and sin like a cart rope. Rashi and Radak both invoke the Sages' famous image โ€” the evil inclination begins as a flimsy thread, and through indulgence thickens into the heavy rope that hauls a loaded wagon.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ื•ื™ ืžื•ืฉื›ื™ ื”ืขื•ืŸ. ื’ื•ืจืจื™ื ื™ืฆืจ ื”ืจืข ืขืœื™ื”ื ืžืขื˜ ืžืขื˜ ื‘ืชื—ื™ืœ' ื‘ื—ื‘ืœื™ ื”ืฉื•ื ื›ื—ื•ื˜ ืฉืœ ืงื•ืจื™ ืขื›ื‘ื™ืฉ ื•ืžืฉื ืชื’ืจื” ื‘ื”ื ืžืชื’ื‘ืจ ื•ื”ื•ืœืš ืขื“ ืฉื ืขืฉื” ื›ืขื‘ื•ืช ื”ืขื’ืœื” ืฉืงื•ืฉืจื™ืŸ ื‘ื• ืืช ื”ืงืจื•ืŸ ืœืžืฉื•ืš: ื”ืฉื•ื. ื“ื‘ืจ ืฉืื™ืŸ ื‘ื• ืžืžืฉ: ื—ื˜ืื”. ื—ื˜ื:
Woe to those who draw the iniquity They draw the evil inclination upon themselves little by little; at first with ropes of nothingness, like the thread of a spider web. And since it provokes them, it continuously gains strength until it becomes like cart ropes, with which they tie a wagon in order to pull it. nothingness Heb. ืฉืึธื•ึฐื, a thing that has no tangibility. sin Heb. ื—ึทื˜ึผึธืึธื”, sin.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื˜ ยท Verse 19

Hebrew:

ื”ึธืึนืžึฐืจึดึ—ื™ื ื™ึฐืžึทื”ึตึงืจโ€‰ื€โ€‰ื™ึธื—ึดึ›ื™ืฉืึธื” ืžึทืขึฒืฉื‚ึตึ–ื”ื•ึผ ืœึฐืžึทึฃืขึทืŸ ื ึดืจึฐืึถึ‘ื” ื•ึฐืชึดืงึฐืจึทึฃื‘ ื•ึฐืชึธื‘ึ—ื•ึนืึธื” ืขึฒืฆึทึ›ืช ืงึฐื“ึฅื•ึนืฉื ื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตึ–ืœ ื•ึฐื ึตื“ึธึฝืขึธื”ืƒย {ืค}

English:

Who say,gWho say By way of retort to v. 12. โ€œLet [God] speed, let Godโ€™s purpose be hastened,If we are to give thought;Let the plans of the Holy One of IsraelBe quickly fulfilled,If we are to give heed.โ€

The scoffers taunt God to hurry: let Him speed His work along 'so that we may see it.' Rashi explains that they demand the threatened punishment arrive so they can see whose word stands; Radak adds that when the prophets warn them of coming evil, they answer simply that they do not believe.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื™ื—ื™ืฉื” ืžืขืฉื”ื•. ื”ืคื•ืจืขื ื•ืช ืฉื”ื•ื ืื•ืžืจ ืœื”ื‘ื™ื: ืœืžืขืŸ ื ืจืื”. ื“ื‘ืจ ืžื™ ื™ืงื•ื:
Let Him hurry; let Him hasten His deed [i.e.,] the retribution He says He will bring. so that we may see whose word will stand up.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืณ ยท Verse 20

Hebrew:

ื”ึฃื•ึนื™ ื”ึธืึนืžึฐืจึดึฅื™ื ืœึธืจึทึ›ืข ื˜ึ–ื•ึนื‘ ื•ึฐืœึทื˜ึผึฃื•ึนื‘ ืจึธึ‘ืข ืฉื‚ึธืžึดึจื™ื ื—ึนึคืฉืึถืšึฐ ืœึฐืื•ึนืจึ™ ื•ึฐืึฃื•ึนืจ ืœึฐื—ึนึ”ืฉืึถืšึฐ ืฉื‚ึธืžึดึฅื™ื ืžึทึ›ืจ ืœึฐืžึธืชึ–ื•ึนืง ื•ึผืžึธืชึฅื•ึนืง ืœึฐืžึธึฝืจืƒย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

Ah,Those who call evil goodAnd good evil;Who present darkness as lightAnd light as darkness;Who present bitter as sweetAnd sweet as bitter!

The fourth woe: calling evil good and good evil, presenting darkness as light and bitter as sweet. Radak exposes the deeper corruption โ€” once the intellect stops distinguishing good from evil, it is as broken as senses that mistake darkness for light and bitter for sweet.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื”ืื•ืžืจื™ื ืœืจืข ื˜ื•ื‘. ืžืงืœืกื™ืŸ ืœืขื›ื•"ื ื•ืจืข ื‘ืขื™ื ื™ื”ื ืœืขื‘ื•ื“ ื”ืงื‘"ื” ืฉื”ื•ื ื˜ื•ื‘: ืฉืžื™ื ื—ืฉืš ืœืื•ืจ. ื“ื‘ืจ ืฉื”ื•ื ืขืชื™ื“ ืœื”ื‘ื™ื ืขืœื™ื”ื ื—ืฉืš ืื•ืžืจื™ื ืฉื™ืื™ืจ ืœื”ื: ืฉืžื™ื ืžืจ ืœืžืชื•ืง. ืขื•ืŸ ืฉื”ื•ื ืขืชื™ื“ ืœื”ื‘ื™ื ืขืœื™ื”ื ืคื•ืจืขื ื•ืช ืžืจ ืื•ืžืจื™ื ืฉื™ืžืชื™ืง ืœื”ื: ื•ืžืชื•ืง ืœืžืจ. ืขื‘ื•ื“ืช ื”ืงื‘"ื” ื”ืžืชื•ืงื” ืื•ืžืจื™ื ืžืจื” ื”ื™ื:
Those who say of the evil that it is good They praise idolators [var. idolatry], but they consider it evil to worship the Holy One, blessed be He, Who is good. who present darkness as light A thing which is destined to bring darkness upon them, they say, will bring light to them. who present bitter as sweet Iniquity, [var. idolatry] which is destined to bring upon them bitter retribution, they say, will be sweet for them. and sweet as bitter The sweet worship of the Holy One, blessed be He, they say, is bitter.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื ยท Verse 21

Hebrew:

ื”ึ–ื•ึนื™ ื—ึฒื›ึธืžึดึฃื™ื ื‘ึผึฐืขึตื™ื ึตื™ื”ึถึ‘ื ื•ึฐื ึถึฅื’ึถื“ ืคึผึฐื ึตื™ื”ึถึ–ื ื ึฐื‘ึนื ึดึฝื™ืืƒย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

Ah,Those who are so wiseโ€”In their own opinion;So cleverโ€”In their own judgment!

The fifth woe, the briefest and perhaps sharpest: those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own estimation. Radak explains that when the prophets point them toward the good path, they answer that they are wiser than their reprovers and that their own way is the right one.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื‘ ยท Verse 22

Hebrew:

ื”ึ•ื•ึนื™ ื’ึผึดื‘ึผื•ึนืจึดึ–ื™ื ืœึดืฉืึฐืชึผึฃื•ึนืช ื™ึธึ‘ื™ึดืŸ ื•ึฐืึทื ึฐืฉืึตื™ึพื—ึทึ–ื™ึดืœ ืœึดืžึฐืกึนึฅืšึฐ ืฉืึตื›ึธึฝืจืƒ

English:

Ah,Those who are so doughtyโ€”As drinkers of wine,And so valiantโ€”As mixers of drink!

The sixth woe mocks their inverted heroism: mighty men โ€” at drinking wine; men of valor โ€” at mixing liquor. Radak notes the bitter irony that their strength never appears on the battlefield, and that wine and indulgence themselves drain the very prowess they boast of.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืœืžืกื•ืš ืฉื›ืจ. ืœืžื–ื•ื’ ืฉื›ืจ ืชื™ืงื•ืŸ ื”ืžืฉืงื” ืงืจื•ื™ ืžืกืš:
to mix strong wine Heb. ืœึดืžึฐืกึนืšึฐ. To mix (ืœึดืžึฐื–ึนื’) strong wine. Preparation [of the beverage] is called ืžึถืกึถืšึฐ.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื’ ยท Verse 23

Hebrew:

ืžึทืฆึฐื“ึผึดื™ืงึตึฅื™ ืจึธืฉืึธึ–ืข ืขึตึฃืงึถื‘ ืฉืึนึ‘ื—ึทื“ ื•ึฐืฆึดื“ึฐืงึทึฅืช ืฆึทื“ึผึดื™ืงึดึ–ื™ื ื™ึธืกึดึฅื™ืจื•ึผ ืžึดืžึผึถึฝื ึผื•ึผืƒย {ืค}

English:

Who vindicate the one who is in the wrongIn return for a bribe,And withhold vindicationFrom those who are in the right.

The woe-series closes where the chapter's social critique began: judges who acquit the guilty for a bribe and strip the righteous of their rightful vindication. Radak explains that the singular 'from him' after the plural 'righteous ones' means each and every innocent litigant is robbed of his just verdict.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ืฆื“ืงืช ืฆื“ื™ืงื™ื. ืฉื”ืŸ ืจืื•ื™ื™ืŸ ืœื–ื›ื•ืช ื‘ื‘ื™ืช ื“ื™ืŸ ื™ืกื™ืจื• ืžืžื ื• ื•ืžื—ื™ื™ื‘ื™ืŸ ืื•ืชื• ื‘ื“ื™ืŸ ื•ื’ื•ื–ืœื™ืŸ ืžืžื•ื ื•:
and the innocence of the innocent who are fit to be exonerated in court, they take away from him, and find him guilty in his suit, and rob him of his money.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื“ ยท Verse 24

Hebrew:

ืœึธื›ึตืŸึฉ ื›ึผึถืึฑื›ึนึจืœ ืงึทึœืฉื ืœึฐืฉืึฃื•ึนืŸ ืึตึ—ืฉื ื•ึทื—ึฒืฉืึทึคืฉื ืœึถื”ึธื‘ึธื”ึ™ ื™ึดืจึฐืคึผึถึ”ื” ืฉืื‡ืจึฐืฉืึธืึ™ ื›ึผึทืžึผึธึฃืง ื™ึดึฝื”ึฐื™ึถึ”ื” ื•ึผืคึดืจึฐื—ึธึ–ื ื›ึผึธืึธื‘ึธึฃืง ื™ึทืขึฒืœึถึ‘ื” ื›ึผึดึฃื™ ืžึธืึฒืกึ—ื•ึผ ืึตึšืช ืชึผื•ึนืจึทืชึ™ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฃื” ืฆึฐื‘ึธืึ”ื•ึนืช ื•ึฐืึตึ›ืช ืึดืžึฐืจึทึฅืช ืงึฐื“ึฝื•ึนืฉืึพื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตึ–ืœ ื ึดืึตึฝืฆื•ึผืƒ

English:

Assuredly,As straw is consumed by a tongue of fireAnd hay shrivels as it burns,hshrivels as it burns Emendation yields โ€œis burned by flameโ€; cf. 33.11โ€“12; 47.14. Their stock shall become like rot,And their buds shall blow away like dust.For they have rejected the instruction of GOD of Hosts,Spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel.

The sentence falls: as a tongue of fire consumes straw, their root will rot and their blossom rise like dust โ€” 'for they have rejected the Torah of God of Hosts.' Radak cites the derash that reads the straw as Esav, who gains power over Israel โ€” the fire โ€” whenever they slacken their hold on the mitzvot.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืœื›ืŸ. ื•ื”ื™ื” ื”ื“ื‘ืจ ื”ื–ื” ืœื›ื ื•ื’ื•': ื›ืื›ื•ืœ ืงืฉ ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืืฉ. ื›ืื›ื•ืœ ืืช ื”ืงืฉ ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืืฉ: ื•ื—ืฉืฉ. ืชื™ืจื’ื ื™ื•ื ืชืŸ ืขืžื™ืจื ืงืฉื™ืŸ ืฉืœ ืฉื‘ื•ืœื™ืŸ ื•ื›ื—ืฉืฉ ืืฉืจ ื”ืœื”ื‘ื” ืชืจืคื ื• ื•ืชืขืฉื ื• ืืคืจ: ื›ืžืง. ื›ื“ื‘ืจ ื”ื ื™ืžื•ืง: ื•ืคืจื—ื. ื’ื“ื•ืœืชื ื›ืื‘ืง ื”ืขื•ืœื” ืœืคื ื™ ืจื•ื— ื•ืžืกืชืœืงืช ื›ืš ืชืกืชืœืง:
Therefore this thing shall be to them... as a flame of fire consumes stubble [lit.] as consuming the stubble a flame of fire. and straw Jonathan renders: chaff, the straw of ears of grain; and like straw that the flame shrivels and turns to ashes. like rot Like something that melts. and their blossom Their greatness; just as the dust that is raised before the wind and goes away, so will it go away.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื” ยท Verse 25

Hebrew:

ืขึทืœึพื›ึผึตึกืŸ ื—ึธืจึธื”ึฉ ืึทืฃึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึจื” ื‘ึผึฐืขึทืžึผึœื•ึน ื•ึทื™ึผึตึฃื˜ ื™ึธื“ึงื•ึน ืขึธืœึธึฃื™ื• ื•ึทื™ึผึทื›ึผึตึ—ื”ื•ึผ ื•ึทึฝื™ึผึดืจึฐื’ึผึฐื–ื•ึผึ™ ื”ึถื”ึธืจึดึ”ื™ื ื•ึทืชึผึฐื”ึดึงื™ ื ึดื‘ึฐืœึธืชึธึ›ื ื›ึผึทืกึผื•ึผื—ึธึ–ื” ื‘ึผึฐืงึถึฃืจึถื‘ ื—ื•ึผืฆึ‘ื•ึนืช ื‘ึผึฐื›ื‡ืœึพื–ึนืืชึ™ ืœึนืึพืฉืึธึฃื‘ ืึทืคึผึ”ื•ึน ื•ึฐืขึ–ื•ึนื“ ื™ึธื“ึฅื•ึน ื ึฐื˜ื•ึผื™ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

That is why GODโ€™s anger was rousedAgainst this covenanted people,Why Godโ€™s arm was stretched out against itAnd struck it,So that the mountains quaked,iquaked An allusion to the destructive earthquake in the reign of King Uzziah: Amos 1.1; Zech. 14.5; cf. Isa. 9.18a. And its corpses layLike refuse in the streets.Yet Godโ€™s anger has not turned back,And the divine arm is outstretched still.

God's anger strikes: the mountains quake and corpses lie like refuse in the streets โ€” yet 'His anger has not turned back, and His hand is still outstretched,' the refrain that will toll through chapters 9-10. Rashi reads the quaking mountains as Judah's kings and princes, and explains the outstretched hand: they have not mended their deeds, so the anger has no reason to subside.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืขืœ ื›ืŸ. ืขืœ ืžืขืฉื™ื”ื ื”ืœืœื•: ื•ื™ืจื’ื–ื• ื”ื”ืจื™ื. ืžืœื›ื™ ื™ื”ื•ื“ื” ื•ืฉืจื™ื”ื: ื›ืกื•ื—ื”. ื›ืจื•ืง ื•ืงื™ื ื”ื ื™ืกื— ืžืชื•ืš ื’ื•ืคื• ืฉืœ ืื“ื ืฉื”ื•ื ืžืื•ืก ื•ื‘ืœืฉื•ืŸ ื—ื›ืžื™' ืงืจื•ื™ ืกื—ื™ ื•ื›ืŸ ืกื—ื™ ื•ืžืื•ืก (ืื™ื›ื” ื’'): ื‘ืงืจื‘ ื—ื•ืฆื•ืช. ื›ืŸ ื™ื”ื™ื• ืžืื•ืกื™ื ื‘ื™ืŸ ื”ื‘ื‘ืœื™ื: ื‘ื›ืœ ื–ืืช. ื”ื‘ืื” ืขืœื™ื”ื: ืœื ืฉื‘ ืืคื•. ืœื ื ืชืงื ื• ื‘ืžืขืฉื™ื”ื ืœื”ืฉื™ื‘ ืืคื• ืžื”ื: ื ื˜ื•ื™ื”. ืœื”ืจืข ืœื”ื:
therefore [i.e.,] because of these deeds of theirs. and the mountains have quaked [This is symbolic of] their kings and their princes. like spittle Heb. ื›ึผึทืกึผื•ึผื—ึธื”, like spittle and vomit, which is expelled (ื ึดื™ืกึธื—) from a person's body, which is repugnant. In the language of the Rabbis, it is called ืกึฐื—ึดื™ and so (Lamentations 3:45): "Loathsome and rejected." in the midst of the streets So they will be loathsome among the nations. with all this that has come upon them. His anger has not turned back They have not been rectified with their deeds to cause His anger to turn back. and His hand is still outstretched to harm them.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื• ยท Verse 26

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื ึธึฝืฉื‚ึธืึพื ึตึคืก ืœึทื’ึผื•ึนื™ึดืึ™ ืžึตืจึธื—ึ”ื•ึนืง ื•ึฐืฉืึธึฅืจึทืง ืœึ–ื•ึน ืžึดืงึฐืฆึตึฃื” ื”ึธืึธึ‘ืจึถืฅ ื•ึฐื”ึดื ึผึตึฅื” ืžึฐื”ึตืจึธึ–ื” ืงึทึฅืœ ื™ึธื‘ึฝื•ึนืืƒ

English:

[God] will raise an ensign to a nationja nation Heb. โ€œnations.โ€ afar,Whistle to one at the end of the earth.There it comes with lightning speed!

God raises a banner and whistles for a distant nation, which answers with terrifying speed. Rashi explains both signal images โ€” the flag hoisted on a pole atop a high mountain, and the whistle, each a sign for gathering โ€” as God Himself summoning the invader against Israel.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื ืฉื. ื”ืงื‘"ื” ื ืก ืœื’ื•ื™ื, ื™ืจืžื•ื– ืœื”ื ืจืžื–ื™ื ืœื”ืชืืกืฃ ื•ืœื‘ื ืขืœื™ื”ื, ื ืฉื™ืืช ื ืก ื”ื•ื ื›ืžื• ื›ืœื•ื ืก ืืจื•ืš ื•ื ื•ืชื ื™ืŸ ื‘ืจืืฉื• ื‘ื’ื“ ื•ืขื•ืœื™ืŸ ื‘ืจืืฉ ื”ืจ ื’ื‘ื•ื” ื•ืจื•ืื™ืŸ ืื•ืชื• ืžืจื—ื•ืง ื•ื”ื•ื ืกื™ืžืŸ ืœืงื™ื‘ื•ืฅ ื‘ื ื™ ืื“ื ื•ื›ืŸ ืขืœ ืขืžื™ื ืืจื™ื ื ืกื™ (ืœืงืžืŸ ืž"ื˜) ื•ื›ืŸ ื•ืฉื™ื ืื•ืชื• ืขืœ ื ืก (ื‘ืžื“ื‘ืจ ื›ื ื—), ื›ืœื•ื ืก ืคื™ืจืงื ื‘ืœืข"ื– ื•ืขืœ ืฉื ืฉื”ื•ื ืœืื•ืช ืงืจื•ื™ ื ืก: ื•ืฉืจืง. ืฉื™ื‘ืœื™ืจ ื‘ืœืข"ื– ืืฃ ื”ื•ื ืกื™ืžืŸ ืœืงื™ื‘ื•ืฅ: ืžืงืฆื” ื”ืืจืฅ. ืฉื™ื‘ืื• ืžืจื—ื•ืง ืœืฆื•ืจ ืขืœ ื™ืฉืจืืœ: ืงืœ ื™ื‘ื•ื. ื”ืื•ื™ื‘ ืขืœื™ื”ื ื›ืžื• ืฉืžืคืจืฉ ื•ื”ื•ืœืš:
And He shall raise i.e., the Holy One, blessed be He. an ensign to the nations and signal to them to gather and to come upon them. Raising an ensign (ื ึตืก) is like a long pole (ื›ึผึฐืœื•ึผื ึธืก), at the end of which they attach a cloth, [i.e., a flag,] and they climb to the top of a lofty mountain and see it from afar; and that is the sign for people to gather. Comp. (infra 49:22) "And to peoples I will raise My ensign (ื ึดืกึผึดื™)"; comp. also (Numbers 21:8), "And set it upon a pole (ื ึตืก)," meaning a pole (ื›ึผึฐืœื•ึผื ึธืก), perche in French, but since it is for a sign, it is called ื ึตืก. And He will whistle sibler in O.F. This too is a sign for gathering. from the end of the earth that they should come from afar to besiege Israel. swiftly he will come The enemy [will come] upon them [swiftly,] as Scripture proceeds to explain.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื– ยท Verse 27

Hebrew:

ืึตื™ืŸึพืขึธื™ึตึคืฃ ื•ึฐืึตื™ืŸึพื›ึผื•ึนืฉืึตืœึ™ ื‘ึผึ”ื•ึน ืœึนึฅื ื™ึธื ึ–ื•ึผื ื•ึฐืœึนึฃื ื™ึดื™ืฉืึธึ‘ืŸ ื•ึฐืœึนึคื ื ึดืคึฐืชึผึทื—ึ™ ืึตื–ึฃื•ึนืจ ื—ึฒืœึธืฆึธึ”ื™ื• ื•ึฐืœึนึฅื ื ึดืชึผึทึ–ืง ืฉื‚ึฐืจึฅื•ึนืšึฐ ื ึฐืขึธืœึธึฝื™ื•ืƒ

English:

In its ranks, none is weary or stumbles,They never sleep or slumber;The belts on their waists do not come loose,Nor do the thongs of their sandals break.

The invading army is portrayed in deliberate hyperbole: none weary, none stumbling, no one sleeping, no belt loosened, no sandal-strap snapped. Radak's comment printed on the previous verse explains all of this as poetic exaggeration (derech haflagah) of their eagerness and speed; Rashi adds the grim irony that their unwearied rush fulfills the scoffers' taunt of verse 19 โ€” 'let Him hurry, let Him hasten.'
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืื™ืŸ ืขื™ืฃ ื•ืื™ืŸ ื›ื•ืฉืœ ื‘ื•. ืœื ื™ื™ืขืฃ ื•ืœื ื™ื›ืฉืœ ื‘ืžืจื•ืฆืชื• ืœืงื™ื™ื ื™ืžื”ืจ ื™ื—ื™ืฉื” ืฉื”ื ืื•ืžืจื™ื ืœืคื ื™ื•: ื ืคืชื—. ืœืฉื•ืŸ ื ื™ืชืจ ื›ืžื• ื•ื™ืคืชื— ื”ื’ืžืœื™ื (ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ื›ื“): ื•ืœื ื ืชืง. ื•ืœื ื™ืจืื• ืฉื ืกื™' ื›ืฉืœื•ืŸ ืœื™ืจื ืžืžื ื™ ืžืœื‘ื:
None is weary or stumbles among them No one will be weary and no one will stumble in his running, to fulfill (supra v. 19), "Let Him hurry, let Him hasten," that they say before Him. open up Heb. ื ึดืคึฐืชึผึทื—, an expression of untying, as (Genesis 24:32): "And he untied (ื•ึทื™ึฐืคึทืชึผึทื—) the camels." nor will...be torn And they will not see any omen of defeat, because of which to fear to come.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื— ยท Verse 28

Hebrew:

ืึฒืฉืึถึคืจ ื—ึดืฆึผึธื™ื•ึ™ ืฉืึฐื ื•ึผื ึดึ”ื™ื ื•ึฐื›ื‡ืœึพืงึทืฉืึผึฐืชึนืชึธึ–ื™ื• ื“ึผึฐืจึปื›ึ‘ื•ึนืช ืคึผึทืจึฐืกึคื•ึนืช ืกื•ึผืกึธื™ื•ึ™ ื›ึผึทืฆึผึทึฃืจ ื ึถื—ึฐืฉืึธึ”ื‘ื•ึผ ื•ึฐื’ึทืœึฐื’ึผึดืœึผึธึ–ื™ื• ื›ึผึทืกึผื•ึผืคึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

Their arrows are sharpened,And all their bows are drawn.Their horsesโ€™ hoofs are like flint,Their chariot wheels like the whirlwind.

The armament continues the hyperbole: arrows sharpened, bows already drawn, hooves like flint, wheels like the whirlwind. Radak explains each detail โ€” bows kept drawn so no moment is lost in battle, hooves so hard they need no shoeing, and wheels racing like straw whirled before the storm-wind.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ืฆืจ. ืช"ื™ ื›ื˜ื™ื ืจื ื›ืžื• ืฆื•ืจ: ื•ื’ืœื’ืœื™ื•. ืื•ืคื ื™ ืžืจื›ื‘ื•ืชื™ื•:
like flint Jonathan renders: like a rock, similar to ืฆื•ืจ. and his wheels the wheels of his chariots.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื˜ ยท Verse 29

Hebrew:

ืฉืึฐืึธื’ึธึฅื” ืœึ–ื•ึน ื›ึผึทืœึผึธื‘ึดึ‘ื™ื (ื•ืฉืื’) [ื™ึดืฉืึฐืึทึจื’] ื›ึผึทื›ึผึฐืคึดื™ืจึดึคื™ื ื•ึฐื™ึดื ึฐื”ึนืึ™ ื•ึฐื™ึนืื—ึตึฃื– ื˜ึถึ”ืจึถืฃ ื•ึฐื™ึทืคึฐืœึดึ–ื™ื˜ ื•ึฐืึตึฅื™ืŸ ืžึทืฆึผึดึฝื™ืœืƒ

English:

Their roaring is like a lionโ€™s,They roar like the great beasts;When they growl and seize a prey,They carry it off and none can recover it.

The army roars like a lion over prey that none can rescue. Radak identifies the enemy as the king of Assyria, who indeed seized all the land of Israel and the fortified cities of Judah with none to deliver โ€” only Jerusalem escaped as the remnant.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืฉืื’ื”. ืื™ืžื” ื–ื• ืชื”ื™ื” ืขืœื™ื›ื ื›ืžื• ืœื‘ื™ื: ื•ื™ืคืœื™ื˜. ื™ืฆื™ืœื ื• ืœื˜ืจืคื• ืžื™ื“ ื›ืœ ื”ื‘ืื™ื ืœื”ืฆื™ืœื” ื™ืคืœื™ื˜ ืื™ืฉืงืžื•ืฆื™ื™ืจ ื‘ืœืข"ื–:
He has a roar like a lion His fear will be upon you like a lion. and he will retrieve He will save it from all those who try to save it. ื™ึทืคึฐืœึดื™ื˜ is esmoucer in O.F. [to seize].

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืณ ยท Verse 30

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐื™ึดื ึฐื”ึนึฅื ืขึธืœึธึ›ื™ื• ื‘ึผึทื™ึผึฅื•ึนื ื”ึทื”ึ–ื•ึผื ื›ึผึฐื ึทื”ึฒืžึทืชึพื™ึธึ‘ื ื•ึฐื ึดื‘ึผึทึคื˜ ืœึธืึธึ™ืจึถืฅึ™ ื•ึฐื”ึดื ึผึตื”ึพื—ึนึ”ืฉืึถืšึฐ ืฆึทึฃืจ ื•ึธืึ”ื•ึนืจ ื—ึธืฉืึทึ–ืšึฐ ื‘ึผึทืขึฒืจึดื™ืคึถึฝื™ื”ึธืƒย {ืค}

English:

But in that day, a roaring shall resound over My peoplekMy people Lit. โ€œit.โ€ like that of the sea;la roaring shall resound โ€ฆ of the sea I.e., GOD will intervene and come to Israelโ€™s aid. Cf. 29.6โ€“7; 30.27. This verse may constitute a transition between chaps. 8 and 9. and then they shall look below and, behold,Distressing darkness, with light;Darkness, in its lowering clouds.min its lowering clouds Meaning of Heb. uncertain.

The chapter closes in darkness: a roar like the roaring of the sea, and when Israel looks to the land there is only distressing darkness, the light blackened in the clouds. Rashi explains that Israel will look hopefully to earthly allies โ€” like those who 'go down to Egypt for help' โ€” and find no support: the distressed and the would-be helper darken together.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ื™ื ื”ื•ื. ืื•ืชื• ื”ืื•ื™ื‘ ืขืœ ืขื ื”' ื”ื ื–ื›ืจ ืœืžืขืœื”: ื›ื ื”ืžืช ื™ื. ืืฉืจ ื™ื”ืžื• ื’ืœื™ื• ื›ืŸ ื™ื‘ื•ื ื‘ื—ื™ื™ืœื•ืช ื”ื•ืžื•ืช: ื•ื ื‘ื˜ ืœืืจืฅ. ืœืฉื•ืŸ ื”ื‘ื˜ื” ื™ื‘ื™ื˜ื• ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื•ื™ืฆืคื• ืฉื™ืขื–ืจื•ื ืžืœื›ื™ ืืจืฅ ืฉื”ื ืกื•ืžื›ื™ืŸ ืขืœื™ื”ื ื›ืขื ื™ืŸ ืฉื ืืžืจ ื”ื™ื•ืจื“ื™ื ืžืฆืจื™ื ืœืขื–ืจื” (ืœืงืžืŸ ืœื): ื•ื”ื ื” ื—ื•ืฉืš. ืฉืœื ื™ื”ื ืขื•ื–ืจ ืœื”ื, ื•ื ื‘ื˜ ืœืฉื•ืŸ ื ืคืขืœ ื›ืžื• ืœื ื ืคืชื— ื•ืœื ื ืชืง ื•ื”ื•ื™"ื• ื’ื•ืจืžืช ืœื• ืœื”ืกื‘ ื”ื“ื™ื‘ื•ืจ ืœื”ื‘ื ืื™ื™ืจ"ื˜ ืื™ืกื’ืจื“"ื™ ื‘ืœืข"ื–: ืฆืจ ื•ืื•ืจ ื—ืฉืš. ื›ืžื• ื•ื›ืฉืœ ืขื•ื–ืจ ื•ื ืคืœ ืขื–ื•ืจ (ืฉื) ืžื™ ืฉืฆืจ ืœื• ืฉื‘ืืช ืขืœื™ื• ื”ืฆืจื” ื•ื–ื” ืฉื‘ื ืœื”ืื™ืจ ืœื• ืฉื ื™ื”ื ื—ืฉื›ื• ื•ื™ืฉ ืคื•ืชืจื™ืŸ ืฆืจ ื”ื™ื ื”ืœื‘ื ื” ืฉื ืชืžืขื˜ื” ื•ืื•ืจ ื”ื™ื ื”ื—ืžื”: ื‘ืขืจื™ืคื™ื”. ื‘ื‘ื ืžืืคืœื™ื” ืฉืœื” ืœืฉื•ืŸ ื™ืขืจืฃ ื›ืžื˜ืจ (ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ืœื‘) ื•ื›ืŸ ื“ืจืš ื‘ืขืจื•ืฃ ืžื˜ืจ ื”ืื•ืจ ืžืืคื™ืœ:
And he will growl That enemy [will growl] at the people of the Lord, mentioned above. like the growling of the sea whose waves roar, so will he come with roaring armies. and he will look to the land Heb. ื•ึฐื ึดื‘ึผึทื˜, an expression of looking. Israel will look and hope that the kings of the land, upon whom they rely, will assist them, like the matter that is stated (infra 31:1): "Those who go down to Egypt for aid." and behold darkness for they will have no support. ื•ึฐื ึดื‘ึผึทื˜ is in the passive voice (ื ึดืคึฐืขึทืœ) like ื•ึฐืœึนื ื ึดืคึฐืชึผึทื—, will not open up, ื•ึฐืœึนื ื ึดืชึผึทืง, will not be torn, and the 'vav' causes the tense to be reversed to the future. Ediert esvuardeyd in O.F. the distressed one and the light shall darken Comp. (infra 31:3) "And the helper shall stumble and the one who is helped shall fall." He who is distressed, upon whom the trouble has come, as well as he who comes to bring light to him, both of them will darken. Some interpret ืฆึทืจ as the moon, whose light was diminished, ืฆึทืจ [meaning narrow,] and ืื•ึนืจ as the sun, [meaning light]. in its eclipse Heb. ื‘ึผึทืขึฒืจึดื™ืคึถื™ื”ึธ. When its darkening comes. An expression similar to (Deut. 32:2): "Shall drip (ื™ึทืขึฒืจึนืฃ) like rain," for so is the nature that when rain falls, the light darkens.

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