But GOD will pardon Jacob, and will again choose Israel, and will settle them on their own soil. And strangers shall join them and shall cleave to the House of Jacob.
Rashi’s Commentary
- For the Lord shall have mercy on Jacob to keep for them the promise of their redemption from Babylonia.
- and again choose Israel in the future, He shall redeem them with a complete redemption.
- and join And they shall be added on. Comp. (I Sam. 2:36) “Take me now into... (סָפְחֵנִי)” and also (ibid. 27:19) “From cleaving to the Lord’s heritage (מֵהִסְתַּפֵּחַ).”
כִּי יְרַחֵם יְהֹוָה אֶת־יַעֲקֹב וּבָחַר עוֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וְהִנִּיחָם עַל־אַדְמָתָם וְנִלְוָה הַגֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם וְנִסְפְּחוּ עַל־בֵּית יַעֲקֹב׃
רש"י
- כִּי יְרַחֵם ה׳ אֶת יַעֲקֹב. לִשְׁמוֹר לָהֶם הַבְטָחַת גְּאֻלָּתָם מִיַּד בָּבֶל:
- וּבָחַר עוֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. לֶעָתִיד יִגְאָלֵם גְּאֻלָּה שְׁלֵימָה:
- וְנִסְפְּחוּ. וְנוֹסְפוּ, וְכֵן ״סְפָחֵנִי נָא״ (שמואל א ב:לו), וְכֵן ״מֵהִסְתַּפֵּחַ בְּנַחֲלַת ה׳״ (שמואל א כו:יט):
For peoples shall take them and bring them to their homeland; and the House of Israel shall possess them as slaves and handmaids on GOD’s soil. They shall be captors of their captors and masters to their taskmasters.
Rashi’s Commentary
- shall inherit they shall inherit from them, and similarly, “and you shall hold onto them as an inheritance” (Lev. 25:46).
- and rule Heb. וְרָדוּ, an expression of ruling and dominating, as (Lev. 25: 46): “You shall not rule over him (תִרְדֶה).”
וּלְקָחוּם עַמִּים וֶהֱבִיאוּם אֶל־מְקוֹמָם וְהִתְנַחֲלוּם בֵּית־יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל אַדְמַת יְהֹוָה לַעֲבָדִים וְלִשְׁפָחוֹת וְהָיוּ שֹׁבִים לְשֹׁבֵיהֶם וְרָדוּ בְּנֹגְשֵׂיהֶם׃ {ס}
רש"י
- וְהִתְנַחֲלוּם. יִהְיוּ נִנְחָלִים מֵהֶם, וְכֵן ״וְהִתְנַחַלְתֶּם אֹתָם״ (ויקרא כה:מו):
- וְרָדוּ. לְשׁוֹן רִדּוּי וּנְגִישָׁה, כְּמוֹ ״לֹא תִרְדֶּה בוֹ״ (ויקרא כה:מו):
And when GOD has given you rest from your sorrow and trouble, and from the hard service that you were made to serve,
Rashi’s Commentary
- on the day the Lord allows you to rest Scripture is addressing Israel.
- from your sorrow and from your shuddering which the king of Babylon saddened you and caused you to shudder, and when you see his downfall, you will be eased, since you will go out free.
וְהָיָה בְּיוֹם הָנִיחַ יְהֹוָה לְךָ מֵעׇצְבְּךָ וּמִרׇגְזֶךָ וּמִן־הָעֲבֹדָה הַקָּשָׁה אֲשֶׁר עֻבַּד־בָּךְ׃
רש"י
- בְּיוֹם הָנִיחַ ה׳ לְךָ. לְיִשְׂרָאֵל הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר:
- מֵעָצְבְּךָ וּמֵרָגְזֶךָ שֶׁעִצְּבְךָ וְהִרְגִּיזְךָ מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל, וּבִרְאוֹתְךָ מַפַּלְתּוֹ יָנִיחַ לְךָ, כִּי תֵצֵא חָפְשִׁי:
you shall recite this song of scorn over the king of Babylon:
How is the taskmaster vanished,
How is oppression ended!
Rashi’s Commentary
- the haughty one Heb. מַדְהֵבָה. An expression of an excess of haughtiness and a heavy burden. Our Rabbis, however, expound it as: Those who say, ‘Measure and bring.’
Sheol below was astir
To greet your coming—
Rousing for you the shades
Of all earth’s chieftains,
Raising from their thrones
All the kings of nations.
Rashi’s Commentary
- toward your arrival When you descend to Gehinnom, and what is the quaking? To arouse toward you...
- giants Heb. רְפָאִים, the giants lying there.
- all the chiefs of the earth [lit. the he-goats.] All the kings of the nations, the princes, and the princesses, are compared by Scripture, to bulls, to cows, and to he-goats. Comp. (Psalms 22:13) “Bulls surrounded me.” Also (Amos 4:1): “The cows of the Bashan that were on Mt. Shomron,” and here he compares them to he-goats.
- he caused to rise he threw
- from their thrones [i.e.,] the messenger of Gehinnom caused all the kings of the nations [to rise] from their thrones. [according to mss. and Shem Ephraim]
שְׁאוֹל מִתַּחַת רָגְזָה לְךָ לִקְרַאת בּוֹאֶךָ עוֹרֵר לְךָ רְפָאִים כׇּל־עַתּוּדֵי אָרֶץ הֵקִים מִכִּסְאוֹתָם כֹּל מַלְכֵי גוֹיִם׃
רש"י
- לִקְרַאת בּוֹאֶךָ. כְּשֶׁתֵּרֵד לְגֵיהִנֹּם, וּמַה הִיא הָ׳רָגְזָה׳? לְעוֹרֵר לִקְרָאתְךָ:
- רְפָאִים. עֲנָקִים הַשּׁוֹכְבִים שָׁם:
- כָּל עַתּוּדֵי אָרֶץ. כָּל מַלְכֵי הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמָזָלוֹת, הַשָּׂרִים וְהַשָּׂרוֹת, הַכָּתוּב מוֹשְׁלָם לְפָרִים וְלִפְרוֹת וְלַעֲתוּדִים, כְּמוֹ (תהלים כב:יג) ״כִּי סְבָבוּנִי פָרִים״, וּכְמוֹ (עמוס ד:א) ״פָּרוֹת הַבָּשָׁן אֲשֶׁר בְּשׁוֹמְרוֹן״, וְכָאן מוֹשְׁלָם לַעֲתוּדִים:
- הֵקִים. הִשְׁלִיךְ:
- מִכִּסְאוֹתָם. שֶׁבַּגֵּיהִנֹּם כָּל מַלְכֵי גוֹיִם:
Your pomp is brought down to Sheol,
And the strains of your lutes!
Worms are to be your bed,
Maggots your blanket!”
Rashi’s Commentary
- the stirring of your psalteries The psalteries and harps that used to play before you. It is also possible to interpret, הֶמְיַת נְבָלֶיךָ as, the stirring of the wanton ones, who commit wanton acts, of your armies, and it seems to me that in the great Masorah, this was combined with (Amos 5:21) “The song of your psalteries,” in the aleph-beth of two meanings.
הוּרַד שְׁאוֹל גְּאוֹנֶךָ הֶמְיַת נְבָלֶיךָ תַּחְתֶּיךָ יֻצַּע רִמָּה וּמְכַסֶּיךָ תּוֹלֵעָה׃
רש"י
- הֶמְיַת נְבָלֶיךָ. נְבָלִים וְכִנּוֹרוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ מְזַמְּרִים לְפָנֶיךָ. וְיֵשׁ לִפְתּוֹר הֶמְיַת נְבָלֶיךָ – הֶמְיַת בְּנֵי נָבָל, עוֹשֵׂי נְבָלָה שֶׁבַּחֲיָלוֹתֶיךָ. וּמְדֻמֶּה אֲנִי שֶׁבַּמְּסוֹרָה הַגְּדוֹלָה חִבֵּר אֶת זֶה וְאֶת ״זִמְרַת נְבָלִים״ (עמוס ה:כג) בְּאָלֶף בֵּית שֶׁל שְׁתֵּי לְשׁוֹנוֹת:
How are you fallen from heaven,
O Shining One, son of Dawn!
How are you felled to earth,
O vanquisher of nations!
Rashi’s Commentary
- Lucifer, the morning star This is Venus, which gives light as the morning star, הֵילֵל being derived from יהל, to shed light. This is the lamentation over the heavenly prince of Babylon, who will fall from heaven.
- You have been cut down to earth You, Nebuchadnezzar, who would cast lots on nations. You would cast lots on them, on the kings, who of them would serve you on such and such a day, and who on such and such a day. Our Rabbis, however, expounded this to mean that he would cast lots on the kings for purposes of pederasty.
אֵיךְ נָפַלְתָּ מִשָּׁמַיִם הֵילֵל בֶּן־שָׁחַר נִגְדַּעְתָּ לָאָרֶץ חוֹלֵשׁ עַל־גּוֹיִם׃
רש"י
- הֵילֵל בֶּן שָׁחַר. כּוֹכַב הַנֹּגַהּ הַמֵּאִיר אוֹר כְּכוֹכַב הַבֹּקֶר. זוֹ הַקִּינָה עַל שָׂרָהּ שֶׁל בָּבֶל נֶאֱמָרָה, שֶׁיִּפּוֹל מִשָּׁמַיִם:
- נִגְדַּעְתָּ לָאָרֶץ. אַתָּה, נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר, שֶׁהָיִיתָ חוֹלֵשׁ עַל גּוֹיִם מֵטִיל גּוֹרָל עֲלֵיהֶם, עַל הַמְּלָכִים, מִי מֵהֶם יְשָׁרֶתְךָ בְּיוֹם פְּלוֹנִי וּמִי בְּיוֹם פְּלוֹנִי. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דְּרָשׁוּהוּ (שבת קמט:-קנ.) שֶׁהָיָה מֵטִיל גּוֹרָל עַל הַמְּלָכִים וְכוּ׳:
Once you thought in your heart,
“I will climb to the sky;
Higher than the stars of God
I will set my throne.
I will sit in the mount of assembly,
On the summit of Zaphon:
Rashi’s Commentary
- above the stars of God Israel.
- on the mount of the assembly The mount where all assemble, i.e., Mount Zion.
- in the farthest end of the north In the forecourt, the chosen place, the north side, as the matter is stated (Lev. 1:11): “On the side of the altar to the north.”
וְאַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ בִלְבָבְךָ הַשָּׁמַיִם אֶעֱלֶה מִמַּעַל לְכוֹכְבֵי־אֵל אָרִים כִּסְאִי וְאֵשֵׁב בְּהַר־מוֹעֵד בְּיַרְכְּתֵי צָפוֹן׃
רש"י
- מִמַּעַל לְכוֹכְבֵי אֵל. יִשְׂרָאֵל:
- בְּהַר מוֹעֵד. הַר שֶׁהַכֹּל מִתְוַעֲדִים שָׁם, הוּא הַר צִיּוֹן:
- בְּיַרְכְּתֵי צָפוֹן. בַּעֲזָרָה, מָקוֹם שֶׁנִּבְחַר בּוֹ יֶרֶךְ הַצְּפוֹנִי; כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא א:יא) ״עַל יֶרֶךְ הַמִּזְבֵּחַ צָפֹנָה״:
Who made the world like a waste
And wrecked its towns,
Who never released his prisoners to their homes?”
Rashi’s Commentary
- he did not open the house Heb. בָּיְתָה. He did not open their house of imprisonment to release them all the days of their lives, to allow them to go to their home. Every word that requires a ‘lammed’ at the beginning Scripture placed a ‘heh’ to it at the end.
While you were left lying unburied,
Like loathsome carrion,
Like a trampled corpse
[In] the clothing of slain gashed by the sword
Who sink to the very stones of the Pit.
Rashi’s Commentary
- like a despised sapling Like a sapling of a tree, which is despised by its owner, who digs it up and uproots it and takes it out. So were you cast out of your grave. The Sages stated (Lev. Rabbah 18:2): When he became an animal and a wild beast for seven years, the populace crowned Evil-Merodach, and when he was restored to his kingdom, he took him and imprisoned him in the dungeon until the day of his death. When he died, they took Evil-Merodach out of prison to crown him king, but he did not accept it upon himself. He said, If he returns to his kingdom, he will kill me. They said to him, He is dead and buried. But he did not believe them until they took him out of his grave and dragged him.
- [in] the garb of the slain With filthy apparel, like that of the slain.
- of those pierced by the sword Heb. מְטֹעֲנֵי, pierced by spears (sic). “Pierced” in Arabic is ‘mut’an.’
- who descend to the stones of the pit to the depths of the pit, the place where stones sink there, you have descended.
- like a trampled corpse Heb. מוּבָס. Jonathan renders: trampled, like (Ps. 44:6), “We will trample (נָבוּס) those who rise up against us”; (infra verse 25) “And on my mountains I will trample him (אֲבוּסֶנוּ)”; (Ezekiel 16: 6) “Trampled (מִתְבּוֹסֶסֶת) in your blood,” trampled like the mud of the streets.
וְאַתָּה הׇשְׁלַכְתָּ מִקִּבְרְךָ כְּנֵצֶר נִתְעָב לְבֻשׁ הֲרֻגִים מְטֹעֲנֵי חָרֶב יוֹרְדֵי אֶל־אַבְנֵי־בוֹר כְּפֶגֶר מוּבָס׃
רש"י
- כְּנֵצֶר נִתְעָב. כְּיוֹנֵק אִילָן הַנִּתְעָב בְּעֵינֵי בְּעָלָיו, שֶׁחוֹפֵר וּמְשָׁרֵשׁ וּמוֹצִיאוֹ, כָּךְ הָשְׁלַכְתָּ מִקִּבְרְךָ. אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים (ויקרא רבה יח:): כְּשֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים, הִמְלִיכוּ עַם הָאָרֶץ אֶת אֱוִיל מְרוֹדַךְ; וּכְשֶׁחָזַר לְמַלְכוּתוֹ, נְטָלוֹ וַחֲבָשׁוֹ בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִין עַד יוֹם מוֹתוֹ. וּכְשֶׁמֵּת, הוֹצִיאוּ אֱוִיל מְרוֹדַךְ מִבֵּית הַסֹּהַר לְהַמְלִיכוֹ, וְלֹא קִבֵּל עָלָיו; אָמַר: אִם יָשׁוּב לְמַלְכוּתוֹ יַהַרְגֵנִי. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: מֵת וְנִקְבַּר; וְלֹא הֶאֱמִין, עַד שֶׁהוֹצִיאוּהוּ מִקִּבְרוֹ:
- לְבוּשׁ הֲרֻגִים מְטֹעֲנֵי חָרֶב. בִּלְבוּשׁ מְלֻכְלָךְ כְּמוֹ לְבוּשׁ הֲרֻגִים.
- מְטֹעֲנֵי חָרֶב. מְדֻקְּרֵי רְמָחִים, ׳מְדֻקָּר׳ בִּלְשׁוֹן עֲרָבִי: מֻטְעָן:
- יוֹרְדֵי אֶל אַבְנֵי בוֹר. אֶל עִמְקֵי בוֹר, מָקוֹם שֶׁהָאֲבָנִים צוֹלְלִים שָׁם, יָרַדְתָּ:
- כְּפֶגֶר מוּבָס. תִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן: ״מְדַשְׁדַּשׁ״, כְּמוֹ ״נָבוּס קָמֵינוּ״ (תהלים מד:ו), ״וְעַל הָרַי אֲבוּסֶנּוּ״ (ישעיהו כה:י), ״מִתְבּוֹסֶסֶת בְּדָמָיִךְ״ (יחזקאל טז:ו), הַנָּדוּשׁ כְּטִיט חוּצוֹת:
You shall not have a burial like them;
Because you destroyed your country,
Murdered your people.
Let the breed of evildoers
Nevermore be named!
Rashi’s Commentary
- You shall not join them in burial You shall not be equal to other kings, to rest in your grave.
- for you have destroyed your land with excessive labor, and you have slain your people groundlessly, as it is related in Daniel (2:12): “And he said to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.” Therefore, they hated you and treated you with contempt to throw you out of your grave.
- the seed of evil doers shall not be named forever Even your children shall suffer for your iniquities, and they shall not endure long after you, for their enemies will unite against them and destroy them, and they shall say to each other.
לֹא־תֵחַד אִתָּם בִּקְבוּרָה כִּי־אַרְצְךָ שִׁחַתָּ עַמְּךָ הָרָגְתָּ לֹא־יִקָּרֵא לְעוֹלָם זֶרַע מְרֵעִים׃
רש"י
- לֹא תֵחַד אִתָּם בִּקְבוּרָה. לֹא תִשְׁוֶה לִשְׁאָר מְלָכִים לָנוּחַ בְּקִבְרְךָ:
- כִּי אַרְצְךָ שִׁחַתָּ בְּרֹב עֲבוֹדָה, וְעַמְּךָ הָרַגְתָּ חִנָּם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפוֹרָשׁ בְּדָנִיֵּאל: ״וְאָמַר לְהוֹבָדָא לְכָל חַכִּימֵי בָבֶל״ (דניאל ב:יב), לְכָךְ שְׂנָאוּךָ וְנָהֲגוּ בְּךָ בִּזָּיוֹן לְהַשְׁלִיכְךָ מִקִּבְרְךָ:
- לֹא יִקָּרֵא לְעוֹלָם זֶרַע מְרֵעִים וְאַף בָּנֶיךָ יִלְקוּ בַּעֲווֹנֶיךָ, וְלֹא יִתְקַיְּמוּ אַחֲרֶיךָ יָמִים רַבִּים, כִּי יִתְחַבְּרוּ עֲלֵיהֶם שׂוֹנְאֶיךָ וְיַשְׁחִיתוּם, וְיֹאמְרוּ זֶה לָזֶה:
Prepare a slaughtering block for his sons
Because of the guilt of their father.
Let them not arise to possess the earth!
Then the world’s face shall be covered with towns.
Rashi’s Commentary
- Prepare a slaughter for his sons lest they rise and inherit the land, and the land will be filled with enemies and oppressors. So did Jonathan render עַָרִים, enemies. Comp. (I Sam. 28:16) “And has become your adversary (עָרֶךְ).” It can also be interpreted: And fill the surface of the earth with cities. In contrast with what he said before (verse 17): “Who made the land like a desert and demolished his cities,” he says further: His seed shall perish, and the inhabitants of the cities shall return to their place, and the surface of the earth shall be filled with cities.
הָכִינוּ לְבָנָיו מַטְבֵּחַ בַּעֲוֺן אֲבוֹתָם בַּל־יָקֻמוּ וְיָרְשׁוּ אָרֶץ וּמָלְאוּ פְנֵי־תֵבֵל עָרִים׃
רש"י
- הָכִינוּ לְבָנָיו מַטְבֵּחַ. לְבַל יָקוּמוּ וְיִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ, וְתִתְמַלֵּא הָאָרֶץ שׂוֹנְאִים וּמְצִיקִים. וְכֵן תִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן: ״בַּעֲלֵי דְבָבִין״, כְּמוֹ ״וַיְהִי עָרֶךָ״ (שמואל א כח:טז). וְעוֹד יֵשׁ לִפְתּוֹר וּמָלְאוּ פְנֵי תֵבֵל עָרִים כְּלַפֵּי שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ לְמַעְלָה ״שָׂם תֵּבֵל כַּמִּדְבָּר וְעָרָיו הָרָס״ (ישעיהו יד:יז), חָזַר וְאָמַר: וְיִכְלֶה זַרְעוֹ וְיַחְזְרוּ יוֹשְׁבֵי הֶעָרִים לִמְקוֹמָן וּמָלְאוּ פְנֵי תֵבֵל עֲיָרוֹת:
I will rise up against them—declares GOD of Hosts—and will wipe out from Babylon name and remnant, kith and kin—declares GOD—
Rashi’s Commentary
- and a remnant Heb. שְׁאָר, a remnant.
- and a son Heb. וְנִין, a son ruling in the kingdom of his father.
- and a grandson The son of the son. The son is Belshazzar, and the grandson [or granddaughter in this case] was Vashti.
and I will make it a home of bitterns, pools of water. I will sweep it with a broom of extermination—declares GOD of Hosts.
Rashi’s Commentary
- hedgehog Heb. קִפֹּד [hricon or hericon in O.F.] [In Modern French it is spelled herisson.]
- and I will sweep Heb. וְטִאטֵאתִיהָ, an expression of sweeping [eskober in O.F.], as our Rabbis stated: The Rabbis did not know the meaning of וְטִאטֵאתִיהָ בְּמַטְאֲטֵא הַשְׁמֵד, until they heard [Rabbi’s (R. Judah Hanasi’s) maidservant say to her friend, “Take a broom (מַטְאֲטֵא) and sweep (וְטַאְטְאִי) the house.”]
וְשַׂמְתִּיהָ לְמוֹרַשׁ קִפֹּד וְאַגְמֵי־מָיִם וְטֵאטֵאתִיהָ בְּמַטְאֲטֵא הַשְׁמֵד נְאֻם יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת׃ {ס}
רש"י
- קִפֹּד. הריצו״ן בלע״ז:
- וְטֵאטֵאתִיהָ. לְשׁוֹן ׳כִּבּוּד׳, אשקובי״ר בלע״ז, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (מגילה יח א): ״לֹא הֲוֵי יָדְעִי רַבָּנָן מַאי וְטֵאטֵאתִיהָ עַד דְּשַׁמְעוּהָ כּוּ׳״:
To break Assyria in My land,
To crush him on My mountain.”
And his yoke shall drop off them,
And his burden shall drop from their backs.
Rashi’s Commentary
- To break Assyria in My land And with this you shall know that what I planned about you will remain as well.
- “To break...” is connected to “As I thought, so it was.”
- will I trample him Heb. אֲבוּסֶנוּ, which I said to tread upon him and trample him.
לִשְׁבֹּר אַשּׁוּר בְּאַרְצִי וְעַל־הָרַי אֲבוּסֶנּוּ וְסָר מֵעֲלֵיהֶם עֻלּוֹ וְסֻבֳּלוֹ מֵעַל שִׁכְמוֹ יָסוּר׃
רש"י
- לִשְׁבֹּר אַשּׁוּר בְּאַרְצִי. וּבְזֹאת תֵּדַע, כִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר יָעַצְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ גַּם הִיא תָּקוּם:
- לִשְׁבֹּר אַשּׁוּר וְגוֹ׳. מוּסָב עַל כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּמִּיתִי כֵּן הָיְתָה:
- אֲבוּסֶנּוּ. אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְתִּי לְרוֹמְסוֹ וּלְבוֹסְסוֹ:
Rejoice not, all Philistia,
Because the staff of him that beat you is broken.
For from the stock of a snake there sprouts an asp,
A flying seraph branches out from it.
Rashi’s Commentary
- Rejoice not, Philistia, all of you for you have lifted your head during the days of Ahaz, who was wicked, whose wickedness brought about that he was delivered into your hands, as the matter is stated in II Chron. 28:18: “And the Philistines raided the cities of the lowlands...”
- that the rod that smote you has been broken that the kingdom of the House of David, which was wont to smite you, has been weakened and humbled, as we find concerning David, and so, concerning Uzziah, king of Judah, who smote you, as the matter is stated (II Chron. 26:6): “And he went out and fought against the Philistines and breached the wall of Gath.”
- for, from the root of a snake From the root of that snake, shall emanate a venomous serpent, which is more formidable than a snake. Now who was this? This was Hezekiah, concerning whom it is stated (II Kings 18:8): “He slew the Philistines up to Gaza and its boundaries, from watchtower to fortified city.”
- and his offspring is a fiery flying serpent Jonathan renders: And his deeds against you will be like flying snakes.
אַל־תִּשְׂמְחִי פְלֶשֶׁת כֻּלֵּךְ כִּי נִשְׁבַּר שֵׁבֶט מַכֵּךְ כִּי־מִשֹּׁרֶשׁ נָחָשׁ יֵצֵא צֶפַע וּפִרְיוֹ שָׂרָף מְעוֹפֵף׃
רש"י
- אַל תִּשְׂמְחִי פְלֶשֶׁת כֻּלֵּךְ. שֶׁהֲרִימוֹת רֹאשׁ בִּימֵי אָחָז, שֶׁהָיָה רָשָׁע שֶׁגָּרַם לוֹ רִשְׁעוֹ שֶׁנִּמְסַר בְּיֶדְכֶם, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים ב כח:יח) ״וּפְלִשְׁתִּים פָּשְׁטוּ בְּעָרֵי הַשְּׁפֵלָה וְגוֹ׳״:
- כִּי נִשְׁבַּר שֵׁבֶט מַכֵּךְ. כִּי נֶחְלְשָׁה וְנִשְׁפְּלָה מַלְכוּת בֵּית דָּוִד, שֶׁהָיוּ לְמוּדִים לְהַכּוֹת בָּכֶם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בְּדָוִד; וְכֵן עֻזִּיָּהוּ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה שֶׁהִכָּה אֶתְכֶם, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים ב כו:ו): ״וַיֵּצֵא וַיִּלָּחֶם בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיִּפְרֹץ אֶת חוֹמַת גַּת״:
- כִּי מִשֹּׁרֶשׁ נָחָשׁ. מִשּׁוֹרֶשׁ אוֹתוֹ נָחָשׁ יֵצֵא צֶפַע, שֶׁהוּא קָשֶׁה מִנָּחָשׁ. וּמִי הָיָה זֶה? חִזְקִיָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ (מלכים ב יח:ח): ״הוּא הִכָּה אֶת הַפְּלִשְׁתִּים וְאֶת עַזָּה וְאֶת גְּבוּלֶיהָ מִמִּגְדַּל נוֹצְרִים עַד עִיר מִבְצָר״:
- וּפִרְיוֹ שָׂרָף מְעוֹפֵף. תִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן: ״וִיהוֹן עוֹבְדוֹהִי בְּכוֹן כְּחִיוֵי״:
The first-born of the poor shall graze
And the destitute lie down secure.
I will kill your stock by famine,
And it shall slay the very last of you.
Rashi’s Commentary
- And the first born of the poor shall graze In his days, the princes of Israel, who are now poor because of you, shall graze. “Firstborn,” is an expression of princes. Comp. (Ps. 89:28) “Also, I will appoint him My firstborn.”
וְרָעוּ בְּכוֹרֵי דַלִּים וְאֶבְיוֹנִים לָבֶטַח יִרְבָּצוּ וְהֵמַתִּי בָרָעָב שׇׁרְשֵׁךְ וּשְׁאֵרִיתֵךְ יַהֲרֹג׃
רש"י
- וְרָעוּ בְּכוֹרֵי דַלִּים. וְרָעוּ בִּימֵי שָׂרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁהֵן עַכְשָׁיו דַּלִּים מִפְּנֵיכֶם. בְּכוֹרֵי לְשׁוֹן ׳שָׂרִים׳, כְּמוֹ (תהלים פט:כח) ״גַּם אֲנִי בְּכוֹר אֶתְּנֵהוּ״:
Howl, O gate; cry out, O city;
Quake, all Philistia!
For a stout one is coming from the north
And there is no straggler in his ranks.
Rashi’s Commentary
- for from the North smoke has come Retribution harsh as smoke shall come upon them from the north. Gaza and its boundaries, which Hezekiah smote, were in the south of Eretz Israel in the southwestern corner. Eretz Israel is found to be north of it. And so we find in Sifrei in Ha’azinu 322: They attempted to flee through the south, and they turned them over, as it is stated (Amos 1:6): “For three transgressions of Gaza... [because of their exiling a complete exile to deliver to Edom.]” Hence, we learn that Gaza is on the south.
- and there is no straggler in his ranks Jonathan renders: And there is no straggler among his appointed ones, i.e., in his ranks whom he appointed to come upon them, and no one delays his steps to be secluded and to come in seclusion alone, but all of them shall come as one, with strength.
הֵילִילִי שַׁעַר זַעֲקִי־עִיר נָמוֹג פְּלֶשֶׁת כֻּלֵּךְ כִּי מִצָּפוֹן עָשָׁן בָּא וְאֵין בּוֹדֵד בְּמוֹעָדָיו׃
רש"י
- כִּי מִצָּפוֹן עָשָׁן בָּא. פֻּרְעָנוּת קָשָׁה כְּעָשָׁן תָּבֹא עֲלֵיהֶם מִצָּפוֹן. עַזָּה וּגְבוּלֶיהָ, שֶׁהִכָּה חִזְקִיָּה, הָיוּ בִּדְרוֹמָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִקְצוֹעַ דְּרוֹמִית מַעֲרָבִית, נִמְצֵאת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל לָהּ מִצָּפוֹן. וְכֵן מָצִינוּ בְּסִפְרֵי בְּהַאֲזִינוּ (ספרי דברים שכב): בִּקְשׁוּ לִבְרוֹחַ כְּלַפֵּי דָּרוֹם, הָיוּ מַסְגִּירִין אוֹתָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (עמוס א:ו) ״עַל שְׁלֹשָׁה פִּשְׁעֵי עַזָּה״; לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁעַזָּה בַּדָּרוֹם:
- וְאֵין בּוֹדֵד בְּמוֹעָדָיו. תִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן: ״וְלֵית דְּמְאַחֵר בְּזִמְנוֹהִי״, בַּגְּדוּדִים שֶׁיִּעֵד לָבֹא עֲלֵיכֶם, וְאֵין מְאַחֵר פְּעָמָיו לִהְיוֹת בּוֹדֵד וּבָא בָּדָד לְבַדּוֹ, אֶלָּא כֻּלָּם כְּאֶחָד יָבוֹאוּ בְּחָזְקָה:
And what will he answer the messengers of any nation?
That Zion has been established by GOD:
In it, the needy of this covenanted people shall find shelter.
Rashi’s Commentary
- And what shall the messengers of a nation announce What shall the messengers of Israel, who go to bring news, announce in the days of Hezekiah? This is what they shall announce: The Lord has founded in Zion; He has set up therein a fitting and powerful king; the Lord is with him.
- and therein shall the poor of His people shelter themselves Even from the ten tribes they would come there, as is related in II Chron. (30:6), “Hezekiah sent messengers throughout the border of Israel, to return to the Holy One, blessed be He.
וּמַה־יַּעֲנֶה מַלְאֲכֵי־גוֹי כִּי יְהֹוָה יִסַּד צִיּוֹן וּבָהּ יֶחֱסוּ עֲנִיֵּי עַמּוֹ׃ {פ}
רש"י
- וּמַה יַּעֲנֶה מַלְאֲכֵי גוֹי. וּמַה יַגִּידוּ בִּימֵי חִזְקִיָּהוּ מַלְאֲכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַהוֹלְכִים לְבַשֵּׂר בְּשׂוֹרוֹת? כֵּן יַגִּידוּ: ה׳ יִסַּד בְּצִיּוֹן, הֵקִים בָּהּ מֶלֶךְ הָגוּן וְחָזָק, וַה׳ עִמּוֹ:
- וּבָהּ יֶחֱסוּ עֲנִיֵּי עַמּוֹ. אַף מֵעֲשֶׂרֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים בָּאִים שָׁם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפוֹרָשׁ (דברי הימים ב ל:א-ו) שֶׁשָּׁלַח חִזְקִיָּהוּ מַלְאָכִים בְּכָל גְּבוּל יִשְׂרָאֵל לָשׁוּב לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: