In that day,
One shall recite a poem about you,
And utter a bitter lament,
And shall say:
“My people’s portion changes hands;
How it slips away from me!
Our field is allotted to a rebel.
We are utterly ravaged.”
Rashi’s Commentary
- and he shall lament, “A lamentation has come about…” Heb. וְנָהָה נְהִי נִהְיָה. וְנָהָה is a future tense, like וְעָשָה, and he shall make, and וּפָנָה, and he shall turn. The lamenting one shall lament and say, “A lamentation has come about in the world. Now what is the lamentation that has come about?...” They have robbed us! Heb. שָׁדוֹד נְשַׁדֻּנוּ. Our enemies have robbed us, The prophet uses the expression נְשַׁדֻּנוּ, in which there is a “nun” in the beginning, and does not use שַׁדוּנוּ, because נְשַׁדֻּנוּ serves in two voices, the passive voice and the active voice. Had the prophet written נְשַדֹנוּ, in the passive voice, the expression would refer to the robbed and not to the robbers. Had he written שַדוּנוּ, in the active voice, the expression would refer to the robbers and not to the robbed. This way, it refers to both: we were given into the hand of those who robbed us. In Old French, there is the expression somes degatert nous, we were ravaged. Another explanation: נְשַׁדֻּנוּ means we brought upon ourselves that they robbed us.
- He changes the portion of my people—The inheritance of the portion of my people has been exchanged to the enemy.
- How will He turn to me to return our fields, which he divides—How will He turn again to me, to return our fields to us, which this enemy divides for himself? How is it possible to return them to me anymore? All these are the words of the lamenting one who takes up the parable. How will He turn to me—Kome se destornera amois? As in (Jud. 4:18) “Turn to me.... And he turned to her.”
בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִשָּׂא עֲלֵיכֶם מָשָׁל וְנָהָה נְהִי נִהְיָה אָמַר שָׁדוֹד נְשַׁדֻּנוּ חֵלֶק עַמִּי יָמִיר אֵיךְ יָמִישׁ לִי לְשׁוֹבֵב שָׂדֵינוּ יְחַלֵּק׃
רש"י
- וְנָהָה נְהִי נִהְיָה. וְנָהָה לְשׁוֹן עָתִיד, כְּמוֹ וְעָשָׂה וּפָנָה. וְנָהָה הַמְּקוֹנֵן וְאָמַר נְהִי נִהְיָה בָּעוֹלָם וּמַהוּ הַנְּהִי אֲשֶׁר נִהְיָה אָמַר שָׁדוֹד נְשַׁדֻּנוּ אוֹיְבֵינוּ שְׁדָדוּנוּ. וְלָשׁוֹן נְשַׁדֻּנוּ שֶׁכָּתַב בּוֹ נוּ״ן בִּתְחִלָּה וְלֹא כָתַב שַׁדּוּנוּ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁבָּא לְשַׁמֵּשׁ שְׁנֵי לְשׁוֹנוֹת, לְשׁוֹן נִפְעַלְנוּ וְלָשׁוֹן פְּעַלְנוּ. אִלּוּ כָּתַב נִשְׁדַּנוּ הָיָה הַלָּשׁוֹן מוּסָב עַל הַנִּשְׁדָּדִים וְלֹא אֶל הַשּׁוֹדְדִים, וְאִם כָּתַב שַׁדּוּנוּ הָיָה מוּסָב אֶל הַשּׁוֹדְדִים וְלֹא לַנִּשְׁדָּדִים, עַכְשָׁיו מוּסָב לִשְׁנֵיהֶם נְתָנָנוּ בְּיַד אֲשֶׁר שַׁדּוּנוּ וּבְלַעַ״ז שומי״ר דימשטיור״א נשו״ט. דָּבָר אַחֵר נְשַׁדֻּנוּ אֲנַחְנוּ גָּרַמְנוּ לְעַצְמֵנוּ שֶׁשְּׁדָדוּנוּ:
- חֵלֶק עַמִּי יָמִיר. נַחֲלַת חֵלֶק עַמִּי נֶחְלַף לְעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת:
- אֵיךְ יָמִישׁ לִי לְשׁוֹבֵב שָׂדֵינוּ יְחַלֵּק. אֵיךְ יָסוּר אֵלַי עוֹד לְהָשִׁיב לָנוּ שְׂדוֹתֵינוּ אֲשֶׁר יְחַלֵּק אוֹתָם הָעוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת הַזֶּה לוֹ, אֵיךְ אֶפְשָׁר לְשׁוֹבְבָם עוֹד לִי. כָּל אֵלֶּה דִּבְרֵי הַמְּקוֹנֵן וְנוֹשֵׂא הַמָּשָׁל. אֵיךְ יָמִישׁ לִי קומ״א שדיטורנר״א אמו״י כְּמוֹ סוּרָה אֵלַי וַיָּסַר אֵלָיו:
“Stop preaching!” they preach.
“That’s no way to preach;
Shame shall not overtake [us].
Rashi’s Commentary
- “Preach not, those who preach”—Do not prophesy to reprove them. To you, the prophets who constantly preach, I say this.
- they shall not take shame—Lest disgraces from them overtake them, as the matter is stated (Prov. 9:8): “Reprove not a scorner.” Every instance of טִיף is an expression of prophecy, as in (Amos 7:16) “And do not prophesy (תַטִיף) concerning the house of Isaac” and (Ezek. 21:2) “And prophesy (וְהַטֵף) to the south.”
אַל־תַּטִּפוּ יַטִּיפוּן לֹא־יַטִּפוּ לָאֵלֶּה לֹא יִסַּג כְּלִמּוֹת׃
רש"י
- אַל תַּטִּפוּ יַטִּיפוּן. אַל תִּנָּבְאוּ לְהוֹכִיחָם לָכֶם הַנְּבִיאִים אֲנִי אוֹמֵר אֲשֶׁר תַּטִּיפוּ תָּמִיד:
- לֹא יִסַּג כְּלִמּוֹת. פֶּן יַשִּׂיגוּן אֶתְכֶם כְּלִימוֹת מֵאִתָּם כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ט:ח) ״אַל תּוֹכַח לֵץ״, כָּל טִיף לְשׁוֹן ׳נְבוּאָה׳ כְּמוֹ (עמוס ז:טז) ״וְלֹא תַטִּיף עַל בֵּית יִשְׂחָק״, (יחזקאל כא:ב) ״וְהַטֵּף אֶל דָּרוֹם״:
Is the House of Jacob condemned?
Is GOD’s patience short?
Has such been the practice?”
To be sure, My words are friendly
To those who walk in rectitude;
Rashi’s Commentary
- Is that what is said by the house of Jacob?—Do (the people of) the house of Jacob say this when they hear the evil that my prophets prophesy for them?
- Has the Lord’s patience grown short?—Is He now unable to do good, or does He not (now) have the patience that He had in the early days to do good?
- Are these His deeds?—I.e., to do evil?
- Do not My words benefit the one who goes straight?—I am not impatient, neither are these My deeds, except to the wicked; but with the one who goes straight, I do good.
הֶאָמוּר בֵּית־יַעֲקֹב הֲקָצַר רוּחַ יְהֹוָה אִם־אֵלֶּה מַעֲלָלָיו הֲלוֹא דְבָרַי יֵיטִיבוּ עִם הַיָּשָׁר הֹלֵךְ׃
רש"י
- הֶאָמוּר בֵּית יַעֲקֹב. הֲזֹאת יֹאמְרוּ בֵּית יַעֲקֹב כְּשֶׁשּׁוֹמְעִים אֶת הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר נְבִיאַי מִתְנַבְּאִים לָהֶם:
- הֲקָצַר רוּחַ ה׳. שֶׁמָּא אֵין יְכֹלֶת עַתָּה לְפָנָיו לְהֵיטִיב וְאֵין רוּחוֹ רְחָבָה עָלָיו לְטוֹב כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיְתָה בַּיָּמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים:
- אִם אֵלֶּה מַעֲלָלָיו. כְּלוֹמַר לְהָרַע:
- הֲלֹא דְבָרַי יֵיטִיבוּ עִם הַיָּשָׁר הוֹלֵךְ. אֲנִי לֹא קָצְרָה רוּחִי וְלֹא אֵלֶּה מַעֲלָלַי זוּלָתִי לָרְשָׁעִים אַךְ אֶת הַיָּשָׁר הוֹלֵךְ הֵיטֵב אֵיטִיב לוֹ:
But an enemy arises against My people.
You strip the mantle with the cloak
Off such as pass unsuspecting,
Who are turned away from war.
Rashi’s Commentary
- And the matter for which My people causes [Me] to rise as an enemy—Heb. וְאֶתְמוּל. The verse is connected to the one preceding it. I am good and do good, but the matter for which and because of which My people make me rise as an enemy to them...
- because of the garment, and the mantle that you strip—Because you rob the garment, and you strip the glorious raiment from all those who pass you by on the road.
- from those who pass by confidently, who return from war—Instead of passing by confidently, as they expected to, they became like men returning from war without clothing or food, for their enemies took everything they had. who return Heb. שׁוּבִי, as in (Jer. 2:21) “A degenerate (סוּרֵי) wild vine” and (Zeph. 3:18) “Those taken away (נוּגֵי) from the appointed season.”
וְאֶתְמוּל עַמִּי לְאוֹיֵב יְקוֹמֵם מִמּוּל שַׂלְמָה אֶדֶר תַּפְשִׁטוּן מֵעֹבְרִים בֶּטַח שׁוּבֵי מִלְחָמָה׃
רש"י
- וְאֶתְמוּל עַמִּי לְאוֹיֵב יְקוֹמֵם. הַמִּקְרָא מְחֻבָּר לְשֶׁל מַעְלָה הֵימֶנּוּ אֲנִי טוֹב וּמֵטִיב אֲנִי וְאֶת הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר לְמוּלוֹ וּבַעֲבוּרוֹ עַמִּי אוֹתוֹ יְקוֹמֵם לְאוֹיֵב לוֹ:
- מִמּוּל שַׂלְמָה אֶדֶר תַּפְשִׁיטוּן. כְּנֶגֶד אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם גּוֹזְלִים הַשַּׂלְמָה וּלְבוּשׁ תִּפְאֶרֶת וּמַפְשִׁיטִים מֵעַל כָּל הָעוֹבְרִים עֲלֵיכֶם בַּדֶּרֶךְ:
- מֵעוֹבְרִים בֶּטַח שׁוּבֵי מִלְחָמָה. מִמַּה שֶׁהָיוּ סְבוּרִין לִהְיוֹת עוֹבְרִין בֶּטַח, הֵם נֶהֶפְכוּ לִהְיוֹת שׁוּבֵי מִלְחָמָה כִּבְנֵי אָדָם הַשָּׁבִים מִן הַמִּלְחָמָה חַסְרֵי מִבְּגָדִים וּמָזוֹן שֶׁלָּקְחוּ אוֹיְבֵיהֶם מַה שֶּׁעֲלֵיהֶם, שׁוּבֵי כְּמוֹ (ירמיהו ב:כא) ״סוּרֵי הַגֶּפֶן נָכְרִיָּה״ (צפניה ג) ״נוּגֵי מִמּוֹעֵד״:
You drive the women of My people away
From their pleasant homes;
You deprive their infants
Of My glory forever.
Rashi’s Commentary
- The wives of My people you drive away from the house of her delights—For you slay their husbands, and they sit as widows. Alternatively: since you take their husband’s money, and they (the husbands) sit and grieve and do not bring joy to their wives.
נְשֵׁי עַמִּי תְּגָרְשׁוּן מִבֵּית תַּעֲנֻגֶיהָ מֵעַל עֹלָלֶיהָ תִּקְחוּ הֲדָרִי לְעוֹלָם׃
רש"י
- נְשֵׁי עַמִּי תְּגָרְשׁוּן מִבֵּית תַּעֲנֻגֶיהָ. שֶׁאַתֶּם הוֹרְגִים אֶת בַּעֲלֵיהֶן וְהֵן יוֹשְׁבוֹת אַלְמָנוֹת, אוֹ לְפִי שֶׁאַתֶּם נוֹטְלִין אֶת מָמוֹן בַּעֲלֵיהֶם וְהֵם יוֹשְׁבִים וּמְצִירִים וְאֵין מְשַׂמְּחִין אֶת נְשׁוֹתֵיהֶן:
- תִּקְחוּ הֲדָרִי. הֲדַר הוֹד וְעֹשֶׁר שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לָהֶם:
Up and depart!
This is no resting place
Because of [your] defilement.
Terrible destruction shall befall.
Rashi’s Commentary
- Arise and go, for this is not the tranquility—Arise and go into exile from the land, for it was not in this manner that I gave it to you for tranquility.
- in order to contaminate it, it forms bands, and the band is clarified—In order to contaminate it [the land], it [the people] forms a band of groups of wicked men. it forms bands Heb. תְּחַבֵּל. This is an expression of companies, as in (I Sam. 10:5) “a band (חֶבֶל) of prophets”; (Ps. 119:61) “Bands of (חֶבְלֵי) wicked men.” And so did Jonathan render: And they band together upon it, an expression of a band.
- and the band is clarified Heb. וְחֶבֶל נִמְרָץ. And at the time of their banding together, they already took counsel among themselves and explained for what purpose they were banding together.
- clarified Heb. נִמְרָץ. A thing explained clearly, as in (Job 6: 25) “How clear (נִמְרְצוּ) are right words”; (ibid. 16:3) “What clarifies (יַמְרִיצְךָ) to you”; (I Kings 2:8) “A clear (נִמְרֶצֶת) curse.”
קוּמוּ וּלְכוּ כִּי לֹא־זֹאת הַמְּנוּחָה בַּעֲבוּר טָמְאָה תְּחַבֵּל וְחֶבֶל נִמְרָץ׃
רש"י
- קוּמוּ וּלְכוּ כִּי לֹא זֹאת הַמְּנוּחָה. קוּמוּ וּגְלוּ מִן הָאָרֶץ כִּי לֹא כְּדֶרֶךְ זוֹ נְתַתִּיהָ לָכֶם לִמְנוּחָה:
- בַּעֲבוּר טָמְאָה תְּחַבֵּל וְחֶבֶל נִמְרָץ. כִּי לְמַעַן טַמֵּא אוֹתָהּ הִיא עוֹשָׂה חֲבוּרַת חֶבְלֵי רְשָׁעִים, תְּחַבֵּל לְשׁוֹן ׳אֲגֻדּוֹת׳ כְּמוֹ (שמואל א י:ה) ״חֶבֶל נְבִיאִים״ (תהלים קיט:סא) ״חֶבְלֵי רְשָׁעִים״ וְכֵן תִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן: ״מִסְתַּיְּעִין עֲלָהּ״, לְשׁוֹן ׳סִיעָה׳:
- וְחֶבֶל נִמְרָץ. וּבְעֵת אֲגֻדָּתָם כְּבָר נוֹעֲצוּ בֵּינֵיהֶם וּפֵרְשׁוּ לָמָּה הֵם מִתְחַבְּרִים:
- נִמְרָץ. דָּבָר מְפֹרָשׁ בָּאֵר הֵיטֵב כְּמוֹ (איוב ו:כה) ״מַה נִּמְרְצוּ אִמְרֵי״ ״מַה יַּמְרִיצְךָ״ (שם טז) ״קְלָלָה נִמְרֶצֶת״ (מלכים א ב):
If someone were to go about uttering
Windy, baseless falsehoods:
“I’ll preach to you in favor of wine and liquor”—
That would be a preacher [acceptable] to this people.
Rashi’s Commentary
- If a man walking in wind—If they (the people) would find a man walking in wind, a false man prophesying to them that they become drunk with wine and strong drink, he would be an acceptable prophet to this people.
I will assemble Jacob, all of you;
I will bring together the remnant of Israel;
I will make them all like sheep of Bozrah,
Like a flock inside its pen—
They will be noisy with people.
Rashi’s Commentary
- I will surely assemble—Days will yet come when I will assemble you.
- as sheep in a fold—Like many sheep placed in the fortresses of the sheep folds.
- within its stall Heb. הַדָּבְרוֹ. Jonathan renders: And as a flock within a stall, the place where they are led; and likewise (Isa. 5:17): “And lambs shall graze as their wont (כְּדָבְרָם).”
- shall stir with people—The cities shall be noisy because of the large number of people in their midst.
אָסֹף אֶאֱסֹף יַעֲקֹב כֻּלָּךְ קַבֵּץ אֲקַבֵּץ שְׁאֵרִית יִשְׂרָאֵל יַחַד אֲשִׂימֶנּוּ כְּצֹאן בׇּצְרָה כְּעֵדֶר בְּתוֹךְ הַדׇּבְרוֹ תְּהִימֶנָה מֵאָדָם׃
רש"י
- אָסֹף אֶאֱסֹף. עוֹד יָמִים בָּאִים וַאֲקַבֵּץ אֶתְכֶם:
- כְּצֹאן בָּצְרָה. כְּצֹאן רַבָּה הַנְּתוּנָה בְּמִבְצְרֵי גִּדְרוֹת צֹאן:
- בְּתוֹךְ הַדָּבְרוֹ. תִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן: ״כְּעֶדְרָא בְּגוֹ דִּירָא״, מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא מִתְנַהֵג שָׁם וְכֵן (ישעיה ה) ״וְרָעוּ כְבָשִׂים כְּדָבְרָם״:
- תְּהִימֶנָה מֵאָדָם. תִּהְיֶינָה הֶעָרִים הוֹמִיּוֹת מֵרֹב אָדָם אֲשֶׁר בְּקִרְבָּהּ: