Verse structure: 4 words, 18 letters. The shortest word is "to·me" (אֵלַ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "word·of·Hashem" (דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה, 7 letters). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "word·of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "saying" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "and·it·was" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel). Full calculation: וַיְהִ֥י [and·it·was] (31) + דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה [word·of·Hashem] (232) + אֵלַ֥י [to·me] (41) + לֵאמֹֽר [saying] (271) = 575.
Radak
And the word of the Lord came:
Malbim
And the word of the Lord came to me: After he prophesied that Nebuchadnezzar stood at the head of the two ways, and the Lord had concluded the judgment that the lot would fall upon Jerusalem and not upon Rabbath of the children of Ammon, is this not astonishing? Are the children of Ammon righteous in comparison to Israel? Therefore, the Lord informed him of the sins of Jerusalem, which were the cause of His wrath being aroused against them. And He also explained to him at the end of the prophecy that there were no righteous people among them who could intercede on their behalf, for they were all like dross.
’Now, you, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? then cause her to know all her abominations.
verse value 4723
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 48 letters. The shortest word is "and·you" (וְאַתָּ֣ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "all·her·abominations" (כׇּל־תּוֹעֲבוֹתֶֽיהָ, 10 letters). Words sharing gematria 794: you·will·judge, you·will·judge. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "city" (אֶת־עִ֣יר), "then·cause·her·to·know" (וְה֣וֹדַעְתָּ֔הּ), "all·her·abominations" (כׇּל־תּוֹעֲבוֹתֶֽיהָ). The root שפט appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "son·of·man" (root בין, 145x in Ezekiel); "all·her·abominations" (root כל, 129x in Ezekiel); "then·cause·her·to·know" (root ידע, 99x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root עור ("city") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'blood', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words.
Rashi
"And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: 'Will you judge the city of blood? Jerusalem.'"
"And you shall inform her." The heh is a mappiq heh: "and you shall inform her" — her, [i.e., the city].
Radak
"And you, son of man, will you judge, will you judge?" The repetition serves to strengthen the matter, similar to [the verse] "I will strike, I will strike," says [the Lord]. If you are to judge her, behold her deeds.
“the city of blood.” Even though it was a city of idolatry and other abominations, the great sin is the shedding of innocent blood. And so it is stated regarding Manasseh: after mentioning all his abominations, it also states that Manasseh shed innocent blood.
And you shall inform. You shall inform her of all her abominations, and on the basis of these you shall judge her. And the judgment is by means of words with which you shall inform her that she is liable, according to her deeds, to all the evil that comes upon her, and even more so. And Targum Jonathan renders it: “He shall contend with her, the city that shed innocent blood.”
Metzudat David
"Will You judge?" The interrogative form with the letter heh means: Do you wish to contend with the men of the city of blood, which sheds the blood of innocent people?
"And you shall inform her." Then inform them, through argumentation, of all her abominations:
Metzudat Zion
"Will He judge?" – The matter is a dispute:
Malbim
“Will you judge? If you wish to judge them, why were they liable to destruction (and therefore it is called a city of blood, whether for the blood shed within it through murder, or for the blood of the slain killed by the enemy)? If you wish to judge and know the cause of its punishment, and to inform it of all its abominations, to show that the judgment came according to the law.”
And you shall say: Thus says the Lord Hashem: O city that shed blood in the midst of you, that your time may come, and that make idols to thyself to defile you;
verse value 4175
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 59 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "thus" (כֹּ֤ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "idols" (גִלּוּלִ֛ים, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "pouring" (שֹׁפֶ֥כֶת), "and·will·do" (וְעָשְׂתָ֧ה). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "and·you·shall·say" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "on" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'her·time', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 4 words.
Rashi
"A city that sheds blood within it, to come now." This is a verse whose words are reversed, and this is its explanation: "A city that sheds blood within it," says the Lord God, "to come now."
"And she made idols." This is analogous to the verse: "And as for the idols that she made..."
Radak
"And you shall say." A city that sheds blood. A city whose inhabitants shed blood. And so is the manner of speech to mention the city in place of its inhabitants, since the city encompasses them all, as in: "A city that goes forth with a thousand," "A city full of tumult," "A joyful city," and similar expressions.
“Within her.” He said “within her” for two reasons: one, that the shedding of blood in the sight of all is a greater evil than the shedding of blood on the roads and in secret places; and the second, that he said “within her,” meaning that her interior was filled with blood due to the excessive shedding of blood, as it is stated regarding Manasseh: “until Jerusalem was filled with blood from end to end.”
To come now. The shedding of blood caused it to come now, the time of its destruction.
“And she made idols for herself to defile herself.” The phrase “for herself” is used because the idols were [located] on the mountains and on the hills. And the Targum [renders] “for herself” as “within her.”
"To defile them." The impurities from which a person is warned are arranged in degrees: there is impurity through contact, and there is a more severe impurity than that, namely, engaging in forbidden sexual relations; and there is yet another impurity more severe than that, which is the worship of idols, for this is the impurity of the soul. Regarding these latter two [impurities], the Land of Canaan vomited out the nation that was in it. Therefore, they are mentioned in this passage. Therefore, concerning the matter of idolatry, it says "to defile them." Similarly, in the Torah it states the opposite: "You shall be holy," and immediately after it says, "Do not turn to idols, and do not make molten gods for yourselves," because the worship of idols is the impurity of the soul. Therefore, it says "to defile them," and it says, "And in your idols which you have made, you have defiled yourselves," for this is the great impurity.
Metzudat David
"A city that sheds blood." This means: this is the city which, because its inhabitants shed blood within it, has now caused the time of its recompense to arrive.
"And she did." Moreover, she performed upon herself detestable and abhorrent acts, like a lump of excrement, in order to defile this city and remove it from before Him.
Metzudat Zion
"Now." The word denotes time and season:
Malbim
A city that has shed blood — for the essence of the decree governing its fate came about through the blood that was shed within it, whereby its time of destruction has now arrived; and besides this, it made idols and other abominations to defile itself, as will be explained.
you are become guilty in your blood that you have shed, and are defiled in your idols which you have made; and you have caused your days to draw near, and are come even to your years; therefore have I made you a reproach to the nations, and a mocking to all the countries!
verse value 8444
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 90 letters. The shortest word is "in·your·blood" (בְּדָמֵ֨ךְ, 4 letters) and the longest is "to·all·the·lands" (לְכׇל־הָאֲרָצֽוֹת, 9 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "that·you·shed" (אֲשֶׁר־שָׁפַ֜כְתְּ), "you·offended" (אָשַׁ֗מְתְּ), "and·in·your·idols" (וּבְגִלּוּלַ֤יִךְ). The root אשר appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that·you·shed" (root אשר, 341x in Ezekiel); "therefore" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "I·gave·you" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'even·to·your·years', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 6 words.
Rashi
"Until your years." A decree, like "and you have grown old" (Deuteronomy 4), in the gematria of which Moses said:
And "Qalsah." That is, "mockery," for all things are spoken of you in the language of the Franks, in the vernacular.
Radak
“Concerning your blood” – and you have brought your days near. Through your evils you have brought near the days of your exile and your destruction.
“And it shall come to pass in your years.” These are the years of exile and destruction. This is a repetition of the same idea using different words. He said “ve-tavo,” which is the masculine form occurring here, whereas the language of the passage is the feminine form, as we have written many times: for when speaking regarding the congregation, sometimes he speaks in the masculine form and sometimes in the feminine form, for they are intended to refer to the people (am), which is a masculine term, and to the congregation (edah), which is a feminine term.
"Therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations": The nations reproach and disgrace you because you have abandoned the Torah of your God, whereas they have not abandoned the Torah of their gods.
"Therefore I have given you." This is a reproach and a taunt to them, meaning, in their mouths. The sense of "I have given you" is that they all rule over you, and they do not fear you, so that they reproach and slander you. This is the opposite of the honor that was yours and the fear of you, had you done My will, as it is written, "And all the peoples of the earth shall see that the name of the Lord is called upon you, and they shall fear you." Therefore, when you transgressed My will, many nations ruled over you. And now, it is a reproach and a taunt to them. And the meaning of "taunt" is mockery, as in "and they will mock you," and similarly: "he mocks kings, and rulers are a joke to him."
Metzudat David
"You have become guilty." She became guilty:
“Defiled the city”:
“And you shall bring your days.” You yourself have brought the days of retribution and repayment.
"And she came, etc." The matter is doubled in what is stated:
Therefore. Because of your sin, I have delivered you into the hands of the nations, that they may revile you and mock you.
Metzudat Zion
Asham. From the words "asham" (guilt) and "rasha" (wicked).
And "to mock." The matter of mocking is like that of reproach and of mocking (Jeremiah 20).
Malbim
“Concerning your blood that you shed, you became guilty,” meaning that the guilt and the punishment were primarily due to the shedding of blood; “and concerning your idols that you made, you became defiled,” for although atonement may be made for the guilt after one has accepted the punishment, even thereafter you remain defiled by the multitude of idols. Therefore, “through your blood that you shed, your days will be brought to an end”—the time of your destruction will come swiftly; and “through your idols that you made, you will be brought to your years”—after the day of your downfall and exile arrives, different years will begin for you, in which there is no day whose curse is not more severe than the preceding one, for you will find no rest even among the nations. And it explains: “Therefore I have made you a reproach among the nations”—from Jerusalem they went to the nearby nations, where they became a reproach, and from the nations they were scattered to distant lands, where they became an object of scorn. And it explains: “The near and the far among you will mock you.” And it explains: “The distant ones will mock you” because you are infamous, as your name has gone forth to distant places proclaiming that you are defiled; and “the near ones will mock you” because you are full of tumult, for they will see with their own eyes the tumults that are within you.
Those that are near, and those that are far from you, shall mock you, you defiled of name and full of tumult.
verse value 3664
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 40 letters. The shortest word is "from·you" (מִמֵּ֖ךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "they·mock·in·you" (יִתְקַלְּסוּ־בָ֑ךְ, 8 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "near" (הַקְּרֹב֛וֹת), "and·the·far" (וְהָרְחֹק֥וֹת), "they·mock·in·you" (יִתְקַלְּסוּ־בָ֑ךְ). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "name" (root שם, 67x in Ezekiel); "greatly·of" (root רב, 52x in Ezekiel); "from·you" (root מן, 47x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·mock·in·you', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: הַקְּרֹב֛וֹת [near] (713) + וְהָרְחֹק֥וֹת [and·the·far] (725) + מִמֵּ֖ךְ [from·you] (100) + יִתְקַלְּסוּ־בָ֑ךְ [they·mock·in·you] (628) + טְמֵאַ֣ת [unclean·of] (450) + הַשֵּׁ֔ם [name] (345) + רַבַּ֖ת [greatly·of] (602) + הַמְּהוּמָֽה [tumult] (101) = 3664.
Rashi
They shall be mocked because of you. And what is this mockery? Defamation of name — that you defamed your own name, for you were called a holy people, children of your Creator, and you caused yourselves to be called a people of unclean lips (Isaiah 6:5).
Radak
“Those who are near” – she is defiled in her name. For you have there [among the nations] a defilement in your name, for besides being defiled in your body, you are defiled in your name.
“Much is the tumult.” This means that your tumults are many: famine, sword, and pestilence.
Metzudat David
They will scoff at you. They will mock you:
"Defiling the Name." You, Israel, have defiled Your Name by performing such deeds, and You are the one who causes much tumult, heard in the cry and wailing of those who are oppressed by You.
Metzudat Zion
Ravah. The word is from the root of "increase" (rabuy).
The tumult. The matter of the shaking of a voice:
Behold, the princes of Israel, every one according to his might, have been in you to shed blood.
verse value 2273
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 35 letters. The shortest word is "in·you" (בָ֑ךְ, 2 letters) and the longest is "chieftains·of" (נְשִׂיאֵ֣י, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "to·his·arm" (לִזְרֹע֖וֹ). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "were" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel); "Israel" (root ישראל, 154x in Ezekiel); "man" (root איש, 84x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·you', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 2 words. Full calculation: הִנֵּה֙ [they] (60) + נְשִׂיאֵ֣י [chieftains·of] (371) + יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל [Israel] (541) + אִ֥ישׁ [man] (311) + לִזְרֹע֖וֹ [to·his·arm] (313) + הָ֣יוּ [were] (21) + בָ֑ךְ [in·you] (22) + לְמַ֖עַן [in·order·to] (190) + שְׁפׇךְ־דָּֽם [to·shed·blood] (444) = 2273.
Rashi
"A man for his arm." Whoever is strong prevails.
Radak
Behold, the princes of Israel: the kings and the ministers.
"A man to his arm" were among you. That is to say, each man and every man, according to his strength, was there to do evil and to shed blood. This is what is meant by "to his arm," according to his arm and his might, due to his wealth or his relatives. And similarly: "The man of might—his is the land."
Metzudat David
“Each man according to his arm.” The princes were in you, each in accordance with the strength of his arm, and without any act of righteousness.
"To the end that He shed blood. With a mighty arm:"
Malbim
Behold, the people will rectify their deeds by heeding their leaders, namely either the princes who were established over them due to their merit and because they were chosen by them, or the fathers whom they heed by nature. Yet they will not receive instruction from their princes, for the princes themselves shed blood with a mighty hand, unjustly; nor will they receive instruction from their parents, for they have made light of father and mother within you. Just as the fear and honor due to the great ones have been removed, so too, in the opposite manner, they have oppressed the weak: the stranger, the orphan, and the widow.
In you have they made light of father and mother; in the midst of you have they dealt by oppression with the stranger; in you have they wronged the fatherless and the widow.
verse value 2419
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 42 letters. The shortest word is "father" (אָ֤ב, 2 letters) and the longest is "widow" (וְאַלְמָנָ֖ה, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 22: in·you, in·you. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "father" (אָ֤ב), "and·mother" (וָאֵם֙), "they·dishonored" (הֵקַ֣לּוּ). The root בך appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "they·did" (root עשה, 214x in Ezekiel); "in·your·midst" (root תוך, 111x in Ezekiel); "in·you" (root בך, 26x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·your·midst', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 4 words. Full calculation: אָ֤ב [father] (3) + וָאֵם֙ [and·mother] (47) + הֵקַ֣לּוּ [they·dishonored] (141) + בָ֔ךְ [in·you] (22) + לַגֵּ֛ר [sojourner] (233) + עָשׂ֥וּ [they·did] (376) + בַעֹ֖שֶׁק [in·the·oppression] (472) + בְּתוֹכֵ֑ךְ [in·your·midst] (448) + יָת֥וֹם [orphan] (456) + וְאַלְמָנָ֖ה [widow] (132) + ה֥וֹנוּ [they·wronged] (67) + בָֽךְ [in·you] (22) = 2419.
Rashi
"They made light of father and mother within you." All the abominations mentioned in the section "You shall be holy," regarding which warnings were issued, are enumerated here.
Radak
They have made light of father and mother within you. Relate to them the severe transgressions that were committed in their time, which every person ought to distance himself from, even though the Torah did not explicitly warn against them.
“They acted with oppression in your midst.” Whatever they did and engaged in with the convert was considered oppression, because he has no relatives or helpers. And likewise, they defrauded the orphan and the widow, because they are weak: the husband of the widow has died, and the father of the orphan has died.
Metzudat David
"To the stranger they acted with oppression." This means that all that they did to the stranger, they did through oppression and robbery.
Metzudat Zion
They treated with contempt. From the language of lightness and contempt:
They defrauded. The term refers to fraud and extortion of money.
You have despised My holy things, and have profaned My sabbaths.
verse value 2820
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 20 letters. The shortest word is "my·holy·things" (קׇדָשַׁ֖י, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·my·sabbaths" (וְאֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַ֖י, 8 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "you·despised" (בָּזִ֑ית). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "my·holy·things" (root קדש, 70x in Ezekiel); "you·have·profaned" (root חלל, 67x in Ezekiel); "and·my·sabbaths" (root שבת, 28x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'you·despised', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 2 words. Full calculation: קׇדָשַׁ֖י [my·holy·things] (414) + בָּזִ֑ית [you·despised] (419) + וְאֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַ֖י [and·my·sabbaths] (1519) + חִלָּֽלְתְּ [you·have·profaned] (468) = 2820.
Rashi
"You have despised My holy things. And not as I said, 'You shall offer them for your pleasure' (Leviticus 19):"
Radak
"Kedoshim ba-zayit" – as it is stated, "And you shall bring the stolen [animal], the lame animal, and the sick one" – all of these are described in a manner of contempt.
"And you profaned My Sabbaths." Just as we have seen that Jeremiah warned them against profaning the Sabbath.
Metzudat Zion
Chullat. The word is from the root chul, which is the opposite of kodesh (holiness).
Malbim
“Kedoshi” — there is holiness in the world, holiness in the year, and holiness in the soul. The holiness in the soul are the parents and the princes, and it has already been stated that they despised these holy ones. The holiness in the world are the Holy of Holies and the Sanctuary; therefore it says, “Kedoshi” — “My holy ones.” The holiness in the year are the Sabbaths and the Festivals; therefore it says, “And you have profaned My Sabbaths.”
In you have been talebearers to shed blood; and in you they have eaten upon the mountains; in the midst of you they have committed lewdness.
verse value 2550
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 47 letters. Verse gematria: 2550 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "in·you" (בָ֖ךְ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·to·the·mountains" (וְאֶל־הֶֽהָרִים֙, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 22: in·you, in·you. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "slander" (רָכִ֛יל), "and·to·the·mountains" (וְאֶל־הֶֽהָרִים֙). The root בך appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "were" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel); "they·did" (root עשה, 214x in Ezekiel); "and·to·the·mountains" (root אל, 204x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·shed·blood', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 6 words. Full calculation: אַנְשֵׁ֥י [man] (361) + רָכִ֛יל [slander] (260) + הָ֥יוּ [were] (21) + בָ֖ךְ [in·you] (22) + לְמַ֣עַן [in·order·to] (190) + שְׁפׇךְ־דָּ֑ם [to·shed·blood] (444) + וְאֶל־הֶֽהָרִים֙ [and·to·the·mountains] (297) + אָ֣כְלוּ [they·ate] (57) + בָ֔ךְ [in·you] (22) + זִמָּ֖ה [plan] (52) + עָשׂ֥וּ [they·did] (376) + בְתוֹכֵֽךְ [in·your·midst] (448) = 2550.
Rashi
"And to the mountains, they ate within you." And in the Targum: "They worshipped idols within you."
"They committed depravity." Counsels of wickedness:
Radak
Men of slander. They would go about spreading slander from the weak to the strong, in order to shed innocent blood for nothing.
"And upon the mountains they ate." As we explained above regarding the verse "And upon the mountains he did not eat."
“Zamah” – what did they do in your midst? “Zamah” is a general term encompassing all forms of forbidden sexual relations, and then it specifies some of them.
Metzudat David
"To shed blood." The intent of the gossip was in order that the one about whom it was said might die.
"And to the mountains": In the mountains they consumed the sacrificial meat of the idolatrous sacrifices that were offered there.
Metzudat Zion
Gossip. The meaning is slander (lashon hara):
“And to the mountains.” In the mountains: the word “to” (אל) is used in place of the preposition “in” (בְּ), which is written with a bet.
Zemah. Its meaning is disgrace and wickedness, as it is said: "For they have committed zemah" (Hosea 6:9).
Malbim
Bloodshed was among them due to three matters: 1. Through the princes, as stated in verse 6; 2. Due to the slanderers; 3. Through bribery, as stated in verse 12 (these are the three things that remove a person from the world: jealousy corresponds to the slanderers, lust corresponds to bribery, and honor corresponds to the princes). In addition to bloodshed, idolatry and sexual immorality were found. Regarding idolatry, He said to the mountains, “Eat the sacrifices of the dead”; and regarding sexual immorality, He said, “They committed abomination in your midst.”
In you have they uncovered their fathers’nakedness; in you have they humbled her that was unclean in her impurity.
verse value 1401
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "unclean·of" (טְמֵאַ֥ת, 4 letters) and the longest is "nakedness·father of an individual" (עֶרְוַת־אָ֖ב, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "nakedness·father of an individual" (עֶרְוַת־אָ֖ב), "he·uncovered·in·you" (גִּלָּה־בָ֑ךְ), "they·humbled·in·you" (עִנּוּ־בָֽךְ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "unclean·of" (root טמא, 30x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'he·uncovered·in·you', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: עֶרְוַת־אָ֖ב [nakedness·father of an individual] (679) + גִּלָּה־בָ֑ךְ [he·uncovered·in·you] (60) + טְמֵאַ֥ת [unclean·of] (450) + הַנִּדָּ֖ה [impurity] (64) + עִנּוּ־בָֽךְ [they·humbled·in·you] (148) = 1401.
Radak
“Uncovering the nakedness of one’s father.” This recalls the severe prohibition among the forbidden relations, namely that which the Torah states: “You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father,” which refers to his mother, who is his father’s wife. In the use of the singular verb form “you shall uncover” (gilah) for this specific case, while the other prohibitions are expressed in the plural, there is an allusion to what our Sages of blessed memory said: “Amon committed many sins,” as he lay with his mother.
“Niddah’s impurity.” The term “Niddah” implies a woman who is [in a state of] menstrual blood and its like; and they removed the niddah from the Sanctuary for the days of her menstrual impurity. The word “niddah” is also formed in this same pattern (root and conjugation). It is a niddah, and [the text] alludes to the humiliation of intercourse, as it is stated, “They afflicted her within you,” for she experiences humiliation if one has intercourse with her during her niddah, just as a virgin does.
Metzudat David
“The nakedness of a father, etc.” – This means that they committed adultery with their father’s wife.
Regarding the impurity of a menstruant woman. This means that the menstruant, in her state of impurity, was forced into an act of illicit sexual relations.
Metzudat Zion
"Anu." This means they coerced her, and therefore she is considered to have been coerced.
Malbim
"Ervat" [Nakedness] — He enumerates the types of forbidden sexual relations, most of which the kings transgressed, as it is stated regarding Amon and regarding Jehoiakim that he lay with his mother. And this is what the verse says: "The nakedness of your father is uncovered in you," using the singular form.
And each has committed abomination with his neighbour’s wife; and each has lewdly defiled his daughter-in-law; and each in you has humbled his sister, his father’s daughter.
verse value 5537
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 59 letters. The shortest word is "did" (עָשָׂה֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "his·daughter-in-law" (אֶת־כַּלָּת֖וֹ, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 317: and·man, and·man, and·man. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "his·daughter-in-law" (אֶת־כַּלָּת֖וֹ), "in·depravity" (בְזִמָּ֑ה), "his·sister" (אֶת־אֲחֹת֥וֹ). The root איש appears 3 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "did" (root עשה, 214x in Ezekiel); "and·man" (root איש, 84x in Ezekiel); "daughter·of·his·father" (root בת, 39x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·depravity', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְאִ֣ישׁ [and·man] (317) + אֶת־אֵ֣שֶׁת [wife·of] (1102) + רֵעֵ֗הוּ [his·neighbor] (281) + עָשָׂה֙ [did] (375) + תּוֹעֵבָ֔ה [abomination] (483) + וְאִ֥ישׁ [and·man] (317) + אֶת־כַּלָּת֖וֹ [his·daughter-in-law] (857) + טִמֵּ֣א [defiled] (50) + בְזִמָּ֑ה [in·depravity] (54) + וְאִ֛ישׁ [and·man] (317) + אֶת־אֲחֹת֥וֹ [his·sister] (816) + בַת־אָבִ֖יו [daughter·of·his·father] (421) + עִנָּה־בָֽךְ [he·humbled·in·you] (147) = 5537.
Radak
“And a man with his neighbor’s wife.” It does not speak of a single man alone, as it said, “And a man came from Baal-shalishah,” and similar verses; rather, it says “a man” and “a man,” like “a man of your seed,” “a man who causes a blemish in his fellow,” and similar verses. And likewise, “And a man with his daughter-in-law,” “And a man with his sister.” And it said, “He violated her within you,” for if he lies with his sister, he lies with her in his father’s house, and she is still a virgin.
Metzudat David
"His neighbor's wife." With his neighbor's wife they committed an abomination by having sexual relations with her.
“Bazmah.” In thoughts of lewdness and wickedness.
"He violated [her] in you." He forced her into forbidden relations:
In you have they taken gifts to shed blood; you have taken interest and increase, and you have greedily gained of your neighbours by oppression, and have forgotten Me, says the Lord Hashem.
verse value 5715
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 64 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "present" (שֹׁ֥חַד, 3 letters) and the longest is "they·took·in·you" (לָֽקְחוּ־בָ֖ךְ, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "present" (שֹׁ֥חַד), "they·took·in·you" (לָֽקְחוּ־בָ֖ךְ), "and·you·have·greedily·gained" (וַתְּבַצְּעִ֤י). The root לקח appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "my·lord" (root אדון, 222x in Ezekiel); "utterance" (root נאם, 82x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root בצע ("and·you·have·greedily·gained") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·shed·blood', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 11 words.
Rashi
"And you shall enrich your companions with oppression." You enriched your friends through oppression, for you oppressed the poor. Another interpretation: "And you shall enrich" is an expression of robbery, like "And the robber curses the Lord" (Psalms 6), and its explanation is: "And you shall rob your companions with oppression."
Radak
Bribery. Your king and your princes accepted bribes from the litigant to shed innocent blood.
"Usury and interest you have taken." The matter is repeated in different words, and our Sages of blessed memory said: "This is usury, this is interest." The verse did not distinguish between them except so that one would transgress two negative commandments.
“And you shall enrich your companions with oppression.” Its interpretation is as its Targum: “And you shall benefit your friends by force,” meaning: you benefited your companions and gave them wealth of silver from the oppression with which you oppressed the weak among your people. And your companions are Assyria and Egypt, who accepted bribes from them to serve as their aid.
"And as for Me, you have forgotten." For you did not trust in Me, nor did you seek help from Me, but rather from the nations that are consuming you. And so it is said, with another interpretation: "And as for Me, you have forgotten." It means: You have forgotten Me, Who warned you against all these transgressions, yet you went after your desires and did not remember Me, Who commanded you concerning them.
Metzudat David
"In order to shed blood." For because of bribery they killed innocent lives.
“Interest and usury.” The term “interest” is stated with regard to money, whereas “usury” is stated with regard to food.
“And you have extorted your companions.” With the oppressor whom you oppressed, enrich your companions, the idolaters, to be your aid against the enemy; and Me you have forgotten and have not trusted in Me.
Metzudat Zion
And you profited through greed. So is called the desire for wealth, as it says: "And they turned after the spoil" (1 Samuel 8).
Malbim
“Bribery” – after having enumerated the sexual transgressions, it returns to the theme of bloodshed, for it is through bribery that the verdict is finalized; likewise, usury and interest. And not only do you rob the weak, but you also plunder your companions through oppression.
Behold, therefore, I have smitten My hand at your dishonest gain which you have made, and at your blood which has been in the midst of you.
verse value 3255
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 42 letters. The shortest word is "My·hand" (כַפִּ֔י, 3 letters) and the longest is "at·your·gain" (אֶל־בִּצְעֵ֖ךְ, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 501: which, which. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "I·have·struck" (הִכֵּ֣יתִי), "at·your·gain" (אֶל־בִּצְעֵ֖ךְ), "and·at·your·blood" (וְעַ֨ל־דָּמֵ֔ךְ). The root אשר appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "which" (root אשר, 341x in Ezekiel); "were" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel); "at·your·gain" (root איל, 238x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'have·you·done', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְהִנֵּה֙ [and·behold] (66) + הִכֵּ֣יתִי [I·have·struck] (445) + כַפִּ֔י [My·hand] (110) + אֶל־בִּצְעֵ֖ךְ [at·your·gain] (213) + אֲשֶׁ֣ר [which] (501) + עָשִׂ֑ית [have·you·done] (780) + וְעַ֨ל־דָּמֵ֔ךְ [and·at·your·blood] (170) + אֲשֶׁ֥ר [which] (501) + הָי֖וּ [were] (21) + בְּתוֹכֵֽךְ [in·your·midst] (448) = 3255.
Rashi
I have smitten my hands. I have cried out with wailing and mourning:
“Not in your gains.” Here we learn that robbery is more severe than all [other sins], for its decree was sealed [upon it].
Radak
"And behold, I have smitten my hand." This is an analogy, like a person who is distressed, as it is stated, "And I also will smite my hand upon my hand."
“Not for your gain.” Just as it is said “upon,” and in the words of our Sages of blessed memory, there are twenty-four sins enumerated in the order of Ezekiel, and from all of them he did not conclude except with robbery, as it is stated: “Behold, I have struck My hand upon your gain.”
“Which You have done, and upon your blood which were within you.” It says “your blood” in the singular form as a general term, and it says “were within you” in the plural form, because many bloods were shed. And the Targum of Jonathan translated it thus: “Behold, I bring calamity upon you for your debt of extortion, for the violence you committed,” meaning that which they took by force from those who were coerced, who had no power to escape from those men.
Metzudat David
"I have struck my hand." This refers to one thing in relation to another, expressing sorrow over the robbery that you have committed and over the innocent blood that has been shed within you.
Metzudat Zion
“Your spoil.” The term is also used to denote robbery, as in: “Woe to him who gains an evil spoil for his house” (Habakkuk 2:9).
Malbim
And indeed, what I struck with my hand, as it is stated (above, 21), "And I also will strike hand against hand," which refers to the decree that Nebuchadnezzar would go to destroy Jerusalem—this was not because of idolatry and sexual immorality, but rather because of your greed, on account of the oppression that existed among them, as it is stated regarding the generation of the Flood that their decree was not sealed except on account of robbery, as the reason is explained.
Can your heart endure, or can your hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with you? I Hashem have spoken it, and will do it.
verse value 3829
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 56 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "your·heart" (לִבֵּךְ֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "if·they·will·be·strong" (אִם־תֶּחֱזַ֣קְנָה, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 61: I, I. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "will·stand" (הֲיַעֲמֹ֤ד), "if·they·will·be·strong" (אִם־תֶּחֱזַ֣קְנָה), "your·hands" (יָדַ֔יִךְ). The root אני appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "that" (root אשר, 341x in Ezekiel); "doing" (root עשה, 214x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'you', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 4 words. Full calculation: הֲיַעֲמֹ֤ד [will·stand] (129) + לִבֵּךְ֙ [your·heart] (52) + אִם־תֶּחֱזַ֣קְנָה [if·they·will·be·strong] (611) + יָדַ֔יִךְ [your·hands] (44) + לַיָּמִ֕ים [to·the·days] (130) + אֲשֶׁ֥ר [that] (501) + אֲנִ֖י [I] (61) + עֹשֶׂ֣ה [doing] (375) + אוֹתָ֑ךְ [you] (427) + אֲנִ֥י [I] (61) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי [I·have·spoken] (616) + וְעָשִֽׂיתִי [and·I·will·make] (796) = 3829.
Rashi
"Which I am doing to you." I act toward you according to your actions:
Radak
"Will your heart stand firm?" Can your heart endure the multitude of afflictions that I am bringing upon you? This refers to "the days" that I am doing to you, meaning the days of affliction.
"I have spoken, and I will do it." Just as I have spoken, so will I fulfill it, for I am the Lord, and the power is in My hand.
Metzudat David
"Will your heart stand firm?" On the word "stand" (le'omedah): to strengthen.
"If your hands are strengthened. To perform mighty deeds in war at the time of the coming of the days, the days of recompense that I am doing with you:"
"And I will make." The matter is certain in My hand, as if I have already made it:
Malbim
"Let your heart stand firm" means that if this decree had been due to transgressions between man and God, there would still be a remedy through repentance. But now that the judgment has been decreed because of transgressions between man and his fellow—where repentance does not take effect until restitution is made to the wronged party—how can your heart stand firm against the days that I have appointed for you to face judgment? I, the Lord, have spoken and acted: at the time I issued this decree, the matter was already carried out, and it is impossible to undo what has already been done.
And I will scatter you among the nations, and disperse you through the countries; and I will consume your filthiness out of you.
verse value 3878
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 44 letters. The shortest word is "from·you" (מִמֵּֽךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·scatter" (וַהֲפִיצוֹתִ֤י, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·I·will·scatter" (וַהֲפִיצוֹתִ֤י), "and·I·will·scatter·you" (וְזֵרִיתִ֖יךְ), "and·I·will·consume" (וַהֲתִמֹּתִ֥י). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·the·lands" (root ארץ, 176x in Ezekiel); "among·the·nations" (root גוי, 87x in Ezekiel); "from·you" (root מן, 47x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root תמם ("and·I·will·consume") in Ezekiel. First appearance of the root טמאה ("your·impurity") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·the·lands', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַהֲפִיצוֹתִ֤י [and·I·will·scatter] (607) + אוֹתָךְ֙ [you] (427) + בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם [among·the·nations] (61) + וְזֵרִיתִ֖יךְ [and·I·will·scatter·you] (653) + בָּאֲרָצ֑וֹת [in·the·lands] (699) + וַהֲתִמֹּתִ֥י [and·I·will·consume] (861) + טֻמְאָתֵ֖ךְ [your·impurity] (470) + מִמֵּֽךְ [from·you] (100) = 3878.
Rashi
"And I shall bring to an end." And I shall consume:
Radak
"And I will scatter you among the nations" (Leviticus 26:33). And I will cause your impurity to cease from you, for in exile they did not serve idols, which are the great impurity.
Metzudat David
"And I will consume you." With this I will purge, and I will consume your impurity from you.
Metzudat Zion
"And I will scatter you." The meaning is: dispersed.
And the word "hatimomi." It is from the language of completeness, fulfillment, and destruction:
Malbim
“And I will scatter you among the nations” – I will disperse you among the nations, and from there you will be scattered into distant lands; and through the multitude of your exiles, “I will cleanse you of your uncleanness” – for there you will receive your punishment, and there you will return in repentance.
And you shall be profaned in thyself, in the sight of the nations; and you shall know that I am Hashem.’
verse value 1352
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 30 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 1352 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "in·yourself" (בָּ֖ךְ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·you·shall·be·profaned" (וְנִחַ֥לְתְּ, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·you·shall·be·profaned" (וְנִחַ֥לְתְּ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "that·I" (root אני, 166x in Ezekiel); "and·you·shall·know" (root ידע, 99x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'nations', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְנִחַ֥לְתְּ [and·you·shall·be·profaned] (494) + בָּ֖ךְ [in·yourself] (22) + לְעֵינֵ֣י [to·eyes·of] (170) + גוֹיִ֑ם [nations] (59) + וְיָדַ֖עַתְּ [and·you·shall·know] (490) + כִּי־אֲנִ֥י [that·I] (91) + יְהֹוָֽה [Hashem] (26) = 1352.
Rashi
“Ve-nichalt bakh.” You shall be seized with trembling (titchalcheli) in yourself over what you have done.
Radak
“And you shall be My inheritance.” Its root form is *venanchalata*, and in the absence of the nun, the ayin of the root was sometimes liable to receive a dagesh, were it not for the fact that the chet does not accept a dagesh. Its meaning is: “You shall be inherited in your own self,” for until now you were My inheritance, and from now on you are not My inheritance. And there are those who explain that *venachalata* refers to the matter of desecration.
“Before the eyes of the nations.” This means that they will see that you are not considered My portion while you are in exile among them.
And you shall know that I am the Lord. Then you shall know and recognize that I am the Lord, for now you have forgotten Me; but then, when all the evils that I have spoken to you through My prophets come upon you, you shall know that I am the Lord, Who speaks and acts, Who decrees and fulfills.
Metzudat David
"You shall be profaned in yourself." It will be profaned through your sins before the idolaters, and then you will know that I am the Lord, Who is faithful to repay recompense.
Metzudat Zion
And you shall be profaned. The word is derived from the root meaning "profanation" (chillul).
Malbim
And your inheritance in you afterward, you shall inherit it by yourself; for your inheritance from your fathers was that you were a holy people and the Lord was your inheritance. But this inheritance depends on you yourself: return to this inheritance. And it explains what this inheritance is: “And you shall know that I am the Lord”—that you return to knowing the Lord, who is your inheritance from ancient days.
’Son of man, the house of Israel is become dross to Me; all of them are brass and tin and iron and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are the dross of silver.
verse value 4168
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 66 letters. The shortest word is "all·of·them" (כֻּלָּ֡ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "dross" (בֵֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל(לסוג), 12 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "they·have·been·to·me" (הָיוּ־לִ֥י), "dross" (בֵֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל(לסוג)), "to·dross" (לְסִ֑יג). The root היה appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "they·have·been·to·me" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel); "dross" (root בית, 159x in Ezekiel); "son·of·man" (root בין, 145x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root סיג ("to·dross") in Ezekiel. First appearance of the root בדיל ("and·alloy") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·dross', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 10 words. Full calculation: בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם [son·of·man] (97) + הָיוּ־לִ֥י [they·have·been·to·me] (61) + בֵֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל(לסוג) [dross] (1052) + לְסִ֑יג [to·dross] (103) + כֻּלָּ֡ם [all·of·them] (90) + נְ֠חֹ֠שֶׁת [copper] (758) + וּבְדִ֨יל [and·alloy] (52) + וּבַרְזֶ֤ל [and·iron] (245) + וְעוֹפֶ֙רֶת֙ [and·lead] (762) + בְּת֣וֹךְ [in·midst·of] (428) + כּ֔וּר [furnace] (226) + סִגִ֥ים [dross] (113) + כֶּ֖סֶף [silver] (160) + הָיֽוּ [were] (21) = 4168.
Rashi
Lisig. A mixture of dross that is mixed with silver and gold, and it must be melted in fire to refine it.
A furnace: in which gold is refined.
Radak
“Son of man, the house of Israel has become to Me as dross.” It is written as *sug* with a vav, but read as *sig* with a yod, for the vowel letters aleph, heh, vav, and yod are interchangeable. He said, “The house of Israel has become to Me like dross, which is the refuse of silver.” He mentioned metals that are inferior to silver, namely copper, tin, iron, and lead. That is to say, if all of them were in a furnace to be melted down, they would be dross to Me, not silver. And I will melt them down just as a craftsman melts these metals, and they are called *gasteron* in the Talmud in the foreign language, *metal*. The vessel made from mixed metals is inferior to a vessel made from one metal alone, for if it breaks, it cannot be repaired unless it is melted down again. Therefore, He compared Israel to mixed metals and said, “They were dross of silver.” The commentators explained that the word lacking the construct noun is like saying “truth,” and the correct interpretation among them is: “Dross, dross of silver,” just as they say “words of truth.” And one may explain “dross” as “in silver,” lacking the prepositional bet, as found in “house of the Lord” and many similar cases. That is to say, a small amount of silver was mixed among them, for some vessels are made from mixed metals with a little silver, namely vessels made to produce a sound, such as bells and the like. And among Israel there were few righteous people. And so He later said, “A mixture of silver, copper, and iron.” And one may further explain: “They were dross and [formerly] silver,” meaning that now they are dross, but previously they were silver. He mentioned silver and did not mention gold, which is pure from all other metals, and He said, “Test me like gold, I shall go forth,” because Israel was not generation after generation like gold, but rather like silver. And Jonathan translated: “They were as the refuse of silver.”
Metzudat David
L’sig. Initially, when I took them out of Egypt, they were as refined as silver; but when I placed them in the furnace—meaning, when I brought them into the Land—they were transformed into dross, for they corrupted their deeds.
"All of them." All of the House of Israel were made within the furnace, whether of copper or tin, etc. This means that all of them corrupted themselves in their land, even though there was some variation in their wickedness, with some being less and others more; nevertheless, they were all like dross in comparison to silver. There was not one among them who straightened his ways as he had initially.
Metzudat Zion
Dross: So is the refuse of silver called, as it is said, "Take away dross from the silver" (Proverbs 25:4).
“Copper, tin, etc.”: These are names of different types of metals.
Kor. This is the name of the vessel in which silver and gold are refined, as it is stated: “And a crucible for gold” (ibid. 27:21).
Malbim
"The House of Israel has become dross to Me" — I have already explained in my commentary on Isaiah (48) regarding the verse, “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction,” which means that the refiner who removes dross from a crucible containing silver will cast out all the dross and leave only the silver. However, the refiner of dross in a crucible of poverty—that is, a crucible containing no silver, but consisting entirely of dross—will not cast out only the dross that is completely worthless; rather, he will leave behind the metals that are valuable in their own right, even though they too are not silver. Similarly, if the Lord refines a generation that contains both righteous and wicked people, He will destroy the wicked and preserve the righteous. But if none of them are truly righteous, He will distinguish those who are righteous relative to the wickedness of their generation, considering them as silver in comparison to those who are absolutely worthless. This is what the verse means after stating, “If the House of Israel had been dross to Me,” indicating that they were all dross, only that among these drosses there were several different kinds, namely copper, tin, iron, and lead. And by placing them in a crucible to refine them, the dross became silver; that is, the dross was considered as silver, because the dross that was not so bad was as good as silver in comparison to the worse among them. This alludes to the first refining and purification, when He refined them during the exile of Jehoiachin, from which He removed the craftsmen and the smiths and the best among them, and exiled them to Babylon. They were like silver in contrast to the dross that remained in Jerusalem. This is what the verse means: “Because you are all dross, therefore I will gather you.” Therefore, He gathered them to send them into exile, thereby separating the best among them, and they had a remnant and survivors in their exile, as it is stated (Jeremiah 24), “The Lord showed me two baskets of figs,” where it is explained that the exile of Jehoiachin was like the good figs, which He sent to Babylon for good and for survival, and He separated them from the bad figs that remained there, which became a curse. This is what the verse means: “I have gathered silver and copper,” meaning that I will consider it as if there were also silver there, for then the refiner will pay attention to it, blow air upon it to melt it, and blow with intent to melt and separate the dross from the silver. So too, I will gather them, even though it will be in My anger and fury, which is the fire that consumes the dross; nevertheless, it will be with divine providence. And I will leave and melt you, meaning that the melting and the separation of the silver alone will be by the Lord and His providence.
Therefore thus says the Lord Hashem: Because you are all become dross, therefore, behold, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.
verse value 3172
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 57 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 3172 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "thus" (כֹּ֤ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "Jerusalem" (יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 100: therefore, therefore. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "your·them" (כֻּלְּכֶ֖ם), "to·dross" (לְסִגִ֑ים), "gathering" (קֹבֵ֣ץ). The root כן appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "said" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "to·be" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·dross', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 6 words.
Radak
Therefore. Because you are all dross. Whereas it was fitting for you to be like silver, yet you became dross, I will gather you and melt you in the fire of My wrath, for just as a smelted substance loses its original form through smelting, and all the more so mixed metals lose their form when they are smelted, so too He said that they would be lost by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; and even those who remain of them will lose what they had in their land, for they will be exiled from it, from good to bad.
"Into the midst of Jerusalem": It will be to you like a furnace for metals.
Metzudat David
"Into Jerusalem": To melt you there, as if it were the furnace.
As they gather silver and brass and iron and lead and tin into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt it; so will I gather you in Mine anger and in My fury, and I will cast you in, and melt you.
verse value 7311
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 84 letters. The shortest word is "fire" (אֵ֖שׁ, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·blow·upon·it" (לָפַֽחַת־עָלָ֥יו, 8 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "gathering" (קְבֻ֣צַת), "and·copper" (וּ֠נְחֹ֠שֶׁת), "to·blow·upon·it" (לָפַֽחַת־עָלָ֥יו). The root נתך appears 2 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "into·midst" (root איל, 238x in Ezekiel); "so" (root כן, 80x in Ezekiel); "and·in·my·wrath" (root חמה, 33x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root נפח ("to·blow·upon·it") in Ezekiel. First appearance of the root נתך ("to·melt") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·melt', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 7 words.
Rashi
A cluster of silver. When the refiner gathers all the dross into the crucible:
"To blow." To blow with a bellows:
"to melt." And "you shall pour out" is translated [in the Targum] as "and you shall melt."
Radak
“You gathered silver.” The matter of “gathering” is clear; the word follows the noun pattern of “malchut” [kingship].
“Lefachat.” Its root is *naphach*, from the sense of “one who blows” (*nofach*) upon the coals of a fire. In this instance, the nun has been omitted, just as the nun is omitted in *negesh* from *legashet* (to approach). And because of the chet, it is opened [vocalized with a patach] as *lefachat*. Its meaning is: “Upon it,” referring to the furnace, upon which one must blow (*lifachat*) the fire to melt the thing that is inside the furnace. And He said “upon it” because the glowing coal is placed upon it. And it comes to [convey] “I will melt” (*hanatik*), complete with the nun, which is the first radical of the root. And I will leave (*hanachati*) and I will melt (*hatchati*) you; and I will leave you within the furnace to melt you. Or its meaning is: I will leave and abandon you into the hands of the sword, the famine, and the plague.
Metzudat David
A company of silver. Just as one gathers together silver and copper, etc., which are mixed one with another, and they collect them to assemble them into the furnace, to kindle fire upon it to ignite it, so that all may be melted and burned away, and the silver remains refined and pure; so too I will gather you in My anger, and I will place you within the city, and I will melt you, so that you become liquefied and dissolved in the afflictions of the siege.
Metzudat Zion
l'fachat. From the language of "blowing" and "wafting":
"להנתיך" – from the language of melting and casting.
Indeed, I will gather you, and blow upon you with the fire of My wrath, and you shall be melted in the midst thereof.
verse value 4065
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 40 letters. The shortest word is "in·fire·of" (בְּאֵ֣שׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·gather" (וְכִנַּסְתִּ֣י, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·I·will·gather" (וְכִנַּסְתִּ֣י), "and·I·will·breathe" (וְנָפַחְתִּ֥י), "and·you·shall·be·melted" (וְנִתַּכְתֶּ֖ם). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·you" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "in·her·midst" (root תוך, 111x in Ezekiel); "My·wrath" (root עבר, 40x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'My·wrath', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 2 words. Full calculation: וְכִנַּסְתִּ֣י [and·I·will·gather] (546) + אֶתְכֶ֔ם [you] (461) + וְנָפַחְתִּ֥י [and·I·will·breathe] (554) + עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם [upon·you] (170) + בְּאֵ֣שׁ [in·fire·of] (303) + עֶבְרָתִ֑י [My·wrath] (682) + וְנִתַּכְתֶּ֖ם [and·you·shall·be·melted] (916) + בְּתוֹכָֽהּ [in·her·midst] (433) = 4065.
Radak
"And I will gather." This is in the sense of "And I will collect," as it is written, "The scattered ones of Israel shall be gathered." The matter is repeated in this verse to strengthen the idea, adding to it: "And I will blow upon you with the fire of My wrath."
Metzudat David
""And I gathered [you] in.""—Into the city. And the matter is repeated in what is stated:
"And I will blow upon them." I will blow upon them with the fire of My wrath, meaning: At every instance I will increase the affliction, and you will melt within it.
Metzudat Zion
"And I will gather in." The word is in the form of "bringing in" (hakhnasah).
And I will breathe. The word is in the form of the verb "to breathe" (hefacha):
My wrath. The word is from the term "wrath and indignation."
And you shall melt. The verb form is from the root "hitakh" (to melt).
Malbim
"And I will gather you in" — but after He separated the silver and brought out the sons of King Jehoiachin's exile from Jerusalem, then I will gather you in. For "gathering in" refers to bringing something that will remain inside and not exit from the place of its entry (and this is its distinction from "assembly"), meaning that the rest of the people remained gathered in the furnace, which is Jerusalem, and would not be found in Babylon. "And I will blow upon you with the fire of My wrath" — for the term "wrath" refers to the general fury that spreads over the entire people (and does not distinguish between the righteous and the wicked), so that it would not be in anger and fury against the sinners alone, but rather in wrath to destroy them all. "And you melted within it" — the melting is no longer attributed to God, but rather that they melt by themselves, since they are within it. This is an allegory for the destruction that occurred during the exile of King Zedekiah.
As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall you be melted in the midst thereof; and you shall know that I Hashem have poured out My fury upon you.’
verse value 4679
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 55 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "so" (כֵּ֖ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·you·shall·know" (וִֽידַעְתֶּם֙, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "a melting" (כְּהִתּ֥וּךְ), "you·shall·be·melted" (תֻּתְּכ֣וּ). The root תוך appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "upon·you" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "that·I" (root אני, 166x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·her·midst', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 6 words. Full calculation: כְּהִתּ֥וּךְ [a melting] (451) + כֶּ֙סֶף֙ [silver] (160) + בְּת֣וֹךְ [in·midst·of] (428) + כּ֔וּר [furnace] (226) + כֵּ֖ן [so] (70) + תֻּתְּכ֣וּ [you·shall·be·melted] (826) + בְתוֹכָ֑הּ [in·her·midst] (433) + וִֽידַעְתֶּם֙ [and·you·shall·know] (530) + כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י [that·I] (91) + יְהֹוָ֔ה [Hashem] (26) + שָׁפַ֥כְתִּי [I·poured] (810) + חֲמָתִ֖י [My·wrath] (458) + עֲלֵיכֶֽם [upon·you] (170) = 4679.
Radak
Like silver being smelted. It is a noun-form; and it occurs in full as “ke-hinatokh,” on the pattern of “ke-hindof ashan” (as smoke is driven away), except that this one has a shuruk and that one a cholam. He said: Just as silver is smelted within a furnace, so shall you be smelted within Jerusalem. And why did he mention silver after having mentioned other metals at the beginning? For two reasons: One, because its smelting is later than that of tin and lead, meaning thereby that you will be consumed over a prolonged time by famine, plague, and sword, not in a short time. And the second reason: He mentioned silver because silver was originally [the primary metal].
Metzudat David
“Like molten silver.” Just as silver is melted in the furnace, so too shall you be melted within the city during the distress of the siege.
"And you shall know." Then you will know that I am the Lord, Who poured out My wrath upon you, and it came as recompense and not by chance.
Malbim
As molten silver, and yet you shall be melted within it completely, like silver that is melted within a furnace, which melts more easily than iron. And it is also said that, in any case, this too was for their refining, so that they would return to what is good and be purified like silver, for through this refining you shall know that I am the Lord; you will recognize that I am the One who punishes and oversees. 23) And the word of the Lord came to him—now He explained to him who the four types of dross were that He had enumerated above, namely: copper, tin, iron, and lead.
’Son of man, say to her: You are a land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation.
verse value 1925
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 38 letters. The shortest word is "you" (אַ֣תְּ, 2 letters) and the longest is "son·of·man" (בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 31: not, not. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "say·to·her" (אֱמׇר־לָ֕הּ), "cleansed" (מְטֹהָרָ֖ה), "she·is·rained·upon" (גֻשְׁמָ֖הּ). The root לא appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "say·to·her" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "not" (root לא, 213x in Ezekiel); "land" (root ארץ, 176x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root טהר ("cleansed") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'it', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 4 words. Full calculation: בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם [son·of·man] (97) + אֱמׇר־לָ֕הּ [say·to·her] (276) + אַ֣תְּ [you] (401) + אֶ֔רֶץ [land] (291) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + מְטֹהָרָ֖ה [cleansed] (259) + הִ֑יא [it] (16) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + גֻשְׁמָ֖הּ [she·is·rained·upon] (348) + בְּי֥וֹם [in·day·of] (58) + זָֽעַם [has·doomed] (117) = 1925.
Rashi
“Not rain on the day of wrath.” He did not give her the rain that was fitting for her to purify on the day of wrath. And the meaning of this is as its Targum: “Good deeds were not done in her, that would protect her on the day of the curse.”
Radak
"Son of man," say to her, "to Jerusalem, which was mentioned above, 'into Jerusalem.'"
"You are a land not purified." Just as above it is called "defiling the Name," and here it says "not purified," like [the verse] "for he who is not pure" because he has not purified himself, and similar cases; or it means that it did not purify itself from its impurity, i.e., it did not do repentance.
Its rain did not fall on the day of wrath. The letter Heh in this word is a *heh-mafiq* (a pronounced Heh), and it is possible to say that it is the noun "rain" in the measure of *gadol* (great), and when it is joined with the pronominal suffix, the first letter Pe of the verb comes with a *shuruk* (vowel sound), like "Hallelu-hu" (Praise Him) in "for the greatness of His glory," and its meaning is that its rain did not fall on the day of wrath, that is to say, on the day of the Lord’s anger when He was furious with them, He withheld the heavens and there was no rain, as they were warned in the Torah, where it says, "Lest your heart be enticed, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them, and the Lord’s anger burn against you, and He withhold the heavens, so that there is no rain, and the land yield no produce." And it is also possible that the word "geshamah" (its rain) is from a binyan (verbal pattern) whose active form is not mentioned from the *dagesh* (doubled consonant), and the *dagesh* fell away, as it often falls away from the *dagesh*, and the *heh-mafiq* is added for the honor of the reading, like "ve-ta’alumah yotzi or" (the hidden thing He brings forth to light), "ke-vikkurah be-terem kayitz" (like a first-ripe fig before summer), and "ve-gullah al roshah" (with a bowl upon its top).
Metzudat David
He said to her: Regarding Jerusalem:
She is not purified. You did not repent to purify yourself from your sins; therefore, rain did not descend upon her on the day of the Lord’s wrath and the burning of His anger, as it is written: “And the anger of the Lord was kindled... and there shall be no rain” (Deuteronomy 11).
Metzudat Zion
Goshma. From the words "gashem" (rain) and "matar" (rain).
Malbim
He said to her: What I stated, that the House of Israel was to Me like dross, means that you, O Land, are not purified. And He will depict the destruction that occurred in the Land as resembling the destruction that occurred in the Land at the time of the Flood, for they too corrupted their ways, like the Generation of the Flood. Only, at the time of the Flood, rain descended and purified the Land; then all the impurity and abomination found upon the surface of the Land were removed, like a filthy thing that is washed in water and becomes purified from its impurity and filth. And after the Flood, the Land was purified, for waters purify all impurity. But you were not purified after the Destruction, for it did not rain on the day of wrath; on the day that the Lord was angry with you, rain did not descend to purify the Land, for the Destruction was by fire, not by water.
There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls, they take treasure and precious things, they have made her widows many in the midst thereof.
verse value 4463
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 63 letters. The shortest word is "treason" (קֶ֤שֶׁר, 3 letters) and the longest is "her·widows" (אַלְמְנוֹתֶ֖יהָ, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 433: in·her·midst, in·her·midst. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "treason" (קֶ֤שֶׁר), "her·prophets" (נְבִיאֶ֙יהָ֙), "like·a·lion" (כַּאֲרִ֥י). The root תוך appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·her·midst" (root תוך, 111x in Ezekiel); "take" (root לקח, 65x in Ezekiel); "they·ate" (root אכל, 57x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root יקר ("and·honor") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'prey', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 8 words.
Rashi
“The conspiracy of her prophets.” They are bound together in evil counsel.
“They devoured souls.” This refers to those who took bribes and supported the hands of evildoers, enabling them to kill, plunder, and loot, and prophesied peace to them.
“Strength.” Wealth:
Radak
“The conspiracy of her prophets.” The false prophets formed a conspiracy among themselves to prophesy on one and the same matter, saying, “Peace, peace.” And the Targum rendered it: “The faction of their scribes is within it.”
"As a lion roaring, prey, prey." The letter kaf in "as a lion" is open [patach], not indicating the definite article [the known lion]. It means: Just as a lion roars and afterward devours its prey, so do they terrify the people with their words, cry out in a loud voice, speak with force, and present their arguments to frighten the people into listening to them. And in this way, they devour and kill them. This is what is meant by "they have eaten up their soul," as if they are taking their lives, for they cause all the evil that befalls them.
“Security and honor they shall take.” The security of the city and its honor—they are the ones who take it, for they strengthen in their hands their evil deeds, and with this punishment the enemy will come upon them and take all their desirable things, and behold, it is as if they themselves took it. Likewise, those who fall by the sword—they brought it upon themselves, and indeed, they have multiplied widows within her. “Wealth” is like “treasury,” and similarly, “he shall not hoard” and “he shall not store up.”
Metzudat David
"The conspiracy of her prophets." Within the city there is a conspiracy of the false prophets who prophesy peace:
“Like a roaring lion.” Just as a lion roars with a loud voice to instill terror, and afterward it seizes its prey, so too they terrify people with their voices and words, and through this they seduce and devour her from the world.
“They devoured a soul.” They consume the souls, and they take from them their strength and their preciousness, and they increase the widows, because their husbands are killed. That is to say, they are the cause of all these things, for by relying on their words, they refuse to do teshuvah (repentance), and the calamity comes upon them because of their sins.
Metzudat Zion
Ksher. The matter of a bundle in one agreement:
Strength: The meaning is strength, as it says, "And he is strong as oaks" (Amos 2:9).
"And he was honored." The matter of honor:
Malbim
Now, regarding "bond," it refers to the four types of dross. The copper represents the conspiracy of the false prophets, who were engaged in divination and sorcery. They were like a roaring lion seeking its prey; for when a lion roars, it has prey, as it is written, "The lion roars in the city, and there is no prey." Similarly, when they roared and prophesied, they devoured their prey. However, the lion devours flesh and body, whereas they consumed souls, for they consumed the spiritual souls by causing them to sin with their souls. Moreover, they took wealth and honor, as it is written, "They bite with their teeth, and they cry, 'Peace!'" And they increased widows within her, for through their prophecy, men were killed by the enemy, and their wives were left as widows.
Her priests have done violence to My law, and have profaned My holy things; they have put no difference between the holy and the common, neither have they taught difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from My sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.
verse value 4874
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 91 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·between·the·unclean" (וּבֵין־הַטָּמֵ֥א, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 90: her·priests, and·they·profaned. 10 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "her·priests" (כֹּהֲנֶ֜יהָ), "they·wronged" (חָמְס֣וּ), "my·law" (תוֹרָתִי֮). The root חלל appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 213x in Ezekiel); "between·holy" (root בין, 145x in Ezekiel); "in·their·midst" (root תוך, 111x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root חל ("and·common") in Ezekiel. First appearance of the root בדל ("they·distinguished") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'make·known', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 5 words.
Rashi
They have robbed my Torah. They were obligated to admonish, to teach, and to inform [the people] of the statute and the judgment, but they did not do so. This is considered robbery, for they have robbed those who are in need of learning [the Torah].
"And I was profaned." Meaning: I was profaned:
Radak
“Her priests.” He mentioned the first ones, namely the prophets, the priests, and the princes, and afterward the common people. And it says that all of them walked in an evil path, each according to his station. Even the priests, who are obligated to teach the Torah, robbed and plundered it from being practiced. For since they transgress it, how can they admonish the people regarding it?
“And they profaned My holy things.” This refers to their eating them while ritually impure.
They did not distinguish between the holy and the profane, and they did not teach the difference between the impure and the pure. As they were warned in the Torah to distinguish between the holy and the pure, and to teach the children of Israel:
"And from My Sabbaths they averted their eyes." This means that they saw them carrying burdens on the Sabbath day, as it is written in the Book of Jeremiah. The priests were obligated to protest against them, but they did not protest; rather, they averted their eyes, as if they did not see.
"And I will be profaned among them." It is from the nifal binyan, as in the phrase "how is it profaned," referring to the sense of desecration (chillul). And Jonathan translates: "And My profanation shall be among them."
Metzudat David
"They have corrupted My Torah." This means that they removed My Torah from them, for they did not teach it to them. It is the duty of the priests to teach the Torah, as it is stated: "For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and they shall seek the Torah from his mouth" (Malachi 2:7).
"And they profaned." In this, they profaned My holy things, and did not make a distinction and separation between a holy matter and a profane matter.
They did not inform. The difference between them is:
"And My Sabbaths." They turned a blind eye to the profanation of the Sabbaths and did not protest against those who profaned them.
"And I became among them." I became among them a desecrator and not a sanctifier.
Metzudat Zion
"חמסו" – the matter of removal, as it is written: "נחמסו עקביך" (Jeremiah 13:22).
And they shall profane. The matter is one of desecration.
And I profaned. The word is from the root meaning profanation (chillul):
Malbim
“His priests” — they were the tin, for the Lord separated them from the congregation of Israel, just as Aaron was set apart to sanctify him as holy of holies. And it was incumbent upon them: 1. To teach the Torah, as it is stated, “For the lips of a priest shall guard knowledge, and they shall seek the Torah from his mouth”; yet they violated My Torah. 2. To guard the Temple and its holy things; yet they profaned My holy things, for they did not distinguish between the holy and the profane, nor did they guard themselves against impurity and purity. Moreover, they averted their eyes from My Sabbaths, and they did not warn against the desecration of the Sabbath, which is equivalent to all the commandments of the Torah.
Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey: to shed blood, and to destroy souls, so as to get dishonest gain.
verse value 3353
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 47 letters. The shortest word is "prey" (טָ֑רֶף, 3 letters) and the longest is "like·wolves" (כִּזְאֵבִ֖ים, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 162: profit, profit. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "her·princes" (שָׂרֶ֣יהָ), "in·her·midst" (בְקִרְבָּ֔הּ), "like·wolves" (כִּזְאֵבִ֖ים). The root טרף appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "souls" (root נפש, 42x in Ezekiel); "in·order·to" (root מען, 37x in Ezekiel); "to·pour·blood" (root שפך, 31x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'prey', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: שָׂרֶ֣יהָ [her·princes] (515) + בְקִרְבָּ֔הּ [in·her·midst] (309) + כִּזְאֵבִ֖ים [like·wolves] (80) + טֹ֣רְפֵי [prey] (299) + טָ֑רֶף [prey] (289) + לִשְׁפׇּךְ־דָּם֙ [to·pour·blood] (474) + לְאַבֵּ֣ד [to·destroy] (37) + נְפָשׁ֔וֹת [souls] (836) + לְמַ֖עַן [in·order·to] (190) + בְּצֹ֥עַ [profit] (162) + בָּֽצַע [profit] (162) = 3353.
Rashi
"To gain spoil, to seize wealth:"
Radak
“Her officials, for the sake of gain, gain.” Just as it is stated above, “They took bribes in you for the sake of shedding blood,” where the verb comes together with the noun to strengthen the matter; so too, “for the sake of slaughter, slaughter,” as we have explained.
Metzudat David
Her princes. The princes who are within her are like wolves that tear their prey; to shed blood, to destroy lives, in order to plunder from them wealth.
Malbim
"Her officials are in her midst" — they were the iron, which is the strongest metal and kills people. Likewise, they were like wolves. There is a distinction between a lion and a wolf: a lion does not attack a person except when it is hungry, but a wolf attacks to shed blood even when it is not hungry. They shed blood either to destroy lives or for the sake of gain, to plunder the property of the murdered.
And her prophets have daubed for them with whited plaster, seeing falsehood, and divining lies to them, saying: Thus says the Lord Hashem, when Hashem has not spoken.
verse value 2341
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 63 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "thus" (כֹּ֤ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·her·prophets" (וּנְבִיאֶ֗יהָ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 75: to·them, to·them. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·her·prophets" (וּנְבִיאֶ֗יהָ), "they·spread·over" (טָח֤וּ), "seer" (חֹזִ֣ים). The root הם appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "saying" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "my·lord" (root אדון, 222x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'lie', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 8 words.
Rashi
“They daubed for them with untempered mortar.” They resemble those who daub a building with clay that has not been properly worked, lacking straw, and which crumble on their own when rain falls upon them. The term “soft” (tapul) refers to anything that is deficient in proper preparation.
Radak
“And her prophets.” He returns once more to mention the prophets, because they were the cause of all the evil.
“Smooth for them a wall.” As its Targum renders it: “And the prophets of falsehood who are among them are like builders of a wall, plastering it with unleavened clay that will not endure; they prophesy falsely and teach them lies.” And we have already explained this matter above in the verse, “And he builds a wall.”
Metzudat David
And its prophets. The false prophets:
“Smooth plaster for them.” Upon the wall: they made smooth plaster, i.e., unrefined clay that was not prepared according to its proper procedure to beautify the wall and make it smooth. The meaning is: they beautify their false prophecy with pleasant and fabricated rhetoric, so that it would be accepted by the heart.
Diviners who divine in vain, and prophets who prophesy in vain, and who tell them lies through omens.
They say: In their words they say in the Name of the Lord, "Thus says the Lord," but the Lord did not speak through them, and they are deniers.
Metzudat Zion
Tachu. The matter of smearing [oil] is to seal the hole.
Tafal. Anything that is not properly set in order is called "tafal." And similarly, it says: "And they daub it with whitewash" (above 13:).
"Those who see visions." They are prophets.
Malbim
"And its prophets" refers back to the prophets, to say that not only did they not rebuke the priests and the officials, but they even aided them by prophesying falsely in the Name of the Lord. And what is written, "They plastered with untempered mortar," has been explained above in section 13.
The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have wronged the poor and needy, and have oppressed the stranger unlawfully.
verse value 3275
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 52 letters. The shortest word is "people" (עַ֤ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·needy" (וְאֶבְיוֹן֙, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 476: they·pressed·upon, they·pressed·upon. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "people" (עַ֤ם), "and·they·robbed" (וְגָזְל֖וּ), "and·poor" (וְעָנִ֤י). The root עשק appears 3 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "without" (root לא, 213x in Ezekiel); "the·land" (root ארץ, 176x in Ezekiel); "people" (root עם, 58x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'robbery', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 7 words. Full calculation: עַ֤ם [people] (110) + הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ [the·land] (296) + עָ֣שְׁקוּ [they·pressed·upon] (476) + עֹ֔שֶׁק [oppression] (470) + וְגָזְל֖וּ [and·they·robbed] (52) + גָּזֵ֑ל [robbery] (40) + וְעָנִ֤י [and·poor] (136) + וְאֶבְיוֹן֙ [and·needy] (75) + הוֹנ֔וּ [they·wronged] (67) + וְאֶת־הַגֵּ֥ר [and·the·stranger] (615) + עָשְׁק֖וּ [they·pressed·upon] (476) + בְּלֹ֥א [without] (33) + מִשְׁפָּֽט [judgment] (429) = 3275.
Radak
Am ha'aretz: One who is stronger than his fellow oppresses and robs him, for there is no justice in the city.
Metzudat David
“Whoever oppresses, is an oppressor.” This refers to one who oppresses the body through blows and the like.
His wealth. Even though it was fitting to give them charity, they did not give, and moreover, they took from their own [funds].
"And they wronged the stranger." Even though it is fitting to love him:
“Without justice.” All of these things occurred due to the absence of justice, and every man did what was right in his own eyes.
Metzudat Zion
they defrauded. The term refers to overcharging and extortion of money.
Malbim
The am ha'aretz (common people) were the lead, the worst of all [the metals]; they oppressed and also robbed, and they defrauded the poor and needy. All of this was done without judgment, since there was no justice in the land, and every man did what was right in his own eyes.
And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the breach before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none.
verse value 4016
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 53 letters. The shortest word is "from·them" (מֵהֶ֡ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "fence·fence" (גֹּֽדֵר־גָּדֵר֩, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·I·sought" (וָאֲבַקֵּ֣שׁ), "fence·fence" (גֹּֽדֵר־גָּדֵר֩), "in·the·breach" (בַּפֶּ֧רֶץ). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·not" (root לא, 213x in Ezekiel); "the·land" (root ארץ, 176x in Ezekiel); "from·them" (root הם, 166x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root בעד ("behind") in Ezekiel. First appearance of the root מצא ("I·have·found") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·destroy·it', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 2 words. Full calculation: וָאֲבַקֵּ֣שׁ [and·I·sought] (409) + מֵהֶ֡ם [from·them] (85) + אִ֣ישׁ [man] (311) + גֹּֽדֵר־גָּדֵר֩ [fence·fence] (414) + וְעֹמֵ֨ד [and·standing] (120) + בַּפֶּ֧רֶץ [in·the·breach] (372) + לְפָנַ֛י [to·my·face] (170) + בְּעַ֥ד [behind] (76) + הָאָ֖רֶץ [the·land] (296) + לְבִלְתִּ֣י [so·as·not·to] (472) + שַׁחֲתָ֑הּ [to·destroy·it] (713) + וְלֹ֖א [and·not] (37) + מָצָֽאתִי [I·have·found] (541) = 4016.
Radak
And I sought from them a man who builds a wall. I said, perhaps one will emerge from among them who will fence the breaches and stand in the breach so that the wicked will not pass through it. The breaches are the transgressions, and the one who fences them and stands before them is the one who prevents those who break down the wall and returns them to the good path. And he will stand before Me to pray for the land so that it will not be destroyed, for they have already returned from their evil ways, as our teacher Moses, peace be upon him, did, as it is said of him: “Were it not that Moses, His chosen one, stood in the breach before Him, to turn away His wrath from destroying.”
“Goder gadar”: “Goder” is with two accents: a ma'arich on the gimel because of the maqaf, and a munach on the dalet to establish it, because of the zari on the dalet. For a verb from a complete root does not come except with a zari; therefore, it does not come me'il, lest it be mistaken for a noun, as we have written in the book Miklol in the section of grammar thereof.
Metzudat David
“And I sought among them.” I sought among them a man who would build a wall to close the breach, so that the enemy would not enter the city, or someone to stand in the breach so that the enemy would not enter; that is to say, I sought who would return Israel to repentance, or who would stand in prayer before Me on their behalf, so that I would not destroy them. And behold, I found none.
Metzudat Zion
One who builds a fence. The wall is called a fence:
"In the breach." A break in the wall:
Malbim
"And I sought" — this is the nimshal (the underlying reality) of not finding silver among the dross: he sought a man who would build a fence, that is, to repair the breaches and correct the generation, or at least one who would stand in the breach, whose merit would shield the generation, so that the destroyer would not be permitted to come and strike — but he did not find [such a person]. Therefore, "and I poured out My wrath upon them," which is the punishment, and this will be in two ways: 1. "In the fire of My wrath I consumed them," where the term "wrath" indicates that He punishes indiscriminately, without distinguishing between good and evil; 2. "I have set their ways upon their heads," which is the punishment of providential retribution, corresponding to their conduct and deeds.
Therefore have I poured out Mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; their own way have I brought upon their heads, says the Lord Hashem.’
verse value 4033
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 52 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "in·fire·of" (בְּאֵ֥שׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "I·consumed·them" (כִּלִּיתִ֑ים, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "I·consumed·them" (כִּלִּיתִ֑ים). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "upon·them" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "my·lord" (root אדון, 222x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'I·consumed·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 6 words. Full calculation: וָאֶשְׁפֹּ֤ךְ [and·I·poured] (407) + עֲלֵיהֶם֙ [upon·them] (155) + זַעְמִ֔י [my·indignation] (127) + בְּאֵ֥שׁ [in·fire·of] (303) + עֶבְרָתִ֖י [My·wrath] (682) + כִּלִּיתִ֑ים [I·consumed·them] (510) + דַּרְכָּם֙ [their·way] (264) + בְּרֹאשָׁ֣ם [in·their·head] (543) + נָתַ֔תִּי [I·gave] (860) + נְאֻ֖ם [utterance] (91) + אֲדֹנָ֥י [my·lord] (65) + יֱהֹוִֽה [Hashem] (26) = 4033.
Radak
And I will pour out. It is clear:
Metzudat David
“And I will pour out.” Therefore, I will pour out My wrath upon them and consume them with the fire of My wrath; I will repay their deeds upon their own heads.
Metzudat Zion
My wrath. The word is derived from the terms wrath and anger:
I consumed them. The word is derived from the root meaning destruction:
Radak
Malbim