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 it came to pass:
Malbim
“And the word of the Lord came” (as it appears, this prophecy, which completes the prophecy that was in the tenth year, when he prophesied to him all the destructions of Egypt, and he juxtaposed and wrote the prophecy of the twenty-seventh year to inform of the end of their downfall, and he returned and arranged the rest of the prophecy that he spoke in the tenth year, for afterwards he arranged the prophecies of the eleventh and twelfth years) returned and arranged the manner of their downfall in greater detail and in a different style, for a prophecy that is repeated and reiterated is required to come necessarily.
’Son of man, prophesy, and say: Thus says the Lord Hashem: Wail you: Woe worth the day!
verse value 1346
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 39 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "thus" (כֹּ֥ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "wail" (הֵילִ֖ילוּ, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "wail" (הֵילִ֖ילוּ), "alas!" (הָ֥הּ). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "and·you·shall·say" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "my·lord" (root אדון, 222x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 3 words. Full calculation: בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם [son·of·man] (97) + הִנָּבֵא֙ [prophesy] (58) + וְאָ֣מַרְתָּ֔ [and·you·shall·say] (647) + כֹּ֥ה [thus] (25) + אָמַ֖ר [said] (241) + אֲדֹנָ֣י [my·lord] (65) + יֱהֹוִ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + הֵילִ֖ילוּ [wail] (91) + הָ֥הּ [alas!] (10) + לַיּֽוֹם [to·the·day] (86) = 1346.
Rashi
Heh. Just as "ahh" and "heh" [are expressions of awe and trembling] for the Day that is to come, regarding those Gentiles.
Radak
"Son of man, Wail!." He said this in reference to Egypt:
Metzudat David
“Wail!” They made a lamentation and said, “Alas!” concerning that day; it is the day of retribution.
Metzudat Zion
“Wail.” From the term for wailing:
Heh. It is like "ahh," and it is a term denoting a cry of wailing.
Malbim
"Wail, alas, for the day"—this means that even though the destructions of Egypt have already occurred, the main event is this final day, on which it will be completely destroyed.
For the day is near, Even the day of Hashem is near, A day of clouds, it shall be the time of the nations.
verse value 1605
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 38 letters. The shortest word is "time" (עֵ֥ת, 2 letters) and the longest is "for·near" (כִּֽי־קָר֣וֹב, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 56: day, day, to·Hashem, day. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "for·near" (כִּֽי־קָר֣וֹב), "and·near" (וְקָר֥וֹב). The root יום appears 3 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "it·will·be" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel); "day" (root יום, 112x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 5 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־קָר֣וֹב [for·near] (338) + י֔וֹם [day] (56) + וְקָר֥וֹב [and·near] (314) + י֖וֹם [day] (56) + לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה [to·Hashem] (56) + י֣וֹם [day] (56) + עָנָ֔ן [cloud] (170) + עֵ֥ת [time] (470) + גּוֹיִ֖ם [nations] (59) + יִהְיֶֽה [it·will·be] (30) = 1605.
Rashi
“Time of the nations.” The Targum renders: “The period when the nations will be destroyed.”
Radak
"For the day is near." For in that very year in which this prophecy was uttered, Egypt was given into the hand of the king of Babylon. He says, "For the day is near," meaning the day of their doom. And afterward he says, "And the day is near to the Lord," meaning that this day comes to them from the Lord, and to Him it belongs to hasten the day of their doom, for He will command the enemy to come upon them.
A day of cloud. “There shall be a cloud and thick darkness for them on that day.”
“The time of the nations shall be.” This refers to the time when the nations will gather against Egypt to destroy it, and the Targum rendered it: “The time shall be that the nations will be broken.”
Metzudat David
"And the day of the Lord is near." This means that the approaching day belongs to the Lord; the calamity will come from Him, and not by chance.
“Day of Clouds.” This means a day of darkness, as if the heavens were darkened by clouds.
Malbim
For the day is near that it will be destroyed immediately after the destruction of the Temple, but the day is near to the Lord—the second day, which is in the twenty-seventh year of Nebuchadnezzar. Although it is not near [in time], it is near to the Lord. The first day, regarding which it states “For the day is near,” will be the Day of Clouds. And the second day, regarding which it states “And the day is near to the Lord,” will be the Time of the Nations. For then all the nations that were in alliance with Egypt will fall. And it explains: A. “Opposite the Day of Clouds.” And the sword will come upon Egypt, spreading throughout all of Egypt. And opposite the Time of the Nations: B. “And there was trembling in Cush,” meaning that Cush too will tremble. And they will take the multitude of Egypt, and they will also demolish its foundations, which are the nations that assist it, for they are the foundations of its kingdom and might. And it explains who these foundations are: Cush, Put, and Lud, etc.—all of them are from the sons of Ham and Egypt (as it is stated, “And the sons of Ham: Cush and Mizraim and Put; and Mizraim begot Ludim”), all of whom will fall by the sword together with Egypt (and this corresponds to the Time of the Nations).
And a sword shall come upon Egypt, And convulsion shall be in Ethiopia, When the slain shall fall in Egypt; And they shall take away her abundance, And her foundation shall be broken down.
verse value 3131
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 63 letters. The shortest word is "sword" (חֶ֙רֶב֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "her·foundation" (יְסֹדוֹתֶֽיהָ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 382: in·Egypt, in·Egypt. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·will·go·in" (וּבָאָ֥ה), "in·Ethiopia" (בְּכ֔וּשׁ), "when·falls" (בִּנְפֹ֥ל). The root מצרים appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·it·shall·be" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel); "and·will·go·in" (root בוא, 175x in Ezekiel); "sword" (root חרב, 102x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·Egypt', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 4 words. Full calculation: וּבָאָ֥ה [and·will·go·in] (14) + חֶ֙רֶב֙ [sword] (210) + בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם [in·Egypt] (382) + וְהָיְתָ֤ה [and·it·shall·be] (426) + חַלְחָלָה֙ [pain] (81) + בְּכ֔וּשׁ [in·Ethiopia] (328) + בִּנְפֹ֥ל [when·falls] (162) + חָלָ֖ל [slain] (68) + בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם [in·Egypt] (382) + וְלָקְח֣וּ [and·they·shall·take] (150) + הֲמוֹנָ֔הּ [her·multitude] (106) + וְנֶהֶרְס֖וּ [and·they·will·be·torn·down] (327) + יְסֹדוֹתֶֽיהָ [her·foundation] (495) = 3131.
Rashi
"And it shall be a trembling in Cush." The language denotes trembling: when they hear of the downfall of Egypt, they will tremble for their lives, lest the king of Babylon rise up against them.
Radak
And it came. Accented on the final syllable:
"And there shall be trembling in Cush." When the people of Cush see that there will be fallen in Egypt, they will be alarmed and frightened and tremble, that the sword will also come upon them, for they are neighbors and one people, all sons of Ham.
"Chalal." In general, this implies many slain:
Metzudat David
And the sword came. The sword of the king of Babylon.
"And it shall be, etc." This means that at the time when He will cause a great slaughter in Egypt, there will be trembling in Cush, because they will see that it is certain that He will also come against them.
"And they shall take the multitude." This is connected to what precedes, to say: "There shall be desolation in Cush at the time when a slain one falls in Egypt, and they shall take the multitude of her people into captivity, and the foundations of her walls shall be destroyed."
Ethiopia, and Put, and Lud, and all the mingled people, and Cub, and the children of the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword.
verse value 2595
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 45 letters. The shortest word is "Ethiopia" (כּ֣וּשׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·all·the·mixed-multitude" (וְכׇל־הָעֶ֣רֶב, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·all·the·mixed-multitude" (וְכׇל־הָעֶ֣רֶב), "and·Cub" (וְכ֔וּב). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "land" (root ארץ, 176x in Ezekiel); "in·the·sword" (root חרב, 102x in Ezekiel); "they·will·fall" (root נפל, 58x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'covenant', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: כּ֣וּשׁ [Ethiopia] (326) + וּפ֤וּט [and·Put] (101) + וְלוּד֙ [and·Lud] (46) + וְכׇל־הָעֶ֣רֶב [and·all·the·mixed-multitude] (333) + וְכ֔וּב [and·Cub] (34) + וּבְנֵ֖י [and·sons·of] (68) + אֶ֣רֶץ [land] (291) + הַבְּרִ֑ית [covenant] (617) + אִתָּ֖ם [with·them] (441) + בַּחֶ֥רֶב [in·the·sword] (212) + יִפֹּֽלוּ [they·will·fall] (126) = 2595.
Rashi
“And all the mixed multitude.” Targum: “And all those that support them.” “All the guarantors” – this refers to the allies of Egypt, which in the foreign tongue is called “Grensiyah.”
“Land of the covenant.” those who make a covenant with Egypt to help her.
Radak
Cush, Put, Lud, and all the mixed multitude. A gathered people who were mingled together from various nations; and the Targum [renders it] *sumkuta*, a term denoting mixing:
And the inhabitants of the Land of the Covenant. They had a covenant with the Land of Egypt, but they were not from among them nor from their families. And since they were their covenant partners, they were punished together with them.
Metzudat David
"And all the mixed multitude." The mixture of idolaters that were among them.
“And the children…” – The inhabitants of the lands who had made a covenant with them.
"You. All of them shall fall by the sword with Egypt, and their like."
Thus says Hashem: They also that uphold Egypt shall fall, And the pride of her power shall come down; From Migdol to Syene shall they fall in it by the sword, Says the Lord Hashem.
verse value 2101
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 64 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "thus" (כֹּ֚ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "they·shall·fall·in·it" (יִפְּלוּ־בָ֔הּ, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 26: Hashem, Hashem. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "leaning" (סֹמְכֵ֣י), "and·shall·descend" (וְיָרַ֖ד), "they·shall·fall·in·it" (יִפְּלוּ־בָ֔הּ). The root יהוה 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); "my·lord" (root אדון, 222x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'her·strength', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 7 words.
Radak
Thus said the Lord: "The support of Egypt." They are the inhabitants of the land of the covenant and the rest of the nations mentioned, who supported Egypt and assisted them.
“From Migdol to Seveneh.” This is the boundary of Egypt from one side. And He said that from there the sword will begin to devour them, up to the boundary of Cush, as mentioned above: “From Migdol to Seveneh, to the boundary of Cush.” And since Cush was mentioned above as the second boundary, He relied on the understanding of the reader and did not mention it again, and the word “them” refers to the land of Egypt.
Metzudat David
Supporters of Egypt. The non-Jews who were allies of Egypt against the enemy:
"And He went down..." – A powerful dominion will descend to the land in a state of lowliness.
“From the tower of Seveneh.” This is the beginning of the boundary of Egypt.
Metzudat Zion
Gaon. The matter of exaltation and dominion:
Oz. The matter of strength:
Malbim
Thus says the Lord: Behold, the strength of Egypt is: 1. Through the many nations that abandon her; 2. Through the multitude of the masses that dwell within Egypt; 3. Through the rivers; 4. They believed that all of these came from the idols and their king at their head. It explains that all of these will be destroyed, and the supports of Egypt will fall, and the defeat will begin immediately from the tower of Seneh, which is at one end, and from then on they will be desolate among the desolate lands, meaning that all the lands on that side of the tower of Seneh will be desolate. And by this they will know that I am the Lord, that through the fire that I will give in Egypt, all their helpers, who are the supports of Egypt, will be broken. And it explains that the falling of the supports of Egypt will be for three purposes: 1. So that Egypt will have no support or sustainer, and therefore it says, “and the supports of Egypt will fall”; 2. So that the land around them will also be desolate, which will increase the desolation in such a way that what was prophesied will be fulfilled, that no foot of man or beast will pass through it; 3. So that they will know that I am the Lord.
And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, And her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are wasted.
verse value 4509
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 44 letters. The shortest word is "in·midst·of" (בְּת֖וֹךְ, 4 letters) and the longest is "in·midst·of·cities" (בְּתוֹךְ־עָרִ֥ים, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·its·towns" (וְעָרָ֕יו), "in·midst·of·cities" (בְּתוֹךְ־עָרִ֥ים), "wasted" (נַחֲרָב֖וֹת). The root שמם appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "they·shall·be" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel); "lands" (root ארץ, 176x in Ezekiel); "in·midst·of" (root תוך, 111x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'desolate', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְנָשַׁ֕מּוּ [and·shall·be·deserted] (402) + בְּת֖וֹךְ [in·midst·of] (428) + אֲרָצ֣וֹת [lands] (697) + נְשַׁמּ֑וֹת [desolate] (796) + וְעָרָ֕יו [and·its·towns] (292) + בְּתוֹךְ־עָרִ֥ים [in·midst·of·cities] (748) + נַחֲרָב֖וֹת [wasted] (666) + תִּֽהְיֶֽינָה [they·shall·be] (480) = 4509.
Radak
“And they shall be desolate among desolate lands.” “Within” means “among, in general,” and the explanation is that “they shall be desolate” refers to the lands of Egypt, and “among the lands” testifies concerning it. And similarly, the duplication of the matter in different words, and it says, “And their cities among ruined cities.”
Metzudat David
And they shall be desolate. They shall become a desolation among the other desolate lands, and they shall be like them.
Metzudat Zion
"נחרבות" – from the root חרבה, meaning "desolate" or "ruined."
And they shall know that I am Hashem, When I have set a fire in Egypt, And all her helpers are destroyed.
verse value 2614
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 39 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "all·her·helpers" (כׇּל־עֹזְרֶֽיהָ, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "when·I·set·fire" (בְּתִתִּי־אֵ֣שׁ), "all·her·helpers" (כׇּל־עֹזְרֶֽיהָ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "when·I·set·fire" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel); "that·I" (root אני, 166x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְיָדְע֖וּ [and·they·shall·know] (96) + כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י [that·I] (91) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + בְּתִתִּי־אֵ֣שׁ [when·I·set·fire] (1113) + בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם [in·Egypt] (382) + וְנִשְׁבְּר֖וּ [and·they·will·be·broken] (564) + כׇּל־עֹזְרֶֽיהָ [all·her·helpers] (342) = 2614.
Rashi
“When I set fire.” My wrath is like fire:
Radak
And they shall know, when I set a fire in Egypt. By way of parable, as its Targum renders it: "When I bring mighty peoples, like fire, upon Egypt."
Metzudat David
And they shall know. Then they shall all know that I, the Lord, am faithful to recompense; at the time that I give My wrath in fire against Egypt, all her helpers shall be broken.
In that day shall messengers go forth from before Me in ships To make the confident Ethiopians afraid; And there shall come convulsion upon them in the day of Egypt; For, lo, it comes.
verse value 2768
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 71 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "messengers" (מַלְאָכִ֤ים, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 58: in·the·day, in·day·of. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "in·the·ships" (בַּצִּ֔ים), "to·terrify" (לְהַחֲרִ֖יד), "Ethiopia" (אֶת־כּ֣וּשׁ). The root יום appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·it·shall·be" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel); "going·in" (root בוא, 175x in Ezekiel); "upon·them" (root הם, 166x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'safety', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 8 words.
Rashi
"Angels before Me. Hosts of legions go on My mission in numerous caravans to terrify Cush, who sits in security:"
“In ships.” Just as it is written, “and ships from the hand of Kittim” (Numbers 24:24); and likewise Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated it as “in legions.”
Radak
On that day, messengers will go forth from before the ships to terrify Cush. “Batzim” [ships] are vessels, as it is written, “A mighty fleet shall not pass through it,” and it is written, “And his judgment is with ships” [tzayim], spelled with two yods, like “from the eyes of the nations,” except that the spelling is lenient, like “Hebrews” and “Jews.” He said: In that time, after the destruction of Egypt, I will bring upon Cush an army of nations in ships. And He calls them “angels,” as if they come there by the mission of God, blessed be He, because He decreed the decree upon them; therefore He said “from before,” and He said “ships,” because a great river surrounds the land of Cush, and they cannot enter it except by ships. And so it is stated in the Torah, “It is the one that surrounds the entire land of Cush.” And there are also other rivers. And it is stated in the Book of Isaiah: “Woe to the land of the whirring of wings, which is beyond the rivers of Cush, which sends ambassadors by sea, in vessels of papyrus on the face of the waters.”
"To terrify Cush who is secure: Cush, who was sitting securely, will be terrified by the people who will come upon them suddenly."
“Like the day of Egypt.” Just as there was dismay among them at the destruction of Egypt, as it was stated above, “And there shall be dismay in Cush at the fall of the slain in Egypt,” so too shall there now be dismay among them on account of themselves.
"Behold, it has come": This means the time of their destruction.
Metzudat David
"They went out, etc." — Hosts of armies went out, in ships, on My mission to terrify Cush, who dwelt in security; and then there was trembling among them, just as on the day when Egypt was captured, when there was trembling in Cush, as stated above.
“Behold, it has come.” This implies: If they were filled with dismay when they heard of the downfall of Egypt, how much more so should they now be filled with dismay, since the calamity has now come upon themselves.
Metzudat Zion
Messengers. Envoys:
"Beitzim" (ships). In ships, as it is said, "And a mighty fleet" (Isaiah 33:23):
To terrify. From the word "fear":
Malbim
"On that day" — not only will the allies who were with him in the war be broken, and not only will the nations that were on the side of Migdol-Seveneh be broken; rather, immediately on that day angels will go forth before Me, so that this will be accomplished through My providence, to terrify Cush, which was on the other side (as it is stated, "from Migdol-Seveneh to the border of Cush"). And I will terrify them within their own land, in which they were secure: first, because the enemy was far from them; and second, because it was across the sea (as it is stated, "the land of the whirring of wings, which is beyond the rivers of Cush"). I will terrify Cush, which was secure, and among them there will be trembling like the day of Egypt. For behold, the trembling will come into their land, not merely as a rumor from afar and concerning the future.
Thus says the Lord Hashem: I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease, By the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon.
verse value 2675
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 48 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "thus" (כֹּ֥ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "Nebuchadrezzar" (נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֥ר, 9 letters). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "said" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "my·lord" (root אדון, 222x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 6 words. Full calculation: כֹּ֥ה [thus] (25) + אָמַ֖ר [said] (241) + אֲדֹנָ֣י [my·lord] (65) + יֱהֹוִ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + וְהִשְׁבַּתִּי֙ [and·I·will·banish] (723) + אֶת־הֲמ֣וֹן [the·multitude] (502) + מִצְרַ֔יִם [Egypt] (380) + בְּיַ֖ד [in·hand·of] (16) + נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֥ר [Nebuchadrezzar] (573) + מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶֽל [king·of·Babylon] (124) = 2675.
Radak
Thus it is stated. It is clear. It is.
Metzudat David
"And I will cause to cease." I will bring to an end the multitude of the people of Egypt by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, for he will destroy them with the sword.
Metzudat Zion
"And I will cause to cease." The matter is one of nullification.
Malbim
Thus says the Lord: Now it explains how He will cut off the multitude of Egypt and the majority of the people therein, which will be done by the Lord through the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. For, in contrast to what was stated regarding Cush, that it would be by angels and only to terrify Cush, and there would only be trembling among them, for He will not devastate the entire land of Cush; but the multitude of Egypt He will destroy through the hand of Nebuchadnezzar himself. And furthermore, He will bring with him the tyrants of the nations to devastate the land, not merely to terrify.
He and his people with him, the terrible of the nations, Shall be brought in to destroy the land; And they shall draw their swords against Egypt, And fill the land with the slain.
verse value 4424
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 66 letters. The shortest word is "he" (ה֠וּא, 3 letters) and the longest is "against·Egypt" (עַל־מִצְרַ֔יִם, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·his·people" (וְעַמּ֤וֹ). The root ארץ appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·land" (root ארץ, 176x in Ezekiel); "being·brought" (root בוא, 175x in Ezekiel); "their·swords" (root חרב, 102x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·land', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 6 words. Full calculation: ה֠וּא [he] (12) + וְעַמּ֤וֹ [and·his·people] (122) + אִתּוֹ֙ [with·him] (407) + עָרִיצֵ֣י [awe-inspiring] (380) + גוֹיִ֔ם [nations] (59) + מוּבָאִ֖ים [being·brought] (99) + לְשַׁחֵ֣ת [to·destroy] (738) + הָאָ֑רֶץ [the·land] (296) + וְהֵרִ֤יקוּ [and·they·shall·draw] (327) + חַרְבוֹתָם֙ [their·swords] (656) + עַל־מִצְרַ֔יִם [against·Egypt] (480) + וּמָלְא֥וּ [and·they·shall·fill] (83) + אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ [the·land] (697) + חָלָֽל [slain] (68) = 4424.
Radak
"He and his people shall be brought." [This is derived from the verse:] "For I, the Lord, will bring them."
Metzudat David
"He and his people with him." This means that Pharaoh and his people who were with him were delivered into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.
"The tyrants of the nations. Strong peoples will be brought by Nebuchadnezzar's hand to devastate the land of Egypt, and it is concerning the Chaldeans that it says:"
And they shall empty. They shall draw their swords from their sheaths against Egypt:
Metzudat Zion
"Arutzim." The term denotes strength, as in "a mighty tyrant" (Jeremiah 20:11).
"והריקו" – from the root רִיק, meaning they will draw out and empty it from its sheath.
Their swords. The word is derived from the root "חרב" (to lay waste).
Malbim
"He and his people with him" refers to the tyrants of the nations; they are mighty, fierce, and harsh. They are brought by My providence (which is the definition of the verb whose agent is not explicitly mentioned) for the purpose of destroying the land through devastation, and they will draw their swords from their sheaths and fill the land with slain.
And I will make the rivers dry, And will give the land over into the hand of evil men; And I will make the land desolate, And all that is therein, by the hand of strangers; I Hashem have spoken it.
verse value 5161
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 66 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 5161 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "land" (אֶ֤רֶץ, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·hand·of·evil" (בְּיַד־רָעִ֑ים, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "channels" (יְאֹרִים֙), "and·I·will·sell" (וּמָכַרְתִּ֥י), "in·hand·of·evil" (בְּיַד־רָעִ֑ים). The root ארץ appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "and·I·will·give" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel); "the·land" (root ארץ, 176x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·hand·of·evil', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 7 words. Full calculation: וְנָתַתִּ֤י [and·I·will·give] (866) + יְאֹרִים֙ [channels] (261) + חׇֽרָבָ֔ה [dry] (215) + וּמָכַרְתִּ֥י [and·I·will·sell] (676) + אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ [the·land] (697) + בְּיַד־רָעִ֑ים [in·hand·of·evil] (336) + וַהֲשִׁמֹּתִ֞י [and·I·will·make·desolate] (761) + אֶ֤רֶץ [land] (291) + וּמְלֹאָהּ֙ [and·its·fullness] (82) + בְּיַד־זָרִ֔ים [by·hand·of·strangers] (273) + אֲנִ֥י [I] (61) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + דִּבַּֽרְתִּי [I·have·spoken] (616) = 5161.
Rashi
And I will give the Nile rivers. The land of the Nile rivers is Egypt.
And I will sell. As its Targum [renders it]: And I will deliver.
Radak
“And I will make the rivers desolate.” “Desolate” means dry, as in “and it was dried up.” And since the Nile is the source of all the goodness and praise of the land of Egypt, He speaks metaphorically, saying that the Nile will be laid waste, meaning that all its goodness will be consumed.
Metzudat David
"Rivers." "The majority of the rivers will dry up"—this means that its inhabitants will be exiled from it, and no longer will good come to them from the rivers, as if they had dried up.
"And I will sell them." "I will deliver the land into the hands of the Chaldeans, who are evil and cruel men."
"And I will make the land desolate..." – I will make the land and its inhabitants, who fill it, desolate through the agency of foreign and alien peoples.
"I am the Lord, I have spoken. And it is in My power to fulfill My words:"
Metzudat Zion
חרבה. From the root חורב, meaning "to become desolate and dry."
And I will sell them. The meaning is "hand over," as it is also stated: "And He sold them into the hand of their enemies" (Judges 2:14).
And I will make them desolate. From the language of "shemammon" (desolation/ruin):
Malbim
(“Now the rivers shall become desolate”) That He will make them desolate, for He will sell the land into the hands of enemies, and they will not guard it to repair the rivers. These are the canals that were drawn from the great river in the center of the land to convey water to all parts of the country. And it will become desolate because the land will be sold to them, and strangers will lay waste to the land in a place where there is still habitation, and this will be by the decree of the Lord:
Thus says the Lord Hashem: I will also destroy the idols, And I will cause the things of nought to cease from Noph; And there shall be no more a prince out of the land of Egypt; And I will put a fear in the land of Egypt.
verse value 4892
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 82 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "from·land·of·Egypt" (מֵאֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַ֖יִם, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "idols" (אֱלִילִים֙), "from·Noph" (מִנֹּ֔ף), "from·land·of·Egypt" (מֵאֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַ֖יִם). 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "thus·said" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "shall·be·any·more" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'shall·be·any·more', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 4 words.
Radak
“Thus says the Lord, and I will destroy the idols.” According to its plain meaning: since their trust was in them, that they would save them from the hand of the enemy, He said so, just as it is said: “Babylon is put to shame, Bel is put to confusion, her idols are put to shame” (Jeremiah 50:2). Or, it is by way of metaphor, like “I will execute judgments against all the gods of Egypt” (Exodus 12:12). And the Targum renders: “And I will destroy those who worship idols.”
And a prince from the land of Egypt shall be no more. And a king also I will abolish from the land of Egypt, so that there shall be no longer—meaning, for a long time, as it says, “And the bands of Aram shall be no more,” since He stated, “At the end of forty years I will gather Egypt.” Or, “no more” is to be understood literally, forever, as it says, “And you shall not exalt yourself again over the nations.” And this is what He said, “And I will put fear in the land of Egypt,” so that they shall forever be in fear of the other nations.
Metzudat David
"And I will destroy them..." — They shall not occupy themselves with idols there.
And the prince, etc. This means: And I will cause a prince to cease from the land of Egypt.
"Let there be no more." This means that for a long period of time there will be none, until the completion of forty years, as stated above.
"And I will put the fear [of Me]": There shall always be there dread and trembling from the other nations.
Malbim
(Now He explained regarding the idols) that their primary worship was in Noph (Memphis); He will uproot them from there. Likewise, there shall not be a ruler from the land of Egypt, for it was the head of idolatry. I will instill awe; thereby, awe, trembling, and fear will fall upon their hearts before the outstretched hand of the Lord, which He extends over all.
And I will make Pathros desolate, And will set a fire in Zoan, And will execute judgments in No.
verse value 4575
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 38 letters. The shortest word is "fire" (אֵ֖שׁ, 2 letters) and the longest is "Pathros" (אֶת־פַּתְר֔וֹס, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "Pathros" (אֶת־פַּתְר֔וֹס), "in·Zoan" (בְּצֹ֑עַן), "in·No" (בְּנֹֽא). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·I·will·make" (root עשה, 214x in Ezekiel); "and·I·will·give" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel); "and·I·will·make·desolate" (root שמם, 46x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root נא ("in·No") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·Zoan', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַֽהֲשִׁמֹּתִי֙ [and·I·will·make·desolate] (761) + אֶת־פַּתְר֔וֹס [Pathros] (1147) + וְנָתַ֥תִּי [and·I·will·give] (866) + אֵ֖שׁ [fire] (301) + בְּצֹ֑עַן [in·Zoan] (212) + וְעָשִׂ֥יתִי [and·I·will·make] (796) + שְׁפָטִ֖ים [judgment] (439) + בְּנֹֽא [in·No] (53) = 4575.
Rashi
“And I will execute judgments in No.” Alexandria:
Radak
And I will lay waste, in Naa. Naa is Alexandria, and so did Jonathan render it:
Metzudat Zion
In "Na." – this is Alexandria, according to the manuscript.
Malbim
And I will lay waste (now he explains the order of their destruction, one after the other): First, I will lay waste Pathros, which is in Upper Egypt, and I will set fire to Zoan, and I will also execute judgments in No, Alexandria, in the lower part of Egypt.
And I will pour My fury upon Sin, the stronghold of Egypt; And I will cut off the multitude of No.
verse value 3191
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 38 letters. The shortest word is "please" (נֹֽא, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·pour" (וְשָׁפַכְתִּ֣י, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "upon·Sin" (עַל־סִ֖ין), "stronghold·of" (מָע֣וֹז), "please" (נֹֽא). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Egypt" (root מצרים, 39x in Ezekiel); "My·wrath" (root חמה, 33x in Ezekiel); "and·I·will·pour" (root שפך, 31x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Egypt', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְשָׁפַכְתִּ֣י [and·I·will·pour] (816) + חֲמָתִ֔י [My·wrath] (458) + עַל־סִ֖ין [upon·Sin] (220) + מָע֣וֹז [stronghold·of] (123) + מִצְרָ֑יִם [Egypt] (380) + וְהִכְרַתִּ֖י [and·I·will·cut·off] (641) + אֶת־הֲמ֥וֹן [the·multitude] (502) + נֹֽא [please] (51) = 3191.
Radak
“And I will pour out.” It is explained:
Metzudat David
“Stronghold of Egypt.” This refers to the strength of Egypt, which is a fortified and mighty city.
“Behold, the multitude.” The multitude of the people of No, for she was the daughter of a populous nation.
Metzudat Zion
Maoz. The meaning is strength:
Malbim
And behold, the multitude of No and the people will go to take refuge and find shelter in the fortress of Sin, which is near them; and therefore, He will pour out His wrath upon Sin, and there He will cut off the multitude of No who took refuge there.
And I will set a fire in Egypt; Sin shall be in great convulsion, And No shall be rent asunder; And in Noph shall come adversaries in the day-time.
verse value 3821
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 49 letters. The shortest word is "fire" (אֵשׁ֙, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·Egypt" (בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם, 6 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "sand" (ח֤וּל), "will·twist" ((תחיל)), "will·twist" (תָּחוּל֙). The root חיל appears 3 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "it·will·be" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel); "and·I·will·give" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel); "day" (root יום, 112x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·be·split', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְנָתַ֤תִּי [and·I·will·give] (866) + אֵשׁ֙ [fire] (301) + בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם [in·Egypt] (382) + ח֤וּל [sand] (44) + (תחיל) [will·twist] (448) + תָּחוּל֙ [will·twist] (444) + סִ֔ין [Sin] (120) + וְנֹ֖א [and·No] (57) + תִּֽהְיֶ֣ה [it·will·be] (420) + לְהִבָּקֵ֑עַ [to·be·split] (207) + וְנֹ֖ף [and·Noph] (136) + צָרֵ֥י [adversaries] (300) + יוֹמָֽם [day] (96) = 3821.
Rashi
To be split. “Her wall shall be split”:
“Her adversaries by day.” Enemies will besiege her day by day:
Radak
“And I will give” — “Sin shall writhe in anguish.” The word is written with a Yod and read with a Vav. The written form follows the Hifil conjugation, while the read form follows the Qal, and it is the language of writhing, like a woman in labor.
"To be split. That its walls be split:"
“And Noph shall have adversaries by day.” And [the verse states], “And Noph shall have adversaries by day,” meaning that the enemies will come to her by day and not by night like thieves. And Jonathan [the Aramaic translator] rendered it: “The enemies will besiege it, day by day.”
Metzudat David
“Shall be shaken” – Sin. “The city of Sin shall tremble with trembling.”
“Let it be ready to be breached.” This means: Let it be easy and ready for its wall to be breached, even though it is a fortified city.
“צרי יומם” – The besiegers will come upon her in the light of day to subdue her, and not at night like thieves.
Metzudat Zion
Chol, trembling. From the language of trembling and quaking:
To split. The word is related to "breaking" and "opening."
Malbim
And after they return to strengthen their necks through the fortress of Sin, and because No-amon was also a fortress and the sea surrounded it (as it is stated: "Are you better than No-amon, that sits among the rivers, with water around her, whose rampart is the sea, the waters her wall?"), then He will set fire in Egypt, until Sin shall begin to give birth at the time when a woman begins to labor at the onset of her contractions to bring forth the child, and the membrane will rupture, open, and the newborn will emerge. This is an allegory for the breaching of the siege, and this is what it says: "And No-amon shall be a breach from this army; it shall be broken through, like the womb of a woman giving birth." And "Noph shall have adversaries by day"—they shall hate the day, for they shall love the night, when they will find shelter in the darkness from the enemy. And then the young men of On and Pi-beseth shall fall by the sword, and the women shall go into captivity.
The young men of Aven and of Pi-beseth shall fall by the sword; And these cities shall go into captivity.
verse value 2064
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 35 letters. Verse gematria: 2064 is divisible by 86, the value of Elohim. The shortest word is "Aven" (אָ֛וֶן, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·Pi-beseth" (וּפִי־בֶ֖סֶת, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·Pi-beseth" (וּפִי־בֶ֖סֶת). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·the·sword" (root חרב, 102x in Ezekiel); "shall·go" (root הלך, 66x in Ezekiel); "they·will·fall" (root נפל, 58x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·will·fall', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: בַּח֥וּרֵי [young·men·of] (226) + אָ֛וֶן [Aven] (57) + וּפִי־בֶ֖סֶת [and·Pi-beseth] (558) + בַּחֶ֣רֶב [in·the·sword] (212) + יִפֹּ֑לוּ [they·will·fall] (126) + וְהֵ֖נָּה [and·behold] (66) + בַּשְּׁבִ֥י [into·captivity] (314) + תֵלַֽכְנָה [shall·go] (505) = 2064.
Rashi
"And they shall go forth into captivity." This refers to both of the cities, On and Pibeseth.
Radak
“Bachurei On.” The name of a city in the land of Egypt, and it is possible that it is the On mentioned in the Torah as “Kohen On.”
And "Pi-beseth": Two words are written, yet one word is read, and it is the name of a city.
“And behold, they shall go into captivity.” Just as it says, “They, behold, they were for the children of Israel.” And it states “them” for the males and “they” for the females. My master and father, of blessed memory, explained that it refers to the women, and even though they are not explicitly mentioned, behold, it mentions the young men who will fall by the sword, and it states that their wives will go into captivity. And Jonathan rendered it: “Their bodies will be slain by the sword, and their wives will be taken into captivity.”
Metzudat David
And behold. The wives of the slain shall go into captivity:
At Tehaphnehes also the day shall withdraw itself, When I shall break there the yokes of Egypt, And the pride of her power shall cease in her; As for her, a cloud shall cover her, And her daughters shall go into captivity.
verse value 5629
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 74 letters. Verse gematria: 5629 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "withholded" (חָשַׂ֣ךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·in·Tehaphnehes" (וּבִֽתְחַפְנְחֵס֙, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·in·Tehaphnehes" (וּבִֽתְחַפְנְחֵס֙), "in·my·breaking·there" (בְּשִׁבְרִי־שָׁם֙), "and·shall·cease·in·her" (וְנִשְׁבַּת־בָּ֖הּ). 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "day" (root יום, 112x in Ezekiel); "she" (root הוא, 86x in Ezekiel); "shall·go" (root הלך, 66x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'her·strength', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 6 words.
Rashi
"The day is darkened." The light shall be withheld.
"A cloud will cover her." A calamity will come upon her, covering her and darkening her, like the day of the covering of the cloud.
"And her daughters." And Targum Jonathan renders it: “and her villages.”
Radak
"And in Tahpanhes." This is the Tahpanhes mentioned in Kings, and the vowels have been altered: here the bet is pointed with a hireq, the tav with a shva, the het with a patach, and the pe and nun with shva.
“Darkened the day.” It is spelled with a shin and is read as if it were on the left side, like “And He did not withhold from me anything” (meaning: He withheld). The interpretation is that the day withheld its light from them, and he said this out of great distress, as if the day had withheld its light from them. And the Targum rendered it regarding Tahpanhes: “He brought darkness in the daytime.” He rendered it as if it were “darkened with the right hand.”
“The staffs of Egypt.” These were the staffs of dominion that were around the necks of the nations, and the Targum rendered it: “When I broke there the power of Egypt.”
"It is the cloud that covers her." As its Targum renders it: "The king with his camps will cover her, like a cloud that rises and covers the land."
“And their daughters shall go into captivity.” This means that the inhabitants of the villages shall go into captivity, for they have no strength to fight against the enemies, and [the enemies] will take them and lead them away into captivity.
Metzudat David
"Darkness the day." One upon whom a calamity befalls it seems to him as though the light of the day has been withheld from him. And similarly, "a day of darkness and gloom" (Joel 2:2).
"In the breaking of the Name." At the time that I will break there the staffs of Egypt; that is to say, the staffs of the yoke that weighed heavily upon the gentiles.
"And it shall cease there." In Tahpanhes, the strong dominion will be nullified.
It is the city of Tachpanes; the matter will cover it, for it will be very dark for her.
And her daughters. The daughters of the city shall go into captivity:
Metzudat Zion
"Darkness." The term denotes prevention, as in "and You did not withhold" (Genesis 22:16).
"Bars." This means the poles of the yoke.
Malbim
Until the battle reaches Tahpanhes, where Pharaoh's palace was located, and where Jeremiah hid stones in the mortar of the bricks at the entrance of Pharaoh's house, as it is stated (in Jeremiah 43, ibid). Therefore, it says that there the day was darkened. It compares the beginning of the battle to the start of the day, which gradually grew duskier until it reached Tahpanhes, where the day was completely darkened. (And he adopted this expression because at that time he broke the pillars of Beth-shemesh, as stated there in Jeremiah.) For there he broke the staffs of Egypt, which were the yokes and staffs they imposed upon their neighbors. And the pride of their strength ceased, namely, the pride of Pharaoh, until a cloud covers her, meaning that they will all be killed, and her daughters will go into exile. And then He will execute judgments in all of Egypt, so that they will all be exiled and come to know the Lord.
Thus will I execute judgments in Egypt; And they shall know that I am Hashem.’ .
verse value 1830
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 31 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "Hashem" (יְהֹוָֽה, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·make" (וְעָשִׂ֥יתִי, 6 letters). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "and·I·will·make" (root עשה, 214x in Ezekiel); "that·I" (root אני, 166x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·Egypt', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְעָשִׂ֥יתִי [and·I·will·make] (796) + שְׁפָטִ֖ים [judgment] (439) + בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם [in·Egypt] (382) + וְיָדְע֖וּ [and·they·shall·know] (96) + כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י [that·I] (91) + יְהֹוָֽה [Hashem] (26) = 1830.
Metzudat David
"For I am the Lord": The Faithful One who repays reward.
And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first month, in the seventh day of the month, that the word of Hashem came to me, saying:
verse value 3216
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 47 letters. The shortest word is "year" (שָׁנָ֔ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "word·of·Hashem" (דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה, 7 letters). The root היה appears 2 times in this verse. 10 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). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·the·month', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיְהִ֗י [and·it·was] (31) + בְּאַחַ֤ת [in·one] (411) + עֶשְׂרֵה֙ [ten] (575) + שָׁנָ֔ה [year] (355) + בָּרִאשׁ֖וֹן [in·the·first] (559) + בְּשִׁבְעָ֣ה [seven] (379) + לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ [to·the·month] (342) + הָיָ֥ה [was] (20) + דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה [word·of·Hashem] (232) + אֵלַ֥י [to·me] (41) + לֵאמֹֽר [saying] (271) = 3216.
Radak
And it came to pass in the eleventh year. Of the exile of Zedekiah:
"On the seventh day of the first month." In the first month, which is Nisan:
Metzudat David
"In the eleventh year" – this refers to the eleventh year of the exile of Yehoyachin and the reign of Zedekiah, which was the year of the Destruction of the Temple.
On the first. In the first month:
’Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and, lo, it has not been bound up to be healed, to put a roller, that it be bound up and wax strong, that it hold the sword.
verse value 6784
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 72 letters. The shortest word is "to·give" (לָתֵ֨ת, 3 letters) and the longest is "king·of·Egypt" (מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֖יִם, 8 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "the·arm" (אֶת־זְר֛וֹעַ), "I·broke" (שָׁבָ֑רְתִּי), "not·bound·up" (לֹֽא־חֻ֠בְּשָׁ֠ה). The root חבש appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·give" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel); "son·of·man" (root בין, 145x in Ezekiel); "in·the·sword" (root חרב, 102x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'I·broke', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 10 words.
Rashi
"I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt." Already on another occasion I delivered his army into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, as it is stated in the book (Jeremiah 46:2): "Concerning Egypt, concerning the army of Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt, who was at Carchemish on the Euphrates River, whom Nebuchadnezzar struck..." and so on.
And behold, she was not bound up. From that day onward, as it is stated in the Book of Kings (2 Kings 24:7) at its conclusion: “And the king of Egypt did not again come out of his land, for the king of Babylon had taken from the River Euphrates to the Brook of Egypt.” And in this very style Jeremiah too prophesied concerning that affliction, in the language of healing: “There is no healing for you,” as it is said (Jeremiah 46:11): “Go up to Gilead and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt; in vain have you multiplied medicines, there is no healing for you.”
It was not bound up. This is the language of binding, as one binds a broken bone.
“To place a bandage.” This refers to the wrapping of garments and cloth, similar to [the phrase] above (16:4), “and you were not swaddled.”
"To grasp the sword." That he should still have the strength to fight.
Radak
"Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt." This is what is stated in Jeremiah: "concerning the army of Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt, who was at the River Euphrates in Carchemish, whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, defeated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah." And it says in Kings: "And no king of Egypt added to go out from his land anymore, for the king of Babylon had taken it, etc." And this is how one of his arms was broken.
And behold, she did not bind it. After it was broken, she did not bind it so that she could grasp a sword again, as it says, “and he added no more.”
"To apply a bandage." This refers to the wrapping that is applied to a broken bone and bandaged, and this fracture had no further cure.
“L’chovshah” (to bind it). With a mappik in the final heh, meaning “to bind it.” Likewise “l’chazkah” (to strengthen it) — “vayehi l’chazkah” is an infinitive from the transitive Qal. Similarly, “vayitzer lo” and “lo chazku” are transitive verbs from the Qal. And Jonathan interpreted the parable thus: “Son of man, the strength of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, I have broken, and behold it is not bound up to be healed,” etc.
Metzudat David
“The arm, etc.” Behold, I have already broken one of Pharaoh’s arms; that is to say, I have already delivered him once into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, as it is stated in Jeremiah and in II Kings: “And he took a great portion of his land.”
“And behold, she has not been bound.” This means that they have still not bound a bandage upon the wound to apply healing to the break, by wrapping a bandage and tying it securely to strengthen it, so that she would be able to grasp the sword and fight again. In other words, Egypt has not yet returned to its former glory, nor have they taken vengeance upon them, and their land is still in their possession.
Metzudat Zion
**Haveshah.** The matter of tying a cloth over a fracture. And similarly, "And for one who is broken, she did not bind" (below 34):
Chatul. The matter of wrapping the cloth, and likewise, "ve-hachatal lo chatalt" (above, 15):
To bind it. To tie it:
Malbim
Regarding the phrase “the arm of Pharaoh,” it says that in the days of Jehoiachin and Jehoiakim I broke one arm of Pharaoh, for in the days of Jehoiachin I took from him as far as the River Euphrates, which is one arm of his land. And although Pharaoh sought to bind the fracture and strengthen himself there, he did not bind it properly. For when one wishes to bind a broken hand properly, one must first apply medicinal remedies to the site of the fracture to draw out the congealed and clotted blood, and afterwards place a dressing made of soft materials, and then bind and wrap it tightly over the dressing with strength. But if one binds the fracture without medicine and without a dressing, the hand will not regain its strength for work. And this is what the verse states: “Behold, it was not bound to apply remedies,” meaning that it was not bound in the proper manner, which requires first applying remedies and then a dressing, in order to bind it firmly so that it would retain strength and power to grasp the sword. And the meaning is that his attempt to strengthen himself there at the River Euphrates in the days of Jehoiakim was an improper binding, for his hand remained weak and lacked the strength to stand in battle.
Therefore thus says the Lord Hashem: Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will break his arms, the strong, and that which was broken; and I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand.
verse value 6537
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 80 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "therefore" (לָכֵ֞ן, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·broken" (וְאֶת־הַנִּשְׁבָּ֑רֶת, 9 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "his·arms" (אֶת־זְרֹ֣עֹתָ֔יו), "the·strong" (אֶת־הַחֲזָקָ֖ה), "and·the·broken" (וְאֶת־הַנִּשְׁבָּ֑רֶת). The root שבר appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "thus·said" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "my·lord" (root אדון, 222x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·the·broken', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 3 words. Full calculation: לָכֵ֞ן [therefore] (100) + כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר [thus·said] (266) + אֲדֹנָ֣י [my·lord] (65) + יֱהֹוִ֗ה [Hashem] (26) + הִנְנִי֙ [they] (115) + אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֣ה [against·Pharaoh] (386) + מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֔יִם [king·of·Egypt] (470) + וְשָֽׁבַרְתִּי֙ [and·I·will·break] (918) + אֶת־זְרֹ֣עֹתָ֔יו [his·arms] (1094) + אֶת־הַחֲזָקָ֖ה [the·strong] (526) + וְאֶת־הַנִּשְׁבָּ֑רֶת [and·the·broken] (1364) + וְהִפַּלְתִּ֥י [and·I·will·cause·to·fall] (531) + אֶת־הַחֶ֖רֶב [the·sword] (616) + מִיָּדֽוֹ [from·his·hand] (60) = 6537.
Rashi
“And I will break his arms.” I will break the second one, so that both will be broken. That is to say, the King of Babylon has already taken from one side; I will now deliver to him the rest of the entire kingdom.
Radak
Therefore, [the verse refers to] the strong one and the broken one. The strong one I will break; the broken one will be broken as it was. The strong one is a metaphor for his land that remained to him after Nebuchadnezzar struck him by the river Euphrates.
Metzudat David
Behold, I am. Behold, I will fight against Pharaoh:
“And I will break.” I will break both of his arms: the strong one, which has not been broken since, and also the broken one, I will break it further so that it will have no healing at all. And by this, I will make the sword fall from his hand, for he will no longer be able to hold it with either of his arms. This means that Nebuchadnezzar will also take the land that remains to him, and what he has already taken, he will retain for himself, and it will not go out from under his hand, and he will no longer be able to stand against him in war.
Malbim
Therefore, thus says the Lord: Behold, I am against Pharaoh, and I will break his arms. By this, the two arms were broken: the broken arm that was broken a second time in the days of Jehoiakim and Zedekiah, who fought against him by the River Euphrates when he went out of his land; and the strong arm, which is the land of Egypt itself, where he was still in his strength and might. And by this, the end will be that even the sword from his hand [will be taken], and I will scatter Egypt, etc.
And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries.
verse value 2801
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 31 letters. The shortest word is "among·the·nations" (בַּגּוֹיִ֑ם, 5 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·scatter" (וַהֲפִצוֹתִ֥י, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·I·will·disperse·them" (וְזֵרִיתִ֖ם). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·the·lands" (root ארץ, 176x in Ezekiel); "among·the·nations" (root גוי, 87x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'among·the·nations', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: וַהֲפִצוֹתִ֥י [and·I·will·scatter] (597) + אֶת־מִצְרַ֖יִם [the·Egyptians] (781) + בַּגּוֹיִ֑ם [among·the·nations] (61) + וְזֵרִיתִ֖ם [and·I·will·disperse·them] (663) + בָּאֲרָצֽוֹת [in·the·lands] (699) = 2801.
And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put My sword in his hand; but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded man.
verse value 6563
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 68 letters. The shortest word is "king" (מֶ֣לֶךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·arms" (אֶת־זְרֹעוֹת֙, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 1084: the·arms, the·arms. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·I·will·harden" (וְחִזַּקְתִּ֗י), "My·sword" (אֶת־חַרְבִּ֖י), "and·he·shall·groan" (וְנָאַ֛ק). The root זרוע appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·I·will·give" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel); "to·his·face" (root פנים, 150x in Ezekiel); "My·sword" (root חרב, 102x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·his·hand', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 7 words. Full calculation: וְחִזַּקְתִּ֗י [and·I·will·harden] (531) + אֶת־זְרֹעוֹת֙ [the·arms] (1084) + מֶ֣לֶךְ [king] (90) + בָּבֶ֔ל [Babylon] (34) + וְנָתַתִּ֥י [and·I·will·give] (866) + אֶת־חַרְבִּ֖י [My·sword] (621) + בְּיָד֑וֹ [in·his·hand] (22) + וְשָֽׁבַרְתִּי֙ [and·I·will·break] (918) + אֶת־זְרֹע֣וֹת [the·arms] (1084) + פַּרְעֹ֔ה [Pharaoh] (355) + וְנָאַ֛ק [and·he·shall·groan] (157) + נַאֲק֥וֹת [groanings·of] (557) + חָלָ֖ל [slain] (68) + לְפָנָֽיו [to·his·face] (176) = 6563.
Rashi
And I will strengthen. The language of strength:
Radak
And I shall strengthen myself, and he shall groan the groans of the slain before him. We have already explained above what is meant by the "cry of the slain," and it is the expulsion of the soul from the windpipe with a sound at the time of his death.
Metzudat David
"And I will give..."—this means that I will place in his hand the power to destroy Egypt.
"And Pharaoh groaned before Nebuchadnezzar, with the groaning of a dying person, as the dying groan when their soul departs."
Metzudat Zion
V'na'ak. The meaning is groaning, as in "ye'enok chalal" (Jeremiah 51):
Malbim
And he explains that this will occur in two battles that He will wage against him in his land (as stated above in the verse "For the day is near, and the day is near for the Lord"). In the first instance, I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and He will break the two arms of Pharaoh, and there will be a cry, a cry of the slain, for many corpses will fall from his army.
And I will hold up the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that I am Hashem, when I shall put My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt.
verse value 5922
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 84 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 5922 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "king" (מֶ֣לֶךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·strengthen" (וְהַחֲזַקְתִּ֗י, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·I·will·strengthen" (וְהַחֲזַקְתִּ֗י), "and·arms·of" (וּזְרֹע֥וֹת), "and·will·stretch·out" (וְנָטָ֥ה). The root זרוע appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "to·land" (root איל, 238x in Ezekiel); "in·my·giving" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·will·fall', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 11 words.
Rashi
And I will strengthen. This is the language of holding, as one holds with his hand to support so that it will not fall, and the conclusion of the verse proves this: “The arms of Pharaoh shall fall,” meaning that He does not hold them up.
Radak
“And I will strengthen” – “they will fall.” As if they had fallen, so that there would be no strength in them.
"and stretch it out." In the sense of "stretch out your staff."
“Unto the land of Egypt.” Like the word “upon,” and there are many examples like it.
Metzudat David
They shall fall. With the strength of the breaking:
"For I am the Lord." The Faithful One who repays reward.
“When I give.” “At the time that I will give My sword…” and He will brandish it against the land of Egypt to strike it.
Malbim
And the second time, when I strengthen the arms of the King of Babylon, then the arms of Pharaoh will fall. Not like a broken bone, where the limb remains and can be set, but rather they will fall off from the hand, with no hope of recovery. And then they will know that I am the Lord, in that I place My sword in his hand, and he will brandish it against the land of Egypt, along with all the land. And then I will scatter Egypt, etc., for then will be the completion of their destruction.
Radak
Malbim