And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, in the first day of the month, that the word of Hashem came to me, saying:
verse value 3838
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 50 letters. The shortest word is "year" (שָׁנָ֔ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·two·ten" (בִּשְׁנֵֽי־עָשָׂ֥ר, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "in·two·ten" (בִּשְׁנֵֽי־עָשָׂ֥ר). The root היה appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·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 8 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַֽיְהִי֙ [and·it·was] (31) + בִּשְׁתֵּ֣י [in·two] (712) + עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה [ten] (575) + שָׁנָ֔ה [year] (355) + בִּשְׁנֵֽי־עָשָׂ֥ר [in·two·ten] (932) + חֹ֖דֶשׁ [month] (312) + בְּאֶחָ֣ד [one] (15) + לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ [to·the·month] (342) + הָיָ֥ה [was] (20) + דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה [the·word·of·Hashem] (232) + אֵלַ֥י [to·me] (41) + לֵאמֹֽר [saying] (271) = 3838.
Radak
And it was in the twelfth year. Of the reign of Zedekiah, the first year after the destruction:
Metzudat David
"In the twelfth year." In the twelfth year of the reign of Zedekiah, which was the first year after the destruction.
’Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him: You did liken thyself to a young lion of the nations; Whereas you are as a dragon in the seas; And you did gush forth with your rivers, And did trouble the waters with your feet, And foul their rivers.
verse value 7449
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 98 letters. Verse gematria: 7449 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "forgive" (שָׂ֤א, 2 letters) and the longest is "king·of·Egypt" (מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֔יִם, 8 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "you·were·likened" (נִדְמֵ֑יתָ), "as·the·dragon" (כַּתַּנִּ֣ים), "and·you·burst·forth" (וַתָּ֣גַח). The root נהר appears 2 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·you·shall·say" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "to·him" (root אל, 204x in Ezekiel); "son·of·man" (root בין, 145x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root דלח ("and·you·troubled·water") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'you·were·likened', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 9 words.
Rashi
"You have likened yourself to a lion among the nations, whereas you are like a sea-monster in the waters. It was fitting for you to lie prostrate within your waters, in accordance with the manner of fish, and not to come out onto the dry land; yet you grew arrogant in your heart and likened yourself in your own mind to a lion that rules on the dry land and goes out to seize its prey."
“And it will burst forth through your rivers.” And it will go out, outside, with your rivers. The term is from the root of “guch” (to burst forth), as in “from the womb” (Psalms 26:12), “when the Jordan bursts forth” (Job 41:1), and “the ambush of Israel burst forth from its place” (Judges 20:33). It is a term for something that emerges and comes out from a hidden place.
And she muddied. A term denoting muddying:
"Your feet": You had no feet, yet You made for Yourself feet like those of a beast of the earth, to pass through the waters of lands and to trample rivers. And the analogy is in the Targum of Jonathan: "And You will tread down in Your resting place, and the nations will be terrified in their supports, and their kingdoms will be ruined."
Radak
Son of man, take up a lament. For thus shall the mourners lament over him:
"You have been likened to a lion cub among the nations." Just as it says, "A lion cub among the beasts of the field," so too you are likened to a lion cub among the nations.
“And you, like the crocodile in the seas.” And so you were like the great crocodile in the seas, as it also said of it: “The great crocodile lying in its canals.” And the mem in “ketanim” is in place of a nun, as we have written.
“And You will burst forth in Your rivers.” “And You will bring out” is similar to “when the Jordan bursts forth to its mouth,” and the interpretation of “and You will bring out” is that You will bring out waters in Your rivers onto the dry land. The letter bet in “in Your rivers” is like the bet in “in You we will gore our adversaries” and similar verses. Or, “and You will burst forth” is from the Qal stem, and its meaning is “and You will go out with Your rivers to flood the land,” and the rivers are a metaphor for His armies.
“And you muddied the water with your feet.” [This refers to] other waters, [namely] the waters of other lands:
Their rivers. Rivers of water, as mentioned:
"And she shall muddy [the water], and she shall trample." This is a single concept expressed in different words: the idea of treading in water, causing the water to become turbid. For when a person treads in water that is not deep, such that his foot can touch the ground, he brings up the mud and muddies the water. This is an allegory for his fighting against many nations and destroying their lands. And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated it as "and she shall charge," which is a term of warfare, as he rendered [in the Targum] "and you shall charge among your enemies," etc.
Metzudat David
“Like a lion among the nations, you have been likened.” You imagined yourself that you are, in the face of the nations, like a lion among flocks of sheep. But that is not the case, for you are like sea monsters which, in the seas, have power only in their place, within the waters; and immediately when they come up onto land, they die. So too, you have no power except in your own land.
"And you will charge in your rivers." Since they likened [the enemy] to a crocodile, it says "your rivers," meaning: in your land you will raise your horn to gore and strengthen yourself, or in your place you will be able to pull and emerge, but not in any other place.
"And you shall tread down water with your feet." You are able to tread upon the water and muddy it, and you are able to trample the rivers that flow from the water, but you have no power on dry land. The matter is repeated in what is stated:
Metzudat Zion
"unto Him." Like "upon Him" with an ayin.
Kefir. It is a young lion.
“Nidmeiti.” From the root of “dimyon” (likeness):
Kethanim. Like kethanin, and it is a large fish resembling a serpent.
"ותגח" – from the language of "נגיחה" (butting) and pushing away with a horn; or it refers to the matter of drawing out and bringing forth, as it is written: "For You drew me forth from the womb" (Psalms 22:10).
"Vetadlach." The meaning is treading, accompanied by the churning of the waters, and a similar usage appears in the subsequent verse in Scripture:
And it tramples. The meaning of treading and trampling is like the expression "to be trampled" (Proverbs 25:26).
Malbim
You were likened to a young lion among the nations; you were likened to Pharaoh in one respect as a young lion, for a lion in its youth, which is called a young lion, does not go out to its prey outside its den, but only tears apart the beast that comes near its lair, until it grows to be a lion, and then it goes out to its prey beyond its borders. With this it is said that you were regarded in the eyes of the nations as a young lion that does not leave its place; thus it was not your way to conquer distant lands and to stir up the earth, and yet you harmed all your neighbors. And with this he compares him to a crocodile in the seas, for the Egyptians believed that the great crocodile was sacred and ruled over the waters, and when it would beat the waters of the Nile River with its feet, it would drive the waters of all the rivers away, and there would be a storm at the bottom of the waters, and waves would rise up and flood and flow into the Nile and fill its waters, and thereby the rivers would be diminished, for their waters would become muddy and would flow down to the river of Egypt. And this is what it says, “And you, like a crocodile in the seas, you churned in your rivers,” meaning that you lie on your belly, and with your feet you beat the waters in your rivers, meaning the Nile River, and thereby you would foul the rivers of the nations (and it says “like a crocodile in the seas” because the Egyptians believed that the idol ruling over the sea would wage war with the idol ruling over the Nile, but you, like a crocodile, rule also over the seas, and you beat your rivers, and the waters trembled). And the metaphor is that although you were regarded on land as a young lion that does not go beyond its borders, yet in the seas and waters you caused great harm, for you conquered all the peoples who are by the River Euphrates and by the seashore, and you drew the abundance to yourself, and they were all tribute-paying servants to you, and you trampled their rivers and their abundance.
Thus says the Lord Hashem: I will therefore spread out My net over you With a company of many peoples; And they shall bring you up in My net.
verse value 3740
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 52 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·I·will·spread" (וּפָרַשְׂתִּ֤י, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 137: assembly, and·they·will·bring·you·up. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "assembly" (בִּקְהַ֖ל), "and·they·will·bring·you·up" (וְהֶעֱל֖וּךָ), "in·my·net" (בְּחֶרְמִֽי). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "said" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "over·you" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'many', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 2 words. Full calculation: כֹּ֤ה [thus] (25) + אָמַר֙ [said] (241) + אֲדֹנָ֣י [my·lord] (65) + יֱהֹוִ֔ה [Hashem] (26) + וּפָרַשְׂתִּ֤י [and·I·will·spread] (996) + עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ [over·you] (130) + אֶת־רִשְׁתִּ֔י [my·net] (1311) + בִּקְהַ֖ל [assembly] (137) + עַמִּ֣ים [peoples] (160) + רַבִּ֑ים [many] (252) + וְהֶעֱל֖וּךָ [and·they·will·bring·you·up] (137) + בְּחֶרְמִֽי [in·my·net] (260) = 3740.
Rashi
On "charmai." It is a term meaning "a net," and there are many such instances in Scripture: "He gathers him in his net" (Habakkuk 1:15); "snares and nets" (Ecclesiastes 7:14).
Radak
Thus it says, “My net.” And it says, “My snare,” to indicate that God, blessed be He, will be with them to destroy Egypt. And “my snare” is like “my net,” as it is written, “They shall hunt with a net,” and the Targum renders “my net” as “my hunting-net” and “my snare” as “my woven net,” for the net is made in the manner of weaving.
Metzudat David
And I will spread, etc. This is to say: Henceforth you shall no longer reign even there, for I will spread a net over you, together with a multitude of nations, who will haul you up from the waters within the net that I have spread over you. That is to say, Nebuchadnezzar will bring the Chaldeans, and they will destroy you within your own land.
Metzudat Zion
"In My net." The meaning of "nets" is like a flat surface of nets (above, 26):
Malbim
Thus says the Lord: And accordingly, I have spread My net over you. The net is spread over the surface of all the waters to detain the fish from their movement, and this requires many men. But the great fish cannot be lifted up by the net; only in a place where it is detained do they cast a sword upon it, which is from a trap that destroys it and kills it. And this is what it says: “And you shall be brought up in My net.” That is to say, by means of schemes they will bring him out of his land to go to war against the king of Babylon, and with him will come a multitude of peoples.
And I will cast you upon the land, I will hurl you upon the open field, And will cause all the fowls of the heaven to settle upon you, And I will fill the beasts of the whole earth with you.
verse value 4891
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 65 letters. The shortest word is "from·you" (מִמְּךָ֖, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·leave·you" (וּנְטַשְׁתִּ֣יךָ, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "I·will·hurl·you" (אֲטִילֶ֑ךָ), "and·I·will·cause·to·settle" (וְהִשְׁכַּנְתִּ֤י), "and·I·will·satisfy" (וְהִשְׂבַּעְתִּ֥י). The root ארץ appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·you" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "in·the·land" (root ארץ, 176x in Ezekiel); "upon·the·face·of" (root פנים, 150x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'I·will·hurl·you', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 8 words. Full calculation: וּנְטַשְׁתִּ֣יךָ [and·I·will·leave·you] (795) + בָאָ֔רֶץ [in·the·land] (293) + עַל־פְּנֵ֥י [upon·the·face·of] (240) + הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה [field] (314) + אֲטִילֶ֑ךָ [I·will·hurl·you] (70) + וְהִשְׁכַּנְתִּ֤י [and·I·will·cause·to·settle] (791) + עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ [upon·you] (130) + כׇּל־ע֣וֹף [all·flying creatures] (206) + הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם [heaven] (395) + וְהִשְׂבַּעְתִּ֥י [and·I·will·satisfy] (793) + מִמְּךָ֖ [from·you] (100) + חַיַּ֥ת [beast·of] (418) + כׇּל־הָאָֽרֶץ [all·the·earth] (346) = 4891.
Radak
"And I will forsake you." It is clear:
Atilcha. Like *ashlichcha* (I will cast you), and similarly, “and they cast the vessels” (Jonah 1:5).
Metzudat David
"And I will forsake you." I will scatter you across the land and cast you out into the open field, for you will fall in battle and become food for the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the earth.
Metzudat Zion
“And I will forsake you.” The term “forsake” conveys the sense of scattering, as in “and they spread out in Lehi” (Judges 15:9).
Atilcha. The meaning of hashlakah is like "they cast the utensils" (Jonah 1:5):
"And I will cause to dwell." The matter refers to a temporary sojourn.
"And I will satiate." The term is derived from the word for "satiation" (sevi'ah).
Malbim
“And I will abandon you,” meaning that you will be like a fish that dies when it comes onto dry land; that is to say, I will forsake you, and you will die of your own accord. “And you shall fall upon the face of the field,” and “I will make you dwell” is like the parable of the large fish that the waters cast out, which becomes food for birds and beasts; namely, that all will plunder its spoils.
And I will lay your flesh upon the mountains, And fill the valleys with your foulness.
verse value 3727
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 35 letters. The shortest word is "and·I·will·give" (וְנָתַתִּ֥י, 5 letters) and the longest is "upon·the·mountains" (עַל־הֶהָרִ֑ים, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "your·flesh" (אֶת־בְּשָׂרְךָ֖), "your·foulness" (רָמוּתֶֽךָ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·the·mountains" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "and·I·will·give" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel); "and·I·will·fill" (root מלא, 37x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'upon·the·mountains', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְנָתַתִּ֥י [and·I·will·give] (866) + אֶת־בְּשָׂרְךָ֖ [your·flesh] (923) + עַל־הֶהָרִ֑ים [upon·the·mountains] (360) + וּמִלֵּאתִ֥י [and·I·will·fill] (487) + הַגֵּאָי֖וֹת [the·valleys] (425) + רָמוּתֶֽךָ [your·foulness] (666) = 3727.
Rashi
"And I will fill the valleys with your carcass." I cast you down like the one cast into the sea (Exodus 15:1). And there are those who say that "your carcass" is in the sense of "maggot," as it is written: "And it bred worms and rotted" (Exodus 16:20).
Radak
“I will give your flesh.” As its Targum renders it: “the flesh of your slain,” for the verse does not refer to Pharaoh alone, but to him and his people. And it refers to the mountains, so that they might think that they would be exalted upon the mountains, and there they would be slain, or that the birds would carry them up to the mountains.
"Your heights": That the valleys and the lowlands will be filled with corpses, and furthermore, they will rise and be elevated above them due to the multitude of the slain. And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated: "And the valleys will be filled with the corpses of your armies." And there are those who explain "your heights" as "your haughtiness," meaning that you were haughty of heart and boasted in the multitude of your armies; I will fill the valleys with them.
Metzudat David
"Upon the mountains." For the birds and animals will carry them there to eat them.
"Your heights": The exaltation that was yours will be cast down into the valleys. This means: You shall no longer boast, even while you are cast down like a defeated corpse within the valleys.
Metzudat Zion
The valleys. From the word *gai* (valley) and *emek* (valley):
"Your heights": from the language of exaltation and pride.
Malbim
“And I will give”: He depicts that the birds will carry his flesh up onto the mountains, and the valleys will be filled with his carcass.
I will also water with your blood the land wherein you swim, even to the mountains; And the channels shall be full of you.
verse value 2581
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 40 letters. The shortest word is "land" (אֶ֧רֶץ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·water" (וְהִשְׁקֵיתִ֨י, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 291: land, to·the·mountains. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·I·will·water" (וְהִשְׁקֵיתִ֨י), "your·swimming" (צָפָֽתְךָ֛), "from·your·blood" (מִדָּמְךָ֖). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·the·mountains" (root איל, 238x in Ezekiel); "land" (root ארץ, 176x in Ezekiel); "from·you" (root מן, 47x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·the·mountains', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְהִשְׁקֵיתִ֨י [and·I·will·water] (831) + אֶ֧רֶץ [land] (291) + צָפָֽתְךָ֛ [your·swimming] (590) + מִדָּמְךָ֖ [from·your·blood] (104) + אֶל־הֶהָרִ֑ים [to·the·mountains] (291) + וַאֲפִקִ֖ים [and·channels] (237) + יִמָּלְא֥וּן [they·will·be·filled] (137) + מִמֶּֽךָּ [from·you] (100) = 2581.
Rashi
“And I will water the land of your floating.” This is the land in which you float upon the surface of the waters of your river, as it is said (Lamentations 3:54), “Waters covered my head,” and (2 Kings 7), “And the iron floated.” I will water it with your blood.
“Your watchtower.” “Ton flotement” (your floating/overflow) in the vernacular [Old French], referring to the high mountains within it.
And the channels. *Ravieres*, in the vernacular:
Radak
“And I will water your flooded land with your blood, even to the mountains.” “Your flooded land” is derived from the root meaning “to overflow with water upon one’s head,” and the word “your flooded land” is in the feminine participle form with the ayin omitted. He says, “your land that is flooded with water,” meaning, your level land. Now I will water it with your blood, meaning, with the blood of your slain, and the blood will overflow upon it like water. Furthermore, “even to the mountains” means until it reaches the mountains, and this is a figure of exaggeration. And my master and father, of blessed memory, wrote that he said this because of the Nile of Egypt, which flows forth to water the fields, and he called the land “flooded” because the waters overflow upon it, just as he called the land “flowing with milk and honey” because the milk flows upon it.
"And the channels shall be filled from you." From the blood of your slain or from their corpses, and Jonathan [ben Uzziel] rendered [in the Targum]: "The land of your flooding" as "a land of delight," meaning a fertile land.
Metzudat David
"The land of your flowing." Your land, the waters of the rivers overflow upon it to water it. Behold, then I will water it with your blood, and so much will the blood increase that it will even flow over the mountains.
And the springs: The places of water will be filled with the blood of those slain among you, and the waters will turn into blood.
Metzudat Zion
"Your overflow" (Tzfat-kha). The matter is the flowing of water from above, as it is said: "The waters have overflowed" (Lamentations 3:54).
“Va’afikim.” These are the places where the waters flow and rush with great force, like the channels in the Negev (Psalms 126:4):
Malbim
“And I will water”: By means of your blood floating up to the mountains, the blood will be so abundant that I will water the entire land, and more than that, it will increase like water channels, and the channels will be filled with the flowing blood like abundant waters. And all of this depicts the first downfall, when he fell outside his land (as stated above, 29: “And I will put hooks in your jaws and I will abandon you in the wilderness,” etc., and as I explained there).
And when I shall extinguish you, I will cover the heaven, And make the stars thereof black; I will cover the sun with a cloud, And the moon shall not give her light.
verse value 4207
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 57 letters. The shortest word is "sun" (שֶׁ֚מֶשׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "their·stars" (אֶת־כֹּֽכְבֵיהֶ֑ם, 8 letters). 10 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·I·will·cover" (וְכִסֵּיתִ֤י), "when·I·extinguish·you" (בְכַבּֽוֹתְךָ֙), "heaven" (שָׁמַ֔יִם). The root כסה appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·I·will·cover" (root כסה, 22x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'their·stars', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: וְכִסֵּיתִ֤י [and·I·will·cover] (506) + בְכַבּֽוֹתְךָ֙ [when·I·extinguish·you] (450) + שָׁמַ֔יִם [heaven] (390) + וְהִקְדַּרְתִּ֖י [and·I·will·darken] (725) + אֶת־כֹּֽכְבֵיהֶ֑ם [their·stars] (498) + שֶׁ֚מֶשׁ [sun] (640) + בֶּעָנָ֣ן [in·the·cloud] (172) + אֲכַסֶּ֔נּוּ [I·will·cover·it] (137) + וְיָרֵ֖חַ [and·the·moon] (224) + לֹא־יָאִ֥יר [not·will·give·light] (252) + אוֹרֽוֹ [his·light] (213) = 4207.
Rashi
“And I will cover the heavens when you are extinguished.” When you extinguish your burning, the smoke will rise and cover the heavens and darken the luminaries; that is to say, all who hear your report will mourn and be dismayed, for each person will be anxious for his own sake, saying, “The destroyer will also stand against us.”
Radak
"And I will cover." With a tzere under the samekh:
In putting you out. When I put you out, meaning, as if a lamp were shining with great intensity due to its greatness, and when it is extinguished, a great smoke would rise until it covers the heavens so that they are not seen. And so the entire matter of the verse is an allegory in the manner of hyperbole, due to the great distress that will be his.
Metzudat David
“And I will cover…”: For when one extinguishes a lit lamp, it produces smoke, and according to the size of the lamp, so is the abundance of the smoke. Thus, he likened Pharaoh, in the magnitude of his success, to a large lamp; therefore he said that when I extinguish you, there will be much smoke, and the heavens will be covered with the smoke.
"And I was blackened" etc. This is an expression of hyperbole due to the abundance of distress that came upon him, for one who is in distress perceives the entire world as if it were darkness.
Metzudat Zion
In your quenching. The word is in the form of "quenched" (kavui):
And I will darken. The matter of blackness and darkness, as it is said: “The sun and the moon are darkened” (Joel 2:10).
Malbim
“And I will cover” — now he depicts the second defeat that befell him in his land (which he prophesied about there (verse 8)). And he depicts this as if, when his light is extinguished, the heavens will be covered. And this is according to the belief that the Egyptians believed, that their light and star that rules in the heavens is the head of the luminaries and the king of the stars, and its light will never dim. And now a cloud will darken it, for this is a metaphor among them that when the great light begins to dim and become extinguished, a great smoke will rise and all the luminaries of the heavens will be darkened (and this is derived for them from the fact that the skies are always clear in Egypt, and there is never cloud or rain there). And now the light will be completely extinguished and there will be darkness in Egypt; all the lights of light in the heavens will be darkened. And according to their imagination, it says, “And I will cover [the heavens] when you are extinguished.” And this is a metaphor for the first destruction that occurred in the land of Egypt, as explained above, when their light was somewhat extinguished, and smoke and vapor and cloud came forth, and the stars were darkened until the sun and the moon were covered and did not shine downward. And this is a rhetorical expression, for even below, all the helpers of Egypt were destroyed and perished, and how many nations were with them!
All the bright lights of heaven Will I make black over you, And set darkness upon your land, Says the Lord Hashem.
verse value 3178
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 50 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "light" (אוֹר֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "all·lights·of" (כׇּל־מְא֤וֹרֵי, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "all·lights·of" (כׇּל־מְא֤וֹרֵי), "light" (אוֹר֙), "in·the·heavens" (בַּשָּׁמַ֔יִם). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "over·you" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "my·lord" (root אדון, 222x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'over·you', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: כׇּל־מְא֤וֹרֵי [all·lights·of] (307) + אוֹר֙ [light] (207) + בַּשָּׁמַ֔יִם [in·the·heavens] (392) + אַקְדִּירֵ֖ם [I·will·darken·them] (355) + עָלֶ֑יךָ [over·you] (130) + וְנָתַ֤תִּֽי [and·I·will·give] (866) + חֹ֙שֶׁךְ֙ [darkness] (328) + עַֽל־אַרְצְךָ֔ [upon·your·land] (411) + נְאֻ֖ם [utterance] (91) + אֲדֹנָ֥י [my·lord] (65) + יֱהֹוִֽה [Hashem] (26) = 3178.
Rashi
"All the luminaries of light in the heavens." The ministering angels above are Your advocates.
Radak
"All the luminaries of light." The five stars that shine upon the earth. And all of this is by way of an allegory, for to anyone upon whom distress comes, the entire world appears to him as darkness.
Metzudat David
"All the luminaries of light. All the shining stars in the heavens, I will make darkness opposite you."
Malbim
From that point on, the light will be extinguished completely, and then I will darken all the lights of heaven for you; not only will they be covered by a cloud below, but they will also be dimmed in the heavens, and their light will not be found even above. Consequently, "I will bring darkness upon your land" — not as it was during the time of the cloud, when some light still remained, but there will be complete darkness. This is what is meant by "in the heavens I will darken them," which signifies complete dimming even in their source. This is an allegory for the final destruction that occurred in Egypt, where there was total darkness, and the light became darkness, gloom, and the desolation of the world, a wasteland (as stated above, chapter 32, verse 10).
I will also vex the hearts of many peoples, when I shall bring your destruction among the nations, into the countries which you have not known.
verse value 3481
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 49 letters. Verse gematria: 3481 = 59². The shortest word is "heart·of" (לֵ֖ב, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·vex" (וְהִ֨כְעַסְתִּ֔י, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·I·will·vex" (וְהִ֨כְעַסְתִּ֔י), "into·countries" (עַל־אֲרָצ֖וֹת), "not·you·have·known" (לֹא־יְדַעְתָּֽם). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "which" (root אשר, 341x in Ezekiel); "into·countries" (root ארץ, 176x in Ezekiel); "when·I·bring" (root בוא, 175x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'many', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 6 words. Full calculation: וְהִ֨כְעַסְתִּ֔י [and·I·will·vex] (571) + לֵ֖ב [heart·of] (32) + עַמִּ֣ים [peoples] (160) + רַבִּ֑ים [many] (252) + בַּהֲבִיאִ֤י [when·I·bring] (30) + שִׁבְרְךָ֙ [your·breaking] (522) + בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם [among·the·nations] (61) + עַל־אֲרָצ֖וֹת [into·countries] (797) + אֲשֶׁ֥ר [which] (501) + לֹא־יְדַעְתָּֽם [not·you·have·known] (555) = 3481.
Rashi
And I will anger the heart. That is to say, their hearts will tremble and quake.
“When I bring your brokenness.” In Aramaic: “When I bring your brokenness among the nations.”
Radak
"And I will anger the heart of the nations": That their hearts will be alienated and enraged against You, out of their fear, for they will fear for themselves. And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated: "And I will stir up the hearts of many nations."
“When I bring your brokenness among the nations” – this refers to the people who are broken and crushed by you. And in this manner Jonathan [ben Uzziel] rendered it in the Targum: “When I bring the breaking of your battle, among the peoples.” Alternatively, its meaning is: “Bring to their ears the sound of breaking, and they will hear.”
Metzudat David
"And I will be angry." It is human nature to become angry with oneself when one experiences distress.
“Behavi.” This anger will be when the sound of your breaking will be heard in the lands of the distant nations that you do not know.
Malbim
“And I will cause vexation” — then I will cause anger to fall upon the hearts of many peoples, for when he departed from there, he swept away many nations around. And there is a difference between “peoples” (amim) and “nations” (goyim), for the goyim are the lesser ones, whereas concerning amim one may say “king,” and initially the amim, concerning whom one may say “king,” were angered; through the breaking of Egypt, [the anger] spread to the lesser goyim who were under Egypt, and they fell, and their land was laid waste. And from there it also spread to the lands which you did not know, for the might of the Chaldeans dispersed even to distant places.
Indeed, I will make many peoples appalled at you, and their kings shall be horribly afraid for you, when I shall brandish My sword before them; and they shall tremble at every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of your fall.
verse value 5481
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 83 letters. The shortest word is "gate" (שַׂ֔עַר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·make·desolate" (וַהֲשִׁמּוֹתִ֨י, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 570: gate, your·fall. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·I·will·make·desolate" (וַהֲשִׁמּוֹתִ֨י), "they·will·storm" (יִשְׂעֲר֤וּ), "when·I·brandish" (בְּעוֹפְפִ֥י). The root על appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "at·you" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "before·them" (root פנים, 150x in Ezekiel); "in·day·of" (root יום, 112x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'before·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 6 words.
Rashi
"And I will appall." A term expressing wonder:
“On the wings of My sword upon their faces.” The term “wings” is in the language of a bird flying, as it is said, “I will send upon you an army,” meaning emissaries who go their way.
"And they were terrified for moments." [This refers] to fragments, lest the breaking also come upon them. Another interpretation: it is the language of "moment" literally, as Menachem has grouped it.
"A man for his soul." Each one for himself — "soi meïsmes" (his own self) in the vernacular [Old French].
Radak
"And I will make desolate." The meaning is one of astonishment, like "when many were astonished at you" and similar expressions.
“They shall shudder with dread over you.” The noun is mentioned after the verb derived from that same noun, in order to strengthen the matter, as in “And David fasted a fast” and similar cases.
“With the flashing of My sword upon their faces.” With the shining and brandishing of them upon their faces, to terrify them and to inform them that by it they will be slain. “With the flashing” refers to the matter of brightness and gleaming, like “its flight in the morning shall be”. And one may also explain it as a matter of motion, meaning: when I move and brandish it upon their faces. And the matter of motion is close to the matter of flashing. And in the words of our Sages of blessed memory, it is stated: “One does not light a lamp with a wick of *tzari* [a type of reed or rush], because it flashes,” meaning that it flutters and moves from the lamp here and there. And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated: “When I bring upon you those who are slain by the sword, and they see.”
"And they shall tremble for moments." From moment to moment they shall tremble. And Jonathan rendered "for moments" as "from the trembling of the sea," and "they shall be in awe" as "from before their destruction."
"A man for his own soul." Each and every one shall tremble for himself and be afraid upon seeing your downfall.
Metzudat David
And I will make desolate. I will cause many nations to marvel at your downfall:
“They shall be afraid” etc. This means that on your account they shall tremble, as from a storm wind.
“When I brandish it.” At the time that My sword will fly over them, meaning: at the time that Nebuchadnezzar will pass through their land, for It is called “the sword of the Lord.”
And they feared for moments. In every moment they would increase in fear.
"A man for his own soul." All of them will tremble for their own souls on the day of your downfall, because they will fear that the sword would pass over them as well.
Metzudat Zion
"And I will make desolate." The matter is one of astonishment:
They shall storm. From the language of a storm wind:
“On the wings.” From the language of fluttering and flying; and in a borrowed sense, it refers to the burning.
Malbim
"And I will make it desolate" – afterward, I will also make many peoples desolate (for the peoples are described as having a king), and their kings will be terrified of you with terror. This is not merely internal anger in the heart, but rather terror and desolation, through the flying of My sword upon their faces; for the sword of the Lord (which is the king of Babylon, who is the sword of the Lord) will also fly upon their faces, and they will tremble every moment, each man for his own soul, lest the evil come upon him.
For thus says the Lord Hashem: The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon you.
verse value 1150
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 29 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 1150 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֛י, 2 letters) and the longest is "king·of·Babylon" (מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "will·come·upon·you" (תְּבוֹאֶֽךָ). 8 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 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּ֛י [for] (30) + כֹּ֥ה [thus] (25) + אָמַ֖ר [said] (241) + אֲדֹנָ֣י [my·lord] (65) + יֱהֹוִ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + חֶ֥רֶב [sword] (210) + מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל [king·of·Babylon] (124) + תְּבוֹאֶֽךָ [will·come·upon·you] (429) = 1150.
Radak
For so it says, "It shall come to you." It means: It shall come to you.
Metzudat David
Tavo'ekha. "it shall come upon you" – and it will be said regarding Egypt:
Malbim
For thus says the Lord: Now, the explanation of the allegory. First, the sword of the king of Babylon will come upon you; this is the allegorical meaning of the first statement, that the king of Babylon came upon him while he was outside his own land, and killed his armies. Afterwards, "with swords of the mighty"—this refers to what happened afterwards, when he came to Egypt and killed a great multitude. And afterwards, "and they plundered the pride of Egypt, and all its multitude was destroyed"—this refers to the final destruction, when they were all annihilated.
By the swords of the mighty will I cause your multitude to fall; The terrible of the nations are they all; And they shall spoil the pride of Egypt, And all the multitude thereof shall be destroyed.
verse value 3367
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 61 letters. Verse gematria: 3367 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "all·of·them" (כֻּלָּ֑ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "all·murmur" (כׇּל־הֲמוֹנָֽהּ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 380: awe-inspiring, Egypt. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "your·multitude" (הֲמוֹנֶ֔ךָ), "and·they·will·deal·violently·with" (וְשָֽׁדְדוּ֙), "the·pride·of" (אֶת־גְּא֣וֹן). The root המון appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "all·of·them" (root כל, 129x in Ezekiel); "in·swords·of" (root חרב, 102x in Ezekiel); "nations" (root גוי, 87x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root גבור ("mighty·men") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'all·of·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 5 words. Full calculation: בְּחַרְב֤וֹת [in·swords·of] (618) + גִּבּוֹרִים֙ [mighty·men] (261) + אַפִּ֣יל [I·will·cause·to·fall] (121) + הֲמוֹנֶ֔ךָ [your·multitude] (121) + עָרִיצֵ֥י [awe-inspiring] (380) + גוֹיִ֖ם [nations] (59) + כֻּלָּ֑ם [all·of·them] (90) + וְשָֽׁדְדוּ֙ [and·they·will·deal·violently·with] (320) + אֶת־גְּא֣וֹן [the·pride·of] (461) + מִצְרַ֔יִם [Egypt] (380) + וְנִשְׁמַ֖ד [and·will·be·destroyed] (400) + כׇּל־הֲמוֹנָֽהּ [all·murmur] (156) = 3367.
Radak
“With swords.” It is explained:
Metzudat David
“With swords of mighty men.” These are the Chaldeans.
All of them. All who come against you will be the strongest among the nations:
“The pride of Egypt”: The government of Egypt.
Metzudat Zion
“With swords.” The term is from the word “sword.”
Your multitude. A multitude of your people:
"Arutzim." The matter of strength:
"and they plundered." The meaning is oppression.
I will destroy also all the beasts thereof From beside many waters; Neither shall the foot of man trouble them any more, Nor the hoofs of beasts trouble them.
verse value 4007
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 60 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֥א, 2 letters) and the longest is "all·her·beasts" (אֶת־כׇּל־בְּהֶמְתָּ֔הּ, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 482: will·trouble·them, will·trouble·them. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "all·her·beasts" (אֶת־כׇּל־בְּהֶמְתָּ֔הּ), "foot·of·man" (רֶֽגֶל־אָדָם֙), "and·hoofs·of" (וּפַרְס֥וֹת). The root בהמה appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·beside" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "and·not" (root לא, 213x in Ezekiel); "many" (root רב, 52x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'many', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 8 words. Full calculation: וְהַֽאֲבַדְתִּי֙ [and·I·will·cause·to·perish] (428) + אֶת־כׇּל־בְּהֶמְתָּ֔הּ [all·her·beasts] (903) + מֵעַ֖ל [from·beside] (140) + מַ֣יִם [water] (90) + רַבִּ֑ים [many] (252) + וְלֹ֨א [and·not] (37) + תִדְלָחֵ֤ם [will·trouble·them] (482) + רֶֽגֶל־אָדָם֙ [foot·of·man] (278) + ע֔וֹד [anymore] (80) + וּפַרְס֥וֹת [and·hoofs·of] (752) + בְּהֵמָ֖ה [beast] (52) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + תִדְלָחֵֽם [will·trouble·them] (482) = 4007.
Rashi
“Over the waters.” [This refers] to the waters of other nations, which you would disturb.
Radak
“And I will cause them to be desolate, above many waters.” This refers to the fact that it grew up by many waters, for there were many waters in Egypt—canals and lakes—in addition to the great Nile. And no beast will remain in it that will pass through them, for it will become a desolation. And he explained the matter, saying, “And the foot of man will no longer tread upon them, nor the hooves of beasts tread upon them.” And “tread upon it” (ותדלחם) is like “trample upon them” (תרמסם). And in His saying “no longer” (עוד), He means for a long time, as it is said, “And the bands of Aram will no longer add” (ולא יספו עוד גדודי ארם).
Metzudat David
“And I will destroy them, etc.” For the enemy will take them, and they will no longer go to the abundant waters to drink from its waters, while they graze on the grasses growing by the water’s edge.
"And you shall not muddy them." They shall no longer tread in the waters to make them muddy, neither the foot of man nor the hooves of beasts, for I will cut off everything.
Metzudat Zion
Tadalechem. The matter of treading is together with churning:
"and hooves." Thus, the shoes on the feet of animals are called.
Malbim
And I will cause them to perish, and then it will be a desolation for forty years, and the river will be desolate, and no foot of man or beast will pass through their land (as stated above, section 29), and there will be no one who will stir up the river, not even the crocodile from within, and not even the foot of man or beast from without, and therefore all the rivers will flow in tranquility, and their waters will not be churned up by the flooding of the Nile (as stated above, verse 2), and then I will settle the waters of all the rivers, and their rivers like oil I will lead, flowing in tranquility and clean from all dust and mixture, and this is an allegory that Egypt will no longer take the abundance of its neighboring nations.
Then will I make their waters to settle, And cause their rivers to run like oil, Says the Lord Hashem.
verse value 2000
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 40 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 2000 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "then" (אָ֚ז, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·their·rivers" (וְנַהֲרוֹתָ֖ם, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "then" (אָ֚ז), "I·will·settle" (אַשְׁקִ֣יעַ), "their·waters" (מֵימֵיהֶ֔ם). 9 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). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'I·will·cause·to·flow', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: אָ֚ז [then] (8) + אַשְׁקִ֣יעַ [I·will·settle] (481) + מֵימֵיהֶ֔ם [their·waters] (145) + וְנַהֲרוֹתָ֖ם [and·their·rivers] (707) + כַּשֶּׁ֣מֶן [like·the·oil] (410) + אוֹלִ֑יךְ [I·will·cause·to·flow] (67) + נְאֻ֖ם [utterance] (91) + אֲדֹנָ֥י [my·lord] (65) + יֱהֹוִֽה [Hashem] (26) = 2000.
Rashi
“Let Me cause their waters to settle.” This means that the foot of an animal should not stir them up, so that the mud will sink to the bottom and the waters will become clear and pure, like refined oil.
Radak
"Then I will make their waters deep." When there is an abundance of water in one place, it has depth and is called "deep" (shok'im), because whoever falls into it sinks downward. So too it says, "and it sank like the Nile of Egypt" (Amos 8:8), and it says, "That the fields and gardens shall not be watered from them, so that the land will be without man and beast." Behold, they are deep.
“And their rivers I will lead like oil.” They are pure like oil, for when the feet of man and beast pass through water, it becomes muddy. And Jonathan rendered: “And with them I will quiet the peoples and their kings, with fragrance I will speak.” And in some manuscripts: “And with them I will subdue their enemies, and with fragrance I will speak to their kings.”
Metzudat David
“Then I will submerge them.” When there is no one there to cross the waters, then I will submerge their waters, for the mud and the clay will settle to the bottom of the water, and then I will draw their rivers to be clear, without turbidity, like clear oil.
Metzudat Zion
Ashki'a. The matter of a thing falling into depth, as in "and it sank" (Amos 9:5):
When I shall make the land of Egypt desolate and waste, A land destitute of that whereof it was full, When I shall smite all them that dwell therein, Then shall they know that I am Hashem.
verse value 4519
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 62 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "therein" (בָ֑הּ, 2 letters) and the longest is "all·who·dwell" (אֶת־כׇּל־י֣וֹשְׁבֵי, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·desolate" (וּנְשַׁמָּ֗ה), "when·I·smite" (בְּהַכּוֹתִ֖י), "all·who·dwell" (אֶת־כׇּל־י֣וֹשְׁבֵי). The root ארץ appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "when·I·make" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel); "land" (root ארץ, 176x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'therein', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 3 words. Full calculation: בְּתִתִּי֩ [when·I·make] (812) + אֶת־אֶ֨רֶץ [land] (692) + מִצְרַ֜יִם [Egypt] (380) + שְׁמָמָ֣ה [devastation] (385) + וּנְשַׁמָּ֗ה [and·desolate] (401) + אֶ֚רֶץ [land] (291) + מִמְּלֹאָ֔הּ [from·her·fullness] (116) + בְּהַכּוֹתִ֖י [when·I·smite] (443) + אֶת־כׇּל־י֣וֹשְׁבֵי [all·who·dwell] (779) + בָ֑הּ [therein] (7) + וְיָדְע֖וּ [and·they·shall·know] (96) + כִּי־אֲנִ֥י [for·I] (91) + יְהֹוָֽה [Hashem] (26) = 4519.
Rashi
“Land full of plenty.” A land that is now filled with all good things.
Radak
"When I give" — "and it shall be desolate." And the land shall become desolate of its fullness. And although the cantillation accent stands on the word "venishamah" ("and it shall be desolate"), its sense is connected with "the land." "Nishamah" is a feminine participle of the Nifal conjugation, from the root שמם (to be desolate).
Metzudat David
"Betati." This will be at the time when I give the land of Egypt to become a desolation, and He goes on to explain: "The land shall be a desolation and desolate of the living beings that fill it, at the time when I strike all who dwell in it."
“And they shall know.” Then they shall know that I am the Lord, faithful to recompense.
Metzudat Zion
And a soul. The word is derived from the root of "desolation" (shemem), and the doubling of the word emphasizes the intensity of the desolation.
Malbim
"When I give: this will be the time when I will give the land of Egypt as a desolation and waste, which is in the final destruction."
This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament; The daughters of the nations shall lament therewith; For Egypt, and for all her multitude, shall they lament therewith, Says the Lord Hashem.’
verse value 3896
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 71 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "it" (הִיא֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·for·all·her·multitude" (וְעַל־כׇּל־הֲמוֹנָהּ֙, 10 letters). Words sharing gematria 611: they·will·lament, they·will·lament. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·they·will·lament·it" (וְק֣וֹנְנ֔וּהָ), "and·for·all·her·multitude" (וְעַל־כׇּל־הֲמוֹנָהּ֙). The root קון appears 3 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "my·lord" (root אדון, 222x in Ezekiel); "the·nations" (root גוי, 87x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'her', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 7 words. Full calculation: קִינָ֥ה [lamentation] (165) + הִיא֙ [it] (16) + וְק֣וֹנְנ֔וּהָ [and·they·will·lament·it] (223) + בְּנ֥וֹת [daughters·of] (458) + הַגּוֹיִ֖ם [the·nations] (64) + תְּקוֹנֵ֣נָּה [they·will·lament] (611) + אוֹתָ֑הּ [her] (412) + עַל־מִצְרַ֤יִם [for·Egypt] (480) + וְעַל־כׇּל־הֲמוֹנָהּ֙ [and·for·all·her·multitude] (262) + תְּקוֹנֵ֣נָּה [they·will·lament] (611) + אוֹתָ֔הּ [her] (412) + נְאֻ֖ם [utterance] (91) + אֲדֹנָ֥י [my·lord] (65) + יֱהֹוִֽה [Hashem] (26) = 3896.
Radak
It is a lament. Just as he said at the beginning of the matter, so too he says at the end:
It is a lament, and they lamented it. They recited it in a lamenting voice, and the Targum [renders it]: “It is a lament, it is her prophecy, and it shall become a lament.”
The daughters of the nations will lament it. The inhabitants of the villages among the nations will lament it; and so Jonathan rendered it: "The villages of the peoples will bewail her." And one should explain "daughters" according to its plain meaning, as women, for mourning and dirges are the custom of women, as it is said, "Call for the mourners, and let them come, and let them take up a lamentation for us" (Jeremiah 9:17). The nun of the feminine plural ending in "tekonennah" takes a dagesh because of the omission of the nun of doubling, of the quadriliteral conjugation. Or alternatively, "daughters of the nations" means the assemblies of the nations, like "daughter of Zion" and "daughter of Edom," which signify a community.
Metzudat David
This is a dirge. This prophecy is a dirge, and therefore they wailed that dirge, and the daughters of the nations will also lament it.
“Concerning Egypt.” This implies: Do not interpret that lamentation as referring to the destruction of other lands, but solely to Egypt, for it is uniquely designated for this purpose due to its Nile.
Metzudat Zion
"Daughters." The matter of an "edah" (congregation) is like the phrase "bat Bavel" (daughter of Babylon) (Psalms 137):
Malbim
This is a dirge. From all of this, they shall make a dirge. Regarding the first defeat, when they fell outside their land, it says, “This is a dirge, and they shall mourn it.” They shall make a dirge over the young lion and the sea monster in the seas, and they shall mourn over the sea monster that was cast into the wilderness. Regarding the second defeat, when the Chaldeans came into their land, it says, “Daughters of nations shall mourn for her.” For then many nations fell with her, all the helpers of Egypt and those who supported her, and it was a general dirge. Then they mourned the dirge over the stars, the sun, and the moon, which were covered by a cloud because the great light was dimmed. Regarding the third destruction, when all of Egypt was destroyed and became a wilderness and a desolation, it says, “For Egypt and for all its multitude they shall mourn for her.” For then Egypt and all its multitude were destroyed, and it was a general destruction. Then they mourned that all the lights of the heavens were darkened and thick darkness came upon the land of Egypt. In this matter, these things were divided into three dirges: 1. The children of the land of Egypt mourned. 2. The daughters of the nations mourned over their defeat together with Egypt. 3. They mourned over Egypt itself. But even this, the daughters of the nations mourned, because Egypt was completely lost, and there was no one from the multitude of Egypt who would mourn; rather, the rest of the nations mourned for them.
It came to pass also in the twelfth year, in the fifteenth day of the month, that the word of Hashem came to me, saying:
verse value 3504
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 44 letters. The shortest word is "year" (שָׁנָ֔ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·word·of·Hashem" (דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 355: year, in·five. The root היה appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·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: וַֽיְהִי֙ [and·it·was] (31) + בִּשְׁתֵּ֣י [in·two] (712) + עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה [ten] (575) + שָׁנָ֔ה [year] (355) + בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֥ה [in·five] (355) + עָשָׂ֖ר [ten] (570) + לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ [to·the·month] (342) + הָיָ֥ה [was] (20) + דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה [the·word·of·Hashem] (232) + אֵלַ֥י [to·me] (41) + לֵאמֹֽר [saying] (271) = 3504.
Radak
"And it came to pass in the twelfth year." It is explained above:
"On the fifteenth day of the month." And it did not specify which month, relying on this [reference], because it was mentioned above [as being] in the twelfth month.
Metzudat David
"In the twelfth year. Of the reign of Zedekiah, and it was the first year after the Destruction:"
"On the fifteenth day of the month." This is the one mentioned above in the twelfth month.
Malbim
On the fifteenth day of the month: this refers to the twelfth month mentioned above, for we had already prophesied on the first of the month, and on the fifteenth we prophesied a second time. This prophecy is very obscure, and it is not known what he intended by it. The Abarbanel already alluded to this and explained that it is a prophecy concerning the end of days, in the days of Gog and Magog, when all the nations will gather against Jerusalem. And this is indeed the truth. However, I do not agree with his approach regarding the matter of Gog and Magog, and my method differs from his. Therefore, I will explain according to my own understanding.
Behold, at the time of the end, after Israel has already settled in the Land of Israel, the nations will gather to conquer Jerusalem. Gog, the prince of Meshech and Tubal, will come from the lands of the north and the west. These are the uncircumcised who are called Edom. Meshech and Tubal are among the sons of Japheth who dwell in Europe, as the Yosippon wrote, and there it stated that Persia, Cush, and Put are with them, as well as the house of Togarmah. All of these are circumcised and adhere to the religion of the Ishmaelites. They will gather with the sons of Edom to conquer the land from the hands of Israel. But when they arrive, He will cause turmoil among them, and they will fight each man against his brother; namely, Edom and Ishmael will fight one another, because their faiths are divided. And there the Lord will judge them with the sword and with blood, as explained there and in Zechariah 14.
Here he relates how they will all go to destruction. He first enumerates Egypt, Assyria, and Elam, who adhere to the religion of Ishmael; they are circumcised today. Afterwards, he enumerates Meshech, Tubal, Edom, their kings, and the princes of the north, all of whom are uncircumcised. Between them will be the war. Initially, the main defeat will be in Egypt, for they are close to the Land of Israel, and they will come first and fall. Then the Assyrians and the Persians will come to avenge their vengeance, and they too will fall—both sides. This is what is said: “Wail over the multitude of Egypt, and bring it down.” He depicts that Egypt does not wish to descend into the pit, for it did not come for the purpose of fighting with Edom. But you wail over him and force him down against his will. After him will descend the daughters of the nations, the mighty ones, from the sons of Edom, who are mighty; and likewise the helpers of Egypt, Assyria and Elam.
’Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down, even her, with the daughters of the mighty nations, to the nether parts of the earth, with them that go down into the pit.
verse value 4535
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 64 letters. The shortest word is "wail" (נְהֵ֛ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·bring·him·down" (וְהוֹרִדֵ֑הוּ, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "wail" (נְהֵ֛ה), "for·multitude·of" (עַל־הֲמ֥וֹן), "and·bring·him·down" (וְהוֹרִדֵ֑הוּ). The root ירד appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·land" (root איל, 238x in Ezekiel); "son·of·man" (root בין, 145x in Ezekiel); "nations" (root גוי, 87x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·bring·him·down', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 8 words. Full calculation: בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם [son·of·man] (97) + נְהֵ֛ה [wail] (60) + עַל־הֲמ֥וֹן [for·multitude·of] (201) + מִצְרַ֖יִם [Egypt] (380) + וְהוֹרִדֵ֑הוּ [and·bring·him·down] (232) + א֠וֹתָ֠הּ [her] (412) + וּבְנ֨וֹת [and·daughters·of] (464) + גּוֹיִ֧ם [nations] (59) + אַדִּרִ֛ם [mighty] (245) + אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ [to·land] (322) + תַּחְתִּיּ֖וֹת [low] (1224) + אֶת־י֥וֹרְדֵי [with·them·that·go·down] (631) + בֽוֹר [pit] (208) = 4535.
Rashi
Naha. He wept and lamented:
“And He brought him down to her, and to the daughters, etc.” He prophesied concerning him and concerning all who deny prophecy, that they will descend to the pit of Gehinnom. Here, the Holy One, blessed be He, showed Ezekiel that all who deny prophecy descend to Gehinnom.
Radak
“Son of man” – wail over the multitude of Egypt, and bring it down. The term “howled” is used here as it is used in the phrase “Raise a lamentation,” not to imply that the prophet himself would lament and howl over them, but rather that he would rejoice at their destruction and their perishing; instead, he is to utter the words that those who lament and howl over them would say. And “He brought him down” means: before him.
“Unto the land of the depths.” This means that He will bring him down through His word and through prophecy. And there are those who interpret it in connection with the root meaning “to descend,” as in “I complain in my meditation.” If so, there are two distinct roots.
"That same one, and the mighty daughters of the nations." It was not only Egypt, but He brought down that same one and the mighty daughters of the nations. All the mighty nations descended from their greatness, were humbled, and went down to the lowest depths, and their name was lost.
And daughters. [These are] congregations, like “the daughter of Edom,” “the daughter of Babylon.”
Tachtiyot. It is the plural form of *tachtit*:
Metzudat David
Wail. Say a lament and a dirge over the multitude of Egypt:
And He brought him down. That is to say, it is stated in the narrative of the lamentation that he descended, and the bringing down is to the lower earth, as stated at the end of the verse.
"Otah" – that is to say, she will descend first, and afterward, mighty gentiles will descend, and the descent will be to the lower earth, namely the grave, to be there with those who have descended into the pit from of old. And this is said concerning the great war that will take place in the future, in the days of the Messiah.
Metzudat Zion
Nah. The word is from the root of "Nahi" and "Yililah":
“Mighty.” Strong:
Whom do you pass in beauty? Go down, and be you laid with the uncircumcised.
verse value 1948
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 23 letters. The shortest word is "from·whom" (מִמִּ֖י, 3 letters) and the longest is "with·the·uncircumcised" (אֶת־עֲרֵלִֽים, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "from·whom" (מִמִּ֖י), "you·was·pleasant" (נָעָ֑מְתָּ), "come·down" (רְדָ֥ה). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "come·down" (root ירד, 26x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'you·was·pleasant', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: מִמִּ֖י [from·whom] (90) + נָעָ֑מְתָּ [you·was·pleasant] (560) + רְדָ֥ה [come·down] (209) + וְהׇשְׁכְּבָ֖ה [and·be·lain·down] (338) + אֶת־עֲרֵלִֽים [with·the·uncircumcised] (751) = 1948.
Rashi
Whom do you surpass in beauty? Do you surpass the other nations in beauty? Even so, you too shall descend into the pit, and lay them down.
Radak
Whom do you surpass? You think to be pleasant and beautiful, yet all the multitudes of the nations that consider themselves strong and stand in their beauty have descended from their stature, and you think to stand?
"Go down and be laid with the uncircumcised." "Go down" – just as they went down, you shall lie down with those who are uncircumcised in heart, the wicked masses of the nations, in the grave. And "be laid" – it is an infinitive with an added heh, from the conjugation whose agent is not named (the passive), for no imperative comes from it, as we have written in the book Mikhlol in the section on grammar.
Metzudat David
“From whom have you become pleasant?” This is said of Pharaoh: “At the beginning of the descent, from whom have you become pleasant?” That is to say, are you really pleasant and beloved more than all those who fall by the sword of war? And likewise, you too, go down to the grave and lie with the wicked, uncircumcised in heart, like you.
Metzudat Zion
Nema’at. From the words “pleasant and delightful.”
Malbim
“From whom do you derive pleasure?” He says, “From whom are you pleasant and esteemed, that you do not wish to descend? Descend and lay down the uncircumcised, for within the hollows of the sword they shall fall, for they too shall fall with you in the war that will be between you; lie down with them together.” “A sword was given,” he said. But “the sword that was given” — they will drag it along with all its “hollows.” The “hollows of the sword” mentioned — they will drag into the pit the sword that was given and its “hollows,” namely the sons of Edom, who gave the sword and initiated the war; they will be dragged after you into the pit.
They shall fall in the midst of them that are slain by the sword; she is delivered to the sword; draw her down and all her multitudes.
verse value 2507
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 39 letters. The shortest word is "sword" (חֶ֣רֶב, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·all·her·multitudes" (וְכׇל־הֲמוֹנֶֽיהָ, 9 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "draw" (מׇשְׁכ֥וּ), "and·all·her·multitudes" (וְכׇל־הֲמוֹנֶֽיהָ). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "was·given" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel); "in·midst·of" (root תוך, 111x in Ezekiel); "sword" (root חרב, 102x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·will·fall', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 5 words. Full calculation: בְּת֥וֹךְ [in·midst·of] (428) + חַלְלֵי־חֶ֖רֶב [slain·by·the·sword] (288) + יִפֹּ֑לוּ [they·will·fall] (126) + חֶ֣רֶב [sword] (210) + נִתָּ֔נָה [was·given] (505) + מׇשְׁכ֥וּ [draw] (366) + אוֹתָ֖הּ [her] (412) + וְכׇל־הֲמוֹנֶֽיהָ [and·all·her·multitudes] (172) = 2507.
Rashi
The sword was given. To the sword was Egypt given:
Radak
“Within the slain of the sword they shall fall.” This teaches that they too shall be slain by the sword.
“Given to the sword.” Just as it says, “Given to the sword.”
“Draw her out, and all her company.” “Draw” is a command in the Pe’al conjugation; the mem is vocalized with a chataf-kamats. And so the Masorah says about it, “there is no other instance,” and “chataf” means that they should draw them down to the lower earth.
Metzudat David
“Within.” The men of Egypt will fall among the rest of the slain by the sword, and it is similar to them. And this doubling of the phrase occurs many times, in the manner of prophetic rhetoric.
A sword was given. The congregation of Egypt shall be given to the sword, and you who are the killers shall draw it, along with all the multitude with them, to the sword.
The strong among the mighty shall speak of him out of the midst of the nether-world with them that helped him; they are gone down, they lie still, even the uncircumcised, slain by the sword.
verse value 3248
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 52 letters. The shortest word is "mighty·of" (אֵלֵ֧י, 3 letters) and the longest is "shall·speak·of·him" (יְדַבְּרוּ־ל֞וֹ, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "shall·speak·of·him" (יְדַבְּרוּ־ל֞וֹ), "the·nether-world" (שְׁא֖וֹל), "with·his·helpers" (אֶת־עֹֽזְרָ֑יו). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "mighty·of" (root אל, 204x in Ezekiel); "from·midst·of" (root תוך, 111x in Ezekiel); "shall·speak·of·him" (root דבר, 101x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'with·his·helpers', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 4 words. Full calculation: יְדַבְּרוּ־ל֞וֹ [shall·speak·of·him] (258) + אֵלֵ֧י [mighty·of] (41) + גִבּוֹרִ֛ים [the·mighty] (261) + מִתּ֥וֹךְ [from·midst·of] (466) + שְׁא֖וֹל [the·nether-world] (337) + אֶת־עֹֽזְרָ֑יו [with·his·helpers] (694) + יָ֥רְד֛וּ [they·went·down] (220) + שָׁכְב֥וּ [lie] (328) + הָעֲרֵלִ֖ים [the·uncircumcised] (355) + חַלְלֵי־חָֽרֶב [slain·by·the·sword] (288) = 3248.
Rashi
“they shall speak to him.” – They shall speak concerning him and concerning his assistants.
"Elî gibborîm mitokh she’ôl." Invert the verse and expound it: "They shall speak to Him His helpers, with His helpers," meaning that even regarding His helpers, with him, they shall speak: "Elî gibborîm she-bi-she’ôl" ("Mighty ones of God in Sheol"). And thus they shall say concerning them: "They have gone down, they lie down, the uncircumcised," etc. Every "to" (le-) and "for me" (li-) and "for them" (lahem) and "for you" (lekha) that is adjacent to a verb is nothing but the language of "upon" (al).
Radak
“Strong men shall speak to him.” He said this by way of parable: When Pharaoh descended to Sheol, the nations spoke to him—mighty nations, the strong ones who had descended to Sheol—and their strength and might did not avail them. And it did not specify what they said to him, for it relied on the understanding reader. The matter is as stated by Isaiah concerning the king of Babylon: “They shall all answer and say to you, ‘You also have become weak like us’” (Isaiah 14:10).
"His helpers." With his helpers: They shall speak with Pharaoh and with his helpers.
“The uncircumcised have come down and lie down.” Together with his helpers who came down and lie down with the uncircumcised, they are the slain of the sword.
Metzudat David
"They shall speak to him": This means that the strongest among Pharaoh's mighty men, when they are in Sheol, will speak from there to Pharaoh and his helpers, saying, "Behold, we have already descended into the pit and lie there, we the wicked, uncircumcised in heart, who were slain by the sword." And it is as if they were to recount that they saw them all in Sheol. And this is a matter of rhetorical expression.
Metzudat Zion
"Alai." The matter of "strength" is like "by the hand of the mighty one of the nations" (above, 31):
Malbim
“‘They shall speak to him’—just as ‘they shall speak’ to Sheol on my behalf, so too ‘his helpers’ shall speak to Pharaoh’s helpers, that they draw the sword to the pit; that is, they shall slay the children of Edom. And the mighty ones shall announce to him, saying, ‘The uncircumcised have descended and lie prostrate; they are corpses fallen by the sword.’ (Now it shall recount who these helpers are): ‘Assyria and all its multitude,’ who are those that will aid Egypt. But already their graves have been prepared around them, for they are all corpses fallen by the sword, for they too shall fall, and graves have been prepared for them.”
Asshur is there and all her company; their graves are round about them; all of them slain, fallen by the sword;
verse value 2892
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 45 letters. The shortest word is "there" (שָׁ֤ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "His·surroundings" (סְבִיבוֹתָ֖יו, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·all·her·assembly" (וְכׇל־קְהָלָ֔הּ), "his·graves" (קִבְרֹתָ֑יו). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "all·of·them" (root כל, 129x in Ezekiel); "His·surroundings" (root סביב, 112x in Ezekiel); "in·the·sword" (root חרב, 102x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root קבר ("his·graves") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·graves', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 4 words. Full calculation: שָׁ֤ם [there] (340) + אַשּׁוּר֙ [Asshur] (507) + וְכׇל־קְהָלָ֔הּ [and·all·her·assembly] (196) + סְבִיבוֹתָ֖יו [His·surroundings] (496) + קִבְרֹתָ֑יו [his·graves] (718) + כֻּלָּ֣ם [all·of·them] (90) + חֲלָלִ֔ים [slain] (118) + הַנֹּפְלִ֖ים [giants] (215) + בֶּחָֽרֶב [in·the·sword] (212) = 2892.
Rashi
There, Ashur. In Gehinnom:
“His surroundings.” Within Sheol his graves are prepared, for from there he will not emerge to rest in his grave.
Radak
There, Asshur and all his congregation. The congregation of the land of Asshur:
“His surroundings, his graves.” The surroundings of Ashur shall be the graves of Pharaoh and his hosts.
Metzudat David
There, Assyria. In that place of battle, Assyria and all its multitude will fall.
“His graves are around him.” The graves of the multitude of Assyria will be around the graves of the multitude of Egypt; that is to say, adjacent to them.
They are all slain. All those buried there are the slain who fell by the sword, and none of them died a natural death.
whose graves are set in the uttermost parts of the pit, and her company is round about her grave; all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who caused terror in the land of the living.
verse value 6748
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 77 letters. The shortest word is "whose" (אֲשֶׁ֨ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·uttermost·parts·of·pit" (בְּיַרְכְּתֵי־ב֔וֹר, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "her·graves" (קִבְרֹתֶ֙יהָ֙), "in·uttermost·parts·of·pit" (בְּיַרְכְּתֵי־ב֔וֹר), "her·assembly" (קְהָלָ֔הּ). The root אשר appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "whose" (root אשר, 341x in Ezekiel); "and·it·was" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel); "were·given" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root ירכה ("in·uttermost·parts·of·pit") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'her·grave', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 8 words.
Rashi
“In the recesses of the pit”: From the depths of the pit, within its depths.
“And there was a gathering.” Within Sheol, surrounding her burial place.
“Which they gave as terror”: “Which they gave” means that they gave breaking in the Land of Israel.
Radak
"Which they placed their graves in the corners of the pit." Because it said, "Surrounding it are its graves," it says, "And where did they place the graves of the assembly of Ashur? In the corners of the pit." And it says this to emphasize that they descended to the lowest depths of Sheol, as it said regarding their burial, "And to the earth of the lowest depths, in the corners of the pit," to magnify their destruction in the deep, in a place where no hand can reach. And all of this is metaphorical, meaning that they and their souls will be lost forever.
“And there shall be a gathering around their graves.” The gathering of the land of Egypt [shall be] around the graves of the congregation of the land of Assyria. And when it says “around,” it does not mean that they will be buried in the very place where they were buried, but rather that they will fall by the sword like them, and they will share a single judgment, as if they were together, and they will all fall by the sword—those who struck terror into the land of the living, who instilled their fear and terror into human beings while they were still alive. Therefore, it said “in the land of the living,” because they are now in the land of the dead. And the Targum of Jonathan rendered it: “who ruled over the land of Israel.”
Metzudat David
“Which were given...” – This means that because they were to be those slain by the sword, their graves were given at the end of the valley of the pit, for such is the custom for burying those slain by the sword in battle: to make a large and deep pit and cast them all into the bottom of the pit. This is not so with an individual who dies on his deathbed, for the custom is to bury him above ground and not at great depth. With this, we may explain his words to say: How is it possible that they should all be around Egypt? Surely many will die in battle, and how can they all be adjacent to Egypt? He answered: Because they will all be those slain by the sword, and the graves will not be numerous.
"And there was a gathering." This means: Therefore, every gathering will be around the burial sites of the Egyptians, because they will all be corpses fallen by the sword, and none will die on his deathbed; therefore, graves will not multiply.
“Which they caused terror.” This means that this will come to them as retribution for having caused great destruction and terror in the Land of Israel, which is called the “Land of the Living” (so named because the dead will live there in the time of the Resurrection). And this is because Assyria exiled the Ten Tribes; therefore, they will receive their retribution in full.
Metzudat Zion
“birkhotai” – The term refers to the end and the rear, as in “and to the rear of the Tabernacle westward” (Exodus 26:20).
Chatita. The meaning is “broken,” as in “They have broken their bows” (Jeremiah 51:56).
Malbim
Those who had already been given from of old, the graves of Assyria were given, and the graves are now in the rear chamber of the pit, for they are ancient graves that fell around Jerusalem in the days of Hezekiah. And now "there was a gathering around her burial place," meaning that they assembled to avenge the vengeance of Egypt, and they were all slain, fallen by the sword, because they had caused terror in the land of the living, because they exiled the Ten Tribes and always did evil to Israel. Therefore, the time came to punish them in the place of the wicked, where judgment is.
There is Elam and all her multitude round about her grave; all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth, who caused their terror in the land of the living; yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit.
verse value 9009
Insights
Verse structure: 22 words, 106 letters. Verse gematria: 9009 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "there" (שָׁ֤ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·all·her·multitude" (וְכׇל־הֲמוֹנָ֔הּ, 8 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "Elam" (עֵילָם֙). The root אשר appears 2 times in this verse. 21 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "who·went·down" (root אשר, 341x in Ezekiel); "to·land" (root איל, 238x in Ezekiel); "they·gave" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'her·grave', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 17 words.
Radak
"Elam" refers to the surroundings of its burial. "The multitude of Elam" refers to the surroundings of its burial. He spoke thus concerning the assembly of princes and mighty men.
“Who went down as uncircumcised.” They died in their wickedness.
“And they shall bear their shame.” This means that they will be ashamed of their former greatness, which they once possessed, but now they will fall by the sword at the hands of their enemies. And the Targum translates: “And they shall accept their humiliation.”
Metzudat David
There, Elam. In the place of that battle, Elam too will fall, along with all its multitude.
“Around her burial.” The verse states, “The graves of Elam will be around the graves of Egypt.”
"All of them are slain. All their dead shall be slain, falling by the sword; and thus many shall be buried in one grave, and they shall be adjacent to the graves of Egypt."
"Who went down." This means: because they went down to the lower land while they were uncircumcised in heart, and they did not return before they were slain.
"Which they gave." Here he explains in what way they were uncircumcised in heart and what they did to sin, and he says: "Is it because of that which they caused destruction and terror in the land of the living?" For also Elam came to aid Nebuchadnezzar to besiege Jerusalem, as it is written: "And Elam took up a shield" (Isaiah 22:6).
"And they shall take." And therefore, they too shall bear the disgrace fitting for them, to be destroyed by the sword along with the rest of those who descended into the pit and fell by the sword.
Metzudat Zion
And they shall take. The term is derived from the words "burden" and "load":
Malbim
There, Elam, and also Elam, which are Persia and Media, will come around the grave of Egypt to take vengeance for their vengeance, and they too will all be slain, falling by the sword, because the uncircumcised will descend to the lower regions. This is because Elam will kill many of the uncircumcised (they will kill them under His providence to punish them for having struck terror into the Land of the Living, for having destroyed the Second Temple, and for having done evil to Israel; and thereby they will bear their shame, those who descend into the pit [and will fall there]). And for this reason, through Elam, the uncircumcised will descend, because they killed them; consequently, the sons of Elam will be slain, falling by the sword, because other nations from the sons of Edom will come to avenge the vengeance of their brothers.
They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude; her graves are round about them; all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword; because their terror was caused in the land of the living, yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit; they are put in the midst of them that are slain.
verse value 8025
Insights
Verse structure: 22 words, 105 letters. The shortest word is "to·her" (לָהּ֙, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·all·her·multitude" (בְּכׇל־הֲמוֹנָ֔הּ, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 530: because·it·was·given, their·disgrace. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "bed" (מִשְׁכָּ֥ב), "in·all·her·multitude" (בְּכׇל־הֲמוֹנָ֔הּ), "because·it·was·given" (כִּֽי־נִתַּ֨ן). The root חלל appears 3 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "they·gave" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel); "in·land·of" (root ארץ, 176x in Ezekiel); "all·of·them" (root כל, 129x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'her·graves', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 14 words.
Rashi
They gave her a bed. To Elam:
Radak
“Within the slain they placed her bed.” This means that she lay in the grave together with the rest of the slain.
"Amid all her multitude, around it, her graves." Around her multitude — the entire matter is clear.
"Slain of the sword." All the words in this passage that are missing letters are written without lengthening the het.
Metzudat David
“Within the graves.” Within the other graves of the slain, they shall give her a resting place, to be like them, just as all those who were around Egypt were in their graves; for all those wicked ones shall be slain by the sword, and many shall be buried in one grave, and they shall all be adjacent to the graves of Egypt.
"Ki natan." On account of "that He gave" their destruction to the land of the living, therefore they shall bear the disgrace fitting for them, together with the rest of those who descend into the pit; for each one of them was placed among the slain by the sword, in a deep and broad excavation. The matter is doubled, as is the manner of rhetorical expression.
Malbim
Within the corpses of the uncircumcised who were slain, He placed the "lying down" for Elam, with all her multitude, and her graves shall be around Pharaoh. And it explains: Who are these corpses? They are all uncircumcised, corpses of the sword. These are the corpses of the uncircumcised, who are corpses of the sword, because they gave their terror in the land of the living and destroyed the Temple. And they shall bear their shame, meaning that Elam shall bear the disgrace of what was placed within the corpses, namely that he was placed among the corpses of the uncircumcised, who are impure in their eyes. (And this is what our Sages of blessed memory said: Persia is destined to fall into the hands of Edom, as it is stated, "Surely the young men of the flock shall drag them away," and they also said that Edom is destined to fall into the hands of Persia; and both statements are true.)
There is Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude; her graves are round about them; all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword; because they caused their terror in the land of the living.
verse value 5036
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 66 letters. The shortest word is "there" (שָׁ֣ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·all·her·multitude" (וְכׇל־הֲמוֹנָ֔הּ, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "her·graves" (קִבְרוֹתֶ֑יהָ), "profaned" (מְחֻ֣לְלֵי), "because·they·gave" (כִּי־נָתְנ֥וּ). 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "because·they·gave" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel); "in·land·of" (root ארץ, 176x in Ezekiel); "all·of·them" (root כל, 129x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'her·graves', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 8 words. Full calculation: שָׁ֣ם [there] (340) + מֶ֤שֶׁךְ [Meshech] (360) + תֻּבַל֙ [Tubal] (432) + וְכׇל־הֲמוֹנָ֔הּ [and·all·her·multitude] (162) + סְבִיבוֹתָ֖יו [His·surroundings] (496) + קִבְרוֹתֶ֑יהָ [her·graves] (723) + כֻּלָּ֤ם [all·of·them] (90) + עֲרֵלִים֙ [forbidden] (350) + מְחֻ֣לְלֵי [profaned] (118) + חֶ֔רֶב [sword] (210) + כִּי־נָתְנ֥וּ [because·they·gave] (536) + חִתִּיתָ֖ם [their·terror] (858) + בְּאֶ֥רֶץ [in·land·of] (293) + חַיִּֽים [the·living] (68) = 5036.
Rashi
"Those slain." Just as it is said: "Those slain by..."
Radak
There, “Meshech,” the pierced of the sword. From the root of “challi charav” (slain by the sword), and it is in the form of *po’al* from the *dagesh* and *heqel* binyanim, with the lamed in *shva* and *patach*, and the verb is in the hand: “mechallichayich” (those who pierce you).
Metzudat David
There, Mash and Tubal. In the place of that war, Mash and Tubal will also fall.
"And all her multitude": The multitude of each one of them.
"His surroundings." The surroundings of the graves of Egypt will be the graves of each of them:
They are all uncircumcised. All those wicked ones will be corpses slain by the sword, and therefore many will be buried in a single pit, and they will all be adjacent to the graves of Egypt.
"For they gave." Here he explains in what way they sinned, and says, "Because they caused their destruction in the land of the living" (for it is also possible that they aided the enemy who came upon Israel, either in the days of Assyria, or in the First Temple destruction, or in the Second).
Metzudat Zion
"Those who cause [them to be] destroyed." The word is derived from the root חלל, meaning "to wound" or "to kill."
Malbim
There, “Meshech, Tubal,”—now it explains who are the uncircumcised with whom Egypt, Assyria, and Elam will wage war? They are Meshech, Tubal, and all the multitude, who are the army of Gog, the prince, the chief of Meshech and Tubal; and the graves of the multitude are likewise their surroundings, and they are all uncircumcised, and they are those slain by the sword, because they have spread their terror in the land of the living and have done evil to Israel.
And they that are inferior to the uncircumcised shall not lie with the mighty that are gone down to the nether-world with their weapons of war, whose swords are laid under their heads, and whose iniquities are upon their bones; because the terror of the mighty was in the land of the living.
verse value 9411
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 107 letters. The shortest word is "and·not" (וְלֹ֤א, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·vessels·of·their·battle" (בִּכְלֵֽי־מִלְחַמְתָּם֩, 10 letters). 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "with·the·mighty" (אֶת־גִּבּוֹרִ֔ים), "than·the·uncircumcised" (מֵעֲרֵלִ֑ים), "went·down·to·the·nether-world" (יָרְדֽוּ־שְׁא֣וֹל). The root גבור appears 2 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "who" (root אשר, 341x in Ezekiel); "and·it·was" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel); "and·not" (root לא, 213x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'than·the·uncircumcised', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 14 words.
Rashi
"And they shall not lie down." These are those mentioned together with the mighty men who died their own death, for they fall and are worse than the idolaters who died their own death and descended to Sheol in their armor.
And they gave. Their buriers placed their swords under their heads as a sign to indicate that the sword had not dominated them.
And their iniquities were upon their bones. Nothing was lacking from their iniquity, for the sword of execution did not atone for them, since they were not put to death. And what was the sin? For the mighty men of the Chittites were in the land of the living.
Radak
And they shall not lie down with the mighty men who fell among the uncircumcised. He said that they shall lie down with the slain of the sword, and not with the mighty men who fell, meaning those who died their own death, who did not fall by the sword. And he further explained and said, “among the uncircumcised who have gone down to Sheol with their armor,” meaning those uncircumcised who went down to Sheol with their weapons of war, that is to say, those who held fast to their weapons of war until their death, as if they placed their swords under their heads when they lay in the grave, meaning that until the grave their hand was strong in battle; these are the ones mentioned. They shall not lie down with those mighty men, but rather with those who are the slain of the sword.
"And their iniquities were upon their bones." The sin of their iniquities and their punishment was upon their bones; that is to say, they were pierced with the sword and their bones were broken.
“For the terror of the mighty was in the land of the living.” Because those mighty men gave their terror in the land of the living, therefore they will not die their own natural death, but rather they will be slain by the sword. And one may interpret “falling among the uncircumcised” as meaning “I do not fall among you,” i.e., they will be inferior to those uncircumcised who descend to Sheol with their weapons of war. And one may interpret “with their weapons of war” as meaning literally that they will place their swords under their heads, for thus do those mighty men who died their natural death act as a sign and token for them: those who bury them place their weapons of war with them, and the gravediggers place their sword under their heads, so that those who search through the graves will find their weapons of war in the tomb, in order that they will know that these were mighty men and did not fall by the sword at their death, and it will be for them a name. And the Targum translates “falling” as “who were killed.”
Metzudat David
"And they shall not lie down." The corpses of those idolaters shall not lie in the grave with the uncircumcised in heart who fall by their own death, who descend to Sheol with their weapons of war—that is to say, they were buried with their weapons of war, and the buriers placed their swords beneath their heads as an honor and a glory (for such was their custom, to do this in order to indicate that he was accustomed to go to war and died a natural death, and was not slain). And the meaning is that those corpses shall not lie with them, nor shall they resemble them in this matter of honor.
“And their sins were upon them.” This is to say: But in one respect they are worse than those slain by the sword, for the latter have already received punishment for their sin, since they were killed by the sword. But these have not yet received any punishment at all; all their sins are upon their bones, and they are poised to receive punishment, for the sins will break their bones.
"For I have smitten." This is as if to say: "What are the sins that those mighty men committed, that they inflicted terror in the land of the living?"
Metzudat Zion
"Fall." This is said of death:
חרבותם. The word is from the root חרב:
Malbim
And not so; they shall not lie down together with the mighty men who have fallen, the uncircumcised who have descended to Sheol with their weapons of war, and who have placed their swords beneath their heads. For such is the honor among the kings of the uncircumcised, as a glory for their mighty men who fell in battle, with their weapons of war in their hands and beneath their heads. But they shall lie down together with the Ishmaelites, their enemies. And their iniquities shall be upon their bones, so that they will not be atoned for through the consumption of their flesh, for their guilt will remain upon their bones that are left after the flesh has been consumed. For the terror of these mighty ones was in the land of the living; therefore, they shall be punished.
But you, in the midst of the uncircumcised shall you be broken and lie, even with them that are slain by the sword.
verse value 3509
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 31 letters. The shortest word is "and·you" (וְאַתָּ֗ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "with·slain·by·the·sword" (אֶת־חַלְלֵי־חָֽרֶב, 9 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·you·will·lie·down" (וְתִשְׁכַּ֖ב). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·midst·of" (root תוך, 111x in Ezekiel); "with·slain·by·the·sword" (root חלל, 67x in Ezekiel); "and·you" (root אתה, 62x in Ezekiel). Full calculation: וְאַתָּ֗ה [and·you] (412) + בְּת֧וֹךְ [in·midst·of] (428) + עֲרֵלִ֛ים [forbidden] (350) + תִּשָּׁבַ֥ר [you·will·be·broken] (902) + וְתִשְׁכַּ֖ב [and·you·will·lie·down] (728) + אֶת־חַלְלֵי־חָֽרֶב [with·slain·by·the·sword] (689) = 3509.
Rashi
"And you, in the midst of." He says to Pharaoh:
“Those slain by the sword.” This excludes those who died by their own hand.
Radak
"And you." He said this in contrast to Pharaoh:
תשבר – with a patach under the bet, like תשבר with a tsere; and similarly, וכל מקנך תזכר (and all your livestock you shall remember), and תעצר המגפה (you shall restrain the plague).
Metzudat David
“And you” – in contrast to Pharaoh, it says: But you shall be broken among these uncircumcised in heart, whose sins will break their bones; and you shall lie with those slain by the sword, and you shall not receive the honor that they received, for you shall be punished by two judgments, because you greatly worsened your actions more than all of them.
Malbim
And you, Pharaoh, shall be broken among the uncircumcised, among these uncircumcised who are Meshech and Tubal; and with them you shall lie, for afterward they too will fall and be buried with them.
There is Edom, her kings and all her princes, who for all their might are laid with them that are slain by the sword; they shall lie with the uncircumcised, and with them that go down to the pit.
verse value 5260
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 69 letters. The shortest word is "name" (שָׁ֣מָּה, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·all·her·princes" (וְכׇל־נְשִׂיאֶ֔יהָ, 9 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "her·kings" (מְלָכֶ֙יהָ֙), "and·all·her·princes" (וְכׇל־נְשִׂיאֶ֔יהָ), "in·their·strength" (בִגְבוּרָתָ֖ם). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "who·were·laid" (root אשר, 341x in Ezekiel); "abundance" (root הם, 166x in Ezekiel); "name" (root שם, 67x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'with·slain·of·sword', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 5 words. Full calculation: שָׁ֣מָּה [name] (345) + אֱד֗וֹם [Edom] (51) + מְלָכֶ֙יהָ֙ [her·kings] (105) + וְכׇל־נְשִׂיאֶ֔יהָ [and·all·her·princes] (432) + אֲשֶׁר־נִתְּנ֥וּ [who·were·laid] (1007) + בִגְבוּרָתָ֖ם [in·their·strength] (653) + אֶת־חַלְלֵי־חָ֑רֶב [with·slain·of·sword] (689) + הֵ֛מָּה [abundance] (50) + אֶת־עֲרֵלִ֥ים [with·the·uncircumcised] (751) + יִשְׁכָּ֖בוּ [they·lay·down] (338) + וְאֶת־יֹ֥רְדֵי [and·with·those going down] (631) + בֽוֹר [pit] (208) = 5260.
Radak
There it says, "Edom." And all of these that are mentioned are those who did evil to Israel, and they all fell by the sword.
Metzudat David
There [it says] "Edom." In the place of that war, they too, the destroyers of the Holy Temple, will fall.
“Who were given [to death] in their might.” This means that despite all their might, they were given over along with the rest of the slain by the sword, like them, and their might did not avail them.
"Them." This means that even they will lie with these uncircumcised-hearted ones and with the rest of those who descended into the pit and died a natural death, whose sins still cling to their bones and who are destined to receive retribution, for they too did evil.
Malbim
There, Edom; afterward, Edom and its kings will come there, and they will fight again with great might, and they will be given over in their might as corpses of the sword, and they will lie down with the uncircumcised, meaning they will be buried alone with the uncircumcised, not with the circumcised Ishmaelites (and apparently, the last three mentioned here will fight against the first three: Egypt against Meshech and Tubal, and Assyria against Edom, and Elam against the princes of the north; and regarding Assyria, it is not mentioned that it will be buried with the uncircumcised, because the uncircumcised of Edom and its kings will be buried separately on their own, and they will fight with great might; and our Sages of blessed memory stated that Gog and Magog are destined to wage three wars, and apparently they derived this from here, where three are listed against three):
There are the princes of the north, all of them, and all the Zidonians, who are gone down with the slain, ashamed for all the terror which they caused by their might, and they lie uncircumcised with them that are slain by the sword, and bear their shame with them that go down to the pit.
verse value 7245
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 94 letters. The shortest word is "name" (שָׁ֣מָּה, 3 letters) and the longest is "with·slain·of·sword" (אֶת־חַלְלֵי־חֶ֔רֶב, 9 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "princes·of" (נְסִיכֵ֥י), "and·all·Zidonians" (וְכׇל־צִדֹנִ֑י), "with·the·slain" (אֶת־חֲלָלִ֗ים). The root כל appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "who·went·down" (root אשר, 341x in Ezekiel); "all·of·them" (root כל, 129x in Ezekiel); "and·they·lifted" (root נשא, 76x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·all·Zidonians', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 12 words.
Rashi
"When they were cut off from their might, they were ashamed." In Aramaic: "When they were severed from their strength, they were humiliated."
Radak
There, the princes of the north. They are the kings of Babylon:
"And every Sidonian" – like "Sidonians"; and likewise "to the Cherethites and to the runners" – like "to the Cherethites."
From their strength. The gimel is unemphasized (without dagesh), whereas its grammatical rule requires emphasis (dagesh), and similar to it are the words "from the vintage" (mevatzir) and "Abiezer."
"And they lay down uncircumcised." They died in their wickedness.
Metzudat David
“From there the princes of the north.” In the place of that battle, the princes of the north will also fall; not a single one of them will be spared, along with all the men of Sidon who descended to the grave together with the rest of the slain and their like.
“b’chatitem” – “When they are cut down.” At the time that they are shattered, they will be ashamed of their might, which did not avail them to be saved from the hand of the sword. And since they were renowned for their might, He said so.
“And they lay down uncircumcised.” These uncircumcised in heart shall lie down with the rest of the corpses slain by the sword, and their like, and they shall bear the disgrace due to them, together with the rest of those who descend to the pit—those slain by the sword—who shall be buried in disgrace, many of them in a single pit.
Metzudat Zion
Nesikhei. The matter of sovereignty, as in "the princes of Sihon" (Joshua 13).
Tseduni. Like Tzedonim, and the mem has fallen away.
Malbim
There, the princes of the north; afterward, the princes of the north and the Sidonians will be stirred up, and they will be struck from the camp of Elam, and they will not fight with vigorous valor. And this is what it says: "who have gone down to the slain in their terror," meaning that they displayed terror and dread, and therefore they are ashamed of their valor, and they will lie uncircumcised among the slain by the sword of the camp of Elam, as it is stated: "In the midst of the slain they have placed her couch," and they will bear their shame together with those who go down to the pit, because they fought not with valor.
These shall Pharaoh see, and shall be comforted over all his multitude; even Pharaoh and all his army, slain by the sword, says the Lord Hashem.
verse value 2313
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 54 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "utterance" (נְאֻ֖ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "over·all·his·multitude" (עַל־כׇּל־הֲמוֹנֹ֑ה, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 355: Pharaoh, Pharaoh. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·shall·be·comforted" (וְנִחַ֖ם), "over·all·his·multitude" (עַל־כׇּל־הֲמוֹנֹ֑ה), "and·all·his·army" (וְכׇל־חֵיל֔וֹ). The root פרעה appears 2 times in this verse. 10 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). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'over·all·his·multitude', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: אוֹתָם֙ [them] (447) + יִרְאֶ֣ה [shall·see] (216) + פַרְעֹ֔ה [Pharaoh] (355) + וְנִחַ֖ם [and·shall·be·comforted] (104) + עַל־כׇּל־הֲמוֹנֹ֑ה [over·all·his·multitude] (256) + חַלְלֵי־חֶ֙רֶב֙ [slain·of·sword] (288) + פַּרְעֹ֣ה [Pharaoh] (355) + וְכׇל־חֵיל֔וֹ [and·all·his·army] (110) + נְאֻ֖ם [utterance] (91) + אֲדֹנָ֥י [my·lord] (65) + יֱהֹוִֽה [Hashem] (26) = 2313.
Radak
"Them, and He was comforted." It has a patach vowel, and it is a nifal past-tense verb, but it is construed as future due to the vav.
Metzudat David
“Those.” All these corpses Pharaoh will see, and it will be a consolation to him for all the multitude of his people (for such is the way: when a person sees that the distress that has befallen him has also befallen others, it is considered a consolation to him).
“Fallen by the sword.” Here he explains on what basis the consolation will be, and he says: “Because Pharaoh and all his host will be among the fallen by the sword.”
Metzudat Zion
And he shall be comforted. The word is from the term "t'nahumim" (consolations).
“His army.” The armies of his people.
Malbim
"Pharaoh will see them, and it shall be a consolation to him for the multitude that had fallen, for they will say that they are the slain of Pharaoh’s sword, since all the war and the victory will be attributed to his name, because he was the one who initiated the war."
For I have put My terror in the land of the living; and he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised, with them that are slain by the sword, even Pharaoh and all his multitude, says the Lord Hashem.’
verse value 5803
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 72 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "utterance" (נְאֻ֖ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "my·terror" (אֶת־חִתִּיתִ֖י(חתיתו), 12 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "for·I·gave" (כִּֽי־נָתַ֥תִּי), "my·terror" (אֶת־חִתִּיתִ֖י(חתיתו)), "and·he·shall·be·laid" (וְהֻשְׁכַּב֩). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "firm" (root אדון, 222x in Ezekiel); "for·I·gave" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'living', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 9 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־נָתַ֥תִּי [for·I·gave] (890) + אֶת־חִתִּיתִ֖י(חתיתו) [my·terror] (2053) + בְּאֶ֣רֶץ [earth] (293) + חַיִּ֑ים [living] (68) + וְהֻשְׁכַּב֩ [and·he·shall·be·laid] (333) + בְּת֨וֹךְ [midst] (428) + עֲרֵלִ֜ים [forbidden] (350) + אֶת־חַלְלֵי־חֶ֗רֶב [with·slain·of·sword] (689) + פַּרְעֹה֙ [Pharaoh] (355) + וְכׇל־הֲמוֹנֹ֔ה [all·murmur] (162) + נְאֻ֖ם [utterance] (91) + אֲדֹנָ֥י [firm] (65) + יֱהֹוִֽה [Hashem] (26) = 5803.
Rashi
"For I have given it." I have put My terror in the land of the living, for I, the Lord, will place My fear in the land of Israel, and no longer shall the terror of man be upon it.
Radak
"Because I have given his terror." It is written with a vav and read with a yod, and it is a statement of God, blessed be He. The verse means to say: the terror of Pharaoh — I gave it; not by the strength of his hand and his might. And the qere explains: because I have given my terror in the land of the living, upon those who gave terror.
"And he was laid down." The letter he is pronounced with a qibbuts (a close o-sound formed by the lips), and it is in the hofal conjugation, whose agent is not mentioned.
And all his multitude: the letter he is like the letter vav, and similarly [the phrase] "and he pitched his tent" and its like.
Metzudat David
"Ki natati" – "For I will give": "I will bring My breaking upon the land of the living." This means that by My decree, the breaking will occur in the land of the living, for that war will take place in the Land of Israel, so that the reward will be received there, in the place of the wicked, where judgment is rendered.
“And he shall be laid down.” And he too will be laid down among the rest of the uncircumcised in heart, together with the rest of the slain by the sword. And who is the one who is laid down? Pharaoh and all his multitude.
Malbim
"For I have put My terror in the land of the living": This will be accomplished because I have put My terror and My dread in the land of the living, as it is stated, "And I will be magnified and sanctified, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations." And thereby, Pharaoh and all his multitude will remain lying down among the uncircumcised, with the slain by the sword mentioned [above].
Radak
Metzudat David