Come near, you nations, to hear, And attend, you peoples; Let the earth hear, and the fulness thereof, The world, and all things that come forth of it.
verse value 3230
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 49 letters. The shortest word is "world" (תֵּבֵ֖ל, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·all·its·offspring" (וְכׇל־צֶאֱצָאֶֽיהָ, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "let·hear" (תִּשְׁמַ֤ע), "and·its·fullness" (וּמְלֹאָ֔הּ), "and·all·its·offspring" (וְכׇל־צֶאֱצָאֶֽיהָ). The root שמע appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·land" (root ארץ, 169x in Isaiah); "to·hear" (root שמע, 106x in Isaiah); "nations" (root גוי, 65x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'hearken', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 5 words. Full calculation: קִרְב֤וּ [midst] (308) + גוֹיִם֙ [nations] (59) + לִשְׁמֹ֔עַ [to·hear] (440) + וּלְאֻמִּ֖ים [and·peoples] (127) + הַקְשִׁ֑יבוּ [hearken] (423) + תִּשְׁמַ֤ע [let·hear] (810) + הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ [the·land] (296) + וּמְלֹאָ֔הּ [and·its·fullness] (82) + תֵּבֵ֖ל [world] (432) + וְכׇל־צֶאֱצָאֶֽיהָ [and·all·its·offspring] (253) = 3230.
Ibn Ezra
"Draw near." And "its fullness." For it is full of them.
Tevel. A place of habitation:
"And all its offspring." From the root of "yatsa" (to go out):
Radak
“Draw near, O nations.” This portion is prophetic, referring to the destruction of Edom, and thereafter it recounts the salvation of Israel up to the verse “And it came to pass in the fourteenth year.” It calls it by the name Bozrah, just as Bozrah was a great city [of Edom]. And so did the prophet Jeremiah say in the Book of Lamentations: “Your iniquity is ended, O daughter of Zion; He will no longer carry you into exile. He will reckon your iniquity, O daughter of Edom; He will expose your sins.” Behold, when the land of Edom will be destroyed, Israel will emerge from this exile, and they will no longer be exiled. And in this prophecy it says “nations” and “peoples,” the earth and all its offspring, and it speaks of all the nations, such as the kingdom of Ishmael, which will be destroyed in this era.
Metzudat David
To hear. The words of:
And its filling. The creatures that fill it:
"Her offspring." Those who go out and walk in it:
Metzudat Zion
“Hearken.” The matter of hearing:
Tevel. So are the inhabited places called:
Malbim
“Draw near, O nations”: The “nations” are the peoples who have no religion, whereas the “peoples” are more significant than they, for they have a religion. Nevertheless, He will speak to the “nations,” and the “peoples” will hear on their own accord, for His words encompass them all. “Let the earth hear” refers to the uninhabited portion, and “the inhabited world” refers to the inhabited portion. The usual course is that the decree first comes to the inhabited portion and from there spreads also to the uninhabited portion. But here He says that first the earth will hear, and afterward the inhabited world, just as first the “nations” will hear and afterward the “peoples,” for the decree will spread over the entire globe and its inhabitants all at once.
For Hashem has indignation against all the nations, And fury against all their host; He has utterly destroyed them, He has delivered them to the slaughter.
verse value 1804
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 45 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "against·all·the·nations" (עַל־כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם, 9 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "and·wrath" (וְחֵמָ֖ה), "against·all·their·host" (עַל־כׇּל־צְבָאָ֑ם), "he·utterly·destroyed·them" (הֶחֱרִימָ֖ם). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 449x in Isaiah); "for" (root כי, 221x in Isaiah); "against·all·their·host" (root צבא, 73x in Isaiah). First appearance of the root טבח ("to·the·slaughter") in Isaiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'against·all·their·host', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּ֣י [for] (30) + קֶ֤צֶף [wrath] (270) + לַֽיהֹוָה֙ [to·Hashem] (56) + עַל־כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם [against·all·the·nations] (214) + וְחֵמָ֖ה [and·wrath] (59) + עַל־כׇּל־צְבָאָ֑ם [against·all·their·host] (283) + הֶחֱרִימָ֖ם [he·utterly·destroyed·them] (303) + נְתָנָ֥ם [he·gave·them] (540) + לַטָּֽבַח [to·the·slaughter] (49) = 1804.
Ibn Ezra
"Ki, etc." All the commentators say that this refers to the future, only Rabbi Moshe HaKohen says that Edom was destroyed in the days of Ashur, and the entire passage was connected.
Their host. They are the host of war:
Radak
“for His anger”: against all their hosts, when nation will make war on nation, and in this manner will be the slaughter and massacre among them.
Metzudat David
"Ki qetsef." And this is the meaning of "Know that there is the anger of the Lord upon all the nations," which shall be in the future.
He devoted them to destruction. The matter had already been decreed, and it was as though he had already devoted them to destruction and handed them over to the slaughter.
Metzudat Zion
"He banned them." The matter is one of destruction and excision.
Malbim
"For 'anger' (katzef): God is angry with the idolaters who destroyed Jerusalem and His Holy Temple. And it is known that 'wrath' (chamah) is greater than 'anger' (katzef), for 'wrath' refers to inner heat and the harboring of hatred. Therefore, regarding the nations of the gentiles who sent [forces] to destroy Jerusalem, it is appropriate to say only 'anger' (katzef); but regarding their armies and battalions, who were the ones actually destroying, it is appropriate to say 'wrath' (chamah). Consequently, He devoted them to the ban (cherem); this is the decree He decreed upon them, giving them over to slaughter, for 'every devoted thing that is devoted from among mankind shall not be redeemed.' And not only did He give them over to slaughter, but also..."
Their slain also shall be cast out, And the stench of their carcasses shall come up, And the mountains shall be melted with their blood.
verse value 1838
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 40 letters. The shortest word is "will·go·up" (יַעֲלֶ֣ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·their·slain" (וְחַלְלֵיהֶ֣ם, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "and·their·slain" (וְחַלְלֵיהֶ֣ם), "they·will·be·thrown" (יֻשְׁלָ֔כוּ), "and·their·carcasses" (וּפִגְרֵיהֶ֖ם). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "will·go·up" (root עלה, 49x in Isaiah); "mountains" (root הר, 37x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'their·stench', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְחַלְלֵיהֶ֣ם [and·their·slain] (129) + יֻשְׁלָ֔כוּ [they·will·be·thrown] (366) + וּפִגְרֵיהֶ֖ם [and·their·carcasses] (344) + יַעֲלֶ֣ה [will·go·up] (115) + בׇאְשָׁ֑ם [their·stench] (343) + וְנָמַ֥סּוּ [and·they·will·be·dissolved] (162) + הָרִ֖ים [mountains] (255) + מִדָּמָֽם [from·their·blood] (124) = 1838.
Ibn Ezra
"And their corpses." Their stench shall rise. There [in the verse], "and behold, it is without leaning upon the fire," on the pattern of "holy."
“Nemasu.” From the doubled forms of the Nifal binyan.
Radak
"And their corpses shall be cast out." This means that they shall have no one to bury them; therefore, their guilt and their sin shall be brought to account.
“And the mountains melted from their blood.” This is an expression of hyperbole:
Metzudat David
They shall be cast out. In the midst of the streets:
"Their stench shall rise." For they have no grave.
“And they shall melt.” From the abundance of blood, the mountains in which they are located shall melt; this is a matter of exaggeration and hyperbole.
Metzudat Zion
“And their corpses.” The body of a dead person is called a *peger*.
"Their stench." The matter of stench:
Malbim
“And their slain shall be cast out,” without burial. And it is not only their slain, who are those who fall in the field by the sword of war, but also “and their corpses,” those who die in the city, shall go up in stench, with no one to bury them, even though there an enemy will not be found there to prevent them by force from burying them. Nor is it that the dead will be few, for “the mountains shall melt from their blood” due to the abundance of blood. And it also depicts that the blood will be so abundant that it will rise to the tops of the mountains, and all of this is in the exaggeration of the rhetoric.
And all the host of heaven shall moulder away, And the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll; And all their host shall fall down, As the leaf falls off from the vine, And as a falling fig from the fig-tree.
verse value 3211
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 62 letters. Verse gematria: 3211 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "leaf" (עָלֶה֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·all·their·host" (וְכׇל־צְבָאָ֣ם, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 395: heaven, heaven. 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "and·they·will·be·decayed" (וְנָמַ֙קּוּ֙), "all·host·of" (כׇּל־צְבָ֣א), "and·shall·be·rolled·up" (וְנָגֹ֥לּוּ). The root נבל appears 3 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "all·host·of" (root צבא, 73x in Isaiah); "leaf" (root עלה, 49x in Isaiah); "heaven" (root שמים, 35x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'heaven', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 7 words. Full calculation: וְנָמַ֙קּוּ֙ [and·they·will·be·decayed] (202) + כׇּל־צְבָ֣א [all·host·of] (143) + הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם [heaven] (395) + וְנָגֹ֥לּוּ [and·shall·be·rolled·up] (95) + כַסֵּ֖פֶר [like·the·scroll] (360) + הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם [heaven] (395) + וְכׇל־צְבָאָ֣ם [and·all·their·host] (189) + יִבּ֔וֹל [produce] (48) + כִּנְבֹ֤ל [as·falling] (102) + עָלֶה֙ [leaf] (105) + מִגֶּ֔פֶן [from·vine·of] (173) + וּכְנֹבֶ֖לֶת [and·as·falling] (508) + מִתְּאֵנָֽה [from·a·fig-tree] (496) = 3211.
Rashi
And all the host of heaven shall rot away. They shall tremble when I cast down the princes of Assyria and Babylon.
And they were rolled up. The term is from the root "rolling," and "they were rolled up" is like a scroll of the heavens. The Targum translates it as "and they were confounded under the heavens," as it is stated about them in the text: "And I will explain it according to the context: because now goodness and light are for the wicked; when they are confounded and destroyed, the world will be silent and dark for them, as if the sun and the light were rolled up like the rolling of a scroll."
It shall wither. It shall shrivel:
And like the overripe figs of a sycamore-fig tree. When they have withered on the tree, they are called "overripe figs." This is what our Sages explained (Berakhot 40a): What are "overripe figs"? They are figs that ripened on the vine after being harvested; one gathers them, and they become warm and ripen.
Ibn Ezra
And they shall rot away. When a person’s day of doom arrives, his sun will be darkened, as it is written regarding the day of death (Ecclesiastes 12:2). And the correct view in my eyes is that these words allude to every form of assistance that any nation has from the heavenly order, as is explained in the Book of Daniel (Daniel 10:20):
And they shall rot away. It is from the Nifal binyan, and so too "were revealed" (negalu), from the root of "reveals" (magleh).
Radak
"And they were overturned." This is an expression of metaphor, for one who is afflicted with great distress, it is as if the heavens and the earth were overturned upon him, and the world was overturned for him; and it is as if the host of heaven no longer exists, for they provide him no light, and the world is darkened for him. This metaphor is constantly shown to us in the words of the prophets.
And they shall be unrolled like a scroll. For the heavens are spread out like a tent, and now they shall be likened to them, that they will be unrolled like a scroll that is unrolled.
"And like a withered fig." The explanation is: "And like a withered leaf from a fig tree." However, the correct interpretation is that the word left unspecified refers to a fig, not a leaf, for "leaf" is a masculine term, whereas the intended meaning is "like a fig that withers from the fig tree." For the fruit is called a "fig," and the tree is also called a "fig." Therefore, it would have been more appropriate to say simply "And like a withered one" rather than "And like a fig from a fig tree." Since "fig" is a feminine term, He therefore said of it "withered" [using the feminine form].
Metzudat David
"All the host of heaven." They are the high-ranking princes of the Babylonians:
“And they shall be rolled up, etc.” For the sun and the moon are fixed in the firmament of the heavens; when they are rolled up, they too will be covered and will not shine in the world. This is the matter of the parable, to say that there shall be darkness for them due to the multitude of their troubles.
“And all their host.” These are the Babylonians, who are placed under the authority of the heavenly princes.
Yevul. That is to say, it will wither, just as "you shall wither," a leaf from the vine:
And when it is withered. And when a leaf from the fig tree withers:
Metzudat Zion
And they shall melt away. The matter of melting:
“and they were revealed.” The word is in the language of “rolling” and “wrapping.”
Yevul. Its meaning is similar to "to wither," as in "and its leaf shall not wither" (Psalms 1:3).
Malbim
And they rot: This is to illustrate that every nation has a root in the heavens, from which it draws its abundance, strength, and sustenance. These are called the princes of those nations. If a nation falls below while its root remains in the heavens, it is like a tree that has been cut down but whose root remains, for it will return and sprout from beneath it. Therefore, it is said that even the heavenly host, where their root power resides, will rot like flesh that decays due to the absence of life. And they were revealed like the book of the ancient nations, for the heavens were like a book to them. In it, they gazed at the wisdom of astrology that they possessed at that time, seeing all that was destined to befall them. They attributed each country to a specific star, and in this book, according to the signs and omens they had, they would read all that was destined to happen. Now, since their shadow has departed, this book will be rolled up, and those who read it will no longer be able to open it and read from it, for such powers will no longer act upon the earth below. Consequently, all their armies, which are the armies of the staff associated with the heavenly host under their dominion, will wither like a tree that withers when its root rots, like a withered leaf of a vine. The leaf on the vine withers before all else; if the power of the sap in the root is slightly cut off, the leaves wither because their strength is weak. Similarly, the nations will fall immediately without delay. And like the rotting of a fig tree: the withering fig is worse than the withering leaf in that it is immediately loathsome due to its excessive sweetness and is entirely unfit (as stated in Maaserot, Chapter 3, Mishnah 4). This is not so with the withering leaf, which is not loathsome and is also somewhat fit for food later (as written in the Mishnah of Shemittah, Chapter 9, Mishnah 6). Therefore, it is said that after they fall, they will be like a defeated corpse and loathsome.
For My sword has drunk its fill in heaven; Behold, it shall come down upon Edom, And upon the people of My ban, to judgment.
verse value 3001
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 41 letters. The shortest word is "they" (הִנֵּה֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "for·drank·its·fill" (כִּֽי־רִוְּתָ֥ה, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "for·drank·its·fill" (כִּֽי־רִוְּתָ֥ה), "in·the·heavens" (בַשָּׁמַ֖יִם), "upon·Edom" (עַל־אֱד֣וֹם). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "they" (root הן, 86x in Isaiah); "my·sword" (root חרב, 44x in Isaiah); "to·judgment" (root משפט, 42x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·sword', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 6 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־רִוְּתָ֥ה [for·drank·its·fill] (641) + בַשָּׁמַ֖יִם [in·the·heavens] (392) + חַרְבִּ֑י [my·sword] (220) + הִנֵּה֙ [they] (60) + עַל־אֱד֣וֹם [upon·Edom] (151) + תֵּרֵ֔ד [will·go·down] (604) + וְעַל־עַ֥ם [and·upon·people·of] (216) + חֶרְמִ֖י [My·ban] (258) + לְמִשְׁפָּֽט [to·judgment] (459) = 3001.
Rashi
"For My sword shall be drunk in heaven: to slay the princes above, and afterward it shall descend against Amalek below; for no nation is smitten until its prince is smitten on high."
"With my ban." "With my war" – this is the language of "emergency," as it is taught in the Mishnah (Ketubot 17a): "They taught [this law] in a time of emergency." And similarly, [it is written] (1 Kings 20:42): "the man of my ban," referring to Ahab.
Ibn Ezra
"Ki, etc." This reinforcement is to what I hinted at from the gezeirot:
Behold, upon Edom shall you descend, and upon the nation of My ban. For it is My desire that they be a devoted ban (cherem), to execute judgment upon them:
Radak
“For My sword shall be satiated in heaven.” This means that it will be satiated in heaven from the blood of these slain. And upon whom will this sword descend from heaven? Upon Edom and upon the nation devoted to destruction, for Edom is a nation that I desire to devote to destruction, to execute judgment upon them for the evil they did to Israel. The meaning of “in heaven” and the meaning of “sword” are metaphorical, for the decrees descend from heaven. And “satiated” is a verb in the perfect tense from the root with dagesh, and similarly, “My land shall be satiated with blood.”
Metzudat David
"for it shall be drunk." Initially, my sword will be drunk in the heavens with the blood of the prince of the idolaters, and this is the matter of the parable in the language customary for a human being:
Behold. After this, behold, you shall descend upon Edom and upon the people whom I have decreed to devote to destruction, or upon the people who are caught in My net; upon them you shall descend to execute judgment.
Metzudat Zion
"Ravah [sated]." The matter of satiation, as in "like a well-watered garden" (ravah) (below, 58):
"Charomi." From the language of "cherem" (ban) and desolation; or it refers to a net, as in "a man of charomi" (I Kings 20), which is from the language of "they shall hunt with a charom" (Micah 7:17).
Malbim
Regarding the verse “For it is the Lord’s day of vengeance,” since the prophet likens the sword of the Lord to a devouring body that eats the blood of the slain and their fat, he says: “Do not think that I will do all this without judgment.” It is not so. For after my sword shall be sated in the heavens—for with the princes above I will not come to judgment, but only by way of vengeance—behold, afterward it shall descend against Edom for judgment, as it is stated: “And I will render judgment upon him” (Ezekiel 39). And behold, Edom refers to the nation known as the worshippers of idols and stars, and Bozrah was the head of their city of faith, where the chief priest resided. And those he calls “the people of my ban,” meaning Bozrah, with whom He has a dispute concerning faith. And with Edom and Bozrah He shall come to judgment.
The sword of Hashem is filled with blood, It is made fat with fatness, With the blood of lambs and goats, With the fat of the kidneys of rams; For Hashem has a sacrifice in Bozrah, And a great slaughter in the land of Edom.
verse value 3171
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 82 letters. The shortest word is "blood" (דָם֙, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·goats" (וְעַתּוּדִ֔ים, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 80: from·fat, from·fat·of. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "it·is·made·fat" (הֻדַּ֣שְׁנָה), "lambs" (כָּרִים֙), "kidneys" (כִּלְי֣וֹת). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 449x in Isaiah); "for" (root כי, 221x in Isaiah); "in·land·of" (root ארץ, 169x in Isaiah). First appearance of the root דשן ("it·is·made·fat") in Isaiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'rams', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 8 words.
Rashi
“Rams and he-goats.” [This refers to] princes and rulers:
"Bezer": Although it is from the land of Moab, since it established a king for Edom, as it is stated, "And Chushan died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his place" (Genesis 36), therefore it was punished together with them. In the Pesikta:
Ibn Ezra
Sword. The reason is a decree:
"והודשנה" – This is a word composed from a binyan whose verbal root is not named, and from the nifal binyan, according to the opinion of many; but this is not correct. Rather, it is a foreign word, and its meaning derives from the root of "והיה דשן ושמן" (Isaiah 30:23).
"Kirim" – as in "the fat of rams" (Deuteronomy 32:14), it is a metaphor for the great ones, like "the princes of Moab" (Exodus 15:15).
“Bavtzarah.” There is one who says that it is Constantinople, and this is not possible, for it has not yet been a thousand years since it was founded; rather, it is a city in the land of Edom.
Radak
“Sword to the Lord.” The sword that will be among the nations, whereby they will kill one another, belongs to the Lord, for He commanded and desired this.
"Full of blood." Due to the abundance of slaughter, and he said "full" metaphorically, in the manner of the expression "I will make My arrows drunk with blood."
“Hodashanah.” From the language of *deshen* and *shemen*, meaning fattening from the fat of lambs:
"Ve'etudim." "Ve'elim ve'ramim ve'parim ve'avirim" is an allegory for the lesser kings and viceroys of the nations. And the grammatical analysis of the word "ha'dashnah" is that it is a compound of the pa'al and the hitpa'el stems, for it ought to have been "hitdashnah," and the shin is subject to dagesh.
Metzudat David
"The sword of the Lord." The sword of the Lord is full of the blood of the slain.
"The fattening." It is made into fat and oil from the fat of the slain, and from the blood of rams and he-goats, and from the fat of the kidneys of rams; and this is the matter of a parable regarding the magnitude of the destruction.
“Betzrah.” It is from the land of Moab; but since it established a king for Edom, as it is stated, “And he reigned…” from Betzrah (Genesis 36), therefore it was punished together with them. Alternatively, it is from the word “fortress,” and it refers to a great fortress, etc.
Metzudat Zion
“Hodshana.” From the language of “deshen” (rich pasture) and “shemen” (oil).
“Rams.” “Fat rams”:
"Ve'etudim": These are the male goats among the large goats.
Kidneys. The name of the place where the fat is, as it is stated: “and the kidneys, and the fat that is upon them” (Leviticus 3:4).
Malbim
“The sword is for the Lord,” meaning that upon Edom He will come on account of vengeance, because they destroyed His Holy Temple; and upon Bozrah He will come only for the sake of faith, so that they may recognize God, blessed be He, as it is stated below (chapter 63): “Who is this who comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? This is the generation in its attire.” And according to this, he says here: “For there is a sacrifice to the Lord in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Edom.” The sacrifice is for eating, and the slaughter is for vengeance. And likewise, in the land of Edom there will be slaughter for vengeance, and in Bozrah there will be a sacrificial feast from which He derives benefit, to nullify corrupt opinions and to set forth the table of faith and wisdom. And with this in mind he says: “Opposite the slaughter, the sword of the Lord is full of blood,” and he subsequently explains: “from the blood of rams and goats,” which is an allegory for the mighty men and princes. And opposite the sacrifice, he said: “the fatness of kidneys of rams,” from the fat of kidneys of rams, which is not for the purpose of vengeance but to enrich with pleasures. And he grasps in his allegory the fat of the kidneys of those who counsel evil, whom He will return to the faith of truth. And he elucidates: sacrifice and slaughter, as stated above.
And the wild-oxen shall come down with them, And the bullocks with the bulls; And their land shall be drunken with blood, And their dust made fat with fatness.
verse value 3248
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 51 letters. The shortest word is "with" (עִמָּ֔ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "with·mighty" (עִם־אַבִּירִ֑ים, 8 letters). 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "and·shall·come·down" (וְיָרְד֤וּ), "wild-oxen" (רְאֵמִים֙), "with" (עִמָּ֔ם). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "their·land" (root ארץ, 169x in Isaiah); "with" (root עם, 107x in Isaiah); "and·shall·come·down" (root ירד, 24x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'with·mighty', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: וְיָרְד֤וּ [and·shall·come·down] (226) + רְאֵמִים֙ [wild-oxen] (291) + עִמָּ֔ם [with] (150) + וּפָרִ֖ים [and·bulls] (336) + עִם־אַבִּירִ֑ים [with·mighty] (373) + וְרִוְּתָ֤ה [and·shall·be·drenched] (617) + אַרְצָם֙ [their·land] (331) + מִדָּ֔ם [blood] (84) + וַעֲפָרָ֖ם [and·their·dust] (396) + מֵחֵ֥לֶב [from·fat] (80) + יְדֻשָּֽׁן [will·be·made·fat] (364) = 3248.
Rashi
"Re'emim with them." With the he-goats written above:
"Strong ones." Strong, healthy, and great bulls, as it is said: "Strong bulls of Bashan have surrounded me."
Ibn Ezra
"And they went down." With them, with the stags and the young goats and the ibexes; and the bulls are an allusion to the kings of Edom.
Radak
"And they went down." With them, many other kings of the nations of the world died.
Metzudat David
"And the wild oxen went down with them." The wild oxen went down to the slaughter along with the lambs and the young bulls.
"Of their blood." Their land shall be sated with blood, and their soil shall be rich with fat.
Metzudat Zion
Re’emim. The name of a large wild animal:
"Abirim" (mighty ones): strong beasts.
Yidushan. The word is derived from "dashan" (prosperous) and "shemen" (oil).
Malbim
"And the mighty ones shall descend with them" — namely, the remainder of the nations and their kings, their warriors, and their rulers will join with Edom and descend with their downfall. "And her land shall be drunk" — it is known that a land rich in fat does not absorb blood; rather, first it becomes drunk with blood, and afterward its dust, which is above the fat, will become enriched with fat. (And the allegory is: first Edom will kill — this blood is “the sword of the Lord is filled with blood”; and afterward he will conquer Bozrah, which is the allegory for the fat, the one rich in fat.)
For Hashem has a day of vengeance, A year of recompense for the controversy of Zion.
verse value 1906
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֛י, 2 letters) and the longest is "recompenses" (שִׁלּוּמִ֖ים, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 56: day, to·Hashem. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "year·of" (שְׁנַ֥ת), "recompenses" (שִׁלּוּמִ֖ים). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 449x in Isaiah); "for" (root כי, 221x in Isaiah); "day" (root יום, 124x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: כִּ֛י [for] (30) + י֥וֹם [day] (56) + נָקָ֖ם [vengeance] (190) + לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה [to·Hashem] (56) + שְׁנַ֥ת [year·of] (750) + שִׁלּוּמִ֖ים [recompenses] (426) + לְרִ֥יב [for·the·controversy·of] (242) + צִיּֽוֹן [Zion] (156) = 1906.
Rashi
“Peace to Zion’s strife.” He will recompense the reward for the affairs of Zion’s strife, which cries out before Him to its Judge, from those who did evil to her.
Ibn Ezra
"For..." This verse proves that it refers to the future. And there are those who say that this prophecy was fulfilled in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, after the exile of Zion, in the sense of "Also upon you shall pass the cup" (Lamentations 4:21).
A year of recompense. Just as it is written, “Your reward shall return to your head” (Obadiah 1:15), a verse also found in the Book of Obadiah concerning Edom.
Radak
"For a day of vengeance." All of this is vengeance and recompense for the Lord, who takes vengeance upon them and repays them their due; and the quarrel of Zion is great with them.
Metzudat David
"For the day of vengeance is for the Lord. That day shall be a day of vengeance, to take vengeance for His people:"
A year of peace. In that year, recompense will be paid to the Babylonians on account of Zion’s cry, which calls out before Him to do justice for her.
Metzudat Zion
Shalomim. The word is related to tashlumin:
Malbim
“For a day of vengeance it is, the Lord will do” – all of this is on account of two matters: 1. On account of “a day of vengeance for the Lord,” concerning His own honor, which they deny and serve idols; and this will take place in Bozrah. 2. For it is “a year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion,” which they have laid waste; and this He will do to Edom.
And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, And the dust thereof into brimstone, And the land thereof shall become burning pitch.
verse value 3387
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 43 letters. The shortest word is "to·pitch" (לְזֶ֔פֶת, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·shall·be·turned" (וְנֶהֶפְכ֤וּ, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 517: to·pitch, to·pitch. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "and·shall·be·turned" (וְנֶהֶפְכ֤וּ), "her·wadis" (נְחָלֶ֙יהָ֙), "and·her·dust" (וַעֲפָרָ֖הּ). The root זפת appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·it·shall·be" (root היה, 213x in Isaiah); "her·land" (root ארץ, 169x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·brimstone', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְנֶהֶפְכ֤וּ [and·shall·be·turned] (167) + נְחָלֶ֙יהָ֙ [her·wadis] (103) + לְזֶ֔פֶת [to·pitch] (517) + וַעֲפָרָ֖הּ [and·her·dust] (361) + לְגׇפְרִ֑ית [to·brimstone] (723) + וְהָיְתָ֣ה [and·it·shall·be] (426) + אַרְצָ֔הּ [her·land] (296) + לְזֶ֖פֶת [to·pitch] (517) + בֹּעֵרָֽה [burning] (277) = 3387.
Rashi
“And their rivers were turned back.”—These are the rivers of the Babylonians.
Ibn Ezra
"And they were turned, etc." This was or will be a miraculous act, and some say that it is a metaphor, meaning that no drop of water will remain there, as if the waters were turned into pitch.
“Bore’ah.” Prove from this that the tav in zefet indicates the feminine gender.
Radak
"And the rivers were turned into pitch." The Targum of Jonathan translates: "And the rivers were turned," and so forth. And what is meant by "into pitch and brimstone" is an allegory for their desolation, or that they would become like the land of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Metzudat David
Nechaliyah. Of the land of the Babylonians:
To pitch. To be pitch:
Metzudat Zion
Pitch. It is the resin of the tree that burns most intensely:
Malbim
And they are reversed, depicting their destruction: the rivers will be turned into pitch, and the upper soil will be transformed into sulfur, which ignites easily, and even the interior of their land will become burning pitch.
It shall not be quenched night nor day, The smoke thereof shall go up for ever; From generation to generation it shall lie waste: None shall pass through it for ever and ever.
verse value 3167
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 57 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·by·day" (וְיוֹמָם֙, 5 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "and·by·day" (וְיוֹמָם֙), "her·smoke" (עֲשָׁנָ֑הּ), "from·generation" (מִדּ֤וֹר). The root דור appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 286x in Isaiah); "and·by·day" (root יום, 124x in Isaiah); "nothing" (root אין, 92x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'her·smoke', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 8 words.
Rashi
From generation to generation. From that generation until the final generation. An alternative interpretation: This is the curse of Moses, as it is written, “A war for the Lord against Amalek from generation to generation” (Exodus 17:16). [This means] from the generation of Moses to the generation of Saul, and from there to the generation of Mordecai, and from there to the generation of our Messiah, King.
Ibn Ezra
Night. "You shall not extinguish" – a woman:
“For ever, for ever.” The times have no end.
Radak
“Night.” Regarding the verse that states, “Sulfur and bitumen shall be burning,” it states: “For all time its smoke shall rise up,” just as it is even today: the land of Sodom and Gomorrah, from which smoke continually rises.
“From generation to generation.” The lamed is vocalized with a qamats, and there is none other like it.
Metzudat David
“Smoke.” The smoke of the burning.
“From generation to generation.” From that generation until the end of all generations, it shall remain desolate.
One does not traverse it. For it shall be a desolation.
Malbim
“Night and day it shall not be extinguished.” The hearth that is made for cooking may be extinguished at night, and the one made for lighting may be extinguished during the day, but this hearth shall not be extinguished, neither at night nor during the day, for the purpose of this hearth is that its smoke should ascend perpetually. And do not think that a generation will arise to rebuild it, saying that it will be destroyed from generation to generation. Moreover, no person will ever pass through it, even temporarily, and who would have the heart to rebuild it, since no one passes there forever?
But the pelican and the bittern shall possess it, And the owl and the raven shall dwell therein; And He shall stretch over it The line of confusion, and the plummet of emptiness.
verse value 3131
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 52 letters. The shortest word is "a ceremonially unclean bird" (קָאַ֣ת, 3 letters) and the longest is "stone·emptiness" (וְאַבְנֵי־בֹֽהוּ, 8 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "a ceremonially unclean bird" (קָאַ֣ת), "and·porcupine" (וְקִפּ֔וֹד), "and·great owl" (וְיַנְשׁ֥וֹף). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "on" (root על, 200x in Isaiah); "and·will·stretch·out" (root נטה, 27x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'shall·dwell·in·it', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 4 words. 6 of the verse's 10 words begin with the letter ו. Full calculation: וִירֵשׁ֙וּהָ֙ [and·they·shall·possess·it] (527) + קָאַ֣ת [a ceremonially unclean bird] (501) + וְקִפּ֔וֹד [and·porcupine] (196) + וְיַנְשׁ֥וֹף [and·great owl] (452) + וְעֹרֵ֖ב [and·raven] (278) + יִשְׁכְּנוּ־בָ֑הּ [shall·dwell·in·it] (393) + וְנָטָ֥ה [and·will·stretch·out] (70) + עָלֶ֛יהָ [on] (115) + קַֽו־תֹֿ֖הוּ [cord·formlessness] (517) + וְאַבְנֵי־בֹֽהוּ [stone·emptiness] (82) = 3131.
Rashi
And the owl. A bird that flies at night; in the vernacular, "tsuayta."
Kav: "Tohu." The judgment of desolation:
"And stones of void." These are the weights of the judgment of destruction, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 25): "A perfect stone."
Ibn Ezra
And they possessed it. [This is derived from the root] kapad. It is known from the verbal root kapadti, as in “like a weaver [who stretches out] his thread” (Isaiah 38:12):
The cord and the stone in the hand of the builder:
And "tohu and bohu" is to be read in the sense of "shemamah" (desolation).
Radak
“And they shall possess it.” That they should be constantly in it, like a person who has taken possession of his inheritance; and these [who are mentioned]—their way is to dwell in ruins.
The qat. It is called in the Mishnah qiq, and it is a desert bird; it is found in coastal cities.
And the porcupine (kippod). It is called qunfudh in Arabic, and in the vernacular, tortuga.
"וינשוף" – with a cholam, and it is a bird that flies at night, or one that cries out at night; therefore it is called "yanshuf" from the root "neshaf" (night).
“And He shall incline over it.” God shall incline over it the line of chaos and the plumb-bob of emptiness, for he who builds inclines a line and a lead weight, which is the plummet; and the line and the plummet shall be of chaos and of emptiness, meaning that the opposite of building shall be done to it, namely destruction.
Metzudat David
And they shall inherit it. They shall dwell there, as one dwells in his inheritance.
"And He shall stretch out." The Omnipresent will stretch out over it a line of chaos and a plummet of confusion, just as a builder stretches out a line with a lead plummet to straighten the building, so too the Omnipresent will stretch out over it the line and the plummet to destroy it; and this is a matter of rhetoric.
Metzudat Zion
“Qa’at and qapod.” These are the names of birds that dwell in desolate places:
"And a kite and a raven." These are names of species of birds. Qav (line). A builder's cord:
Tohu. A matter of desolation:
"Va’evnei." The leaden stone of the builder:
Behu. The matter of emptiness:
Malbim
"And the pelican and the hedgehog shall possess it": The pelican and the hedgehog are creatures of the wilderness; they shall possess it as an inheritance. But the owl and the raven, which are also found in inhabited areas, shall not possess it; they shall only dwell in it occasionally, transiently, for they do not dwell there permanently—only the birds of the wilderness do. And "they shall stretch a line over it": This depicts that these builders, the founders of the state, namely the pelican and the hedgehog, the line they shall stretch over it to measure the length and width of the structure shall be the Tohu, and the stones with which they shall build the structure shall be the Bohu. The Tohu and the Bohu shall be the measure and the hewn stones for this building.
As for her nobles, none shall be there to be called to the kingdom; And all her princes shall be nothing.
verse value 1791
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 34 letters. The shortest word is "nothing" (אָֽפֶס, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·all·her·princes" (וְכׇל־שָׂרֶ֖יהָ, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "her·nobles" (חֹרֶ֥יהָ), "and·nothing·there" (וְאֵֽין־שָׁ֖ם), "they·call" (יִקְרָ֑אוּ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "they·will·be" (root היה, 213x in Isaiah); "and·nothing·there" (root אין, 92x in Isaiah); "they·call" (root קרא, 84x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·call', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: חֹרֶ֥יהָ [her·nobles] (223) + וְאֵֽין־שָׁ֖ם [and·nothing·there] (407) + מְלוּכָ֣ה [kingdom] (101) + יִקְרָ֑אוּ [they·call] (317) + וְכׇל־שָׂרֶ֖יהָ [and·all·her·princes] (571) + יִ֥הְיוּ [they·will·be] (31) + אָֽפֶס [nothing] (141) = 1791.
Rashi
Her nobles—there is no monarchy there to be proclaimed. Their princes stand, and none of them calls himself by the name of dominion and monarchy.
“Nothing but destruction.”
Ibn Ezra
חוריה. They are the great ones, likened to a white eye, for the small ones are called "important."
"Melukha." They will call them "the called," and you omit the letter lamed from the word "melukha."
“Nothing.” Like “there is not.”
Radak
"Her gates." For they used to say at first, "There is no kingship there, for we are kings; they will now be nothing." And all her princes:
"And there is not there (ve-ein sham)." With a vav, like [the vav of] "And Abraham lifted up his eyes," and its like, where it is not superfluous.
ḥuryah. Its meaning is "officers," and similarly [the verse states] "and all the officers of Judah," and "I will fight against the officers."
Metzudat David
“Choriya.” Her princes stand, and none of them calls himself by a royal title or as a ruler.
Let them be nothing. Let them be as if they do not exist:
Metzudat Zion
“ḥaryah.” The matter of dominion is like “and I contended with the nobles” (Nehemiah 5:7):
"Only." The matter is one of absence and destruction.
Malbim
“Chariyah” – the “churim” (nobles) are those who descend from the royal lineage, from among whom a king will be chosen (as it is stated, “Happy are you, O land, whose king is a son of churim,” meaning a son of nobles, from a royal lineage). It is said that the churim will stand there; but among the people who currently dwell there in the land, who are the “hakat” and the “kefod,” none will be found from whom a royal title will be called, nor will they seek to establish a king over themselves. And the princes will be nothing, since they will not find there anyone over whom to rule. For “churim” is a name that does not depend on association; they are called so on account of their freedom and their inherent greatness. Even if they find no one here to honor them, they are not nothing in themselves. But “princes” is merely a name that depends on association: if there is no people, there are no princes.
And thorns shall come up in her palaces, Nettles and thistles in the fortresses thereof; And it shall be a habitation of wild-dogs, An enclosure for ostriches.
verse value 4278
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 57 letters. The shortest word is "habitation·of" (נְוֵ֣ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "her·palaces" (אַרְמְנֹתֶ֙יהָ֙, 7 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "and·she·shall·go·up" (וְעָלְתָ֤ה), "her·palaces" (אַרְמְנֹתֶ֙יהָ֙), "thorns" (סִירִ֔ים). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·it·shall·be" (root היה, 213x in Isaiah); "and·she·shall·go·up" (root עלה, 49x in Isaiah); "for·daughters·of" (root בת, 25x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·her·strongholds', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 6 words. Full calculation: וְעָלְתָ֤ה [and·she·shall·go·up] (511) + אַרְמְנֹתֶ֙יהָ֙ [her·palaces] (706) + סִירִ֔ים [thorns] (320) + קִמּ֥וֹשׂ [thistles or nettles] (446) + וָח֖וֹחַ [and·thorn] (28) + בְּמִבְצָרֶ֑יהָ [in·her·strongholds] (349) + וְהָֽיְתָה֙ [and·it·shall·be] (426) + נְוֵ֣ה [habitation·of] (61) + תַנִּ֔ים [jackals] (500) + חָצִ֖יר [a dwelling] (308) + לִבְנ֥וֹת [for·daughters·of] (488) + יַעֲנָֽה [ostrich] (135) = 4278.
Rashi
“And thorns shall come up in her palaces.” Such is the way of ruins — thorns and briers grow in them. It is the same as “kimmosh” and the same as “choach” — all of them species of thorns, such as “orties” (nettles) and the like.
“Neveh tanim.” This refers to a wilderness that is a habitat for jackals, which are a species of wild beast.
Ibn Ezra
And it shall go up. Upon its palaces, each one of the sirim, and they are thorns, as it is said, “For as the voice of thorns beneath the pot” (Ecclesiastes 7:6). And so too is it written: nettle (a type of thornbush).
Tanim. Like “I was a brother to jackals” (Job 30:29):
Chatzir. Like chatzer (Exodus 27:12), and similarly yashish (Job 15:10) and zaken vayasish (2 Chronicles 36:17).
Radak
And it shall rise. The land shall rise up from the place of its palaces, its thorns, for in the place of the desolation the thorns shall rise and grow.
Sirim, kamush, and chach. These are types of thorns:
“Chatsir.” Like “chatzer” with a tsere; so too “yashish” and “yashesh.” And Jonathan’s Targum translates it as “a place, a pleasant spot.”
Metzudat David
“And her palaces shall be raised up.” Her palaces shall become overgrown with thorns due to their excessive desolation.
"In her strongholds." It shall grow up in her fortified cities.
“A dwelling for jackals and a habitation for ostriches,” for they dwell there.
Metzudat Zion
Sirim, kamush, and chach. These are the names of types of thorns:
Naveh. A dwelling:
Taninim. A species of serpents. Chatsir. Like chazar (courtyard), and similarly yashish and yashash (2 Chronicles 30:21):
"Livnot ya'anah." [It is] the name of a desert bird, the daughter of the ostrich:
Malbim
"And it shall rise up"—behold, in times of peace they will dwell in palaces, and in times of war in fortresses; but now, both the palaces and the fortresses will be full of thorns. "And it shall become a haunt of jackals"—the "haunt" is a place where sheep rest; but the grasses that will grow there, namely the thorns, will make it into a haunt for jackals. The fodder that grows there will be for the daughters of the ostrich, for they eat even broken glass and coals, and likewise they will eat the thistles there.
And the wild-cats shall meet with the jackals, And the satyr shall cry to his fellow; Indeed, the night-monster shall repose there, And shall find her a place of rest.
verse value 3700
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 56 letters. Verse gematria: 3700 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "to·her" (לָ֖הּ, 2 letters) and the longest is "with·jackals" (אֶת־אִיִּ֔ים, 6 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "and·they·will·meet" (וּפָגְשׁ֤וּ), "with·jackals" (אֶת־אִיִּ֔ים), "and·satyr" (וְשָׂעִ֖יר). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·his·fellow" (root על, 200x in Isaiah); "will·call" (root קרא, 84x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'will·call', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 6 words. Full calculation: וּפָגְשׁ֤וּ [and·they·will·meet] (395) + צִיִּים֙ [wild-cats] (150) + אֶת־אִיִּ֔ים [with·jackals] (462) + וְשָׂעִ֖יר [and·satyr] (586) + עַל־רֵעֵ֣הוּ [to·his·fellow] (381) + יִקְרָ֑א [will·call] (311) + אַךְ־שָׁם֙ [indeed·there] (361) + הִרְגִּ֣יעָה [shall·rest] (293) + לִּילִ֔ית [night-monster] (480) + וּמָצְאָ֥ה [and·reaches] (142) + לָ֖הּ [to·her] (35) + מָנֽוֹחַ [resting·place] (104) = 3700.
Rashi
"And the wildcats shall meet the hyenas." Jonathan rendered: "and tamvan shall meet wildcats"; "tamvan" are martens — "martrines" in Old French.
And the goat. A demon:
Hargi'ah. A term denoting calmness or soothing:
Lilith. The name of a demoness:
Ibn Ezra
“And they encountered the Zaim.” [This refers to those] who dwell in a desert land.
"Iyyim." A plural form, like "and the kite" (Leviticus 11:14); and if it comes with a mem:
And the he-goat. Like the appearance of wild he-goats:
“הרגיעה” – she found rest:
Lilit. The bird that flies at night:
Radak
And they shall meet. Living creatures shall meet living creatures there, for the city shall be in the dwelling place of living creatures, the deserts.
Tzayim. These are wild beasts that dwell in the wilderness of the desert. And Targum Jonathan renders it “tamvan,” and for “ayyim” it translates “cats,” and for “se’ir” it translates according to its rendering, “shed” (a demon). Likewise, for “se’irim” after whom they go astray, we translate “shedim” (demons). It is possible that it is a beast among the wild beasts of the desert. And likewise, a “lilit” is a beast that cries out at night, or a bird that flies at night. And the words of our Sages of blessed memory: “If she bears a child in the form of a lilit, the birth is unclean, and it is a child, only that it has wings.”
Metzudat David
And they met. This means that there were many of them, so that they encountered one another along the way as they walked.
And the goat. The demon shall call there to its companion, for there they converse one with another, for their way is to be in a place that is desolate.
"Only there." Only there will Lilith find a place of rest and abode, for no one from among the children of men will be found there to disturb them and drive them away.
Metzudat Zion
And they met. The meaning of "meeting" (piggia):
Tzayim. Iyim: names of small animals:
And a he-goat. So is the evil spirit called, for it appears as a he-goat to one who believes in it; and likewise, “And the satyrs shall dance there” (above 13:21).
“Concerning his fellow.” “To his fellow.”
"הרגיעה" – from the root מרגוע, meaning calm and tranquility.
Lilith. She is the mother of the demons:
Manoach. A place of rest:
Malbim
"And they shall meet the Zayim" — these are the beasts that come from afar with the Zayim; they will meet there with the Ayyim, which also come from afar, from the islands of the sea. It is like a city that is a merchant of the nations, where people from distant lands will meet and find there the inhabitants of their own country. And the Sa'ir Shadim, the dwellers of the desert, will call there to their companions. But there Lilith, the bird that cries and wails all night, will be calmed. This indicates that this bird, which appears to have no rest in inhabited places, and therefore cries bitterly every night, will there be calmed, finding rest for its soul, and will also find rest for its body, and will no longer cry.
There shall the arrowsnake make her nest, and lay, And hatch, and brood under her shadow; Indeed, there shall the kites be gathered, Every one with her mate.
verse value 3772
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 51 letters. The shortest word is "name" (שָׁ֣מָּה, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·shall·lay" (וַתְּמַלֵּ֔ט, 5 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "shall·nest" (קִנְּנָ֤ה), "arrow snake" (קִפּוֹז֙), "and·shall·lay" (וַתְּמַלֵּ֔ט). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "name" (root שם, 83x in Isaiah); "her·neighbor" (root רעה, 25x in Isaiah); "were·gathered" (root קבץ, 20x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·her·shadow', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 5 words. Full calculation: שָׁ֣מָּה [name] (345) + קִנְּנָ֤ה [shall·nest] (205) + קִפּוֹז֙ [arrow snake] (193) + וַתְּמַלֵּ֔ט [and·shall·lay] (485) + וּבָקְעָ֖ה [and·will·split] (183) + וְדָגְרָ֣ה [and·shall·brood] (218) + בְצִלָּ֑הּ [in·her·shadow] (127) + אַךְ־שָׁ֛ם [indeed·there] (361) + נִקְבְּצ֥וּ [were·gathered] (248) + דַיּ֖וֹת [a·bird·of·prey] (420) + אִשָּׁ֥ה [wife] (306) + רְעוּתָֽהּ [her·neighbor] (681) = 3772.
Rashi
Kinnah. The language of a bird’s nest (Deuteronomy 22):
Kapuz. It is kapod:
And she lays eggs. And she gave birth to an egg:
"Vav-baq'ah" – this refers to the hatching of chicks from the egg, as it is stated: "The eggs of the viper burst forth" (below, 59).
"And he brooded." This is the call of the bird, which the bird utters in its throat to lead its chicks after it, "glutsier" in the vernacular. And likewise (Jeremiah 17:11): "A bird that cries out."
Kites, in the vernacular:
"A woman, her companion." Just as it says, "to her companion."
Ibn Ezra
There. "Kafuz" is not like "kafud" (Isaiah 14:23), but rather a different bird.
And she was delivered. And she gave birth; similarly, “and she delivered a son” (Isaiah 66:7):
And it shall split open (uvak'ah). Its nature is to split/hatch [its eggs] in the wilderness:
dagrah (incubation). Like the verse “the partridge broods” (Yirmiyahu 17:11):
“Diyot.” A plural form, like “hadeh” (Deuteronomy 14:13):
Radak
There she made her nest, the kestrel. Like the word "kapod":
"ותמלט" – like "והמליטה זכר" – meaning: "and she gave birth."
“And she broke them and hatched them.” Just as the word “gathered” in the phrase “gathered the exiles” denotes the act of gathering, so here it means the gathering of the eggs. The vav in “and hatched” is conjunctive, indicating sequence: namely, after she gathered the eggs and warmed them, and only then did the eggs break and the young emerge. This is analogous to the vav in “and the waters broke forth,” in the verse “You were angry, and we sinned.”
“Dayot.” Like “ve’et ha-dayot” (the kites), in the language of the nations, it is called “avoltur.”
"A woman with her companion." Explanation: With her companion.
Metzudat David
“There the kippoz makes its nest.” There it makes for itself a nest and a dwelling place, and there it lays its eggs and hatches them to bring forth the chicks, and there it calls out with a voice to draw the chicks to it, to hide them in its shade, like the way of birds.
"Only there." This means that they did not find a suitable place to gather except there.
A woman with her companion. This means: one woman with her female companion.
Metzudat Zion
קננה. The word refers to a dwelling, as in "the nest of birds" (Deuteronomy 22:6).
Kapuz. It is the kapud mentioned above, and "tamlet." Likewise, the laying of an egg is called "tamlet," as in the phrase "and she brought forth a male" (below, 67).
"And she gathers." So is called the bird's call to draw its chicks after it; and likewise, "the partridge broods" (Jeremiah 17:11).
“Diyot.” The name of a species of bird, the diyah.
"A woman and her companion." This is the manner of Scripture to speak of things that are equal, even if they are not living beings, as it is stated regarding the cherubim: "each cherub facing the other" (Exodus 25:20).
Malbim
There she built her nest the Kaphoz, which is the bird called (Paradisevogel) very beautiful in the color of its feathers, and they used to speak falsely about it from of old, saying that it has no feet and does not nest on any place, but only lays eggs and brings forth chicks in the air by means of the male who nests upon them so that they will not be seen by human beings, and similarly many other falsehoods (and these statements came to them due to the scarcity of finding that bird which nests on the tops of high trees, very far from humans). Based on this, he will argue that this bird, because of its distance from human beings, about whom they speak falsely, saying that it dwells in the air—there it built its nest, the Kaphoz, on the ground, for it does not fear human beings who are distant from there, and the eggs were laid on the ground, and it broke the eggs itself, not by means of the male, and it incubated the chicks to sit in its shade, not between the earth and the heavens; and this is a rhetorical device to magnify the depiction of desolation. However, there, the Dya is from many species, large and small, and it nests in hot lands on the teeth of high rocks in a place where a human foot does not pass. He says: "Only there are the Dyot gathered together; only there do they not ascend on the teeth of the rocks, but only there in the valley of the earth," and also there women gather with their companions until all the species are found there.
Seek you out of the book of Hashem, and read; No one of these shall be missing, None shall want her mate; For My mouth it has commanded, And the breath thereof it has gathered them.
verse value 4119
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 69 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָה֙) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "out·of·the·book" (מֵעַל־סֵ֤פֶר, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 31: not, not. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "out·of·the·book" (מֵעַל־סֵ֤פֶר), "from·them" (מֵהֵ֙נָּה֙), "was·helped" (נֶעְדָּ֔רָה). The root לא appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 449x in Isaiah); "not" (root לא, 286x in Isaiah); "it" (root הוא, 98x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·lacked', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 6 words.
Rashi
They inquired from the Book of the Lord. They read from the Book of Genesis: When the Flood came, He decreed that all living creatures should gather to be enclosed in the ark, male and female. Not one of them was absent from entering; how much more so when He decrees upon them this matter, to gather to drink blood, to eat flesh, and to consume milk.
They were not counted. "Not counted" means "not lacking," as in (Numbers 31:49): "Not one man was missing from among them."
"For His mouth commanded." That they should come:
And his spirit. That of his mouth gathers them. The term 'his spirit' refers back to 'his mouth,' as it is written (Psalms 33:6): "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of His mouth." So too here, the spirit of his mouth gathers them.
Ibn Ezra
They inquired from above, from the Book of the Lord. This is an allusion to the decrees of Heaven, which are written with the finger of God. The meaning is that all the decrees shall come upon the land of Edom; indeed, they are written so that the land of Edom shall be a dwelling place for them.
"For My mouth" – this is an allusion to the decrees that issue from the mouth of God.
And His spirit. The spirit of His mouth, and behold, the meaning is double, as is the rule:
Radak
“Seek from the Book of the Lord, and read.” This is stated concerning one who will see it in its desolation: “Seek from the Book of the Lord” — this is this very book — “and read” the living creatures and birds mentioned in this passage. For thus you will see them all in the desolation, that they will dwell in this city; not one of them will be missing.
Not one of them was missing. None of them was missing its counterpart; rather, all of them were present. And my master and father, of blessed memory, explained that “the Book of the Lord” refers to the Book of the Torah of our teacher Moses. Seek out all the living creatures and birds mentioned in the portion “And it came to pass on the eighth day” were not lacking even one of them. And the scholar Rabbi Abraham explained that this is a metaphorical allusion to the heavenly decrees that are written by the finger of God, and the meaning is that all the decrees shall come to pass.
"Because His mouth has commanded it." This refers to the utterance of God, blessed be He. The explanation is that since He commanded it to be so, it will therefore certainly come to pass and not fail.
And His spirit. The interpretation is that “spirit” refers to the breath of the mouth of God, in the manner of “and by the breath of His mouth all their host” (Psalms 33:6), meaning His will and desire, and He will gather them, so that they will all come to the land of Edom.
Metzudat David
“Seek from the Book of the Lord.” Seek in the Book of Leviticus, in the chapter of Shemini (the Eighth), and recite the animals and birds mentioned there, and know that none of them will be missing from being listed there.
A woman: One of these shall not be missing her companion, for all of them shall be there.
“Ki pi.” He said in the place of “the Lord” – behold, “mouth” is that which commanded that it come, and the spirit of “mouth” is the gatherer, and it is the speech that emerges with a blowing of breath; and this is a double matter in what is written:
Metzudat Zion
"נעדרה" (ne'ederah). The matter is one of absence, like the verse "no man was missing" (ne'eder) (below, 40a).
"Pakad" (Visit/Remember). This too is a matter of lack, like "ki yifkod moshavkha" (your seat will be empty) (1 Samuel 20:18):
Kavtzan. The matter of gathering:
Malbim
They expounded: “Inquire now of the Lord” — this allusion is grasped from the phrase “from the book of the Lord.” Just as it is customary for military commanders to write down the names of their soldiers in a book, and when they assemble and wish to know if any man is missing from their ranks, they call out the names from the book and thereby know who is absent; so too, the Lord, the Commander of this host, namely, of these beasts and birds, has written the names of these soldiers in a book. “Inquire now of the book of the Lord,” and call each man by his name, and you will see that not one of them is missing. Do not think that one summoned another to come; hence it says, “A woman has not called to her companion,” meaning they did not command each other to come, for it was the mouth of the Lord that commanded them to come here. And “the breath of His mouth” — the breath that issues from the mouth at the time of speech — this very breath had already gathered them, so that no special utterance was required for this gathering, for “the breath [of the Lord] confined them in their wings and gathered them to the place that the Lord commanded.”
And He has cast the lot for them, And His hand has divided it to them by line; They shall possess it for ever, From generation to generation shall they dwell therein.
verse value 2819
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 57 letters. Notable word values: "and·his·hand" (וְיָד֛וֹ) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "to·them" (לָהֶן֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·He·has·cast" (וְהֽוּא־הִפִּ֤יל, 8 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "and·He·has·cast" (וְהֽוּא־הִפִּ֤יל), "to·them" (לָהֶן֙), "lot" (גּוֹרָ֔ל). The root הם appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·He·has·cast" (root הוא, 98x in Isaiah); "and·his·hand" (root יד, 79x in Isaiah); "to·them" (root הם, 49x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·the·line', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 5 words. Full calculation: וְהֽוּא־הִפִּ֤יל [and·He·has·cast] (143) + לָהֶן֙ [to·them] (85) + גּוֹרָ֔ל [lot] (239) + וְיָד֛וֹ [and·his·hand] (26) + חִלְּקַ֥תָּה [has·divided·it] (543) + לָהֶ֖ם [to·them] (75) + בַּקָּ֑ו [in·the·line] (108) + עַד־עוֹלָם֙ [for·ever] (220) + יִֽירָשׁ֔וּהָ [they·shall·possess·it] (531) + לְד֥וֹר [to·generation] (240) + וָד֖וֹר [and·generation] (216) + יִשְׁכְּנוּ־בָֽהּ [shall·dwell·in·it] (393) = 2819.
Rashi
“And He cast for them.” Now the prophet says concerning the Holy One, blessed be He: “And He cast for them”—for those beasts and birds, a lot, so that these should ascend to their portion.
Ibn Ezra
And it is: "He has divided it" – the verb and its object:
In a line. That is, a line of truth:
Radak
And He cast them out. It is as though He cast lots for the land that was to be their inheritance:
And He gave them their portion. His hand allotted that land to them, for living beings and for birds:
Baqav. By way of parable: Just as a person divides land using a cord and a straight line.
Metzudat David
"And He cast lots for them." This means that He allotted to their portion as if it had fallen to them by lot.
“Her portion.” With his hand he allotted to them by the measuring line, and this is a matter of rhetorical expression.
Metzudat Zion
Baqo. It is the cord of measurement:
Malbim
And He, the Lord, allotted to each one his portion according to the lot, so that each could say, “This is the name of my hold on the inheritance,” and He also divided for them by drawing lines their boundaries, as one who divides the land in perpetuity by its markers and its borders. They shall inherit it forever, that it will be theirs forever. And do not think that even though it will be theirs, they will not dwell there, like a person who has an inheritance in this country but dwells in another land; rather, from generation to generation they will dwell in it.
Ibn Ezra
Radak
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion
Malbim