Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah, and took them.
verse value 4523
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 66 letters. The shortest word is "against" (עַ֣ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "king·of·Assyria" (מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁוּר֙, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 330: Sennacherib, all·cities·of. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "four" (בְּאַרְבַּע֩), "all·cities·of" (כׇּל־עָרֵ֧י), "the·fortified" (הַבְּצֻר֖וֹת). 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·it·was" (root היה, 213x in Isaiah); "against" (root על, 200x in Isaiah); "to·the·king" (root מלך, 73x in Isaiah). First appearance of the root חזקיהו ("Hezekiah") in Isaiah. First appearance of the root סנחריב ("Sennacherib") in Isaiah. Full calculation: וַיְהִ֡י [and·it·was] (31) + בְּאַרְבַּע֩ [four] (275) + עֶשְׂרֵ֨ה [ten] (575) + שָׁנָ֜ה [year] (355) + לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ [to·the·king] (120) + חִזְקִיָּ֗הוּ [Hezekiah] (136) + עָלָ֞ה [went·up] (105) + סַנְחֵרִ֤יב [Sennacherib] (330) + מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁוּר֙ [king·of·Assyria] (597) + עַ֣ל [against] (100) + כׇּל־עָרֵ֧י [all·cities·of] (330) + יְהוּדָ֛ה [Judah] (30) + הַבְּצֻר֖וֹת [the·fortified] (703) + וַֽיִּתְפְּשֵֽׂם [and·caught·them] (836) = 4523.
Ibn Ezra
The verse "And it came to pass on the fourteenth day" is explicated in the Book of Kings. And if there are additional words, the cantillation marks are the same, for the additional words have the same cantillation marks, because the words are like vessels and the cantillation marks are like the actors. Now I will explain that there are [it should be read: six] words:
Radak
“And it came to pass in the fourteenth year.” We explained this passage in detail in the Book of Kings, and there is only a slight difference between them, though the meaning is the same. In Kings, it says: “Only with words of the lips,” meaning that Rabshakeh said to Hezekiah: “You have reasoned in your heart that words of the lips will save you”—that is, prayer—and this is not so, for counsel and might are required for war. But in this book it says: “I said,” meaning Rabshakeh said: “I said that you rely on words of the lips,” that is, on your prayer. And the wise Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained: “Only with words of the lips” means that your counsel and your might consist solely in words of the lips.
Metzudat Zion
The fortified ones. The strong ones.
And he seized them. He captured and subdued her.
Malbim
This narrative is also mentioned in Kings and in Chronicles. In Kings II (chapter 18), it is stated that after Sennacherib had gone up against all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them, Hezekiah sent to Sennacherib, saying, “I have sinned; remove yourself from me; whatever you impose upon me, I will bear.” And the king of Assyria imposed on the king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. Hezekiah gave him all of it. Then he sent Rabshekeh, and the narrative mentioned here begins from verse 2 onward. In Chronicles II (32), it is stated that when Sennacherib came against the fortified cities of Judah, Hezekiah stopped the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. He made many shields and spears, gathered the people, and strengthened their hearts in the Lord, and he appointed officers over the army. Then Sennacherib sent Rabshekeh, as is mentioned here. To reconcile these narratives, it is clear to my mind that when Sennacherib came and began to conquer the fortified cities of Judah, Hezekiah initiated peace and sent him the tribute that was imposed upon him, as related in the Book of Kings. His intention was to gain time to prepare himself for war against him. Immediately after paying the tribute, he began to strengthen the walls and bring water into the city, as related in Chronicles. Consequently, Sennacherib was stirred to come against him a second time, and he sent Rabshekeh against him with a heavy force, even though he had made a covenant with him and taken tribute from him, because in his view Hezekiah was violating the covenant by preparing himself for war. With this, we arrive at the explanation.
And the king of Assyria sent Rab-shakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem to king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fullers’field.
verse value 5657
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 84 letters. Notable word values: "heavy" (כָּבֵ֑ד) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "heavy" (כָּבֵ֑ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "king·of·Assyria" (מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֣וּר, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "Rab-shakeh" (אֶת־רַבְשָׁקֵ֨ה), "to·Jerusalem" (יְרוּשָׁלְַ֛מָה), "in·host·of" (בְּחֵ֣יל). 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·the·king" (root איל, 114x in Isaiah); "king·of·Assyria" (root אשור, 43x in Isaiah); "and·he·sent" (root שלח, 35x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'heavy', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 7 words.
Rashi
In the gutter. "Fosier" in the vernacular:
A pool. A place for the gathering of water, dug into the ground by human hands, in which to place fish; it is long and wide.
"On the highway." A beaten path; 'kamin' in the vernacular:
"Field of the fuller." The Targum: "A field of the fullers' washing-place, where the fullers spread out the garments."
Metzudat David
“From Lachish.” For there he was:
To Jerusalem. To Jerusalem:
In the canal. In the canal that is drawn from the Upper Pool, which is in the path that leads to the field where they wash the clothes and spread them there opposite the sun to dry them.
Metzudat Zion
“With strength.” The matter refers to the armies of a people.
"כבד" – the meaning is "many," and similarly, "this great people" (I Kings 3:9).
“Regarding the channel of the pool.” The pool is a structure built of stones and lime, where the water collects; and the channel is the excavation adjacent to it. When necessary, they draw the water-course to it from the pool; and so, "to the end of the channel of the pool" (above, 7).
In the path that is trodden: on the beaten track:
Malbim
And he stood at the upper channel of the pool, after it was mentioned in the verse (ibid.) that Hezekiah stopped up the springs, and within them were the waters of this pool, as it is written, “And he made the conduit and the channel, and brought water into the city” (II Kings 20:20). And this served as a covering for the eyes of the king of Assyria to come against him again for war, as stated above. Therefore, his emissaries stood by this stopped-up pool, for from there they would prove their claim, that Hezekiah broke the covenant, and there they would find him like a thief breaking into a wall.
[Note: In Kings (2 Kings 18:14), it is stated here that Hezekiah paid tribute and a gift, and then sent Rabshakeh, and this is very strange. This is the law of the ruler of the land: after he imposed tribute upon him and received it from him, would he return to send a heavy army against him and call him a rebel? And did all the rulers who agitated the land, of whom we have heard, not transgress the general laws of the lands? And in Chronicles (2 Chronicles 32:2) it is stated instead of this, that Hezekiah prepared himself for war at that time, and this contradicts what is stated in Kings? Why did Rabshakeh stand at the conduit of the upper pool, and why is this recounted?]
Then came forth to him Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.
verse value 2784
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 56 letters. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "son·of·Hilkiah" (בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּ֖הוּ, 8 letters). The root בין appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 176x in Isaiah); "to·him" (root אל, 95x in Isaiah); "over·the·house" (root בית, 67x in Isaiah). First appearance of the root יואח ("and·Joah") in Isaiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'over·the·house', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיֵּצֵ֥א [and·he·came·forth] (107) + אֵלָ֛יו [to·him] (47) + אֶלְיָקִ֥ים [Eliakim] (191) + בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּ֖הוּ [son·of·Hilkiah] (211) + אֲשֶׁ֣ר [that] (501) + עַל־הַבָּ֑יִת [over·the·house] (517) + וְשֶׁבְנָא֙ [and·Shebna] (359) + הַסֹּפֵ֔ר [the·scribe] (345) + וְיוֹאָ֥ח [and·Joah] (31) + בֶּן־אָסָ֖ף [son·of·Asaph] (193) + הַמַּזְכִּֽיר [the·recorder] (282) = 2784.
Rashi
The one who records. He writes the chronicles in the Books of Chronicles. (An alternative interpretation: "The one who records" refers to whichever legal case comes before him first, he rules on it first.)
Metzudat David
"Upon the house." He is appointed over the king's house.
“The one who remembers.” The one appointed over the Book of Remembrance:
Malbim
On the house, the king's house, the recorder (ha-mazkir) is the one who announces who comes first, whether for judgment or request, before the king.
And Rab-shakeh said to them: ‘Say you now to Hezekiah: Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this wherein you trust?
verse value 3483
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 68 letters. Notable word values: "to·them" (אֲלֵיהֶם֙) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "what" (מָ֧ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·Hezekiah" (אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "say·please" (אִמְרוּ־נָ֖א), "trust" (הַבִּטָּח֛וֹן). The root אמר appears 3 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 244x in Isaiah); "that" (root אשר, 176x in Isaiah); "to·Hezekiah" (root איל, 114x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·Hezekiah', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 10 words.
Metzudat David
What is the meaning of "the trust"? It refers to the trust in which you placed your confidence to rebel against Me.
Malbim
What is the assurance, which you are considering to rebel again:
[Note: (4-11) What was the confidence that Hezekiah placed, according to the words of Rabshakeh, when he did not place his trust, but rather sent tribute as a servant to his master? And what was his intent with this double and triple lengthiness? As to “I said: it is but word of lips” — the commentators have wearied themselves to find its point; whereas in Kings it is written, “You said”? Where did the spirit of the Lord pass over him and say to him, “Go up to the land to destroy it.”]
I said: It is but vain words; for counsel and strength are for the war. Now on whom do you trust, that you have rebelled against me?
verse value 3978
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 49 letters. Verse gematria: 3978 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "that" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "but·word·of·lips" (אַךְ־דְּבַר־שְׂפָתַ֔יִם, 10 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "but·word·of·lips" (אַךְ־דְּבַר־שְׂפָתַ֔יִם), "you·rebeled" (מָרַ֖דְתָּ). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "I·utteranced" (root אמר, 244x in Isaiah); "that" (root כי, 221x in Isaiah); "on·whom" (root על, 200x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·the·battle', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙ [I·utteranced] (651) + אַךְ־דְּבַר־שְׂפָתַ֔יִם [but·word·of·lips] (1057) + עֵצָ֥ה [counsel] (165) + וּגְבוּרָ֖ה [and·might] (222) + לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה [to·the·battle] (153) + עַתָּה֙ [now] (475) + עַל־מִ֣י [on·whom] (150) + בָטַ֔חְתָּ [you·trusted] (419) + כִּ֥י [that] (30) + מָרַ֖דְתָּ [you·rebeled] (644) + בִּֽי [against·me] (12) = 3978.
Rashi
I said. Thus far, but it is merely words of the lips that he utters in his mouth, saying, “I will not serve the king of Assyria.” And when he sees that I will rise against him with an army, he will retract. Now, behold, I have risen; from now on, either he will serve me, or he must seek counsel and strength for war.
"Now. The time has come; say, please, upon whom did you rely to rebel against Me?"
Ibn Ezra
In Kings (II Kings 18:20) it is written: “You have spoken only empty words.” The meaning is: You have said to the people that you have counsel and might, and this is “words of the lips,” meaning that your might consists solely in speech. And in Isaiah it says: “I said in my heart, the words of Rabshakeh,” meaning that your counsel and might are but “words of the lips.”
Metzudat David
"I said: I hold that only in the matter of 'lips'—that is, through the counsel of advisors—would you choose to wage war; but this is not so, for it requires both counsel and might."
"Now. Since the need is also for strength, and it is not in you, upon whom have you relied to grant you strength?"
Malbim
I said, “I see the thought of your heart; you are thinking in your heart: ‘Did I not say only words of the lips? What I sent to the king of Assyria—tribute and bribery—and I asked that he turn away from me, was this not merely from me, a cutting of a covenant and an oath? For I said to him only words of the lips, and my heart was not with me in the matter, for I did not desire this, but only to gain time so that I might prepare counsel and strength for war.’” That is to say, by your deeds, in that you are now preparing counsel and strength for war—the counsel being in the stratagems of bringing water into the city, and the strength being in the great number of spears and shields that you have prepared—it is clear that you thought in your heart that you had said only words of the lips, and that you are not obligated to be a tribute-paying servant to Me. Now, upon whom have you trusted? That is to say, before you sent him tribute and submitted beneath his hand, even if he had fought against you and conquered you, he would not have punished you by exiling you to exile; rather, he would have imposed tribute upon you, as is done to those conquered in war. But now, since you have already given Me tribute and accepted My sovereignty over you, if you fight against Me now, you are in the category of a rebel, for you have broken the covenant and the oath. And if I conquer you, I will punish you according to the law of a rebellious servant against his master. (For because of this, He desired to exile them from their land, as stated in verse 16.) Thus, I will ask you now: since the danger to you is greater, for you have rebelled against Me, and you will be punished with a great punishment, upon whom have you trusted to do such a thing?
Behold, you trust upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it; so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust on him.
verse value 4990
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 86 letters. The shortest word is "so" (כֵּ֚ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·all·the·trusting" (לְכׇֽל־הַבֹּטְחִ֖ים, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 116: upon·it, upon·him. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "upon·staff·of" (עַל־מִשְׁעֶ֩נֶת֩), "the·reed" (הַקָּנֶ֨ה), "the·bruised" (הָרָצ֤וּץ). The root על appears 3 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·staff·of" (root על, 200x in Isaiah); "that" (root אשר, 176x in Isaiah); "and·he·shall·come" (root בוא, 120x in Isaiah). First appearance of the root רצץ ("the·bruised") in Isaiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·shall·pierce·it', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 5 words.
Rashi
“Which a man shall lean upon.” Upon the broken, shattered cane, with the splinters coming into his palm and piercing it. So too, Pharaoh and those who trust in him: their end will be that his assistance turns to their detriment.
Metzudat David
"Behold, you have trusted." "Behold, your trust is in Egypt." What is it? For is it not like a splintered reed with its head crushed, which, if a man leans upon it, will come further to pierce his palm with its splinters and membranes, and perforate it? So too, Pharaoh's help has turned further into evil.
Metzudat Zion
משענת: The matter of leaning.
"הרצוץ" – crushed and shattered, as it is written, "who crush the poor" (Amos 4:1).
Malbim
“Behold, you have trusted” — behold, it is possible that trust will not be limited to only two aspects: either you have trusted in the aid of flesh and blood, or you have trusted in the Lord. And He argues with him regarding both. If you trusted in a human being, surely you trusted in Egypt, just as the kings of Israel trusted in him (above, chapters 30 and 31). Is not Egypt like a crutch made of a broken reed, which has two defects: 1. That a person leans upon it; because it appears to them to be a support, they rely on it and do not rely on the strength of their own legs, but only on the crutch, which is a weak reed. 2. That besides being a weak reed, it is also broken and shattered, and thereby it comes into his hand and wounds it, harming the hand. So too is Pharaoh to all who trust in him: he also possesses these two defects: 1. That they rely on him and become lax in doing anything themselves for their salvation. 2. That he comes into their land to take from them tribute and tax. He does not benefit them but only harms them.
But if you say to me: We trust in Hashem our God; is not that He, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and has said to Judah and to Jerusalem: You shall worship before this altar?
verse value 5965
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 101 letters. The shortest word is "to·me" (אֵלַ֔י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·his·altars" (וְאֶת־מִזְבְּחֹתָ֔יו, 10 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "and·if·you·say" (וְכִֽי־תֹאמַ֣ר), "we·trust" (בָּטָ֑חְנוּ), "is·not" (הֲלוֹא־ה֗וּא). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·Hashem" (root יהוה, 449x in Isaiah); "is·not" (root לא, 286x in Isaiah); "and·if·you·say" (root אמר, 244x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'we·trust', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 13 words.
Rashi
"He whose high places Hezekiah removed." He eradicated all the houses of the nations, their altars, and their high places, and he compelled all of Judah to bow down before a single altar.
Metzudat David
Is it not He? Is it not He whose high places, which were throughout the land, Hezekiah removed, and who said to Israel that only to the altar standing in the Temple [should one offer], and thus diminished in His service and became loathsome in His eyes?
Malbim
And if you say, “You rely on the aid of the Lord that He will save you through your merit and righteousness,” is He not the very God against whom Hezekiah removed the high places and prohibited the use of high places, so that no burnt-offering or sacrifice would be offered to His name anywhere except at the single altar in Jerusalem? (And it was thought that Hezekiah did this for his own benefit, so that the people would be compelled to ascend to Jerusalem), and this was contrary to the honor of the Lord, for it is fitting that offerings be presented before Him in every place.
Now therefore, I pray you, make a wager with my master, the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you be able on your part to set riders upon them.
verse value 4930
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 63 letters. The shortest word is "please" (נָ֔א, 2 letters) and the longest is "with·my·master" (אֶת־אֲדֹנִ֖י, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 50: to·you, to·you. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "make-a-wager" (הִתְעָ֣רֶב), "thousand" (אַלְפַּ֣יִם), "if·you·can" (אִם־תּוּכַ֕ל). The root נתן appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·them" (root על, 200x in Isaiah); "king" (root מלך, 73x in Isaiah); "with·my·master" (root אדון, 64x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Assyria', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 9 words.
Rashi
“Mix yourself in, if you can fulfill this matter: thirty ‘arvun’ (guarantors), as they call them ‘gi’r’ in the vernacular.”
Metzudat David
"Come now, make a wager, please. Now, bind yourself to your master: if you can fulfill the thing that will be asked."
"To give you. To give from your men:"
Metzudat Zion
התערב. From the word "ערבון" (pledge) and "משכון" (collateral), for when two parties disagree on a matter, and each obligates himself financially if his position is not upheld, the custom is that each provides a pledge to ensure that the agreement will be kept.
Malbim
And now, let him respond to the two arguments he raised, to derive the inference from his premises that he had previously stated: “If your trust is in Egypt.” But Egypt will not save you, except for what they will give you—chariots and horsemen. And you need riders for those chariots. I say to you: If you can provide riders for two thousand steeds, then Assyria will give you two thousand horses. And what need have you of horses and chariots if you have no riders? But since you cannot find even two thousand riders among your troops, I will ask you, therefore:
How then can you turn away the face of one captain, even of the least of my master’s servants? yet you put your trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen!
verse value 4029
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 58 letters. Notable word values: "one" (אַחַ֛ד) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "to·you" (לְךָ֙, 2 letters) and the longest is "on·Egypt" (עַל־מִצְרַ֔יִם, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "you·shall·return" (תָּשִׁ֗יב), "governor" (פַחַ֥ת), "young" (הַקְּטַנִּ֑ים). 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "face" (root פנים, 88x in Isaiah); "my·lord" (root אדון, 64x in Isaiah); "you·shall·return" (root שוב, 51x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'young', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 5 words.
Rashi
And how will you answer? Even the face of a single minor official, who is among the servants of the lesser lords, where the lowest-ranking among his military commanders is appointed over thousands of men.
"One of My servants." "One of My servants" is analogous to "one of the bushes" (Genesis 21:15) and "one of the empty ones" (2 Samuel 6:20).
Metzudat David
"And how can you turn your face to fight against the face of a governor, etc.? Is it not so that even the least of them is appointed over two thousand?"
And you shall trust. If so, certainly all your trust is in chariots and in horsemen, in Egypt, which is like a crushed reed.
Metzudat Zion
Pachat. A matter of dominion:
Malbim
And how can I turn my face to the governor of one of my lord's servants, the lesser ones, the least of whom is a commander of thousands?
And am I now come up without Hashem against this land to destroy it? Hashem said to me: Go up against this land, and destroy it.’
verse value 4642
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 67 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "said" (אָמַ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "apart·from" (הֲמִבַּלְעֲדֵ֣י, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 413: this, this. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "apart·from" (הֲמִבַּלְעֲדֵ֣י), "to·destroy·her" (לְהַשְׁחִיתָ֑הּ), "and·destroy·it" (וְהַשְׁחִיתָֽהּ). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 449x in Isaiah); "said" (root אמר, 244x in Isaiah); "against·the·land" (root ארץ, 169x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·destroy·her', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 7 words. Full calculation: וְעַתָּה֙ [now] (481) + הֲמִבַּלְעֲדֵ֣י [apart·from] (161) + יְהֹוָ֔ה [Hashem] (26) + עָלִ֛יתִי [I·went·up] (520) + עַל־הָאָ֥רֶץ [against·the·land] (396) + הַזֹּ֖את [this] (413) + לְהַשְׁחִיתָ֑הּ [to·destroy·her] (758) + יְהֹוָה֙ [Hashem] (26) + אָמַ֣ר [said] (241) + אֵלַ֔י [to·me] (41) + עֲלֵ֛ה [go·up] (105) + אֶל־הָאָ֥רֶץ [to·the·land] (327) + הַזֹּ֖את [this] (413) + וְהַשְׁחִיתָֽהּ [and·destroy·it] (734) = 4642.
Rashi
"Is it without the Lord?" [Have I come up] without His leave?
"The Lord said to me." The prophets had already prophesied: "He shall carry away the spoil of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria before the king of Assyria" (above 8), and he erred in saying: "As I did to Samaria, so will I do to Jerusalem."
Metzudat David
"Except for the Lord, etc." – Without the decree of the Omnipresent.
"The Lord said." Isaiah had already prophesied: "He shall lift up... and the spoil of Samaria" (above, ch. 8), and he erred in thinking that He would do the same to Jerusalem.
Metzudat Zion
The exclusive. Its meaning is like "except":
Malbim
And regarding the other side, that you trust in the Lord, He completes His words. And now, after Hezekiah treated lightly the honor of the Lord and removed the high places [of the Lord] for his own honor, the Lord said to me: “Go up to this land and destroy it.” This means: Behold, I have come to contend his [God's] cause, because His altars have been abolished, as though I have come by the command of the Lord.
Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah to Rab-shakeh: ‘Speak, I pray you, to your servants in the Aramean language, for we understand it; and speak not to us in the Jews’language, in the ears of the people that are on the wall.’
verse value 5151
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 93 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·Rab-shakeh" (אֶל־רַבְשָׁקֵ֗ה, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 257: and·said, speak·please. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "to·Rab-shakeh" (אֶל־רַבְשָׁקֵ֗ה), "speak·please" (דַּבֶּר־נָ֤א), "to·your·servants" (אֶל־עֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙). The root איל appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 244x in Isaiah); "for" (root כי, 221x in Isaiah); "that" (root אשר, 176x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'we', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 7 words.
Rashi
For we hear. We understand it; "hear" in the foreign tongue [Latin] is "intend."
And do not speak to us in Judean. For all the people recognize the Judean language, and they are frightened by your words (for he said to them, "Speak now to Hezekiah," [they assumed] that he did not come to terrify the people, and since Rabshakeh was an apostate Israelite, they thought that even though the commandments were many against Rabshakeh, his heart was drawn to his family, and his consolations were stirred):
Metzudat David
Aramaic. In the Aramaic language:
For they hear. For we understand Aramaic:
Hebrew. In the Hebrew language:
“Into the ears of the people.” Before them, when they hear that everyone recognizes him, and it is not the proper way to publicize matters of war before the masses of the people.
Malbim
And did they not know that his intention was to frighten the people, and that therefore he spoke in Judean? (11) And Eliakim said, “They thought that the purpose of their coming was that Hezekiah would abandon his work of beginning to fortify the wall and prepare himself for war, and would return to being a subject paying tribute, and by this means Assyria would depart from him. And if so, the primary mission of Rabshakeh was to the king himself, to make peace with him. And therefore he said, ‘Speak, I pray, to your servants in Aramaic,’ since we hear and understand this language. And why do you speak to us in Judean, in the ears of all the people? Are these not matters that concern the king alone?”
But Rab-shakeh said: ‘Has my master sent me to your master, and to you, to speak these words? has he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall, to eat their own dung, and to drink their own water with you?’
verse value 7326
Insights
Verse structure: 22 words, 117 letters. Notable word values: "to" (הַאֶ֨ל) = 36, double chai. Verse gematria: 7326 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "to" (הַאֶ֨ל, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·words" (אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 36: to, not. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "the·words" (אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים), "to·the·men" (עַל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים), "their·dung" (אֶת־צוֹאָתָ֗ם). The root אל appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 286x in Isaiah); "and·said" (root אמר, 244x in Isaiah); "with" (root עם, 107x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'these', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 12 words.
Rashi
"The Lord your God." This is a rhetorical question; therefore, it is vocalized with a chataf patach. [The implication is:] "Did the Lord send me only to you two alone? Did He not send me to all of them? And for this reason have I come, so that all the people may hear and see, and so that Hezekiah will not incite [them] to rebel."
To eat their excrement. They too were in the famine of the siege:
"They shall eat their holes." The dung that exits through their holes; and the scribes established a fine expression to call it "their excrement." Thus our Sages taught: Verses that are written for reproach, we read them for praise. For example, "in festering sores" (Deuteronomy 28:27) we read as "hemorrhoids"; "she shall be defiled" (ibid. 28:30) we read as "he shall lie with her"; "their holes" we read as "their excrement."
"Their urine (sheineihem)." Their urine; [or,] "sheineihem" is the moist excrement of the "teeth" of the rectum (karkashta) — that is, the chalcholet, which they call "tabahie" in Old French — which is held in place by three "teeth."
Metzudat David
"The LORD, your God." And is it only to the LORD, your God, and to you that I was sent by my master to speak these words?
“On the men.” “To the men.”
"To eat": To warn them that when they come under siege and are afflicted by hunger and thirst, they will be compelled to eat excrement and drink urine.
Implied in the word "with you" (עמכם). This implies that both they and you are included.
Metzudat Zion
"חראיהם" – from the root חור, meaning "hole" or "opening," and it refers to feces that exit through the opening of the anus.
"their teeth." This refers to urine, and it is close to the term "urine" (שתן).
Malbim
The language indicates that [the messengers] were not sent only to the people, but in any case they were also sent to the king, and [the king] would not be less [affected] than the people? And what is meant by "to eat your own dung"—its connection is not known? (12) And Rabshakeh said—then Rabshakeh revealed to them that [the messengers] were not sent to Hezekiah at all, for since Hezekiah had already paid tribute and rebelled against his master, there is no remedy for him, and inevitably he will be punished and removed from his kingdom, and the people will be taken into exile, as was his custom with the nations that rebelled against him after they had been under his rule, that they were punished with exile. And with this matter, he has no business with Hezekiah, but only with the people; to them he sent the messengers so that they should not listen to Hezekiah, but rather go out to [the Assyrian king] and surrender, so that he may do with them as his heart desires. And this is what he said: "Is it to your master and to you that my master has sent me to speak these words?" Do you think that my master sent messengers to you, as if his hand is not strong enough to compel you with the sword, until he comes to subdue you with words? It is not so, for the essence of my mission is to these men sitting on the wall. That is to say, since this people are sitting on the wall, coming to be besieged by the king of Assyria, and to eat your own dung because of the famine, the king of Assyrian has compassion on them so that they not die of famine, and I was sent to them so that they rebel against Hezekiah and go out to the king of Assyria.
Then Rab-shakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’language, and said: ‘Hear you the words of the great king, the king of Assyria.
verse value 3700
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 60 letters. Verse gematria: 3700 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "king" (מֶ֥לֶךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·voice·great" (בְקוֹל־גָּד֖וֹל, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "in·voice·great" (בְקוֹל־גָּד֖וֹל), "the·words·of" (אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֛י). The root גדול appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 244x in Isaiah); "hear" (root שמע, 106x in Isaiah); "the·words·of" (root דבר, 88x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in the Jewish language', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 7 words. Full calculation: וַֽיַּעֲמֹד֙ [and·stood] (130) + רַבְשָׁקֵ֔ה [Rab-shakeh] (607) + וַיִּקְרָ֥א [and·called] (317) + בְקוֹל־גָּד֖וֹל [in·voice·great] (181) + יְהוּדִ֑ית [in the Jewish language] (435) + וַיֹּ֕אמֶר [and·said] (257) + שִׁמְע֗וּ [hear] (416) + אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֛י [the·words·of] (617) + הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ [king] (95) + הַגָּד֖וֹל [the·great] (48) + מֶ֥לֶךְ [king] (90) + אַשּֽׁוּר [Assyria] (507) = 3700.
Malbim
“And he stood” – therefore he proclaimed in a loud voice and in the Jewish language, so that all the people would hear and understand, and he directed his words specifically to the people, saying, “Hear the words of the great king,” not of Hezekiah, who is small and poor. (14:22) Why does it say here “yeshia” (he will lift up), whereas in verse 18 it says “yessit” (he will stir up)? Why does he abbreviate his arguments here, and afterward return to other arguments?
Thus says the king: Let not Hezekiah beguile you, for he will not be able to deliver you;
verse value 1682
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 40 letters. The shortest word is "thus" (כֹּ֚ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "Hezekiah" (חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "do·not·beguile" (אַל־יַשִּׁ֥א), "not·be-able" (לֹֽא־יוּכַ֖ל). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "said" (root אמר, 244x in Isaiah); "for" (root כי, 221x in Isaiah); "do·not·beguile" (root איל, 114x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hezekiah', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 4 words. Full calculation: כֹּ֚ה [thus] (25) + אָמַ֣ר [said] (241) + הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ [king] (95) + אַל־יַשִּׁ֥א [do·not·beguile] (342) + לָכֶ֖ם [to·you] (90) + חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ [Hezekiah] (136) + כִּ֥י [for] (30) + לֹֽא־יוּכַ֖ל [not·be-able] (97) + לְהַצִּ֥יל [to·deliver] (165) + אֶתְכֶֽם [you] (461) = 1682.
Rashi
"He shall beguile." [Meaning,] he shall cause [you] to err:
Radak
"And he called him." Each one of the books; and so it is in Kings, "and he read it"; and likewise it says, "and he spread it out." And Jonathan rendered "and he read it" as: "and he read one of them." And my master and father, of blessed memory, explained "and he read it" and "and he spread it out" as referring to the letter that contained the blasphemy of God.
Metzudat Zion
Yasi. The matter of seduction and enticement is like [the serpent’s words]: “He seduced me” (Genesis 3:13).
Malbim
Thus said the king: He reminded them briefly of the fundamental points he had stated initially, whose essence was: a) that they should not rely on their might; b) that they should not rely on the Lord. Now, there is a distinction between "nasha" (to embolden) and "hasit" (to incite). "Nasha" applies to a matter in which the object has a fear of performing the act, and the one who emboldens speaks to his heart, saying that he has no need to fear. "Hasit," however, applies to a matter in which fear is not relevant, but rather he incites him with arguments and proofs to show him that it is fitting to perform this act. And he said that Hezekiah will not embolden you to remove your fear from your hearts by saying to you that he will be able to fight against Assyria with his strength, for he will not be able to save you, and likewise
neither let Hezekiah make you trust in Hashem, saying: Hashem will surely deliver us; this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.
verse value 3580
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 64 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֤א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·not·cause-to-trust" (וְאַל־יַבְטַ֨ח, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "and·not·cause-to-trust" (וְאַל־יַבְטַ֨ח), "deliver" (הַצֵּ֥ל). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·Hashem" (root יהוה, 449x in Isaiah); "not" (root לא, 286x in Isaiah); "saying" (root אמר, 244x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 7 words.
Malbim
"Let not the Lord your God deceive you," and this is from two aspects: either he will say to you, "The Lord will surely save us, on account of our merit," or he will say to you, "This city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria, for the Lord will do this on account of His holy city" (and he relied on his earlier statements, and therefore he was brief in his proofs), and therefore
Hearken not to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria: Make your peace with me, and come out to me; and eat you every one of his vine, and every one of his fig-tree, and drink you every one the waters of his own cistern;
verse value 6044
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 81 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּי֩, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·Hezekiah" (אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ, 8 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "do·not·hearken" (אַֽל־תִּשְׁמְע֖וּ), "make·with·me" (עֲשֽׂוּ־אִתִּ֤י), "and·go·out" (וּצְא֣וּ). The root איש appears 3 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "said" (root אמר, 244x in Isaiah); "for" (root כי, 221x in Isaiah); "do·not·hearken" (root איל, 114x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·Hezekiah', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 16 words.
Rashi
"Make a blessing with Me." Come out to Me for peace, bless Me, and bring to Me a gift of peace.
Birkah. "Shlo'd" in the vernacular, akin to "And Jacob blessed Pharaoh" (Genesis 47:10):
"And they shall eat every man his vine." And I will go up from you, and you shall return in peace, until I find a good land like your land, and I will exile you there. For such is His way: to remove nations from land to land, as it is stated above (10:13), "And I will remove the boundaries of the peoples."
Metzudat David
“Make peace with me.” This means: Make peace with me, to send greetings of peace.
"And they shall eat..." – This means: You shall no longer be confined within the city, without going out to gather the fruit of the trees and to draw water from the cisterns.
Metzudat Zion
Blessing. The matter of a gift and a present is [expressed by] "peace," just as it says, "Take, I pray you, my blessing" (Genesis 33:11).
Malbim
"Do not listen to Hezekiah, but rebel against him. And if you say, 'What will we gain from this?' I tell you in the name of the King of Assyria: Make a covenant with me, a covenant of peace, and come out to me to receive my presence, so that I may know that you will do my commandment. And by this you will gain: For now the siege will immediately be lifted from you, and each man will eat from his own vine and drink from his own cistern, and you will not die from the famine of the siege. And this tranquility will continue for you."
until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.
verse value 3750
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 50 letters. Verse gematria: 3750 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "land" (אֶ֤רֶץ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·take" (וְלָקַחְתִּ֥י, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 291: land, land. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "until·I·come" (עַד־בֹּאִ֕י), "and·I·will·take" (וְלָקַחְתִּ֥י), "as·your·land" (כְּאַרְצְכֶ֑ם). The root ארץ appears 3 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "as·your·land" (root ארץ, 169x in Isaiah); "until·I·come" (root בוא, 120x in Isaiah); "to·land" (root איל, 114x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'as·your·land', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: עַד־בֹּאִ֕י [until·I·come] (87) + וְלָקַחְתִּ֥י [and·I·will·take] (554) + אֶתְכֶ֖ם [you] (461) + אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ [to·land] (322) + כְּאַרְצְכֶ֑ם [as·your·land] (371) + אֶ֤רֶץ [land] (291) + דָּגָן֙ [grain] (57) + וְתִיר֔וֹשׁ [wine] (922) + אֶ֥רֶץ [land] (291) + לֶ֖חֶם [bread] (78) + וּכְרָמִֽים [and·vineyards] (316) = 3750.
Rashi
"To a land like your land." Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said: This [person] was a fool. The parable is like a king, etc. In the Sifre, in the parashah of "Vehayah Ekvav," it states: He should have said, "To a land better than your land," but he could not enumerate its faults.
Metzudat David
"And I will take." I will take you from here to lead you to a good land, like your land, for such was His way: to deport the nations He conquered from their land to another land.
A land of grain. A land that cultivates grain:
Metzudat Zion
And "new wine." Wine grapes:
Malbim
“Until I come, to exile you.” For even though I will certainly exile you because you rebelled once, nevertheless, you will gain an advantage: I will take you to a land like your own land. Do not be concerned that although the land to which I will exile you is a good land, you will die of hunger before you can plow and sow there and find bread. This would be the case for those who come to a desolate land whose inhabitants have been removed. Therefore, it is said: “For it is a land where grain and new wine are found standing in their stalks, and prepared bread, and planted vineyards, for the land has not been laid waste.” For I took its people and exiled them at a time when their vineyards were planted and their fields sown. And you will find everything ready. This is unlike if you do not come out to me: then you will die now of the famine of the siege, and afterward your exile will be to a dry and desolate land.
Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying: Hashem will deliver us. Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
verse value 3616
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 64 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "man" (אִ֣ישׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "lest·he·persuade" (פֶּן־יַסִּ֨ית, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "lest·he·persuade" (פֶּן־יַסִּ֨ית), "his·land" (אֶת־אַרְצ֔וֹ). The root נצל appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 449x in Isaiah); "saying" (root אמר, 244x in Isaiah); "his·land" (root ארץ, 169x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'he·will·deliver·us', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 8 words. Full calculation: פֶּן־יַסִּ֨ית [lest·he·persuade] (610) + אֶתְכֶ֤ם [you] (461) + חִזְקִיָּ֙הוּ֙ [Hezekiah] (136) + לֵאמֹ֔ר [saying] (271) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + יַצִּילֵ֑נוּ [he·will·deliver·us] (196) + הַהִצִּ֜ילוּ [have·delivered] (146) + אֱלֹהֵ֤י [gods·of] (46) + הַגּוֹיִם֙ [the·nations] (64) + אִ֣ישׁ [man] (311) + אֶת־אַרְצ֔וֹ [his·land] (698) + מִיַּ֖ד [from·hand·of] (54) + מֶ֥לֶךְ [king] (90) + אַשּֽׁוּר [Assyria] (507) = 3616.
Radak
"All the lands and their land." As its Targum [reads]: "All the provinces and their land." This means: the provinces and the villages.
Metzudat David
"Lest he entice you." Lest he seduce you.
"Hatzilu" means: Know that his words have no substance, for did they save [him], etc.
"A man." This means any deity.
Metzudat Zion
"Yasit." The language of incitement and seduction.
Malbim
(18-21) That it is not within God’s power to save, and yet he initially claimed that God sent him? Is there any greater folly than this, that he incited them to go out to him, so that he might exile them and give them a land like their own? What would they gain? And what comfort is there in that each man would eat his own flesh? He should have said, “A land of grain and vineyards, a land of bread and wine.” The length from verse 18 to 21, is it clear? (18) Lest he incite, now he said, “Lest Hezekiah incite you,” with accents and proofs (this is the definition of the term incitement), and show you proofs, saying, “The Lord will save us.” Against what I said, that you should not trust in the Lord, he will show proofs to the contrary, according to the words of the prophets and the faith that the Lord will save you. To this he replied that even if the Lord desires to save you, He cannot, and he brought proof from the fact that the gods of the nations did not save each their own land, for
Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?
verse value 2497
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 47 letters. The shortest word is "where?" (אַיֵּ֞ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·have·delivered" (וְכִֽי־הִצִּ֥ילוּ, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 46: gods·of, gods·of. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "and·Arpad" (וְאַרְפָּ֔ד), "and·have·delivered" (וְכִֽי־הִצִּ֥ילוּ), "Samaria" (אֶת־שֹׁמְר֖וֹן). The root אי appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "gods·of" (root אלהים, 82x in Isaiah); "from·my·hand" (root יד, 79x in Isaiah); "where?" (root אי, 30x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Sepharvaim', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 3 words. Full calculation: אַיֵּ֞ה [where?] (16) + אֱלֹהֵ֤י [gods·of] (46) + חֲמָת֙ [Hamath] (448) + וְאַרְפָּ֔ד [and·Arpad] (291) + אַיֵּ֖ה [where?] (16) + אֱלֹהֵ֣י [gods·of] (46) + סְפַרְוָ֑יִם [Sepharvaim] (396) + וְכִֽי־הִצִּ֥ילוּ [and·have·delivered] (177) + אֶת־שֹׁמְר֖וֹן [Samaria] (997) + מִיָּדִֽי [from·my·hand] (64) = 2497.
Rashi
And did they deliver Samaria from my hand? And the inhabitants of Samaria were serving the gods of Aram, their neighbors, and Hamath is from Aram.
Metzudat David
"Where is..." etc. This means: Did they have the power to save them?
"And did they deliver them? Did the gods of Samaria deliver Samaria from my hand?"
Malbim
"Where is your god of Hamath, etc." And if you were to say that the God of Israel is stronger, he answers: Did they not save Samaria from their hands? Is not Samaria from Israel? And lest you say that until now these gods did not desire to save their people, and this was not due to a lack of power but rather due to a lack of will, to this he answers:
Who are they among all the gods of these countries, that have delivered their country out of my hand, that Hashem should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?’
verse value 3576
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 59 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֛ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "who?" (מִ֗י, 2 letters) and the longest is "that·they·delivered" (אֲשֶׁר־הִצִּ֥ילוּ, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 64: from·my·hand, from·my·hand. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "among·all·gods·of" (בְּכׇל־אֱלֹהֵ֤י), "the·lands" (הָאֲרָצוֹת֙), "that·they·delivered" (אֲשֶׁר־הִצִּ֥ילוּ). The root ארץ appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 449x in Isaiah); "that·they·delivered" (root אשר, 176x in Isaiah); "the·lands" (root ארץ, 169x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·my·hand', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 4 words. Full calculation: מִ֗י [who?] (50) + בְּכׇל־אֱלֹהֵ֤י [among·all·gods·of] (98) + הָאֲרָצוֹת֙ [the·lands] (702) + הָאֵ֔לֶּה [these] (41) + אֲשֶׁר־הִצִּ֥ילוּ [that·they·delivered] (642) + אֶת־אַרְצָ֖ם [their·land] (732) + מִיָּדִ֑י [from·my·hand] (64) + כִּֽי־יַצִּ֧יל [that·should·deliver] (170) + יְהֹוָ֛ה [Hashem] (26) + אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם [Jerusalem] (987) + מִיָּדִֽי [from·my·hand] (64) = 3576.
Metzudat David
"Who is in all..." – This means: Is there any among the gods of the nations who saved his land from my hand, so that you should think that the Lord will save Jerusalem from my hand?
Malbim
“Who among all the gods of the lands...” – Since, in any case, among all these many lands there was not found one god who saved his land, whatever the reason may be, we can already reason by analogy from the general to the particular: that even the Lord will not be able or will not wish to save Jerusalem as well.
But they held their peace, and answered him not a word; for the king’s commandment was, saying: ‘Answer him not.’
verse value 2826
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 43 letters. Verse gematria: 2826 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֥א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·they·were·silent" (וַֽיַּחֲרִ֔ישׁוּ, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "and·they·were·silent" (וַֽיַּחֲרִ֔ישׁוּ), "and·not·they·answered" (וְלֹא־עָנ֥וּ), "for·commandment·of" (כִּֽי־מִצְוַ֨ת). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 286x in Isaiah); "saying" (root אמר, 244x in Isaiah); "it" (root הוא, 98x in Isaiah). First appearance of the root מצה ("for·commandment·of") in Isaiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'word', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַֽיַּחֲרִ֔ישׁוּ [and·they·were·silent] (540) + וְלֹא־עָנ֥וּ [and·not·they·answered] (163) + אֹת֖וֹ [him] (407) + דָּבָ֑ר [word] (206) + כִּֽי־מִצְוַ֨ת [for·commandment·of] (566) + הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ [king] (95) + הִ֛יא [it] (16) + לֵאמֹ֖ר [saying] (271) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + תַעֲנֻֽהוּ [answer·him] (531) = 2826.
Metzudat Zion
And they were silent. They remained silent:
Malbim
"And they were silent" – even though it would have been fitting for them to take vengeance upon him for the insult and blasphemy, yet the commandment of the king was that they should not answer him. [And if there had not been the king's commandment that they should not answer him, what would they have answered, if he did not specify what they should say in response to him?]
Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rab-shakeh.
verse value 4560
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 89 letters. Notable word values: "to·him" (ל֔וֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "to·him" (ל֔וֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "who·over·the·house" (אֲשֶׁר־עַל־הַ֠בַּ֠יִת, 9 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "torn-of" (קְרוּעֵ֣י). The root בין appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "who·over·the·house" (root אשר, 176x in Isaiah); "and·came" (root בוא, 120x in Isaiah); "to·Hezekiah" (root איל, 114x in Isaiah). First appearance of the root קרע ("torn-of") in Isaiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'clothes', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 5 words.
Rashi
Torn garments. Because they heard blasphemies against the Name, and this is considered equivalent to the curse of the Name.
Metzudat David
“Torn garments.” Because they heard the words of Rabshakeh, who blasphemed and reviled the Almighty, likening Him to the gods of the nations of the world.
Malbim
Those whose garments were torn, because they heard the blessing of the Name:
Ibn Ezra
Radak
Metzudat Zion
Malbim