'The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me' to bring good tidings to the humble; the year of the LORD's favor, and garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me; Because Hashem has anointed me To bring good tidings to the humble; He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the eyes to them that are bound;
verse value 5184
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 81 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 5184 = 72². The shortest word is "spirit·of" (ר֛וּחַ, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·those·broken·of·heart" (לְנִשְׁבְּרֵי־לֵ֔ב, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 26: Hashem, Hashem. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "smeared" (מָשַׁח֩), "to·announce" (לְבַשֵּׂ֣ר), "to·tie" (לַחֲבֹ֣שׁ). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 449x in Isaiah); "upon·me" (root על, 200x in Isaiah); "to·call" (root קרא, 84x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'upon·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 14 words.
Rashi
"Because of the anointing oil." This anointing is nothing other than a term denoting dominion and exalted status.
"To proclaim to the captives release"—that is, to announce to them the tidings of redemption:
“Opening of the prison (pekach-koach).” Open [the bonds of] their captives and prisoners, and set them free:
Ibn Ezra
"Spirit, etc." – These are the words of the prophet, and they constitute a prophecy, just as it is written: "And He took of the Spirit" (Numbers 11:25).
“Because the Lord has anointed me.” For the prophets are called “anointed ones,” as it is said, “Touch not My anointed ones” (Psalms 105:15), and they are the Patriarchs. And Rabbi Moses the Priest said that the response to “Because the Lord has anointed me” is “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord” (below, verse 10), and there is no need [for further explanation], for the meaning of “Because” is that God anointed me in order that I may bring good tidings to the humble.
“Pekach-koach.” It is from one root, and the ayin and lamed are doubled, like “sachar-char” (Psalms 38:11) or “yarkar-kar” (Leviticus 13:49), “adom-dom” [ibid.], and it is a noun.
Radak
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me.” These are the words of the prophet speaking about himself, meaning that the good tidings which he said and which he is destined to say are due to the spirit of prophecy from the Lord that rested upon him, and God sent him to proclaim them to Israel, who are destined to be in exile for a long time, so that they will find these consolations written down and will not despair of redemption, for these consolations are from the mouth of the Lord. He sent me to speak them and write them, to bring good tidings to the children of exile, who are humble and brokenhearted, because they endure the exile for the sake of the Lord. And if they had wished to separate themselves from His unity and from His Torah, they would have been like any of the nations that are under their dominion. The meaning of “anointed” is that He appointed and designated me to be an envoy for these consolations. Similarly, “and he anointed Hazael,” “you shall anoint Elisha as prophet in your place,” “do not touch My anointed ones.” And since the appointment of kings is done through anointing, the language of anointing is used for other types of appointment as well, even though there is no actual anointing. The meaning of “because” is “on account of,” for it is possible that the spirit of prophecy may rest upon someone, yet he is not appointed to be an envoy to proclaim that prophecy to others. Therefore, he said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me,” meaning that what I say by the spirit of prophecy that was upon me is on account of the fact that God appointed me for this purpose, to be an envoy to bring good tidings to the humble, to bind up the brokenhearted.
“Open up, O prison.” These are two words, yet they constitute a single concept, meaning “open the prison.” Alternatively, it can be interpreted as two distinct words: they are to call out to the prisoners, “Open up,” meaning that they should be released from their imprisonment; and likewise they are to call out to them, “Take,” from the root “to take,” meaning that they should be taken out of exile. And our Sages of blessed memory explained that the name of the prison is “Koch,” because those imprisoned are “taken” and confined within it, as if it were saying, “Open the house of imprisonment, and let the prisoners go out.” And the Targum of Jonathan rendered it: “And to the prisoners, let them be revealed to the light.”
Metzudat David
“Spirit, etc.” – The spirit of prophecy from the Lord was upon me, meaning that all the words of comfort that I speak are not from my own heart, but rather by the word of the Lord.
"Because the Lord has anointed me to bring good tidings to the meek, and has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted" — that is to say, to prophesy comfort to those who are distressed over the delay of the redemption.
"To read." For the prophecy concerning the exiles of Israel who went forth to be free.
"And to those in prison" — to prophesy concerning those who are imprisoned in exile, that their confinement shall be opened and they shall be taken out of exile.
Metzudat Zion
ye'en. Because:
**Mishach.** The term denotes greatness; similarly, "to his anointed one" in reference to Cyrus (above, 45) [means] to bind [him with royal authority]. The term also refers to wrapping a cloth around a wound, as in: "And those who were broken you did not bind" (Ezekiel 34:4).
Dror. Free and liberated, as it is written: “And you shall proclaim liberty” (Leviticus 25:10).
Pakach. The meaning is "opening," as in "opening of the ears" (above, 48):
Koach. From the term for taking:
Malbim
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,” meaning that I say, “Arise, shine,” I say this by the Spirit of the Lord that rests upon me, to proclaim the salvation that is to come. For the Lord has anointed me—that is to say, there are two groups: a) the humble who do not complain at all, but only await salvation; for them, no special mission is needed to admonish them, rather, the Lord has anointed me with an anointing of greatness, so that I shall be the herald; b) those with broken hearts who do not anticipate the salvation that is to come, but whose hearts are broken and despondent over the present, and who are astonished at their afflictions. For them, He sent me on a special mission to bind up the brokenness of their hearts, to admonish them not to despair, for there is hope.
To the one who reads, it is said that the Lord sent him to announce three matters: (the first matter) the future redemption, that they will be redeemed from the hand of the nations; and behold, there are those who are merely captives in exile, and he will announce that He will call to the captives, “Release”; and there are those who are bound with fetters, and he will announce that even to the imprisoned He will call, “Open wide,” to loosen their bonds.
To proclaim the year of Hashem’S good pleasure, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all that mourn;
verse value 2128
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 41 letters. The shortest word is "vengeance" (נָקָ֖ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "sleep·pleasure" (שְׁנַת־רָצוֹן֙, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "sleep·pleasure" (שְׁנַת־רָצוֹן֙), "to·comfort" (לְנַחֵ֖ם), "all·mourning" (כׇּל־אֲבֵלִֽים). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 449x in Isaiah); "and·day·of" (root יום, 124x in Isaiah); "to·call" (root קרא, 84x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'of·our·God', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 2 words. Full calculation: לִקְרֹ֤א [to·call] (331) + שְׁנַת־רָצוֹן֙ [sleep·pleasure] (1096) + לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה [of·Hashem] (56) + וְי֥וֹם [and·day·of] (62) + נָקָ֖ם [vengeance] (190) + לֵאלֹהֵ֑ינוּ [of·our·God] (132) + לְנַחֵ֖ם [to·comfort] (128) + כׇּל־אֲבֵלִֽים [all·mourning] (133) = 2128.
Rashi
A year of favor. A year of reconciliation and acceptance:
Ibn Ezra
“Proclaim the year of favor.” This is the year of all redemptions.
To comfort all who mourn. And behold, it is subsequently explained that they are those who mourn for Zion.
Radak
"To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" – the year of redemption, which is the year of favor, as it is written, "And in My favor I have comforted you." But the years of exile were years of wrath, as it is said, "For in My wrath I struck you."
"And the day of vengeance" refers to the Day of Gog and Magog, on which the Lord will take vengeance upon them, and through this the Almighty will comfort all mourners. And afterward, He explained who these mourners are, saying, "To the mourners of Zion."
Metzudat David
"To proclaim: To announce that the year of favor from the Lord has come for Israel, a time of vengeance against the nations."
To comfort. The vengeance of the nations will serve as consolation for the mourners of Zion for the suffering they endured.
Malbim
"To proclaim" (the second matter): to announce the recompense and punishment destined for the righteous and the wicked; "to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord," which is the attribute of mercy, whereby He will be pleased with His people to reward them; and "the day of vengeance of our God," which is the attribute of judgment, whereby He will take vengeance upon the nations. (The salvation will last throughout the year, and the vengeance will be on one day, for they will fall in falling; and similarly below, 63:4.) (the third matter): to announce that the Lord will comfort them also for the past, for the evil they suffered and the good they lost; and also to comfort all mourners. Now it explains that the comfort for the past will be in three matters:
To appoint to them that mourn in Zion, To give to them a garland for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The mantle of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they might be called terebinths of righteousness, The planting of Hashem, wherein He might glory.
verse value 7876
Insights
Verse structure: 24 words, 86 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "to·give" (לָתֵת֩, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·glory" (לְהִתְפָּאֵֽר, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 808: instead·of, instead·of, instead·of. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "mourning" (לַאֲבֵלֵ֣י), "wrap" (מַעֲטֵ֣ה), "place or act of planting" (מַטַּ֥ע). The root תחת appears 3 times in this verse. 19 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 449x in Isaiah); "terebinths·of" (root איל, 114x in Isaiah); "and·will·be·called" (root קרא, 84x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'faded', dividing the verse into phrases of 17 and 7 words.
Rashi
"Ili ha-tzedek" – the term "Ili" is in the language of "trees," as in (above, 2b) "from the oaks [me'ilim] that you desired," and "the planting of the Lord" indicates that it refers to Him.
Ibn Ezra
"To appoint those who mourn for Zion." This is what is explained: "beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning", for a mourner does not anoint himself with oil. And the woman of Tekoa said to the king (2 Samuel 14:2):
“Kohah” (a dark spot): It is a descriptive noun derived from the root *k-h-h* as in “the affliction” (Leviticus 13:6). Some say it means “darkness,” but in my view the correct interpretation is that it is the opposite of “pasah” (spreading).
"Ili ha-tzedek" (the mighty oaks of righteousness). It is derived from the root of "trees" (ilanim), just as in the verse "from the oaks which you desired" (Isaiah 1:29), and the proof is from the phrase "the planting of the Lord" (mata Hashem).
Radak
"To set, for adornment instead of ashes." For it is the custom of mourners to place ashes upon their heads.
"Oil of gladness." And similarly, "oil of gladness from your companions," and this alludes to the verse, "adornment instead of ashes."
“A little praise” is a parable, for “a little praise” is not the opposite of a darkened spirit unless it is understood as a parable, since we also find the expressions “clothed” and “garmented” used in reference to the spirit, as in “And the spirit clothed Amasai” (1 Chronicles 12:18), and “oil of gladness instead of mourning,” for mourning does not anoint with oil, as stated in the matter of the woman of Tekoa:
“Kehah.” A description of the feminine, and likewise “ve’hi kehhah,” meaning a spirit that is short and weak; and likewise “ve’kehhah kol ruach,” for the spirit of Israel is short in exile.
"Ili ha-tzedek" – like "Eli," as it is said: "From the vineyard of the Lord," and as it is said: "For they shall be ashamed of the oaks."
to boast. We have already explained it:
Metzudat David
"To appoint, etc." – To appoint something for the mourners of Zion, and then he returns and explains what it is, saying: to give them beauty in place of the ashes in which they had been rolling during the time of mourning.
"Oil of gladness." For sometimes one anoints with oil to heal a wound; therefore it says "oil of gladness," which is made for enjoyment.
A covering of praise: a wrapping of praise and laudation in a place of gloom and darkness.
And He calls them. For if He calls them "the mighty ones of righteousness," they will be great according to the work of righteousness.
"Planting of the Lord." That the Lord planted them in order to boast in them.
Metzudat Zion
“Covering.” The matter of wrapping, as it is said, “As a garment he wraps himself” (Psalms 109:18).
Praise. The word is derived from the root meaning "to praise" and "to laud."
Kah. The meaning of turbidity and darkness is like the "kah" of the plague (Leviticus 13).
Ili. The name of a large and beautiful tree, as in: "from the trees of which you desired" (above 2).
Metza. From the language of planting:
Malbim
"To give unto the mourners of Zion, to return to them in place of mourning three things, for mourning is despised and degraded due to three matters: 1. Due to his place, where he sits upon ashes and rolls his horn in the dust; and I will give them beauty instead of ashes. 2. Due to his choice regarding the matters in which he conducts himself for the sake of mourning, that he does not wash nor anoint with oil; behold, I will give them oil of gladness instead of mourning; instead of the fact that due to mourning they did not anoint with oil, now they will anoint with oil of gladness—the finest oil with which one anoints as a sign of joy, a feast, and a festival day. 3. Due to the inner spirit, his heart is anxious and his spirit is dimmed, his light is low and depressed within him; I will give them instead of a dim spirit a garment of praise, so that they will boast in themselves from the abundance of the elevation of spirit, until they will praise themselves in the gate of the daughter of many. And He called them, for they were accustomed to plant trees such as the oak and the terebinth, which would be designated for inscriptions placed upon them, like the trees of the Chapsit, and the like. And there are trees that are planted to be a mark and a sign to the justice that they will perform justice between man and his companion, and they would gather around these oaks as a sign to perform justice. Behold, He will call Israel, who are the oaks of justice which the Lord planted, to boast that they will send forth branches and twigs to distant places, that from Israel justice will boast and branch out to make twigs and shoots."
And they shall build the old wastes, They shall raise up the former desolations, And they shall renew the waste cities, The desolations of many generations.
verse value 4441
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 53 letters. The shortest word is "cities·of" (עָ֣רֵי, 3 letters) and the longest is "former" (רִאשֹׁנִ֖ים, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 786: being·desolate, being·desolate. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "former" (רִאשֹׁנִ֖ים), "they·will·raise·up" (יְקוֹמֵ֑מוּ), "and·they·will·renew" (וְחִדְּשׁוּ֙). The root חרב appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "ever" (root עולם, 46x in Isaiah); "ruins·of" (root חרב, 44x in Isaiah); "cities·of" (root עיר, 43x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·will·raise·up', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 6 words. Full calculation: וּבָנוּ֙ [and·they·will·build] (64) + חׇרְב֣וֹת [ruins·of] (616) + עוֹלָ֔ם [ever] (146) + שֹׁמְמ֥וֹת [being·desolate] (786) + רִאשֹׁנִ֖ים [former] (601) + יְקוֹמֵ֑מוּ [they·will·raise·up] (202) + וְחִדְּשׁוּ֙ [and·they·will·renew] (324) + עָ֣רֵי [cities·of] (280) + חֹ֔רֶב [scorching·heat] (210) + שֹׁמְמ֖וֹת [being·desolate] (786) + דּ֥וֹר [generation] (210) + וָדֽוֹר [and·generation] (216) = 4441.
Ibn Ezra
And they built desolations of old. Antiquities:
“Desolate from of old.” Generations that have passed:
Radak
"And they built desolations of old." In this instance, there is no reference to you, but rather to that of the Upper One, in the portion of Cry Aloud (Isaiah 58), in the verse "in the throat," where it says, "and they built from you desolations of old." And so it is interchanged with other words. And the meaning is: "And the builders of Israel, the pillars of righteousness, mentioned desolations of old, which had been desolate for a long time."
“Desolate places of the former ones.” They were desolate from the dwellings of the former ones; they shall rebuild them.
"And they shall renew the desolate cities." Those cities that were desolate, they shall renew them. And the verse is repeated in different words:
Metzudat David
“And they shall build the ancient ruins.” They shall build the cities that have lain in ruins since ancient times, meaning, for a long time.
“Desolate from of old.” The cities that have been desolate since ancient times shall rise. And this matter is repeated in what is stated:
And they renewed. They rebuilt anew the desolate and waste cities from the first generation, and this matter was repeated many times for great strength.
Metzudat Zion
Chorav. From the word churban:
Malbim
And they shall build, "These mighty ones shall build the ancient ruins," as if from the trees and splendors of the mighty ones of righteousness they shall build the ancient ruins, and also the desolations of the first ones (the utterly deserted places, which are more than ruins) shall be raised up; these mighty ones shall raise them up. It is not that they will repair the ruins merely by repair, like an old house that is mended, but rather, "And they shall renew the cities of desolation," they shall renew them with new constructions, to the point that it will not be recognizable that they were ever ruins. They shall also renew the desolations that occurred in every generation. (The metaphor is that they will build up the ruins of faiths and the desolations of opinions, until the false beliefs, whether those that took root from ancient times or those that were renewed over the course of time, will be corrected by these mighty ones of righteousness, by the plantings of the Lord, who will teach His ways, His paths, His statutes, His teachings, and His judgments.)
And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, And aliens shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.
verse value 1831
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 38 letters. The shortest word is "foreign" (נֵכָ֔ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·your·vinedressers" (וְכֹרְמֵיכֶֽם, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "and·they·shall·stand" (וְעָמְד֣וּ), "your·flocks" (צֹאנְכֶ֑ם), "foreign" (נֵכָ֔ר). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·sons·of" (root בן, 43x in Isaiah); "and·they·will·pasture" (root רעה, 25x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·flocks', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְעָמְד֣וּ [and·they·shall·stand] (126) + זָרִ֔ים [strangers] (257) + וְרָע֖וּ [and·they·will·pasture] (282) + צֹאנְכֶ֑ם [your·flocks] (201) + וּבְנֵ֣י [and·sons·of] (68) + נֵכָ֔ר [foreign] (270) + אִכָּרֵיכֶ֖ם [your·plowmen] (291) + וְכֹרְמֵיכֶֽם [and·your·vinedressers] (336) = 1831.
Rashi
Your plowmen. Leaders of the plow:
Ibn Ezra
"And they shall stand." Before you. Strangers. As servants:
“Your plowmen.” A descriptive noun, referring to those who till the soil.
Radak
“And strangers shall stand.” They shall stand on their own, rising from their place and coming to serve you and tend your flocks.
"Your plowmen." The workers of your fields:
“And your vineyards.” (Meaning:) Those who work your vineyards.
Metzudat David
"And strangers shall stand." The Chaldeans, who are strangers, shall stand and feed your sheep, and foreigners shall serve you in plowing the field and in the work of the vineyard.
Metzudat Zion
Strangers. Non-Jews:
And they shall graze. From the language of pasture:
your plowmen. Thus are called those who plow in the field, as it is said: “plowmen are ashamed” (Jeremiah 14:4).
"And your vineyards." The word is derived from the root *kerem* (vineyard).
Malbim
“And strangers shall stand” – the term “stranger” refers even to a native-born Israelite if he is from a different tribe or family, whereas a “foreigner” is one from a distant land. The “strangers” shall tend the flocks, for the flocks are not left in the care of a foreigner’s son; rather, the sons of foreigners shall be farmers and vinedressers, workers of the soil.
But you shall be named the priests of Hashem, Men shall call you the ministers of our God; You shall eat the wealth of the nations, And in their splendour shall you revel.
verse value 4358
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 60 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָה֙) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "to·you" (לָכֶ֑ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·in·their·glory" (וּבִכְבוֹדָ֖ם, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "priests·of" (כֹּהֲנֵ֤י), "you·will·be·called" (תִּקָּרֵ֔אוּ), "ministers·of" (מְשָׁרְתֵ֣י). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 449x in Isaiah); "is·said" (root אמר, 244x in Isaiah); "you·will·be·called" (root קרא, 84x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·you', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 5 words. Full calculation: וְאַתֶּ֗ם [and·you] (447) + כֹּהֲנֵ֤י [priests·of] (85) + יְהֹוָה֙ [Hashem] (26) + תִּקָּרֵ֔אוּ [you·will·be·called] (707) + מְשָׁרְתֵ֣י [ministers·of] (950) + אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ [our·God] (102) + יֵאָמֵ֖ר [is·said] (251) + לָכֶ֑ם [to·you] (90) + חֵ֤יל [strength] (48) + גּוֹיִם֙ [nations] (59) + תֹּאכֵ֔לוּ [you·shall·eat] (457) + וּבִכְבוֹדָ֖ם [and·in·their·glory] (80) + תִּתְיַמָּֽרוּ [you·will·revel] (1056) = 4358.
Rashi
The priests of the Lord. The leaders of the Holy One, blessed be He:
“Wealth of nations.” The property of those who worship the stars.
Tetimeru. You shall enter under them with the honor that they have taken until now:
Ibn Ezra
"And you." I have already stated that every priest is forever a servant, and the proof is [the verse]: "Our God's servants." And behold, the nations will stand opposite Israel, and Israel opposite the sons of Aaron; therefore, the wealth of the nations [is designated] opposite the tithe.
The yod is in place of the aleph, from the root of "You have affirmed the Lord as God" (Deuteronomy 26:17):
Radak
"And you." You shall not need to engage in your own labor, for strangers shall perform it for you, and you shall be free to serve the Lord. Just as the priests were prepared and ready for the service of the Temple, so too shall you be free from worldly occupations and devote yourselves to the Torah of God and to words of wisdom, in order to know the Lord.
"You shall consume the spoil of the nations." And this is in addition to the fact that they will serve you in their land and bring you as an offering gold, silver, and all the good things of their land. And the wise man Rabbi Abraham Ibn Ezra explained: "And behold, the gentiles will be opposite Israel, and Israel opposite the sons of Aaron the priests; therefore, the spoil of the gentiles corresponds to the tithe."
Tetimru. Be magnified and elevated in their honor, which is their wealth.
Tetimru. The yod is written in place of an aleph; similarly, "And the Lord has exalted you today" (Deuteronomy 26:18), and the Targum [renders it]: "You shall be adorned."
Metzudat David
"Cohanim of the Lord." The princes of the place:
He will say to you. Let it be said about you:
"And in their honor you shall glory." You shall be exalted by the honor that the nations currently possess, for it shall come to you.
Metzudat Zion
Kohanim. The meaning is authority and greatness, as it says, “And the sons of David were priests” (2 Samuel 8). Chayil. Wealth.
"Tetimru." The meaning is greatness and exaltation, as in "You have spoken of the Lord" (Deuteronomy 27), where the yod comes in place of the aleph; and similarly, "who speak against You for a wicked scheme" (Psalms 139:20).
Malbim
"And you shall be called the priests of the Lord" – His will is that the status of Israel in relation to the nations should be like the status of the priest from the seed of Aaron in relation to the entire people. Just as the priest did not engage in tilling the soil or shepherding flocks, but rather the people provided for his needs through the twenty-four priestly gifts, so too Israel shall be servants of the Lord, and the nations shall provide for their needs, tending their flocks and their land. "The priests of the Lord you shall be called" – "Priest" is a name of affiliation unique to the seed of Aaron, because they are worthy of the priesthood of the sacred service. Nevertheless, he is not called "servant of the Lord," but rather "priest who serves the Lord," not "priest who engages in mundane needs." He says, "You shall be called the priests of the Lord" – this shall be your name, a name of honor. And He also says to you, "You are the servants of our God," serving His service. And just as the priest had two levels of distinction: 1. That he took the tithes and heave-offerings, so too "you shall eat the wealth of the nations"; 2. That they honored him to enter first and to bless first, so too "you shall be adorned with honor," meaning you shall be praised and glorified, and all shall accord you honor.
For your shame which was double, And for that they rejoiced: ‘Confusion is their portion’; Therefore in their land they shall possess double, Everlasting joy shall be to them.
verse value 5253
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 57 letters. The shortest word is "instead·of" (תַּ֤חַת, 3 letters) and the longest is "your·shame" (בׇּשְׁתְּכֶם֙, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 395: double, double. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "your·shame" (בׇּשְׁתְּכֶם֙), "and·disgrace" (וּכְלִמָּ֖ה), "their·portion" (חֶלְקָ֑ם). The root משנה appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "it·will·be" (root היה, 213x in Isaiah); "in·their·land" (root ארץ, 169x in Isaiah); "to·them" (root הם, 49x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'their·portion', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 8 words. Full calculation: תַּ֤חַת [instead·of] (808) + בׇּשְׁתְּכֶם֙ [your·shame] (762) + מִשְׁנֶ֔ה [double] (395) + וּכְלִמָּ֖ה [and·disgrace] (101) + יָרֹ֣נּוּ [let·them·shout·for·joy] (266) + חֶלְקָ֑ם [their·portion] (178) + לָכֵ֤ן [therefore] (100) + בְּאַרְצָם֙ [in·their·land] (333) + מִשְׁנֶ֣ה [double] (395) + יִירָ֔שׁוּ [took·possession] (526) + שִׂמְחַ֥ת [joy] (748) + עוֹלָ֖ם [ever] (146) + תִּהְיֶ֥ה [it·will·be] (420) + לָהֶֽם [to·them] (75) = 5253.
Rashi
“Underneath your shame.” [“Double” recompense —] in place of that which, until now, My people were ever crying “disgrace is their portion”; for there is a “rinah” (cry) that is mourning, as in “Arise, cry out (roni) in the night” (Lamentations 2:19), and “and the cry passed through [the camp]” concerning Ahab (1 Kings 22:36).
Ibn Ezra
“Instead of your shame, a double portion.” You shall inherit:
And all its shame. And instead of all its shame:
Their portion shall be joyful. In their portion:
And behold, he explained the word “double” in the verse that says, “Therefore in their land they shall inherit double.”
Radak
“Instead of your shame.” You were in exile, in disgrace and humiliation, and instead of that shame, its opposite will be yours, which is honor. According to the principle of “two for one,” for every instance of shame you experienced, you will receive honor. Jonathan [ben Uzziel] rendered it in the Targum: “In exchange for your disgrace and your humiliation, you shall receive double good, as I said, ‘I will bring it to you.’”
"And they shall sing for joy over their portion." In place of the honor that a man standing in the stead of two possesses, and in place of the disgrace they suffered in exile, they shall sing for joy over their good portion that I will give them. And the Targum: "And the nations who used to boast in their portion shall be ashamed."
Therefore, in their land they shall inherit double. And they will not need to leave their land for commerce to earn money, for in their land they will inherit from the good of the world double what they had, and that joy will be theirs forever, not ceasing.
Metzudat David
“Tachat.” In place of the shame that was yours, there shall be for you double honor, two-fold.
"And shame." And in place of the shame that they experienced in exile, they will sing for joy and rejoice in the good portion that I will give them.
Therefore: Because of the humiliation they suffered from the nations, they shall inherit their land with a double and manifold inheritance.
"Everlasting joy." For they shall no longer be exiled from their land.
Metzudat Zion
Mishnah. It is doubled, just as it is written, “and double silver” (Genesis 43).
Malbim
“Instead of your shame” (shame is from oneself, and disgrace is from others): “Instead of your shame” that they had shame within themselves because you lost all desirable things, you will receive double honor; and instead of disgrace from others, by which you were disgraced due to the length of the exile, those who disgraced them will themselves sing songs and praises concerning the portion of Israel (just as they initially sang songs of reproach and contempt against them). They will say in their rejoicing and songs, “Therefore, instead of the shame, now in their land they will inherit double,” for they will inherit the land of three nations in addition to the seven that they inherited previously; and instead of the disgrace on account of the length of their exile, now there will be for them everlasting joy, and this will be weighed on the balance against the length of the exile.
For I Hashem love justice, I hate robbery with iniquity; And I will give them their recompense in truth, And I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
verse value 4453
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 58 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָה֙) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·iniquity" (בְּעוֹלָ֑ה, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "hating" (שֹׂנֵ֥א), "robbery" (גָזֵ֖ל), "I·will·make" (אֶכְר֥וֹת). 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 449x in Isaiah); "for" (root כי, 221x in Isaiah); "I" (root אני, 76x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·iniquity', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 7 words.
Rashi
"For I am the Lord, who loves justice and hates robbery in sacrifice." Therefore, He does not accept the burnt-offerings of idolaters, for all of them are stolen.
And I will give their work. That of Israel, that it shall be in truth; or, And I will give their work, that which they have done, the reward for having endured the insults of the gentiles for My honor, in truth.
Ibn Ezra
“Ki, etc.” The meaning is: I will repay them their recompense, for I love righteousness and hate robbery, even in the burnt-offering that is brought before Me. Therefore, I will give their “pe’ulah” (action/work) as their reward, similar to the verse “And the wages of a hired worker shall not remain with you overnight” (Leviticus 19:18).
And behold, the meaning of “robbery” is that I should not rob them; for if I do not give them their wages, I am robbing them of their wages.
Radak
“For I, the Lord, love justice.” This provides the reason for what he said, that He will give them double; he said, “For I love justice.” And if it were otherwise, it would be oppression, not justice. For Israel, who are the choicest of the nations and who have cleaved to the Lord all their days, and whose days of exile and evil have been prolonged—if they were to have no further hope, it would not be justice. And I, the Lord, love justice; I love that human beings perform it, and all the more so that I, myself, will perform it, for even in My service I hate robbery. This is indicated by the word “burnt-offering,” as it says, “And you shall bring the robbed [item] as a burnt-offering.” If so, in any case, since I love justice and hate its opposite, which is robbery, I must recompense them for their exile and evil with abundant good, double what they had in their suffering, because they endured everything for My sake. Therefore, “I will give your labors truly”—the reward of your labors, which you performed and did for My sake, I will give them truly—and an everlasting covenant that shall not be broken, unlike the covenant with which I brought them out of the land of Egypt, which was broken.
Metzudat David
"He loves justice." Therefore, it is fitting that Israel should receive these good things:
"A hater of robbery in the burnt-offering." Even in the bringing of the burnt-offering, I hate it if it comes from robbery, as it is written: "And you have brought the robbed [offering]... will I accept it?" (Malachi 1:9).
“פעולתס” – “Their work I will truly reward.”
And an everlasting covenant. A covenant that endures forever, which I will make with them.
Malbim
For I am the Lord, who loves justice; and it is necessary that just as the exile has lasted a long time, so too I will rejoice in their salvation eternally. And I, who hate robbery even in a burnt-offering, as it is stated, “And you bring stolen goods,” it is necessary that I restore to them the robbery of their land together with its fruits and increase. Therefore, in their land they shall inherit a double portion, and I will truly make them dwell in it, because I love justice, and moreover My covenant shall be everlasting.
And their seed shall be known among the nations, And their offspring among the peoples; All that see them shall acknowledge them, That they are the seed which Hashem has blessed.
verse value 2542
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 58 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "that" (כִּ֛י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·their·offspring" (וְצֶאֱצָאֵיהֶ֖ם, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "all·who·see·them" (כׇּל־רֹֽאֵיהֶם֙), "they·will·acknowledge·them" (יַכִּיר֔וּם), "blessed" (בֵּרַ֥ךְ). The root זרע appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 449x in Isaiah); "that" (root כי, 221x in Isaiah); "the·peoples" (root עם, 107x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·peoples', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 7 words. Full calculation: וְנוֹדַ֤ע [and·will·be·known] (136) + בַּגּוֹיִם֙ [among·the·nations] (61) + זַרְעָ֔ם [their·seed] (317) + וְצֶאֱצָאֵיהֶ֖ם [and·their·offspring] (243) + בְּת֣וֹךְ [in·midst·of] (428) + הָעַמִּ֑ים [the·peoples] (165) + כׇּל־רֹֽאֵיהֶם֙ [all·who·see·them] (306) + יַכִּיר֔וּם [they·will·acknowledge·them] (286) + כִּ֛י [that] (30) + הֵ֥ם [abundance] (45) + זֶ֖רַע [seed] (277) + בֵּרַ֥ךְ [blessed] (222) + יְהֹוָֽה [Hashem] (26) = 2542.
Ibn Ezra
"And they shall be known among the nations." This verse does not indicate that Israel will still be scattered; rather, it means that they will be known among the nations who come to celebrate the Festival of Sukkot, as it is written in the Book of Zechariah (Zechariah 14:16), "And those who bring tribute..."
Radak
"And they shall be known among the nations." When they travel to the lands of the nations, whether for leisure or for commerce, even though they will not be in need, they shall be known and distinguished by the multitude of honor and greatness that will be theirs. They will walk in garments of freedom and embroidery, and people will say of them, "These are the children of Israel; these are the offspring blessed by God." This accords with their statement, "And their seed and their descendants shall be known among the nations," for it is the young men who will go according to their desire to see the lands of the idolaters.
Metzudat David
“And they shall be known among the nations as My seed”: The seed of Israel will be distinguished by their importance:
"And their offspring." The sons who emerge from them will be renowned among the nations, and the matter is repeated in what is stated:
"All who see them." Everyone who sees them will recognize in them that they are the seed blessed by the Lord.
Metzudat Zion
And their descendants. From the language of "going out," and they are the sons:
They shall know them. From the language of recognition:
Malbim
And it is known: their seed shall be known among the nations for a name and for praise. And not only their great descendants, but also their small offspring; and not only among the lesser nations of idolaters, but also among the esteemed peoples, shall they be known by name, until all who see them will recognize them, saying of them that they are indeed the seed whom the Lord has blessed, for they will be distinguished by the splendor of holiness.
I will greatly rejoice in Hashem, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of victory, As a bridegroom puts on a priestly diadem, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
verse value 4969
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 77 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "He·clothed·me" (הִלְבִּישַׁ֙נִי֙, 7 letters). 11 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "greatly" (שׂ֧וֹשׂ), "I·will·exult" (אָשִׂ֣ישׂ), "He·clothed·me" (הִלְבִּישַׁ֙נִי֙). The root שוש appears 2 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·Hashem" (root יהוה, 449x in Isaiah); "for" (root כי, 221x in Isaiah); "in·my·God" (root אלהים, 82x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'will·cover·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 6 words.
Rashi
“Like a bridegroom.” Just as the High Priest wears garments of splendor, so too does he.
"And as a bride adorns herself with her ornaments." Her jewelry:
Ibn Ezra
"Rejoice, etc." Then Israel will say: "Rejoice, I will rejoice."
"Cover me" – a past-tense verb from the root of "cover," as in "O Lord, You clothe Yourself with glory" (Psalms 104:2). They are two forms [it should read: roots]:
"As a bridegroom adorns himself with ornaments" – "adorns" is an active verb, indicating that he requires the adornment of the soul, as I explained regarding the word "shall serve you" (Isaiah 60:7):
"She adorns herself with her jewels." These are the cords attached to her windpipe:
Radak
“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord.” These are the words of Jerusalem, according to the opinion of the Targum, which rendered the phrase “the word of Jerusalem” as “greatly rejoicing,” in the utterance of the Lord; or they are the words of Israel upon their return from exile. And my master and father, of blessed memory, wrote: “in the Lord” refers to the attribute of mercy.
“By My God.” [This refers] to the Attribute of Judgment; therefore, [the verse] doubles [the word] “I will rejoice.” Furthermore, when the Attribute of Mercy is mentioned, both the body and the soul rejoice; but in the Attribute of Judgment, only the soul rejoices, for it is superior and endures suffering more than the body.
“Garments of salvation, a robe of righteousness.” This is by way of parable: garments are what a person dons, whereas a robe is what one wraps oneself in. Therefore, it says “wraps me” with reference to the robe.
“May the priestly garments bring glory.” He will magnify their glory through beautiful vestments, for the priest who serves God is the head and the greatest of the people; therefore, the term for “greatness” is expressed in the language of priesthood. Likewise, the sons of David were priests. And the Targum translates it as: “like a groom who shines in his splendor, and like a high priest who is adorned in his garments.”
Vessels. Vessels of her ornaments and her bindings:
Metzudat David
"Rejoice, I will rejoice." Then Israel will say: "Rejoice, I will rejoice; my soul shall rejoice in the salvation of the Lord; my soul shall exult in the help of God."
"For He has clothed me, etc." This means that He surrounded me with salvation and righteousness, just as a garment surrounds the body, and like a cloak that envelops its wearer.
Like a bridegroom. Just as the bridegroom magnifies his glory, and just as the bride adorns herself with ornaments.
Metzudat Zion
"I will exult, I will rejoice." The matter of joy:
Tagel. The word is derived from "gilah" and "sasson," meaning joy and gladness.
Yesha. A noun derived from the word teshua (salvation):
Me'il. A name for a garment, as it is said:
“Wrap me up.” The matter of wrapping:
yikohen. The matter of greatness:
te'udah. From the language of adi (ornament) and kishut (adornment), like ve'adit adi (Ezekiel 23):
Malbim
“Rejoice and exult in the Lord, let my soul be glad in my God”: The rejoicing refers to the external actions performed to express joy, whereas the gladness is the inner joy of the heart over a new good that one had not hoped for until now. Likewise, there is a distinction between “the Lord” and “my God,” for “my God” indicates the particular, specific providence. I say: I will rejoice openly in the Lord, who is the Creator of all, and I will further rejoice with a new gladness in my heart because He will reveal Himself to me as my God, specifically devoted to me through His providence. He explains: “For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with the robe of righteousness.” The garment is what a person wears on the lower part, and it is tailored to his measure; whereas the robe is made for wrapping and covering oneself over one’s garments, and it is not tailored to the person’s measure. This signifies: 1. That the Lord will clothe me with His salvation, and it will be to me like a garment on the lower part, tailored to my measure, meaning that the salvation will be particular and specific to me alone. 2. That besides the salvation with which He will save me, all nations will recognize my righteousness, and they will recognize through the true religion and true faith, and the gentiles will cast away their idols. And through this, “He has wrapped me with the robe of righteousness”—this will be like a robe that I wrap over all the garments and over the salvation, so that everyone will see my righteousness, which will then be visible to all eyes. And this will also be like a robe in two aspects: 1. In that it will be revealed openly to all eyes. 2. In that it is not tailored to my measure, for the ultimate purpose of the revelation of righteousness will be that all gentiles will recognize the faith in God. This limits the phrase “Rejoice and exult in the Lord,” which he explains as “For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,” and in contrast to “let my soul be glad in my God” who is specific to me according to my deeds and righteousness, this will be achieved through “He has wrapped me with the robe of righteousness,” whereby everyone will see that He is my God, specific to me through my righteousness. He clarifies: “As a bridegroom adorns himself with a garland.” The two phrases limit each other: “For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation” corresponds to “as a bridegroom adorns himself with a garland,” for the salvation will be the garment that I receive from Him as a gift of joy and free-will offering. And through this, I will be likened to a bridegroom who adorns the bride with garments of splendor, giving her a gift from his side. And “He has wrapped me with the robe of righteousness” corresponds to “as a bride adorns herself with her jewelry.” Through the robe of righteousness, which will be mine due to my deeds and righteousness, I will be likened to a bride who adorns herself with her own jewelry, in addition to the ornaments and splendor that the bridegroom has adorned her with. For so this robe will be mine according to my deeds.
For as the earth brings forth her growth, And as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth; So the Lord Hashem will cause victory and glory To spring forth before all the nations.
verse value 3056
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 65 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "all·the·nations" (כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִֽם, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "bring·out" (תּוֹצִ֣יא), "her·growth" (צִמְחָ֔הּ), "her·sown·things" (זֵרוּעֶ֣יהָ). The root צמח appears 3 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 449x in Isaiah); "for" (root כי, 221x in Isaiah); "as·the·land" (root ארץ, 169x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'causes·to·sprout', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 8 words.
Rashi
“Like the earth that brings forth its vegetation, etc.”:
Ibn Ezra
“Just as the earth [which brings forth its vegetation, and like a garden], which causes its seed to sprout, so shall He cause righteousness to sprout.” The meaning is that righteousness will grow as if it were a plant.
Radak
"For as the earth." And furthermore, he compared the salvation of Israel to the earth that brings forth its vegetation, for the seed in the earth is destroyed and corrupted, and afterward it sprouts and is renewed, and it returns to what it was, but better and more beautiful in its renewal, for in the majority of cases, the new is better than the old. And furthermore, from one seed many seeds emerge. So too, Israel was for many days in exile, corrupted and destroyed, and their hope was almost lost; but they sprouted when the time of redemption arrived, and they spread and multiplied, adding to what they were in number, honor, and greatness, more than they were, double and double. And furthermore, he compared them to a garden that causes its branches to sprout one after the other, for the vegetables do not grow all at once, but according to the seasons of the year, and new plants are renewed in it according to the seasons of the year. So too, good things are renewed for Israel, one good thing after another, and this will be in contrast to all the nations, for they all will know and recognize in their goodness that it is greater than all the good things in the world.
“Her arms.” This is a name for all seed; “arms” is an epithet. And my master and father, of blessed memory, explained that some of the goodness is from the Creator, blessed be He, and it is like a parable: “The land shall bring forth its vegetation of its own accord, without sowing.” And some of it is that Israel sowed through the good deeds they performed, and it is like a parable: “Her arms shall cause it to sprout,” meaning that one sows it and it causes it to sprout. So too, He will cause righteousness to sprout from Him, and praise from the merits of Israel.
Metzudat David
"For as the earth": Just as the earth brings forth its vegetation after the sown seed has rotted and perished, and just as a garden causes the things sown in it to grow after their destruction, so too will the Lord cause righteousness and praise to sprout forth for Israel.
Metzudat Zion
And like a garden. From the language of "garden":
"Her arms." From the term "zera'onim" (small branches or twigs):
Malbim
For “as the earth” (ki ka’aretz), he explains a second time: just as there is a distinction in the bringing forth of vegetation—namely, that the unplowed earth brings forth its vegetation that grows in it of its own accord, whereas the cultivated garden, through its cultivation, causes to sprout, it causes to sprout the seed that was sown in it—so too, the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout. Just as the earth brings forth its vegetation of its own accord, so will the Lord cause righteousness to sprout; and this is the salvation that will not be by means of the seed of our deeds, but will grow of its own accord by the will of the Lord, which He will do from the perspective of the supreme righteousness, whose definition is the deeds He will perform not on account of merit but out of kindness. And just as the cultivated garden, through its cultivation, causes to sprout, so will the Lord cause praise to sprout before all the nations. Just as the seed of the garden is praised by the sower, because he sowed and reaped according to his labor, so too, from this aspect, “a robe of righteousness will wrap me” (me’il tzadakah ye’atani)—we will be praised before all the nations for our good deeds.
Rashi
Ibn Ezra
Radak
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion
Malbim