Psalms · Psalm 24

"The land...are the Lord’s" — The land of Israel. "the world" — The other lands.

"Of David. The earth is Hashem's, and its fullness"; "for He has founded it upon the seas" — because there are places on the earth that receive a supernal power, in the manner of [the verse] "and this is the gate of heaven"; therefore he began by saying "the earth is Hashem's," on account of [what follows], "upon the mountain of Hashem." And the meaning of "the earth is Hashem's" is that, by the natural order, it was created to lie beneath the water, and by the will of Hashem part of it dried, and it is that [dry] portion which is exposed; therefore [it says] "for He has founded it upon." And Rabbi Moshe says that the meaning of "upon" is like "with," as in "and the men came with the women"; and the meaning is that it was not set upon a straight, level foundation for people to live on it, but rather that seas and rivers surround it. And Ben Bil'am said that the meaning is that no place on it is far from a river or sea.

'A Psalm of David' — David composed this psalm so that it would be recited when they would bring the Ark into the Holy of Holies. This was after he had offered a burnt offering on Mount Moriah, and the place was revealed to him, and he knew that the House of Hashem would be there, as it is written in Chronicles (1 Chronicles 22:1). And he said: 'The earth is Hashem's, and its fullness; the world, and those who dwell in it' — even though the whole earth is Hashem's, this mountain is called 'the mountain of Hashem' and 'His holy place,' for it is truly 'His holy place,' since it stands directly opposite the Throne of Glory. And 'the earth' here includes the whole earth, as in (Genesis 1:1): 'the heavens and the earth.' And 'the world' (tevel) refers to the inhabited places. Therefore, with 'the earth' he said 'and its fullness,' and with 'the world' he said 'and those who dwell in it.'

"And its fullness" — All the things with which the earth is filled.

"Is Hashem's" — belongs to Hashem. "The world" — that is the inhabited place.

"Of David, a psalm" — the Sages received a tradition that this psalm was instituted to be recited at the time the Ark was brought into the House of the Holy of Holies. He depicts in it sublime matters: after we have seen that Hashem singled out this land, through His wondrous providence, to establish and found it as an inhabited land, reason dictates that He has love and attachment to it — as it is said, that from the day the Holy One, blessed be He, created His world, He desired to have a dwelling among the lower beings. However, the sin of the earlier generations caused this attachment to be interrupted, until the Patriarchs came, who began to ascend the mountain of Hashem and to draw the providence and the Shechinah down to the land, until afterward their descendants joined in this and reached the level where a whole generation was found, all of whom were worthy of the divine matter, until the Shechinah became fit to dwell in glory within it, between the wings of the cherubim. And the Sages already said in their midrash: a parable of a king who decreed that the people of Rome should not go down to Syria, and the people of Syria should not go up to Rome. After some time the king wished to marry a woman from Syria, so he arose and annulled the decree. So too, at first it is written, "The heavens are the heavens of Hashem, but the earth He has given to human beings," but when He came to give the Torah to His people Israel, He said: from now on the lower ones shall go up to the upper ones, and the upper ones shall go down to the lower ones, and I shall go down first, as it is said, "And Hashem came down upon Mount Sinai," and to Moses He said, "Go up to Hashem." That is to say, although it was the divine intention that there be a union of the upper and lower realms, this was not fulfilled because of the sins of the generations, and it was as if there were a decree whereby "the heavens are the heavens of Hashem, but the earth He has given to human beings" — until the perfect ones came, the Patriarchs, down to Moses, the man of God, who began to ascend the mountain of Hashem, and Hashem came down upon Mount Sinai; and through the Torah there arose a generation of those who seek Him, a whole generation worthy of this great matter, and Moses and Aaron and the elders of Israel went up to Hashem. And after that, all the people were refined to the levels of perfection, from when Hashem came down to dwell in glory among them, in the Tabernacle and afterward in the Temple. And so he says, "The earth is Hashem's, and its fullness" — this refers to the whole of the globe of the earth in general, and also "the world, and those who dwell in it" refers to the inhabited part of it. And he explains, corresponding to what he said, "The earth is Hashem's, and its fullness" — "for He founded it upon the seas" — that at first the whole earth was covered with water, and Hashem commanded that the waters gather into the seas, and through this the dry land was founded. And corresponding to what he said, "the world, and those who dwell in it" — "for He established it upon the rivers" — that the completion of the building of the earth, so that it would be fit for human habitation, was through the rivers, for through them water would be found and they would establish a settled city.

"founded it upon seas" — Seven seas surrounded Eretz Yisroel and four rivers: the Jordan, Yarmuk, Karmion, and Pigah.

'For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers' — He established the earth upon 'seas' and 'rivers' for the benefit of the creatures upon it; but this 'mountain' He did not establish for all creatures, nor even for all mankind, but for 'the clean of hands and pure of heart' — that is, the offspring of Jacob, who are 'those who seek Hashem,' and who were commanded to be 'clean of hands and pure of heart.' And so they were, many times — such as in the days of Joshua and in the days of the elders who lived long after him, as it says (Joshua 24:31): 'And Israel served Hashem all the days of Joshua.' And likewise in the days of the judges, all the days of the judges (Note: From the book of Judges [2:10, 19] the opposite may be learned; and the words of our teacher David the grammarian are not so precise here; perhaps he means: 'and so in the days of the judges, all the days of the good judges'; or: 'and so in the days of the elders, all the days of the elders.') — and in the days of Samuel it says (1 Samuel 7:2): 'and all the house of Israel lamented after Hashem.' And in the days of David and Solomon, and likewise in the days of the other kings who were good. And there was nothing like this among any other nation, to serve Hashem together; therefore he said that none may go up to this holy 'mountain of Hashem' except 'those who seek Hashem,' who are the house of Jacob. And in the midrash (Shocher Tov, with some change of wording): 'The earth is Hashem's, and its fullness' — this is the Land of Israel; 'for He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers' — for it sits upon seven seas and four rivers. And these are the seven seas (Note: In the Midrash Tehillim before us, the order is as follows: the Great Sea, the Sea of Tiberias, the Salt Sea, the Sea of Savkhei, the Sea of Hilta, the Sea of Sharyah, and the Sea of Aspamia. In the Jerusalem Talmud, Kilayim [9:4], the order is: the Great Sea, the Sea of Tiberias, the Sea of Samkho, the Salt Sea, the Sea of Chulta, the Sea of Shalya, the Sea of Apamia. In [the Jerusalem Talmud] Ketubot [12:3], the order is: the Great Sea, the Sea of Tiberias, the Sea of Kovavo, the Salt Sea, the Sea of Chilta, the Sea of Shilchat, the Sea of Ipamaya. And in the Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra [74b]: the Sea of Tiberias, the Sea of Sodom, the Sea of Chelet, the Sea of Chilta, the Sea of Sivkhei, the Sea of Aspamia, and the Great Sea. One who examines this will see that in both Talmuds and in Midrash Tehillim the number seven is correct, though there are variations among them; but in the commentary before us, besides the fact that the number given is eight, its words cannot be reconciled for other reasons as well, and require examination and correction; and likewise the version in the Yalkut, and all the other versions here, require examination and correction.): the Great Sea, the Sea of Savkhei, the Sea of Tiberias, the Salt Sea, the Sea of Chulta, the Sea of Chulaita, the Sea of Sarayti, and the Sea of Aspamia. And these are the four rivers: the Jordan, the Yarmukh, the Karmyon, and the Piga (Note: In the Midrash Tehillim before us, the order is: the Jordan, the Pigah, the Yarmukh, and the Tarmyon [in the Jerusalem Talmud the rivers are not enumerated at all]; in the Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra: the Jordan, the Yarmukh, the Kirumyon, and the Pigah; and in the Yalkut: the Jordan, the Yarmukh, the Karmyon, and the Pugah. These too require examination.). And the meaning of 'upon the seas and upon the rivers' is: adjacent to the seas and rivers, as in 'and next to him [was] the tribe of Manasseh' (Numbers 2:20). And they said that there is no inhabited place in the world more than eighteen days' [journey] from the sea, and this is for the benefit of the moisture for the creatures; and likewise the rivers are for the benefit of the creatures. And this is like what it says (Isaiah 45:18): '[He] formed it to be inhabited' — that He established it so that the creatures might live in it. And the reason is that it was not created that way from the outset; rather, it was entirely under the water, for the water surrounded it on every side, just as the air surrounds the water on every side, and the fire surrounds the air on every side. Thus the earth was under the water, in accordance with the nature He had placed in them; and He did not do it that way from the start, in order to make known that everything is in His hand and that He overturns the natural order as He wills. And God commanded that one of its enclosures be uncovered for the creatures to dwell in it, and He said (Genesis 1:9): 'Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear.'

"For He, etc." — He means to say: the fact that the earth is above the sea shows from this that He, blessed be He, founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers, for by the natural order the earth would sink beneath the waters.

"Who will ascend upon the Lord’s mount" — Although all the inhabitants of the world are His, not everyone deserves to come near to Him, except these: he who has clean hands, etc.

"Who..." "the mountain of Hashem" — this is Mount Moriah; and David composed this psalm after the incident of the threshing floor of Aravnah the Jebusite. "And who shall stand" — the meaning is, to dwell there.

"Who shall ascend into the mountain of Hashem? And who shall stand in His holy place?" — for it is not fitting for every person to ascend there, since it is a place of holiness and of repentance.

"Who shall ascend" — Meaning, although all belong to Hashem, nevertheless not all are worthy to come up into the mountain of Hashem, which is the Temple, as it is said, "Who has required this at your hand, to trample My courts?" (Isaiah 1:12); and it is as though he asks: who then is worthy to ascend the mountain of Hashem?

"Who" — that is to say: now, from this particular providence with which He watched over the land, it necessarily follows that the earth is Hashem's, and that His Shechinah would be found there, and that He would have attachment with the lower beings. But this required that perfect ones be found who would ascend the mountain of Hashem and annul the decree that the people of Syria should not go up to Rome. But "who shall ascend the mountain of Hashem" — and even if someone is found who ascends there for a time, "who shall stand in His holy place" — that is, who shall stand there in attachment to Him and walk before God in holiness? Surely for this one must be "clean of hands" in deeds, and "pure of heart" in thoughts and opinions — "who has not lifted up my soul in vain." For in truth Hashem gave man the capacities for perfection and happiness: first, from the side of the divine soul found within us, which is called "my soul," for it is the soul of Hashem and a part of His very essence, blessed be He, and it will lead him to the mountain of Hashem, if he does not lift it up in vain and in empty and vain words, causing it to cease from its perfection; second, that the faculties which Hashem planted in man mostly incline toward the good, such as the faculty of wisdom and understanding, and the moral faculty within man, which arouses him and binds him by moral bond toward the good. And with this intention the Sages said, in their figurative language: when a person is formed, a lamp burns above his head, and when he goes out into the air of the world, he is made to swear, "Be righteous and do not be wicked." The lamp is the divine soul — "the lamp of God is the soul of man" — and the oath consists of the moral and rational faculties and the good character traits implanted in the soul, which bind him to do good, just as a person is bound by a vow or an oath. And so he says, "who has not sworn deceitfully" — that is, who has not transgressed the oath and the sense of morality and goodness found in his soul, which compels him to do what is good and right.

"who has not taken My name in vain" — Who has not sworn with My name and My soul in vain. We find an expression of an oath used with the soul (נפש), as it is stated (in Amos 6:8): “The Lord God swore by Himself (בנפשו).”

"Clean" — since all deeds are performed by the hands, he mentions "clean of hands," [meaning] that he has done no evil; and he is "pure of heart," which is the essential thing; and his soul is [likened to] the very glory of Hashem, as in, "Hashem has sworn by His soul." And it is written "My soul" — a term of substitution [i.e., referring to Hashem’s own soul], for the honor of Hashem’s glory, along the lines of [the phrase] "then I and my son Solomon shall be regarded as offenders," as I have explained elsewhere. And behold, he has mentioned the deed, the heart, and the tongue.

"Clean of hands, and pure of heart; who has not taken his soul in vain,* (*The vav is small. Thus it is written in the margin, in the hand of the first scribe; and there is no difference at all between the qere and the ketiv.) and has not sworn deceitfully" — Here he mentions the three faculties of a person in this verse: deed, thought, and speech; and through all three a person becomes whole — being clean in his deeds, pure in his heart, and faithful in his speech. "Nafshi" (My soul), with a yod, is a statement of God, like (Exodus 20:7; Deuteronomy 5:11): "You shall not take the name of Hashem your God in vain"; and "his soul" (nafsho) means His name. So too it says (Amos 6:8): "the Lord Hashem has sworn by His own self (nafsho)." And it is written "nafsho" with a vav, meaning to say: even the soul of the one who swears "shall not be taken in vain, and shall not swear deceitfully," but only in truth and righteousness. And that oath is a commandment for those who fear Hashem, as it is said (Deuteronomy 6:13): "...and swear by His name." And another verse says (Deuteronomy 10:20): "You shall fear Hashem your God; Him shall you serve, and to Him shall you cleave, and by His name shall you swear" — when these qualities are in you, then you may swear by His name. So too it says (Jeremiah 4:2): "and you shall swear, 'As Hashem lives,' in truth, in justice, and in righteousness."

"Clean hands" — And it is as though he answered: this is the one who is worthy — whose hands are clean of money that is not honestly gained, and whose heart is pure in the fear of Hashem and not from fear of man. "Who has not taken" — In that he has not sworn by Hashem in vain and deceitfully, which is a matter entrusted to the heart and that no one else can discern — and yet he has refrained from this out of fear of the Omnipresent.

"Has not taken" — has not sworn, as in "you shall not take [Hashem's name in vain]" (Exodus 20). "My soul" — [this refers to] the name of Hashem, as in "the Lord Hashem has sworn by His soul" (Amos 6); and he speaks his own words as though in the place of Hashem.

"He shall receive" — he says "he shall receive a blessing," corresponding to [what was said above], "has not taken (lit. lifted up) My soul in vain."

"He shall receive a blessing from Hashem, and righteousness from the God of his salvation" — "yisa" (he shall receive) means "he shall take," like (Ruth 1:4): "and they took wives for themselves." "Blessing" is used in the manner of (2 Kings 5:15): "please take a blessing from your servant." Or the explanation is: "yisa" means that the carrier brings it to him, like (Genesis 43:34): "and he sent portions from before him to them." Those who ascend to the House of Hashem "shall receive a blessing from Hashem" — that He will give them His blessing and His righteousness, and save them from all distress; and this is [the meaning of]: "from the God of his salvation."

"He shall receive a blessing" — This is the one who receives a blessing from Hashem, and he is able to come to the Temple to pray for the blessing.

"He shall receive" — he shall take, as in "and they took wives for themselves" (Ruth 1).

"He shall receive" — Then, when he ascends the mountain of Hashem, "he shall receive a blessing from Hashem" — this is the assistance with which Hashem will assist him and endow him with power to add [further] perfection, for this is the definition of blessing: it is an addition beyond the good already present. And he shall also receive "righteousness" from the God of "his salvation" — this is what He will bestow upon him, a holy spirit from on high, by virtue of the supernal righteousness that does not look at all at man's preparation and deeds, as it is written, "I have known you by name," and also, "you have found favor in My eyes" (Exodus 33:12,17).

"This" — [generation,] whose deeds are such - this is the generation of those who seek him.

"Such" — an allusion to the generation in whose days the Temple was built, after the death of David; and afterward he turns to address Hashem directly, for [he says] "this generation" are the seekers of Your face. "Selah" — [means] "in truth." "Jacob, Selah" — the meaning is, they are the seed of Jacob; and this requires no [further] explanation, since after he said [it], the word "the God of" [before] "Jacob" is to be understood as elided.

"Such is the generation of those who seek Him"* (*The qere is "doreshav" [his seekers, plural].) — who is it that shall ascend into the mountain of Hashem and stand in His holy place, being clean of hands and pure of heart? This is "the generation of those who seek Hashem" — that is, Israel. This was in the days of Solomon, who built the House. The ketiv is "doresho" [his seeker, singular], corresponding to "dor" (generation), which is a general expression in the singular; and the qere is "doreshav" [his seekers, plural], corresponding to the individuals, who are many. "Those who seek Your face, Jacob" — the psalmist speaks toward God: it is they who shall seek "Your face" in the Temple — "Jacob," that is, Israel; for all the offspring of Jacob are called by the name "Jacob," as in (Jeremiah 30:10): "and you, fear not, My servant Jacob," and other verses besides. There is no need to add [the word] "offspring [of]," as the commentators explained. As for the word "Selah" — I explained it at Psalm 3, and I need not explain it in every place.

"Such is the generation" — This is the generation of those who seek Hashem, who are called the seed of Jacob, who are worthy to seek Your face forever and to come to the Temple.

"Such is the generation of those who seek Him" — Accordingly he says that although it might seem a far-fetched thing to find a man who ascends the mountain of Hashem — and many days have passed with none ascending or descending, none joining together the upper and lower [worlds] — nevertheless there is now found a whole generation that has reached this level, and all of them have ascended the mountain of Hashem, so that that generation, all of whom are "those who seek Hashem and seek Your face," are called "Jacob" — that is, that generation are all on the level of Jacob, who is the one who saw this ladder by which one ascends to God, and on which the angels of God descended below, so that the upper and lower [worlds] joined together, and Hashem then stood over him; and [in that earlier time] there were only individuals who served as a chariot for the Divine Presence, but now there is found a generation of those who seek Him, all of whom are Jacob, and all of whom have ascended the ladder to God.

"[You] gates, lift your heads" — In the days of Solomon his son, when he comes to bring the Ark into the Holy of Holies and the gates cling to each other, he [Solomon] recited twenty-four praises, but he was not answered until he said (II Chron. 6:42): “Do not turn back the face of Your anointed; remember the kind deeds of David, Your servant.”

"Lift up" — our ancient sages, of blessed memory, said that this alludes to the bringing of the Ark into the House of the Holy of Holies; therefore it is written above, "in His holy place." And what he says here, "O gates," is by way of a figure of speech. And the meaning is that the place where the Ark [would be] is more firmly established than any high and lofty mountain, because of the glory that dwells there. And the meaning of "gates" and "everlasting doors" is that they are plural. "And everlasting doors" [means] that they stand forever, because of the glory of glory. And the meaning of "the King of glory" is that, for His sake, there was the glory of the great House.

"Lift up your heads, O you gates" — the midrash (Shocher Tov; Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 30a; Mo'ed Katan 9a; Sanhedrin 107b, and other places) is well known: that the gates clung to one another when Solomon sought to bring the Ark into the Holy of Holies. But according to the plain sense (peshat), it appears that this is said figuratively, as in (Psalms 96:11-12): "Let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof; let the field exult, and all that is in it" — so too it says here: "Lift up your heads, O you gates." "and be you lifted up, you everlasting doors, that the King of glory may come in" — for you shall receive great glory today, in that the King of glory shall come among you. And because the Glory dwelt upon the Ark, between the two cherubim, they called Hashem by the name "King of glory." So too (2 Samuel 6:2): "which is called by the Name, the name of Hashem of hosts who dwells upon the cherubim." And He is likewise called (Joshua 3:11) "Lord of all the earth"; and it is likewise said of Him (Numbers 10:35): "Arise, Hashem"; (Numbers 10:36): "Return, Hashem"; and it is likewise said of Him (Psalms 47:6): "God has gone up with a shout." And he said "everlasting doors," because until now the Ark had traveled from place to place: it came from the wilderness to Gilgal, and from Gilgal to Shiloh, and from Shiloh to the land of the Philistines, and from the land of the Philistines to Beth Shemesh, and from Beth Shemesh to Kiriath Jearim, and from Kiriath Jearim to the house of Obed-Edom, and from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David. And now they brought it into the place where it would remain forever; therefore he said "everlasting doors." So too he [Solomon] said (1 Kings 8:13): "a place for You to dwell in forever." And "sha'ar" (gate) refers to the threshold together with the doorpost, as it stands; and "petach" (opening) refers to that part of the gate which lies beyond the doors, outward. And it is therefore called "petach," because it is always open.

"Lift up" — You gates of the Temple, for you there shall be an uplifting and a raising of the head and exceeding greatness. "And be lifted up" — the matter is repeated to express the greatness of this exaltation. "Everlasting doors" — Thus the doors of the Temple are called, because the Tabernacle was not fixed in one place, but the Temple is fixed in its place forever; and so it is said, "a settled place for You to dwell in forever" (Melachim Bet, ch. 8). "That the King of glory may come in" — For Hashem, who is the King in whom is all glory, He shall come through you into the Temple, to hear the joyous song and the prayer of those who come into it.

"Lift up" — After he has related that the decree has been annulled, and that there is now found a holy generation ascending the ladder upward to the holy abode, it necessarily follows from this that the lower [worlds] must likewise descend, and that the King of glory should come to dwell in glory in His sanctuary beneath the wings of the cherubim. Accordingly he says: you, "gates of the Sanctuary, lift up your heads," and also, "let the everlasting doors be lifted up" — the doors through which one passes from world to world, that is, from the upper world to the lower world — "that the King of glory may come in," meaning that Hashem is King over glory: all the glory found in creation, He is King over it, since everything is from Him and His kingship rules over all glory. Now he speaks of this in two respects. One respect is that "the everlasting doors be lifted up" — the passive form indicates that they will be lifted up out of compulsion, and this is because Hashem is the Ruler who can overturn all the laws of nature to reward and to punish, and by virtue of this all will fear Him with the fear of dread and will be lifted up out of fear of Him. And on this he asks, "Who is this King of glory," who is lifted up because of fear and dread of Him? He answers: because "Hashem is mighty and strong," and He is "mighty in battle" — "mighty" is by virtue of His own power, and "mighty in battle" is one who knows the strategies of war — meaning that He is mighty in Himself, in that whenever He wishes He can overturn all the laws of nature and subdue everyone by His miraculous and wondrous power, and He is also mighty in battle in that He arranges all the hosts of nature according to His will and wisdom, to fight with His hosts and to be victorious and to rule with great dominion (compare what is stated: "like a mighty man He goes forth, like a man of war He stirs up zeal" [Isaiah 42:13]). And it is by virtue of this that the everlasting doors will be lifted up before Him out of compulsion, because of fear and dread of Him.

"Who" — if the questioner should ask, "Who is this King of glory?" — the answer is: "Hashem, strong and mighty," who will display His might through His deeds and will fight on behalf of His holy ones. And behold, the meaning is that when the glory dwells among Israel, they will dwell securely, for they will not fear the enemy.

"Who is this, the King of glory?" — it is as if the gates are asking: "Who is this, the King of glory?" And the answer: "Hashem strong and mighty, Hashem mighty in battle" — he says these attributes because the Ark used to go out with them into battle, and by it they would defeat their enemies.

"Who is this" — As if to say: and if you ask, "Who is this King of glory?" I will answer you that He is Hashem, strong and mighty, mighty in battle — He prevails over those who wage war against those who love Him.

"Mighty" — from the term denoting strength and might.

"everlasting portals" — Portals whose sanctity is everlasting.

"Lift up" — a second time; an allusion to the return of the glory when the redeemer comes, for the glory was not present in the Second Temple. "And your heads" — the first occurrence stands in for the other, as if it said, "and lift up, O everlasting doors, your heads."

"Lift up your heads, O you gates" — the repetition follows the custom of the language: restating the same matter in different words. And the sage Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra wrote that this second verse alludes to the Glory's return when the Redeemer comes. And he explained: "Indeed, lift them up, you everlasting doors, your heads" — for "your heads," mentioned once, stands in place of being said twice, as is the custom of the language. "that the King of glory may come in."

"Lift up, etc." — The matter is repeated, in the manner of the poets [Psalmists], and it is possible that one [instance] is said regarding the First Temple and the other regarding the future Temple, for in the Second Temple the Divine Presence (Shechinah) did not dwell.

"Lift up" — Now he says that it is fitting that "the gates should lift up their heads of themselves, and the everlasting doors be lifted up" without any compulsion and not out of fear of punishment, but rather out of awe of [His] majesty, since He is the Creator of all — and by virtue of this, natural submission toward Him is obligatory. And on this he asks: "Who is this King of glory," that they should lift themselves up of their own accord before Him, out of awe of His majesty? And he answers: "Hashem of hosts" — since all the hosts of creation are His, and therefore "He is the King of glory." He is not like a king whose glory is not [inherently] his own but comes only through those who honor him; rather, since all the hosts are His, His glory is intrinsic to Him, and He Himself is the King of glory.

"Who" — [this] is an addition, on account of the fact that the Third [Temple] will stand; and he does not mention "mighty in battle," because [at that time] they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and the earth shall be at rest from all war. And the meaning of "Hashem of hosts" is that the people of that generation will be like the angels of Hashem. And [another] meaning of "Hashem of hosts" is that Hashem is called this because of the host of heaven, as I have explained, and not because of the host of Israel, as the Gaon said.

"Who then is this, the King of glory?" — and in this verse he did not mention "mighty in battle." The reason, according to our explanation, is that once the Ark came to dwell in the eternal House, it no longer went out to battle; therefore the answer was changed accordingly. "Hashem of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah" — for He would appear in His glory in the eternal House. So too Solomon said (1 Kings 8:12; [2 Chronicles 6:1]): "Hashem said that He would dwell in the thick darkness." And he said "Hashem of hosts" because all the hosts of Israel would come to this House, and would offer sacrifice nowhere else but there. And according to the explanation of the sage Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra: he mentioned "mighty in battle" the first time, because when the Glory dwells among Israel they shall dwell securely and have no war, and shall not fear any enemy, for the Glory shall fight on behalf of His holy ones; but he did not mention "mighty in battle" the second time, on account of [the time when] "they shall beat their swords into plowshares" (Isaiah 2:4; [Micah 4:3]), and the land shall be at rest from all war. And the meaning of "Hashem of hosts" is that the people of that generation shall be like the angels of Hashem, for Hashem is called this on account of the host of heaven.

"Hashem of hosts" — He who rules over the hosts above and below. "Selah" — Forever He is the King of glory.