A man with a measuring line goes to measure Jerusalem — 'Jerusalem shall be inhabited without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein; for I, says Hashem, will be to her a wall of fire round about, and I will be the glory in the midst of her'; 'Ho, ho, flee then from the land of the north... for he that touches you touches the apple of His eye'; 'Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion... and many nations shall join themselves to Hashem in that day.'
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
And I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns.
verse value 2152
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "and·I·lifted" (וָאֶשָּׂ֥א, 4 letters) and the longest is "my·eyes" (אֶת־עֵינַ֖י, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "horns" (קְרָנֽוֹת). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·I·saw" (root ראה, 22x in Zechariah). First appearance of the root נשא ("and·I·lifted") in Zechariah. First appearance of the root עין ("my·eyes") in Zechariah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·I·saw', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וָאֶשָּׂ֥א [and·I·lifted] (308) + אֶת־עֵינַ֖י [my·eyes] (541) + וָאֵ֑רֶא [and·I·saw] (208) + וְהִנֵּ֖ה [and·behold] (66) + אַרְבַּ֥ע [four] (273) + קְרָנֽוֹת [horns] (756) = 2152.
Radak
“And I lifted up.” In this vision, he returned to see another vision, which is more explicit than the first, for he understood from it that the horns are for goring, as it is written, “The horns of a wild ox are his horns; with them he shall gore the nations together.” But he did not understand who these horns were.
"Four horns." These are the four kingdoms: the kingdom of Babylonia, the kingdom of Persia-and-Media, and the kingdom of Greece. Likewise, the Targum translates it as "four kingdoms," and all four of them did evil to Israel, as the angel explained when he said, "They scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem."
Metzudat David
And I saw. In the vision of prophecy:
“Four horns.” They are an allusion to the nations that gored Israel in ancient times, like horned beasts with their horns:
Metzudat Zion
Horns. From the word "horn":
Malbim
"And I lifted up my eyes" — Now He showed him in the light of the preceding prophecy what is written further, "And the cities shall be scattered," and he saw four horns. The word "horn" has a dual meaning: it refers to the horns of wild beasts that gore, and it also refers to the four cardinal directions.
And I said to the angel that spoke with me: ‘What are these?’ And he said to me: ‘These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.’
verse value 4452
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 66 letters. Notable word values: "these" (אֵ֤לֶּה) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "with·me" (בִּ֖י, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·the·angel" (אֶל־הַמַּלְאָ֛ךְ, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "scattered" (זֵר֣וּ), "Israel" (אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל), "and·Jerusalem" (וִירוּשָׁלִָֽם). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·I·said" (root אמר, 110x in Zechariah); "which" (root אשר, 44x in Zechariah); "to·me" (root אל, 36x in Zechariah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'what·are·these', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 9 words. Full calculation: וָאֹמַ֗ר [and·I·said] (247) + אֶל־הַמַּלְאָ֛ךְ [to·the·angel] (127) + הַדֹּבֵ֥ר [who·spoke] (211) + בִּ֖י [with·me] (12) + מָה־אֵ֑לֶּה [what·are·these] (81) + וַיֹּ֣אמֶר [and·said] (257) + אֵלַ֔י [to·me] (41) + אֵ֤לֶּה [these] (36) + הַקְּרָנוֹת֙ [the·horns] (761) + אֲשֶׁ֣ר [which] (501) + זֵר֣וּ [scattered] (213) + אֶת־יְהוּדָ֔ה [Judah] (431) + אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל [Israel] (942) + וִירוּשָׁלִָֽם [and·Jerusalem] (592) = 4452.
Rashi
"These are the horns." These are the gentile nations in the four corners of the earth, who gored Judah and Jerusalem with their horns until they scattered them.
Radak
And it says, “Who scattered them.” They gored them further until they scattered them here and there, each of the horns harming them in its own time. For the kingdom of Persia, although it released them from exile at the beginning of its reign, afterwards it harmed them in the days of Artaxerxes I and in the days of Ahasuerus, until the second year of Darius.
Metzudat David
What are these? This means: To what do they allude?
"These are the horns." This means that it alludes to the Babylonians, who did evil to Israel and as it were gored them with their horn, until they scattered them hither and thither.
"Israel." Just as "and Israel" is written with a vav.
Metzudat Zion
Zaru. "Pazru" is akin to "and I will scatter you among the nations" (Leviticus 26:33).
Malbim
And He said to me, “These are the horns that have scattered Judah.” The depiction of the horns is from one side, from the side of their goring, for they gored Israel, a scattered sheep, with their horns (as it is stated, “The horns of a wild ox are his horns; with them he shall gore the nations”). And it also comes to depict the corners and the winds, to indicate that in every corner of the winds of the world there is a horn standing to gore Israel and scatter them. And it is established with us that the prophets depicted the kingdoms as four, corresponding to the four winds of the world, as if in every wind there is a specific kingdom ruling over that particular wind. Although mostly one kingdom will prevail and rule with its hand over all, nevertheless all four are found, each in its specific wind. And likewise, they depict that the upper ministers who influence the kingdoms stand in four levels and orders, related in the upper Chariot to the four winds, and each directs his face toward a specific wind, as has been explained in the commentary on the Ma’aseh Merkavah (the Work of the Chariot). And He showed him that throughout the duration of the exile, the four horns that gore Israel will be found in the four winds, and they are also the four comprehensive kingdoms, each of which prevails in one wind.
Verse structure: 4 words, 20 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·showed·me" (וַיַּרְאֵ֣נִי, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "four" (אַרְבָּעָ֖ה), "artificers" (חָרָשִֽׁים). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 132x in Zechariah); "and·showed·me" (root ראה, 22x in Zechariah). Full calculation: וַיַּרְאֵ֣נִי [and·showed·me] (277) + יְהֹוָ֔ה [Hashem] (26) + אַרְבָּעָ֖ה [four] (278) + חָרָשִֽׁים [artificers] (558) = 1139.
Rashi
Four craftsmen. These are carpenters who know how to saw the horns, and our Sages explained in Tractate Sukkah who they are:
Radak
"And the Lord showed me four carpenters." Artisans, like a carpenter of wood, namely, to cut off the horns. That is to say, every kingdom will be a carpenter to cut off the kingdom that preceded it, for the kingdom of Babylon fell into the hands of Persia, and the kingdom of Persia fell into the hands of Greece, and Greece into the hands of Rome, and Rome will fall into the hands of Israel. Or, the carpenters are an allegory for the kings, the angels on high appointed over the kingdoms. And our Sages of blessed memory interpreted the verse as referring to the days of the Messiah, and they said: Who are these four carpenters? Rabbi Shimon the Pious said: The Messiah, son of David, and the Messiah, son of Joseph, and Elijah, and the Righteous Priest.
Metzudat David
Craftsmen. Artisans who know how to cut and fell the horns:
Metzudat Zion
Craftsmen. Artisans, like "a carver of wood" (Isaiah 44:13):
Malbim
"And the Lord showed me" — in reference to this, He showed him four carpenters, who are artisans prepared to cut off these horns. For every kingdom that dominates in the world, God has prepared another kingdom in one of its four corners, ready to destroy it at its appointed time, just as He prepared Media against Babylon, and Greece against Media, and so on continually. Our Sages of blessed memory said: Who are these four carpenters? They are the Messiah son of David, the Messiah son of Joseph, Elijah, and Melchizedek. Their intent is that the horns will be cut off in the future by the power of might and warfare. The kingdom of Israel, which is represented by the Messiah son of David from the side of Israel, and the Messiah son of Joseph from the side of the nations, will accomplish this. Likewise, they will be cut off by the power of the priesthood and the service of God, which is indicated by Elijah, who is a righteous priest from the side of Israel, and Melchizedek, who is the priest of the Most High God from the side of the nations.
Then said I: ‘What come these to do?’ And he spoke, saying: ‘These—the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head—these then are come to frighten them, to cast down the horns of the nations, which lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.’
verse value 9153
Insights
Verse structure: 26 words, 123 letters. Notable word values: "these" (אֵ֥לֶּה) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "what" (מָ֛ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "Judah" (אֶת־יְהוּדָ֗ה, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 257: and·said, to·frighten. 12 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "going·in" (בָאִ֖ים), "which·scattered" (אֲשֶׁר־זֵ֣רוּ), "as·mouth·of·man" (כְּפִי־אִישׁ֙). The root אמר appears 3 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·I·said" (root אמר, 110x in Zechariah); "which·scattered" (root אשר, 44x in Zechariah); "to·land" (root איל, 34x in Zechariah). First appearance of the root בוא ("going·in") in Zechariah. First appearance of the root ראש ("his·head") in Zechariah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·do', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 21 words.
Rashi
And I said, "What are these horns that I saw at first?"
Who scattered Judah and humbled them, so that no man lifted up his head, nor did they allow any of the children of my people to lift up his head.
And these came. The craftsmen — to terrify those horns and to cast them down.
To cast [them] down. To cast away:
Radak
And it says, "According to each man, he did not lift his head." They struck them and scattered them to the extent that no man of the children of Israel lifted his head before you. According to the interpretation, "to the extent that" – and similarly, "each man according to his eating" – and so did Jonathan translate: "And no man left to walk in an upright posture."
"לידות" – to cast away, like the phrase "וידו אבן בי" (and they cast a stone at me) in Lamentations 3:53.
Metzudat David
And he said, saying. This means that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to the angel that he should say to me:
"These are the horns..." — This means: "For these horns..." had acted wickedly, reaching a magnitude such that no man of Israel could lift his head before them. Therefore, these craftsmen came to terrify the horns and cast them down, because they had raised their horn against the land of Judah to scatter and disperse it. Those craftsmen allude to every king in his time who terrified and conquered the king who ruled before him. The last craftsman is the King Messiah, who will terrify and conquer the fourth kingdom. (And although Babylon had already fallen, the Omnipresent showed him according to the decree, as if he were standing before the fall of Babylon.)
Metzudat Zion
kaf-pi. According to the measure, as it is said, “a man according to his eating” (Exodus 12:4).
"li-yidot." The matter of casting down and throwing out is like "Shoot [arrows] at her" (Jeremiah 50):
The carriers. The matter of lifting:
"To scatter her": [meaning] to disperse them.
Malbim
"These are the horns," meaning that after the horns had gored Judah more than was fitting, for they gored them to such an extent that no man lifted his head, he seized upon the parable of the fierce beasts that gore with their horns the heads of the weak beasts, until the weak sheep are afraid to lift their heads because of the goring. Therefore, "these came to terrify them," meaning that sometimes they came only to terrify, so that they would not raise their horn to gore; and sometimes they came to strike and to cast down the horns of the nations that raise their horn, for if they do not become terrified and continue to raise their horn, they will strike them.
And I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand.
verse value 1150
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 30 letters. Verse gematria: 1150 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "cord·of" (חֶ֥בֶל, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·behold·man" (וְהִנֵּה־אִ֑ישׁ, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "and·in·his·hand" (וּבְיָד֖וֹ), "cord·of" (חֶ֥בֶל), "measure" (מִדָּֽה). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·I·saw" (root ראה, 22x in Zechariah). First appearance of the root יד ("and·in·his·hand") in Zechariah. First appearance of the root חבל ("cord·of") in Zechariah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·behold·man', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: וָאֶשָּׂ֥א [and·I·lifted] (308) + עֵינַ֛י [my·eyes] (140) + וָאֵ֖רֶא [and·I·saw] (208) + וְהִנֵּה־אִ֑ישׁ [and·behold·man] (377) + וּבְיָד֖וֹ [and·in·his·hand] (28) + חֶ֥בֶל [cord·of] (40) + מִדָּֽה [measure] (49) = 1150.
Rashi
“Cord of a measuring line.” The measuring cord to measure Jerusalem, to determine how long and how wide it will be:
Radak
"And I lifted up." In this vision, he returned to see another vision, and it is possible that this vision is destined for the Messianic Era, like the visions of Ezekiel, in which the angel measured the length and breadth of Jerusalem.
“a cord of measurement”: A cord with which they measure. And this man was another angel, not the one who spoke with him.
Metzudat David
“And behold, a man.” This refers to a man who came, and in his hand was a measuring cord, which is the standard tool used for measuring city walls.
Metzudat Zion
A cord of measurement. The line of measurement:
Malbim
(5-6) "And I lifted up my eyes" – he saw a man with a measuring line in his hand, alluding to the fact that they will now go to measure the dimensions of the walls of Jerusalem, its length and breadth. And it was revealed to him that he was going to measure, which is the announcement that the walls of Jerusalem will be built speedily with the permission of Artaxerxes, as it is stated: "And a measuring line will be stretched over Jerusalem."
Then said I: ‘Whither do you go?’ And he said to me: ‘To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.’
verse value 3337
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 52 letters. The shortest word is "where?" (אָ֖נָה, 3 letters) and the longest is "Jerusalem" (אֶת־יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם, 8 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "going" (הֹלֵ֑ךְ), "to·measure" (לָמֹד֙), "to·see" (לִרְא֥וֹת). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·I·said" (root אמר, 110x in Zechariah); "to·me" (root אל, 36x in Zechariah); "to·see" (root ראה, 22x in Zechariah). First appearance of the root רחב ("what·is·its·breadth") in Zechariah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'going', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 8 words. Full calculation: וָאֹמַ֕ר [and·I·said] (247) + אָ֖נָה [where?] (56) + אַתָּ֣ה [you] (406) + הֹלֵ֑ךְ [going] (55) + וַיֹּ֣אמֶר [and·said] (257) + אֵלַ֗י [to·me] (41) + לָמֹד֙ [to·measure] (74) + אֶת־יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם [Jerusalem] (987) + לִרְא֥וֹת [to·see] (637) + כַּמָּֽה־רׇחְבָּ֖הּ [what·is·its·breadth] (280) + וְכַמָּ֥ה [and·what] (71) + אׇרְכָּֽהּ [her·length] (226) = 3337.
Radak
And it says, "Measure" (lamod). This is an infinitive from the root מדד (to measure), just as "to sift the flour" is from "rasis," and "enough for you, turn (sov)" from "saviv."
Metzudat David
And it is said: "I asked the man, 'Where are you going with the measuring cord?'"
"To see how broad it is." This means: how great it is now in breadth and length, and thereby it implies that it is small now in comparison to the size it will have in the future.
Metzudat Zion
"Where?" – To where? As it is written: "Where are we going up?" (Deuteronomy 1:28).
Malbim
Verse 7: “And behold, the angel who had spoken with me went out, as if his prophecy had been fulfilled; and another angel went out to meet him, higher than he, and imparted to him, for they receive judgment from judgment.”
And, behold, the angel that spoke with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him,
verse value 1630
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 35 letters. The shortest word is "with·me" (בִּ֖י, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·meet·him" (לִקְרָאתֽוֹ, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 101: going·out, going·out. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "to·meet·him" (לִקְרָאתֽוֹ). The root מלאך appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "who·spoke" (root דבר, 25x in Zechariah); "going·out" (root יצא, 22x in Zechariah); "messenger" (root מלאך, 20x in Zechariah). First appearance of the root יצא ("going·out") in Zechariah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'going·out', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְהִנֵּ֗ה [and·behold] (66) + הַמַּלְאָ֛ךְ [messenger] (96) + הַדֹּבֵ֥ר [who·spoke] (211) + בִּ֖י [with·me] (12) + יֹצֵ֑א [going·out] (101) + וּמַלְאָ֣ךְ [and·a·messenger] (97) + אַחֵ֔ר [another] (209) + יֹצֵ֖א [going·out] (101) + לִקְרָאתֽוֹ [to·meet·him] (737) = 1630.
Rashi
And behold, the angel who speaks with me is going out. He is the one who has the measuring line in his hand.
Radak
And behold. And he said to him, "Run, speak to this young man," and he did not say to him [directly], because this angel was the one who had been speaking to him from the beginning, he told him to speak to him, for even though the angel saw [the one] measuring the land of Jerusalem and its breadth:
"She shall be inhabited as unwalled towns" – meaning, many will dwell outside the city, for the city will not be able to contain them, even though it will be greatly lengthened and widened beyond its former state; many will dwell outside it. "Cities of open spaces" – without walls, gates, and bolts, for they will dwell in security, not fearing any person, for I will be to them a wall of fire.
Metzudat David
The angel who spoke with me. This is not the one who had the measuring line in his hand:
He went out to meet the angel who was coming to greet him, in order to ask him what the matter of the measuring was, for he suspected that the measuring was intended to indicate that such would be the case in the future, without any addition.
He goes out to meet him in order to inform him of the matter of the measurement:
and said to him: ‘Run, speak to this young man, saying: ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein.
verse value 4218
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 56 letters. The shortest word is "run" (רֻ֗ץ, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·the·young·man" (אֶל־הַנַּ֥עַר, 6 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "to·him" (אֵלָ֔ו), "run" (רֻ֗ץ), "speak" (דַּבֵּ֛ר). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 110x in Zechariah); "to·him" (root אל, 36x in Zechariah); "to·the·young·man" (root איל, 34x in Zechariah). First appearance of the root רב ("from·multitude·of") in Zechariah. First appearance of the root בהמה ("and·cattle") in Zechariah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'saying', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 7 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר [and·said] (257) + אֵלָ֔ו [to·him] (37) + רֻ֗ץ [run] (290) + דַּבֵּ֛ר [speak] (206) + אֶל־הַנַּ֥עַר [to·the·young·man] (356) + הַלָּ֖ז [this] (42) + לֵאמֹ֑ר [saying] (271) + פְּרָזוֹת֙ [open·regions] (693) + תֵּשֵׁ֣ב [will·dwell] (702) + יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם [Jerusalem] (586) + מֵרֹ֥ב [from·multitude·of] (242) + אָדָ֛ם [man] (45) + וּבְהֵמָ֖ה [and·cattle] (58) + בְּתוֹכָֽהּ [in·her·midst] (433) = 4218.
Rashi
Run, speak to this young man. Do not go out again to measure, for the Holy One, blessed be He, consulted His retinue that there be no limit or measure for her. And now, run, speak to Zechariah, saying: "She shall be inhabited as unwalled towns" — without a wall — so that all who come may settle in her, and she shall grow from day to day.
Radak
"And he said, 'The lad.'" Is it possible that he was a lad in years at the time of his prophecy, like Samuel and Jeremiah? Or perhaps he was the attendant of another prophet who was greater than him; therefore, he was called a lad, just as Joshua son of Nun was called a lad.
Metzudat David
And He said to him. The angel who was coming said to the angel who was speaking to me: "Run quickly and speak to this youth, namely Zechariah, for he was still a youth."
Peruzot. This means: Let him not think that the measurement of the city will also be like yours in the future, for it is not so. Rather, the measurement comes to show that it is small now in comparison to the size it will have in the future. For then Jerusalem will be inhabited like an open city, which has no wall surrounding it, as if it has no limit or measure. And this is because there will be within it many people and much livestock, as if the enclosed space could not contain them.
Metzudat Zion
Run. The matter of swift walking:
Halaz. [Means] “this,” and likewise “what is this monument (ha-tziyun ha-laz)?” (2 Kings 23:17).
Perazot. This means [cities] without a wall surrounding them. And similarly, "the head of the perazim" (Habakkuk 3:14).
Malbim
And He said to him, “Run, speak,” meaning that he should inform the prophet that this wall will be only temporary, for this redemption is not the true redemption. In the future, in the end of days, Jerusalem will be inhabited as unwalled towns, for the restricted wall will not be able to contain them due to the multitude of people and animals within it; therefore, it will expand at all times from every side. Moreover, they will not need a wall for protection, for...
For I, says Hashem, will be to her a wall of fire round about, and I will be the glory in the midst of her.
verse value 1591
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 42 letters. The shortest word is "fire" (אֵ֖שׁ, 2 letters) and the longest is "utterance·of·Hashem" (נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "I·will·be·to·her" (אֶֽהְיֶה־לָּהּ֙), "wall" (ח֥וֹמַת), "and·to·glory" (וּלְכָב֖וֹד). The root היה appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "utterance·of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 132x in Zechariah); "I·will·be·to·her" (root היה, 66x in Zechariah). First appearance of the root אש ("fire") in Zechariah. First appearance of the root סביב ("round·about") in Zechariah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'round·about', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַאֲנִ֤י [and·I] (67) + אֶֽהְיֶה־לָּהּ֙ [I·will·be·to·her] (56) + נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה [utterance·of·Hashem] (117) + ח֥וֹמַת [wall] (454) + אֵ֖שׁ [fire] (301) + סָבִ֑יב [round·about] (74) + וּלְכָב֖וֹד [and·to·glory] (68) + אֶהְיֶ֥ה [I·will·be] (21) + בְתוֹכָֽהּ [in·her·midst] (433) = 1591.
Rashi
"And I will be to her." As a shield, as if a wall of fire surrounds her, and also within her shall My Divine Presence dwell, for your sake.
Radak
"And I will be a wall of fire around them": so that no person should touch them for evil, just as one does not touch fire lest it burn him.
And for glory I will be within her. The matter of the glory that hovers over them, as it is written in the prophecy of Isaiah: "and the Lord will create over the site of Mount Zion, etc." (Isaiah 4:5).
Metzudat David
"And I will be to Her..." means: Nevertheless, they need not fear the Babylonians coming upon her, since she is without a wall, for I will guard her against the enemy as if a wall of fire surrounded her, which none may approach.
And for honor. This means: Let them not think that they will be deprived of honor by dwelling in an unwalled city, for I will cause My Divine Presence to rest within it, so that it may have an honor for which there is no comparison—the honor of the wall encircling it on all sides.
Malbim
"I will be to her a wall of fire round about." And I will be the Guardian, like a wall, so that they will be afraid to approach Him because of the consuming fire, the fire that surrounds Her, which consumes everyone who touches it. And behold, in the Great World, every entity that is more exalted than its counterpart surrounds and encircles its counterpart and guards it, until the physical world is surrounded by all the worlds. And in the Small World, which is man, every entity that is more exalted resides within, and the heart is surrounded by all the limbs. And I have already explained (in Ezekiel 37:27-28) regarding what He said, "And My sanctuary shall be among them forever," that the essence of the Sanctuary will be above them, surrounding them, as in the Great World, and they will be the Chariot for the Divine Presence. And what is meant by the Sanctuary being within them is only so that the nations may know, as He said, "And the nations shall know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel, when My sanctuary is among them forever." And this is what is meant by "And for the sake of glory I will be within her," meaning that this will only be to magnify the glory of Israel, for truly the Surrounding Light is greater than the Inner Light, only that the Inner Light is more perceptible.
Ho, ho, flee then from the land of the north, says Hashem; for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, says Hashem.
verse value 3744
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 58 letters. Verse gematria: 3744 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֠י, 2 letters) and the longest is "utterance·of·Hashem" (נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 117: utterance·of·Hashem, utterance·of·Hashem. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "and·flee" (וְנֻ֛סוּ), "as·four" (כְּאַרְבַּ֞ע), "I·spread·forth" (פֵּרַ֥שְׂתִּי). The root הוי appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "utterance·of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 132x in Zechariah); "from·land·of" (root ארץ, 36x in Zechariah); "for" (root כי, 36x in Zechariah). First appearance of the root הוי ("ah!") in Zechariah. First appearance of the root נוס ("and·flee") in Zechariah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'utterance·of·Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 7 words. Full calculation: ה֣וֹי [ah!] (21) + ה֗וֹי [ah!] (21) + וְנֻ֛סוּ [and·flee] (122) + מֵאֶ֥רֶץ [from·land·of] (331) + צָפ֖וֹן [north] (226) + נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה [utterance·of·Hashem] (117) + כִּ֠י [for] (30) + כְּאַרְבַּ֞ע [as·four] (293) + רוּח֧וֹת [winds·of] (620) + הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם [heaven] (395) + פֵּרַ֥שְׂתִּי [I·spread·forth] (990) + אֶתְכֶ֖ם [you] (461) + נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה [utterance·of·Hashem] (117) = 3744.
Rashi
"Hoy, hoy." "Hoy" is nothing other than a term of proclamation and a cry of assembly. And so does the Targum render it: "Akhlu le-mavdari'a" — "Proclaim," similar to [what is said in] 2 Samuel 22:14, "He thundered from heaven," [which the Targum renders] "Akhlu min shamaya" — "He proclaimed from heaven."
“And they shall flee from the land.” “Go forth, exiles of My people, from within Babylon and Assyria.”
Radak
"Hoy, hoy." This is a term of calling out, and the doubling serves to strengthen the call; similarly, "Hoy, Zion, flee away."
"And they shall flee from the land of the North." This refers to those who remained in Babylonia and did not ascend in the first instance, informing them to hasten to depart and return to Jerusalem and to build the Temple, for their time has arrived. This is the meaning of "and they shall flee" (venasu), spelled with a vav, akin to "he slept" (yiradam) and "chariot" (rechev) and "horse" (sus), indicating a defective spelling, meaning: "Go forth and flee."
“For as the four winds of the heavens.” This means that when I said that they will go forth from exile, I did not say this of all of them, but only of those who were exiled to Babylonia, as it says, “O inhabitant, daughter of Babylon.” For the others are distant from them, for I have scattered them in exile like the four winds, which are distant from one another, the four corners of the world: the east is distant from the west, and the north is distant from the south. So too, Israel are distant from one another in their exile, and their time to go forth has not yet arrived, except for the exile of Judah, whose time to go forth has arrived. Therefore it says, “Be gone, flee from there, O Zion,” referring to the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, for they were the ones dwelling in Zion. And our Sages of blessed memory interpreted “the four winds” as follows: just as it is impossible for the world to exist without the four winds, so too it is impossible for the world to exist without Israel.
Metzudat David
“Hoy, hoy.” This is said with reference to the future Redemption, as if He calls out to them: “You are the children of the ten tribes who were exiled to the land of Assyria, which is located in the north; depart from there swiftly to return to your land.”
"Like the four winds of the heavens." Just as the four winds of the heavens are distant from one another, so too have I dispersed you across the land over a great distance; therefore, hasten and go, on account of the great distance.
Metzudat Zion
Ho! It is an expression of calling, and likewise: "Ho! Every one that thirsts" (Isaiah 55:1):
And they fled. The meaning is of fleeing and swiftness of walking:
Winds. Corner and beyond:
Malbim
(10-11) Woe, woe. Based on this, it was commanded that the exiles who were in the land of the north should flee from there, and the children of the exile who were in Babylonia should escape to Zion. For now, there will not be a general ingathering; rather, only those dwelling in Babylonia will return to Zion, as stated in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, where it is recorded that only those from Babylonia went up, but the rest of the exiles in the north, whom Sennacherib and Nebuchadnezzar had exiled, did not return to Jerusalem. Nevertheless, even they did not remain in their place, for subsequently they fled from there during the wars that took place in the days of the Greeks and the Romans, and they were scattered from there to the four corners of the earth. Regarding this, the vision of the four horns alluded: only those dwelling in Babylonia escaped to Zion in the days of the Second Temple.
Ho, Zion, escape, you that dwell with the daughter of Babylon.’
verse value 1425
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 22 letters. The shortest word is "ah!" (ה֥וֹי, 3 letters) and the longest is "slip·away" (הִמָּלְטִ֑י, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "slip·away" (הִמָּלְטִ֑י), "daughter·of·Babylon" (בַּת־בָּבֶֽל). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "dwelling" (root ישב, 23x in Zechariah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'slip·away', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: ה֥וֹי [ah!] (21) + צִיּ֖וֹן [Zion] (156) + הִמָּלְטִ֑י [slip·away] (94) + יוֹשֶׁ֖בֶת [dwelling] (718) + בַּת־בָּבֶֽל [daughter·of·Babylon] (436) = 1425.
Rashi
Ho, Zion, escape! This too is an expression of proclamation: Gather, O people of the exile of Zion, and escape from within Babylon.
Metzudat David
“O Zion, flee!” — It is as if He calls to Judah and says: “Now, O congregation of Judah, who were exiled at first to Babylon to dwell among them, flee from the place where you are now, to come to Zion.”
Metzudat Zion
The word "hamalti." The matter of salvation:
Daughter of Babylon. The community of Babylon:
Malbim
Verse 12: “For thus says the Lord.” He informs them that despite all this, the Glory of the Lord and His providence will accompany them in all the places of their dispersion, to strike down the horns of the nations that act wickedly toward them, until the time comes to redeem them, and that He will dwell like a wall of fire around Jerusalem. And the prophet says in the name of the Lord, “After the Glory He sent me to the nations who plunder you.” He depicts the Glory of the Lord as going with them among the nations. This means that wherever they go in exile, the Glory of the Lord (which is a term for His particular providence) goes with them. And He sent the prophet on a mission after the Glory, meaning that I shall go after the Glory of the Lord to proclaim and announce to the nations who plunder you, informing them that whoever touches you is as one who touches the apple of the eye of the aforementioned Glory. He depicts the Glory as if it has eyes, which are the eyes of providence (as it is stated, “in defiance of the eyes of His Glory,” meaning the eyes of the Glory of the Lord, for the providence of the Lord, which are the eyes that scrutinize all the earth, are attributed to His Glory, and the sinner defies the eyes of the Glory of the Lord, for the Glory watches over his deeds). And whoever touches you for evil touches the apple of the eye of the Glory of the Lord, who watches and providentially oversees you in your exile.
For thus says Hashem of hosts who sent me after glory to the nations which spoiled you: ‘Surely, he that touches you touches the apple of his eye.
verse value 3316
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 65 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·the·nations" (אֶל־הַגּוֹיִ֖ם, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 30: for, and·surely. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "glory" (כָּב֔וֹד), "to·the·nations" (אֶל־הַגּוֹיִ֖ם), "that·draw·out" (הַשֹּׁלְלִ֣ים). The root כי appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 132x in Zechariah); "said" (root אמר, 110x in Zechariah); "hosts" (root צבא, 54x in Zechariah). First appearance of the root שלל ("that·draw·out") in Zechariah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'you', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 6 words.
Rashi
"After honor." After your honor, I am sent to increase your honor and to expound aggadah. "After honor"—after I have repaid Esau the honor he showed to his father.
Radak
For thus He said, "After the honor, He sent me." After the honor that He promised you, as it is written in the prophecy above, the conclusion of which is: "And I will be glorified in her midst"—after this, He sent me to the nation that plundered you. For it is not sufficient for the Blessed Holy One to repay you good in exchange for the evil that befell you in exile, until He takes vengeance from your enemies who plundered you.
"For whoever touches you." "Whoever touches you" shall not go unpunished, just as a person who touches the apple of his eye, which is the pupil of the eye, and it would be gouged out if he presses upon it forcefully; so too, whoever touches you with intent to harm will wound his own soul.
Metzudat David
"After glory." This means that after He told me that it would be within Jerusalem for her glory, as stated above, He then sent me to prophesy against the Babylonians who plunder you, to inform them that they will receive their due recompense, for anyone who touches you with evil is as if he touches the apple of the eye of the Omnipresent, so to speak; or alternatively, he intends to say that he harms himself, for he will receive his recompense, and he is as if he touches the apple of his own eye, harming himself with his own hands.
Metzudat Zion
Those who plunder. A matter of plunder/spoil:
“In the pupil of His eye.” This refers to the eyeball. Similarly, “as the pupil of the eye” (Psalms 17:8).
For, behold, I will shake My hand over them, and they shall be a spoil to those that served them’; and you shall know that Hashem of hosts has sent me.
verse value 2936
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 56 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֠י, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·their·servants" (לְעַבְדֵיהֶ֑ם, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "shaking" (מֵנִ֤יף), "my·hand" (אֶת־יָדִי֙), "spoil" (שָׁלָ֖ל). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that·Hashem" (root יהוה, 132x in Zechariah); "and·they·shall·be" (root היה, 66x in Zechariah); "hosts" (root צבא, 54x in Zechariah). First appearance of the root הן ("they") in Zechariah. First appearance of the root ידע ("and·you·shall·know") in Zechariah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·their·servants', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 4 words. Full calculation: כִּ֠י [for] (30) + הִנְנִ֨י [they] (115) + מֵנִ֤יף [shaking] (180) + אֶת־יָדִי֙ [my·hand] (425) + עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם [over·them] (155) + וְהָי֥וּ [and·they·shall·be] (27) + שָׁלָ֖ל [spoil] (360) + לְעַבְדֵיהֶ֑ם [to·their·servants] (161) + וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם [and·you·shall·know] (530) + כִּֽי־יְהֹוָ֥ה [that·Hashem] (56) + צְבָא֖וֹת [hosts] (499) + שְׁלָחָֽנִי [who·sent·me] (398) = 2936.
Rashi
“And they shall be spoil to their servants.” To the Israelites, who are now their servants.
Radak
"For behold, I, and they shall become spoil to their servants." This means that the nations will become spoil for Israel, who were their servants during the exile.
"And you shall know." Then, when this prophecy comes to pass, you will know that the Lord of Hosts sent me. And this will be in the future, in the days of the Messiah.
Metzudat David
"For behold, I will shake My hand against them." For on account of this I will shake My hand against them to strike them, and they shall become spoil for Israel, who were slaves to them.
"And you shall know." When the matter comes to pass, you will know that the Lord sent me, and that My words were from Him.
Metzudat Zion
Manif. The meaning of "lifting" is as in "and the priest shall lift" (Leviticus 23:11).
Malbim
For behold, I will lift up My hand against them, against the nations that plunder you by means of the four craftsmen who cast them down, and they shall become plunder for Israel, their servants who plundered them; and you shall know—that is to say, if you do not believe in his mission now, then you will know that I was a messenger from the Lord to warn you not to touch the apple of His eye, His glory.
’Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion; for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of you, says Hashem.
verse value 2681
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 40 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֧י, 2 letters) and the longest is "utterance·of·Hashem" (נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "ringing cry" (רׇנִּ֥י), "and·be·glad" (וְשִׂמְחִ֖י), "behold·I·am·coming" (הִנְנִי־בָ֛א). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "utterance·of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 132x in Zechariah); "for" (root כי, 36x in Zechariah); "behold·I·am·coming" (root בוא, 21x in Zechariah). First appearance of the root שמח ("and·be·glad") in Zechariah. First appearance of the root בת ("daughter·of·Zion") in Zechariah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'daughter·of·Zion', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 5 words. Full calculation: רׇנִּ֥י [ringing cry] (260) + וְשִׂמְחִ֖י [and·be·glad] (364) + בַּת־צִיּ֑וֹן [daughter·of·Zion] (558) + כִּ֧י [for] (30) + הִנְנִי־בָ֛א [behold·I·am·coming] (118) + וְשָׁכַנְתִּ֥י [that·I·may·dwell] (786) + בְתוֹכֵ֖ךְ [in·your·midst] (448) + נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה [utterance·of·Hashem] (117) = 2681.
Radak
“Rejoice and be glad.” It is possible to interpret this prophecy, up to “from His holy dwelling,” as referring to the Messianic era, because it says, “and many nations shall join themselves.”
“Be silent, all flesh.” And we did not see this in the Second Temple; rather, the rest of the whole passage pertains to the Second Temple, as it speaks about Joshua and Zerubbabel.
Metzudat David
"For behold, I am coming. I will come to Jerusalem and dwell among you:"
Malbim
Rejoice, for after He has made known the warning that the Holy One, blessed be He, warned the nations through him, that they not harm Israel in exile, for the Holy One, blessed be He, watches over them, He turns His face toward the daughter of Zion, that she may sing and rejoice over the salvation that will come at the end of the days of wrath, at which time I will come to dwell within you, as it is stated: “And I will be a glory in her midst.”
And many nations shall join themselves to Hashem in that day, and shall be My people, and I will dwell in the midst of you’; and you shall know that Hashem of hosts has sent me to you.
verse value 3486
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 72 letters. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִ֖י, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·Hashem" (אֶל־יְהֹוָה֙, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "and·they·shall·be·attached" (וְנִלְווּ֩), "nations" (גוֹיִ֨ם), "to·Hashem" (אֶל־יְהֹוָה֙). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 132x in Zechariah); "and·they·shall·be" (root היה, 66x in Zechariah); "hosts" (root צבא, 54x in Zechariah). First appearance of the root לי ("to·me") in Zechariah. First appearance of the root עם ("for·a·people") in Zechariah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'for·a·people', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 7 words.
Rashi
And they accompanied. And they were joined:
Radak
"And they shall join." This is clear, and it is a term denoting joining or association.
Metzudat David
"And they will accompany." At that time, many non-Jews will join themselves to the Lord and become a people to believe in Him; nevertheless, I will dwell within you, and not within the multitude of non-Jews.
"And you shall know." Then, when He causes His Divine Presence to dwell solely within you, you will know that the Lord sent me to you. That is to say, the primary designation of the good is spoken concerning you and not concerning the nations; even though they too will believe in the Lord, nevertheless they will not equal you in the matter of the good.
Metzudat Zion
And they accompanied. The meaning is “joining,” as in “and the stranger shall join himself” (Isaiah 14:1).
Malbim
And many nations will accompany the Lord, that they will convert and accept the true religion; and yet, “and I will dwell among you” refers specifically to within Israel, as it is stated, “and I will walk among you.” And you shall know that the Lord of Hosts has sent Me to you, for the previous mission was to warn the nations, whereas this mission is to you, to bring you tidings that there is hope.
And Hashem shall inherit Judah as His portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.
verse value 2533
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 43 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֤ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "upon" (עַ֖ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "Judah" (אֶת־יְהוּדָה֙, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "and·he·will·inherit" (וְנָחַ֨ל), "his·portion" (חֶלְק֔וֹ), "ground" (אַדְמַ֣ת). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 132x in Zechariah); "upon" (root על, 33x in Zechariah); "in·Jerusalem" (root ירושלם, 29x in Zechariah). First appearance of the root אדמה ("ground") in Zechariah. First appearance of the root קדש ("apartness") in Zechariah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'apartness', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְנָחַ֨ל [and·he·will·inherit] (94) + יְהֹוָ֤ה [Hashem] (26) + אֶת־יְהוּדָה֙ [Judah] (431) + חֶלְק֔וֹ [his·portion] (144) + עַ֖ל [upon] (100) + אַדְמַ֣ת [ground] (445) + הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ [apartness] (409) + וּבָחַ֥ר [and·will·choose] (216) + ע֖וֹד [again] (80) + בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם [in·Jerusalem] (588) = 2533.
Rashi
"And the Lord took Judah for Himself. For His inheritance and portion:"
Radak
“And the Lord shall inherit Judah.” This is the portion of the Holy One, blessed be He; then the Holy One, blessed be He, will inherit it, so that it shall be His inheritance upon the Holy Land, when they emerge from exile, and it shall be the Lord’s inheritance upon the Holy Land. This verse is like [the verse]: “For the portion of the Lord is His people; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance” (Deuteronomy 32:9). And Judah is mentioned because he is the head of the kingdom of Israel. And if it is in the Second Temple period, Judah is the one who returned from exile.
Metzudat David
"And the Lord shall inherit." The Omnipresent shall inherit Judah, as it was from the beginning, to be His portion forever upon the Holy Land, and they shall no longer be exiled from it.
And He chose Jerusalem once more, to cause His Divine Presence to dwell there as before.
Malbim
"And the Lord will take Judah as His portion": It is explained in Ezekiel (chapters 45 and 48) that in the future division of the land, they will set aside as a heave-offering the region of the land that was the inheritance of the tribe of Judah, and it will be holy to the Lord. There the Temple will stand, and surrounding it will be the dwelling place of the priests and the Levites, and the city of Jerusalem of the future, which will be located twenty-five miles distant from the Temple. The remainder in a strip along its length will belong to the Messiah King, and it too will be a holy heave-offering. Judah will take his portion from the north, adjacent to the holy heave-offering. This is what the verse means when it says that the portion that belonged to Judah in Joshua’s division upon the holy land will be inherited by the Lord—that it will become the Lord’s inheritance—until the Lord inherits Judah. That is to say, He will take Judah’s inheritance, namely his portion that he had upon the holy land. Furthermore, He chose Jerusalem and did not change the location of the Temple, even though thereby He would need to take Judah’s portion, because the holy heave-offering will extend in width fifty miles, as is explained in Ezekiel there.
Be silent, all flesh, before Hashem; for He is aroused out of His holy habitation.
verse value 1795
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 30 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "be·silent" (הַ֥ס, 2 letters) and the longest is "all·flesh" (כׇּל־בָּשָׂ֖ר, 5 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Zechariah. Unique to this verse in Zechariah (hapax): "be·silent" (הַ֥ס), "all·flesh" (כׇּל־בָּשָׂ֖ר), "was·roused·oneself" (נֵע֖וֹר). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 132x in Zechariah); "for" (root כי, 36x in Zechariah). First appearance of the root בשר ("all·flesh") in Zechariah. First appearance of the root פנים ("from·face·of") in Zechariah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: הַ֥ס [be·silent] (65) + כׇּל־בָּשָׂ֖ר [all·flesh] (552) + מִפְּנֵ֣י [from·face·of] (180) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + כִּ֥י [for] (30) + נֵע֖וֹר [was·roused·oneself] (326) + מִמְּע֥וֹן [dwelling] (206) + קׇדְשֽׁוֹ [His·holiness] (410) = 1795.
Rashi
“Hush, all flesh” – all other nations of the world.
“for he was awake.” This is a term denoting alertness and vigilance.
Radak
Hush. "Be silent," as we have explained:
"Because He awoke from His holy dwelling place." This refers to the heavens, and it is stated that He awoke, in the manner of the parable: Like a man who awakens from his sleep, as it is said, "The Lord awoke as one sleeping" (Psalms 78:65). The word "awoke" (נעור) is derived from the Nifal conjugation, with the Ayin being quiescent, on the pattern of "navon" (wise) and "nachon" (settled), even though in those words the Nun has a qamats vowel, whereas here it has a tsere vowel.
Metzudat David
“Be silent, all flesh.” Let all the nations be silent out of fear of the Lord, and let them no longer continue to speak out against Israel.
"For He will awake." For then He will awake from His holy dwelling in the heavens to descend and execute vengeance upon the nations, for until now He has been silent toward the nations, as if He were asleep; but then, as if He will awaken from His sleep.
Metzudat Zion
Has. A matter of silence, like “and Caleb silenced [the people]” (Numbers 13:30).
All flesh. Every person:
Ne’ur. From the language of awakening and rousing, like “who will arouse from his sleep” (below, p. 4).
From "dwelling." The term refers to a residence, as it is said: "The Lord, You have been our dwelling place" (Psalms 90:1).
Malbim
“Hush, all flesh!” – when he sees the vision of the Lord’s revelation in the future and His vengeance upon the enemies of Judah, he says that all will be silenced in the presence of the Lord when He awakens from His holy dwelling. Similarly, Habakkuk said this when he saw the vengeance upon Babylon.
Radak
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion
Malbim