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1 For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.

2 And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the Lord for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.

3 And it shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,

4 That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!

5 The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers.

6 He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.

7 The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.

8 Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us.

9 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

10 All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?

11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.

12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?

18 All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house.

19 But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet.

20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.

21 Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities.

22 For I will rise up against them, saith the Lord of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the Lord.

23 I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the Lord of hosts.

24 The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:

25 That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.

26 This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.

27 For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

28 In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden.

29 Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.

30 And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety: and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant.

31 Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved: for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times.

32 What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it.

<html><b>For the Lord shall have mercy on Jacob</b> to keep for them the promise of their redemption from Babylonia. <b>and again choose Israel</b> in the future, He shall redeem them with a complete redemption. <b>and join</b> And they shall be added on. Comp. (I Sam. 2:36) “Take me now into… (סָפְחֵנִי)” and also (ibid. 27:19) “From cleaving to the Lord’s heritage (מֵהִסְתַּפֵּחַ).”</html>

<html><b>shall inherit</b> they shall inherit from them, and similarly, “and you shall hold onto them as an inheritance” (Lev. 25:46). <b>and rule</b> Heb. וְרָדוּ, an expression of ruling and dominating, as (Lev. 25: 46): “You shall not rule over him (תִרְדֶה).”</html>

<html><b>on the day the Lord allows you to rest</b> Scripture is addressing Israel. <b>from your sorrow and from your shuddering</b> which the king of Babylon saddened you and caused you to shudder, and when you see his downfall, you will be eased, since you will go out free.</html>

<html><b>the haughty one</b> Heb. מַדְהֵבָה. An expression of an excess of haughtiness and a heavy burden. Our Rabbis, however, expound it as: Those who say, ‘Measure and bring.’</html>

<html><b>The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked</b> For he would smite peoples with wrath.</html>

<html><b>pursued without relenting</b> Every nation was pursued by him without his relenting from pursuing and chasing each nation.</html>

<html><b>opened [their mouth] in song</b> This is the song they recited, “All the land rested, became tranquil.”</html>

<html><b>Box trees, too, rejoiced</b> Rulers, too, rejoiced [from Jonathan]; i.e., they rejoiced at your downfall.</html>

<html><b>toward your arrival</b> When you descend to Gehinnom, and what is the quaking? To arouse toward you… <b>giants</b> Heb. רְפָאִים, the giants lying there. <b>all the chiefs of the earth</b> [lit. the he-goats.] All the kings of the nations, the princes, and the princesses, are compared by Scripture, to bulls, to cows, and to he-goats. Comp. (Psalms 22:13) “Bulls surrounded me.” Also (Amos 4:1): “The cows of the Bashan that were on Mt. Shomron,” and here he compares them to he-goats. <b>he caused to rise</b> he threw <b>from their thrones</b> [i.e.,] the messenger of Gehinnom caused all the kings of the nations [to rise] from their thrones. [according to mss. and Shem Ephraim]</html>

<html><b>Have you too become weak like us</b> We are amazed how the misfortune has fallen upon you, that you too have become weak, to be like us, to die.</html>

<html><b>the stirring of your psalteries</b> The psalteries and harps that used to play before you. It is also possible to interpret, הֶמְיַתנְבָלֶיךָ as, the stirring of the wanton ones, who commit wanton acts, of your armies, and it seems to me that in the great Masorah, this was combined with (Amos 5:21) “The song of your psalteries,” in the aleph-beth of two meanings.</html>

<html><b>Lucifer, the morning star</b> This is Venus, which gives light as the morning star, הֵילֵל being derived from יהל, to shed light. This is the lamentation over the heavenly prince of Babylon, who will fall from heaven. <b>You have been cut down to earth</b> You, Nebuchadnezzar, who would cast lots on nations. You would cast lots on them, on the kings, who of them would serve you on such and such a day, and who on such and such a day. Our Rabbis, however, expounded this to mean that he would cast lots on the kings for purposes of pederasty.</html>

<html><b>above the stars of God</b> Israel. <b>on the mount of the assembly</b> The mount where all assemble, i.e., Mount Zion. <b>in the farthest end of the north</b> In the forecourt, the chosen place, the north side, as the matter is stated (Lev. 1:11): “On the side of the altar to the north.”</html>

<html><b>I will ascend above the heights of the clouds</b> I am not fit to dwell with mortals. I will make myself a small cloud in the air and I will dwell there. Jonathan renders: I will ascend over all nations.</html>

<html><b>shall look at you</b> They will look through holes and cracks [aboater in O.F.]. <b>shall gaze earnestly</b> [Por panser in O.F.] To think of oneself.</html>

<html><b>he did not open the house</b> Heb. בָּיְתָה. He did not open their house of imprisonment to release them all the days of their lives, to allow them to go to their home. Every word that requires a ‘lammed’ at the beginning Scripture placed a ‘heh’ to it at the end.</html>

<html><b>each in his house</b> In his grave, and so did Jonathan render: In his eternal house.</html>

<html><b>like a despised sapling</b> Like a sapling of a tree, which is despised by its owner, who digs it up and uproots it and takes it out. So were you cast out of your grave. The Sages stated (Lev. Rabbah 18:2): When he became an animal and a wild beast for seven years, the populace crowned Evil-Merodach, and when he was restored to his kingdom, he took him and imprisoned him in the dungeon until the day of his death. When he died, they took Evil-Merodach out of prison to crown him king, but he did not accept it upon himself. He said, If he returns to his kingdom, he will kill me. They said to him, He is dead and buried. But he did not believe them until they took him out of his grave and dragged him. <b>[in] the garb of the slain</b> With filthy apparel, like that of the slain. <b>of those pierced by the sword</b> Heb. מְטֹעֲנֵי, pierced by spears (sic). “Pierced” in Arabic is ‘mut’an.’ <b>who descend to the stones of the pit</b> to the depths of the pit, the place where stones sink there, you have descended. <b>like a trampled corpse</b> Heb. מוּבָס. Jonathan renders: trampled, like (Ps. 44:6), “We will trample (נָבוּס) those who rise up against us”; (infra verse 25) “And on my mountains I will trample him (אֲבוּסֶנוּ)”; (Ezekiel 16: 6) “Trampled (מִתְבּוֹסֶסֶת) in your blood,” trampled like the mud of the streets.</html>

<html><b>You shall not join them in burial</b> You shall not be equal to other kings, to rest in your grave. <b>for you have destroyed your land</b> with excessive labor, and you have slain your people groundlessly, as it is related in Daniel (2:12): “And he said to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.” Therefore, they hated you and treated you with contempt to throw you out of your grave. <b>the seed of evil doers shall not be named forever</b> Even your children shall suffer for your iniquities, and they shall not endure long after you, for their enemies will unite against them and destroy them, and they shall say to each other.</html>

<html><b>Prepare a slaughter for his sons</b> lest they rise and inherit the land, and the land will be filled with enemies and oppressors. So did Jonathan render עַָרִים, enemies. Comp. (I Sam. 28:16) “And has become your adversary (עָרֶךְ).” It can also be interpreted: And fill the surface of the earth with cities. In contrast with what he said before (verse 17): “Who made the land like a desert and demolished his cities,” he says further: His seed shall perish, and the inhabitants of the cities shall return to their place, and the surface of the earth shall be filled with cities.</html>

<html><b>and a remnant</b> Heb. שְׁאָר, a remnant. <b>and a son</b> Heb. וְנִין, a son ruling in the kingdom of his father. <b>and a grandson</b> The son of the son. The son is Belshazzar, and the grandson [or granddaughter in this case] was Vashti.</html>

<html><b>hedgehog</b> Heb. קִפֹּד [hricon or hericon in O.F.] [In Modern French it is spelled herisson.] <b>and I will sweep</b> Heb. וְטִאטֵאתִיהָ, an expression of sweeping [eskober in O.F.], as our Rabbis stated: The Rabbis did not know the meaning of וְטִאטֵאתִיהָ בְּמַטְאֲטֵא הַשְׁמֵד, until they heard [Rabbi’s (R. Judah Hanasi’s) maidservant say to her friend, “Take a broom (מַטְאֲטֵא) and sweep (וְטַאְטְאִי) the house.”]</html>

<html><b>as I thought</b> concerning Assyria, so it was. You, Nebuchadnezzar, saw that the words of the prophets of Israel about Sennacherib were fulfilled.</html>

<html><b>To break Assyria in My land</b> And with this you shall know that what I planned about you will remain as well. <b>“To break…”</b> is connected to “As I thought, so it was.” <b>will I trample him</b> Heb. אֲבוּסֶנוּ, which I said to tread upon him and trample him.</html>

<html><b>over all the nations</b> Over Assyria in its time and over Babylon in its time.</html>

<html><b>In the year of King Ahaz’s death</b> and his son Hezekiah reigned, was this harsh prophecy concerning the Philistines given.</html>

<html><b>Rejoice not, Philistia, all of you</b> for you have lifted your head during the days of Ahaz, who was wicked, whose wickedness brought about that he was delivered into your hands, as the matter is stated in II Chron. 28:18: “And the Philistines raided the cities of the lowlands…” <b>that the rod that smote you has been broken</b> that the kingdom of the House of David, which was wont to smite you, has been weakened and humbled, as we find concerning David, and so, concerning Uzziah, king of Judah, who smote you, as the matter is stated (II Chron. 26:6): “And he went out and fought against the Philistines and breached the wall of Gath.” <b>for, from the root of a snake</b> From the root of that snake, shall emanate a venomous serpent, which is more formidable than a snake. Now who was this? This was Hezekiah, concerning whom it is stated (II Kings 18:8): “He slew the Philistines up to Gaza and its boundaries, from watchtower to fortified city.” <b>and his offspring is a fiery flying serpent</b> Jonathan renders: And his deeds against you will be like flying snakes.</html>

<html><b>And the first born of the poor shall graze</b> In his days, the princes of Israel, who are now poor because of you, shall graze. “Firstborn,” is an expression of princes. Comp. (Ps. 89:28) “Also, I will appoint him My firstborn.”</html>

<html><b>for from the North smoke has come</b> Retribution harsh as smoke shall come upon them from the north. Gaza and its boundaries, which Hezekiah smote, were in the south of Eretz Israel in the southwestern corner. Eretz Israel is found to be north of it. And so we find in Sifrei in Ha’azinu 322: They attempted to flee through the south, and they turned them over, as it is stated (Amos 1:6): “For three transgressions of Gaza… [because of their exiling a complete exile to deliver to Edom.]” Hence, we learn that Gaza is on the south. <b>and there is no straggler in his ranks</b> Jonathan renders: And there is no straggler among his appointed ones, i.e., in his ranks whom he appointed to come upon them, and no one delays his steps to be secluded and to come in seclusion alone, but all of them shall come as one, with strength.</html>

<html><b>And what shall the messengers of a nation announce</b> What shall the messengers of Israel, who go to bring news, announce in the days of Hezekiah? This is what they shall announce: The Lord has founded in Zion; He has set up therein a fitting and powerful king; the Lord is with him. <b>and therein shall the poor of His people shelter themselves</b> Even from the ten tribes they would come there, as is related in II Chron. (30:6), “Hezekiah sent messengers throughout the border of Israel, to return to the Holy One, blessed be He.</html>