ל״ב
כ״טל֥וּ חָכְמ֖וּ יַשְׂכִּ֣ילוּ זֹ֑את יָבִ֖ינוּ לְאַחֲרִיתָֽם׃
29Were they wise, they would think upon this,Gain insight into their future:
יבינו לאחריתם. יִתְּנוּ לֵב לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן לְסוֹף פֻּרְעֲנוּתָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל:
יבינו לאחריתם THEY WOULD CONSIDER THEIR LATTER END — i.e. they would set their heart to comprehend the ultimate reason for the misfortune of the Israelites,
ל׳אֵיכָ֞ה יִרְדֹּ֤ף אֶחָד֙ אֶ֔לֶף וּשְׁנַ֖יִם יָנִ֣יסוּ רְבָבָ֑ה אִם־לֹא֙ כִּֽי־צוּרָ֣ם מְכָרָ֔ם וַֽיהֹוָ֖ה הִסְגִּירָֽם׃
30“How could one have routed a thousand,Or two put ten thousand to flight,Unless their Rock had sold them, GOD had given them up?”
איכה ירדף אחד. מִמֶּנּוּ אלף מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל:
איכה ירדף אחד HOW ONE MAN of the nations COULD PURSUE אלף A THOUSAND of the Israelites.
אם לא כי צורם מכרם וה' הסגירם. מְכָרָם וּמְסָרָם בְּיָדֵנוּ, דליב"ר בְּלַעַז:
אם לא כי צורם מכרם EXCEPT THAT THEIR ROCK HAD DELIVERED THEM — sold them and delivered them into our hands, 'delivrer' in old French (Eng. = deliver).
ל״אכִּ֛י לֹ֥א כְצוּרֵ֖נוּ צוּרָ֑ם וְאֹיְבֵ֖ינוּ פְּלִילִֽים׃
31For their rock is not like our Rock,In our enemies’ own estimation.mIn our enemies’ own estimation I.e., as everyone must admit. For Heb. pelilim (“own estimation”) see Exod. 21.22; cf. Gen. 48.11.
כי לא כצורנו צורם. כָּל זֶה הָיָה לָהֶם לָאוֹיְבִים לְהָבִין שֶׁהַשֵּׁם הִסְגִּירָם וְלֹא לָהֶם וְלֵאלֹהֵיהֶם הַנִּצָּחוֹן, שֶׁהֲרֵי עַד הֵנָּה לֹא יָכְלוּ כְּלוּם אֱלֹהֵיהֶם כְּנֶגֶד צוּרֵנוּ, כִּי לֹא כְסַלְעֵנוּ סַלְעָם; כָּל צוּר שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא לְשׁוֹן סֶלַע:
כי לא כצורנו צורם FOR THEIR ROCK IS NOT AS OUR ROCK — all this the enemies should have understood, — that it is the Lord who delivered them (the Israelites) into their hands, and the victory is neither theirs nor their god’s, for until now their gods could achieve nothing against our Rock, “for not as our Rock is their Rock”. — The word צור wherever it occurs in Scripture is the equivalent of סלע, rock.
ואיבינו פלילים. וְעַכְשָׁו אוֹיְבֵינוּ שׁוֹפְטִים אוֹתָנוּ, הֲרֵי שֶׁצוּרֵנוּ מְכָרָנוּ לָהֶם:
ואיבינו פלילים AND OUR ENEMIES ARE JUDGES — i.e. are now judges over us; it is evident therefore that our Rock must have delivered us over to them.
ל״בכִּֽי־מִגֶּ֤פֶן סְדֹם֙ גַּפְנָ֔ם וּמִשַּׁדְמֹ֖ת עֲמֹרָ֑ה עֲנָבֵ֙מוֹ֙ עִנְּבֵי־ר֔וֹשׁ אַשְׁכְּלֹ֥ת מְרֹרֹ֖ת לָֽמוֹ׃
32Ah! The vine for them is from Sodom,From the vineyards of Gomorrah;The grapes for them are poison,A bitter growth their clusters.
כי מגפן סדם גפנם. מוּסָב לְמַעְלָה — אָמַרְתִּי בְּלִבִּי אַפְאֵיהֶם וְאַשְׁבִּית זִכְרָם לְפִי שֶׁמַּעֲשֵׂיהֶם מַעֲשֵׂי סְדוֹם וַעֲמוֹרָה:
כי מגפן סדם גפנם FOR THEIR VINE IS OF THE VINE OF SODOM — This is to be connected with what is stated above, (v. 26, verses 27—31 being a parenthesis): “I said in My heart, I would scatter them into corners and make the remembrance of them cease…” because (כי) their doings are as the doings of Sodom and Gomorrah.
שדמת. שְׂדֵה תְּבוּאָה, כְּמוֹ "וּשְׁדֵמוֹת לֹא עָשָׂה אֹכֶל" (חבקוק ג'), "בְּשַׁדְמוֹת קִדְרוֹן" (מלכים ב כ"ג):
שדמת denotes fields of grain, as in (Habakkuk 3:17) “and the fields (שדמות) shall yield no corn”; (II Chronicles 23:4) “in the fields (בשדמות) of Kedron”.
ענבי רוש. עֵשֶׂב מַר:
ענבי רוש [THEIR GRAPES ARE] GRAPES OF רוש — The word denotes a bitter herb.
אשכלת מררת למו. מַשְׁקֶה מַר רָאוּי לָהֶם, לְפִי מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם פֻּרְעֲנוּתָם, וְכֵן תִּרְגֵּם אֻנְקְלוֹס "וְתוּשְׁלָמַת עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן כִּמְרָרוּתְהוֹן":
אשכלת ממרת למו BITTER CLUSTERS SHALL BE THEIRS — i.e. a bitter drink is what they deserve: according to their actions should be their punishment. Onkelos also renders it thus: “the recompense of their actions shall be according to their bitterness”.
ל״גחֲמַ֥ת תַּנִּינִ֖ם יֵינָ֑ם וְרֹ֥אשׁ פְּתָנִ֖ים אַכְזָֽר׃
33Their wine is the venom of asps,The pitiless poison of vipers.
חמת תנינם יינם. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "הָא כְמָרַת תַּנִּינַיָּא כֹּס פּוּרְעֲנוּתְהוֹן", הִנֵּה כִמְרִירַת נְחָשִׁים כּוֹס מִשְׁתֵּה פֻּרְעֲנוּתָם:
חמת תנינים יינם THEIR WINE IS THE POISON OF DRAGONS — Understand this as the Targum does: הא כמרת תניניא כס פורענותהון which means: Behold, like the gall of serpents is the cup of the drink of their punishment.
וראש פתנים. כּוֹסָם שֶׁהוּא אכזר לַנָּשׁוּךְ, אוֹיֵב אַכְזָרִי יָבֹא וְיִפָּרַע מֵהֶם:
וראש פתנים AND AS THE VENOM OF VIPERS is their cup — venom, which proves cruel (אכזר) to him who is bitten. The sense is: a cruel enemy will come and exact punishment from them.
ל״דהֲלֹא־ה֖וּא כָּמֻ֣ס עִמָּדִ֑י חָת֖וּם בְּאוֹצְרֹתָֽי׃
34Lo, I have it all put away,Sealed up in My storehouses,
הלא הוא כמס עמדי. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, כִּסְבוּרִים הֵם שֶׁשָּׁכַחְתִּי מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, כֻּלָּם גְּנוּזִים וּשְׁמוּרִים לְפָנַי:
הלא הוא כמס עמדי IS NOT THIS LAID UP IN STORE WITH ME — Understand this as the Targum has it: (“Are not all their doings open before me?”) — i.e., they believe that I have forgotten their doings, but really they are all stored up and kept with Me.
הלא הוא. פְּרִי גַפְנָם וּתְבוּאַת שַׁדְמוֹתָם — כמס עמדי:
הלא הוא IS NOT THIS — the fruit of their vine and the produce of their fields (i.e. their doings) כמס עמדי STORED UP WITH ME?
ל״הלִ֤י נָקָם֙ וְשִׁלֵּ֔ם לְעֵ֖ת תָּמ֣וּט רַגְלָ֑ם כִּ֤י קָרוֹב֙ י֣וֹם אֵידָ֔ם וְחָ֖שׁ עֲתִדֹ֥ת לָֽמוֹ׃
35To be My vengeance and recompense,At the time that their foot falters.Yea, their day of disaster is near,And destiny rushes upon them.
לי נקם ושלם. עִמִּי נָכוֹן וּמְזֻמָּן פֻּרְעֲנוּת נָקָם, וִישַׁלֵּם לָהֶם כְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, הַנָּקָם יְשַׁלֵּם לָהֶם גְּמוּלָם. וְיֵשׁ מְפָרְשִׁים ושלם שֵׁם דָּבָר, כְּמוֹ וְשִׁלּוּם וְהוּא מִגִּזְרַת "וְהַדִּבֵּר אֵין בָּהֶם" (ירמיהו ה') — כְּמוֹ וְהַדִּבּוּר. וְאֵימָתַי אֲשַׁלֵּם לָהֶם?
לי נקם ושלם means, with Me is prepared and held in readiness the punishment of vengeance, and it will recompense them according to their doings. As regards the word ושלם, it means that vengeance will pay them their recompense (וְשִׁלַּם is therefore a verb with the Vau conversive, the subject being the noun נקם which precedes it). — But some explain the word וְשִׁלַּם as a noun, having the same meaning as שִׁלּוּם “recompense”, when it would be of the same grammatical form as the noun in the phrase (Jeremiah 5:13) “And the דִּבֵּר is not in them”, where it has the meaning of דִּבּוּר, “Divine utterance”. And when will I recompense them?
לעת תמוט רגלם. כְּשֶׁתִּתֹּם זְכוּת אֲבוֹתָם שֶׁהֵן סְמוּכִים עָלָיו:
לעת תמוט רגלם AT THE TIME WHEN THEIR FOOT SHALL TOTTER — i.e. when the merit of their ancestors upon which they are relying (which is, as it were, their foot, their support) will become exhausted.
כי קרוב יום אידם. מִשֶּׁאֶרְצֶה לְהָבִיא עֲלֵיהֶם יוֹם אֵידָם קָרוֹב וּמְזֻמָּן לְפָנַי לְהָבִיא עַל יְדֵי שְׁלוּחִים הַרְבֵּה:
כי קרוב יום אידם FOR THE DAY OF THEIR CALAMITY IS AT HAND — i.e. as soon as I shall desire to bring about the day of their calamity, it will be near at hand and held in readiness by Me — that I may bring it by any of the many agencies I have.
וחש עתדת למו. וּמַהֵר יָבוֹאוּ הָעֲתִידוֹת לָהֶם:
וחש עתדת למו means, AND THE THINGS THAT ARE TO COME (עתידות) UPON THEM WILL COME QUICKLY (חש).
וחש. כְּמוֹ "יְמַהֵר יָחִישָׁה" (ישעיהו ה'); עַד כָּאן הֵעִיד עֲלֵיהֶם מֹשֶׁה דִבְרֵי תּוֹכֵחָה לִהְיוֹת הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת לְעֵד, כְּשֶׁתָּבֹא עֲלֵיהֶם הַפֻּרְעָנוּת יֵדְעוּ שֶׁאֲנִי הוֹדַעְתִּים מֵרֹאשׁ, מִכָּאן וָאֵילָךְ הֵעִיד עֲלֵיהֶם דִּבְרֵי תַנְחוּמִין שֶׁיָּבוֹאוּ עֲלֵיהֶם כִּכְלוֹת הַפֻּרְעָנוּת, כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר אָמַר לְמַעְלָה, "וְהָיָה כִי יָבֹאוּ עָלֶיךָ וְגוֹ' הַבְּרָכָה וְהַקְּלָלָה וְגוֹ' וְשָׁב ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת שְׁבוּתְךָ וְגוֹ'":
וחש — The word חש has the same meaning as the verb in (Isaiah V. 19) “Let him make speed and hasten (יחישה)”. — So far Moses exhorted them with words of reproof, so that this song should be witness against them, i.e., that when the punishment would come upon them they would know (acknowledge) that I told them about this from the very beginning. From here onwards he exhorted them with a statement of the comfort that would come upon them when their punishment would have ended; this being similar to all that is stated above (30:1—2) “And it shall come to pass when [all these things] are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, … then the Lord thy God will turn they captivity, etc.”
ל״וכִּֽי־יָדִ֤ין יְהֹוָה֙ עַמּ֔וֹ וְעַל־עֲבָדָ֖יו יִתְנֶחָ֑ם כִּ֤י יִרְאֶה֙ כִּֽי־אָ֣זְלַת יָ֔ד וְאֶ֖פֶס עָצ֥וּר וְעָזֽוּב׃
36For GOD will vindicate this peopleAnd take revenge fornAnd take revenge for Cf. Isa. 1.24. these servants,Upon seeing that their might is gone,And neither bond nor free is left.
כי ידין ה' עמו. כְּשֶׁיִּשְׁפֹּט אוֹתוֹ בְּיִסּוּרִין הַלָּלוּ הָאֲמוּרוֹת עֲלֵיהֶם, כְּמוֹ "כִּי בָם יָדִין עַמִּים" (איוב ל"ו) — יְיַסֵּר עַמִּים. כִּי זֶה אֵינוֹ מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן דְּהָא, לָתֵת טַעַם לַדְּבָרִים שֶׁל מַעְלָה, אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן תְּחִלַּת דִּבּוּר, כְּמוֹ (ויקרא כ"ה) "כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ", כְּשֶׁיָּבֹאוּ עֲלֵיהֶם מִשְׁפָּטִים הַלָּלוּ וְיִתְנַחֵם הַקָּבָּ"ה עַל עֲבָדָיו לָשׁוּב וּלְרַחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם:
כי ידין ה' עמו — This means, when He will sentence them to all these sufferings that are mentioned concerning them. The phrase has the same meaning as (Job 36:31) “For by them ידין nations”, i.e. He will chastise the nations. — This word כי has not the meaning of “because”, giving the reason for the preceding statements, but it is an expression (a particle) beginning a new a statement, as (Leviticus 25:2) “When (וכי) ye will come into the land” (cf. Rashi on that passage). The meaning is: When these judgment will come upon them, and the Lord will bethink Himself concerning His servants to have mercy on them again.
יתנחם. לְשׁוֹן הִפּוּךְ הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה לְהֵיטִיב אוֹ לְהָרַע:
יתנחם HE WILL REPENT — This is an expression for changing one’s mind whether for good or for evil.
כי יראה כי אזלת יד. כְּשֶׁיִּרְאֶה כִּי יַד הָאוֹיֵב הוֹלֶכֶת וְחוֹזֶקֶת מְאֹד עֲלֵיהֶם, ואפס בָּהֶם עצור ועזוב:
כי יראה כי אזלת יד WHEN HE SEETH THAT THEIR POWER IS GOING ON — i.e. when He sees that the power of the enemies is constantly becoming exceedingly stronger over them,ואפס AND THERE IS NOT among them עצור ועזוב.
עצור. נוֹשַׁע עַל יְדֵי עוֹצֵר וּמוֹשֵׁל שֶׁיַּעֲצֹר בָּהֶם:
עצור is one who is saved by a עוצר (a “restrainer”) and ruler who would restrain them,
עזוב. עַל יְדֵי עוֹזֵב; עוֹצֵר הוּא הַמּוֹשֵׁל הָעוֹצֵר בָּעָם שֶׁלֹּא יֵלְכוּ מְפֻזָּרִים בְּצֵאתָם לַצָּבָא עַל הָאוֹיֵב, בְּלַעַז מיינטינ"דור; עצור, הוּא הַנּוֹשָׁע בְּמַעֲצוֹר הַמּוֹשֵׁל; עזוב, מְחֻזָּק, כְּמוֹ (נחום ג') "וַיַּעַזְבוּ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם עַד הַחוֹמָה"; "אֵיךְ לֹא עֻזְּבָה עִיר תְּהִלָּה" (ירמיהו מ"ט), אינפורצדו"ר:
עזוב means one saved by an עוזב. Now an עוצר is a ruler who keeps the people in check that they should not march in scattered groups when they go into war against the enemy, maintenue in old French, (Engl = maintainer). Consequently עצור (the passive) is one who is saved through the restraint of the ruler. עזוב is one who is strengthened, as (Nehemiah 3:8) “and they fortified (ויעזבו) Jerusalem unto the broad wall”; (Jer. 49:25) “How is this city of praise not helped (עזובה)!”. In old French anforcede, (English = fortified).
ל״זוְאָמַ֖ר אֵ֣י אֱלֹהֵ֑ימוֹ צ֖וּר חָסָ֥יוּ בֽוֹ׃
37[God] will say: Where are their gods,The rock in whom they sought refuge,
ואמר. הַקָּבָּ"ה עֲלֵיהֶם אי אלהימו שֶׁעָבְדוּ:
ואמר AND HE, the Omnipresent, WILL SAY with regard to them אי אלהימו WHERE ARE THEIR GODS which they served.
צור חסיו בו. הַסֶּלַע שֶׁהָיוּ מִתְכַּסִּין בּוֹ מִפְּנֵי הַחַמָּה וְהַצִּנָּה, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁהָיוּ בְטוּחִין בּוֹ לְהָגֵן עֲלֵיהֶם מִן הָרָעָה:
צור חסיו בו THE ROCK IN WHOM THEY TRUSTED — i.e. the rock beneath which they sought shelter (more lit., with which they covered themselves) from the heat and the cold; that is to say, “in which they trusted” that it would protect them against evil.
ל״חאֲשֶׁ֨ר חֵ֤לֶב זְבָחֵ֙ימוֹ֙ יֹאכֵ֔לוּ יִשְׁתּ֖וּ יֵ֣ין נְסִיכָ֑ם יָק֙וּמוּ֙ וְיַעְזְרֻכֶ֔ם יְהִ֥י עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם סִתְרָֽה׃
38Who ate the fat of their offeringsAnd drank their libation wine?Let them rise up to your help,And let them be a shield unto you!
אשר חלב זבחימו. הָיוּ אוֹתָן אֱלֹהוֹת אוֹכְלִים, שֶׁהָיוּ מַקְרִיבִים לִפְנֵיהֶם, וְשׁוֹתִין יין נסיכם:
אשר חלב זבחימו THE FAT OF WHOSE SACRIFICES THEY, i.e. these gods — used to eat, which they offered to them, and which used to drink יין נסיכם THE WINE OF THEIR DRINK OFFERING.
יהי עליכם סתרה. אוֹתוֹ הַצּוּר יִהְיֶה לָכֶם מַחֲסֶה וּמִסְתּוֹר:
יהי עליכם סתרה LET IT BE YOUR PROTECTION — i.e., let that rock (v. 37) be a refuge and shelter to you.
ל״טרְא֣וּ ׀ עַתָּ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י אֲנִי֙ ה֔וּא וְאֵ֥ין אֱלֹהִ֖ים עִמָּדִ֑י אֲנִ֧י אָמִ֣ית וַאֲחַיֶּ֗ה מָחַ֙צְתִּי֙ וַאֲנִ֣י אֶרְפָּ֔א וְאֵ֥ין מִיָּדִ֖י מַצִּֽיל׃
39See, then, that I, I am the One;There is no god beside Me.I deal death and give life;I wounded and I will heal:None can deliver from My hand.
ראו עתה. הָבִינוּ מִן הַפֻּרְעָנוּת שֶׁהֵבִיא עֲלֵיכֶם וְאֵין לָכֶם מוֹשִׁיעַ, וּמִן הַתְּשׁוּעָה שֶׁאוֹשִׁיעֲכֶם וְאֵין מוֹחֶה בְיָדִי:
ראו עתה SEE NOW — Realise now from the punishment which I have brought upon you and from which there was no one to save you, and, on the other hand, from the help which I will render you and there will be none who can prevent Me,
אני אני הוא. אֲנִי לְהַשְׁפִּיל וַאֲנִי לְהָרִים:
אני אני הוא [THAT] IT IS I, EVEN I — I am He Who have the power to abase (make low) and it is I who have the power to raise,
ואין אלהים עמדי. עוֹמֵד כְּנֶגְדִּי לִמְחוֹת:
ואין אלהים עמדי AND THERE IS NO GOD WITH ME — i.e. standing against Me to prevent this.
עמדי. דֻּגְמָתִי וְכָמוֹנִי:
עמדי means, who is my equal and like Me.
ואין מידי מציל. הַפּוֹשְׁעִים בִּי:
ואין מידי מציל AND THERE IS NONE WHO CAN DELIVER OUT OF MY HAND those who rebel against Me.