## Ibn Ezra on Isaiah Chapter 41

###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:1:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:1:1)

**החרישו.** כאילו אמר החרישו ושמעו אלי:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
החרישו ושמעו אלי ═ החרישו אלי Be silent and listen unto me.¹ here, החרישו ושמעו אלי ═ החרישו אלי and להסיר אותה מעל ראש אפרים ולשום אותה על ר״ מנ״═ אפרים על ראש מנשה להסיר אותה מעל ראש to remove it from Ephraim’s head unto Manasseh’s head. (Gen. 48:17). —A. V., Keep silence before me.

footnotes:
¹ To join a preposition to a verb, which does not govern it, while the verb which governs it is omitted, is a construction known as constructio pregnans; as e.g.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:1:2
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:1:2)

**ולאומים יחליפו כח.** אם יש בהם יכולת:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*And let the people renew their strength,* if they can.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:1:3
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:1:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:1:3)

**יגשו.** ואחרי שיחליפו כח אז ידברו ונקרב למשפט לדעת, אי זה גבור:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*Let them come near,* after having renewed their strength. *Then let them speak, and let us come near together to judgment,* to know, who is the mighty.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:2:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:2:1)

**מי העיר וגו'.** הקדמונים אמרו כי זה רמז על אברהם שהתגבר על המלכים ושבר הצלמים, והראיה שאמר אחר כן זרע אברהם אוהבי, גם זה נכון, ולפי דעתי שהוא רמז על כורש, כי כל הפרשה היא דבקה וכן כתוב קורא ממזרח עיט (ישעיהו מ"ז י"א), והנה אחריו העירותי מצפון ויאת ממזרח שמש יקרא בשמי (מ"א כ"ה), והפרשה כולה מפורש שם כורש:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
ממזרח *The man from the east.*² The ancients refer this expression to Abraham, who defeated the kings (Gen. xiv.), and broke the idols;¹ especially because of the words the seed of Abraham, my friend, (ver. 8). This is not impossible, but I refer it rather to Cyrus; because all these chapters are connected by their contents; comp. calling a ravenous bird from the east (46:11) and I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come; from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name (41:25); besides, the name of Cyrus is distinctly mentioned 44:28 and 45:1.

footnotes:
² A. V., (Who raised up the righteous man) from the East.
¹ Comp. Bereshith Rabba, xxxviii.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:2:2
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:2:2)

**ממזרח.** כי עילם צפונית מזרחית בבל:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*From the east,* Elam was north-east of Babylon.³

footnotes:
³ Modern geographers describe Elam as rather to the south-east of Babylon. See c. xiii. Note 7.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:2:3
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:2:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:2:3)

**צדק יקראהו לרגלו.** יפגע, או צדק יקראהו בכל מקום לכתו:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
יקראהו He shall meet it or it shall meet him.⁴ לרגלו *To his foot.* Wherever he goes.

footnotes:
⁴ A. V., Called him.—קראִ means to call; קרה to meet; but this distinction is often neglected, and the two verbs seem to be used indiscriminately.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:2:4
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:2:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:2:4)

**ומלכים ירד.** ישליט אחרים על מלכים, כי זאת המלה מבנין הפעיל והטעם כמו וירד מיעקב (במדבר כ"ד י"ט):

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
ומלכים ירד *He will appoint rulers over hings.*⁵ יַרְדְּ is Hiphil; he will cause to rule; comp. (the Kal) וירר and he shall have dominion (Num. 24:19)

footnotes:
⁵ A. V., And made him rule over kings.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:2:5
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:2:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:2:5)

**יתן כעפר חרבו.** חרב כל מלך, וי"א כי יהיו לו חרבות רבות וקשתותיו תעופינה כקש נדף:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
יתן כעפר חרבו he will turn his sword into dust, that is, the sword of every other king. Others explain it: he will make his swords as numerous as the dust,⁶ and his arrows shall fly about as thickly as stubble driven by the wind.

footnotes:
⁶ A. V., He gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:3:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:3:1)

**ירדפם וגו'.** ירדף אחרי המלכים, ויעבר בשלום, ולא ייעף, כאילו לא בא ברגליו האורח:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
ירדפם *He will pursue them,*⁷ the kings. *And pass in peace,* that is, without weariness. ארח ברגליו לא יבוא As if he had not at all gone that path with his feet.⁸

footnotes:
⁷ A. V., He pursued them.
⁸ That is, As if he had not had the exertion of travelling so far.—A. V., Even by the way that he had not gone with his feet.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:4:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:4:1)

**מי פעל ועשה.** כדרך תקון, כמו וימהר לעשות אותו (בראשית י"ח ז'), והטעם מי פעל זה, השם עשהו שהוא קורא הדורות מראש קודם שיהיו, והטעם שידע כל הדורות הבאים, ויקרא כל דור לעמוד בעתו:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
עשה *Hath prepared*.⁹ Comp. לעשות to dress (Gen. 18:7). Who has done this? God has done it, who is calling the generations from the beginning, before they come into existence; who knows all future generations, and cites each of them to appear in its right time.

footnotes:
⁹ A. V., And hath done.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:4:2
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:4:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:4:2)

**אני יי.** הראשון לכל הדורות שעברו, ועם אחרונים אני הוא:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*The first* of all generations that have hitherto existed. *And with the last,* with the last generations.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:5:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:5:1)

**ראו איים.** גבורת כורש:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*The isles saw* the victory of Cyrus.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:5:2
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:5:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:5:2)

**קרבו.** אלה:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*They drew near.* Those events drew near.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:5:3
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:5:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:5:3)

**ויאתיון.** מלה שלימה, כי היו"ד תחת ה"א הנח, שהוא למ"ד הפעל:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
ויאתיון *And came.* It is here written like a perfect verb; the third radical ה is replaced by י.¹⁰

footnotes:
¹⁰ The usual form is ויאתו, the third radical (ה) being entirely omitted.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:6:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:6:1)

**איש וגו'.** כל אי ואי וכל איש ואיש וכל גוי וגוי יוסיפו לעבוד ע"ז, אולי ימלטו מיד כורש:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*They help*¹¹ *every one,* etc. All islands, all men, and all nations are now more anxious to worship idols, believing that they can thus be delivered out of the hands of Cyrus.

footnotes:
¹¹ A. V., They helped.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:7:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:7:1)

**ויחזק.** מחליק, מגזרת ואנכי איש חלק (בראשית כ"ז י"א):

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
מחליק *He that smootheth.* Comp. חלק smooth (Gen. 27:11).


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:7:2
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:7:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:7:2)

**פטיש.** ידוע, כמו וכפטיש יפוצץ סלע (ירמיהו כ"ג כ"ט):

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
פטיש *Hammer.* A well known instrument¹ Comp. Jer. 23:29.

footnotes:
¹ It seems as if I. E. being here at a loss to find for פטיש another expression, which, being better known, could serve as an illustration, satisfied himself with the statement, that the same instrument is meant here by פטיש, which is well known by that name. It is also possible that the necessity of explaining הלם פעם elicited also a word on פטיש. Comp. c. v. Note 21, and I. E. on 34:11, Note 17.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:7:3
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:7:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:7:3)

**הולם פעם.** מגזרת והלמה מסיסרא (שופטים ה' כ"ו), והוא הברזל שיוכה עליו בו, ופעם יתכן היותו כלי הברזל שיכו עליו ונקרא פעם בעבור שיוכה עליו (פעם), או הולם פעם כלי אחד:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
הלם It is a noun derived from הלם to beat; comp. והלמה and she smote; it signifies the iron which is wrought by beating with the hammer. פעם The iron block, upon which the iron is hammered : the anvil; it is called פַעַם because of the beating upon it.¹² It is also possible that the two words פעם הלם together signify one instrument.¹³

footnotes:
¹² פָעַם to beat. פַעַם the foot, the step, the thing which is beaten, the anvil.
¹³ הלם פעם is according to this explanation analogous to אדמת עפר (Dan.xii. 12), quoted repeatedly by I. E., since הלם has the same meaning as פעם to beat.—The construction of the sentence according to I. E. is not quite clear; it is not explained whether פטיש and הלם פעם both are in the objective case governed by מחליק (he that smootheth the hammer and the anvil) or פטיש is the subject of the sentence, הלם פעם being the objective case (the hammer smootheth the anvil); the rendering he that smootheth with the hammer is out of question; I. E. would then not have omitted to say בפטיש═פטיש.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:7:4
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:7:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:7:4)

**אומר לדבק.** עד שיהיה הדבק טוב:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
אמר לדבק טוב הוא *Saying of the joining, It is good.*¹⁴ Till the joining is good.¹⁵

footnotes:
¹⁴ A. V., It is ready for the sodering.
¹⁵ I. E. seems to explain here the words Saying of the joining, etc.═Till he is able to say of the joining, etc.═ till the joining is good.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:8:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:8:1)

**ואתה וגו'.** אלה הם עובדי עבודה זרה (דברי הנביא) ואתה ישראל עבדי, וטעם זכר אברהם כי הוציאו מבין עובדי עבודה זרה:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*But thou, Israel,* etc. Those are worshippers of idols, says the prophet, but thou, Israel, art my servant; the name of Abraham is mentioned here, because he also was taken out from the midst of idolaters.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:8:2
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:8:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:8:2)

ו**אוהבי** איננו כמו אהובי כי אוהבי פועל:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
אהבי *Who loved me*.¹⁶ It is not the same as אהובי who is loved by me, the former being active, the latter passive.

footnotes:
¹⁶ A. V., My friend.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:9:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:9:1)

**אשר.** מקצות הארץ, שהיו בבבל, והיא רחוקה מארצם:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*From the ends of the earth.* The Israelites were in Babylon, far away from their own land.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:9:2
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:9:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:9:2)

**ומאציליה.** מגדוליה, הם נאצלים מהכל, כמו ואצלתי מן הרוח (במדבר י"א י"ז), וכן ואל אצילי בני ישראל (שמות כ"ד י"א), או פירושו מבין אציליה:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
ומאציליה *And from the chief men thereof,* who are distinguished from the rest;¹⁷ comp. ואצלתי and I will take (Num. xi. אצילי .(17 . the nobles of (Ex. 24:11). ומאציליה can also be explained from between her arms.¹⁸

footnotes:
¹⁷ אצל to be on the side. Hi. to set aside, to separate, to distinguish. אציל adj. distinguished, noble, chief.
¹⁸ Comp. אצילי armholes (Ez. 13:18.)


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:10:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:10:1)

**אל תשתע.** תי"ו לבנין התפעל, ובא פ"א הפועל קודם התי"ו כמשפט הלשון, והטעם תרפה, כמו שעו מני (ישעיהו כ"ב ד'):

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
תשתע The second ת is the characteristic of the Hithpael, correctly put after the first radical. אל תשתע *Do not turn away.*¹⁹¹⁹ Comp. שעו מני turn away from me. (22:4)

footnotes:
¹⁹ See c. xvii. Note 11; c. xxii. Note 4.
¹⁹ See c. xvii. Note 11; c. xxii. Note 4.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:11:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:11:1)

**הן.** הנחרים בך, מבנין נפעל מגזרת חרי אף (שמות י"א ח'), וכמו נחרו בי (שיר השירים א' ו'), והטעם על בני בבל, כי בעת פקדתם והחריבם, פקד את בניו ושבו לגבולם במצות כורש:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
הנחרים *They that were incensed.* It is the Niphal;²⁰ Comp. חרי lit. the burning; נחרו were angry (Song 1:6). The Babylonians are meant; when God punished and destroyed Babylon, He released His people, who returned home to their country with the permission of Cyrus.

footnotes:
²⁰ Of חרה to burn.21 To God all eternity is one indivisible whole. Time and space and their divisions are not in real existence, but postulates of and for our reason and imagination.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:12:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:12:1)

**תבקשם.** מצותך, חסר נו"ן על כן נדגש הצד"י, על משקל מלקות, וכן אוהב מצה (משלי י"ז י"ט) כי ינצו אנשים (דברים כ"ה י"א):

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
מנצותך ═ מצותך Thy Contention. The נ is replaced by Dagesh in צ ; the form of the word is like that of מלקות. Comp. מצה strife (Prov. 17:19); ינצו strive together (Deut. 25:11).


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:12:2
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:12:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:12:2)

**וכאפס.** כמו לא:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
אפס Nothing.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:13:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:13:1)

**כי. מחזיק ימינך.** כי זה דבר פלא שנלכדה בבל ונהרגו בחוריה במדינה, ונמלטו ישראל:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*For I*, *the Lord*, etc. For this is a wonderful event, that Babylon was taken, that her armies were destroyed in their own land, and the Israelites remained unhurt.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:14:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:14:1)

**אל תיראי תולעת.** שהיה ישראל נחשב כתולעת בעיני הבבליי', והטעם אל תיראי שתהרגי עם הבבליים:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*Thou worm Jacob,* Israel had been considered by the Babylonians as worms. *Fear not,* that you will be killed together with the Babylonians.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:14:2
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:14:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:14:2)

**כי אני עזרתיך.** פועל עבר תחת עתיד, והטעם, כי כל הגזירות העתידות, להיותם חשובות כאילו הם, ועוד כי עבר ועתיד הם כנגד הנבראים לבדם:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
עזרתיך *I will help thee.* The future is here expressed by the past (עזרתיך), because all the divine decrees concerning the future, are considered as sure as if they were already fulfilled; besides the difference between past and future exists only with regard to created beings.²¹

footnotes:
²¹ to God all all eternity is one indivisible whole. Time and space and their divisions are not in real existence, but postulates of and for our reason and imagination


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:15:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:15:1)

**למורג.** ידוע, וכמוהו המוריגי' (שמואל ב' כ"ד כ"ב):

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
למורג *A threshing instrument.* It is well known.²² Comp. המוריגים threshing instruments (2 Sam. 24:22).

footnotes:
²² A.V., "Sharp."


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:15:2
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:15:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:15:2)

**חרוץ.** שהוא גזור כמשפט, כמו כן משפטיך אתה חרצת (מלכים א' כ' מ') אל תתמה בעבור שהכתוב ידבר עם ישראל בלשון נקבה גם לשון זכר בפסוק אחד, כי טעם הנקבה העדה, ואיננה נקבה ממש:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
חרוץ *Decreed by law.*²² Comp. חרצת thou hast decreed (1 Kings 20:40). It is not surprising to find here the word ישראל used as a masculine and feminine noun in one verse;²³ it is used as feminine, as far as ערה congregation is understood, but it is not a feminine noun itself.

footnotes:
²² A. V., Sharp.
²³ Comp. c. xv. Note 12.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:15:3
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:15:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:15:3)

וטעם **תדוש הרים** משל לבבליים:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*Mountains,* A figurative expression for the Babylonians.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:16:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:16:1)

**תזרם.** רמז שיאבדו רוב הבבליים, גם ישראל שללו הבבליים:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*Thou shalt scatter them,* etc. This verse indicates that the greater part of the Babylonians will perish, and also that the Israelites will take their spoil.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:17:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:17:1)

**העניים.** כאשר תשובו מבבל אל ירושלם:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*The poor,* etc. In their return from Babylon to Jerusalem.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:17:2
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:17:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:17:2)

**נשתה.** חרבה כמו ונשתו מים מהים (ישעיהו י"ט ה'):

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
נשתה *Faileth.* Comp. ונשתו and shall fail (19:5).


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:17:3
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:17:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:17:3)

**אני יי אענם.** אני אלהי ישראל, כי אני מושך אחר עמו כמשפט:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*The God of Israel,* I (אני) of the preceding, refers to this sentence also, and is to be supplied before the God, as is often the case.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:18:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:18:1)

**אפתח.** שפיים, הם גבוהים, הפך בקעות, גם זה פלא להיות נהר על שפי':

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
שפים *High places.* It is the opposite of בקעות valleys. This also is wonderful, that rivers will be found on high places.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:18:2
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:18:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:18:2)

**אשים מדבר.** שאין שם יישוב:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
מדבר *Wilderness.* A plain that is not inhabited.²⁴

footnotes:
²⁴ I. E. seems here to be of opinion, that מדבר means originally a plain, an oasis (lit. a place whither the flock is led to be fed, from דבר to lead); but is used also to signify the wilderness, the desert (usually a vast plain, containing oases ; comp. Ex. 3:1). Otherwise his remark would be superfluous.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:19:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:19:1)

**אתן במדבר ארז שטה.** חסר וי"ו, ארז ושטה, כמו שמש ירח עמד (חבקוק ג' י"א):

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
ארז שטה *The cedar, the shittah tree.* Asyndeton, like ירח שמש the sun, the moon (Hab. 3:10),


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:19:2
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:19:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:19:2)

**תדהר ותאשור.** אילנים, וכל אלה סביבות הנהרים, כי בכל מקום שהוא חסר מים לא יצמחו:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
תדהר ותאשור. Names of trees. All these trees grow about rivers; they do not grow where there is a want of water.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:20:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:20:1)

**למען יראו.** האביונים יראו בעיניהם וישימו לב:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*That they may see,* etc. That the poor may see with their own eyes, and take it to heart.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:20:2
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:20:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:20:2)

**וקדוש ישראל בראה.** כפי דעתי כמו גזר זאת, ולפי דעת רבים שהשם יביא מים ולא מיש:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
בראה According to my opinion, hath shaped it; according to others, hath created it, that is, has brought it from non-existence into existence, but not from one form of existence into another.²⁵

footnotes:
²⁵ See c. xl. Note 61.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:21:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:21:1)

**קרבו.** צווי מהבנין הכבד הדגוש, על משקל ברכו יי (שופטים ה' ב'):

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
קרבו Produce. It is imperative Piel after the form of ברכו praise (Jud. 5:2).


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:21:2
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:21:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:21:2)

**עצומותיכם.** כמו ריבכם, וכן ובין עצומים יפריד (משלי י"ח י"ח) ויתכן היותו מגזרת עצום, והנה הוא תואר הרבים:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
עצומותיכם *Your disputes,*²⁶²⁶ Comp. עצומים quarreling (Prov. 18:18). It would, however, not be wrong to explain עצומותיכם your strong reasons, as the plural of the adjective עצום mighty, strong.²⁷

footnotes:
²⁶ A. V., Your strong reasons. Mighty.
²⁶ A. V., Your strong reasons. Mighty.
²⁷ The Hebrew text has the words תאר הרבים, which seems to mean adj. plur.; but I. E. in similar cases, generally adds the remark, that the phrase is elliptical, and that such and such a noun must be supplied; (here טענות pleadings or מלות words). It is therefore not unlikely that we must not read תאר הׇרַבּׅים but תאֽר הׇרׇבׅים an attribute to רׇבׅים ‘men that quarrel,’ which is understood. In that case the remark refers to עצומים and leaves it to the reader to apply the same proceeding to עצומותיכם.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:22:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:22:1)

**יגישו.** הצלמים:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*Let them bring forth,* their idols.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:22:2
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:22:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:22:2)

והנה טעם**קרבו [ריבכם וגו']**עם ישראל [ידבר]****שלא היו מאמינים, והיו עובדים גם בבבל צלמים וטעם ריבכם עד שנראה אי זה טוב:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
The imperative produce is addressed to those Israelites, who did not trust in God, but worshipped idols even in Babylon; they are told to produce (ריבכם) their cause, that is, their evidence, to show which is the righteous side. The imperative shew הגידו is addressed to the idols.²⁸

footnotes:
²⁸ In some editions this remark is affixed to the word הגידו of the next verse, but it is more probable that it is intended for this verse, since there is no reason why we should refer the second הגידו to the idols and not also the first.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:23:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:23:1)

**הגידו.** מדבר עם הצלמים:


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:23:2
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:23:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:23:2)

**האותיות.** מגזרת אתא בקר (ישעיהו כ"א י"ב):

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
האתיות *Theat things that are to come.* Comp. אתה cometh (21:12).


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:23:3
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:23:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:23:3)

וטעם [**לאחור**] העתידות הבאות לאחור הוא הזמן הבא, כי הזמן שעבר יקרא לפנים, אז נדע כי יש בכם כח להטיב ולהרע:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
לאחור *hereafter* it is the opposite of לפנים (Ruth 4:7). *And know* etc. We shall then know that you have power to do good or evil.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:23:4
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:23:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:23:4)

**ונשתעה.** ונספר ותרגום ויספר משה (שמות י"ח ח') בארמית ואישתעי, ויש שאומרים כמו ואל תשתע (מ"א י'):

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
ונשתעה *that we may relate*. ²⁹ Comp. ואשתעי the Chaldean translation of ויספר "and he related" (Ex. 48:18). Some explain it "and we shall turn unto it,"³⁰ and compare it with אל תשתע do not turn away.

footnotes:
²⁹ A.V., "That we may be dismayed."
³⁰ See Note 19.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:24:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:24:1)

**הן אתם.** סימן לצלמים:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*Ye*. The idols are adressed.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:24:2
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:24:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:24:2)

**מאפע.** כמו אין והבל, ואין ריע לו בכל המקרא:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
מאפע *of nothing*. It is hap. leg.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:24:3
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:24:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:24:3)

**תועבה וגו'.** הטעם איש תועבה יבחר בכם או לתועבה יבחר בכם, עובד אתכם:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
תועבה=איש תועבה "An abominable man," or it is the same as תועבה "for an abomination." יבחר בכם *Chooseth you,* for worship.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:25:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:25:1)

**העירותי.** נפתח הה"א בעבור העי"ן שהוא אחריו:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
העירותי *I have raised.* The Pathah³¹ under ה is caused by the ע which follows.

footnotes:
³¹ This rule is expressed in the first chapter of I. E.’s Safah Berurah: ע״ין הוא נרחב ויהחיב אשר לפניו. The ע prefers Pathah (lit., a wide vowel), and changes the preceding vowel (or Sheva) into Pathah or Kamez. The same is generally the case with all the gutturals.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:25:2
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:25:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:25:2)

**מצפון.** כי עילם צפונית מזרחית לבבל, ותחסר מלת איש, וכן הוא העירותי איש מצפון והוא כורש:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*From the north,* Elam was north-east of Babylon.³² The word איש a man must be supplied : I have raised up a man from the north; Cyrus is meant.

footnotes:
³² See Note 3.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:25:3
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:25:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:25:3)

**ויאת.** מלה זרה בעבור שהפ"א והלמ"ד מאותיות הנח, והיה ראוי להיותו על משקל ויפן, וכאשר נעלם האל"ף הרחיבו מה שיש לפניו כמשפט אותיות הגרון, על כן נפתח היו"ד, והנה הוא מבנין הקל:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
ויאת *And he came.*³³ It is an irregular form, because of the first and third radical (א and ה) being weak letters; it would have been of the form וַיׅפֶן, but the א being silent, the Hirek under י is changed into Pathah as is usually the case with gutturals;³⁴ ויאת is Kal.

footnotes:
³³ A. V., And he shall come.
³⁴ See Note 31.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:25:4
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:25:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:25:4)

**ויבא [סגנים].** בארצות סגנים, או במחנה סגנים, וירמסם:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*And he shall come upon princes,* etc. He shall come into the land or the camp of princes, and tread upon them, *as upon mortar*.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:26:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:26:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:26:1)

**מי.** ונאמר צדיק, צדקו דבריו, והפך הכזב:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
צדיק *He is righteous.* His words are true; it is the opposite of כזב false.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:26:2
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:26:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:26:2)

והנה **אין משמיע** ואין מי שישמע אמרי הצלמים, כי פה להם ולא ידברו (תהלים קט"ו ה'):

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*Behold, there is none that showeth,* none that heareth the words of the idols; for they have mouths but speak not (Ps. 115:5)


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:27:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:27:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:27:1)

**ראשון.** ראשון אחר ראשון, וזה תאר המבשר:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*The first.* The first relatively;³⁵ it is the attribute to מבשר one that bringeth good tidings, which is to be supplied.

footnotes:
³⁵ The first in an absolute sense, can only be applied to God; I. E. therefore explains the word ראשון here by ראשון אחר ראשון lit. the first after another first, that is, the first relatively.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:27:2
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:27:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:27:2)

**הנה [הנם].** שיאמר המבשר לציון, והנה בני והנם, והכפל להורות על המהירות:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
הנה הם ═ הנם *Behold them.* These are the words which the messenger will say to Zion, behold there they are. The repetition of הנה behold is to indicate the speediness of the appreach.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:28:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:28:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:28:1)

**וארא.** והנה אין איש מאנשי הצלמים שיגידו זאת:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*For I beheld and there was no man* of the idolaters that could tell this.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:29:1
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:29:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:29:1)

**הן כולם.** על הצלמים:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
*They.* The idols.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:29:2
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:29:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:29:2)

יש אומרים כי וי"ו**און**תחת יו"ד כי אותיות יהו"א מתחלפות, ויתכן היותו כמשמעו, הם הבל ואף כי מעשיהם:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
אין ═ און nothing as some explain ; the letters אֹ הֹ וֹ יֹ interchange. It can, however, also be taken literally.³⁶ The meaning of the verse is, they are vanity, much more so their works.³⁷

footnotes:
³⁶ There is hardly any difference between the two explanations, since און in the meaning vain must ultimately be derived from אין nothing.
³⁷ I. E. here again neglects the accents, which demand the following rendering: Behold, all of them! their works are vain, nothing.


###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:29:3
[Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 41:29:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/41:29:3)

**נסכיהם.** יש אומרים מגזרת עגל (שמות ל"ב ד') מסכה והנכון בעיני, הנסכים שיסכו להם עובדיהם:

**Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:**
נסכיהם According to some their images; comp. עגל מסכה molten calf (Ex. 32:4). I explain it their libations, that is, the libations which the idolaters offer to their idols.³⁸

footnotes:
³⁸ The parallelism of the verse demands for נסכיהם a rendering similar in meaning to מעשיהם their works. If therefore the former is correctly rendered drink-offerings, the latter must refer to sacrifices, to which, however, the remark of I. E. they themselves are vain, how much more their works cannot be applied. The author seems here to have neglected the rule of the parallelism which he repeatedly recommends, without any necessity; for נסך admits also the meaning to weave to form, and מעשה ═ נֶסֶך the work ; comp. I. E. on Ex. 32:4.