## Ibn Ezra on Isaiah Chapter 9 ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:1:1 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:1:1) **העם.** אלה הם אנשי ירושלם שהולכים במסילותיה כעור שלא יראה מרוב הצער: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** *The people that walk in darkness*. The people of Jerusalem, who in their affliction walk in her streets as if they were blind of both their eyes. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:2:1 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:2:1) **הרבית.** הם יהודה שנקבצו אל ירושלם, וטעם לו הרבית השמחה כאשר הוא קרי, ואשר הוא באל"ף לא היתה שמחה כמוה, כמו לא היה פחד (תהלים נ"ג ו'): **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** *Thou hast multiplied the nation*, that is, the tribe of Judah, that assembled again in Jerusalem. לו הגדלת השמחה Unto him thou hast increased the rejoicing;¹ this is according to the Keri; but according to the Ketib,² To whom thou hast never before given so great rejoicing; comp. לא היה פחד There was no such dread before (Ps. 53:6).³ footnotes: ¹ A. V., And not increased the joy. ² Keri (קרי the Chaldæan participle passive of קרא to read) is the reading of the text of the Bible according to the direction of the Massorah (tradition)—that is, according to the vowels, accents, and other signs with which the text is supplemented. Ketib (כתיב the Chaldaean participle passive of כתב to write), the text as it is written, without omitting, supplying, or altering any letter; the vowels to the letters must be supplied by the reader; for those in the text belong to the Keri. ³ Comp. also 23:13, זה העם לא היה. According to Ibn Ezra, לא היה כמוהו זה העם There was not such a people before. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:3:1 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:3:1) **כי את עול סבלו.** משקלי השמו' משתני': **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** סבלו *His burden*. The form of the noun varies.⁴, סׂבֶל and סֵבֶל burden. footnotes: ⁴ Our attention is very often called to this rule, as if the author protested thereby against the minute distinctions drawn by some synonymists in cases of nouns of the same root but of various grammatical structure; as, e.g. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:3:2 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:3:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:3:2) **מטה.** מכה שכמו: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** *The staff of his shoulder*. The staff that smote his shoulder. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:3:3 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:3:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:3:3) **החתות.** נפתח הה"א בעבור אות הגרון, כמו החלו' (דברים ג' כ"ד), ואין מלה זרה, ותי"ו החתות לנוכח השם, כמו הרבית הגוי: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** החתות *Thou hast broken*. The ה has Pathah on account of the succeeding guttural (ח); comp. הַחלות Thou hast begun (Deuter. 3:24); it is a regular form.⁵ The second person refers to God, as in הרבית Thou hast multiplied. footnotes: ⁵ Hiphil past of התת to break. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:3:4 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:3:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:3:4) **כיום מדין.** בימי גדעון (שופ' ז' וח'): **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** *As in the days of Midian*. In the time of Gideon.⁶ footnotes: ⁶ Comp. Judges vii. and viii. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:4:1 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:4:1) **כי וגו'.** יש אומרים סאון מגזרת סאה, שהשם מדד לאשור כפי מעשיו, ויש אומר שהוא הפוך מן אסון, כמו כשב וכבש, והנכון שאין למלה הזאת דומ', והעד סואן שהו' פועל והנו"ן שורש, וטעמו כמו נאקה, ברעש גדול: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** סאון. According to some, this word is related to סאה measure, and the meaning of the whole phrase is, God gave to Assyria the full measure according to her deeds. Some say, that by metathesis סאון is said for אסון mishap;⁷ comp. כשב ═ כבש lamb; more correctly it may be said that this word is a hapax legomenon, and from the succeeding סואן, which is a verb (participle Kal), we see that נ is radical; the meaning of סאן is to cry loudly. ⁸ footnotes: ⁷ The meaning of the phrase would then be: For every kind of calamity will burst upon them tempestuously. ⁸ I. E. does not tell us whence he derived his meaning for this hapax legomenon; very probably, however, from its being connected with ברעש, with confused noise. According to this explanation the meaning of the phrase in question is : For all kinds of noise raged furiously. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:4:2 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:4:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:4:2) **ושמלה מגוללה בדמים.** וכל אחד שוכב חלל ושמלתו מגוללה בדמיו או טעמו השמלה שהיתה מגוללה בדמי חללים שהרג, והנה הית' לשרפה, והטעם על מיתת חיל סנחריב ביד המלאך כנשרפים (ישעיהו ל"ז ל"ו): **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** ושמלה מגוללה בדמים *And garments rolled in blood*. Every one lies slain in his blood. Or the garment which rolled in the blood of murdered people, etc. לשרפה והיתה *It was burned*.¹ This refers to the destruction of the host of Sennacherib, which was burnt by the angel (37:36) footnotes: ¹ A. V., But this shall be with burning. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:5:1 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:5:1) **כי.** כל זה בזכות הילד שיולד לנו, וידענו כי בבא סנחריב היה חזקיהו בן שלשים ותשע שנה לכן קראו ילד בעת נבואת הנביא, יש אומרים כי פלא יועץ אל גבור אבי עד הן שמות השם ושם הילד שר שלום, והנכון בעיני כי כל אלה שמו' הילד, פלא שהשם עשה פלא בימיו, יועץ כן היה חזקיה ויועץ המלך (דברי הימים ב' ל' ב'), אל גבור שהיה תקיף, אבי עד שנמשכה מלכות בית דוד בעבורו, ועד כמו שוכן עד (ישעיהו נ"ח ט"ו), שר שלום שהיה שלום בימיו וכן כתוב (דברי הימים ב' ל"ב כ"ב): **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** *For unto us*, etc. All this has come to pass through the merit of the child that is born unto us. We know that at the time of the invasion of Sennacherib, Hezekiah was thirty-nine years old;⁹ at the time of this prophecy he is, therefore, called child (ילד). פלא יועץ אל גבור אבי עד. According to some, these expressions are names of God, and the following שר שלום, the name of the child. I think that all these words are names of the child; he is called פלא wonder, ¹⁰¹⁰¹⁰¹⁰ because God did wonders in his days; יועץ counselling; this is distinctly said of Hezekiah (comp. 2 Chr. 30:2); אל גבור Mighty chief; for Hezekiah was powerful; אבי עד The father of perpetuity, because the reign of the house of David was prolonged through his merits: עַד has here the same meaning as in 58:15. שר שלום Prince of peace because peace was established in his days; comp. 2 Chron. 32:22 footnotes: ⁹ Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he commenced to reign; he was king for twenty-nine years (2 Kings 18:2); fifteen years before his death he fell ill (20:6), and this seems to have happened immediately after the destruction of the Assyrian army. According to I. E. on 8:5, Hezekiah was at the time of this prophecy twenty-nine years old. As to the application of the word ילד to adults comp. Gen. 33:5, 37:30, 44:20. ¹⁰ A. V., Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father. ¹⁰ A. V., Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father. ¹⁰ A. V., Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father. ¹⁰ A. V., Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:6:1 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:6:1) **למרבה.** דרך דרש הסופרי' כי המ"ם סגור בתוך המלה והיה ראוי להיותו בסוף, רמז לאות השמש ששב הצל לאחור, יתכן היות מרבה שם כמו מעשה, או פועל מהבנין הכבד הנוסף: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** למרבה Some remark, after the manner of the Midrash,¹¹, when a final Mem is found in the middle of a word; as such instances are too striking to be easily forgotten, any lesson which may be attached to them will probably retain a firm hold upon the memory. that the use of the final Mem in this word hints at the miracle of the sun’s shadow going backward (38:8).¹² מרבה is either a noun, increase, like מְַעַשֶׂה work, or a regular participle Hiphil, causing to increase. footnotes: ¹¹ פשט and מדרש (simplicity and research), are the two modes of commentary met with in Hebrew Literature; while the former reads and expounds the Scriptural text before us, the latter does not confine itself to this task, but, introducing extraneous historical, philosophical and moral matter, employs the wording of the text as a framework, or simply as a support to the memory. Notice is, therefore, taken even of the shape of the letters if they deviate in any extraordinary way from their customary form; as, e.g. ¹² In the Yalkut no mention is made of this explanation. Kimchi gives a Midrash explanation to this final Mem, but different from that cited by Ibn Ezra. Neither of them gives any account of the word, which is certainly one of the many instances of Keri and Ketib; according to the Keri it is read למרבה, according to the Ketib להם רבה ═ לם רבה. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:6:2 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:6:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:6:2) **במשפט.** וכן כתוב [שם]: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** *With justice*. Comp. 2 Chr. 32:22 ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:7:1 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:7:1) **דבר.** דבר נבואה או גזירה: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** *A word*. A prophecy or Divine decree.¹³ footnotes: ¹³ גזרה is, according to I. E., the divine decree, as it commences already to operate; the first natural causes of the events to which the decree refers. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:7:2 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:7:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:7:2) **ונפל.** הטעם כפול כמשפט: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** *And it hath lighted*, etc. Repetition of the same idea as usual. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:8:1 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:8:1) **וידעו, אפרים.** הם עשרת השבטים: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** *Ephraim*. The ten tribes. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:9:1 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:9:1) **לבנים.** דרך משל אם אשור הרע לנו עוד נשוב כקדמותינו וטובים מאשר היינו: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** *The bricks are fallen down*, etc. A figurative expression for Assyria has done evil to us, but we shall again be as happy as before, and even happier. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:9:2 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:9:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:9:2) **שקמים.** כדמו' תאנים רעים: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** שקמים A kind of inferior fig-trees, sycamores. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:10:1 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:10:1) **וישגב. צרי רצין.** הם אשור: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** *The adversaries of Rezin*. The Assyrians. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:10:2 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:10:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:10:2) **אויביו.** שב אל השם, והם ארם או ישראל: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** *His enemies*. The enemies of God : Aram, or Israel. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:11:1 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:11:1) והנה ארם שהם מזרח לישראל ישובו להרע לישראל עם מלכי אשור: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** *The Syrians*, etc. The Syrians in the east of Israel will join Assyria to do evil to Israel. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:11:2 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:11:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:11:2) **מאחור.** שהם במערב ארץ ישראל: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** *And the Philistines*, etc. They are in the west of Palestine. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:12:1 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:12:1) **והעם.** על ישראל: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** *And the people*. Namely, Israel. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:12:2 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:12:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:12:2) **המכהו.** הוא השם שהוא המכ' באמת ובאו סימנים שנים, כמו בתוך האהלי (יהושע ז' כ"א): **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** *Unto him that smiteth them*. Unto God, because in truth it is He that smote; the word המכהו has two determinations, like האהלי (Jos. 21:7), my tent.¹⁴ footnotes: ¹⁴ The two determinations are: the definite article and the possessive pronoun. Nouns with pronominal suffixes have usually no article, because they are sufficiently determined by the pronoun contained in the suffix. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:13:1 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:13:1) **ויכרת וגו'.** הטעם לא שב העם, כי אין מורה להם הדרך הישרה: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** The people did not return to the Lord, because there was none to show them the right way. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:13:2 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:13:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:13:2) **כפה.** הוא השרש, וככה וכפתו לא רעננה (איוב ט"ו ל"ב): **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** כפה *Root*.¹⁵ Comp. וכפתו And his root (Job 15:32). footnotes: ¹⁵ A. V., Branch. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:13:3 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:13:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:13:3) **ואגמון.** כמו הלכוף כאגמון ראשו (ישעיהו נ"ח ה'), והוא צמח נראה וידוע: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** ואגמון *And rush*. Comp. 58:5. It is a well-known tender plant.¹⁶ footnotes: ¹⁶ נר in our editions must be replaced by רך. Comp. I. E. on Is. 58:5. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:14:1 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:14:1) **זקן.** והנה פירש כי הראש משל לזקן, וכן הכפה, והזנב והאגמון משל לנביא השקר: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** *The ancient*, etc. Now the prophet explains that both head and root signify the old;¹⁷ the tail and the rush signify the false prophet. footnotes: ¹⁷ The old has here the meaning of chief, which זקנים elders very often has in the Bible. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:15:1 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:15:1) **ויהיו וגו'.** אל"ף מאשרי תחת יו"ד, והפך זה תתיימרו (ישעיהו ס"א ו'), וכן אל"ף ומאשריו: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** מאשרי *The leaders of*. Here we have א instead of י. This process of substituting א for י is reversed in תתימרו You boast yourselves (61:6). In ומאשריו And they that are led, is the א again in the place of ¹⁸.י footnotes: ¹⁸ Comp. I. E. on 1:17. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:16:1 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:16:1) **על כן.** ישמח השם, כדרך לשון אדם כי בהיות הנעשים בטוב ישמחו עושיהם: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** *The Lord will rejoice*. Anthropomorphism; as human beings are accustomed to rejoice when their work is in a good condition. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:16:2 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:16:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:16:2) **חנף.** הוא ברו טוב ותוכו רע: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** חנף *Hypocrite*. A man who is virtuous in outward appearance, but vicious at heart. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:17:1 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:17:1) **כי וגו'.** דמה הרשע לאש שיאכל המבער, והשמיד והשית הם הרשעים: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** *For wickedness burneth*, etc. The prophet compares the fate of the wicked with the fire which consumes the thing that has produced the fire. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:17:2 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:17:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:17:2) **ויתאבכו.** מלה זרה כמו התרוממו: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** *Thorns and thistles*. The wicked. ויתאבכו Hapax legomenon. And they mount up. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:18:1 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:18:1) **בעברת.** נעתם, בלשון קדר כמו חשך גם זה דבק בעבור העשן הנזכר למעלה, ור' משה הכהן אמר שהוא כמו יועם זהב (איכה ד' א') והתי"ו מבנין התפעל, וזאת טעות גדולה: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** נעתם *Is darkened*. In Arabic the word signifies dark.¹⁹ This verse is closely connected with the preceding, where the smoke is described. R. Moses Hakkohen compares נעתם with יועם is become dim (Lam. 4:1), and explains the ת to be the characteristic of the Hithpael; but this is a blunder.²⁰ footnotes: ¹⁹ عَتَمَتٌ is the third part of the night; عَتَمَ it was dark. ²⁰ The ת of the Hithpael is put after the first letter of the root only when the root begins with one of the letters ז ס ש ץ. According to R. Moses נעתם would rather be Nithpael; a form derived from the Hithpael, as the Niphal from the Kal. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:19:1 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:19:1) **ויגזר.** דרך משל בעבור מלחמות שיעשו ביניהם והן אחים, כאילו הם גוף אחד: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** *And he shall snatch*, etc. Figuratively said, referring to the civil wars which they shall wage against each other, though being brethren, and forming, as it were, one body. ###### Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:20:1 [Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 9:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Isaiah/r/9:20:1) **מנשה.** זה פירוש הפסוק שהוא מלמעלה, והנה מנשה ילחם עם אפרים ושניהם על יהודה: **Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873:** *Manasseh, Ephraim*, etc. This verse explains the preceding; Manasseh will fight against Ephraim, and both against Judah.