The harsh prophecy of Babylon The prophecy of the retribution which [will fall] upon Babylon.

On a tranquil mountain raise a banner to gather. On a tranquil, trusting, undisturbed mountain, raise a banner to the nations and raise your voice to those gathering, that they come upon it.

wave your hand Wave your hand to the distant ones who cannot hear, and let them see the waving of the hand and enter the gates of the nobles, of the princes of Babylon.

the gates Heb. פִּתְחֵי. As though it would say, בְּפִתְחֵי, into the gates. Comp. (Gen. 38:11) “Stay as a widow in your father’s house (בֵּית אָבִיךְ),” interpreted as בְּבֵית אָבִיךְ. Menachem ben Seruk (Machbereth Menachem p. 147) interpreted it as swords. Comp. (Psalms 55:22) “And they are drawn swords (פְּתִיחוֹת).”

I commanded My appointed ones that they come and commence to incite them, and they are Persia and Media, the men of Cyrus and Darius, whom I appointed for this.

I summoned My heroes to [execute] My wrath To execute My wrath upon them, for they rejoice in My pride that I boast of them.

and the weapons of His fury They are the mighty men of Media and Persia.

to destroy all the land of Babylonia.

like a raid Like a day of plunder, from the Holy One, blessed be He, it shall come.

all hands of the Babylonians.

pangs and throes (צִירִים וַחֲבָלִים) These are expressions of pains of a woman who kneels to give birth, for the hinges (צִירִים) of her womb break apart to open.

they shall writhe Heb. יְחִילוּן. חִיל, חַלְחָלָה are expressions of shivering.

each man shall be amazed at his fellow The Babylonians will be amazed at those who advanced against them, for they are peculiar.

their faces are faces of flames A nation whose faces are red and very frightful, [or alternatively, because they are a pensive people, and he compares the Babylonians to them because of the amazement.]

and its sinners Heb. וְחַטָּאֶיהָ, similar to חוֹטְאֶיהָ.

and its constellations Similar to מַזָּלוֹתֵיהֶם.

illuminate Heb. יָהֵלּוּ. They shall illuminate, and so (Job 29:3), “When his lamp shone,” (בְּהִלּוֹ)” (ibid. 31:26). The light when it shone brightly (יָהֵל).

the sun has become dark Because of their distress, it seems to them as though the sun has become dark.

upon the earth On their land.

I will make mortal man dearer than fine gold On that night I will honor Daniel more than fine gold. When they brought him to read the writing (Dan. 5:25): “Mene mene tekel ufarsin”; (ibid. 5: 25) “Then Belshazzar ordered, and they dressed Daniel in purple...”

more than a collection of the gold of Ophir Heb. מִכֶּתֶם אוֹפִיר, a collection of the gold of Ophir.

I will make heaven quake All their host will quake when I cast down the prince of Babylon, for the Holy One, blessed be He, does not punish the nations until He punishes their heavenly princes first, as Scripture states (infra 24:21): “The Lord shall visit upon the heavenly host on high,” and afterwards, “on the kings of the earth on the earth.” Scripture states further (infra 14:12): “How have you fallen from heaven, Lucifer, the morning star?” And then, “You have been cut down to the ground, you who cast lots on nations.” Here too, first, “I will make heaven quake,” and afterwards, “the earth will quake.” Its inhabitants shall quake at the news of its downfall, for they shall be astonished at the event.

And he shall be i.e., every inhabitant of Babylon.

like a roving deer i.e., like a deer roving from its place.

Everyone who is found outside, shall be stabbed.

and anyone who takes refuge with the people of the city to be included with them in the siege, shall fall by the sword when the city capitulates. נִסְפֶּה is an expression similar to (Deut. 29:18): “To add the unintentional sins to the lustful ones (סְפוֹת)”; (infra 29:1) “Add year upon year (סְפוּ)”; (Jer. 7:21) “Add (סְפוּ) to your sacrifices.” [akojjlir in O.F.], to join.

shall be dashed Heb. יְרֻטָּשׁוּ. Comp. (verse 18) “Shall dash (תְּרַטַּשְׁנָה) youths.”

Behold I stir up Media against them Darius the Mede assassinated Belshazzar. So Scripture states (Dan. 5:30): “On that very night, Belshazzar...was slain”; (ibid. 6:1) “And Darius the Mede acquired the kingdom.”

and do not desire gold They do not care [for anything,] but to kill and to avenge the harm the kings of Babylon did to all the peoples.

And the bows of the peoples of Media.

youths of Babylon.

shall dash shall split with their arrows that they shoot with their bows.

newborn [lit. fruit of the womb] Frail infants.

And Babylon...shall be Two calamities befell her in two years. Darius assassinated Belshazzar and ruled a year, and in the second year it was turned over like Sodom from heaven. And so we learned in Seder Olam (ch. 28). And in that year the news came concerning Darius, and after him, in the year, the news, and Babylon that was the beauty of the kingdoms...that was the leader and the head of the kingdoms and that was the glory of the pride of the Chaldees now, shall be like the overturning of Sodom.

and no Arab shall pitch his tent there Heb. יַהֵל, like יַאֲהֵל. Even Arabs, who customarily dwell in tents and move their livestock from place to place, will not be pleased with Babylon, to set up their tents there, for it will not even be fit for pasture for flocks. And do not wonder about לֹא יַהֵל, which is explained like לֹא יַאֲהֵל, for there are many places in which the sound of the letter is substituted for the letter, and so (Job 35:11), “He teaches us (מַלְפֵנוּ) from the beasts of the earth,” like מְאַלְפֵנוּ, and so, (Prov. 17:4), “A liar hearkens (מֵזִין) to a destructive tongue,” like מַאֲזִין.

martens Heb. צִיִּים. Jonathan translates: תַּמְוָן, identical with נִמִּיּוֹת [found in the Talmud] martrines in O.F.

ferrets Heb. אֹחִים. I do not know what kind of animal they are. [אֹחִים is an expression of thorns, thistles, and briars.]

and satyrs demons.

And cats shall dwell in his palaces Heb. וְעָנָה אִיִּים בְּאַלְמְנוֹתָיו. And cats shall dwell in his palaces.

וְעָנַָה is similar to (Hosea 2:17) “And she shall dwell (וְעָנְתָה) there.” Also (Nahum 2:13) “And his dens (וּמְעוֹנוֹתָיו) with what he had torn.” וְעָנָה may also be interpreted as an expression of raising the voice.

and serpents shall dwell [or howl] in their temples of pleasure.

and her days The days of her flourishing shall not be extended, for Israel was promised (Jer. 29:10): “When seventy years of Babylon are over, I will remember you.” And that remembering will be through Cyrus king of Persia, who will take the kingdom from Babylon after Darius the Mede, for they both, Media and Persia, joined over it, [i.e., over Babylon,] and stipulated between themselves, if the kings are from us, the governors are from you.