to the Valley of Jehoshaphat—I will descend with them to the depth of justice. Jehoshaphat—The judgments of the Lord.

they cast lots Heb. יִדּוּ. Like (Lam. 3:53) “And they cast (וַיַּדּוּ) a stone upon me.”

Are you paying Me recompense—Is this the recompense for what Solomon gave Hiram, the king of Tyre, twenty cities (I Kings 9:11)?

swiftly Heb. קַל מְהֵרָה, an expression of eagerness.

to the Shebaites—To the children of Sheba.

for the Lord has spoken—Now where did He speak? (Gen. 9:25) “A slave of slaves shall he be to his brothers.” So it is explained in Mechilta (Ex. 12:25).

prepare war—if you can wage war against Me.

your plowshares Heb. אִתֵּיכֶם, koltres in O.F:, colters.

and your pruning hooks Heb. וּמַזְמְרוֹתֵיכֶם, serpes in French.

Gather Heb. עוּשׁוּ. Like חוּשוּ, hasten, so did Menahem associate it. Jonathan, however, renders: they shall gather, and I say that it is an expression of a block of iron (עֶשֶת), which is gathered together, masse in French, and the “tav” is not a radical.

there the Lord shall break your mighty men Heb. הַנְחַת. There in the gathering of the Valley of Jehoshaphat, He will break your might. So did Jonathanrender it, but I do not know whether it is an Aramaic expression of lowering (נחת) or an expression of breaking (חתת), and the “nun” is defective. Cf. (Dan. 2:25) “brought Daniel in (הנְעַל) before the king,” which has no radical but על.

Stretch out a sickle etc.—Draw the swords, you who go on My mission to destroy the nations.

for the harvest is ripe—I.e, for their time has arrived, and he compared the matter to harvest, which is harvested with sickles when it becomes completely ripe.

come press for the winepress is full—of grapes. Come and tread them; i.e., the measure of their iniquity is full. press Heb. רְדוּ, an expression of pressing [or ruling]. Cf. (Gen. 1:28) “And rule (וּרְדוּ) over the fish of the sea.”

and the vats shall roar—The sound of the stream of the wine going down in the vats before the winepresses is heard.

in the valley of decision—For there it is decided that the judgment is true. And so did Jonathanrender: the valley of judgment.

have withdrawn their shining—Have taken in their shining.

shall roar from Zion—Because of what they did to Zion.

and the heavens and earth shall quake—He will deal retribution upon the heavenly princes and then upon the nations.

a shelter Heb. מַחֲסֶה, an expression of a cover, abrier in O.F., abri in modern French, a shelter.

springs Heb. אֲפִיקֵי, a place of the source of water.

and water the valley of Shittim—According to its apparent meaning, and it will water the valley of Shittim (Targum), and, according to its Midrashic meaning, He will atone for the iniquity of Peor.

Egypt etc. and Edom—He juxtaposed them as regards their retribution. You find that, were it not for Egypt, Edom would not exist, as it is stated: (I Kings 11:16 21) “For Joab and all Israel remained [stationed] there for six months etc. every male in Edom.” And it is stated there: (verse 17) “Adad fled, he and some Edomite men etc. And Hadad pleased Pharaoh very much etc. And Hadad etc. that David slept with his fathers etc.” And, at the end, (verse 25) “And he was an adversary to Solomon (sic).” Said the Holy One, blessed be He: I will destroy both of them.

because of the violence done to the children of Judah—Because of the violence they did to the children of Judah, viz., that they shed their blood.

Now should I cleanse, their blood I will not cleanse—Even if I cleanse them of other sins in their hands, and of the evils they have done to Me, I will not cleanse them of the blood of the children of Judah. When will this come to pass? At the time the Holy One, blessed be He, dwells in Zion.