Rashi on Psalms Chapter 18
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בְּיוֹם הִצִּיל ה׳ אוֹתוֹ וְגוֹ׳. כְּשֶׁהִזְקִין, וּכְבָר עָבְרוּ עָלָיו כָּל צָרוֹתָיו וְנִצּוֹל מֵהֶם:
on the day the Lord saved him etc. When he became old and all his troubles had already passed over him and he was saved from them.
וּמִיַּד שָׁאוּל. וַהֲלֹא שָׁאוּל בִּכְלָל הָיָה? אֶלָּא לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה קָשֶׁה עָלָיו וְרוֹדְפוֹ יוֹתֵר מִכֻּלָּם. כְּיוֹצֵא בַדָּבָר אַתָּה אוֹמֵר: ״וְרָאוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְאֶת יְרִיחוֹ״ (יהושע ב:א):
and from the hand of Saul Was not Saul included? But [he is mentioned specifically] because he was the harshest to him and pursued him more than all of them. Similarly, you say (in Josh. 2:1): “see the land and Jericho.”
אֶרְחָמְךָ. אֲאַהֶבְךָ, כְּדִמְתַרְגֵּם ״וְאָהַבְתָּ״ (ויקרא יט:יח): ״וְתִרְחַם״ (תרגום אונקלוס):
I love You Heb. ארחמך, I love You, as the Targum renders (Lev. 19:18): “and you shall love your neighbor,” ותרחם.
סַלְעִי. שֶׁעֲזַרְתַּנִי בְּסֶלַע הַמַּחְלְקוֹת, כְּשֶׁהָיִיתִי מְצֻמְצָם בֵּין שָׁאוּל וַאֲנָשָׁיו לְהִתָּפֵס, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְשָׁאוּל וַאֲנָשָׁיו עוֹטְרִים אֶל דָּוִד וְגוֹמֵר״ (שמואל א כג:כו):
my rock For You saved me at the Rock of the Divisions (I Sam. 23:28), when I was trapped between Saul and his men, to be caught, as it is stated (in I Sam. 23:26): “but Saul and his men were encircling to David and his men etc.”
וּמְצוּדָתִי. לְשׁוֹן מִבְצָר:
and my fortress Heb. ומצודתי, an expression of a fortress.
צוּרִי. לְשׁוֹן סֶלַע:
my rock Heb. צורי, an expression of a rock.
אֶחֱסֶה. אַבְרִיאַיְי״ר בְּלַעַ״ז:
I will take refuge Abrier in French (to protect, cover; cf. Rashi to Isa. 30:2, Joel 4:16).
אֶחֱסֶה בּוֹ. אֶתְכַּסֶּה בְּצִלּוֹ, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וּמִבְּלִי מַחְסֶה חִבְּקוּ צוּר״ (איוב כד:ח) – שֶׁהַסְּלָעִים כִּסּוּי וּמָגֵן לְהוֹלְכֵי דְרָכִים מִן הָרוּחוֹת וּמִזֶּרֶם גְּשָׁמִים:
I will take refuge in Him I will take shelter in His shade, as the matter is stated (in Job 24:8): “and without shelter (מחסה) they embrace the rocks,” because the rocks are a shelter and a shield for the travelers from the winds and from the downpour of rains.
מְהֻלָּל אֶקְרָא ה׳. בְּהִלּוּלִים אֶקְרָא וְאֶתְפַּלֵּל לְפָנָיו תָּמִיד, כְּלוֹמַר אַף לִפְנֵי הַתְּשׁוּעָה אֲנִי מְהַלְּלוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁבָּטוּחַ אֲנִי שֶׁאִוָּשַׁע מֵאוֹיְבַי:
With praise I call to the lord With praises I call Him and pray before Him constantly, i.e., even before the salvation I praise Him, because I am confident that I will be saved from my enemies.
אֲפָפוּנִי חֶבְלֵי מָוֶת. פְּעָמִים רַבּוֹת סְבָבוּנִי רְשָׁעִים, אֲפָפוּנִי כְּמוֹ סְבָבוּנִי, וְכֵן ״אָפְפוּ עָלַי רָעוֹת״ (תהלים מ:יג):
Bands of death have encompassed me On many occasions wicked men have surrounded me. אפפוני is like סבבוני. Similarly (below 40:13), “For countless evils...have encompassed (אפפו) me.”
חֶבְלֵי מָוֶת. מַחֲנוֹת אוֹיְבִים, כְּמוֹ ״חֶבֶל נְבִיאִים״ בְּסֵפֶר שְׁמוּאֵל (שמואל א י:ה). וְיוֹנָתָן תִּרְגֵּם: ״כְּאִתְּתָא דְּיָתְבָא עַל מַתְבְּרָא״, לְשׁוֹן ״חֶבְלֵי יוֹלֵדָה״ (הושע יג:יג):
Bands of death Heb. חבלי, camps of enemies, as (in I Sam. 10:5): “a band (חבל) of prophets.” But Jonathan renders: as a woman who sits on a birthstool, an expression of the pangs (חבלי) of a woman in confinement.
וְנַחֲלֵי בְלִיַּעַל. אַף הוּא לְשׁוֹן גְּיָסוֹת שׁוֹטְפִים כְּנַחַל:
and streams of scoundrels That too is an expression of troops that flood like a stream.
חֶבְלֵי שְׁאוֹל. כְּמוֹ חֶבְלֵי מָוֶת – ״מַשְׁרְיָן רַשִׁיעָן״ (תרגום יונתן שמואל ב כב:ו), וַאֲנִי מָה הָיִיתִי עוֹשֶׂה?
Bands of the nether world Like “bands of death,” camps of wicked men, and I - what did I do?
בַּצַּר לִי אֶקְרָא. אֲנִי הָיִיתִי קוֹרֵא לַה׳ תָּמִיד:
When I am in distress, I call I would always call upon the Lord.
וַתִּגְעַשׁ וַתִּרְעַשׁ הָאָרֶץ. אֵינוֹ מְחֻבָּר לְמִקְרָא עֶלְיוֹן, אֶלָּא מְחֻבָּר רֹאשׁוֹ לְסוֹפוֹ: כִּי חָרָה לוֹ וַתִּגְעַשׁ וַתִּרְעַשׁ הָאָרֶץ. כִּי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן כַּאֲשֶׁר: כְּשֶׁחָרָה לוֹ וּבָא לִנְקֹם נִקְמַת עַמּוֹ וַעֲבָדָיו מִפַּרְעֹה וּמֵעַמּוֹ, גָּעֲשָׁה וְרָעֲשָׁה הָאָרֶץ:
The earth shook and quaked This is not connected to the preceding verse, but its beginning is connected to its end; i.e., when He was angered, the earth shook and quaked. [The word] כי is used as an expression of “when.” When He was angered and came to wreak the vengeance of His people, His servants, on Pharaoh and his people, the earth shook and quaked.
עָלָה עָשָׁן בְּאַפּוֹ. אַנְשִׁישְׁנַארִילַ״שׁ בְּלַעַ״ז, כֵּן דֶּרֶךְ כָּל חֲרוֹן אַף לְהַעֲלוֹת עָשָׁן מִנְּחִירָיו:
Smoke went up in His nostrils (En ses nariles in Old French, in his nostrils.) So is the custom of every anger, to cause smoke to ascend from his nostrils.
וַיֵּט שָׁמַיִם וַיֵּרַד. לַעֲבוֹר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם. וַיֵּרַד כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ. לָשׁוֹן אַחֵר: אִיאַנְטְבִּ״שׁ בְּלַעַ״ז:
And He bent the heavens, and He came down to pass through the land of Egypt. “He came down” is to be understood in its simple meaning. Another explanation is “i atonvit” in Old French, to flatten, as (in Exod. 39:3), and the radical is רדד.
וַיֵּדֶא. וַיָּעֹף, כְּמוֹ ״כַּאֲשֶׁר יִדְאֶה הַנָּשֶׁר״ (דברים כח:מט):
He swooped Heb. וידא, He flew, as (in Deut. 28:49), “as the eagle swoops (ידאה).”
חֶשְׁכַת מַיִם. שֶׁבְּעָבֵי שְׁחָקִים הֵם חֹשֶׁךְ אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבוֹתָיו. וְשֶׁמָּא תֹּאמַר: לִפְנִים מִן הַחֹשֶׁךְ אֵין אוֹר? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: מִנֹּגַהּ אֲשֶׁר נֶגְדּוֹ וּמִתּוֹךְ מְחִיצָתוֹ, אֶת עָבָיו אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבוֹתָיו בּוֹקְעִים וְעוֹבְרִים בָּרָד וְגַחֲלֵי אֵשׁ:
the darkness of waters that are in the thick clouds of the skies are the darkness that is about Him. Lest you say that within the darkness there is no light, Scripture tells us: From the brightness before Him, and from within His partition, His thick clouds that are about Him are split, and hail and coals of fire pass through them.
עָבְרוּ. טְרִישְׁפָּא״שְׁנְט בְּלַעַ״ז, הַבָּרָד בּוֹקֵעַ וְעוֹבֵר עַל הַמִּצְרִיִּים עַל יָם סוּף (שמות יד:כא-כח):
passed Heb. עברו, trepasant in Old French, passed. The hail split and passes through onto the Egyptians at the Sea of Reeds.
וַיֵּרָאוּ אֲפִיקֵי מַיִם. כְּשֶׁנִּבְקַע הַיָּם:
And the depths of the water appeared when the sea split.
וַיִּגָּלוּ מוֹסְדוֹת תֵּבֵל. שֶׁכָּל מֵימוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם נִבְקְעוּ:
the foundations of the world were laid bare for all the waters in the world split.
מִנִּשְׁמַת. מִנְּשִׁיבַת:
by the blast from the blowing.
יִשְׁלַח מִמָּרוֹם. מַלְאָכָיו לְהַצִּיל אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן הַיָּם וּמִמִּצְרַיִם:
He sent forth from on high His angels to save Israel from the sea and from the Egyptians.
יִמְשֵׁנִי. לְשׁוֹן הוֹצָאָה, כְּמוֹ ״כִּי מִן הַמַּיִם מְשִׁיתִהוּ״ (שמות ב:י):
He drew me out Heb. ימשני, an expression of drawing out, as (in Exod. 2:10), “I drew him out (משיתהו) of the water.”
יְקַדְּמוּנִי. אוֹיְבַי הָיוּ מְמַהֲרִין וּמַקְדִּימִין לָבֹא עָלַי בְיוֹם אֵידִי וַיְהִי ה׳ וְגוֹמֵר״:
They confronted me My enemies would hasten and attack me early on the day of my calamity, but the Lord was, etc.
כְּצִדְקִי. כְּצֶדֶק לֶכְתִּי אַחֲרָיו בַּמִּדְבָּר (ירמיהו ב:ב):
according to my righteousness According to the righteousness of my following Him in the desert.
כְּבֹר. לְשׁוֹן נְקִיּוּת, כְּמוֹ ״וּבַר לֵבָב״ (תהלים כד:ד). דָּבָר אַחֵר: יִשְׁלַח מִמָּרוֹם יִקָּחֵנִי – כְּנֶגֶד עַצְמוֹ אָמַר, עַל שֵׁם הַמַּלְאָךְ שֶׁבָּא בְּסֶלַע הַמַּחְלְקוֹת לִפְצוֹת אֶת שָׁאוּל מֵעָלָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וּמַלְאָךְ בָּא אֶל שָׁאוּל וְגוֹמֵר״ (שמואל א כג:כז):
according to the cleanness Heb. כבד, an expression of cleanness, as (below 24:4), “and pure of heart.” Another explanation: He sent forth from on high [and] He took me. [David] said this about himself, concerning the angel who came to the Rock of the Divisions (I Sam. 23:27) to turn Saul away from him, as it is stated: “And an angel came to Saul, etc.”
כְּצִדְקִי. שֶׁלֹּא הֲרַגְתִּיו בְּכָרְתִי אֶת כְּנַף מְעִילוֹ (שמואל א כד:ד):
according to my righteousness that I did not slay him when I sliced off the skirt of his coat. [Obviously, Rashi explains verses 8-17 as referring to Israel’s departure from Egypt. Only in verse 17 does he suggest the explanation that David refers to his own experiences.]
כִּי כָל מִשְׁפָּטָיו לְנֶגְדִּי. תָּמִיד שַׂמְתִּים אוֹתָם לְנֶגֶד עֵינַי:
For all His ordinances were before me I always placed them before my eyes.
עִם חָסִיד תִּתְחַסָּד. כְּלוֹמַר: לְפִי שֶׁכֵּן דְּרָכָיו, לִגְמוֹל מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה. חָסִיד, תָּמִים, נָבָר – כְּנֶגֶד שְׁלֹשָׁה אָבוֹת:
With a kind one, You show Yourself kind Because so are His ways, to pay a measure for a measure. Kind...sincere...pure, corresponding to the three patriarchs.
עִם נָבָר. נֶאֱמָן:
With a pure one a faithful one.
עִם עִקֵּשׁ. כְּנֶגֶד פַּרְעֹה:
but with a crooked one alluding to Pharaoh.
כִּי אַתָּה תָּאִיר נֵרִי. כְּשֶׁנִּלְחַם בַּלַּיְלָה בִּגְדוּד עֲמָלֵק הַבָּא עַל צִקְלַג, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וַיַּכֵּם דָּוִד מֵהַנֶּשֶׁף וְעַד הָעֶרֶב לְמָחֳרָתָם״ (שמואל א ל:יז):
For You light my lamp when he fought at night with the Amalekite troop that attacked Ziklag, as it is stated (in I Sam. 30:17): “And David smote them from evening until evening to their morrow.”
כִּי בְךָ. בְּמִבְטַחֲךָ:
For by You By Your assurance.
וּבֵאלֹהַי אֲדַלֶּג שׁוּר. כְּשֶׁבָּא לְהִלָּחֵם עַל יְבוּס וְאָמַר: ״כָּל מַכֵּה יְבוּסִי יִהְיֶה לְרֹאשׁ וּלְשַׂר״ (דברי הימים א יא:ו), הֵבִיא יוֹאָב בְּרוֹשׁ רַעֲנָן וּכּפָפוֹ, וְנִתְלָה בּוֹ וְעָלָה עַל הַחוֹמָה. אָמַר דָּוִד: ״יֶהֶלְמֵנִי צַדִּיק וְגוֹמֵר״ (תהלים קמא:ה), קִצֵּר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת הַחוֹמָה וְדִלֵּג. בְּמִדְרַשׁ תְּהִלִּים:
and by my God I scale a wall When he came to wage war against Jebus, and he said (in I Chron. 11:6): “Whoever smites the Jebusites, etc. shall be a leader and a prince.” Joab brought a green juniper tree, bent it over, suspended himself on it, and scaled the wall. Said David (in Ps. 141:5): “May a righteous man smite me with loving-kindness,” and the Holy one, blessed be He, lowered the wall, and he scaled it (Mid. Ps. 18:24).
צְרוּפָה. בְּרוּרָה; מַבְטִיחַ וְעוֹשֶׂה:
refined Pure. He promises and He does.
וַיִּתֵּן תָּמִים דַּרְכִּי. הֵסִיר מִדְּרָכַי כָּל תַּקָּלָה וּמִכְשׁוֹל, עַד שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה שָׁלֵם וְכָבוּשׁ:
and He makes my way perfect He removed all obstacles from my way until it became perfect and paved.
מְשַׁוֶּה רַגְלַי כָּאַיָּלוֹת. רַגְלֵי הַנְּקֵבוֹת עוֹמְדוֹת בְּיֹשֶׁר יוֹתֵר מִשֶּׁל זְכָרִים:
He makes my feet like hinds The feet of the females stand straighter than those of the males.
וְנִחֲתָה קֶשֶׁת נְחוּשָׁה זְרוֹעֹתָי. וְנִחֲתָה לְשׁוֹן דְּרִיכַת קֶשֶׁת, כְּמוֹ ״חִצֶּיךָ נִחֲתוּ בִי״ (תהלים לח:ג), וּפֹעַל שֶׁלּוֹ נָחַת וּכְשֶׁמִּתְפַּעֵל בָּא דָּגֵשׁ וּמְחַסֵּר אֶת הַנּוּ״ן וְנִחֲתָה מִגִּזְרַת נִנְחֲתָה כְּמוֹ ״נִחַר גְּרוֹנִי״ (תהלים סט:ד) מִגִּזְרַת נִנְחַר, כְּמוֹ ״נָחַר מַפֻּחַ״ (ירמיהו ו:כט) נִדַּף מִגִּזְרָה נִנְדַּף, ״עֵינִי נִגְּרָה״ (איכה ג:מט) כְּמוֹ נִנְגְּרָה, נִתְּנָה כְּמוֹ נִנְתְּנָה, נִגַּף מִגִּזְרַת נִנְגַּף. וְאֵין לְפוֹתְרוֹ מִגִּזְרַת חָתָה, שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר נִחְתְּתָה כְּמוֹ מִן עָשָׂה נֶעֶשְׂתָה מִן עָנָה נַעֲנְתָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר: וְנִחֲתָה קֶשֶׁת נְחוּשָׁה זְרוֹעֹתָי חִיֵּת לְשׁוֹן דְּרִיכַת קֶשֶׁת כְּמוֹ ״חִצֶּיךָ נִחֲתוּ״ (תהלים לח:ג) הַנּוּ״ן אֵינָהּ יְסוֹד בַּתֵּבָה אֶלָּא כְּמוֹ נִחֲלוּ וְנִדְרְכָה קֶשֶׁת נְחוּשָׁה עַל יְדֵי זְרוֹעוֹתַי, קַשָּׁתוֹת שֶׁל נְחֹשֶׁת הָיוּ תְּלוּיוֹת לוֹ לְדָוִד בְּבֵיתוֹ וְרוֹאִין אוֹתָם מַלְכֵי הָאֻמּוֹת וְאוֹמְרִים זֶה לָזֶה אַתָּה סָבוּר שֶׁיֵּשׁ כֹּחַ בְּיַד דָּוִד לְדוֹרְכָן אֵין זֶה אֶלָּא לְיָרְאֵנוּ, וְהוּא הָיָה שׁוֹמֵעַ וְדוֹרְכָן בִּפְנֵיהֶם:
so that a copper bow is bent by my arms Heb. ונחתה, an expression of treading the bow, as (below 38:3): “Your arrows were driven (נחתו) into me.” Its radical [or its active voice] is נחת. When it is used in the passive voice, a dagesh comes and causes the “nun” to drop out. Hence נחתה is derived from ננחתה as (below 69:4): “My throat is dried (נחר),” derived from ננחר as (in Jer. 6:29): “The bellows is heated (נחר)”; נדף, rattling (in Lev. 26:36) is derived from ננדף ; “My eyes stream (נגרה)” (in Lam. 3:49), is like ננגרה ; “was given (נתנה)” (Gen. 38:14) is like ננתנה ; “they were smitten (נגף)” (II Sam. 10:15) is derived from ננגף. We cannot interpret it as being of the radical חתת, for then it would say נחתתה, as [it says] נעשתה, was done, from עשה ; נענתה, was answered, from ענה. Another explanation: and a copper bow is bent by my arms: חית is an expression of treading a bow, as (below 38:3): “Your arrows were driven (נחתו).” The “nun” is not of the radical but it is like נחלו “gave for inheritance” (in Jos. 14:1), and the copper bow was bent by my arms. Copper bows were hanging in David’s house. The kings of the nations would see them and say to each other, “Do you think that David has the strength to bend them? This is only to frighten us.” But he would hear [them] and bend the bows before them.
וְעַנְוָתְךָ תַרְבֵּנִי. הִרְבֵּיתָה מִדַּת עֲנָוְתְךָ לְהִתְנַהֵג בָּהּ עִמִּי:
and You have treated me with great humility You have dealt with me with great humility.
תַּרְחִיב צַעֲדִי תַחְתָּי. הַמַּרְחִיב צְעָדָיו אֵינוֹ נוֹחַ לִיפּוֹל, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר ״בְּלֶכְתְּךָ לֹא יֵצַר צַעֲדֶךָ״ (משלי ד:יב):
You have enlarged my step[s] beneath me One who widens his steps does not fall easily. Similarly, Scripture states (in Prov. 4:12): “When you walk, your steps will not be hampered (יצר) .”
מָעֲדוּ. אִיקְלוֹרְגִירִינְ״ט בְּלַעַ״ז:
slipped Heb. מעדו aluverjert in Old French, to slip.
קַרְסֻלָּי. הֵם הָרַגְלַיִם מִן הָאִסְתּוֹרִין, שֶׁקּוֹרִין קָבִילָ״א בְּלַעַ״ז, וּלְמַטָּה:
my ankles Heb. קרסלי. They are the feet from the ankle which is called keville (cheville) in Old Frenchand below [to the heel].
נָתַתָּה לִּי עֹרֶף. פּוֹנִים לִי עָרְפָּם וּבוֹרְחִים:
You have given me the back of their necks They would turn the back of their necks to me and flee.
יְשַׁוְּעוּ. לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁלָּהֶם:
They pray to their idols.
וְאֵין מוֹשִׁיעַ. שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ יְכֹלֶת, וְחוֹזְרִים וְקוֹרְאִים אֶל ה׳, וְלֹא עָנָם:
but no one saves them Because it [their prayer] has no power, and they return and call upon the Lord, but He does not answer them.
וְאֶשְׁחָקֵם. לְשׁוֹן כְּתִישָׁה:
Then I ground them Heb. ואשחקם, an expression of crushing.
אֲרִיקֵם. כְּטִיט הַנָּרוּק, שֶׁאֵינוֹ עָב. כְּמוֹ ״הֵם מְרִיקִים שַׂקֵּיהֶם״ (בראשית מב:לה), ״לֹא הוּרַק מִכְּלִי אֶל כֶּלִי״ (ירמיהו מח:יא):
I did pour them like loose mud, which is not thick, as (in Gen. 42:35): “when they emptied (מריקים) their sacks”; (in Jer. 48:11), “has not been poured (הורק) from one vessel to another vessel.”
תְּפַלְּטֵנִי מֵרִיבֵי עָם. שֶׁלֹּא אֵעָנֵשׁ בְּדִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַטּוֹת מִשְׁפָּט, וְלֹא לְשַׁעְבֵּד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל יוֹתֵר מִן הָרְשׁוּת:
You allowed me to escape from the contenders of the people so that I should not be punished according to Jewish law, for perverting justice or for subjugating an Israelite more than is permitted.
תְּשִׂימֵנִי לְרֹאשׁ גּוֹיִם. שֶׁאֵין עֹנֶשׁ בָּהֶם:
You shall make me the head over nations for whom there is no punishment.
לְשֵׁמַע אֹזֶן. אֲפִילּוּ שֶׁלֹּא בְּפָנַי, אֶלָּא שֶׁיִּשְׁמְעוּ שְׁלִיחוּתִי:
As soon as they hear Even in my absence, as long as they hear my message.
יִשָּׁמְעוּ לִי. יָסוּרוּ אֶל מִשְׁמַעְתִּי, וְיִהְיוּ נִשְׁמָעִים לִדְבָרַי:
they shall obey me They shall give heed to my bidding and obey my orders.
יְכַחֲשׁוּ לִי. מֵחֲמַת יִרְאָה:
shall lie to me out of fright.
יִבֹּלוּ. יִלְאוּ, כְּמוֹ ״נָבֹל תִּבֹּל״ (שמות יח:יח), דִּמְתַרְגֵּם ״מִילְאָה תִּילְאָה״. וּמְנַחֵם פֵּירֵשׁ כְּמוֹ ״אַחֲרֵי בְלֹתִי״ (בראשית יח:יב), וְכֵן פֵּירֵשׁ ״נָבֹל תִּבֹּל״:
shall wither Heb. יבלו. They shall become weary, as (in Exod. 18:18): “you shall surely wither (נבל תבל),” which the Targum renders: you shall surely weary. Menachem (Machbereth p. 45) explains it as (in Gen. 18:12): “after I have become old (בלתי),” and he explained נבל תבל in the same manner.
וְיַחְרְגוּ. לְשׁוֹן אֵימָה. ״מֵחֲדָרִים אֵימָה״ (דברים לב:כה) מְתַרְגְּמִינָן: ״חַרְגַּת מוֹתָא״:
and they shall fear Heb. ויחרגו, an expression of fear; (in Deut. 32:25) “and terror from within,” the Targum renders: חרגת, fear of death.
מִמִּסְגְּרוֹתֵיהֶם. מֵחֲמַת יִסּוּרֵי מַסְגְּרוֹת כֶּלֶא שֶׁאֲנִי מַסְגִּירָם שָׁם וּמְיַסְּרָן בָּהֶן. וְיַחְרְגוּ מִמִּסְגְּרוֹתֵיהֶם מְנַחֵם פָּתַר אוֹתוֹ לְשׁוֹן רִפְיוֹן חֲגוֹרָה, וְכֵן פֵּרוּשׁוֹ: וְיִתְרַפּוּ מִמִּסְגְּרוֹתֵיהֶם. וְדוּנָ״שׁ פָּתַר וְיַחְרְגוּ מִמִּסְגְּרוֹתֵיהֶם וְיִפְסְחוּ מִכַּבְלֵיהֶם הַנְּתוּנִים עַל רַגְלֵיהֶם. וּפִתְרוֹן וְיַחְרְגוּ ״וְיִפְסְחוּ״ (ויקרא כא:יח), כְּדִמְתַרְגְּמִינָן ״חֲגִירָא״:
their imprisonments Because of the tortures of the imprisonments in the dungeon where I imprison them and where they torture them. Menachem (p. 94) interprets it as an expression of loosening the girdle, and so he explains it: and they will be loosened of their girdles [meaning they will be frightened or weakened]. Dunash interprets ויחגרו ממסגרותיהם, and they will be lamed from their shackles, which are placed on their feet. The meaning of ויחגרו is: they will become lame, as the Aramaic for a lame person is חגר.
חַי ה׳. הָעוֹשֶׂה לִי כָּל זֹאת:
The Lord lives He Who does all this for me.
הַנּוֹתֵן נְקָמוֹת לִי. נוֹתֵן בִּי כֹּחַ לְהִנָּקֵם מֵאוֹיְבַי:
Who grants me vengeance Who gives me strength to avenge myself upon my enemies.
וַיְדַבֵּר. וְיַהֲרֹג, לְשׁוֹן דֶּבֶר. לָשׁוֹן אַחֵר: כְּמוֹ ״וַיִּנְהַג״ (שמות ג:א), דִּמְתַרְגְּמִינַן: ״וּדְבַר״. וְכֵן חִבְּרוֹ מְנַחֵם, וְגַם כֵּן חִבֵּר ״יַדְבֵּר עַמִּים תַּחְתֵּינוּ״ (תהלים מז:ד):
and destroys Heb. וידבר, and He slew, an expression of דבר, pestilence. Another explanation: as (in Exod. 3:1): “and he led (וינהג),” which is translated into Aramaic as וּדְבַר. Menachem (p. 61) too associated it in this manner. Likewise, he associated (below 47:4), “He leads (יַדְבֵּר) peoples under us.”
תַּחְתָּי. בִּמְקוֹמִי וְחִלּוּפִי, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וָאֶתֵּן אָדָם תַּחְתֶּיךָ״ (ישעיהו מג:ד) – ״נָתַתִּי כָפְרְךָ מִצְרַיִם״ (ישעיהו מג:ג):
instead of me Heb. תחתי, in my place and in my stead, as the matter is stated (in Isa. 43:4): “and I give men in your stead (תחתיך), (verse 3), “I have given Egypt as your ransom. [Cush and Seba in your stead (תחתיך)].”