Yeshayahu chapter 8. "And Hashem said to me, take yourself a large tablet and write on it in common script, Maher Shalal Chash Baz." "And Hashem said to me" - the Malbim explains that this section, this chapter which we will now read, is a continuation of the previous chapter. The Holy One, blessed be He, told him: I have informed you that I will be with you, I have informed you that the son will be called Immanuel, and Immanuel comes to symbolize "God is with us," I will not abandon you, I will be with you. Hashem tells him: now make a sign and a symbol that Retzin and Pekach ben Remalyahu will fall.
How will this sign and symbol be that Retzin and Pekach ben Remalyahu will fall? By your calling the second child who will be born Maher Shalal Chash Baz. I do not know whether there was room on the identity certificate for the whole name, or whether they called him Maher and then did not notice the Shalal Chash Baz, they called him Maher. Right? But in any case that was his name, Maher Shalal Chash Baz. We will see later that the Radak says that they did not call him by the whole name, rather it is a double name, either Maher Shalal or Chash Baz, because in essence it is the same thing. But in any case that will be his name.
So everything we said in the previous chapter, what we mentioned from verse 17, "Hashem will bring upon you and upon your people and upon your father's house days that have not come since the day Ephraim departed from Yehudah," all of this is a parenthetical statement. You did not rely on the word of Hashem, you sought help from the king of Ashur, know that the sign of Immanuel will not come in your days in its fullness, and you will suffer from the king of Ashur. You relied on him, you will suffer from him. He, as it were, interrupted in the middle of the matter. What was the matter? A son will be born who is called Immanuel, Hashem will be with you. I now continue from this point. In passing he mentioned: although, you relied on the king of Ashur, you caused problems, you will receive your slap. That was in passing. He now, as it were, continues from the point at which he spoke previously, a son will be born who is called Immanuel, he informs him: know that a son will be born who is called Maher Shalal Chash Baz.
Now, the sign of Immanuel, he tells him this will not be fulfilled now, but only in part. Hashem will give you a little sustenance. Until the era of Chizkiyahu, whose era will be a good and praiseworthy time, and then the prophecy of Immanuel will be fulfilled in its entirety. You will be able to say with a full mouth: Immanuel. But in your era it will not be properly fulfilled, because you did not rely on the Holy One, blessed be He. Hashem told you: I am with you, and you said: I do not rely on the Holy One, blessed be He, rather I rely on Ashur, you will suffer from Ashur. In the era of your son who will be righteous, it will be fitting that God be with you.
Therefore he tells him: take yourself a large tablet and write on it in common script. A large tablet is a thick and hard parchment. The Malbim explains what the definition of "gilayon" (tablet) is. The Malbim says it is from the expression "megillah" (scroll). A written scroll is called a megillah because it is rolled. They would roll the scrolls, just as we roll the Megillat Esther. A "flying" megillah does not mean it flies, but rather that it is folded. Right? To fold it, they would fold it one over the other. A gilayon, says the Malbim, is from the root of revelation (galui). This comes to say a hard parchment on which they would draw figures or write things and hang it on the wall so that it would be visible. Just as today we make street notices, so too they had a tablet which they would place publicly and write things on it so that all would see. Only that we explained a megillah was rolled, and a gilayon was revealed to all.
And he informs him: you will write there on this scroll in common script. What is "common script"? There are several explanations of this. Rashi explains: in writing that any person reading it will run through, even any ordinary person and even one who is not wise. Write there things that one does not need to be a great intellectual to understand. One does not need to be book-learned to know how to read them. Rather common script. "Enosh" (man) generally comes to express a lower level of a person. Also "enosh," right? "What is enosh that You should remember him, and the son of man that You should be mindful of him." "Enosh" comes to hint at the lower level. In common script, engrave there in writing that any ordinary person, every person, will be able to understand the matters and the matters will not be hard for him to understand. And this is also what the Targum inclines to explain: clear writing. Clear means explained to every person.
The Radak explains "common script": since this vision was in prophecy, and if this was in prophecy you might err and think that all the writing in common script of Maher Shalal Baz upon the tablet, all of this he saw in his prophecy. But it was not that he actually went and wrote. And the Radak says: why should I think so? Because indeed many prophecies are like this. Now, what the Radak says is not agreed upon, but we will explain the view of the Radak. The Radak says there are prophecies in which the Holy One, blessed be He, tells the prophet to do something, but the prophet did not truly go and do it openly, rather these things are only written in the vision of the prophecy, Hashem showed it to him in prophecy. Like, for example, that Yeshayahu walked naked and barefoot. Would it enter one's mind that Yeshayahu the prophet walked naked and barefoot? Or when He told Hoshea, take yourself a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry will be born to you. Would it enter one's mind that a prophet who is supremely holy, whose inclination does not overpower him in anything, a lofty and immense level, would go and marry a wife of harlotry? Gomer bat Divlayim? Rather, what is the explanation of the matter according to the view of the Radak, in any case? That he sees this in the vision of prophecy. That in the vision of prophecy Hashem tells him: go take, and in the vision of prophecy he takes her, and in the vision of prophecy he begets sons from her, and in the vision of prophecy Hashem tells him: divorce her, and he says: Master of the Universe, after I have sons from her how can I divorce her? And then Hashem tells him in the vision of prophecy: so how do you want Me to divorce My sons? All of this was shown to him in the vision of prophecy. Such is the view of the Radak. And likewise what Yechezkel, Hashem told him to pass a razor over his head and over his beard. Would it enter one's mind that the prophet would pass a razor over his beard? What about the prohibition of shaving with a razor? Rather it was in the vision of prophecy. So there was room to come and think, "And Hashem said to me, take yourself a large tablet and write on it" and so forth, all of this was in the vision of prophecy. In the vision of prophecy I take a tablet, in the vision of prophecy I see how I write. He tells him: no, I want you to do this in actuality. How does he express that this will be in actuality? He says it will be in common script. "Cheret enosh" means a person, a person will actually go and do this. This is an actual deed, in common script.
Now, the Malbim explains what is meant by "common script." The Malbim says, Hashem commands him to draw on the tablet of which we are speaking, to draw figures of people who fight and plunder and take spoils. In their times they were very accustomed to depicting battles. You will see many drawings from ancient times, one sees people on horses with spears and arrows, battles, battles of David and Goliath, they would depict many battles. Battles were a symbol in their times of heroism, of might, of strength of spirit. He says: you will draw on the tablet figures of people who fight and plunder and take spoils. And this is the meaning of "write on it in common script, Maher Shalal Chash Baz." That it shows there will be a quick spoil. The meaning is: in a near time, in the coming period, Aram and Ephraim will hasten to spoil and plunder. Aram is Retzin, Ephraim is Pekach ben Remalyahu, these two allies who came to fight against Yehudah. Write there that in the coming period they will be spoil and plunder.
The Malbim explains further in the explanation of the words, he explains that "cheret enosh" is a script that the sorcerers used in ancient days. The writing that they had, he says they were accustomed to depicting concepts and matters by means of pictures agreed upon among them, of animals, birds, people, trees and the like. This is called, whoever knows what it is called in a foreign language? Hieroglyphics. It is called hieroglyphics. He brings it in Yiddish, hieroglyphic writing. This is hieroglyphics. Hieroglyphics, the dictionary translates as sorcerers' script, picture writing, the writing system of the Egyptians. The Egyptians used this writing. That is to say, whoever will see, there are many such pictures photographed from Giza there where the pyramids in Egypt are, where there are pictures that they photograph of what is drawn there on the walls, and this is the hieroglyphics. Whoever will see will see there birds, will see people carrying an offering, will see drawings. All these drawings were the form of writing. Through these drawings they would write, and this is called sorcerers' script, with this they would decipher what this writing actually comes to say. And he tells him: I want you to use this drawing, this writing. And this is "and he fashioned it with a graving tool." What is the meaning of "with a graving tool"? The sorcerers' script. This is called "cheret enosh." "Cheret enosh" is the script that the sorcerers would write. And this is what is meant by "and he fashioned it with a graving tool" which is written regarding the calf. What is the meaning? That he first drew, made himself a drawing of the calf, what is called a plan, a kind of schema, and afterward he fashioned the calf. This is "and he fashioned it with a graving tool." "With a graving tool" means with the script customary among the sorcerers, which is picture writing. What is "cheret enosh"? With this script I can draw animals, with this script I can also draw people. And all of it, as we said, is writing. This is the form of writing. They would write by means of drawings of animals or drawings of people. I command you: you will write by means of drawing an image of people. And this is what he means by "cheret enosh." And what will be in the common script? What will they see in this drawing? They will see "Maher Shalal Chash Baz." They will see pictures of people who are drawn fighting and killing and plundering. And therefore a large tablet was needed in order to draw on it two camps. One camp conquering, one camp conquered. One camp victorious, one camp defeated. And they are the camps of Aram and Ephraim in this drawing that you will draw, they will be the defeated.
What is "Maher Shalal Chash Baz"? This is a repetition. "Maher" (hasten) is "chash" (hurry). "Shalal" (spoil) is "baz" (plunder). What is the difference between them? The Malbim says there is a difference in the holy tongue. "Shalal" is the property that remains in war in the very place where the defeated enemy was. For example, we defeated Gaza, for example, they fled, what they left in the houses is called "shalal." Now, when we go and take it, this is called "baz." As long as it lies there it is called "shalal." As it is written, "when you beat your olive tree" (ki tishol). "Ki tishol" means it dropped, fell off, remained there. When we go and actually take it, this is already called "baz." We plundered the spoil that remained there in the houses. And therefore you will find the verb "baz" upon the verb "shalal." As in "and the spoil of their cities we plundered for ourselves." We went and plundered and took. So the taking is called "baz," and what remains there before the taking is called "shalal." The Malbim also says this is likewise an expression of division. "Shalal" is also an expression of division. "I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil." You will not find written "to plunder the spoil" or "he divides the plunder." Rather it will always be "to plunder the spoil." As in "your life shall be spared, and you shall have your life as spoil." What is "as spoil"? It remained, it slipped away from the people who were killed, it is the one that remained alive. We also saw "shalal" not in a time of war, as it is written, "like one who finds great spoil." So he says, if so, what is written here "Maher Shalal," this comes to tell you that everything will be spoil and ownerless, since the owners of the wealth will die, then everything that remains there will remain for us as spoil. And through this we will be able to come and plunder the spoil. And therefore note, it is written here "Maher Shalal," and "chash" is written regarding the plunder. What is the difference between "maher" and "chash"? "Maher," says the Malbim, is with regard to time. We already explained this before. "Maher" means it is soon. That is the meaning of "maher." In contrast, "chash" says that we did it with alacrity. And we explained that these are two different concepts. It could be that I hurried but did not hasten. And it could be that I hastened but did not hurry. How, for example? If, for example, someone called me, I came immediately, but I walked slowly. So I hastened, immediately when he called I came, but I did not hurry. In contrast it can be the opposite, that someone called me and I did not arrive immediately. So I did not hasten with regard to time, but when I did go, I hurried, I actually went running. So I did not hasten with regard to time, but with regard to the going I hurried. And the same in reverse, right? It could be that I hastened, immediately when he called me I hastened with regard to time, I came at once. But I walked at ease, I walked slowly. He says: now see how wonderful this is. When we speak about the spoil with regard to time, he says "Maher Shalal." The meaning is: the spoil will be quickly, quickly. That is, quickly the spoil will fall into their hands. This will happen on its own, quickly it will be spoil for us. But "chash" is already the plundering person. And therefore he speaks of "chash baz." The plunderer will do it quickly. This is done by people. Because time is something that comes on its own, so the spoil that will fall on its own will fall quickly. But to hurry, as we explained, is the acting person, who goes with alacrity in order to plunder, they will go with alacrity since the things will fall into their hands quickly and with alacrity.
"And I will take for myself faithful witnesses, Uriah the Kohen and Zechariah ben Yeverechiah." The Holy One, blessed be He, tells me: and I will take for myself faithful witnesses who will sign on this tablet to confirm all its words. Who are the signing faithful witnesses? Uriah and Zechariah. The metaphor here, as it were, says the Malbim, comes to say: this drawing, in essence, as we explained, to draw literally in common script like the sorcerers' script which was expressed through the power of drawings. This drawing shows calamity upon Ephraim. The purpose of the calamity was in order to save Yehudah. And this is what we saw in the previous chapter where he said that a son will be born to him who is called Immanuel. Immanuel means Hashem will be with us and will rescue and save us. Now this prophecy has in it two opposing things. On the one hand you say there is here salvation for Yehudah, but on the other hand there is here also a negative thing. The negative thing is harm to Ephraim, to the kingdom of the Ten Tribes. And therefore he says: I have here two faithful witnesses who will testify about this, who are two witnesses who also had opposing prophecies. And these witnesses are Uriah who prophesied calamities in the days of Yehoyakim, just as Yirmiyahu prophesied, he would always prophesy matters of calamity. And in contrast Zechariah, who indeed always prophesied prophecies for good. And this is in fact what Chazal intended to hint. Chazal say: seemingly how did he even put both of them together, Uriah the Kohen and Zechariah ben Yeverechiah? For these two were in two different eras. Rather, Chazal say, Uriah is a sign for Zechariah. If you see that the prophecy of Uriah is fulfilled, then expect the prophecy of Zechariah. The prophecy of Uriah was, Uriah of Kiryat Ye'arim, and he prophesied about this city and about this place all the words of Yirmiyahu. Uriah would prophesy harsh prophecies about the people of Israel, prophecies of calamity. Therefore Yehoyakim also killed him. In contrast Zechariah would prophesy in the second year of Daryavesh, "old men and old women will yet sit in the streets of Yerushalayim." Zechariah had good prophecies about the people of Israel. Uriah is a sign for Zechariah. If you see the prophecies of calamity fulfilled, wait, the prophecies of Zechariah will also be fulfilled. This is what he intended to hint to him here. The Malbim explains: according to this you will understand why he mentioned these two, because these two are opposing prophecies. On the one hand destruction, on the one hand building. It comes to tell you that here too there will be two opposing things. On the one hand destruction for Ephraim, but on the other hand there will be rescue and salvation for Yehudah.
"And I approached the prophetess and she conceived and bore a son. And Hashem said to me, call his name Maher Shalal Chash Baz." "And I approached the prophetess" means the wife of the prophet Yeshayahu. "And she bore a son." Who is this son? Opinions differ on this. Rashi explains that this is the same son whom they called Immanuel, now he is describing his birth and tells you: this son is the same son whom Hashem, whom he actually names by Hashem's word, "And Hashem said to me, call his name Maher Shalal Chash Baz." Because in essence it is the same message. The son who will be Immanuel, the son who symbolizes that the Holy One, blessed be He, will be with us, this is the son who symbolizes that quickly there will be spoil, hurry, plunder. The meaning is: Maher Shalal and Chash Baz are the same thing. To hasten to spoil the enemies and to hurry, which is also an expression of quickness, to plunder the enemies. And we already explained the differences between "maher" and "chash," between "shalal" and "baz." In any case, according to the view of the Radak, the son was not called by the two names together. Either Maher Shalal or Chash Baz. But not Maher Shalal Chash Baz, not all four names, all four words together. Either Maher Shalal or Chash Baz, because these are in fact the same meanings. In any case according to Rashi this is not a different son. Why is it not a different son? Because Rashi makes a calculation that this was in the same year. And how could it be that in the same year Immanuel was born and afterward Maher Shalal Chash Baz was born? Within one year it is not possible that both were born. Therefore Rashi says it is the same son. In contrast the Malbim says, there is no necessity to explain thus. And I say, says the Malbim, that this son is a different son. What Rashi asks, how could it be in the same year? According to what I explained it is not difficult. Because I indeed explained above "behold the young woman is pregnant and gives birth to a son." "Pregnant" means she is already with child. So when he spoke with him she was already in the ninth month. "Behold the young woman is pregnant and gives birth to a son" means she will bear a son whom you will call Immanuel. It thus follows that it could be that in the same year two were born. She gave birth at the beginning of the year, because she was already pregnant, and afterward this son was born at the end of the year. There are quite a few people whose identity certificate shows children born in the same year, I had a friend who told me that his father's identity certificate shows two children born in the same year. My sister and I were born in the same year. He was born on the 1st, his sister was born on the 12th. That is how it appears on his identity certificate. So it could be, in principle, that she can give birth and conceive, that is, give birth and afterward again conceive in the same year. And this is precisely what happened here. Therefore the Malbim says one can explain that both were in the same year. But, but there is another explanation, says the Malbim, we explained above that "behold the young woman is pregnant," according to one of the opinions, was speaking altogether about the wife of Achaz. About the wife of the king. "Behold the young woman is pregnant" is not speaking about the wife of the prophet. He says, if so, then there is no difficulty at all. "Behold the young woman is pregnant" there, one can say it spoke about the wife of Achaz, and here, "and I approached the prophetess and she bore a son and he called his name Maher Shalal Chash Baz," here it speaks about the wife of Yeshayahu. And therefore there is no difficulty in this. Now he tells him: call his name Maher Shalal Chash Baz. The Malbim raises here a puzzle. Seemingly, regarding this matter of the fall of Retzin king of Aram and Pekach ben Remalyahu king of Israel, both of whom, as we said, came to besiege Yehudah. Regarding their fall Hashem gave two signs. One sign is the tablet, write for yourself upon a tablet, write on it in common script, Maher Shalal Chash Baz. The second thing is the birth of the youth, the youth who is called Maher Shalal Chash Baz. In contrast, regarding the salvation of Yehudah there was only one sign. What is the sign? The son who will be born and whose name they will call Immanuel. Why regarding the salvation of Yehudah is there one sign, and regarding the downfall of Retzin and Pekach there are two signs, both the writing upon the tablet and the birth of the son who is called Maher Shalal Chash Baz?
If you remember we explained in the previous lessons that the sign we are speaking about here does not refer to a wonder, but rather refers to a sign. And we explained the difference. A wonder is something that deviates from nature, a miracle. In contrast a sign is a symbol of a matter. I give you a sign that it will be so. And the Malbim explained to us that when the prophet makes a sign, something practical in combination with the prophecy, this says that the prophecy will be fulfilled in any case. This says that the prophecy will in any case be fulfilled. And therefore we saw examples: Yeshayahu walked naked and barefoot, and Yirmiyahu, Hashem told him to buy a linen belt and to carry bars like a yoke. All these come to symbolize: know that the prophecy will be fulfilled. If it has already been realized to some degree, if in some reality it descended from the ethereal reality of thought to the physical reality of performing that act in a physical manner, this says that the matter was fulfilled. This is the meaning of the signs that the prophet would make. Now you will tell me, does a prophecy for bad necessarily get fulfilled? No. But if a sign and wonder were made for it, it will be fulfilled. A prophecy, excuse me, not a wonder, I meant to say a sign. If a sign was made for it, they brought it out in a physical form, it will necessarily be fulfilled. Does a prophecy for good necessarily get fulfilled? Always. Always. There is no situation where Hashem retracts from a prophecy for good, except one time, "and mark a mark on the foreheads of these people," other than that the Gemara says the Holy One, blessed be He, never retracted from a prophecy for good. For this reason we said we test the prophet with prophecies for good. Because if he says a prophecy for bad and it is not realized, this is still not a sign that he is a false prophet. If he says a prophecy for good and it is not realized, this is a sign that he is a false prophet. Now you will understand, says the Malbim, there are here two prophecies. One prophecy, one message says, Retzin and Pekach both will have a downfall. A second prophecy, Yehudah will be saved. What here is a prophecy for good, what here is a prophecy for bad? Yehudah will be saved, a prophecy for good. The fall of Retzin and Pekach ben Remalyahu is a prophecy for bad, they will have evil. So now, which prophecy is stronger and clear that it will be fulfilled? The salvation of Yehudah, that is a prophecy for good. And therefore regarding this prophecy there is only one sign. The son who is called Immanuel. In contrast the prophecy for bad, it will not necessarily be fulfilled, because we indeed said Hashem sometimes retracts from a prophecy for bad. Therefore for this it was necessary to bring two signs. One sign, write for yourself on a tablet in common script, a second sign, the son will be born who is called Maher Shalal Chash Baz. Since this is a prophecy for bad and there is no necessity that it be fulfilled, the Holy One, blessed be He, tells him: I want to tell you here with certainty this will be fulfilled. How will you know that with certainty it will be fulfilled? You have a sign. It has been realized to some degree. Once it has been realized to some degree by means of the writing on the tablet, by means of the birth of the son whose name will be called Maher Shalal Chash Baz, this reinforcement was meant to guarantee its fulfillment in any case.
Now he will explain what this name says, Maher Shalal Chash Baz. "For before the youth knows to call father and mother, the wealth of Damesek and the spoil of Shomron will be carried off before the king of Ashur." Even before the youth knows to call father and mother, that is to say, it refers to the very nearest period. Then "the wealth of Damesek will be carried off." Who will carry off the wealth of Damesek? So there are many abbreviated verses. Abbreviated verses means that the verse shortened without specifying. And here the meaning is: who will carry off the wealth of Damesek? It is the king of Ashur. As it is written, "and the king of Ashur went up to Damesek and captured it." "And the spoil of Shomron." After Pekach ben Remalyahu was killed and Hoshea ben Elah reigned, then Shalmaneser king of Ashur went up, "and Hoshea became his servant," gave him tribute, gave him a bribe, so at that time he also plundered Shomron. All this was in the fourth year of Achaz. The meaning of the matter is: very soon the spoil of Damesek and the spoil of Shomron will be taken before the king of Ashur. This is the meaning of Maher Shalal Chash Baz. The Malbim, in contrast, says: it is not written who will take. And if we want to remain attached to the text, "for before the youth knows to call father and mother, he will carry off the wealth of Damesek." Who will carry off the wealth of Damesek? The youth. "For before the youth knows to call father and mother," who is here the revealed one? It is the youth. Afterward he transitions to speak in the hidden person, "will carry off." Who will carry off? The one who beforehand was revealed. Right? Whenever we speak in the hidden person, whom do we intend? The very one about whom I previously spoke in the revealed person. If I say Reuven went out of the house, and afterward I say he went to the bus station, he bought a ticket, he... who is all this "he"? It is the revealed one about whom I spoke previously. Right? All this "he" is the "he" about whom I spoke, the one I heard Reuven went out of the house. I do not need to now say Reuven bought, Reuven did. The "he" refers back to Reuven. Here too, "for before the youth knows to call father and mother," he speaks about the youth in a revealed manner. "He will carry off the wealth of Damesek," now he transitions to speak in the hidden person, the youth will carry off the wealth of Damesek. Only what? It is very hard to understand how the youth will carry off, a child who does not yet know to call father and mother, he will carry off the wealth of Damesek and the spoil of Shomron? What is the understanding of the matter? The Malbim says this is said in the manner of metaphor. That this child, the very child that is expressed in the prophecy, the prophetic action, as it were, whose name indicates it, as if he is the one carrying off the spoil. As if he acts all of this. Just as he spoke about the child in the previous chapter, when he said about him that Immanuel, even before he eats butter and honey, he comes to characterize the entirety of the nation. So too the child here from the prophecy who is called Maher Shalal Chash Baz, as it were in a metaphorical manner, as it were, indeed his birth symbolizes the downfall. So who is the one who will take them? This prophecy, the birth of that child, this is what will take them, this is what will plunder their spoil. This sign and wonder is the one that will, as it were, exact retribution from them.
"And Hashem continued to speak to me further, saying." Hashem continued further to speak with me regarding the matter of Retzin king of Aram and Pekach ben Remalyahu. The Malbim explains that then, at that time, there was a conspiracy in Yehudah. There were those who wanted to throw off the yoke of the kingdom of Yehudah, to join with Pekach ben Remalyahu and with Retzin king of Aram. And as is known, there are always those who, when they see someone on top, someone on the wave, say: join the victors. So here Achaz is at a low point, and on the other hand Pekach ben Remalyahu king of Ephraim, the Ten Tribes, and Aram and Retzin king of Aram, they are now on top. So now, let us join them. There were those who wanted to throw off the yoke of the kingdom of Yehudah, they formed a conspiracy against the king of Yehudah. And regarding this the prophet now comes and delivers a special prophecy from Hashem in order to warn the people from this conspiracy of the rebellion. And he informs them: know that the kingdom of Ephraim will very quickly come to an end. And then the kingdom of the house of David will be exalted. So what have you to do to form a conspiracy with a kingdom that is already a lame duck? With whom are you joining? With Ephraim? Ephraim is about to end. And this is indeed, as we explained, Hoshea ben Elah who came immediately after Pekach ben Remalyahu, was already exiled by Shalmaneser. So what have you to do to join with such a shaky kingdom?
"Because this people has rejected the waters of Shiloach that flow gently, and rejoiced with Retzin and ben Remalyahu." "Because this people has rejected the waters of Shiloach that flow gently." Here the Malbim explains that the prophet delivers his words in metaphor. "This people has rejected the waters of Shiloach that flow gently." Their way was to anoint the kings by a spring of water. Whom did they anoint by the spring? Shlomo, right? They brought him down to Gichon. Right? And why, why did they bring him down to the river in order to anoint him? Why immediately? Because there are still many hindrances from here to Gichon. And therefore David hastened to anoint Shlomo because of the dispute that was then with Adoniyah ben Chagit who exalted himself to reign and so forth. They would anoint the kings by a spring of water. The kings of the house of David were anointed by the spring of Shiloach. The uniqueness of the spring of Shiloach is that it flows gently. A calm spring, it is not the gushing of many waters. It is a calm spring that goes gently. And this comes to symbolize that their kingdom too will be a tranquil kingdom. Tranquil means calm, at ease, not a kingdom with revolutions, not a kingdom with wars. And they, the people, rejected the kingdom of the house of David which is this calm kingdom. And with whom did you rejoice? This is what he continues, "and rejoiced with Retzin and ben Remalyahu." They want to join with Retzin and with Pekach ben Remalyahu.
Rashi explains that here he prophesies about Shevna and his faction. So it is brought in the Midrash. Shevna and his faction wanted to rebel against Chizkiyahu. They rejected him. Why? They saw that he did not choose a royal table, but ate vegetables and engaged in Torah. He did not conduct himself with royal ceremony. A king brings up on his table like the feast of Shlomo in his time. No, he eats a meal of vegetables. Where are you running to? Come, sit, eat. My study partner at the kollel is already waiting for me.
I have none at all, he has no time, he must run... it is said of him, "a righteous man eats to satisfy his soul." On the other hand they saw Pekach ben Remalyahu king of Ephraim eating 40 se'ah of young pigeons for dessert. That is just for dessert, 40 se'ah of pigeons. Incidentally, this does not mean he ate this alone, it means he brought up on his table, right? It does not mean he alone ate all this quantity, but rather he had many people sitting at his table, and when he made 40 se'ah of pigeons it was for all those people, but well, that is a royal table.
And they would mock Chizkiyahu and say, is this fit to be a king? This is no king, is this fit to be a king? This is no king, rather Retzin and Pekach ben Remalyahu. Who is worthy to be king? Retzin and Pekach ben Remalyahu, these two know how to eat. Yes, but the point here was not eating, rather how one conducts royal ceremony, this is a kingdom as it should be. They are worthy to reign. And this is what is written, "and rejoiced with Retzin and ben Remalyahu." The conduct of Chizkiyahu does not suit us, we seek those who also have a way in kingship, they have style and manner.
The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: food, food you crave? Food, food you want, right? I will bring upon you much food. Behold, Hashem brings up upon you the mighty waters of the river, in place of the waters of Shiloach that are weak and gentle. Ah, those you want? You will receive them. Food you want? They will come and they will eat here. A harsh prophecy. And therefore, "behold Hashem brings up upon them the mighty and abundant waters of the river," the king of Ashur and all his glory, "and it will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks."
And therefore, since you do not want the spring of Shiloach which flows gently, what did you want? To rejoice with Retzin and ben Remalyahu, which is a gushing river, so Hashem will bring up upon you the mighty and abundant waters of the river, the gushing river. This comes to hint at the kingdom of Ashur, they were drawn by the Euphrates River, and the Euphrates River is not like the Gichon, it is a gushing and raging river, and this indicates a gushing and vigorous kingdom. Hashem will bring upon you this kingdom and the mighty and abundant waters of the river. "Mighty" is with regard to quality, "abundant" with regard to quantity. Corresponding to what he said "mighty," he says the king of Ashur, who was a king with very great might. Beyond having might, he also had a large army. Corresponding to "abundant" he says "and all his glory." Do not think he will come here with some elite unit, he will come here with all his army. His many forces.
"And the river will rise over all its channels." What is the meaning of the matter? Sometimes it happens that the river fills up until it reaches its banks. And when the channels where the river is supposed to continue to flow are blocked, presumably the place, they dam it up, what happens? The river rises over its banks and floods all around. The waters rise over their banks. But this river, even though it will rise over all its channels, that is to say the channels will remain open, so that you should not think they will block them and because of that this will occur. Despite all this there will be such a great abundance that it will fill up and overflow its banks. The meaning of the matter is: when rain falls in a reasonable manner, then the river flows. The river flows. If you want the river to rise over its banks, you need to block it, and then it rises over its banks. But when there are mighty and abundant rains, even without blocking it, the river rises over its banks and floods, because the river cannot bear the great quantity of the rains that fall, the great volume of the rivers that arrive from all sorts of directions and draw and reach it and drain into it, this is a cause for it to rise.
So this comes to hint, if I tell you: know that this river which will come will rise over its banks even without their damming it, this says there will be such a mighty rain, meaning the river will be so overflowing, that so many forces will come that they will rise over their banks of their own accord. This is what he says, "and it will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks." They will not block the channels, the channels will be open, and it will rise over the channels and nevertheless rise also over its banks. This indicates that there will be a mighty and abundant rain. This is the parable, and the meaning, the army that will come here. The army of the king of Ashur will be so mighty and abundant that it will rise over all its channels. Such a mighty camp, as we will see further on, "and it will pass through Yehudah," we will see that they will dry up the Yarden merely by their walking.
The channels, the Malbim explains, are the conduit from which the water comes out. This is like the expression "nafik" in Aramaic. What is "nafik"? Afik, to bring out. The conduits that bring out the water, meaning the places where the spring flows, are called channels. Or it could be that he says this is the opposite of "restrain oneself" (hit'apek). Like, there are words that are opposites. For example, "to create" (livro) and "to clear" (levare). What is "livro"? To create. What is "levare"? The opposite of to create, right? To clear away the bad weeds. Or the same thing also "to take root" (lehashrish) and "to uproot" (lesharesh). This is also the same principle. "Lehashrish" means it strikes roots, "lesharesh" is to uproot from the root. So here too the Malbim says, it is very possible that "afikim" also serves like the opposite verbs, which is both "hit'apek," "hit'apek" being to hold back, to close, and also "lehafik," to bring out. From the opposite roots that serve both matters together, both holding back and bringing out.
"And it will pass through Yehudah, flood and pass on. Up to the neck it will reach, and the spread of its wings will fill the breadth of your land, Immanuel." "And it will pass through Yehudah," at first it will pass through Yehudah only temporarily. Without making an impression, as it were. And afterward it will spread out more, until it becomes a flood. Everything it strikes it will flood. And afterward "and pass on." That is to say, permanently. Chazal say Sancheriv passed through the land of Yehudah with three camps. So these three camps are expressed here. At first "pass through," afterward "flood," after that "pass on." "Pass on" is already permanence, he has here permanence. "Up to the neck it will reach." After the river, as it were, already has there a fixed course in that place, up to the neck it will reach, it will also, as it were, sweep away the ground. The river indeed has ground upon which it flows, it will sweep away this ground so that it will also have depth. And whoever will want to cross this river, up to the neck it will reach. This comes to express the immense might with which this river will flood. And this river of which we are speaking, who is it in the meaning? It is the king of Ashur. He is expressed here in the very expression of a river.
And not only will it spread out in length and spread out in depth, but also in breadth. "The spread of its wings." "The spread of its wings" they want to express, from edge to edge of the wing, how great the spread of its wings. He tells you this will be the deployment of his camp, the full breadth of your land. You, Immanuel. Who is this "you, Immanuel"? As the Malbim explained before, that he speaks here about Yehudah, and Yehudah indeed is symbolized by the son who will be born who is called Immanuel, that Hashem will be with them and rescue them from this trouble and disaster. He tells him: you, Yehudah, such a nation of a king will come upon you who will descend upon you both with regard to depth, both with regard to length, both with regard to breadth, this will be a flooding and raging river.