"I have heard a report from Hashem, and a messenger is sent among the nations: Gather together and come against her, and rise up for battle." This too echoes what is brought in Ovadiah, where it is written "and a messenger is sent among the nations" (using one form), while here it is written using another form. "I have heard a report." The prophet says, I heard a report from Hashem, and a messenger is sent among the nations. As if there is an angel sent among the nations so that these nations will gather and come to wage war against Botzrah and against her cities. The Malbim explains that this section is really a prophecy for the future. I heard from Hashem in prophecy that in the time to come all the nations will send an emissary and messenger in order to go and gather for war against Edom. The Malbim explains that in the future the nation of Edom will be very mighty and numerous, so that in order to wage war against it they will need to fight against the entire kingdom of Rome, meaning that many will need to gather in order to fight against them.
"For behold, I have made you small among the nations, despised among men." As it were, the prophet wonders, why do all the nations need to gather together? After all, you were very small among the nations, so how do they even pay attention to come and fight you? You were despised among men, so who raised you to such honor and to such a great multitude that everyone needs to come and fight against you? Regarding "small," the Radak explains that Edom was a nation of few. Or that "small" refers to their land, which is not spacious. And he brings that the more correct interpretation is that "small" is a term of lowliness and contemptibility. That is to say, we are not speaking here about something physical, but rather about a more essential expression that describes the lowliness of Edom. So "small have I made you among the nations," I will make you small and despised among the nations.
"Your terribleness has deceived you, and the arrogance of your heart, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, who hold the height of the hill. Though you make your nest as high as the eagle, from there I will bring you down, says Hashem."
"From there I will bring you down, says Hashem." "Your terribleness," some explain that this is a term for idolatry, as it is written "that she had made an abominable image (mifletzet) for the Asherah," which is idolatry, that anyone who sees it is seized with dread (paltzut), that is the meaning of "your terribleness." Yes, or the meaning of "your terribleness" here is a term of actual dread, which means fear and trembling. "Your terribleness has deceived you," the terror that you cast upon the nations around you, that is what gave you your haughtiness of heart. Your terribleness, that you would arouse dread and terror upon those around you, that deceived you, that is the arrogance of your heart. That is what elevated the arrogance of your heart, so that you go and afflict your brother Yaakov. What brought you to this? This pride, that you felt you were above everyone and everyone feared and dreaded you, this dread brought you to have an arrogant heart to afflict your brother Yaakov. Yonatan translated "your terribleness" as your foolishness. That is the expression "your terribleness."
The Malbim explains that "your terribleness" refers to idolatry. The image of your idolatry brought you to think that you are at the height of greatness. You have your idolatry, as it were, which will assist you. Another matter, the arrogance of your heart, the arrogance of your heart, in that you deny the principles of faith, until you dwell in the clefts of the rock, a fortified place, both in terms of its strength, for it is in the rock, and in terms of its height, holding the height of the hill, for it is in a high place, and you are certain that you cannot be defeated. I am in a strong place, in a high place, this is a place that cannot be, a fortress that cannot be breached. To this He says to him, even if you make your nest high as the eagle, even if you raise the nest and set it in a high place, and this will be at the end of days, says Hashem, from there I will bring you down, says Hashem, I will cast you down from a high place to a low place. And then, through this, the fall will be from a lofty roof to a deep pit. That is to say, Hashem gives them the height so that because of the height the fall will be much more painful and forceful. And this is in the aspect of "He raises up the nations and destroys them." The Holy One, blessed be He, raises up the nations and exalts the nation, as we saw "after these things King Achashverosh promoted Haman," for if Haman were thrown from the first floor, then the crash would not sound good. They raise him up high, high, high and then throw him. And then such a crash is heard that it is heard to this day. We have such a crash that every Purim, with the Purim noises, we still remember that crash. When someone goes up high and falls, the fall is much more powerful. And this is what is written, "I will raise you up upon the high places of the clouds," for here the meaning is I will raise you up to a high place so that from there the downfall will be greater.
"And Edom shall become a desolation; everyone who passes by her shall be appalled and shall hiss at all her plagues. As in the overthrow of Sodom and Amorah and their neighbors, says Hashem, no one shall dwell there, nor shall any son of man sojourn in her." From then Edom shall become a desolation, it will be a wasteland forever like the overthrow of Sodom. Just as Sodom to this day is a desolate place, so too Edom will become a desolation. "Everyone who passes by her shall be appalled and shall hiss." Everyone who passes by her shall be appalled, this is from the term of a person standing astounded, that is the meaning of "shall be appalled," astounded. "And shall hiss," as the Metzudat David says, it is the way of people to hiss when they see something significant that has been destroyed. It is human nature that a person sees something and then hisses with his mouth as a sign of astonishment. Today perhaps it is less common, but whoever remembers 30 years ago, it was very common, sometimes they even add some exclamation or something of the sort, to express amazement at something, some alarm and fear of something unnatural. So everyone who passes by her shall be appalled and shall hiss, this is an expression that appears many times in the prophets, the matter of hissing as an expression of astonishment. "Shall hiss at all her plagues," at all the plagues that he will see that Hashem did to Edom. "No one shall dwell there, nor shall any son of man sojourn in her." And the Malbim already explained earlier what is meant by "man" and what is meant by "son of man" and why the matter is doubled.
"Behold, like a lion he shall come up from the thickets of the Jordan against the strong habitation, but I will suddenly make him run away from her; and whoever is chosen, him I will appoint over her: for who is like Me? and who will appoint Me a time? and who is that shepherd who will stand before Me?" "Behold, like a lion he shall come up from the thickets of the Jordan." The thickets of the Jordan is a place of lions. And it tells you, the enemy will come up like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan against the strong habitation. He describes, the Malbim explains, as a parable the city of the kingdom of Edom, which is like a pasture for the flock, a resting place for the sheep. And upon the pasture of the flock a predatory lion will come. So all the sheep that were resting there peacefully, sitting and lying comfortably, catching the sun, suddenly a lion comes and begins to devour the flock. From where? From the thickets of the Jordan, where we said, there the mighty lions dwell. What this really means is that a mighty king will come, a strong king, in order to conquer Edom when Edom is at peace, when Edom is in a state where she sits comfortably in the pasture of the flock.
"But I will suddenly make him run away from her." Hashem says, I made the lion depart from the pasture for a moment. This means, that even though it seems to us that now the lion has come and covers everything, Hashem says no, there will be a period of a moment, of respite. There will be a period when the lion will depart from there, "I will suddenly make him run away from her." That is to say, the lion will return to his place for a short time, and afterward "whoever is chosen, him I will appoint over her," Hashem will again appoint over that pasture every chosen one. What is "chosen"? As it is written "and his chosen ones" regarding the army of Pharaoh, yes? Every chosen chariot. "Chosen" means those designated for war, all the warriors who fight. And regarding this we saw earlier "a messenger is sent among the nations." That is to say, there will be a blow to Edom, but then it will not yet be destroyed, the enemy will leave and afterward will return again. "For who is like Me," says Hashem, who is like Me that I appoint over them chosen ones for war, so if I appoint, who is like Me and who will appoint Me a time? This means, who is like Me, who can stand against Me? And it is impossible that they would sue Me in judgment before the judges of the land, for who will testify against Me? "Who will appoint Me a time" means who will summon Me to judgment, who will summon Me to trial. And what will you say, is it the shepherd who will save the flock from the lions or the chosen ones or however we define those who came against them? He says, the shepherd has no strength, for who is that shepherd who will stand before Me? Who is the shepherd who will stand before Hashem and come to fight against Hashem? He says, I am the one who sent the lions, I am the one who sent the chosen ones in order to conquer Edom. So is there anyone who can stand against Hashem?
"Therefore hear the counsel of Hashem that He has taken against Edom, and His purposes that He has planned against the inhabitants of Teiman: surely the least of the flock shall drag them away; surely he shall make their habitation desolate over them." "Therefore hear the counsel of Hashem that He has taken against Edom." Hear what the Holy One, blessed be He, counsels against Edom. "His purposes that He has planned against the inhabitants of Teiman," the meaning is against the inhabitants of Teiman, opposing the inhabitants of Teiman. As we explained, either the meaning is the southern land or the meaning is Teiman the son of Eliphaz who is of the nations of Edom. He tells them, "surely the least of the flock shall drag them away." "Surely" (im lo) is always a term of an oath. "Hashem of hosts has sworn, surely as I have imagined so it shall be," "im lo" is a term of an oath. "The least of the flock shall drag them away," as it is written "dragged and cast out," they will trample them. And who are the least of the flock? This is the people of Israel. The people of Israel who until now were young and weak against the nations, the least of the flock shall drag them away. And it also says regarding Edom, that Esav was the elder and it is written "and the elder shall serve the younger." The Midrash says, the least of the flock, these are the grandchildren of Rachel, to teach you that Esav falls only by the hand of the descendants of Rachel. Yosef and Binyamin were the youngest of the tribes. So the least of the flock, that Yosef and Binyamin are the young ones, they are the ones who shall drag them away and make their habitation desolate over them. Targum Yonatan, surely the mighty of the people shall drag them and slay them, they will kill the great ones of the people. "Surely he shall make their habitation desolate over them," "shall make" is a term of desolation. Hashem will make their habitation, their homes, desolate over them.
The Malbim explains that there is a difference between counsel and purposes. "Hear the counsel of Hashem that He has taken against Edom, and His purposes that He has planned against the inhabitants of Teiman." Counsel that He has taken and His purposes that He has planned. The Malbim says, what is the difference between them? Counsel is the desired goal. What is counsel? Counsel is the bottom line. It is the goal, the outcome. In contrast, the purposes are the means by which the Holy One, blessed be He, weighs how to bring about the outcome, what is called the implementation, the counsel. So the purposes are the process and the counsel is the outcome. Regarding Edom He tells you, the Holy One, blessed be He, counseled the decree in order to achieve the goal. And regarding the land of Teiman which is under the rule of Edom, it is the one that will be in the aspect of the means to reach the goal. The Malbim explains, "surely they shall drag them away," for we saw earlier that we are speaking here about lions, that the Holy One, blessed be He, said "like a lion he shall come up from the thickets of the Jordan." So these lions will drag and pull them, and whom? The least of the flock of the pasture, the strong habitation. According to how the Radak explained, the least of the flock is the people of Israel, who are the ones who will drag and pull Edom. In contrast, according to how the Malbim explains, the least of the flock means those who will be dragged from Edom by the lions. The lions will drag the least of the flock of Edom, for if we compared Edom earlier to the flock lying peacefully in the pasture of the flock, now the lions come and drag the least of the flock. They drag them and pull them, and then that place, which afterward had been a pasture, a pasture of the flock, will become a pasture of desolation. It will not be at all fit for the resting of the flock, this place will become mountains of ruin. Rashi explains that the least of the flock means the despised of the nations. The Sages expound that this is Persia, for Persia is the youngest of the sons of Yefet.
"At the sound of their fall the earth quakes; there is a cry, its sound is heard at the Red Sea." "At the sound of their fall the earth quakes," the meaning is that their fall will be so powerful that the earth will tremble at the sound of their fall. A cry, the earth quakes, a cry at the Red Sea. What is "a cry at the Red Sea"? The Malbim explains, that there will be a great cry whose sound is heard at the Red Sea. This means, the last time we heard such a terrible cry was at the Red Sea. So they want to tell you a place where there was a mighty cry, that is the Red Sea. So he tells you, there will be a cry here, the cry of the Red Sea. Just as it was there at the Red Sea, its sound is heard.
"Behold, he shall come up like an eagle and swoop down, and spread his wings over Botzrah: and the heart of the mighty men of Edom on that day shall be like the heart of a woman in her pangs." Now he will describe who is the strong habitation that we mentioned earlier, which is the resting place of the flock. He tells you this is Botzrah, which is the place of the head of the kingdom of Edom. There the enemy will arrive and swoop like an eagle, he will arrive with great speed and spread his wings over Botzrah in order to destroy her. And then, do you think the mighty men of Edom will return battle to the gate? He tells you no, the heart of the mighty men of Edom will be like the heart of a woman in her pangs, they will be weak and feeble.
Whom are we speaking about here? The Malbim says, the Abarbanel already explained in his works with convincing proofs, that Rome is the city of Botzrah mentioned in the prophets. They are speaking about Rome, and its allies and adherents are Edom, about whom the seers prophesied. So when they speak about Botzrah, that is Rome. Edom refers to all the nations of Edom, as we said. And they will fight at the end of days, pay attention with whom, with the sons of Ishmael. And this is the war of Gog and Magog that Yechezkel prophesied. And whoever wishes can listen, we have shiurim on this both on Kol HaLashon and on our site, about the war of Gog and Magog. There is a series of shiurim there both from Sefer Yechezkel and from other sources in which we find expression of the war of Gog and Magog. And there the Malbim describes all that is destined to be, and he explains that the war will in fact be, as the Abarbanel brings, a war of the sons of Ishmael against the sons of Edom. And this thing is already beginning to take place before our eyes in reality. We have explosions in Europe everywhere, they live in fear today of the terrorists. They do not have much they can do, since within them they have already brought in a fifth column, millions of Muslim terrorists, and only because of political correctness they do not allow themselves to expel them or actually to clarify who are the forces of evil, who are the wicked and the terrorists and the dangerous ones. Heaven forbid, the Muslim people are good people, only by chance there are such ones and everywhere there are people who are problematic. And always when Mr. Obama, may his merit protect him, mentions an attack that occurred somewhere, he never mentions Islam. No, the attack has nothing to do with Islam, there is no connection to Islam. It is always terrorists. Political correctness, there is no Islam, Islam does nothing, it is fine, it is really a pet dog, it is really not a Rottweiler and it is fine. There are no problems with it. And little by little they, they are still asleep. Little by little, until the time of the war of Gog and Magog arrives, when they will arise from within them, and then we will see the war of Ishmael against Edom, which is the war of Gog and Magog. And someone already said, that indeed not all Muslims are terrorists, but it is very interesting that all the terrorists are Muslims.
Yes, well, in any case, and if so, says the Malbim, afterward, when there is the war of Gog and Magog about which Yechezkel prophesied, which is the sons of Ishmael with the sons of Edom, afterward Botzrah will be destroyed and all her helpers will fall, and those who come under her religion and covenant and faith. And really they are speaking here about a kind of destruction, a destruction of the Christian religion, for the Christian religion is really a religion that contains heresy since it deals with the impure trinity that gives divine power to flesh and blood.
"Concerning Damascus. Chamat is ashamed, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is anxiety on the sea; it cannot be quiet." As we said, our chapter deals with prophecies about several nations. Now the prophet goes on to prophesy about Damascus. That is, a prophecy about Ammon, we saw a prophecy about Edom, now there is a prophecy here about Damascus. "Concerning Damascus. Chamat is ashamed, and Arpad." Chamat and Arpad are kingdoms of Aram. Damascus is the head of the kingdom. "Chamat and Arpad are ashamed for they have heard evil tidings." And therefore "they are fainthearted; there is anxiety on the sea." What is the meaning of "they are fainthearted; there is anxiety on the sea"? The Malbim explains, that he describes here the anxiety, that the anxiety is like some abstract thing, like a stormy sea. A stormy sea that cannot be quiet. The anxiety will be so stormy within them that they melt within the sea of anxiety. It is as if they received a mighty fear in the sea of anxiety. The anxiety is like a stormy sea within them. In contrast, the Metzudat David explains that "they are fainthearted; there is anxiety on the sea," he brings a parable from one who travels on the sea with anxiety in his heart. So they are fainthearted, they will melt like, they will be afraid, or fainthearted like fainthearted, like one who travels on the sea. They are fainthearted like one who travels on the sea with anxiety in his heart. That is the meaning of "they are fainthearted; there is anxiety on the sea." Like one who travels on the sea with anxiety in his heart, so they will have fear and anxiety. In contrast, according to the Malbim, as we explain, that their heart will be like a sea of anxieties, then "they are fainthearted" means melted. Their heart will melt from the sea of anxieties that will be within it.
"Damascus has grown feeble, and she turned herself to flee, and trembling has seized her: anguish and pangs have taken hold of her, like a woman in labor." "Damascus has grown feeble, and she turned herself to flee." "Has grown feeble," he describes the evil tidings that they heard. What was the evil tidings? That Damascus has grown feeble and turned herself to flee. Now she flees from before the enemy. But she cannot flee. And why? Because trembling has seized her. Trembling seized her. What is trembling? The Malbim says, this is the weakening of the joints of the legs. His legs knocked one against the other, this speaks of a state where the legs tremble, the legs shake. And the Malbim says that this is from the term "the way was crooked before me." The delay, the delay from walking on the way, this is the expression of trembling and this is the expression of "crooked." So he describes here that she will want, Damascus will want to flee and escape, but anguish and pangs will seize her like a woman in labor. Like a woman giving birth, that then the anguish and pangs do not give her the possibility to move, but rather she only crouches in her place out of pain. The Malbim says, and it is not for naught that he compares her to a woman in labor, since always when we want to describe a city being conquered, we compare it to a woman in labor. For just as the woman in labor brings out the beings within her belly, she brings out a baby, so too when the city is conquered, what happens? The city is opened, that is, the wall falls, and the people within it come out. The meaning is they take them as captives, plunder spoil, strike them. So if so, the breaching of the wall is like the breaching of the belly of the woman in labor. This is what he says, anguish and pangs have taken hold of her, like a woman in labor.
"How is the city of praise not forsaken, the city of my joy!" There are two interpretations here that the commentators bring for how to explain "How is the city of praise not forsaken." The first interpretation the Radak says, "how is it not forsaken" means how it was not left off from fighting against her. This means, Damascus wonders when she sees her people fleeing from before the enemy, she says how did they not leave Damascus alone? For Damascus is a city of praise, it is the city of joy. How did they not leave off destroying it? They were certain that Damascus would be left alone, since Damascus was a praiseworthy city. And as is known, always when the enemy sees some city that is beautiful and praiseworthy, he has no interest in destroying it, but on the contrary, he will fight for it and preserve it, since the enemy desires that city. But here he says, how is the city of praise not forsaken? They did not leave off from fighting against her and destroyed her. The Malbim explains, and this is really also an additional interpretation that appears in the Radak and also in Rashi, that "how is it not forsaken," "forsaken" is from the term of "reinforcement." What is reinforcement? Reinforcement is the plaster that they would put and strengthen the wall with, the strengthening of the wall. "And they left Jerusalem up to the wall," yes? "Like the abandonment of the forest and the top branch," "if you surely leave," yes? So if so, the expression here of "forsaken" is from the term of strengthening the city with material and the like. So he says, how is the city of praise not forsaken and strengthened? For this city that was praised for its honor and its greatness, it was fitting that just as they leave the city with a wall, meaning they make fortified walls for it that will fortify it and not let it fall easily. For this city is the city of my joy, a fortified city, a city full of joy. The people there are people who are not sad and depressed. We already spoke about this in the past, that when people are depressed, then no one has the desire to go out and fight. But when the people are people who are joyful and happy, then they will rejoice toward weapons, says the Malbim. That is, they go with joy to fight. So how did the praise of the city of joy, no one went to fight and defend her?
"Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off on that day, says Hashem of hosts." "Therefore," this is a term of an oath. "Her young men shall fall in her streets." In truth, whoever walks around Damascus today can understand this well. "Her young men shall fall in her streets," already several hundred thousand there are falling, her young men in her streets. "And all the men of war shall be cut off on that day." "All the men of war shall be cut off," this is from the term of silence or from the term of ruin, yes? Any city that is in ruins is called "silenced." And Rashi says that this is also connected to the matter of silence, for they are interdependent. A place that is in ruins is also silent. And a place that is built, then it bustles with life. The place that is in ruins is silent. The Radak explains that "shall be cut off" is from the term of being cut down, yes? "Hashem has silenced us." And there are other sources for this expression, so the Radak explains. The Malbim explains that Hashem here says, giving an answer to the question of how is the city of praise not forsaken, the praise of the city of joy, how could it be that they did not strengthen her walls, how she was not strengthened to fight? He tells you, do you know why? Because her young men shall fall in her streets. The young men fell in her streets, not on the battlefield, they did not go out to fight at all. All the men of war shall be cut off, cut down, they did not act valiantly. And through this, "And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall devour the palaces of Ben-Hadad." And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, a fire will be burning there, and it will devour the palaces of Ben-Hadad, which is the royal house. Ben-Hadad was the name of the king of Aram at the time when it was destroyed by Nevuchadnetzar. Retzin was the name of the king in whose time it was destroyed in the days of Sancheriv. Therefore he mentions here the palaces of Ben-Hadad. And whoever wishes can see this also in our time, Assad throws barrel bombs of burning barrels onto buildings, yes? These are the bombs, apparently perhaps there are not enough explosives, so he throws burning barrels, burning oil barrels onto buildings. So and I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, one sees the fire there, it celebrates in the walls of Damascus and devours the palaces of Ben-Hadad.
"Concerning Kedar, and concerning the kingdoms of Chatzor, which Nevuchadretzar king of Bavel struck, thus says Hashem: Arise, go up to Kedar, and plunder the men of the east." Concerning Kedar and concerning the kingdoms of Chatzor, our chapter deals with several nations. Now we have finished dealing with Damascus, now he will speak about Kedar and about the kingdoms of Chatzor. Them too Nevuchadretzar king of Bavel struck. Thus says Hashem, arise, go up to Kedar, and plunder the men of the east. Let us note, all the other nations too Nevuchadretzar struck, and yet it is not mentioned there. Their downfall is mentioned, who brought them down is not mentioned. Only here it is mentioned "which Nevuchadretzar king of Bavel struck." The Radak asks this question, and the Radak explains that since the rest of the nations were struck sometimes by this one and sometimes by that one, so he does not mention there. In contrast, in our case, Kedar was struck only by Nevuchadretzar. She was not struck, was struck on another occasion by other nations. For example, Edom and Moav and the sons of Ammon and Aram, says the Radak, they were struck in the past also by Israel, as we saw that David fought against them and more. But Kedar and the kingdoms of Chatzor we did not see struck except by Nevuchadretzar. And therefore it is written "which Nevuchadretzar struck." Let us note that it is written "Nevuchadretzar," but there is a written form with a vav, "Nevuchadretzor." He says that it is very possible that it was pronounced both this way and that way, and therefore it is written both in this form and in that form. And the Radak, as is known, his approach is always that there is a kri and a ktiv, since the ktiv too was a way in which they would read the same thing or the name of that thing or the name of that person, and therefore also in the ktiv one must relate to it and not only to the kri, according to the opinion of the Radak. "And plunder the men of the east." The men of the east, says the Radak, are also from the sons of Ishmael, like Kedar. So it is written in the Torah, "Yetur, Nafish and Kedmah." Targum Yonatan, the sons of the east. The meaning is those who dwell in the east, and these are the sons of Kedar who indeed dwell in the east. And these Kedar were dwellers of tents, and them Nevuchadretzar strikes.
"Their tents and their flocks shall they take away: they shall carry off for themselves their curtains, and all their vessels, and their camels; and they shall cry to them, Terror on every side." In the midst of the matter he says, they are dwellers of tents. And when the dwellers of tents feel that the enemy is coming, they do not have to remain in place. One packs up the tent and travels to another place. Like the way of the dwellers of tents, who can never be uprooted, since always when they feel that the enemy is approaching, they flee and change their location. This is what he says, for the men of the east, their tents and their flocks shall they take away, and their curtains and all their vessels and their camels they shall carry off for themselves. All that is theirs from here to another place. "And they shall cry to them, Terror on every side." That is to say, they cry out and proclaim that there is terror all around, and through this everyone flees and does not remain in place. "Flee, wander far off, dwell deep, O inhabitants of Chatzor, says Hashem; for Nevuchadretzar king of Bavel has taken counsel against you, and has conceived a purpose against you." According to this the prophet advises them and says to them in the name of Hashem, it is not enough that you take your tents to another place. He tells them, flee, wander far off, dwell deep. That is, distance yourselves to the most remote place, to the deepest place, dwell deep, where no person will know where your place is. And the reason is, for Nevuchadretzar king of Bavel has taken counsel against you, and also conceived a purpose against you.
"Arise, go up to a nation at ease, that dwells securely, says Hashem, which has neither gates nor bars, which dwells alone." Now he says to Nevuchadnetzar, arise, go up to a nation at ease, says the Malbim. You do not need to search where he is, since he is at ease, dwells securely and does not think at all to flee. You also do not need to fight over the fortresses, since he has neither gates nor bars. He has no fortresses, he has no gates and he has no bars. And you also do not need to worry lest they have neighbors who will come to their aid, since they dwell alone. They dwell alone, that is to say they are isolated, they have no neighbors with them, so that in practice there will be no one to come to help them. So Nevuchadretzar is now as if invited to take their land in a walk, without any effort and without any war. Let us note, it is written "to a nation at ease that dwells securely." The Malbim says, "at ease" always expresses inner tranquility. That is to say that there is no rebellion in the people, no disagreements. "Dwells securely" expresses the security from the external enemy, that we do not fear enemies from outside, and this we define as "dwells securely." So this nation is both at ease from internal war and dwells securely from an enemy from outside. So if so, he is certainly not prepared for battle. You can come and take him without any effort.
"And their camels shall be a booty, and the multitude of their cattle a spoil: and I will scatter to all winds those in the utmost corners; and I will bring their calamity from all sides of it, says Hashem." "And their camels shall be a booty." They were of the sons of Ishmael, says the Malbim. And the sons of Ishmael cut off their foreskin, that is, they were circumcised. And therefore he says, "and I will scatter to all winds those in the utmost corners." What is "those in the utmost corners" (ketzutzei pe'ah)? This is an expression we already saw earlier. "Those in the utmost corners," some explain the meaning is the circumcised. As I explained now, that they would cut off the corner of their body, meaning their foreskin, for we are speaking about Ishmaelites, about the sons of Ishmael. So he did not want to call them circumcised, for "circumcised" is an expression of honor for one who also removes his foreskin and performs the peeling like the people of Israel. But since their circumcision is deficient, he does not call them circumcised, he calls them "those with the corner cut off." Those who cut off the corner of their body, the meaning is that they circumcised themselves. There is an additional explanation, "and I will scatter to all winds those in the utmost corners." I will scatter them to every wind that is in the ends and corners of the earth. That is the meaning of "those in the utmost corners." "Ketzutzei" from the term of edge, I will scatter them to all the ends of the world. So "to all winds, those in the utmost corners," the meaning is to every wind that is in every end of the corner of the earth, of the corner of the world. The Malbim explains, it is written here "and their camels shall be a booty, and the multitude of their cattle a spoil." The Malbim says, the spoil is what remains ownerless after the war. And this is the expression "to plunder spoil," they come to take and gather what the enemy left behind. In contrast, the booty is what the soldiers plunder in the midst of the battle, each one plunders for himself. So their camels shall be a booty, each one will come and plunder their camels. And the multitude of their cattle, which is what is called many more items, this will be afterward, in the second stage, a spoil, when they come to plunder spoil of what was left ownerless at the time of the war. The camels, this the enemies will plunder, for they will want to take the camels from the enemy so that he will have no way to flee. Since by means of the camels they could flee, therefore already at the beginning their camels, says Hashem, will be a booty, I will give to booty. And the rest of the multitude of the cattle, this there is no urgency for them to take immediately, this he will take afterward as spoil at the end of the war.
"And Chatzor shall be a dwelling for jackals, a desolation forever: no one shall dwell there, nor shall any son of man sojourn in her." Chatzor shall be a dwelling for jackals. A dwelling means a habitation, like "it was a dwelling for us." A dwelling for jackals, jackals, the Metzudot says this is a kind of snake. There are those who want to say that this is the jackal known to us today, there are opinions as to what are the "tanim" mentioned there. And it is also a reality that generally both snakes and jackals are in places where there are no people, a place that is desolate.
"The word of Hashem that came to Yirmiyahu the prophet against Elam in the beginning of the reign of Tzidkiyahu king of Yehudah, saying." Our chapter continues and brings another prophecy that deals with another of the nations to whom there is reference in the word of Hashem. The word of Hashem came to Yirmiyahu the prophet against Elam, and this was in the period of the beginning of the reign of Tzidkiyahu king of Yehudah. The Sages say, Elam helped the Chaldeans and came with them in order to harm Israel. Therefore they too will drink the cup, the cup of poison. And Elam is called the kingdom of Media. Known to us as Media and Persia from Megillat Esther, that is Elam.
"Thus says Hashem of hosts: Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might." Thus says Hashem of hosts, behold, I will break the bow of Elam. Why regarding Elam does He express Himself with the expression of a bow? So the simple understanding is, the bow of Elam means the strength, the might of Elam. Just as the warrior when he has a bow in his hand, then it gives him strength and power. So I will break the bow of Elam, the meaning is I nullify their power. But the Malbim says that the main warfare of Elam was with the bow, they were known as experts, drawers of the bow. And since He wished to say that their power and might would be nullified, then at that very point where their might comes to expression, in the bow, He says I will break the bow of Elam, which is the chief of their might. This is the choicest of the might of the sons of Elam, the drawing of the bow.
"And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation to which the outcasts of Elam shall not come." Hashem says, I will bring upon Elam the four winds from the four quarters of heaven. As if four winds will strike them, and these four winds will scatter them, each wind scattering them to the wind opposite it. So if a wind comes from the south, it scatters them to the north. If a wind comes from the north, it throws them to the south. From the east to the west, from the west to the east. Each wind throws them to the one opposite it, and through this they will be scattered in all four winds. Therefore four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and I will scatter them toward all those winds. And through this they will be scattered everywhere. Four winds, says Targum Yonatan, this is four kingdoms. That is to say, there is not only a parable here, there is also a lesson, that the four winds means four kings. And there is no expression that a person expresses in our sources for which we do not find a source. So look, today people want to tell someone to scatter in a way of disgrace, they say let him go to all the winds. "And I will scatter them toward all those winds." So is the language of Scripture, and I will scatter them toward all those winds. This is an expression that is a curse, therefore it is preferable not to use it.
"And I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and before those who seek their life: and I will bring evil upon them, my fierce anger, says Hashem; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them." "And I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies." "I will cause to be dismayed" is from the term of terror, it is from the term of shattering, "fear not and be not dismayed." And I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, I will shatter Elam, the land of Elam, the country of Elam, before their enemies and before those who seek their life. Those who seek their life will overtake them. And I will bring evil upon them, my fierce anger, says Hashem, and I will send the sword after them until destruction.
"And I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from there king and princes, says Hashem." "And I will set my throne," Rashi explains, my siege, this is the meaning of "my throne." In what does "I will set my throne" come to expression? That Hashem will make a siege around Elam. The Radak explains, "and I will set my throne in Elam," since I will destroy from her king and princes, it will be clear to all that the salvation is from Hashem, that the Holy One, blessed be He, brought everything about. This is "and I will set my throne in Elam," speaking about this period. "But it shall come to pass at the end of days, that I will bring back the captivity of Elam, says Hashem." At the end of days, the Metzudat David explains, that the meaning is not the end of days of the coming of the Mashiach, but rather the meaning is after a long time. This is the meaning of "at the end of days." I will return to their land the captivity of Elam, and then they will return to their former state.