Tanach
Tzefanyah 2 צפניה ב׳
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
הִֽתְקוֹשְׁשׁוּ וָקוֹשּׁוּ הַגּוֹי לֹא נִכְסָֽף׃
Gather yourselves together, and assemble together, O unfeeling nation;
Gather yourselves together, and assemble together, O unfeeling nation;
Rashi
וָקוֹשּׁוּ. מַעֲשֵׂיכֶם. הַשְׁווּ מַעֲשֵׂיכֶם לְדַעַת קוֹנְכֶם. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה דָּרְשׁוּ: קַשֵּׁט עַצְמְךָ וְאַחַר כָּךְ קַשֵּׁט אֲחֵרִים. עָשׂוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם לְשׁוֹן ׳הֶקֵּשׁ׳, אָדָם הַמַּשְׁוֶה עַצְמוֹ וּמְיַשֵּׁר דַּרְכּוֹ.
gather together your deeds. Conform your deeds to the will of Your Maker.
הַגּוֹי לֹא נִכְסָף. תִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן: ״דְּלָא חֲמַד לְמֵיתַב לְאוֹרָיְתָא״.
O nation that has no desire That has no desire to return to the Torah.
בְּטֶרֶם לֶדֶת חֹק כְּמֹץ עָבַר יוֹם בְּטֶרֶם ׀ לֹא־יָבוֹא עֲלֵיכֶם חֲרוֹן אַף־יְהֹוָה בְּטֶרֶם לֹא־יָבוֹא עֲלֵיכֶם יוֹם אַף־יְהֹוָֽה׃
before the decree is brought forth, before the day when you pass away like chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger come upon you.
before the decree is brought forth, before the day when you pass away like chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger come upon you.
Rashi
בְּטֶרֶם לֶדֶת חֹק. לִפְנֵי בֹּא הַגְּזֵירָה.
before the decree is born Before the arrival of the decree.
כְּמֹץ עָבַר. הֲרֵי זֶה מִקְרָא קָצָר, כְּמֹץ הָעוֹבֵר מִלִּפְנֵי רוּחַ, וּכְעָשָׁן הָעוֹבֵר מִלִּפְנֵי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ. וְזֶהוּ תַּרְגּוּמוֹ שֶׁל ״עָבַר יוֹם״. כָּךְ תִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן: ״תֶּהֱווֹן דָּמַן לְכְמוֹצָא דְּנָשֵׁב בֵּיהּ רוּחָא, וּכִתְנָנָא דְּעָדֵי מִן קֳדָם יוֹמָא״. נֻסָּח אַחֵר: כְּטוּלָא דְּעָדוֹ וְכוּ׳״, זֶהוּ לְשׁוֹן ׳צֵל׳.
as chaff that passes... the sun This is an ellipsis for, “As chaff that passes from before the wind, and as smoke that passes from before the sun.” This is the translation of עָבַר יוֹם, that passes the sun. In this manner, Jonathan renders: And you shall be like the chaff that the wind blows, like smoke that passes from before the sun. Another version: and like the shadow that passes, etc.; this is an expression of a shadow.
בַּקְּשׁוּ אֶת־יְהֹוָה כׇּל־עַנְוֵי הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר מִשְׁפָּטוֹ פָּעָלוּ בַּקְּשׁוּ־צֶדֶק בַּקְּשׁוּ עֲנָוָה אוּלַי תִּסָּתְרוּ בְּיוֹם אַף־יְהֹוָֽה׃
Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth, who have performed his judgment; seek righteousness, seek humility: it may be you shall be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger.
Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth, who have performed his judgment; seek righteousness, seek humility: it may be you shall be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger.
כִּי עַזָּה עֲזוּבָה תִֽהְיֶה וְאַשְׁקְלוֹן לִשְׁמָמָה אַשְׁדּוֹד בַּֽצׇּהֳרַיִם יְגָרְשׁוּהָ וְעֶקְרוֹן תֵּעָקֵֽר׃ {ס}
For ῾Azza shall be forsaken, and Ashqelon shall be a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and ῾Eqron shall be rooted up.
For ῾Azza shall be forsaken, and Ashqelon shall be a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and ῾Eqron shall be rooted up.
Rashi
כִּי עַזָּה עֲזוּבָה תִהְיֶה. כִּי אִם תַּעֲשׂוּ כֵּן, אֶפְקֹד עַל שְׁכֵנֵיכֶם הָרָעִים – פְּלֶשֶׁת וְעַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהַנָּבִיא מְסַדְּרָן וְהוֹלֵךְ.
For Gaza shall be deserted For, if you will do so, [as in verse 1,] I will visit retribution upon your evil neighbors; Philistia, Ammon, and Moab. The prophet proceeds to mention them [the neighbors] in [geographical] order.
בַּצָּהֳרַיִם יְגָרְשׁוּהָ. אַשְׁדּוֹד שְׁמָהּ, וּבַצָּהֳרַיִם אֲשֶׁר יָשֹׁד בָּהּ קֶטֶב יְגָרְשׁוּהָ וּתְהִי שְׁדוּדָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר: בַּצָּהֳרַיִם יְגָרְשׁוּהָ – מְקוֹם מִרְעֵה צֹאן הָיָה, וְצָהֳרַיִם קָשֶׁה לָצֵאת בּוֹ צֹאן, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״אֵיכָה תַּרְבִּיץ בַּצָּהֳרָיִם״ (שיר השירים א:ז).
Ashdod at noon they shall drive her out Her name is Ashdod, and, at noon, when the destruction wastes, they shall drive her out, and she shall be plundered. Another explanation. At noon they shall drive her out. [Ashdod] was a place to pasture sheep, and it is hard for the sheep to go out at noontime; so Scripture says (Song 1:7): “How do you make them lie down at noon?”
הוֹי יֹשְׁבֵי חֶבֶל הַיָּם גּוֹי כְּרֵתִים דְּבַר־יְהֹוָה עֲלֵיכֶם כְּנַעַן אֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים וְהַאֲבַדְתִּיךְ מֵאֵין יוֹשֵֽׁב׃
Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Keretim! the word of the Lord is against you; O Kena῾an, the land of the Pelishtim, I will destroy thee, so that there shall be no inhabitant.
Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Keretim! the word of the Lord is against you; O Kena῾an, the land of the Pelishtim, I will destroy thee, so that there shall be no inhabitant.
Rashi
חֶבֶל הַיָּם. ״סְפַר יַמָּא״. וּלְשׁוֹן ׳חֶבֶל׳ – מִדַּת הַקַּרְקַע הִיא, שֶׁמּוֹדְדִין בְּחֶבֶל. כְּלוֹמַר הַסְּמוּכִים לַיָּם.
the seacoast the border of the sea. The expression חֶבֶל is a measure of land that they measured with a rope, i.e., those close to the sea.
גּוֹי כְּרֵתִים. תִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן: ״עַמָּא דְמְחֻיָּבִין לְאִשְׁתְּצָאָה״. וּמִי הֵן יוֹשְׁבֵי חֶבֶל הַיָּם? כְּנָעַן אֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים, כִּי פְּלִשְׁתִּים יוֹשְׁבִים עַל שְׂפַת הַיָּם הָאַחֲרוֹן בְּמַעֲרָבָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּתוֹךְ מִצְרֵי תְּחוּמֶיהָ. וְאַף שֶׁדּוֹרְשׁוֹ יוֹנָתָן לְכִלָּיָה, ״גּוֹי כְּרֵתִים״ – מְדִינָה הִיא בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים וּשְׁמָהּ כְּרֵתִי. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר בְּצִקְלָג: ״אֲנַחְנוּ פָשַׁטְנוּ עַל נֶגֶב הַכְּרֵתִי וְעַל אֲשֶׁר לִיהוּדָה״ (שמואל א ל:יד), וְתִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן: ״עַל דָּרוֹם כְּרֵתִי״. וּלְמַטָּה כָּתוּב: ״בְּכָל הַשָּׁלָל הַגָּדוֹל אֲשֶׁר לָקְחוּ מֵאֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים וּמֵאֶרֶץ יְהוּדָה״ (שם ל:טז).
the nation of Cherethites the people liable to destruction. Who are the inhabitants of the seacoast of Canaan, the land of the Philistines? The Philistines, who dwell on the coast of the western sea, in the west of Eretz lsrael, within its boundaries. Although Jonathan explains this phrase homiletically as [the nation of] destruction, the nation of the Cherethites is a province of the Philistines; its name is Cherethi. So Scripture states (I Sam. 30:14) regarding Ziklag: “We made a raid upon the south of the Cherethites, etc.” Jonathan translates: on the south of Cherethi. Below (ibid. 30:16) it is written: “Because of all the great spoil which they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.”
וְֽהָיְתָה חֶבֶל הַיָּם נְוֺת כְּרֹת רֹעִים וְגִדְרוֹת צֹֽאן׃
And the sea coast shall be pastures, and meadows for shepherds, and folds for flocks.
And the sea coast shall be pastures, and meadows for shepherds, and folds for flocks.
Rashi
נְוֺת כְּרֹת רוֹעִים. נְוֵה עֲרַאי שֶׁיִּכְרוּ בָּהּ הָרוֹעִים לֶחֶם בַּבֹּקֶר. כְּרֹת לְשׁוֹן ״וַיִּכְרֶה לָהֶם כֵּרָה גְדוֹלָה״ (מלכים ב ו:כג).
breakfast nooks for shepherds a temporary dwelling where the shepherds eat bread in the morning. כְּרֹת is an expression related to (II Kings 6:23) “He prepared for them a lavish feast.”
וְהָיָה חֶבֶל לִשְׁאֵרִית בֵּית יְהוּדָה עֲלֵיהֶם יִרְעוּן בְּבָתֵּי אַשְׁקְלוֹן בָּעֶרֶב יִרְבָּצוּן כִּי יִפְקְדֵם יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיהֶם וְשָׁב (שבותם) [שְׁבִיתָֽם]׃
And it shall be an allotment for the remnant of the house of Yehuda; they shall feed there; in the houses of Ashqelon they shall lie down in the evening: for the Lord their God shall remember them, and restore their captivity.
And it shall be an allotment for the remnant of the house of Yehuda; they shall feed there; in the houses of Ashqelon they shall lie down in the evening: for the Lord their God shall remember them, and restore their captivity.
Rashi
וְהָיָה חֶבֶל לִשְׁאֵרִית בֵּית יְהוּדָה. וְהָיָה אוֹתוֹ הַגְּבוּל גּוֹרָל לִשְׁאֵרִית בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה. חֶבֶל זֶה לְשׁוֹן ׳גּוֹרָל׳ הוּא, וְכֵן תִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן: ״וִיהֵי עַדְבָּא לִשְׁאָרָא דְבֵית יְהוּדָה״.
And it shall be a lot for the remnant of the house of Judah And that border shall be a lot for the remnant. This חֶבֶל is an expression of a lot. In this manner, Jonathan rendered: And it shall be a lot for the remnant of the house of Judah.
שָׁמַעְתִּי חֶרְפַּת מוֹאָב וְגִדֻּפֵי בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן אֲשֶׁר חֵֽרְפוּ אֶת־עַמִּי וַיַּגְדִּילוּ עַל־גְּבוּלָֽם׃
I have heard the taunt of Mo᾽av, and the revilings of the children of ῾Ammon, whereby they have taunted my people, and magnified themselves against their border.
I have heard the taunt of Mo᾽av, and the revilings of the children of ῾Ammon, whereby they have taunted my people, and magnified themselves against their border.
Rashi
אֲשֶׁר חֵרְפוּ אֶת עַמִּי. כְּשֶׁהָיוּ מוֹלִיכִין יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּגּוֹלָה לְצַד אֶרֶץ כַּשְׂדִּים, וְהָיוּ עוֹבְרִין דֶּרֶךְ עַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב, וְרוֹאִים יִשְׂרָאֵל בּוֹכִים וְגוֹנְחִים וְצוֹעֲקִין, הָיוּ מוֹנִין אוֹתָן וְאוֹמְרִים: מַה לָּכֶם לִהְיוֹת סְגוּפִים? מַה תִּבְכּוּ? הֲלֹא לְבֵית אֲבִיכֶם אַתֶּם הוֹלְכִים – ״בְּעֵבֶר הַנָּהָר יָשְׁבוּ אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם מֵעוֹלָם״ (יהושע כד:ב).
who taunted My people When [the people of] Israel were being led into exile toward the land of the Chaldeans, and they were passing through Ammon and Moab, and they would see Israel weeping, sighing, and crying out, they would taunt them and say, “Why are you suffering? Aren’t you going to your father’s house? Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the river from earliest times.” (Josh. 24:2)
וַיַּגְדִּילוּ עַל גְּבוּלָם. וַיִּתְגָּאוּ עַל גְּבוּלָם.
and they aggrandized themselves on their border And they acted haughtily on their border.
לָכֵן חַי־אָנִי נְאֻם יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי־מוֹאָב כִּסְדֹם תִּֽהְיֶה וּבְנֵי עַמּוֹן כַּעֲמֹרָה מִמְשַׁק חָרוּל וּמִכְרֵה־מֶלַח וּשְׁמָמָה עַד־עוֹלָם שְׁאֵרִית עַמִּי יְבׇזּוּם וְיֶתֶר גּוֹיִ יִנְחָלֽוּם׃
Therefore as I live, says the Lord of hosts, the God of Yisra᾽el, Surely Mo᾽av shall be like Sedom, and the children of ῾Ammon like ῾Amora, the breeding place of nettles, and saltpits, and a desolation for ever: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.
Therefore as I live, says the Lord of hosts, the God of Yisra᾽el, Surely Mo᾽av shall be like Sedom, and the children of ῾Ammon like ῾Amora, the breeding place of nettles, and saltpits, and a desolation for ever: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.
Rashi
כִּי מוֹאָב כִּסְדֹם תִּהְיֶה. גַּם אַתֶּם לְקַדְמַתְכֶם תָּשׁוּבוּ. לוֹט אֲבִיכֶם לֹא מִסְּדוֹם הָיָה?
for Moab shall be like Sodom You, too, shall return to your previous dwelling. Was not your father, Lot, from Sodom?
מִמְשַׁק חָרוּל. הַשְׁמָעַת קוֹל, כְּמוֹ ״מַשַּׁק גֵּבִים״ (ישעיהו לג:ד). וְאַף מֵ״ם הָרִאשׁוֹנָה יְסוֹד הִיא בַּתֵּבָה, כְּמוֹ ״מִמְשַׁח הַסּוֹכֵךְ״ (יחזקאל כח:יד). ״מִמְשַׁק חָרוּל״ – הַשְׁמָעַת קוֹל חֲרוּלִים הַגְּדֵלִים שָׁם מֵאֵין עוֹבֵר, וְהֵן נוֹקְשִׁין זוֹ עַל זוֹ וּמַשְׁמִיעוֹת קוֹל.
a rattling of nettles The sound made by the nettles growing there because there are no passersby, and they knock against each other and make sounds.
וּמִכְרֵה מֶלַח. מְקוֹם כְּרִיַּת מֶלַח.
and a salt mine a place for digging salt.
זֹאת לָהֶם תַּחַת גְּאוֹנָם כִּי חֵֽרְפוּ וַיַּגְדִּלוּ עַל־עַם יְהֹוָה צְבָאֽוֹת׃
This they shall have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the Lord of hosts.
This they shall have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the Lord of hosts.
נוֹרָא יְהֹוָה עֲלֵיהֶם כִּי רָזָה אֵת כׇּל־אֱלֹהֵי הָאָרֶץ וְיִשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־לוֹ אִישׁ מִמְּקוֹמוֹ כֹּל אִיֵּי הַגּוֹיִֽם׃
The Lord will be terrible to them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, everyone from his place, all the islands of the nations.
The Lord will be terrible to them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, everyone from his place, all the islands of the nations.
Rashi
כִּי רָזָה. הִתִּישׁ כֹּחָם.
for He weakened He weakened their strength.
וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לוֹ. כְּשֶׁיִּרְאוּ שֶׁנִּתְקַלְקְלוּ יִרְאָתָן.
and... shall prostrate himself to Him when they see that their deity has deteriorated.
גַּם־אַתֶּם כּוּשִׁים חַֽלְלֵי חַרְבִּי הֵֽמָּה׃
You Kushites also, you shall be slain by my sword.
You Kushites also, you shall be slain by my sword.
Rashi
גַּם אַתֶּם כּוּשִׁים. כְּשֶׁגָּלוּ שָׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעֵבֶר לְנַהֲרֵי כּוּשׁ.
You, too, Cushites When Israel was exiled there to the other side of the rivets of Cush.
וְיֵט יָדוֹ עַל־צָפוֹן וִֽיאַבֵּד אֶת־אַשּׁוּר וְיָשֵׂם אֶת־נִֽינְוֵה לִשְׁמָמָה צִיָּה כַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃
And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Ashshur; and will make Nineve a desolation, dry like the wilderness.
And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Ashshur; and will make Nineve a desolation, dry like the wilderness.
Rashi
עַל צָפוֹן. אַשּׁוּר בַּצָּפוֹן אֵצֶל בָּבֶל.
on the north Assyria is on the north, neighboring on Babylon.
נִינְוֵה. הוּא רֹאשׁ לְאַשּׁוּר.
Nineveh That is the capital of Assyria.
וְרָבְצוּ בְתוֹכָהּ עֲדָרִים כׇּל־חַיְתוֹ־גוֹי גַּם־קָאַת גַּם־קִפֹּד בְּכַפְתֹּרֶיהָ יָלִינוּ קוֹל יְשׁוֹרֵר בַּֽחַלּוֹן חֹרֶב בַּסַּף כִּי אַרְזָהֿ עֵרָֽה׃
And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the little owl and the great owl shall lodge in its capitals; their voice shall sing in the window; desolation shall be in the threshold: for he has uncovered the cedar work.
And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the little owl and the great owl shall lodge in its capitals; their voice shall sing in the window; desolation shall be in the threshold: for he has uncovered the cedar work.
Rashi
כָּל חַיְתוֹ גוֹי. כָּל בֶּהֱמוֹת הַגּוֹיִם.
all the beasts of the nations all the cattle of the nations.
קָאַת וְקִפֹּד. עוֹפוֹת.
the pelican and the owl birds. [owl a bird that flies at night (chouette in French), an owl.]
בְּכַפְתּוֹרֶיהָ. פומל״ש שֶׁבְּרֹאשׁ הַגָּג.
in its lintels rounded knobs on the top of the roof; pomels in French.
חֹרֶב בַּסַּף. הַחֻרְבָּן יִהְיֶה נִכָּר בְּסִפֵּי הַבַּיִת.
Their voice shall sing in the window The voice of the birds chirping in the windows.
קוֹל יְשׁוֹרֵר בַּחַלּוֹן. קוֹל הָעוֹפוֹת מְצַפְצְפִים בַּחֲלוֹנוֹת.
desolation, in the doorpost The desolation shall be discernible in the doorposts of the house.
כִּי אַרְזָה עֵרָה. כִּי אֲרָזֶיהָ עִקֵּר וְשֵׁרַשׁ, כְּמוֹ ״עָרוּ עָרוּ״ (תהלים קלז:ז). וְיוֹנָתָן תִּרְגֵּם: ״וְטַלְלָהּ סָתְרוּ״ – הוּא גַּג הַבַּיִת הַסָּפוּן בְּאֶרֶז, שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ בָּתֵּי אֲבָנִים מְסַכְּכִין בִּנְסָרִים שֶׁל עֵץ.
for the cedarwork has been destroyed For he has uprooted its cedars, as in (Ps. 137:7) “Raze it, raze it.” Jonathan rendered: And they demolished its roof. That is the roof of the house that is ceiled with cedar; even stone houses are ceiled with boards of wood.
זֹאת הָעִיר הָעַלִּיזָה הַיּוֹשֶׁבֶת לָבֶטַח הָאֹֽמְרָה בִּלְבָבָהּ אֲנִי וְאַפְסִי עוֹד אֵיךְ ׀ הָיְתָה לְשַׁמָּה מַרְבֵּץ לַֽחַיָּה כֹּל עוֹבֵר עָלֶיהָ יִשְׁרֹק יָנִיעַ יָדֽוֹ׃ {פ}
This is the joyful city that dwelt securely, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in: every one that passes by her shall hiss, and gesture with his hand.
This is the joyful city that dwelt securely, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in: every one that passes by her shall hiss, and gesture with his hand.
Rashi
וְאַפְסִי. וְאֶפֶס זוּלָתִי.
and there is none besides me וְאַפְסִי
הִתְקוֹשְׁשׁוּ. הִתְלַקְּטוּ וְאִסְפוּ יַחַד, כְּמוֹ ״לְקֹשֵׁשׁ קַשׁ״ (שמות ה:יב).
Gather yourselves together Gather and assemble together as in (Exod. 5:12) “To Gather a gathering.”