Yeshayah 19:10

10 And its foundations shall be broken in the purposes thereof, all that make sachir (wages) shall be agmei nefesh (grieved).

Yeshayah 19:10 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 19:10

And they shall be broken in the purposes thereof
Meaning either the persons that work in flax, or in making nets; who shall be disappointed in their views, expectations, and designs, in bringing them to a good market, since there will be no buyers. The word for "purposes" signifies foundations, as in ( Psalms 11:3 ) and may design dams and banks, that are made to keep in the water, which shall be broken down, and be of no service to answer the end; but Kimchi observes, that the word in the Talmudic language signifies "nets", as it does ^F14; and this seems to be most agreeable to the context; and then the words may be rendered, "and its nets shall be broken" ^F15; shall lie and rot for want of use:

all that make sluices [and] ponds for fish;
or, "all that make an enclosure of ponds of soul" ^F16; or for delight and pleasure; that is, not only such shall be broken in their purposes, ashamed and confounded, and be dispirited, mourn and lament, whose business and employment it is to catch fish, or make nets for that end, and get their livelihood thereby; but even such who enclose a confluence of water, and make fishponds in their fields and gardens for their pleasure, will be disappointed; for their waters there will be dried up, and the fish die, as well as in the common rivers. The Septuagint version renders it, "and all they that make zythum shall grieve"; "zythum" was a sort of malt liquor of the ancients; and the word for "sluices" is of affinity with a word that is often used for strong drink; and so the Syriac version here,

``and all they shall be humbled that make strong drink, for the drink of the soul;''

or for men to drink for pleasure.

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 124. 2. Bava Kama, fol. 117. 1.
F15 "Et erunt retia ejus contrita", Pagninus, Montanus.
F16 (vpn ymga rkv yvwe lk) "omnes facientes clausuram stagnorum animae", Montanus.

Yeshayah 19:10 In-Context

8 The dayagim (fishermen) also shall mourn, and all they that cast hooks into the Nile shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the mayim shall languish.

9 Moreover they that work in pishtan (flax), and they that weave fine linen, shall be in despair.

10 And its foundations shall be broken in the purposes thereof, all that make sachir (wages) shall be agmei nefesh (grieved).

11 Surely the sarim of Tzoan are fools, the etzah (advice) of the wise counselors of Pharaoh is become senseless; how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the Ben Chachamim, the Ben Malchei Kedem?

12 Where are they? Where are thy chachamim? And let them tell thee now, and let them know what Hashem Tzva’os hath planned against Mitzrayim.