Yeshayah 35:3

3 Make ye the weak hands chazak (strong), and steady the birkayim (knees) koshlot (feeble ones [knees] that give way, i.e., of those of the Golus returning to G-d in Tziyon).

Yeshayah 35:3 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 35:3

Strengthen ye the weak hands
These are the words of the prophet, as the Targum,

``the prophet said, strengthen the weak hands;''

or rather of God, by the prophet, to the converted Gentiles, to those who saw the glory of the Lord; particularly to the ministers of the Gospel, who have to do with weak and feeble persons, who can scarcely lift up their hands, or stand upon their legs, under a sense of sin, in a view of wrath, and immediate ruin and destruction, ready to sink and faint, because of their enemies, or through want of food; and their business is to comfort and strengthen them, by preaching the Gospel, and pointing out the promises of it to them: and confirm the feeble knees;
that so they may keep their ground against their enemies; shake off their fears and trembling; go on their way courageously and rejoicing; run, and not be weary; walk, and not faint: "hands" and "knees" are mentioned particularly, because a man's strength lies greatly in them; and his weakness is seen by the languor and trembling of them.

Yeshayah 35:3 In-Context

1 5 The Midbar (desert) and the Tziyyah (dry land) shall be glad over them [the redeemed of Hashem, see 35:9]; and the Aravah shall rejoice, and blossom like the khavatzelet (lily).

2 It shall bloom abundantly, and rejoice even with gilat (rejoicing) and rannein (joyous singing); the kavod haLevanon (glory of Lebanon) shall be given unto her (the Aravah), the hadar (majesty) of Carmel and Sharon; they [i.e., the desert and dry land in v.1] shall see the Kavod Hashem (glory of Hashem), and the Hadar Eloheinu (majesty of our G-d).

3 Make ye the weak hands chazak (strong), and steady the birkayim (knees) koshlot (feeble ones [knees] that give way, i.e., of those of the Golus returning to G-d in Tziyon).

4 Say to them that are of a fearful lev, Be strong, fear not; hinei, Eloheichem (your G-d) will come with nakam (vengeance), even Elohim gemul (divine retribution); He will come and save you.

5 Then the eyes of the ivvrim (blind people) shall be opened, and the ears of the chereshim (deaf ones) shall be unstopped.