Commentary for Isaiah 66:3
שׁוֹחֵ֨ט הַשּׁ֜וֹר מַכֵּה־אִ֗ישׁ זוֹבֵ֤חַ הַשֶּׂה֙ עֹ֣רֵֽף כֶּ֔לֶב מַעֲלֵ֤ה מִנְחָה֙ דַּם־חֲזִ֔יר מַזְכִּ֥יר לְבֹנָ֖ה מְבָ֣רֵֽךְ אָ֑וֶן גַּם־הֵ֗מָּה בָּֽחֲרוּ֙ בְּדַרְכֵיהֶ֔ם וּבְשִׁקּוּצֵיהֶ֖ם נַפְשָׁ֥ם חָפֵֽצָה׃
He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he broke a dog’s neck; He that offereth a meal-offering, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that maketh a memorial-offering of frankincense, as if he blessed an idol; according as they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations;
Rashi on Isaiah
brings a gift of violence Heb. מְבָרֵךְ, blesses Me with a gift of violence, brings a gift of violence. This is its explanation, and the expression of בְּרָכָה applies to a gift that is for a reception. Comp. (Gen. 33: 11) “Please take my gift (בִּרְכָתִי).” Also (supra 36:16), “Make peace (בְרָכָה) with me and come out to me.”
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Ibn Ezra on Isaiah
He that killeth an ox, etc. I look to him that trembleth at my word, not to those that sacrifice burnt offerings, and at the same time act badly; for he that killeth an ox, מכה איש is as guilty as if he slew a man; it is considered as murder on his part, because the offering is not brought properly; or is guilty as if he struck a man, not killing, but hurting and wounding him;2Comp. והכה איש את רעהו וגו׳, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not. Ex. 21:18.
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Rashi on Isaiah
they, too, chose their ways They desire these evil ways, and I, too, will choose and desire their mockeries. Now if you ask the meaning of גַּם, too, so is the style of the Hebrew language to say twice גַּם one next to the other. Comp. (Deut. 32:25) “Both a young man and a virgin (גַּם בָּחוּר גַּם בְּתוּלָה)”; (I Kings 3:26) “neither mine nor yours (גַּם לִי גַּם לָךְ)”; (Ecc. 9:1) “neither love nor hate (גַּם אַהֲבָה גַּם שִׂנְאָה)”; (Num. 18:3) “and neither they nor you shall die (גַּם הֵם גַּם אַתֶּם).” Here, too, both they chose and I will choose.
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Ibn Ezra on Isaiah
He that sacrificeth a lamb before me, is guilty, ערף כלב as if he killed a dog;
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Ibn Ezra on Isaiah
עֹרֵף֭ with the accent on the last syllable is participle Kal of ערף to cut off the neck; comp. וערפו and they shall strike off the neck (Deut. 21:4); when it has the accent on the last syllable but one (עׁ֭רֶף neck) it is a noun3Some editions of the Hebrew text have the words מלעיל הנו שם וכאשר הוא שם הוא; but either הוא שם or הנו שם is superfluous.;
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Ibn Ezra on Isaiah
he that offereth an oblation is guilty דם חזיר as if he offered the swine’s blood;
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Ibn Ezra on Isaiah
מזכיר לבונה he that burneth incense—comp. 4In his commentary on Leviticus 2:2, I. E. explains אזכרה memorial, that part of the offering which is to serve as a memorial of it before the Lord; he mentions, however, that many explain it, the part which was burnt upon the altar, and this opinion he seems to have adopted ultimately. Comp. I. E. on Hosea, 14:8.אזכרה incense (Lev. 2:2)—isguilty, מברך און as if he blessed iniquity.5A. V., As if he blessed an idol.
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Ibn Ezra on Isaiah
גם המה Even they, namely, your forefathers; the word אבותיכם is to be supplied.6אבותיהם of the Hebrew text is to be altered into אבותיכם, as may be inferred from the words which follow. It is difficult to find any reason why this word should be supplied, since המה, they refers to the sinners mentioned before in the same verse. Better and more natural is the explanation of Rashi, to connect this part of the verse with the following: ,גם אני וגו׳ ,גם המה וגו׳ Yea they have chosen, etc.
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