Commentary for Isaiah 22:17

Shall cast you about with a mighty toss (גָבֶר) like a rooster that wanders from place to place (Lev. Rabbah ibid.) The Midrash explains גֶבֶר as a rooster. Our Rabbis, however, stated that the wandering of a man is more trying than that of a woman (San. 26a).

מטלטלך Will carry thee away. Reduplication of טול to carry. Comp. ויטילו And they cast (Jon. 1:5).

and cause you to fly. Heb. (וְעֹטְךָ עָטֹה). Comp. (I Sam. 25:14) “And he drove them away (וַיָּעַט),” an expression of עַיִּט, a bird. He will make you fly away like a bird, in exile. Our Rabbis, however, stated that ‘zaraath’ broke out upon him, as is stated: (Leviticus 13:45) “And on his upper lip he shall enwrap himself (יַעְטֶה).”

גבר O man.²²A. V., A mighty captivity. Thou, who thinkest that thou art mighty. Comp. והיית לאיש and show thyself a man (1 Kgs. 2:2). גבר is here the vocative case. It can also mean as the carrying away of a man.²³Comp. טלטולא דגברא קשה טדאתתא A man, carried away in Captivity is treated more harshly and cruelly than a woman. See Rashi ad locum. I prefer the first explanation.