Commentaire sur Isaïe 26:18

We conceived, we shuddered a shudder like a woman giving birth, as though we had given birth, as though we were close to being redeemed, yet it was wind and no salvation.

We have conceived, we have been in pain with, as we have brought forth, wind.¹⁶A. V., We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have, as it were (כְמוֹ) brought forth wind. According to I. E. the word כמו compares the verbs הָרִינוּ we have conceived and הַלְנוּ we have been in pain, with the verb יָלַדְנוּ רוּחַ we have brought forth, with regard to the object רוּחַ wind, which is common to all of them. We have conceived, and we have been in pain with wind, and so we have also brought forth wind. We had no strength to deliver ourselves; this is the meaning of the following ישועות בל נעשה we have not wrought any deliverance. We were not able to bring any deliverance.

we wreak no salvation [in] the land We have suffered everything, and our troubles (sic) we do not understand for ourselves a salvation.[Rashi in Nach Lublin] ([Warsaw edition reads:] With all our suffering and our trouble, we do not prepare salvation for ourselves.) ([K’li Paz reads:] with all our pains and our troubles, we do not bring salvation for ourselves.) ([Some manuscripts read:] Throughout our troubles we do not see any salvation.) ([Others read:] We do not recognize any salvation.) ([Others read:] We cannot prepare for ourselves any salvation.)

ארץ In the earth. Supply ב; comp. בששת═ששת (Ex. 20:11).

neither do the inhabitants of the world fall The nations (var. the children of Esau), who are the inhabitants of the world, since they conquered and filled the earth, do not fall. And Jonathan rendered יִפְּלוּ as an expression related to (Ex. 33:16): “And wonders shall be wrought (וְנִפְלִינוּ) for me and Your people.” The inhabitants of the world cannot perform a wonder.

ובל יפלו Some say, that א is omitted, as in ויפלו (Neh. 6:16); but the latter has its usual meaning (and they fell), as will be explained by me. I explain בל יפלו we could not help their falling.¹⁷According to I. E. the root of יפלו is נפל to fall. ובל יפלו ישבי תבל We could not effect that the inhabitants of the world should not fall; that is, we could not prevent the destruction which threatened to come over a great many of the inhabitants of the world.—A. V., Neither have the inhabitants of the earth fallen.—The passage quoted from Nehemiah ויפלו מאוד בעיניהם is explained by I. E. בשפלים ונפלים ממעלתם they appeared to themselves low and degraded.