Commentaire sur Isaïe 46:1

כָּרַ֥ע בֵּל֙ קֹרֵ֣ס נְב֔וֹ הָיוּ֙ עֲצַבֵּיהֶ֔ם לַחַיָּ֖ה וְלַבְּהֵמָ֑ה נְשֻׂאֹתֵיכֶ֣ם עֲמוּס֔וֹת מַשָּׂ֖א לַעֲיֵפָֽה׃

Bêl a fléchi, Nebo s’est affaissé; leurs statues ont été posées sur des animaux, des bêtes de somme. Vous les portiez jadis, maintenant elles sont chargées, pesant fardeau, sur des montures qu’elles accablent.

Rashi on Isaiah

Bel squats; Nebo soils himself The deities of Babylon squatted and soiled themselves. This is an expression of ridicule of the idols, like one who suffers from diarrhea and does not manage to sit down on the seat in the privy before he discharges with a splash.

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Ibn Ezra on Isaiah

Bel. The idol of the Babylonians; the same is the case with Nebo. The latter is explained by some to signify the sun.

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Rashi on Isaiah

Bel squats; Nebo soils himself Heb. כָּרַע בֵּל קֹרֵס נְבוֹ. Akropid sei Bel; konkiad sei Nebo. Bel squats; Nebo soils himself. So I heard in the name of Rabbenu Gershom, the Light of the Diaspora.

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