פירוש על ישעיהו 17:5

And it shall be like gathering the harvest of the standing grain Just as at the time of the harvest, the reaper gathers the bundle of the standing grain in his one hand and with his other arm he reaps the ears, so will Sennacherib uproot and exile everyone, and even the gleanings that fall at the time of harvest he will gather and carry it off. That is to say that even those who flee will not escape his hand, and they will gather them [var. and he will gather them] [like one who gathers ears].

And it shall be, the first time.⁶I. E. does not here explain the repetition of והיה as a poetical figure; because two different periods are here clearly indicated; the gathering of the standing corn at the beginning of the harvest, and the gathering of the ears from the field at the end of the harvest. The two invasions referred to by I. E. are probably the two principal ones of Tiglath Pileser and Shalmaneser. There were, in fact, other invasions, e.g., that of King Phul.

in the valley of Rephaim That is the valley that is before Jerusalem. In the Book of Joshua (15:8, 18:16) you will find that the valley of Rephaim adjoins Jerusalem.

כאסף קציר As when the harvestman gathereth the corn. הקוצר the harvestman, must be supplied before קציר.

And it shall be, the second time. The king of Assyria came twice against the land of Israel.

In the valley of Rephaim. A place where the harvest was bad, thin and meagre.⁷The valley Rephaim is here declared to be a barren valley; it is not certain whether I. E. derives this explanation from the meaning of the word רפה═רפא to be weak, or from some other source.