פירוש על ישעיהו 22:24

the children and the grandchildren (צֶאֱצָאִים וּצְפִיעוֹת). Jonathan renders: the children and the children’s children. Menachem (Machbereth p. 151) associates it with, (Ezekiel 4:15) “Cattle dung (צְפִיעֵי).” This teaches us that it is an expression of tiny infants that issue forth from their mother’s womb. making צְפִיעוֹת an expression of coming out, i.e., a thing that comes out.

And they shall hang, etc. Having compared Eliakim with a nail, the prophet continues, they shall hang upon it, etc.

all the small vessels the smallest of their families shall take pride in him and rely on him.

הצאצאים The offspring. The children that will come out of him.²⁸The root of צאצאים is יצא to come out.

from the vessels of basins to the vessels of the lyres Jonathan paraphrases: From the priests who wear the ephod to the Levites who hold the lyres. Accordingly, it is an expression of the ministration vessels with which the priests perform the service in the Temple.

והצפיעות And the issue. The female children are perhaps meant; comp. יצא צפע shall come forth a cockatrice (14:29).²⁹According to this remark צפע means offspring, but in commenting on 14:29 he says that צפעני ═ צפע means cockatrice, and is more dangerous than נחש serpent. A joke at the expense of women is perhaps intended by this remark. The real reason for this explanation is very likely to be found in the masculine and feminine terminations of the two words צאצאים and צפיעות. Since he is said to be the father, the men of Judah are as it were his sons, and the women his daughters. All vessels of small quantity. The children are compared to small vessels.

the lyres with which the Levites recite the song during the offering of the sacrifices.

האגנות The cups. (Comp. 24:6). The gold was perhaps kept in those vessels.

כלי הנבלים. The vessels of psalteries.³⁰A. V., All the vessels of flagons. Musical instruments. Nothing will remain in the royal palace, that should not be placed under his authority.