פירוש על ישעיהו 38:14

like a crane (סוּס) same as (Jer. 8:7), סִיס, and that is the name of a bird.

כסוס כעגור═כסוס עגור. Comp. כרע כאח לי as though he had been my friend, my brother (Ps. 35:14). In the same way ככבש כאלוף ═ אלוף ככבש like a lamb, like an ox (Jer. 14:19). סיס and עגור are names of birds, a crane, a swallow. So did I chatter. The patient in his heavy illness mutters and speaks what no one is able to understand.

like a crane, a swallow like a crane and a swallow. (Alternatively,) like this bird, seized by the neck, and it screeches. So did Jonathan render: Like a crane that is caught and screeches.

דלו They are lifted up.²¹A. V., Fail. Root דלל, comp. דליו they are high (Prov. 26:7).

Rob me (עָשְׁקָה), like עֲשֹׁק. Rob me, take me out of the hand of the angel of death, and pledge Yourself to save me. This (עָרְבֵנִי) is an expression of surety (garantieh in O.F.). Comp. (Ps. 119) “Pledge Yourself (עֲרוֹב) to Your servant for good.”

עשקה לי It oppresseth me.²²A. V., I am oppressed.—עָֽשְׁקָה is third person feminine past of עשק; I. E. supplies, therefore, the subject דלה illness. The illness oppresseth me.

Rob me (לִי) Rob me from his hand. Comp. (Num. 12:13) “Please cure her (לָהּ),” like, cure her (אוֹתָהּ).

ערבני Undertake for me. Comp.²³The Hebrew text has עתה now; but its meaning can hardly be found out; besides, the word טגזרת, the usual introduction of a parallel passage, is missing; and the conjecture that עת׳ is a corruption of מגזרת is well founded. ערוב be surety (Ps. 119:112); according to some הרבני ═ ערבני destroy me; this is nonsense. The word ערבני, lit. pledge thyself for me, is an anthropomorphism; it means, sympathise with me in my troubles.