פירוש על ישעיהו 8:11

with the overwhelming power of prophecy [Lit., with strength of the hand.] When the prophecy became more intensive over me, when He continued to speak concerning this matter, as it is written above (v. 5): “And the Lord continued to speak to me.” And in this language, Ezekiel said, (3: 14): “And the hand of the Lord became strong over me.” This is an expression of prophecy.

For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, that is: When the prophecy came with force upon me; comp. The hand of the Lord was upon me (Ez. 37:1).

and admonished me from going... He warned me not to participate in the counsel of Shebna the scribe and his company, who conspired to rebel against Hezekiah, as is related in Sanhedrin (26a), to which there is an allusion in this Book (below 22:15): “Go, come to this voluptuary, to Shebna who is appointed over the Temple.”

ויסרני And instructed me. The ס has a dagesh to compensate for the absence of the י, which is the first radical;¹⁹Ibn Ezra had the reading וִיִסְּרֵנִי; if he had וְיִסְּרֵנִי he would certainly not have explained it as future Kal, with ו conversive, and supposed the omission of a radical י; since this word is perfectly regular, being the Piël past with ו conjunctive of יסר. comp. אֶצָּרְךָ I formed thee (Jer. 1:5).²⁰Future Kal of יצר. He instructed me, etc. A proof of the correctness of my view concerning Unclean lips (6:5).²¹If this instruction was necessary, the prophet must personally have been inclined to go the way of the people.

and He admonished me like “and to admonish me.”